Author: Kpop News Writer

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K-POP ARTISTS KPOP NEWS LATEST STORIES

Thai Artist Yorch Yongsin to Debut in GRID Entertainment Boy Group

Yorch Yongsin, a distinguished Thai artist, is set to make his K-pop debut in a new boy group under GRID Entertainment.

Despite his young age, Yorch has already worn many hats in the entertainment industry. He caught the Thai public’s eye with his role in Thong Nuea Kao (2013) and has since participated in numerous projects in Thailand. In 2022, he was selected as a trainee by BigHit Music and put in the Trainee A project. Although it was later called off, Yorch continued to pursue his dream.

Upon returning to Thailand, Yorch founded his own entertainment agency, Yorch Entertainment, and promptly released a single titled “Seven (7).” His dedication and hard work eventually paid off when he announced on Instagram that GRID Entertainment would be his new home. GRID Entertainment is part of 131 Label under Kim Han Bin, a.k.a. B.I., a former member of the boy group IKON.

The announcement of Yorch’s forthcoming debut has sparked excitement among many, heightening anticipation for the reveal of additional group members. In line with its boy group plans, GRID has also started a label business and incorporated 131 Label as its first subsidiary. This move is part of GRID’s strategy to bolster its global footprint by concentrating on the core of K-Pop performance to produce diverse music that blends various genres.

GRID Entertainment is not just another newcomer in the industry. It was established by a group of experienced professionals from esteemed agencies like SM Entertainment and YG Entertainment. The company’s CEO, Sim Hyejin, brings a wealth of expertise from her former roles in planning and production at various companies. Under her guidance, GRID meticulously manages every facet of its operations, from scouting talents to nurturing artists.

She says, “131 will be incorporated as a subsidiary label and strengthened as a specialized label for soloists. We’ll preserve its autonomy and offer comprehensive support for recruiting and developing extraordinary artists.”

Yorch‘s journey to becoming a K-pop idol is a testament to his resilience and dedication. Despite the disbandment of Trainee A, he continued to pursue his passion for singing and is now on the verge of realizing his dream. His forthcoming debut with GRID Entertainment is a significant development in K-pop and is eagerly awaited by fans worldwide.

(Featured Image: Yorch posted this photo to announce that he joined GRID Entertainment. Source: Instagram/Yorch Yongsin’s official Instagram account)

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BTS K-POP ARTISTS KPOP NEWS LATEST STORIES

Is BTS’ RM Preparing for Military Enlistment?

The K-pop world is abuzz with speculation, and the epicenter of all the chatter is none other than BTS‘s leader, RM, aka Kim Namjoon. The cause of all the speculation? An Instagram story in which RM is seen sporting a new, shorter haircut.

RM, known for being active on social media, recently posted a series of photos on Instagram. Among these images, one particular photo has caught the attention of fans worldwide. The photo features RM with a noticeably shorter haircut, a stark departure from his usual style. This change has led to widespread speculation among ARMY, BTS‘ dedicated fanbase, about whether RM’s new ‘do is a sign of his impending military enlistment.

In South Korea, all able-bodied men are required to serve in the military for a certain period. This has led to many popular K-pop idols temporarily stepping away from their entertainment careers to fulfill their duties. Given RM‘s age, fans have been anticipating news about his enlistment.

 

Adding fuel to the speculation, RM captioned the post, “Gotta expect the unexpected.” This cryptic message has left fans wondering if he is subtly preparing them for his upcoming military service.

Also, at the recent FESTA in Seoul on June 17, RM delivered a heartfelt performance, hinting that it might be the last time he’ll stand onstage for a while. These hints, coupled with RM’s latest social media posts have led to increased speculation about his military enlistment.

Despite the speculation, there has been no official confirmation from BigHit Music, the agency that manages BTS. The fans, however, remain on high alert.

As the speculation continues, fans worldwide send their love and support to RM, hoping for the best for their beloved idol, whether he is preparing for military service or simply trying out a new look.

In the world of K-pop, where every post can hold a hidden message, the question remains: Is RM‘s new haircut a fashion statement or a sign of his upcoming military enlistment? Only time will tell.

