Ask a casual K-pop listener in Los Angeles, Madrid or Jakarta about RESCENE (리센느) a year ago and you would probably have drawn a blank. In Korea, 2026 changed that fast: a viral meme, a two-year-old song climbing back to No. 1, six music show wins, and now a fourth mini album, PULSE, whose title track "With" went to No. 1 on Melon within hours of release. The obvious next question for this series is how all of that looks from outside Korea. Are international fans and global media paying attention, and what are they actually saying?
This is episode 3 of our RESCENE series. If you are new to the group, episode 1 tells the group's story from the 2024 debut onward, and episode 2 breaks down PULSE and "With" track by track. Here we look only at overseas reception. One ground rule: we quote only reviews, articles and fan posts we actually opened, we name where each one came from, and we do not invent popularity. As you will see, the honest picture is more interesting than a "the whole world is obsessed" headline.
Key takeaways
- Korea first, the world catching up: RESCENE's 2026 success is driven by the Korean general public. English-language coverage is growing (Soompi, allkpop, The Korea Times, TopStarNews), but we did not find dedicated reviews of PULSE in major Western music magazines as of November 13, 2026.
- Global fans are split on the B-sides, warm on "With": on public rating sites, many international listeners praise the title track while some call the rest of the EP safe or too similar.
- The overseas stage calendar is real and growing: a sold-out Taipei fan concert (2025), KCON JAPAN and KCON LA (2026), and confirmed slots at the MAMA AWARDS in Osaka (November 20) and AAA 2026 in Kaohsiung (December 5-6).
Contents
- The short answer: are overseas fans paying attention?
- What English-language media reported
- What international listeners say about PULSE
- How Korean reactions travel abroad
- RESCENE on stages outside Korea
- The MMA Global TOP10 vote and the Disney link
- How to follow RESCENE from abroad
- Our take
- FAQ
- Sources
1. The short answer: are overseas fans paying attention?
Yes, but in a different way from the big-agency groups that launch with world tours and English singles. RESCENE are Woni, Liv, Minami, May and Zena, a five-member girl group from The Muze Entertainment that debuted in March 2024. Their breakthrough this year came from inside Korea. The Korea Times describes how the "Geoje yaho" meme drew attention in spring, how "LOVE ATTACK" found renewed chart success, and how "Pretty Girl" brought the group its first music show win on July 14. By the time PULSE came out on November 3, the group had six music show wins and a reputation in Korean media as a small-agency "miracle."
That order of events shapes overseas reactions. A lot of international fans are discovering RESCENE after Korean listeners did, which is the reverse of the usual pattern for globally marketed groups. You can see that in fan posts like the r/rescene thread we quote below, where an international fan argues the group is charting "because the Korean general public loves them." You can also see it in the numbers that get reported abroad, which are mostly Korean numbers: the Melon No. 1, the 602,688 copies PULSE sold on Hanteo Chart in its first week (November 3-9, as reported by TopStarNews, citing the agency), and the two music show trophies on SBS M's The Show (November 10) and MBC M's Show Champion (November 11).
So the useful question is less "are they famous abroad?" and more "how are international fans finding them, and what do they think once they do?" The rest of this post answers that with sources.
 Photo: K-POPIT 케이팝잇 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 |  Photo: 티비텐 TV10 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 |  Photo: K-POPIT 케이팝잇 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 |
2. What English-language media reported
Most English-language coverage of the PULSE era comes from K-pop news sites and the English editions of Korean outlets. That matters, because these are the pages international fans actually read and share. Here is what we found and opened, as of November 13, 2026.
| Outlet | Date | What it covered |
|---|---|---|
| The Korea Times | Nov 3, 2026 | Showcase report: the "miracle" and "national girl group" labels, the musk scent, member quotes, six previous music show wins |
| kpop/fwd | Nov 3, 2026 | Release-day news post with the "With" MV, timed for overseas readers (4 a.m. EST) |
| allkpop | Nov 9, 2026 | First week of music show promotions; "With" No. 1 on Melon TOP100 and HOT100, all B-sides in the Melon top 10 |
| CHOSUNBIZ (English) | Nov 11, 2026 | The Show win and the first-week sales milestone |
| allkpop | Nov 11, 2026 | The Disney Hexed version of the "With" MV |
| TopStarNews (global) | Nov 13, 2026 | First solo concert announcement, overseas awards schedule, mixed reactions to live encore stages |
| Soompi | Oct 12, 2026 (updated) | 2026 MAMA AWARDS lineup naming RESCENE for Chapter 1 in Osaka |
What is missing
We searched for PULSE reviews or RESCENE features in Billboard, NME and Teen Vogue and did not find any as of November 13, 2026. That is not a criticism of the group. Those outlets tend to cover K-pop through year-end lists and interviews, and PULSE is only ten days old. It does mean you should be wary of any social post claiming that RESCENE are "all over American media" right now. We could not confirm that.
