Author: Kpop News Writer

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BTS K-POP ARTISTS KPOP NEWS LATEST STORIES

Jin of BTS “Saves Fan” from Robbery + Military Updates

BTS Jin

BTS member Jin is a beloved figure in the music industry. He’s known for his charming personality, fan dedication, and soulful voice. Recently, Jin’s been in the news for his heroic deeds, both in and out of the military.

In a remarkable incident, Jin reportedly “saved” a Brazilian fan named Natali Vitoria Ramos Reis from a robbery. The 21-year-old ARMY was waiting at a bus stop in São José dos Pinhais, in the Curitiba Metropolitan Region, when a robber approached her. The robber managed to take her phone, which had a photo of Jin in his military uniform as the wallpaper.

When he saw the photo, the robber immediately returned the phone and fled, presumably assuming that the man in the picture was Natali’s boyfriend and a member of the armed forces. This incident sparked a wave of reactions from BTS ARMY worldwide. They praised Jin’s indirect role in Natali’s rescue and joked about changing their phone wallpapers to pictures of Jin in his military uniform for protection.

Jin’s off-stage heroism is commendable, and his military achievements are also impressive. Despite being a world-renowned singer, he has dedicated himself to his mandatory military service in South Korea. Jin enlisted in the recruit training center in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, on December 13, 2022. His expected discharge date is June 12, 2024.

Jin the “elite soldier”

Recently, Jin was given the rank of Corporal in the military earlier than scheduled. This came after he received the title of “elite soldier,” a prestigious title given to those who excel in various areas of training. These include first aid, Chemical, Biological, and Radiological training, individual combat, shooting, a three-kilometer race, and vigilance. To earn the elite soldier title, one must meet strict conditions like having a 90% shooting hit rate and completing over 72 push-ups in two minutes. This promotion underscores Jin’s dedication, discipline, and hard work.

The title comes with perks. These include extra leaves of up to five days, early promotion, and the privilege of wearing a special emblem on their uniforms. Additionally, outstanding shooting scores can earn them more rewards.

Jin’s military achievements give ARMY immense pride and joy. Despite his absence from the music scene due to his military service, his influence continues to resonate worldwide. This story reminds us that heroes can appear in the most unexpected places, even on a smartphone’s home screen. As fans eagerly await his return to the stage, they continue to celebrate his achievements and the inspiring individual he has proven to be. –K-pop News Writer

Featured Image: Jin posted some selfies on Weverse during a lull in his training. Source: Weverse’s BTS Community.

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BREAKING: Haneul Leaves K-Pop Girl Group Saturday

K-pop idol Haneul has exited the group SATURDAY due to “personal circumstances.”

The group’s manager announced the news on Thursday, July 20, saying that SATURDAY will now continue as a four-member group consisting of Juyeon, Yuki, Ayeon, and Minseo. 

While SATURDAY had gone through a series of member lineup changes since they made their debut in 2018, Haneul was one of the original members, alongside Yuki and Ayeon. 

“We apologize to the fans who feel upset about this disappointing news,” the statement continued. 

The manager also asked fans for their continued love and support to the remaining members as they’re gearing up for a new album. 

On Tuesday, July 18, SATURDAY released a schedule for their upcoming sixth single album “Find Summer,” which will be released on July 25. 

 

This would serve as the group’s first comeback in almost two years, following the release of “D.B.DB. DIB” in August 2020. 

Featured image: SATURDAY’s Twitter

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K-POP ARTISTS KPOP NEWS LATEST STORIES

Legend Tony Leung and SAG Winner Jung Hoyeon Star in Newjeans’ “Cool With You” Music Video

Rising K-pop girl group NewJeans released on Thursday, July 20, two cinematic music videos for their song “Cool With You,” which stars Squid Game actress Jung Ho Yeon (for which she won the SAG Award for best performance by a female actor in a drama series in 2022) and a cameo appearance from veteran actor Tony Leung. 

In the first video for “Cool With You,” dubbed the “A side”, Ho Yeon was introduced as a cupid who appears to be completely invisible in life and prompts couples to fall in love through her glance. The latter part of the video saw the actress becoming interested in a man, with the members of NewJeans acting out as angels who are watching the forbidden love story unfold. 

 

Meanwhile, the “B side” video for “Cool With You” picks up from where the “A side” left off but Ho Yeon is now visible to the world. She’s then seen starting a relationship with her love interest. But as their budding romance starts to pick up, Ho Yeon comes across a mysterious man (played by Tony). From that moment, her lover can no longer see Ho Yeon. 

The “B side” video also saw the NewJeans members dancing to a snippet of their unreleased song “Get Up.” 

