The Monthly K-pop Recap: October 2026

A K-pop stan can never catch a break because keeping up with K-pop is practically a full-time job. So we're here to make sure you don't miss a beat. From the latest releases and industry shake-ups to unexpected announcements, headline-making moments, and netizens' newest obsessions, there's always something happening worth talking about. Consider this your one-stop catch-up on all things K-pop. Let's touch base!

T.O.P. and Nana Went Public With Their Romance

While the golden rule for every fan should be to stay out of celebrities' personal business, October kicked off with a dating confirmation that fans couldn't help but celebrate.

On Oct. 2, multi-hyphenate artists T.O.P. (formerly of BIGBANG) and Nana (formerly of After School) officially confirmed their relationship, with both agencies stating that the pair have been dating since June.

The confirmation followed a report by Korean media outlet Dispatch, which revealed that the two grew closer after meeting on the set of T.O.P.'s “Studio54” music video in January. According to the report, T.O.P. initially reached out to Nana and invited her to appear in the project. T.O.P.'s agency confirmed that the two formed a connection during filming, which eventually developed into a romantic relationship around June. Nana's agency also acknowledged the news, adding that the pair are “happily dating.”

Congratulations to the happy couple!

SM Entertainment Founder Lee Soo Man Returned to K-pop With Two New Idol Groups

Often hailed by some as the “King of K-pop,” Lee Soo Man, the mastermind behind some of the industry's most influential acts, including H.O.T., Girls' Generation, SHINee and EXO, returned to the domestic K-pop scene in October after a three-year hiatus, unveiling boy group A2O Soul and girl group A2O Lite under his agency, A2O Entertainment.

The two groups, comprising 15 and nine members, respectively, held a joint debut showcase at KINTEX in Goyang on Oct. 12. Their digital singles, “Superstar” and “Neon,” followed the next day. While “Superstar” showcased the familiar Lee Soo-man formula of polished vocals and striking visuals, it was A2O Lite's “Neon” that stole the spotlight, quickly becoming an earworm and making an impressive splash on the charts.

Just 29 hours after its release, the track reached No. 1 on Melon's Top 100 before earning a Perfect All-Kill (PAK) across major Korean music platforms. It also took home first-place wins on The Show, Show Champion and M Countdown, topped the weekly Circle Chart, and made its Billboard debut at No. 8 on the Global 200, eventually peaking at No. 3 on the Global Excl. U.S. chart. [1]

With the group's impressive debut reception, everyone is now wondering whether Lee Soo Man can recreate the magic that made SM Entertainment a K-pop powerhouse and bring A2O Entertainment to the same level of industry-defining success.

ICYMI:

• War is over! After years of avoiding LOONA's music in protest against their former agency, BlockBerry Creative, Orbits have received an unexpected green light from one of the members themselves. Yeojin encouraged fans on TikTok to start listening to LOONA's songs again, reminding them that the music belongs to the members and their fans, not the company. “The song(s) doesn't belong to them. It belongs to us. It is our song,” she said. “Rather than thinking, ‘We shouldn't listen to the song,’ I hope you'll think, ‘This song belongs to us.’”

• After more than 7 months away from the music scene, Eunha, SinB and Umji, collectively known as VIVIZ, are finally back! The trio has signed with UNCORE, the agency also home to PROJECT 7's boy group CLOSE YOUR EYES, and is ready to begin a new chapter. However, there's one catch: after parting ways with their former agency, Big Planet Made Entertainment, the members may no longer be able to promote under the name VIVIZ, leaving fans wondering whether a name change could be on the horizon.

• It's time to say goodbye to SEVENTEEN's final two members, as Seungkwan and Dino have enlisted for their mandatory military service. With both now away, the group will temporarily carry on with five active members until their fellow members return. The wait won't be forever, though; fans can look forward to seeing all 13 together again in 2028!

Jihyo Bid Farewell to JYPE After 21 Years

It is almost impossible to talk about JYP Entertainment without thinking of Jihyo, the powerhouse leader of the agency's biggest girl group, TWICE. But even the longest chapters must eventually come to an end. After more than two decades with the agency she grew up in, TWICE's leader and main vocalist has officially parted ways with JYP Entertainment, marking the end of a 21-year chapter. The 29-year-old artist announced her departure on Oct. 21, alongside the launch of her own company, EMITHAUS, marking a new step toward independence.