The tone of the coverage
The English-language reporting is overwhelmingly factual: release details, chart positions, trophies, schedules. The most interesting nuance came from TopStarNews, which noted that the group's live encore stages "have drawn mixed reactions," with some online users disappointed by pitch and choreography precision and others cautioning against judging the group on short clips. It is a fair reminder that fast success also brings closer scrutiny.
3. What international listeners say about PULSE
Public album-rating sites are one of the few places where you can read what non-Korean listeners think in their own words. On Ratings (ratingsmusic.com), the PULSE page showed an audience average of 7.7 out of 10 from 64 ratings when we checked on November 13, 2026, with no critic score yet. Treat that as a small, self-selected sample, not a measure of global popularity. What is more useful is the range of opinions.
The praise
One reviewer called it "such a classy EP," adding: "It's coherent, it melts in your ears." Another wrote that "With" might be among the group's "top 3 title tracks." A third, who otherwise ranked PULSE as their least favorite RESCENE EP, said the group are "finally getting their flowers (at least in korea; i wish they were more popular internationally)." That last line sums up a lot of overseas fan sentiment: happiness for the group, plus a feeling that the rest of the world has not caught up.
The criticism
The critical reviews follow a clear theme. One listener said "With" is "amazing but the B-sides are unfortunately a bit boring." Another felt the group are "really leaning into what korean fans want" and losing what made them different. Others simply called the EP average. In other words, long-time international fans who loved the quirkier sound of earlier songs such as "LOVE ATTACK" are watching closely to see whether success makes the music safer.
Fan communities
On Reddit, the dedicated r/rescene community is where longer international discussion happens. A September 2026 thread titled "Hopes for Rescene Moving Forward," written by a self-described international fan, praised the agency for prioritizing music quality and for putting the members on YouTube and variety shows. It also made two requests that come up again and again among overseas fans: English subtitles on the group's videos, and a careful, gradual approach to touring abroad rather than a rushed push into Western markets. The general K-pop subreddit, r/kpop, carried the September comeback announcement as a news post.
Make up your own mind before reading more opinions. The official RESCENE artist page on Spotify has PULSE and the earlier releases that overseas fans keep comparing it to, so you can hear "With" next to "LOVE ATTACK" in one place.
4. How Korean reactions travel abroad
A big part of what overseas fans "know" about RESCENE's reception is actually Korean reaction, translated. Two examples from release day show how that works.
English translations of Korean community comments
Pannchoa, an English-language site that translates posts from Korean forums, published comments from theqoo on November 3. They were mixed in a very Korean-internet way. Several commenters called the music video cheap-looking ("Seriously why is the MV so cheaply made"), some said the song was "just alright," and others loved it. On the Melon No. 1 post, one commenter pointed out that up to No. 12, "8 of the songs are RESCENE songs," and another wrote, "Wow I didn't know RESCENE was this popular, congrats." For international readers, the takeaway is simple: Korean listeners liked the song enough to stream the whole album, while questioning the music video budget.
Spanish-language coverage from Mexico
The Mexican site k-pop.com.mx went further and translated theqoo comments directly from Korean into Spanish, with release times converted for central Mexico (3 a.m. on November 3). Its summary was that reactions were "almost unanimous" about the song and "quite divided" about the video. That a Mexican K-pop site built a full article around RESCENE's release day is itself a small sign of the group's growing reach in Latin America, although one article is not proof of a large fan base there.
Pre-release buzz
Before release, CBC Globe (the English edition of a Korean news outlet, which notes that AI assistance was used in writing the piece) collected public fan comments on the comeback teasers. It reported supportive messages posted in Japanese and one fan describing the teaser content with the line "The aesthetics are insane." The same article was careful to say that comments alone cannot tell you the size or makeup of a fandom, which is a good rule for any reaction roundup, including this one.