 

Aside from “Cool With You,” NewJeans has already released the music videos for “Super Shy” and “New Jeans.”

“Cool With You” and “Super Shy” are two of GET UP’s triple title songs, alongside the yet-to-be-released track “ETA.” 

NewJeans’ sophomore EP GET UP, which will be released on July 21, will have a total of six songs, with each track having accompanying music videos. 

GET UP will serve as the group’s second EP following their self-titled EP,  which was released in July 2022. 

Composed of Minji, Hanni, Hyein, Haerin, and Danielle, NewJeans is a five-member group under ADOR, the HYBE sub-label headed by Min Hee-jin. 

Featured image: HYBE Labels’ YouTube

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Look: Stray Kids’ Hyunjin Revealed as Versace’s New Global Brand Ambassador

Hyunjin, member of K-pop boy group Stray Kids, has been named as the newest global ambassador of luxury fashion house Versace. 

On Thursday, July 20, Versace made the announcement, revealing that Hyunjin will also front the brand’s Versace Holiday 2023 campaign, which will be launched in November. 

Donatella Versace, the brand’s chief creative officer, described Hyunjin as a “true Versace man.” 

Hyunjin as a ‘Versace man’

“I am constantly inspired by new voices defining culture around the world and for me Hyunjin has great new energy and creativity. I love his confidence and freedom of expression,” she explained about casting Hyunjin. 

The idol also relayed his excitement to be working with the brand. He said that he’s “both inspired and honored to play a part in the House’s truly amazing heritage.”

Hyunjin is the first K-pop idol to be chosen by Versace to become their global ambassador. He’ll be joining the likes of international stars Chris Lee, Anne Hathaway, Bella Hadid, and Li Yuchun, among others. 

Prior to the official announcement, Hyunjin has been seen attending several events of the brand, including going to the opening of the Versace pop-up store in Seoul. 

In May, Hyunjin also attended Versace’s “La Vacanza” fashion show in Cannes alongside popstars Dua Lipa and Troye Sivan. 

While Versace serves as Hyunjin’s first solo ambassadorship, Stray Kids has been previously tapped by luxury Italian footwear Etro. Aside from fashion names, the group has been recently tapped by mobile accessory brand SLBS. 

Stray Kids initially debuted as a nine-piece act. Woonjin left the group in October 2019. 

Members Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N. are the current lineup.

The group is known for their songs “CASE 143,” “Thunderous, “God’s Menu,” and “Back Door.”  Stray Kids made their recent comeback in June with the third studio album 5-STAR.

Featured image from Stray Kids’ Instagram

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Look: BTS’ V Is Cartier’s Newest Ambassador

ARMYs all over the world spazzed over V of BTS in his latest photoshoot! 

French luxury jewelry brand Cartier announced on Wednesday, July 19, that V, or Kim Tae-hyung in real life, is the newest addition to their roster of A-list ambassadors. The pop superstar is the brand’s face of their Panthére De Cartier campaign.

Sporting light brown hair, the K-pop idol donned a striking red suit as he flaunted pieces from the brand’s collection – a gold ring and a necklace with a pendant that resembles a panther.

Arnaud Carrez, the International Senior Vice President of Cartier and Chief Marketing Officer said in a press release that they chose V because of his “powerful aura” and that he can naturally “express a panther’s charm and aura.” “[He] will showcase a style of his own as well as his grace,” he added.

V joins a star-studded list of ambassadors for Cartier, including GOT7’s Jackson Wang, BLACKPINK’s Jisoo, Rami Malek, Gong Li, and Elle Fanning. 

Aside from Cartier, though, V is also a brand ambassador for French luxury fashion brand Celine, while BTS also serve as faces of Louis Vuitton. Other BTS members have also sealed partnerships with various luxury brands – RM with Bottega Veneta, Suga with Valentino, Jimin with Tiffany & Co., and Jungkook with Calvin Klein. 

BTS announced in June 2022 that they’re taking a break to focus on solo releases while other members enlist in the military. The group marked their 10th anniversary in June and released the digital single “Take Two” and the memoir “Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS.”

Meanwhile, as a solo artist, V has released songs “Stigma,” “Singularity,” and “Inner Child.” He also ventured into acting in the 2016 series Hwarang, and starred in the variety show Youn’s Kitchen.

Featured image: Cartier’s Twitter

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LATEST STORIES

Inkigayo Announces Txt’s Yeonjun, Boynextdoor’s Woonhak, and Park Ji HU as Hosts

A new combination of hosts will welcome viewers of SBS’ Inkigayo on its Sunday, July 23 episode! 

SBS announced that Yeonjun of TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT) would be returning as MC, three months after he temporarily vacated the post in April to focus on TXT’s Act Sweet Mirage world tour. Prior to his absence, Yeonjun started hosting Inkigayo in April 2022, together with actors Noh Jeong Eui and Seo Bum Joon.

