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Ravi Leaves VIXX, Issues Apology for Military-Related Scandal

Ravi has officially left VIXX. Jellyfish Entertainment confirmed the rapper’s departure in an official statement. Kim Wonsik also issued an apology following his military-related scandal.

Ravi’s Departure From VIXX Confirmed By Jellyfish Entertainment

Jellyfish Entertainment shared an official statement confirming Ravi’s departure from VIXX. “After careful discussion between Ravi and the agency, it was decided that he will leave the team as of today,” the statement read. The agency also apologized “for causing trouble to the fans who support VIXX.”

Ravi Issues Apology To Fans, Epilepsy Patients

For his part, Ravi issued an apology addressing the controversy. The rapper admitted that he tried to postpone his military service for the benefit of his label GROOVL1N. He also explained why he decided to take drastic measures and ended up violating the Military Service Act.

“In the past, I was assigned to public service due to illness I had. I was postponing my service for my activities when I reached the point where it was difficult to postpone my service any further,” Ravi wrote.

“I was the only artist in the company generating profits, and the implementation dates for the contracts that were signed before COVID-19 were being postponed without certainty. So with the burden of contract cancellation charges, I was desperate to delay my military service,” he continued.

Kim Wonsik also apologized to “the epilepsy patients and their families who must have been hurt by this self-justified wrong decision.” He extended his apologies to those who are “diligently carrying out their duty even at this moment.”

“I think I am a person who is lacking a lot and still has much to learn. I think it is my responsibility to take all the criticism over this incident. The more you scold me, the more I will repent and learn from it,” Ravi wrote.

What Happened To Ravi’s Military Enlistment?

Earlier in 2023, a group of brokers were arrested on charges of corruption to evade military service. The group worked by designating their clients to a neurologist who then provides a false medical diagnosis of epilepsy. This allows the client to be exempted from military service or receive a lesser military grade.  The brokers promoted their services by claiming they helped a famous idol rapper, who turned out to be Ravi.

The first trial for eight individuals on charges of violating the Military Service Act was held on April 11, 2023. The individuals included Ravi, GROOVL1N co-CEO “A”, and Nafla who is also under the same label. During the trial, the prosecution requested two-year sentences for Ravi and “A” as well as two years and six months for Nafla.

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SEVENTEEN Mingyu Celebrates Birthday with BTS Jungkook and ASTRO Cha Eun Woo

Mingyu is officially 26 years old. The SEVENTEEN rapper celebrated his 26th birthday last week with the special people in his life. Kim Mingyu previously had a fun dinner with the members of his boy group. However, he also took time with his close friends. His recent social media posts confirm he hung out with BTS maknae Jungkook and ASTRO’s Cha Eun Woo.

Mingyu Hangs Out With Jungkook And Cha Eun Woo For Birthday Celebration

Kim Mingyu turned 26 on April 6, 2023, and his latest Instagram post confirmed he celebrated the milestone with friends. The SEVENTEEN member posted pictures from a recent dinner he had with fellow 97 liners Jungkook and Cha Eun Woo.

The friendship between Mingyu, Jungkook, and Cha Eun Woo is well-known in the K-pop industry. The three idols are often referred to as the 97z which includes GOT7’s BamBam and Yugyeom and SEVENTEEN’s THE8 and DK. 97z regularly spends time together which is a welcome sight for multiple fandoms.

Mingyu and the rest of SEVENTEEN have announced a new EP slated for release in April. ‘FML’ is the group’s 10th mini-album and will consist of six new songs including the title track “F*ck My Life.” In addition to that, the Hiphop Team, Performance Team, and Vocal Team will each have their own songs as well. The album is now available for pre-order and will be on April 24, 2023, at 6:00 PM KST.

Jungkook recently performed at the opening ceremony for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The BTS maknae was also announced as the newest global ambassador for Calvin Klein. Moreover, Jeon Jungkook currently appears in the campaigns for Calvin Klein Jeans and Calvin Klein Underwear.

Cha Eun Woo’s most recent project was the TV series “Island” where he played an exorcist priest. The ASTRO singer will next appear in the webtoon-based fantasy romance drama “A Good Day to Be a Dog.”

 

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SUZY Opens Up About Possibly Getting Married Next Year

SUZY is ready for marriage. The “Vagabond” star confirmed that she is open to possibly tying the knot by next year. Bae Suzy also spoke about growing up and aging in the limelight.

