Jeff Benjamin
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Jeff Benjamin
@jeffbenjamin.bsky.social
Multi-award winning music journalist, K-pop columnist, host and curator. Words in Billboard, Rolling Stone, New York Times, Forbes and more. Subscribe to The Crossover newsletter.
Breaking: ADOR shares #NewJeans update

Hanni will return to ADOR

Minji is in ongoing talks about returning

Danielle's contract has been terminated after it was "determined it would be difficult for her to continue as a NewJeans member and ADOR artist"

Full story: www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbe...
December 29, 2025 at 3:39 AM
The New York Times names KATSEYE one of the most stylish people of 2025 @nytimes.com
December 27, 2025 at 3:04 AM
For @billboard.com's 2025 Best K-Pop Albums I wrote about:
👑 G-Dragon
🎸 JAURIM
🧜‍♀️ Sunmi
🕶️ Lee Chanhyuk
🦷 ENHYPEN
🩵 NMIXX
🪐 PLAVE
🏠 BOYNEXTDOOR
7⃣ CLOSE YOUR EYES
www.billboard.com/lists/best-k...
@enhypen-updates.bsky.social @nmixxupdates.bsky.social @plavestream.bsky.social @bonedoupdates.bsky.social
The 25 Best K-Pop Albums of 2025: Staff Picks
The top K-pop albums of 2025 with music from KPop Demon Hunters, Stray Kids, TWICE, BLACKPINK's JENNIE, SEVENTEEN, NCT's MARK, ENHYPEN and more.
www.billboard.com
December 19, 2025 at 3:02 AM
For @billboard.com's Best K-Pop Songs of 2025 I got to write about...

🗓️ DAY6
🩷 BLACKPINK
🎭 JENNIE
🇹🇭 TEN
💎 TREASURE
🗝️ H1-KEY
🩵 NMIXX


Congratulations all! www.billboard.com/lists/best-k...
The 25 Best K-Pop Songs of 2025: Staff Picks
The top K-pop singles of 2025 with music from BLACKPINK, Stray Kids, BTS' j-hope, JENNIE, ATEEZ, NMIXX, LE SSERAFIM, aespa, CORTIS, Hwasa and more.
www.billboard.com
December 19, 2025 at 2:53 AM
Reposted by Jeff Benjamin
This is going to cause a stir in kpop spaces
Breaking: #YouTube Global Head of Music Lyor Cohen announces the service will not provide data for the U.S. @billboard.com charts citing the recent chart methodology changes that weight on-demand and ad-supported streams more closely

Changes are set for January 16, 2026 blog.youtube/news-and-eve...
A Change to YouTube’s Inclusion on the U.S. Billboard Charts
YouTube data will no longer factor into U.S. Billboard charts starting January 15, 2026. This change follows discussions regarding how Billboard weights subscription versus ad-supported streams. You c...
blog.youtube
December 18, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Breaking: #YouTube Global Head of Music Lyor Cohen announces the service will not provide data for the U.S. @billboard.com charts citing the recent chart methodology changes that weight on-demand and ad-supported streams more closely

Changes are set for January 16, 2026 blog.youtube/news-and-eve...
A Change to YouTube’s Inclusion on the U.S. Billboard Charts
YouTube data will no longer factor into U.S. Billboard charts starting January 15, 2026. This change follows discussions regarding how Billboard weights subscription versus ad-supported streams. You c...
blog.youtube
December 18, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Wild story but @HYBEOFFICIALtwt keeps growing its global footprint: @Tyllaaaaaaa will now be managed in a joint partnership between HYBE + her co-managers Brandon Hixon and Colin Gayle

HYBE says its growing a "global platform" for African music www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbe... @portaltyla.bsky.social
HYBE Announces Tyla Management Partnership, African Music Platform
Tyla’s co-managers Brandon Hixon and Colin Gayle partner with K-pop giant HYBE for management and expansion into Africa as the company prepares for BTS' 2026 comeback.
www.forbes.com
December 15, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Reposted by Jeff Benjamin
Amanda Seyfried, I was not familiar with your game
December 13, 2025 at 12:36 AM
Coming onto Arirang World Radio to discuss K-pop on some of the year-end charts released so far!

