08/05/2026

LYFE FRIDAY | MAY 8, 2026

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BTS’s concert drives tourism in Korea F OREIGN tourists who recently visited South Korea for concerts by K-pop giant BTS stayed longer and spent more than general inbound tourists, according to a government analysis released recently, Yonhap News Agency reported. The Culture, Sports and Tourism Ministry, along with the Korea o Tourist coming to see mega group’s performance spend more, stay longer in country Culture and Tourism Institute and the Korea Tourism Organisation, analysed on-site surveys, telecommunications and credit card data from the two latest performances by BTS in South Korea. Foreign visitors attending the March 21 concert in Seoul’s Gwanghwamun area to mark its comeback stayed an average of 8.7 days and spent about 3.53 million won (RM9,437).

This is 2.6 days longer than the 6.1-day average stay for general inbound tourists in the first quarter of this year and 1.08 million won more than their average spending of 2.45 million won. Attendees at its three-night concerts earlier this month in Goyang, just northwest of the capital, stayed an average of 7.4 days and spent 2.91 million won. Mobile and card transaction data showed a sharp economic impact around Goyang Stadium, the concert venue, with foreign visitor numbers rising 35-fold and spending increasing 38-fold during the concert period compared with a year earlier. The government is seeking to leverage the global popularity of Korean pop culture – including K-pop

BTS concerts benefits good for tourism in South Korea.

ministry plans to hold a two-week welcome event in June tied to the BTS concerts in Busan, the country’s second-largest city, aiming to encourage overseas visitors to explore other parts of the country. Kang added the government will focus on linking foreigners’ visits to experience Korean culture with broader cultural tourism offerings to encourage them to stay longer in the country.

music, dramas, films and games – to promote tourism beyond Seoul into regional areas, reported Bernama. “We have confirmed that large-scale hallyu performances have a clear effect in attracting visitors to regions,” said Kang Jung-won, a tourism policy official at the ministry. Hallyu , also known as the Korean Wave, refers to the global popularity of Korean pop culture. As part of those efforts, the

The South Korean government is planning to use Korean entertainment to entice visitors to stay longer periods in the country. – 123RFPIC

Rolling Stones to drop new album Foreign Tongues THE Rolling Stones has confirmed the title of its upcoming music project is Foreign Tongues .

Alicia DC sings about irregular meal times SINGAPOREAN singer-songwriter Alicia DC has dropped Stomach , a new dance pop single from her upcoming album. Lyrically, Stomach is about Alicia DC facing the consequences of eating meals at timings that are either irregular or too late for her, while musically it is an energetic dance song with an addictive one-note melody, accompanied by a jersey-club-inspired groove. This song was produced in such a way that it emulates the sound of a DJ performing live in a club. Stomach is the third single to be released from Alicia DC’s debut album Wanna Kiss , which is expected to arrive in late May. Along with singing and songwriting, Alicia Diva Chandra or Alicia DC is also a producer with music that treads a thin line between a conventional pop music sound and blunt, authentic lyrics. She recently displayed her range at the 2025 Axean Festival alongside other rising acts from across Southeast Asia. From her debut EP Maybe in 2022 to her most recent single Circles , she has displayed her versatility and range as a producer, from acoustic ballads to trap pop, while collaborating with various artistes such as Gabba, Ceratone and June Pan.

It comes after months of teasing by the rock group, through mysterious billboards and posts, which sparked rumours the band would release a new album – its first since the group’s 2023 Grammy Award-winning record Hackney Diamonds. The Press Association understands the Stones will release its new album on July 10, after band members Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards shared the artwork for the upcoming record on Saturday, with each musician posting a different portion of the cover. Jagger shared a photograph that covered the bottom part of the cover and showed an illustration of what appears to be his mouth and chin. Wood shared the middle portion of the cover that revealed his eyes and nose. Richards completed the puzzle and shared the top half, which featured an illustration of the head – some messy hair wearing a multicoloured bandana. Earlier this month, the band shared a snippet from an unnamed song over a 13-second video to its 4.2 million fans of the

Foreign Tongues is the Rolling Stones’s newest, upcoming album. – PIC FROM FACEBOOK @THEROLLINGSTONES

– including posters and QR codes linked to The Cockroaches popped up around London believed to be connected to the band. The Rolling Stones have also reportedly released music and performed gigs under the pseudonym The Cockroaches with teaser videos hinting at the name shared on its Instagram. The Cockroaches later released a limited-edition vinyl single, titled Rough And Twisted last month, which was reportedly only sold exclusively at independent record stores. Formed in London in 1962, The Rolling Stones have a long history of chart-topping albums and number one singles, including (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction , Paint It Black and Start Me Up . After long-serving member Charlie Watts died in August 2021 at the age of 80, Steve Jordan has stepped in as the group’s drummer with its current line-up consisting of Jagger, Richards and Wood. Throughout its decades-long career, The Rolling Stones have had 14 UK number one albums and eight number one hits. The rock band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. – Bernama-PA Media/dpa

group’s signature tongue and lips logo on a moving background. The caption consisted of two emojis, including one of a CD, leading fans to believe the group is hinting at a new record. Rumours of new music were first sparked last month when a series of cryptic messages

Alicia DC has built her identity around whimsical pop music.

(From left) Wood, Jagger and Richards each has revealed the album artwork in stages. – PICS FROM AFP