SUZY Opens Up About Aging and Marriage

Bae Suzy was recently a guest on “Jo Hyun Ah’s Thursday Night” where she spoke about debuting at a young age. The former MISS A member admitted that growing up in the entertainment industry has not been easy.

“I debuted when I was too young, and I imagined that when I age, everything will become easier and I’ll be more mature,” she said. “Nothing seems to have changed though. I’m getting older and getting more wrinkles, and I’m enjoying it.”

Suzy added, “I like it because it feels like I’m becoming a better person with each year that passes. I think I try to find those things within myself. I don’t think about things too deeply.”

Bae Suzy debuted with MISS A in March 2010 and soon ventured into acting. She has been a singer and actor for 13 years and continues to be an influential figure in the industry.

Not surprisingly, SUZY confirmed that she had thought about marriage and met with a fortune teller to discuss her future.

“I went to a fortune teller recently, and they told me that it’d be best if I got married at age 31. That’s next year though. If I do get married next year, I don’t think I’d regret it,” she said.

The “Start-Up” star continued, “If I do get married, it’ll either be very simple or very grand. There’s no standard for the age to get married, but it’s a young age.”

Suzy has been busy with several projects in the past year. Her latest web series “Anna” premiered on Couprang Play in June 2022. Bae Suzy also returned to singing, releasing the digital single “Cape” in October 2022.

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MONSTA X Reunite For Minhyuk’s Military Service Send-Off

MONSTA X have reunited, at least, for a brief time. Leader Shownu caught up with his other members ahead of his military discharge. All six members of the boy group got together for an awesome send-off for Minhyuk, who has enlisted for military service.

Minhyuk previously announced that he would enlist for military service on April 4, 2023. The MONSTA X singer soon enlisted fellow member Kihyun to help him cut his hair before his enlistment. On the day of his enlistment, Lee Minhyuk had a special treat for MONBEBEs.

Shownu Reunites With MONSTA X For Minhyuk’s Military Service Send-Off

The official MONSTA X Twitter account shared two photos of all six members of the group reunited for the send-off. The images confirm that Shownu took time from his own military service to join his fellow members.

Shownu is the first MONSTA X member to enlist in military service. He enlisted in July 2021, serving as a public service worker due to previous surgery for left eye retinal detachment. In contrast, Minhyuk will serve as an active-duty soldier after undergoing basic military training.

Although Minhyuk will be away for almost two years, he had several promotions before his military enlistment. He is currently the brand ambassador for NFL Korea 2023 Summer Collection. Lee Minhyuk also filmed new content for “Mon Must Go On,” a special series on the group’s official YouTube channel. The new episodes feature fellow members Joohoney and I.M.

In related news, fellow MONSTA X member Kihyun has joined the fixed panel of JTBC’s “Han Moon-chul’s Black Box Review” or “Hanvely.”

“It’s a new feeling to join Hanvely, which I’ve enjoyed,” Kihyun said of his latest project. “I’ll learn a lot and be careful through broadcasting so that I can make Korea safer.”

Shownu will be discharged from military service as a social worker on April 21, 2023. He is expected to resume promotions with MONSTA X soon after.

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GOT7 Jinyoung Confirms Military Enlistment in Sweet Letter to AHGASEs

Jinyoung is officially enlisting for military service next month. The GOT7 member confirmed his enlistment through his talent agency. The ‘Yumi’s Cells’ actor also assured AHGASEs after the announcement by writing a sweet letter to his fans.

GOT7 Jinyoung Announces Military Enlistment In May 2023

On April 5, BH Entertainment confirmed with News 1 that Park Jinyoung will enlist for mandatory military service starting May 8, 2023. The agency revealed that the GOT7 singer will enlist as an active-duty soldier after basic military training.

Jinyoung made sure that AHGASEs took the news well. The ‘Devil Judge’ star shared a handwritten letter to his fans asking them not to worry about the enlistment.

“Hello, everyone. This is Park Jinyoung,” he wrote. “The weather is warmer. Is everyone doing well? You must have been very surprised after coming across my enlistment news through reports. Like it’s been revealed, I’ll be enlisting in the military on May 8 in order to fulfill my military duties.”

“Everyone must be very worried, but I’ve gotten confident and reassured while meeting all of you. That’s why I promise to return as a more mature person and in good health after experiencing a lot. I’ll think of everyone. Well then, let’s meet again soon. Thank you always, and I love you,” Park concluded.

The letter was a kind and sweet gesture to fans who have supported Park Jinyoung since he debuted with GOT7 in 2014. It also assured AHGASEs that the singer-songwriter will stay healthy during his military service this year.

