As 2025 comes to a close, it’s clear this year has been something special in K-pop. We’ve seen new music releases, some controversies that got people talking, artists reaching new heights, and a few scandals that made headlines. There’s been so much happening throughout the year. We wanted to put together a recap of the viral K-pop news that really caught everyone’s attention in 2025 – the stories that spread quickly and got fans talking the most.

Top Viral K-pop News of 2025:

Here’s a look back at the moments that broke the internet, ruled the charts, and reminded everyone why K-pop remains a global phenomenon:

1. Jennie Faced Controversy Over “Like Jennie” Teaser:

When BLACKPINK’s Jennie dropped the nine-second teaser for her new song on March 4, things got messy real quick. Her title track, “Like Jennie,” was supposed to be all about her signature vibe, but instead, it stirred up a plagiarism storm. Fans, especially from India, claimed it sounded way too similar to the theme from Karan Johar’s “Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani,” the one that plays when Alia Bhatt’s character makes her grand entrance.

But that was just the beginning. Within hours, social media was flooded with side-by-side videos and audio clips highlighting the alleged similarities. While some fans brushed off the controversy as a pure coincidence, others insisted that the resemblance was just too strong to ignore.

Blinks rushed to Jennie’s defense, arguing that musical overlaps are common due to sampling and shared production styles. Meanwhile, Bollywood fans demanded accountability, even urging Jennie’s label, Odd Atelier, to officially address the claims.

And then came a little extra drama from an unexpected source, Prime Video India. In a now-deleted post, the platform’s official X account seemed to throw some playful shade at Jennie. They posted a still of Alia Bhatt captioned, “BLACKPINK fans, we bet you can hear this image.” The cheeky smirk in the image said it all, and fans did not take it lightly. Within hours, Blinks flooded the comments, forcing the company to delete the post.

However, in a surprising twist, Pritam Chakraborty, the Bollywood composer involved, defended Jennie, calling for positivity despite his own past plagiarism claims. On Instagram, he explained that “Rani and Jennie are names that rhyme, so a similar flow in one phrase doesn’t make it a copy.” He added that in today’s global music scene, minor similarities are inevitable and shouldn’t be seen as intentional copying, wrapping the whole drama up with a surprisingly diplomatic bow.

2. Kiss of Life’s Career-Shattering Controversy:

At the start of 2025, Kiss of Life looked unstoppable, praised for their unique sound, stage charisma, and fifth-gen rookie glow. They were topping charts, trending on TikTok, and hailed as “the next BLACKPINK.” But just as their rise peaked, one livestream turned them into one of the most viral K-pop controversies of 2025, and not for the right reasons.

On April 2, the group went live to celebrate Julie’s birthday, choosing an “old-school hip-hop” theme. What seemed like harmless fun quickly turned controversial. The members appeared wearing cornrows, Bantu knots, gold chains, and oversized streetwear, while speaking in exaggerated slang — a look that many called out as cultural appropriation and mockery of Black culture.

Trying to contain the fallout, S2 Entertainment deleted the livestream and issued an apology. Unfortunately, fans felt it sounded as if blaming viewers for misunderstanding rather than taking responsibility. So what could’ve been a moment of growth turned into another PR misfire. The members later admitted they had “taken the concept too far” and promised to be more culturally aware moving forward. Still, the damage was undeniable.

In just a few weeks, Kiss of Life went from one of K-pop’s brightest rookies to proof that in today’s global fandom, one mistake can rewrite an entire career.

3. How K-pop Demon Hunters Took Over Netflix:

Let’s be honest, when Netflix first dropped the trailer for KPop Demon Hunters, no one expected it to go this hard. An animated girl group that fights demons between world tours? It sounded like something straight out of fanfiction. But the movie didn’t just work, it dominated. Yep, one of the most viral K-pop news moments of 2025 came from an animated film no one saw coming.

Released on June 20, 2025, the movie follows the powerful fictional trio Huntr/X, consisting of Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, who slay on stage and in the underworld. Within weeks, it blew up worldwide, hitting No. 1 on Netflix in over 90 countries and racking up more than 236 million views by late August. And yes! Even Netflix confirmed that K-Pop Demon Hunters officially became its most-watched movie ever.