 

This tme, Yeonjun will be joined by BOYNEXTDOOR member Woonhak and actress Park Ji Hu. Ji Hu is known for her roles in South Korean series Little Women, All of Us Are Dead, and House of Hummingbird. 

“The three people with similar positive energy will present a new, vibrant Inkigayo soon,” SBS said about the new hosts.

Meanwhile, MONSTA X’s Hyungwon and actress Kim Ji Eun are confirmed to leave their position as Inkigayo MCs. The pair, which started hosting in April, had the July 16 show as their last episode. 

 

“Because it was my first time hosting a music show, I must have been lacking in some ways, but thanks to the love and support I received from you all, I think I’ll be able to wrap up with only happy memories,” Hyungwon said about his departure. 

Although Hyungwon will no longer be an MC, he is currently gearing up for his sub-unit debut with fellow MONSTA X member Shownu. Their unit album The Unseen will be released on July 25. 

Featured images from: TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s Facebook; BOYNEXTDOOR’s Facebook, and Park Ji Hu’s Instagram

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Variety Show “Crime Scene” to Return After 6 Years

Six years after it aired its third season, South Korean variety series Crime Scene will be returning – but this time, with a new version! 

Crime Scene is a hit role playing game variety show that follows a group of guests who take on different roles as they attempt to solve a murder case. Its first season aired in May 2014, with JBTC launching its second season in April 2015 and third season in April 2017. 

On Tuesday, Wednesday 18, TVING announced that a new season will return through a new title: Crime Scene Returns. 

 

Original cast members Jang Jin, Park Ji Yoon, and Jang Dong Min are confirmed to return for the new season, while SHINee member Key, Joo Hyun Young, and IVE’s An Yun Jin were casted as the new additional members. 

Following the announcement, netizens express their excitement in seeing how the three new additions will aid in solving the cases, especially that Key, Hyun Young, and An Yun Jin are also known for their variety chops. Key has been a mainstay in DoReMi Market and I Live Alone, Hyun Young gained popularity for her SNL Korea stints, and An Yun Jin was part of Steel Stroops and Earth Arcade. 

TVING has yet to expound on how they revamped the show for its new season, but Crime Scene Returns is expected to air in early 2024. A final release date has yet to be announced. Stay tuned here for more updates!

Featured image from TVING’s Twitter

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KPOP ALBUMS KPOP NEWS LATEST STORIES

K-Pop Album Exports Surge, US Overtakes China as Second-Largest Market

K-pop album exports soared in the first six months of 2023, setting a new record high. Notably, the United States surpassed China to become the second-largest market for K-pop music exports after Japan. This indicates that K-pop has firmly established itself as a genre in North America.

According to the export and import trade statistics released by the Korea Customs Service on July 18, the export value of K-pop albums from January to June this year amounted to $132.934 million. That’s approximately 168.5 billion KRW, a 17.1% increase compared to the same period in 2022. This marks the highest total for the first half of 2023.

When examining the target countries for album exports in the first half of this year, Japan topped the list with $48.523 million (approximately 61.5 billion KRW), followed by the United States with $25.519 million (approximately 32.3 billion KRW), and China with $22.64 million (approximately 28.7 billion KRW). They were followed by Germany, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Canada, the UK, and France.

The fact that the United States, often considered the world’s largest music market, has surpassed China to become the second-largest market for album exports says a lot. On an annual basis, China has been the second largest export target country after Japan since 2012, except for 2020.

K-pop stars’ remarkable achievements

Despite the absence of group activities from BTS, K-pop stars have achieved remarkable results in the United States in the first half of this year. BTS member Jimin made history when he became the first K-pop solo artist to debut at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with his debut solo single “Like Crazy.”

Stray Kids and TOMORROW X TOGETHER topped the Billboard 200, the main album chart in the United States, with their recent drops. ATEEZ, BTS’s SUGA, SEVENTEEN, and TWICE also made waves. Lastly, FIFTY FIFTY achieved what others thought was impossible when they charted within the Hot 100 for 16 consecutive weeks with their easy-listening song “CUPID.”

As K-pop achieved these results, the U.S. music market analysis company Luminate announced in its mid-year report that Korean was the third most streamed language in the United States, following English and Spanish (based on the top 10,000 songs).

Room for growth

Choi Kwang-Ho, the Korea Music Content Association’s secretary-general, said, “K-pop, represented by BTS and BLACKPINK, established itself as a genre in the North American market. It takes time for content to hit in a specific region after a certain trigger. It took years for K-pop to settle down after BTS received their first award at the U.S. Billboard Music Awards (BBMA) in 2017.”

