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‘Squid Game 2’ Issues Apology for Airport Filming Issue

Filming for the second season of the hit thriller series Squid Game has only started but it’s already met with controversy. 

On Tuesday, July 11, an anonymous user made a complaint on an online community about their encounter with a Squid Game 2 staff the previous day. 

The individual shared that during the show’s filming at the Incheon International Airport, a staff member had aggressively prevented bypassers from using the public escalator. They continued that the staff member was rude when instructing them to move to a different place, instead of giving them an explanation as to why they’re not allowed to use the elevator. 

In response to the post, the producers of Squid Game 2 issued a statement to apologize about the incident. 

The creators shared that they’re aware of the social media post wherein a person expressed their discomfort during the filming encounter, and while they attempted to inform the people present in the shooting area about the ongoing filming, they still apologize for making other people uncomfortable. 

“We sincerely thank the citizens who understood [our situation during] the shoot, and we will be even more careful during filming in the future,” they said, according to a Soompi report. 

Netflix first announced in January 2022 that Squid Game will be getting a second season, but it’s only in June when they announced the cast members for the sequel. 

Lee Jung Jae, Lee Byung Hun, Wi Ha Jun, and Gong Yoo are confirmed to reprise their roles, while Yim Siwan, Park Sung Hoon, Kang Ha Neul, and Yang Dong Geun will join the second season. 

Other new additions include Cho Seung Hyun (also known as BIGBANG’s T.O.P), Jo Yur, Park Gyu Young, Lee Jin Uk, Won Ji An, Roh Jae Won, Lee David, and Kang Ae Shim. 

However, T.O.P’s involvement was met with mixed reactions that Lee Jung Jae’s agency even had to clarify that he has no involvement in the idol-actor’s casting. “The casting of a project is the authority of the director and the production company,” Lee’s agency Artist Company said.  

Squid Game 2 is expected to air in 2024, but a final release date has yet to be announced. 

Featured image: Netflix’s Twitter

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Is Blackpink’s Lisa Leaving YG Entertainment?

All eyes are on K-pop girl group BLACKPINK as rumors that they might not be renewing their contracts with YG Entertainment start to circulate. 

On Wednesday, July 11, outlet Munhwa Ilbo reported that among the four BLACKPINK members, Lisa has a high chance of leaving the agency once the group’s contract ends. 

BLACKPINK made their debut on August 8, 2016, and their seven-year contract is set to expire by August 2023. 

According to the report, there’s ongoing discussions between Lisa and YG Entertainment regarding her contract renewal, but the two parties haven’t reached any agreement yet. They also added that according to industry representatives, the contract renewal process for the three members – Jisoo, Jennie, and Rose –have gone relatively smoother. 

Munhwa Ilbo also cited an anonymous agency that allegedly claims that they’re coordinating with YG Entertainment to schedule Lisa’s appearance in a variety show. However, said agency was reportedly informed that scheduling activities for Lisa from August onwards would be challenging due to uncertainties surrounding the Thai star’s contract. 

In response to the report, a source from YG Entertainment told Korean media that the issue with scheduling “has nothing to do with contract renewal.”

“[The uncertain scheduling] is due to the tour schedule as well as her individually scheduled activities,” the agency said, according to a Soompi report. 

The label added that “contract renewals are currently under discussion,” but provided no further details. 

BLACKPINK is currently embarking on their BORN PINK” concert tour. 

BLACKPINK is known for their songs Pink Venom,” “Shut Down,” “As If It’s Your Last,” andTypa Girl.” The group’s music video for “Boombayah” became their third music video to surpass 1.6 billion YouTube views, following Ddu-du Ddu-du” andKill This Love.” 

Featured image: BLACKPINK’s Facebook

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Safety Concerns Raised at NMIXX’s K-909 Recording Session

K-pop girl group NMIXX, known for their impressive dancing and singing skills, recently experienced a series of unfortunate events during a pre-recording session for JTBC‘s music program K-909. The incident, which involved two drone accidents and a stage fire, raised concerns about proper safety measures in the entertainment industry.

On July 10, fans who attended the recording of NMIXX‘s performance for K-909 reported several safety concerns. According to these accounts, a fire broke out on stage due to mishandling of stage props. As if that wasn’t bad enough, a drone got tangled in member Kyujin‘s hair, and another drone hit member Lily‘s arm. The incident was a shocking and terrifying experience for the fans who were initially excited to hear NMIXX‘s new song before their comeback.

In response to these reports, the K-909 production team issued a statement. They explained that the fire was caused by an issue with one of the props, specifically some pink muhly grass. When the team noticed what had happened, they quickly evacuated NMIXX from the stage, extinguished the fire, and ventilated the whole area. They denied claims of an audience member fainting, stating that one audience member felt unwell and left the filming location with a staff member.

The K-909 team also addressed the drone incident involving Kyujin. They revealed that filming came to a screeching halt when the drone ended up in her hair. It was only after they made sure she was alright that they resumed filming. They ended their statement by expressing their commitment to intensifying efforts to prevent similar accidents in the future.

Despite the incident, NMIXX pushed through with their comeback plans. Their latest single album, A Midsummer NMIXX’s Dream, and its title track, “Party O’Clock,” were released on July 11. You can watch the MV for the latter below.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safety measures in the entertainment industry, highlighting the need for thorough precautions to ensure the safety of all involved.

(Featured Image: The NMIXX members made wacky faces on the set of their comeback showcase. Source: Twitter/NMIXX’s official Twitter account)

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Watch: Enhypen Trains Their Own Pokémon in ‘One and Only’ Music Video

From vampires to… pokémon trainers?