Tune in on Arirang or listen/watch here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1fX...
[On-Air] Arirang Radio (아리랑 라디오) | Livestream 24/7 (HD)
YouTube video by Arirang Radio K-Pop
www.youtube.com
December 11, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Zooming into the rise of "refreshing" #Kpop boy groups via Arirang TV's 'The Kulture Wave' last night to discuss...

#KickFlip
#CORTIS
#CloseYourEyes
#AHOF
#NCTWish
#TWS
#SMTR25

youtu.be/uGhuu1-MonU?...
[Kulture Issue] Zooming into the rise of "refreshing" K-pop boy groups
YouTube video by Arirang News
youtu.be
December 5, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Top #KPop Markets for #Spotify in 2025

1. United States 🇺🇸
2. Indonesia 🇮🇩
3. Japan 🇯🇵
4. The Philippines 🇵🇭
5. Brazil 🇧🇷
6. Mexico 🇲🇽
7. Thailand 🇹🇭
8. Taiwan 🇹🇼
9. India 🇮🇳
10. South Korea 🇰🇷

#SpotifyWrapped2025
December 4, 2025 at 2:51 AM
The 20 Global Top #KPop Songs of 2025 on #Spotify

1. “APT.” by ROSÉ, Bruno Mars
2. “Golden” by HUNTR/X (EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI)
3. “Who” by Jimin
4. “Don’t Say You Love Me” by Jin
5. “like JENNIE” by JENNIE
6. “Your Idol” by Saja Boys (Andrew Choi, Neckwav, Danny Chung, KEVIN WOO, samUIL Lee)
December 4, 2025 at 2:43 AM
The 20 Global Top #KPop Artists of 2025 on #Spotify

1. BTS
2. Stray Kids
3. JENNIE
4. ROSÉ
5. HUNTR/X
6. TWICE
7. BLACKPINK
8. Jung Kook
9. ENHYPEN
10. KATSEYE
11. Jimin
12. LE SSERAFIM
13. Jin
14. LISA
15. SEVENTEEN
16. NewJeans
17. aespa
18. j-hope
19. TOMORROW X TOGETHER
20. Saja Boys
December 4, 2025 at 2:39 AM
Exclusive: Following his dismissal from THE BOYZ, Ju Haknyeon is being a served an 8 billion KRW lawsuit ($5.5 million) from ONE HUNDRED label, which he says would be ruinous following what he calls a coordinated media attack
billboard.com/pro/the-boyz-ju-haknyeon-dismissal-label-lawsuit-interview/
Ju Haknyeon on THE BOYZ Dismissal & Label’s $5.5M Lawsuit Against Him: ‘It Would Be the End of My Life’
Ju Haknyeon, formerly of K-pop group THE BOYZ, talks his dismissal from the band, his ex-record label's lawsuit against him and more in an interview.
billboard.com
December 3, 2025 at 11:31 PM
JENNIE is the most-nominated artist at this year's Asian Pop Music Awards with 9 recognitions including Best Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Producer

Full list of nominees include G-Dragon, Lay Zhang, Jackson Wang, JISOO, ROSÉ and LISA with multiple nods

www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbe...
Asian Pop Music Awards 2025 Nominations: Jennie, G-Dragon, Lay Zhang
The BLACKPINK members are 2025 APMA nominees alongside Jackson Wang, Jolin, Kenshi Yonezu, David Tao, JJ Lin, aespa, KUN Cai Xukun and more at the Asian Pop Music Awards.
www.forbes.com
December 3, 2025 at 5:12 AM
The @officialcharts.bsky.social revealed that Leona Lewis' "One More Sleep" is now the most streamed British Christmas song of the 21st century!