He believes K-pop can go even further. “There were concerns about the enlistment of BTS, but the solo activities of BTS members and the performance of junior singers SEVENTEEN and Stray Kids are good. The K-pop physical album market has grown, but as seen in the success of ‘CUPID,’ there’s still a lot of room for growth in the streaming market. The peak of K-pop is not yet here.”

— K-pop News Writer

Featured Image: With their Billboard chart success and performances at KCON USA, Stray Kids is actively leading the growth of K-pop in the US. Source: KCON USA/KCON USA’s official website.

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SM Entertainment Confirms No NCT Members’ Contracts Expire This Year

The K-pop industry has been abuzz with speculation regarding the wildly popular boy group NCT and the exclusive contracts its members signed with their longtime agency SM Entertainment. Rumors say those contracts will expire this year, coinciding with the group’s seventh anniversary. However, SM Entertainment recently addressed these rumors, clarifying the situation.

NCT, a 20-member group known for its unique structure of different unit groups, debuted in 2016, around the same time as BLACKPINK, another prominent K-pop act. Since the YG Entertainment girl group signed contracts that expire in August, fans have wondered if NCT’s contracts would follow a similar timeline. This speculation was further fueled by the fact that some of the group’s units also turned seven this year.

SM Entertainment has stated that the contracts of NCT’s members will not expire anytime soon. Unlike the usual seven-year period typical of idol contracts, SM Entertainment took factors such as military enlistment and overseas activities into account when they signed the members. So although no two members’ contracts are the same, none will expire in 2023. All the NCT members’ contracts are valid until the end of 2024 at least.

Rather than calm the fans, SM Entertainment’s statements made them even more concerned. Many expressed surprise over the length of the members’ contracts. After a landmark ruling ended “slave contracts,” seven-year deals became the norm for idols. That’s why they didn’t feel better when SM Entertainment implied that NCT’s contracts are longer than that. They even wondered if somebody had manipulated the members into signing shady deals. But it’s important to note that South Korean courts already ruled that 10-year contracts are legal.

NCT is far from over

NCT is a unique group in the K-pop industry, consisting of different unit groups like NCT 127, NCT DREAM, and WayV, which promote independently. When members from different units collaborate, they do so as NCT U or NCT. The first lineup debuted as NCT U in April 2016. NCT 127 followed suit in July of that same year. Later, additional units were formed, and more members were added. The group was initially intended to be ever-expanding, with new members coming on board every so often. However, SM Entertainment announced that NCT Tokyo, formed in 2023, will be the group’s last unit.

As we look ahead, it’s clear that NCT’s journey is far from over. With their contracts secured for the foreseeable future, fans can look forward to more from this dynamic group.

— K-pop News Writer

Featured Image: This is a screenshot from the official MV of “Beautiful,” NCT’s last single as a full group. Source: YouTube/SM Entertainment’s official YouTube channel.

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BTS K-POP ARTISTS KPOP NEWS LATEST STORIES

Jimin Expresses Concern for Fan “Jibangie” Amidst South Korean Floods

Idols and their fans have deep connections in the K-pop scene. The bond between BTS‘s Jimin and a fan known as “Jibangie” is a perfect example. This relationship began when they met while filming content for the PIXID YouTube channel. Recently, a concerning situation brought their relationship into the spotlight.

“Jibangie” resides outside South Korea’s metropolitan area, a region currently affected by flooding and landslides. The country is at the peak of its summer monsoon season, and dams, reservoirs, and rivers are overflowing. As of this writing, approximately 40 people have died over the last few days. South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol has vowed to “completely overhaul” his country’s approach to extreme weather caused by climate change. 

Meanwhile, the “Like Crazy” hitmaker posted on the fan community platform Weverse to express concern for “Jibangie.”

His doing so is a testament to his character and highlights the connection between fans and their idols. Despite the distance and other things that separate them, idols like Jimin have been known to form unique connections with their fans. Aside from showing concern for someone’s well-being as the BTS member did, some idols even remember individual interactions long after they took place.

ARMY means a lot to Jimin

In the face of the flooding (even though he had flown to New York City with bandmate Jungkook at the time), Jimin‘s thoughts still turned to “Jibangie,” demonstrating how much his fans mean to him. 

Jimin’s concern serves as a reminder of the human element in K-pop, where fans and their idols can be affected by the same global events and share the same concerns. As the rains continue, the hope is that “Jibangie” and everyone affected by the foul weather stays safe. –K-pop News Writer

Featured Image: Jimin is fairly active on social media. He posted this photo as part of his work with the luxury jeweler Tiffany & Co. Source: Instagram/Jimin’s personal Instagram account.

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