(Featured Image: RM recently posted a photo of himself on a sailboat. Source: Instagram/RM’s personal Instagram account)

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K-POP ARTISTS KPOP NEWS LATEST STORIES

(G)I-DLE Collaborates with 88rising for New Single and EP

In a groundbreaking collaboration, Cube Entertainment’s (G)I-DLE, one of the leading girl groups in K-pop’s fourth generation, joined forces with 88rising, an Asian-focused music and media company. The result is the group’s highly anticipated new single, “I DO,” and an upcoming EP called “HEAT.”

Known for their fearless approach to performing and self-crafted smash hits, (G)I-DLE has gained recognition as leaders in K-pop. Last year, their chart-topping single “Tomboy” was even named the No. 1 K-pop song of 2022 by Billboard critics. 

Now, the group is taking a significant step forward by collaborating with 88rising.

“I DO,” set to drop soon, is (G)I-DLE‘s first original English single. Unlike their previous bold and energetic tracks like “Queencard,” “Nxde,” and “Tomboy,” this heartfelt mid-tempo song showcases a different side of the group. With sweet and emotional vocal performances from members Minnie, Miyeon, Shuhua, Soyeon, and Yuqi, “I DO” was designed to be easy to sing along to and resonate on a deeper level with listeners. It also serves as the opening track for the girls’ upcoming EP, “HEAT,” co-executive produced by 88rising.

Woohyung Ahn, the CEO of Cube Entertainment, is very excited about HEAT, which will be the first all-English EP produced by the company in its 17-year history. “HEAT is about feeling confident and bringing the spirit of an endless summer with you wherever you go,” he says. “We hope the release of HEAT will allow us to bring the message and mission of (G)I-DLE to the whole world.”

Sean Miyashiro, CEO and founder of 88rising, admires (G)I-DLE because of the girls’ artistry and creativity. “We’ve been fans of (G)-IDLE for a long time because they’re in tune and involved with what they put out. I was like, ‘Wow, they know what they want to do,’ which is important—it makes the process much more meaningful when there’s a firm belief and point of view. I felt honored that they were open to collaborating with us.”

John Yang, 88rising’s executive vice president, says the (G)I-DLE members are “full of excitement and positivity. We got so excited about what we could do together.” He praised 24-year-old Soyeon, the group’s leader, primary songwriter, and producer. “Soyeon knows what she wants for every song, from the delivery of the vocal to the overall cadence and tone—she truly is a genius.”

While 88rising has recently signed several K-pop artists, such as Chungha and Jackson Wang, their collaboration with (G)I-DLE has been in the works for a year since their initial introduction.

“I DO” and its official music video will be released on Friday, July 14, at 9:00 AM KST. The global release of the EP, HEAT, is scheduled for September.

(Featured Image: This photo accompanied their sixth EP. Source: Twitter/(G)I-DLE official Twitter account)

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BTS K-POP ARTISTS KPOP NEWS LATEST STORIES

BTS Fans, ARMY, Lauded for Cleaning Up After Massive Anniversary Event

The dedicated fanbase of the global K-pop sensation BTS, known as ARMY, has been praised for behaving responsibly after the boy group’s 10th anniversary celebration. The fans cleaned the venue after the event, displaying a high level of responsibility and respect for public spaces.

On June 17th, BTS celebrated their 10th debut anniversary with a massive event called 2023 BTS 10th Anniversary Festa @ Yeouido held at Hangang Park in Seoul. The event attracted an estimated 400,000 people, including 120,000 international fans, according to HYBE, the group’s management company. Despite the massive gathering, the venue was left spotless because of ARMY’s concerted efforts.

BTS‘s leader, RM, took to Instagram to express his gratitude towards the fans and staff members for what they did at Hangang Park. He posted a screenshot of a news article about the cleanup on his Instagram Story and thanked the ARMY and the staff for their efforts. “To all the staff, and proud ARMYs, Thank You,” he wrote.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5tIjGSJI_kU

In an interview with Korean media, a street cleaner confirmed the fans’ efforts. “We were tasked to clean the place by 12 o’clock, but there was no trash left,” they said.

The fans’ initiative to clean up after the event was widely praised by netizens. Photos of the clean venue went viral on social media. 