Jinyoung released his solo album ‘Chapter 0: WITH’ to commemorate his tenth anniversary since debuting with GOT7. The EP consists of five new songs written by Park including the title track “Cotton Candy.” Jinyoung’s latest projects include the film ‘A Christmas Carol’ and the upcoming Disney+ series ‘Witches.’ His military enlistment will begin on May 8, 2o23.

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BTS’ Suga Adds New Concert Dates Ahead of ‘D-Day’ Solo Album Release

Suga is set for a busy year. The BTS rapper added new dates to his upcoming world tour. The news comes right after Agust D confirmed the release of his first solo album ‘D-Day.’

SUGA Agust D Tour Adds 2 More Dates in Asia

The official BIG HIT Entertainment Twitter account confirmed that two new dates have been added to the SUGA Agust D Tour. Agust D will now perform a third date (June 9) in Bangkok’s Impact Arena. The rapper is also holding a third concert date (June 16) at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Suga’s world tour kicks off in April starting with numerous dates in the U.S. before returning to Asia in May. The final dates of the concert tour bring Min Yoongi back to Seoul in the latter part of June.

Suga had previously confirmed the world tour in February 2023. The BTS rapper celebrated the announcement with ARMY, expressing his excitement for performing for them during the tour. BIG HIT Entertainment announced Suga’s first solo album ‘D-Day’ on April 2, 2023.

‘D-Day’ is Suga’s first solo album that will get a physical release. He had previously released the mixtape ‘Agust D’ in August 2016 although the album was not available outside of Korea. He released the second mixtape ‘D-2’ in 2020.

ARMY will also get a first-hand look at how Suga worked on his latest album through a new documentary. ‘SUGA: Road to D-Day’ will follow Min Yoongi as he finds inspiration to work on the new album. The documentary will also feature the BTS rapper’s interactions with artists around the world. ‘SUGA: Road to D-Day’ will stream on Weverse and Disney+ this April.

Suga Agust D Tour kicks off in Belmont Park on April 26 followed by dates in Newark, Los Angeles, and Oakland. The album ‘D-Day’ is dropping on April 21, 2023, at 1:00 PM KST. ‘SUGA: Road to D-Day’ is available for pre-order on Weverse and will begin streaming on April 21, 2023.

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SEVENTEEN Unveils ‘FML’ Hidden Version Tracklist

SEVENTEEN is preparing to release their 10th mini album ‘FML’ this month and the group has just unveiled the tracklist. A brief teaser dubbed the “Hidden” version confirms the surprising title track. It also reveals three new songs performed by the SVT teams.

SEVENTEEN Drops ‘FML’ Hidden Ver. Tracklist

The official SEVENTEEN Twitter account shared the “Hidden” version tracklist teaser for ‘FML’. It confirms that the boy group’s 10th mini album will consist of six new songs. The first title track is “F*ck My Life” while the second title track remains unknown.

The official track list also includes new songs from each SEVENTEEN team. The Hiphop Team, which consists of S. Coups, Wonwoo, Mingyu, and Vernon, have produced the track “Fire.” For their song, the Vocal Team comprised of Woozi, Jeonghan, Joshua, DK, and Seungkwan chose “먼지 (Dust)”.

Additionally, the Performance Team (Hoshi, Jun, THE8, and Dino) has a new song “I Don’t Understand But I Luv U.” The track is inspired by a fan comment during SEVENTEEN’s Weverse live broadcast where an international CARAT expressed their love for the group despite the language barrier. A fifth track “April Shower” was also confirmed in the video.

‘FML’ will be SEVENTEEN’s 10th mini album and their first group release for the year. The group’s special subunit BSS (DK, Hoshi, and Seungkwan) had previously released their comeback single album ‘Second Wind’ on February 6, 2023. This marked BooSeokSoon’s first comeback after five years of being inactive.

SEVENTEEN recently got together to celebrate Mingyu‘s birthday. The group’s official Twitter account shared a photo of all 13 members enjoying a meal together. Kim Mingyu is a member of the SVT Hiphop Team and he turned 26 on April 6, 2023.

SEVENTEEN’s 10th mini album ‘FML’ is currently available for pre-order. The EP is scheduled for release on April 24, 2023, at 6:00 PM KST.

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K-pop Group 100% Confirms Disbandment in October

The boy group’s agency TOP Media issued a statement regarding 100%’s current status.