It's such a cute song 🎄 youtu.be/j-_1-uJ6Ml4?si @leonalewis.bsky.social
Leona Lewis - One More Sleep (Official Video)
YouTube video by leonalewisVEVO
youtu.be
December 2, 2025 at 5:39 AM
Reposted by Jeff Benjamin
This is actually quite brilliant, up to and including the final sentence 🔥
December 1, 2025 at 11:09 AM
8 OR NONE: #StrayKids earn their historic eighth straight No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with 'DO IT'!

The mixtape earned 295,000 units, SKZ's second biggest U.S. sales total for a week, and the seventh biggest in the U.S. this year overall

www.billboard.com/music/chart-...
Stray Kids Claim Eighth No. 1 on Billboard 200 With ‘DO IT’
Stray Kids score their eighth No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 'DO IT' while the 'Wicked: For Good' soundtrack flies in at No. 2.
www.billboard.com
December 1, 2025 at 2:04 AM
One month left in the year! The latest #Kpop calendar updates:

MAX CHANGMIN
DAESUNG
HYO
MINHO of SHINee
SEO EUNKWANG
Red Velvet
NCT 127
DOYOUNG
TOMORROW X TOGETHER
Rockhyun of FAVE1
LUNEDI (Formerly Monday of Weeekly)
GYUBIN
IN A MINUTE
TOMATOMAT
cosmosy
SKINZ
www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbe...
2025 Release Calendar Of New K-Pop Albums, Singles: January-December
2025's updating schedule of K-pop album releases and comebacks including BTS, BLACKPINK, Stray Kids, GOT7, SEVENTEEN, IVE, EXO, ATEEZ, Kim Soo Hyun, BABYMONSTER and more.
www.forbes.com
November 30, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Tweet of the year
in 2007 i had a dream about kristen bell being interviewed about her heavy drinking (?) where she responded to every question with a raucous cackle and the shout: "MAMA'S GOTTA EAT!" so i made this image about it
November 28, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Reposted by Jeff Benjamin
in 2007 i had a dream about kristen bell being interviewed about her heavy drinking (?) where she responded to every question with a raucous cackle and the shout: "MAMA'S GOTTA EAT!" so i made this image about it
November 27, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Amazing to see so many K-pop artists, labels and fans step up with meaningful donations to support #HongKong at this devastating time

This article lists the latest donations as well as includes links out to the various organizations you can learn more and support

www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbe...
Hong Kong Fires: K-Pop Stars, Labels & Fans Raise Thousands For Aid
Jackson Wang, i-dle, Yim Siwan, Zhang Hao, Stray Kids and K-pop entertainment companies help charity after the Hong Kong structure fire amid the 2025 MAMA Awards.
www.forbes.com
November 28, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Members of BABYMONSTER, ZEROBASEONE, RIIZE, BOYNEXTDOOR and TWS are set for a special tribute to HUNTR/X and the Saja Boys from @netflix.com's #KPopDemonHunters at the 2025 #MAMAAwards

Who do you think is taking on which character?

www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbe...
MAMA Awards' Live KPop Demon Hunters Tribute: BABYMONSTER, ZEROBASEONE & More Stars
Members of K-pop groups BABYMONSTER, ZEROBASEONE, RIIZE, BOYNEXTDOOR AND TWS will perform a tribute to HUNTR/X and Saja Boys at the 2025 MAMA Awards Nov. 28-29.
www.forbes.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Every #KPop Act to Earn a Top 10 Album on the Billboard 200

BTS
SuperM
Monsta X
NCT 127
BLACKPINK
NCT
Tomorrow X Together
TWICE
Stray Kids
SEVENTEEN
Nayeon
aespa
ITZY
ATEEZ
ENHYPEN
RM
Jimin
Suga
LE SSERAFIM
NewJeans
J-Hope
V
Jung Kook
Jin
Rosé
Lisa
Jennie
P1Harmony
Yeonjun 🆕
November 24, 2025 at 11:00 PM