ARMY’s actions sparked a wave of positive comments online, with many expressing their admiration for what the fans did.

ARMY’s actions reflect not only their dedication to BTS but also their commitment to maintaining order in public spaces, setting a good example for fans worldwide. The 10th-anniversary celebration of BTS was proof of the band’s enduring global popularity and their fans’ maturity. The event was so well-managed that it made headlines in South Korea and beyond.

This isn’t the first time ARMY was lauded for cleanliness. In October 2022, some fans organized a fantastic event to celebrate BTS member Jimin‘s 27th birthday. They gathered at Gwangali Beach in Busan for what they dubbed a “plogging” program, an activity that combined picking up trash with jogging. A nonprofit organization called EARTH SAVE spearheaded the project. After clearing the beach of litter, ARMYs gathered for a photo session and shouted, “We purple Busan.”

Busan, being the hometown of Jimin and Jungkook, made that project more meaningful.

(Featured Image: The official BTS Twitter account run by the group’s label posted a photo of RM in Hangang Park on the day of the event. Source: Twitter/BTS’s official Twitter account)

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LATEST STORIES VARIETY

Watch: Netflix Releases Teaser for Variety Series ‘Zombieverse’

Will you be able to survive a zombie apocalypse? Netflix’s upcoming survival variety series Zombieverse will put that to a test! 

On Monday, July 10, Netflix released a 40-second teaser, showing the cast running across the streets of Seoul, South Korea as they try to survive against a throng of zombies. 

Think of it as a mix of Netflix’s previous zombie-themed series such as Kingdom and All of Us Are Dead and reality survival shows Physical 100 and Siren: Survive the Island.

 

In the teaser, a voiceover is heard saying that “multiple patients” are coming down with an “unknown infection” and they are showing “unusual, violent symptoms.” 

The contestants will then try to work through a variety of challenges while trying to avoid being bitten by the undead attackers. 

The teaser also provided a first look at some of the contestants, which include comedian Park Na Rae, rapper DinDin, former baseball pitcher Yoo Hee Kwan, Kim Jin Young from Single’s Inferno 2, Tsuki of girl group Billie, television personalities Jonathan and Patricia Yiombi. 

Park Jin-kyung of My Little Television and Hey! First Time in Korea?’s Moon Sang-don are in charge of helming Zombieverse. 

“There will be new zombies, survivors and unique scenes, which have not been seen in the existing zombie-themed projects,” Park said about the project in a press release.

Zombieverse will have eight episodes and will premiere on August 8. 

Meanwhile, Netflix also recently confirmed that the second season for the hit survival thriller series Squid Game is in the works.

Featured image: Netflix News’ Facebook

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KPOP NEWS LATEST STORIES

Look: BB Girls Unveils New Photos, Logo and Social Media Accounts

We’re entering a new era with BB GIRLS, formerly known as K-pop girl group Brave Girls! 

On Monday, July 10, BB GIRLS unveiled their new group logo and launched new social media accounts.

 

They also released a set of new photos for each members. Minyoung, Youjuong, Eunji, and Yuna showcased a mature and sophisticated look while posing in monochromatic ensembles. 

 

 

This came after Minyoung, Youjuong, Eunji, and Yuna signed with Warner Music Korea in April following the expiration of their exclusive contracts with Brave Entertainment. 

Brave Entertainment initially announced that Brave Girls has officially disbanded. But after moving as a full group in Warner Music Korea, the agency announced that the members will continue their activities under the name BB GIRLS as their former label still own the trademark rights for the group’s first name. 

Warner Music Korea also confirmed that BB Girls will be making an August comeback, but additional details, such as album title and release date, have yet to be announced. 

Brave Girls debuted in 2011 and had several changes in their member line-up over the years. The group gained massive popularity in 2021 after their 2017 track “Rollin’.” went viral. Their last album with Brave Entertainment was Summer Queen, which was released in September 2021. 

Featured image: collage from BB GIRLS’ Twitter

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LATEST STORIES

Park BO Gum to Make Musical Debut With ‘Let Me Fly’

South Korean actor Park Bo Gum will be starring in his first musical! 