Our sincere thanks to the fans who have loved and supported the members of 100%,” the statement read. “TOP Media’s exclusive contracts with 100% members Rockhyun, Jonghwan, Chanyong, and Hyukjin expire on October 9, 2021. After deep discussions with the members, we have decided to end 100%’s activities.

The statement went on to express gratitude to the boy group.

We sincerely thank the members, who have worked with us at TOP Media for a long time, and we will continue to cheer on their futures,” it continued. “We ask fans for their warm interest and support for Rockhyun, Jonghwan, Chanyong, and Hyukjin’s new starts.

The 100% members also issued a statement of their own.

“This is our last farewell as 100%. It’s really difficult to leave a place where you’ve stayed for so long. It’s been a long time, but now that it’s passed, it also feels quite short,” they wrote.

Rockhyun, Jonghwan, Chanyong, and Hyukjin also thanked PERFECTIONs for their undying support.

As 100% members and as each other’s colleagues, the past nine years were a very valuable time for us. We thank PERFECTION for loving us even when we were lacking. Our twenties were fun and happy because we spent it with you. In the future, we wish each other nothing but happiness and we will soon greet you with new images,” they wrote.

It has been a joyful journey for the members of 100% but it was also marked with hardships. Although they started out with seven members, the boy group ultimately ended up with just Rockhyun, Jonghwan, Chanyong, and Hyukjin. In 2014, Sanghoon decided to take time off the group while Changbum departed in 2016. The most painful parting was with leader Minwoo, who passed away in 2018.

Although they will no longer be promoting as a group, the members of 100% are expected to pursue their own solo careers. With that in mind, PERFECTIONs will continue to be ready to support Rockhyun, Jonghwan, Chanyong, and Hyukjin in the future.

100% will officially disband when their contracts expire on October 9, 2021.

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SEVENTEEN’s Jeonghan Drops Surprise Solo Single “Dream”

SEVENTEEN’s official social media accounts surprised fans with Dream, the new solo single from Jeonghan. The simple video features an image of a bed left unmade as a background for Yoon Jeonghan’s sweet vocals.

That’s not the only surprise Jeonghan had in store for CARATs. The SEVENTEEN vocalist also recorded a Japanese version of Dream which was shared on the group’s YouTube channel as well.

Dream is a true solo effort for Jeonghan, who wrote and composed the song. It’s possible that he had also written the Japanese lyrics since he had been studying Japanese for some time now. It’s a mellow tune that’s guaranteed to put CARATs at ease and looking forward to the next SEVENTEEN comeback.

Jeonghan has been finding new ways to reach CARATS and his fans, who are called JJONGJJONGIEs. The second eldest SEVENTEEN member had previously opened his own Instagram account to share never-before-seen photos of himself and his fellow members. It certainly looks like we’ll be seeing more of Yoon Jeonghan as a true artist in the near future.

SEVENTEEN is set for a comeback in October 2021. Although Jeonghan will be busy along with the other members, Jun and THE8 are currently in China and will have their own promotional activities.

Featured image: In addition to SEVENTEEN’s “Attacca” album, Jeonghan also released his new single, “Dream.” Photo: SEVENTEEN/YouTube
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ENHYPEN Members Recover From COVID-19 In Time For October Comeback

ENHYPEN members Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, and Ni-ki have finally recovered from COVID-19, according to their label, Belift Lab. Except for Sunoo who was only advised to stay in self-quarantined, the rest of ENHYPEN tested positive with the corona virus.

 

We would like to inform you that ENHYPEN members Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, and Ni-ki have been determined to have fully recovered from COVID-19, have been discharged from their treatment facilities, and are no longer in quarantine as of Thursday, September 16,” the statement read.

It added, “All the members are resting with a clean bill of health. Sunoo also underwent re-testing in order to exit self-quarantine and was found to be negative.”

The label thanked fans for their “deep support” for ENHYPEN and dropped even more good news.

We would also like to inform you that ENHYPEN’s first studio album will be released in October. We will provide a separate notice with details,” the statement read.

ENHYPEN celebrated their recovery by sharing new photos of the boy group together.

BELIFT LAB has since shared the first teaser for ENHYPEN’s full album DIMENSION: DILEMMA. The label’s official YouTube channel dropped a visualizer for the LP’s first track Intro: Whiteout.

Featured image: ENHYPEN’s first full studio album, DIMENSION: DILEMMA, drops October 12, 2021. Photo: HYBE LABELS/YouTube
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