Influencers Snuck Kimchi into a BTS Concert (to Give to Jung Kook)
BTS don’t want anyone to do this. Here’s why.
Author: Jae-Ha Kim
K-pop’s AtHeart Pays Homage to the Swedish Millenial Hit, “Lovefool”
“If I’m being honest, l didn’t know exactly what to expect when starting to pursue life as an idol,” says Michi, who hails from Hawaii. “I knew what an idol was, but it was difficult to imagine what a realistic daily lifestyle would be like. One thing that was different from what I had pictured was how many people work behind the scenes to assist the team to become who they are. There is so much effort and planning that goes into every song and stage.”
Unpacking BTS’ Decision to Boycott the Grammys
NPR invited me to talk about BTS’ decision not to submit their music for Grammy consideration on their “Here & Now” podcast.
K-DRAMA REVIEWS (INDEX)
K-CULTURE WITH JAE-HA KIM is the space where I curate my reviews and views about Korean-centric things happening in the pop culture realm (and beyond) that pique my interest…and I hope yours, too. Won’t you join me?
BTS Shun the Grammys
In my latest for Rolling Stone, I report on BTS removing themselves from Grammy contention in 2027, and what all of this means.
Kim Theory: Meet the L.A. Teen Punk Band That’s Playing Lollapalooza
Named after a trio of awesome alt-rock Kims, Kim Theory is making lots of noise before graduating high school. My latest exclusive for Rolling Stone magazine.
Go Away With … Aisha Bowe
“Space makes Earth better,” said astronaut Aisha Bowe. “Every new place still fills me with even more curiosity. What changed after space is how I see Earth. When you look down at this planet from 100 kilometers up, every destination looks impossibly precious. If anything, space made me want to explore more of this world, not less.”
Go Away With … Ava Dash
For New York City-based activist and model Ava Dash, traveling is less about an itinerary than it is about embracing the moments she never planned for, like “watching the sun set over the ocean with close friends, discovering a tiny restaurant you found by accident, or getting completely lost in a city and ending up somewhere even better than where you intended to go.”
Kevin Jin Kwan Kim’s “Goodbye, From Afar” is a Beautiful 1-Minute Film About Love, Death, and Immigration
Would we have done well if we had stayed in Korea? Probably, because my parents were resilient. But would I choose to move to Korea permanently at this stage of my life? No, for the same reason that my father wanted to be buried here rather than in our family plot in Seoul. His family is here, he said, and he wanted to be near us even in death.
Go Away with … Oli Higginson
“We are always in a beautiful part of England for ‘Bridgerton,’” Oli Higginson said. “I’ve filmed wonderful scenes at the Bridgerton house in Greenwich and at Hampton Court Palace near Richmond. We used to film a lot in the English city of Bath, but now they have built this incredible backlot set out at Shepperton Studios, which is truly a feat of artistic engineering. It is stunning. And given that, it does indeed always feel like the locations are another character. They totally inform how we carry ourselves and how the scenes play out.”
Jimin Han’s “Dreamt I Found You” Retells a Famous Korean Folklore
The Korean American author offers a fresh, modern take on “Chunhyangjeon.”
The 7 Best K-dramas of 2026 So Far
Some people mistakenly describe K-dramas (even the best K-dramas) as soap operas. While daytime shows certainly exist in Korea—typically airing Monday through Friday for about 50 to 200+ episodes—the K-drama umbrella covers a multitude of genres. Read more in my latest article for Teen Vogue.
The 100 Best BTS Songs
Rolling Stone magazine asked me to help update their 2022 ranking of BTS’ best songs. I obliged and added input about the septet’s latest album, “Arirang.”
Go Away With … Travis Yee
“Travel has taught me that people are more similar than different,” said country singer Travis Yee. “Whether I’m in Tennessee, California, South Carolina or somewhere else entirely, people experience the same things – love, heartbreak, self-doubt, family struggles and perseverance. Those shared experiences often find their way into my songs.”
Go Away With … Melissa Errico
Tony Award-nominated singer and actress Melissa Errico said she remembers being unsure at first when she was asked to join the cast of “Les Misérables.” “I had to drop out of Yale to do it [which] sounds more dramatic than it was,” she said. “I was cast as Cosette on the national tour while still a student. Suddenly, I had a choice between the life I was planning and the life that had come knocking at the door.”
“My Royal Nemesis” (멋진 신세계)
This charming fish-out-of water K-drama explores timeslips, shamanism, betrayal and, most of all, unconditional love that spans eras.
Go Away With … AtHeart
“One thing I’ve always said is that I want to perform in all of the members’ hometowns, and of course in the Philippines,” said AtHeart’s Katelynn, who is Filipina. “I’d also love to perform at iconic music festivals and stadiums like Coachella, Lollapalooza and Wembley Stadium someday.”
GHOST9’s Prince Vatani is One of K-pop’s Most Entertaining Idols
Ask him about stalkers, Wattpad, and Mr. Jigglypuff, and the Thai idol Prince Vatani will reply with humorous clarity.
Go Away With … Jimin Han
“Traveling creates an energy that spurs me on to write,” said “Dreamt I Found You” author Jimin Han, who also teaches at the Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College. “I notice more things than I do when I’m home. Right now, I’m sitting on a terrace in a hotel in Myeongdong in Seoul. Already, I’ve written on the flight and [wrote] earlier this morning working on the new book. Fingers crossed I have another novel [published] soon.”
“Teach You a Lesson” (참교육)
There is a contingent of people who do not approve of adults hitting children. I am one of those people. But I also recognize that in a fictional setting like this, it can be incredibly cathartic to watch morally reprehensible youngsters getting their comeuppance — especially for real-life victims of school violence whose lives were treated as dispensable by those who were supposed to protect them.