On Monday, July 10, the musical Let Me Fly released their cast lineup for their production. 

Bo Gum is confirmed to be playing the role of young Nam Won along with musical actors Ahn Ji Hwan and Shin Jae Beom.

Let Me Fly is about Nam Won who lives in 1969 and eventually wakes up as a 70-year-old grandfather in the year 2022. He struggles to return to the past where his love interest lives. It won Best Musical, Best Composition and Best New Actor and was nominated for the Grand Prize, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Arrangement/Music Director during the 2022 Korea Musical Awards. 

Other confirmed cast members include Kim Tae Hwan, Kim Do Bin, Lee Hyung Hoon, Bang Jin Ui, Yoon Gong Joo, Choi Soo Jin, Na Ha Na, Hong Ji Hee, and Im Ye Jin. 

 

Let Me Fly will have shows from September 26 to December 10. 

While Let Me Fly will serve as Bo Gum’s first foray into the musical genre, the actor graduated as a musical theater major in Seoul’s Myeongji University. He also studied the piano and was a choir member in kindergarten. 

Bo Gum is best known for his roles in dramas Record of Youth, Love in the Moonlight, Reply 1988, and Encounter. He is also confirmed to star in the upcoming Netflix film Wonderland with Suzy, Choi Wooshik, Jung Yu Mi, and Tang Wei. 

Featured image: Let Me Fly’s Twitter

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K-DRAMA KPOP NEWS LATEST STORIES

Here Are the K-Drama and K-Pop Documentaries Coming to Disney+ for the Rest of 2023

Hallyu fans have a lot of things to look forward to in Disney+ as the streaming platform unveiled on Tuesday, July 11, its slate of Asia-Pacific originals for the remaining half of 2023. 

The Korean projects included in Disney’s lineup are: 

  • Moving, a fantasy-action series which follows a group of superpowered individuals as they attempt to run away from government personnel and a mysterious assassin. It is based on the hit webtoon of author Kangfull, and stars Ryu Seungryong, Han Hyojoo and Jo In Sung. Moving will premiere in Disney+ on August 9. 
  • Worst of Evil, an action series starring Ji Chang Wook, Wi Ha Jun, and Lim Semi. It is set in 1990s Seoul where a rural police officer is recruited to track a gang that pushes a new drug in the city’s nightclubs. 
  • Vigilante, a crime drama series that follows a star student at the police academy who uses his knowledge to exact revenge on non-repentant offenders. 
  • Han River Police, a comedy action series starring Kwone Sangwoo and Kim Hiiewon, revolves around the works and antics of Seoul’s Han River Police Force. 
  • Soundtrack #2, a sequel to the 2022 series Soundtrack #1, will feature a new storyline between an ex-couple who got reconnected again after ending their six-year relationship. It stars Keum Saerok and Steve Sanghyun Noh. 

Disney+ has yet to announce the release dates for the other titles. 

Meanwhile, Disney+ also confirmed that they’ll be releasing the much-anticipated BTS Monuments: Beyond The Star in the second half of 2023. Although a final release date has yet to be announced, the docu-series was first teased by Disney+ in November 2022. 

 

BTS Monuments: Beyond The Star will chronicle the idol group’s journey to being pop icons through “unprecedented access to a vast library of music and footage over the past nine years.” 

In the series’ teaser, V teased that it will “share candid stories that have never been told.” “I hope you find new sides of us that are previously unseen,” Jungkook added. 

While BTS Monuments: Beyond The Star is their first docu-series as a full group under Disney+, the streaming platform has previously released several content related to BTS, including Permission to Dance LA stage movie, Suga’s Road to D-Day,and  j-hope’s Jack in the Box documentaries. 

Aside from BTS, Disney+ will also be releasing documentaries for K-pop groups Tomorrow X Together and NCT 127. 

BTS also recently released the memoir Beyond The Story: 10-year record of BTS.

Featured image: BTS’ Facebook

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KPOP NEWS LATEST STORIES

Zerobaseone’s ‘Youth in the Shade’ Becomes Best-Selling K-Pop Debut Album

The highly-anticipated debut of rookie group ZEROBASEONE (ZB1), the K-pop boy group formed through the reality survival series BOYS PLANET, is off to a good start. 