In her announcement, Jihyo expressed gratitude toward the agency that shaped her career, describing her departure as the beginning of a new chapter rather than an ending. Reflecting on her time at JYP, she shared, “There were good days and difficult ones, but one thing I know for certain is that every one of those moments has shaped who I am today. [...] I will always cherish the time we shared and the memories we made together.”

Explaining her vision for EMITHAUS, Jihyo added, “Just as ‘EMIT’ means to ‘express or release,’ I hope this will be a place where I can freely explore and bring to life even the possibilities within me that I have yet to discover.”

But ONCEs do not have to worry about saying goodbye to TWICE just yet. Jihyo reassured fans that she would continue group activities alongside her members, emphasizing that TWICE remains an irreplaceable part of her life. Her departure also follows similar moves by fellow members Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung, reflecting the group's evolving approach to individual careers while remaining together as TWICE.

This arrangement is an example of the increasingly common dual-contract model in K-pop. Under this setup, an idol can manage their solo career through a new agency or their own company while maintaining a separate agreement with their original agency for group activities. It allows artists greater freedom to explore individual opportunities without having to leave their groups behind.

ICYMI:

• Ever since the Recording Academy announced its new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, fans and artists alike have questioned whether it risks boxing music into regional and language-based labels. Now, K-pop's Big Four, HYBE, SM, JYP and YG, have reportedly made their stance clear by submitting no entries to the category, which received 116 submissions overall.

• If there's one thing K-pop never seems to run out of, it's survival shows, and apparently, we're getting two more! Netflix is stepping into the audition-show arena with We Go High, a girl group survival project featuring students from South Korean arts high schools. SM C&C is also partnering with the streaming platform to support the winning group's debut and future activities. Looks like our watchlists are about to get a lot longer!

• After months of uncertainty, ALPHA DRIVE ONE's Geonwoo may finally have some clarity surrounding his future. On Oct. 25, reports revealed that the idol, who has been on hiatus from group activities since April, had filed a lawsuit against his agency, WAKEONE, seeking a ruling on the validity of his exclusive contract and his status as an artist. Following the news, WAKEONE released a statement addressing his future, saying it had been preparing various plans, including a concrete schedule and content, while continuing discussions. For now, fans are waiting to see what those plans will mean for Geonwoo's return to activities.

Music We Couldn't Stop Playing: JUST B’s 6th EP K-POP

When JUSTB announced their sixth EP, K-POP, no one quite knew what to expect. But after just one listen, it became clear that K-POP couldn’t have been called anything else but K-POP.

The self-produced EP saw the five-year-old group deliver a dose of early-2010s K-pop nostalgia, exactly what fans had been craving, while blending it with the hyper-pop sound they’ve recently made their own. The result was a virtually skip-free 16-minute release, with its title track, “Party Time,” emerging as the standout. Packed with unmistakable second-generation K-pop energy, the song sounded like it had been pulled straight from a BIGBANG album, so much so that some fans reportedly mistook it for one.

The Moments That Broke the Internet:

Jihyo made the Eiffel Tower sparkle with her take on Adele’s “Nicole Kidman” trend.

Zara Larsson joined the Wonyoung agenda, posting a photo with her billboard.

Keeho and PinkPantheress gave fans the crossover they didn't know they needed.

BESTie went viral! The unexpected resurgence of "Love Option" brought the group back together for a music show reunion after more than 4,000 days!

And that's a wrap on October! Looking ahead, November promises plenty of new music, with comebacks from ATEEZ, ENHYPEN, LNGSHOT, NAYEON, P1Harmony, RESCENE, TWS, TXT, xikers, YVES and ZEROBASEONE, alongside Charyeong's solo activities. On the screen, Red Velvet's Joy will star in One of a Kind Romance. And for award-show season, don't miss the Korea Grand Music Awards, Melon Music Awards and MAMA Awards. Stay tuned!

— Javeria Yousuf

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