As if it couldn’t get any better, the soundtrack is pure chaos in the best way. The lead single, “Golden,” climbed to the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 spot, making Huntr/X the first fictional K-pop girl group to pull that off. TikTok went crazy with dance challenges, fan edits, cosplay, the whole nine yards.

The secret sauce could be real K-pop energy. Actual idol voices, producers, and that unmistakable Korean flair gave it major credibility. Critics called it a “love letter to K-pop fandom,” while fans just called it their new obsession.

4. BLACKPINK’s Comeback Broke the Internet & Our Hearts:

Well, well, well… After nearly three years without a full-group release, BLACKPINK came back in July 2025, and let’s just say, the internet lost it. Their comeback single “JUMP” was a cultural reset.

The girls surprised fans with the track live for the first time during their “DEADLINE” world tour opener in Goyang, South Korea, and the fandom went into overdrive before the song even hit streaming platforms. When it finally dropped, JUMP soared straight to the top, becoming BLACKPINK’s third No. 1 on Billboard’s Global 200 and fourth on the Global Excl. U.S. chart, officially crowning them as the female act with the most No. 1s in that chart’s history.

And of course, a comeback this massive needed a music video just as iconic. Upon release, the JUMP music video dominated YouTube’s global daily chart for eight consecutive days and surpassed 100 million views within 15 days, becoming BLACKPINK’s 49th video to reach that mark.

5. Katseye’s Viral “Better in Denim” Campaign for Gap:

When a K-pop girl group brings back low-rise jeans, Y2K energy, and flawless choreography, you just know the internet’s about to explode. One of the most successful collabs of 2025 includes KATSEYE, the global six-member group that turned heads everywhere with their “Better in Denim” campaign for Gap.

Launched in mid-August, the campaign reimagined Gap’s iconic denim legacy through a distinctly K-pop lens. Set to the nostalgic music of Kelis’ “Milkshake,” the girls served attitude, choreography, and individuality, blending early-2000s aesthetics with a fresh Gen Z edge.

Behind the scenes, the video was choreographed by Robbie Blue, directed by Bethany Vargas, and shot by Bjorn Iooss, capturing each member’s personality in full denim glam. Soon after the release, the campaign went viral — not just among fans, but also across the K-pop industry, as idols and celebrities joined the Milkshake dance challenge, recreating KATSEYE’s slick choreography on TikTok and Instagram.

6. The Survival Show That Never Aired “UNDER15”

So, picture this: a flashy new K-pop audition show promising to find the next global girl group, but with one twist: every contestant was under fifteen. That’s right, MBN’s unreleased show “UNDER15” was supposed to premiere in March 2025, but what was meant to be a sweet coming-of-age talent hunt quickly turned into one of 2025’s biggest scandals.

Produced by CreaStudio, the show had reportedly cast 59 contestants from over 70 countries, with some applicants as young as five years old. But when teaser posters dropped, featuring little girls in heavy makeup, crop tops, and barcoded name tags, the internet lost it. Netizens accused the producers of sexualizing minors and treating them like “products for profit.” Civic groups and educators soon joined the backlash, calling it a wake-up call for how the industry handles child trainees.

Producers tried to defend the concept, saying it aimed to spotlight young talent often overlooked by entertainment agencies. But the damage was done, and as a result, MBN officially cancelled the show just three days before its premiere, citing concerns for the participants’ well-being.

Even attempts to relaunch the project under a new name, “Star Is Born,” on KBS Japan fell through as international networks backed away. In the end, “UNDER15” never aired a single episode, but its controversy reignited a much-needed conversation about how young is too young in K-pop.

7. BIGBANG’s Return to Coachella in 2026:

In September, it was announced that BIGBANG, the legendary K-pop pioneers, are officially confirmed to perform at Coachella 2026, and fans have already lost their minds. This isn’t just “another festival appearance” — it’s the comeback. The group, now performing as a trio (G-Dragon, Taeyang, Daesung), will take the stage on April 12 and April 19 during the two-weekend event.