5. RESCENE on stages outside Korea
Fan reactions are one thing; actual overseas activity is easier to verify. Here is what we could confirm from news reports and official announcements, as of November 13, 2026. Dates are local time at the venue.
| When | Where | What |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 3, 2025 | MOONDOG, Taipei, Taiwan | "2025 RESCENE 1st FAN-CON in TAIPEI: RE:MIND," the group's first overseas fan concert; CBC News reported it sold out when tickets opened on September 6, 2025 |
| May 8-9, 2026 | Makuhari Messe, Chiba, Japan | KCON JAPAN 2026: an X STAGE showcase slot and two DANCE STAGE slots, according to a published day-by-day timetable |
| Aug 14-16, 2026 | Los Angeles, USA (LA Convention Center and Crypto.com Arena) | KCON LA 2026: named on the X STAGE lineup announced in March |
| Nov 20, 2026 | Kyocera Dome Osaka, Japan | 2026 MAMA AWARDS, Chapter 1 performer lineup |
| Dec 5-6, 2026 | Kaohsiung, Taiwan | AAA 2026 (Asia Artist Awards) lineup |
Japan
Japan has been RESCENE's most active overseas market so far, which makes sense for a group with a Japanese member, Minami. At KCON JAPAN 2026 in May the group were given three slots across two days on the X STAGE and DANCE STAGE, not the main M COUNTDOWN stage. Their next Japan date is much bigger: the 2026 MAMA AWARDS at Kyocera Dome Osaka, where Soompi lists RESCENE among the Chapter 1 performers on November 20. For many viewers outside Korea, that broadcast could be their first proper look at the group.
 Photo: 掬茶 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 |  Photo: Tokumeigakarinoaoshima / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 |  Photo: Emma0mb / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 |
Taiwan
Taiwan is where RESCENE held their first overseas fan concert, RE:MIND, at the MOONDOG venue in Taipei on October 3, 2025. According to the Korean outlet CBC News, the name means "a scent that has stayed in the heart from the start," a nod to the group's fragrance concept. The group return to Taiwan for AAA 2026 in Kaohsiung on December 5-6; the Asia Artist Awards' official site lists RESCENE in its lineup.
 Photo: 4300streetcar / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 |  Photo: Multivariable / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 |  Photo: さえぼー / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 |
United States
In North America, RESCENE's main appearance so far is KCON LA 2026. allkpop's lineup report placed them on the X STAGE alongside other rising acts, while the main stage went to bigger names. That is typical for a group at this stage: a festival slot that introduces them to fans who came for someone else. There is no North American tour announced as of November 13, 2026.
 Photo: Américo Toledano / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 |  Photo: Troutfarm27 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 |  Photo: Troutfarm27 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 |
6. The MMA Global TOP10 vote and the Disney link
A vote that included overseas fans
One of the clearest signs of organized international support is the new Global TOP10 category at the Melon Music Awards (MMA 2026). allkpop reported on October 31 that the fan vote for this category ran through November 13 on both Melon in Korea and the Berriz platform for overseas users, and that RESCENE were in first place at that point. TopStarNews reported that on the morning of November 13 RESCENE led the Global TOP10 vote with 1,022,648 votes, while stressing that this was before voting closed and was not a final result. The ceremony is on November 14, so check the official results rather than trusting early screenshots.
A Disney film tie-in
"With" also has a new route to audiences who have never heard of RESCENE. According to allkpop, the song plays over the end credits of both the subtitled and dubbed Korean releases of Disney's animated film Hexed, which opens in Korea on November 25, and a special Hexed version of the music video was released on Disney's official YouTube channel on November 12. The agency described this as the first time a Korean girl group's song has been used as the ending credits song of a Disney film. Note the scope: the reports are about the Korean release of the film, not every country.
7. How to follow RESCENE from abroad
If this post has made you curious, here is a practical way to keep up without relying on rumor accounts.
- Start with the official music. Listen to PULSE on an official streaming service (Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube Music, depending on your country) and watch the "With" music video on RESCENE's official YouTube channel.
- Watch the overseas broadcasts. Mark November 20 for the MAMA AWARDS Chapter 1 in Osaka and December 5-6 for AAA 2026 in Kaohsiung. Check each event's official channels for how they are streamed in your region, since rights differ by country.
- Use English sources that name their sources. Soompi, allkpop, The Korea Times and TopStarNews' global edition all reported the facts in this post. Be cautious with accounts that post chart claims without screenshots or links.
- Read translations critically. Sites that translate Korean forum comments show you a slice of opinion, chosen by an editor. They are interesting, not representative.
- Plan ahead for the Seoul concert. RESCENE's first solo concert runs February 19-21, 2027 at Olympic Hall in Seoul. TopStarNews reports that tickets open in December through the Coupang Play app, with prices and times still to be announced, so check the official notice before you book travel.
