G-Dragon has turned heads with another unconventional fashion choice, this time hiding nearly his entire face behind a black knit balaclava — and raising the question of whether the unusual look could become his next trend. A social media account run by the K-pop star's staff shared a series of photos Friday without a caption, showing G-Dragon in an outfit that put his signature experimental style on full display. In the photos, the BIGBANG member wears a black knit balaclava covering most of his face, paired with a blue-toned jacket, wide-leg pants and a small red bag. The face-concealing headwear is not an easy fashion item to pull off, but G-Dragon incorporates it naturally into the outfit, adding yet another unconventional accessory to his long list of headline-making looks. G-Dragon has long been regarded as one of K-pop's most influential fashion figures, with his clothing, accessories and styling choices frequently drawing attention well beyond the stage. That track record is now putting the spotlight on his latest choice: whether the balaclava will remain one of G-Dragon's more

Singer Eric Nam has opened up about the racism and bullying he endured while growing up in the United States, revealing how an unlikely high school performance featuring Backstreet Boys and NSYNC songs became a turning point in his life. Nam appeared on the YouTube channel "YouTube Ha Ji-young" on Wednesday and recalled his years at a private school in the U.S., where he said he struggled to fit in with classmates from vastly different backgrounds. "My parents sent me to a private school, but when I got there, all the kids were from wealthy families," Nam said. "My family wasn't poor, but we weren't that rich either." He said the differences went beyond money. "We couldn't relate to each other, and we lived in completely different worlds," he said. "I was bullied a lot. They spat in my face and pulled their eyes back." Despite the abuse, Nam said he decided to focus on what he could control. "I thought I should just do well at what I could do well," he said. He continued to rank among the school's top students, but it was an unexpected moment during his final year of high school that would

Kim Tae-hee, Song Hye-kyo and Jun Ji-hyun — the three stars collectively nicknamed "Tae-Hye-Ji" in Korea — are back in the spotlight after making headlines within days of one another, showing why the trio remain among the country's most enduring celebrity icons. The nickname combines one syllable from each actress's name and has long been used in Korea to refer to the three leading actresses, who became defining beauty and entertainment icons of their generation. Kim was the first to step out, attending the 90th anniversary event of a high jewelry brand at Seoul Auction's Gangnam Center in Sinsa-dong, Seoul, on Thursday. She appeared in an ivory strapless gown that exposed her shoulders, pairing a fitted bodice with a voluminous floor-length skirt for an elegant look. Her hair was swept neatly away from her face, drawing further attention to her features. Jun offered a strikingly different look the following day. The actress attended an event celebrating the opening of an athleisure brand's pop-up store at Y173 in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, on Friday. Dressed in a navy crop top, short jacket

Learning to sing and dance was apparently only part of the job for trainees at JYP Entertainment. NMIXX members Jiwoo and Kyujin have offered a glimpse inside the K-pop powerhouse's extensive trainee education system, revealing that their Saturday lessons covered everything from dining etiquette and history to IT — on top of demanding monthly evaluations that could include as many as 11 categories. The two singers discussed their trainee years in a video uploaded Tuesday to chef Park Eun-young's YouTube channel "Bobeunyoung," where they chatted over packed lunches. Kyujin said trainees attended a range of classes every Saturday, including lessons on dining etiquette, history and IT. Park, surprised by the breadth of the curriculum, asked what exactly JYP trainees were taught about eating etiquette. Jiwoo and Kyujin said the lessons went into the differences among Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Western dining settings. "The utensils are different for Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Western food, so we learned the order in which they should be placed and how to use them," they said. They also

Justin Bieber has made a surprise return to Korea for the first time in about 13 years, setting off a wave of excitement as the global pop star was spotted around Seoul — including reports that he headed to the city's Anguk neighborhood for samgyetang, or chicken ginseng soup. Bieber announced his arrival Thursday on social media, writing, "Made it to Seoul." Photos he shared appeared to show scenery around Banpo-dong in Seoul's Seocho District. The trip marks Bieber's first known visit to South Korea since his concert in the country in 2013. He is visiting with his wife, Hailey Bieber. The singer also made an appearance in Seongsu-dong, one of Seoul's trendiest shopping and fashion districts, where a pop-up for his fashion brand Skylrk is being held. The pop-up, the brand's first in Korea, opened Thursday and runs through Sunday. Bieber's visit to the venue drew even more attention to the event. Skylrk offers items including hoodies, pants, footwear and sunglasses, with designs characterized by relaxed silhouettes and vivid colors. The brand has also gained attention after its pieces we

Actor Park Bo-gum has officially become a licensed hairdresser after passing a national certification exam with an average success rate of just 20 to 30 percent — and it took him more than one attempt to get there. Park recently passed Korea's national technical qualification exam for general hairdressing, according to tvN, ahead of the November premiere of "The Village Barber 2" (Bogum’s Magic Curl). The achievement adds another professional credential to Park's résumé. He previously earned a national barbering qualification while serving in the military. His latest license, however, came only after an unsuccessful first attempt. During the first season of "The Village Barber," Park prepared seriously for the hairdressing exam, squeezing perm practice into his busy schedule. Despite his efforts, he failed the practical portion of the test. Park did not give up. While juggling preparations for the show's second season with his other commitments, he continued practicing and eventually passed the exam on his second attempt. The qualification is considered challenging, with its average