And what makes this moment even more viral is that BIGBANG were supposed to perform at Coachella back in 2020, until the pandemic cancelled their slot. Now, with their 20th anniversary right around the corner, this stage feels like the perfect “book-home” moment. The announcement has set off a wave of excitement online, with fans flooding X with “Bangchella” memes and throwback posts of Fantastic Baby and Bang Bang Bang.

While nothing about their setlist has been revealed, one thing is for sure: BIGBANG’s presence at Coachella 2026 isn’t just nostalgic, it’s going to be iconic.

8. Jisoo & Zayn Malik’s Surprising Collaboration:

No one thought she’d drop a bomb that casually, but trust Blackpink’s Jisoo to break the internet with a single Instagram post. One cryptic photo, tagged with Zayn Malik, and within hours, the post hit millions of likes, and fans were in full meltdown mode trying to decode what it meant. Days later, the mystery was solved: Jisoo and Zayn were teaming up for a duet titled “Eyes Closed.”

Released on October 10, 2025, the collab turned out to be one of the most unexpected and successful global crossovers of the year. The dreamy pop-R&B track blended Jisoo’s soft elegance with Zayn’s sultry tone, giving fans a romantic, otherworldly soundscape. The music video sealed the deal, featuring both stars in a cinematic sci-fi world, floating through space, connected by a love that defied gravity.

And of course, it didn’t stop there. “Eyes Closed” debuted at No. 72 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Jisoo’s first solo entry on the chart and Zayn’s re-entry into the global pop spotlight. Fandoms from both sides flooded social media with edits, reaction videos, and theories about whether this was just the start of a bigger collab era.

Even though no one saw it coming, it’s a fact that everyone’s still talking about it.

9. BTS RM’s Speech at APEC CEO Summit:

Trust RM to turn a political summit into a cultural mic-drop moment. On October 29, the BTS leader made history at the APEC CEO Summit, becoming the first K-pop artist to ever take the stage there, and he didn’t waste a second of it. His speech, titled “Cultural and Creative Industries in the APEC Region and the Soft Power of K-Culture,” wasn’t just another feel-good talk but a call to action.

RM spoke about BTS’s humble beginnings, the rise of K-pop as a global language, and how creativity can be the bridge between nations. Comparing K-pop’s fusion of global influences to a Korean dish, bibimbap, he painted a picture of culture that’s colorful, messy, and perfectly balanced. Then, in true RM fashion, he delivered the line that broke social media:

Culture is like a river. It flows freely, blending in harmony, just like K-pop.”

By the time he wrapped it up with a heartfelt plea for world leaders to “build a playground for creativity,” the internet had already crowned him President of the Arts.

10. W Korea’s Breast Cancer Party Controversy:

Last but not least, W Korea’s annual “Love Your W” charity gala on October 15, 2025, was supposed to be pink-ribbon chic. Instead, it became the internet’s favorite scandal of 2025. What should’ve been a night about breast cancer awareness and empowerment turned into a viral storm after leaked clips showed A-list guests sipping champagne, laughing it up, and skipping the signature pink ribbon altogether.

But things only got messier when Jay Park took the stage to perform his 2015 hit “MOMMAE,” a song whose lyrics were a little too steamy for a cause this serious. So, within hours, social media was flooded with criticism, forcing W Korea to issue a formal apology, admitting that some parts of the event “did not align with the campaign’s original purpose.”

For a campaign that’s been running since 2006 to promote women’s health, this 20th-anniversary edition definitely missed the memo. Let’s just say, this year’s “Love Your W” ended up raising more eyebrows than awareness.

Conclusion:

And that’s a wrap on the wild ride with the most viral K-pop news of 2025. A year of chart-toppers, collabs no one saw coming, and scandals that had the whole internet gasping. But if you think the K-pop universe is slowing down, think again. The year 2026 is loading… and you know it’s going to be louder, bolder, and twice as viral.