 Photo: Tildin Han / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 |  Photo: Silas Low / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 |
8. Our take
Here is our editorial opinion, separate from the sourced facts above. RESCENE's overseas story right now is a discovery story, not a conquest story. The group won Korea first, with the help of memes, variety content and a public that enjoyed watching a small-agency team succeed. International fans are arriving through K-pop news sites, fan translations, festival stages and, soon, the MAMA broadcast from Osaka.
The overseas reaction to PULSE reflects that. Newer listeners tend to like "With" straight away. Longer-term international fans are more divided, mostly over whether the B-sides play it too safe. Both views can be true at once. If the group keeps the distinctive scent-and-scene identity that earned them their early overseas fans, and adds the English subtitles fans keep asking for, the next year abroad could look very different. For now, the honest summary is that the world is noticing, but it is still catching up with Korea.
9. FAQ
Is RESCENE popular outside Korea?
They have a real and growing international fan base, shown by a sold-out Taipei fan concert in 2025, KCON slots in Japan and Los Angeles in 2026, and organized fan voting for the MMA Global TOP10. Their 2026 chart success, though, is mostly a Korean story. We found no reliable data that measures their overseas popularity directly.
Have Billboard, NME or Teen Vogue reviewed PULSE?
We did not find a dedicated review or feature in those outlets as of November 13, 2026. English-language coverage so far comes mainly from K-pop news sites and the English editions of Korean media.
What do international fans think of "With"?
On the public reviews we read, the title track gets the warmest response. Criticism focuses more on the B-sides, with some long-time fans saying the EP feels safer than earlier releases.
Will RESCENE tour overseas?
No overseas tour has been announced as of November 13, 2026. Confirmed upcoming dates outside Korea are the MAMA AWARDS in Osaka (November 20) and AAA 2026 in Kaohsiung (December 5-6). Their first solo concert is in Seoul in February 2027.
Where can overseas fans vote or stream?
For streaming, use official services available in your country. For awards voting, follow each award's official announcement; for MMA 2026, allkpop reported that overseas users could vote through the Berriz platform until November 13.
10. Conclusion
RESCENE's overseas reception in November 2026 is easy to overstate and easy to underrate. Global music magazines have not caught up yet, and some long-time international fans have mixed feelings about PULSE. At the same time, the group are booked for two big overseas award shows in the next month, their title track is reaching new audiences through a Disney film in Korea, and English, Spanish and Japanese fan media are covering them in detail. Episode 4 of this series will only appear if there is a new, verifiable angle worth writing about.
See what the reactions are about. Watch the official "With" music video on RESCENE's YouTube channel, then play the full five-track PULSE EP on Apple Music and decide which side of the B-side debate you are on.
Sources
- The Korea Times: RESCENE returns with 'PULSE' after breakout year of K-pop underdog success (Nov 3, 2026)
- TopStarNews: RESCENE to Hold First Solo Concert Over Three Days at Olympic Hall in February 2027 (Nov 13, 2026)
- allkpop: RESCENE wrap the first week of 'With' music show promotions (Nov 9, 2026)
- allkpop: RESCENE release Disney 'Hexed' version of 'With' music video (Nov 11, 2026)
- allkpop: RESCENE tops initial Global TOP10 fan vote for MMA 2026 (Oct 31, 2026)
- allkpop: KCON LA 2026 unveils its full lineup (March 2026)
- CHOSUNBIZ: RESCENE wins music show trophy as PULSE sells 600,000 in debut week (Nov 11, 2026)
- kpop/fwd: RESCENE Are Back With 'PULSE' and Their New Title Track 'With' (Nov 3, 2026)
- Soompi: 2026 MAMA AWARDS lineup (Oct 12, 2026, updated Nov 4)
- Asia Artist Awards: AAA 2026 lineup, RESCENE
- CBC News (Korean): RESCENE Taipei fan concert RE:MIND sold out (Sep 9, 2025)
- THE PATH (Japanese): KCON JAPAN 2026 timetable recap
- CBC Globe: RESCENE Reveals Comeback Schedule for 'PULSE' (Oct 14, 2026)
- Pannchoa: theqoo comments on RESCENE's release day (Nov 3, 2026)
- k-pop.com.mx (Spanish): Internautas coreanos reaccionan a 'With' de RESCENE (Nov 3, 2026)
- Ratings: PULSE by RESCENE audience reviews (checked Nov 13, 2026)
- r/rescene: Hopes for Rescene Moving Forward (September 2026)
By the Korea Vibe Hopper team · Updated November 13, 2026