On Monday, July 10, the nine-member group released their mini-album YOUTH IN THE SHADE, with “IN BLOOM” as its title track. 

The music video for “IN BLOOM” shows the ZB1 members flaunting their fresh charms and vocal prowess as they sing about their determination to do well in this new journey they’re embarking on. 

 

During their debut showcase, the members talked about their resolve as a rookie group. 

“We will become an artist who can give back the love we have received,” member Kim Tae Rae, according to a translation by Soompi. 

Member Kim Ji Woong added: “We feel a greater sense of responsibility, so we hope to show that going forward to return the love and show our best performance.” 

And in just 24 hours of sales, the album YOUTH IN THE SHADE has sold over 1,240,700 copies, making it the best debut album in K-pop history. 

The record was previously set by X1’s QUANTUM LEAP, which sold around 500,000 copies during its first day. 

In addition, YOUTH IN THE SHADE has also become the fifth highest-selling album in first-sales day in 2023. They trail behind SEVENTEEN’s FML, Stray Kids’ 5-STAR, TXT’s The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION, and aespa’s MY WORLD. 

However, there’s a damper on the group and fandom’s celebration as member Kim Gyu Vin had to take a break due to his health condition. 

WAKEONE Entertainment, ZEROBASEONE’s agency, announced on Tuesday, July 11, that Kim Gyu Vin is “experiencing dizziness.” 

They added that said member will visit the hospital for a thorough examination and treatment. 

ZEROBASEONE or ZB1 is composed of Sung Han-bin, Kim Ji-woong, Zhang Hao, Seok Matthew, Kim Tae-rae, Ricky, Kim Gyu-vin, Park Gun-wook, and Han Yu-jin. 

They’re a project group that will promote under WakeOne Entertainment, a CJ ENM subsidiary, for around two and a half years. 

Boys Planet, which premiered in February and ran for 12 weeks, served as the sequel to the 2021 reality competition Girls Planet 999. Said series formed the girl group KEP1ER. 

WakeOne Entertainment, in partnership with Mnet, also recently announced that they’ll be forming a new girl group through the audition program I-LAND 2.

Featured image: ZEROBASEONE’s Twitter

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K-POP ARTISTS KPOP NEWS LATEST STORIES

Exo Sets New Personal Record With ‘Exist’

The wait is over, EXO-Ls! K-pop powerhouse EXO made their highly-anticipated comeback on Monday, July 10 with their seventh full-length album EXIST. 

EXO also released on Monday the music video for its title track “Cream Soda,” a dance-pop song with heavy brass and drum sounds. 

The music video of “Cream Soda” only featured members Suho, Xiumin, Chen, Baekhyun, Chanyeol, D.O., and Suho. 

 

Member Kai, who enlisted in May, was absent. But he was present in the music videos of the two earlier released songs “Hear Me Out” and “Let Me In.” 

EXIST, which has a total of nine tracks, also includes songs “Regret It,” “Private Party,” “Cinderella,” “No Make Up,” “Love Fool,” and “ Another Day.” 

Within hours of its release, EXIST recorded a total of 1,074,914 sales, making it EXO’s highest first day sales. It’s also the first album of the group to surpass 1 million first-week sales. 

Meanwhile, “Cream Soda” placed no 1. on the worldwide ITunes song chart after topping the chart in more than 60 countries on its first day. 

 

EXIST served as EXO’s first album as a full-group in two years, following the extended play Don’t Fight This Feeling that was released in June 2021. 

The group comeback came after three members – Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin – had a legal dispute with agency SM Entertainment about their settlements. The two parties reached an agreement in June, saying that they’ve resolved their differences and agreed to continue their activities as EXO. 

Aside from the new album, EXO is also confirmed to star in a new reality show. 

Originally a 12-piece act, EXO debuted under SM Entertainment in April 2012. Chinese members Kris, Tao, and Luhan have left the group, while Lay left SM Entertainment in April 2022. 

EXO is known for songs “Growl,” “Monster,” “Love Shot,” Overdose,” and “Tempo.” 

Featured image: EXO’s Facebook

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