BTS Draws 50K Fans to Mexican Presidential Palace, K-Pop at MET 2026, Hongjoong Music Director Debuts

ATEEZ’s Hongjoong Makes Music Director Debut With Queer Indie Film “Hallucination”

Hongjoong is set to make his debut as a music director for the upcoming indie film “Hallucination,” marking his first major step into film scoring and cross-media production. The K-pop artist, best known as the leader of ATEEZ under KQ Entertainment, has produced two original tracks for the project.

The film centers on a queer romance between Ralphie, a human fashion editor, and Call, an artificial intelligence system with developing consciousness. Hongjoong contributed two songs to the soundtrack, “Bleeding Light” and “Nothing Left.” The former explores Ralphie’s emotional attraction to AI Call, while the latter reflects the unease and moral tension of a relationship between humans and technology. Hongjoong also provides vocals for “Nothing Left,” further expanding his creative involvement in the project.

While talking about the project, Hongjoong said “I want Korea’s indie film to expand its reach, and I want to continue my work [with music] through various mediums.”

Adding a personal layer to the production, Hongjoong’s older brother, Kim Bum-joong, stars as the film’s lead character.

BTS Welcomed by Thousands of Fans During Visit With Mexican President Ahead of Mexico City Concerts

BTS met with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum ahead of the group’s Mexico concert leg, once again proving the group’s immense global popularity even after their military hiatus.

On Thursday, the K-pop septet visited the National Palace in Mexico City, where they met President Sheinbaum. During the meeting, the president praised BTS for consistently delivering “messages of friendship, peace, and love.” The Mexican government also recognized the group as “distinguished visitors” and presented them with a commemorative plaque honoring their positive influence on Mexican youth

The highlight of the visit came when the members stepped onto the balcony of the palace to greet the massive crowd gathered below. More than 50,000 fans filled the Zócalo, the historic public square located in the heart of Mexico City, to catch a glimpse of the group.

Fans waved banners reading “BTS is always in Mexico’s heart” and “Welcome to Mexico,” while many were seen crying tears of joy upon seeing the members in person. The square quickly became overwhelmed with emotion as cheers, tears, and chants from fans echoed throughout the city center.

The visit once again highlighted BTS’s enduring cultural impact and the loyalty of their global fanbase, with thousands turning out simply for the chance to see the group ahead of their concerts.

ICYMI:

• aespa reportedly collaborate with G-Dragon on their upcoming album, marking a high-profile cross-generational K-pop partnership.

• Maknae Lai Kuan Lin recently reunited virtually with former groupmates through Wanna One GO: BACK TO BASE after several years apart.

• BamBam is set to attend the 79th Cannes Film Festival as part of the Thai delegation for the opening of the Thailand Pavilion.

• CLC Seungyeon delivered a presentation and performance during a UCLA class session, blending academic discussion with dance.

• HYBE has launched a new label, ABD, which is preparing to debut a new girl group later this year.

MET Gala 2026: K-Pop Artists Bring High Fashion to the Red Carpet

Just like last year, the Met Gala 2026 once again saw several K-pop artists make headlines with their green carpet appearances. While some stars returned to the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this year’s event also welcomed a number of highly anticipated debut appearances.

Jennie returned to the gala representing Chanel in a glamorous metallic-embroidered strapless column gown adorned with shimmering blue sequin leaf patterns. Meanwhile, Lisa turned heads in an avant-garde white sequin couture piece custom-designed by Robert Wun.

Fellow BLACKPINK member Rosé opted for a more understated yet elegant look, wearing a sleek black ensemble from Saint Laurent, accented by a striking bird-shaped brooch placed at the waist.

Among the night’s new faces was Jisoo made her long-awaited Met Gala debut as a global ambassador for Dior. The singer wore a custom floral-inspired design created under the direction of Jonathan Anderson, combining soft romantic elements with modern haute couture styling.

Karina and Ningning of aespa were also new to the gala. While the former made her debut in a Prada ensemble inspired by the traditional Korean hanbok, paired with an elegant black cape, the later, who was recently named a brand ambassador for Gucci, represented the fashion house in a dramatic black tulle-heavy gown designed under the creative direction of Demna.

From classic elegance to experimental couture, this year’s Met Gala highlighted the strong relationship between K-pop and luxury fashion on one of the world’s biggest style stages.

Upcoming Tours & Performances

• Lisa of BLACKPINK is set to perform at the 2026 World Cup opening ceremony.

• K-EXPO INKIGAYO announced its Paris event, scheduled for June 17.

• The first lineup for the 35th Seoul Music Awards has been announced, featuring Dayoung, BOYNEXTDOOR, KiiiKiii, CLOSE YOUR EYES, and Dragon Pony.

• NCHIVE confirmed five world tour dates for its “WE'VE 2026” Global Live Tour.

Favorite New Music This Week

The most talked-about release of the week, by far, is the one that arrived with almost no PR and zero warning until it suddenly dropped: Jenevieve and Jihyo’s “HVNLY.” The collaboration between the “Baby Powder” singer-songwriter and the multi-hyphenate leader of TWICE landed this Friday and has already proven itself to be an undeniable earworm.

Staying true to Jenevieve’s signature style, the track blends alternative R&B and pop, pairing Jenevieve and Jihyo’s rich, almost dreamlike harmonies over lyrics that paint the portrait of a lover s-o-h-e-avenly that nothing else compares:

The release once again showcases Jihyo’s impressive vocal range, leaving fans begging for more R&B from the idol.

NEXT WEEK’S COMEBACK SCHEDULE

• Monday, May 11, 2026

  • NMIXX: 5th EP “Heavy Serenade”

  • aespa: Pre-release Track “WDA (Whole Different Animal”

  • RAIN: Digital Single “Feel It”

• Tuesday, May 12, 2026

  • YOUNITE: 8th EP “INYUN Part.1”

  • ChaDongHyeop (DRIPPIN): 1st Single Album “Doogeundae”

• Wednesday, May 13, 2026

  • Park Jinyoung (GOT7): 2nd Mini Album “Said & Done”

  • WOOAH: "WXW (Wish With W) : Vol. 2"

• Thursday, May 14, 2026

  • N/A

• Friday, May 15, 2026

  • N/A

• Saturday, May 16, 2026

  • N/A

• Sunday, May 17, 2026

  • N/A

— Javeria Yousuf

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