After stunning ENGENEs with their sexy concept in BITE ME,” the title track of their fourth extended play Dark Blood, K-pop boy group ENHYPEN went for a cuter route in their collaboration with Pokémon. 

In the “One and Only” music video released on Wednesday, July 12, ENHYPEN went on a camping trip with  different Pokémons such as Pikachu, Charizard, Piplup, Snorlax, Charmander, Zoroark, and Lucario. 

 

The new single is ENHYPEN’s collaboration with The Pokémon Company for its “Pokémon Music Collective” project. In a press release, the project aims to create music “inspired by the sounds of the Pokémon series video game universe by artists across multiple genres.”

 

The Pokémon Company has previously collaborated with Katy Perry and Post Malone for the Pokémon 25: The Album, which was released in 2021, as well as Ed Sheeran in 2022 for  Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. 

Aside from “One and Only,” ENHYPEN is also reportedly collaborating with the ““Pokémon Music Collective” for the group’s variety show EN O’CLOCK. Other details have yet to be announced. 

 

Pokémon is a global video game and animation franchise handled by Ninetendo, Game Freak and Creatures. 

Meanwhile, ENHYPEN is set to embark on their second world tour titled FATE, which will kick off on July 29 and 30 at the KSPO Dome in Seoul, South Korea. It will also have stops in Japan and the United States. 

Composed of Jungwon, Heeseung, Jake, Jay, Sunghoon, Sunoo, and Ni-ki, ENHYPEN was formed through the reality talent program I-LAND. They made their debut in November 2020, and are known for songsDrunk-Dazed,” “FEVER,” “Polaroid Love,” andFuture Perfect.” 

Featured image: Screenshot from ENHYPEN’s YouTube

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Monsta X’s Joohoney to Enlist in Military on July 24

Joohoney of K-pop boy group MONSTA X has announced that he will be starting his mandatory military service on July 24. 

In a handwritten letter posted on MONSTA X’s fan cafe on Tuesday, July 11, Joohoney opened up to MONBEBEs why he decided to share the news through an online post instead of revealing it during the group’s recently concluded fan concerts that were held on July 8 and 9. 

“I wanted MONBEBEs to smile and feel happy while watching me during our fan concert, and I wanted to see you all smiling like that. And I also wanted to make it possible for you all to feel that way,” he wrote, according to a translation by Soompi

He also assured his fans that he’ll stay safe during his service and will return as a better person. “I’m not leaving forever, so please don’t worry about me,” Joohoney wrote. 

“After I come back, I’ll show you more good things,” adding that he’s thankful for MONBEBEs for teaching him how to love. 

Joohoney, or Lee Joo-heon in real life, will be the third member of MONSTA X to enlist in the military following members Shownu and Minhyuk. Shownu was discharged from the military in April, while Minhyuk enlisted in the same month. 

Before his enlistment, Joohoney made his solo debut with the album Lights, which was released in May. 

With members enlisting in military services, MONSTA X has focused on solo and sub-unit activities: I.M made his solo comeback in June with the mini-album Overdrive, while members Shownu and Hyungwon are set to make their sub-unit debut on July 25 with The Unseen. 

Composed of Shownu, Minhyuk, Hyungwon, Joohoney, Kihyun, and I.M, MONSTA X made their debut in May 2015. The group is known for their hits Love Killa,” “Hero,” “Shoot Out,” “Dramarama,” “Gambler,andBeautiful Liar.Their last full comeback was in January with the mini-album Reason. 

Featured image: MONSTA X’s Facebook

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YG’s New Girl Group Babymonster to Debut in September

BABYMONSTER, the highly-anticipated new girl group of YG Entertainment, is gearing up for a September debut. 

The agency told Korean media on Tuesday, July 11 that the debut project of the seven-piece act is coming together swiftly under the monitoring of producer Yang Hyun Suk. 

YG Entertainment also shared that the group will have a strong hip song for their debut track, and that the members are currently working on the song’s choreography and preparing for the filming of the music video. 

The label said that the debut song is set for a September release, but additional details, such as final release date and title, have yet to be announced. 

 

BABYMONSTER will serve as YG Entertainment’s first girl group since BLACKPINK made their debut in 2016. 

Between 2022 to 2023, the agency saw departure of its several artists, including BIGBANG members Daesung and Taeyang, boy group iKON, and actor Kang Dong-won. The only remaining artists in their roster are BIGBANG’s G-Dragon, duo AKMU, groups Sechskies, WINNER, BLACKPINK, and Treasure. 

YG Entertainment launched the reality show Last Evaluation in March, wherein it will follow the formation of its new girl group. Founder Yang Hyun-suk initially announced that only five members will be included in BABYMONSTER, but after a huge demand from the viewers, YG Entertainment decided to include all seven members in the official lineup. 

In May, BABYMONSTER released their pre-debut song “DREAM.” 

The group is composed of Ahyeon, Haram, and Rora from Korea, Pharita and Chiquita from Thailand, and Ruka and Asa from Japan. 

Featured imageBABYMONSTER’s Facebook

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KARD’s Provocative “CAKE” Choreography Shocks Fans

DSP Media’s co-ed K-pop group KARD is making waves with their provocative and sexy choreography for the song “CAKE.” Known for incorporating mature themes into their work, KARD has once again pushed the boundaries of what is considered acceptable in the K-pop industry.

Earlier this year, KARD stirred controversy with their latest mini album, “ICKY,” and its title track of the same name. The song’s lyrics, packed with suggestive phrases, sparked reactions from critics and fans alike. BM’s verse, in particular, had everyone doing a double-take. BM himself had fun with netizens’ reactions, tweeting that “ICKY” was milder than the other songs on the album, including “CAKE.” 

He’s right. Based on the title, one might think it’s about dessert, but it’s not. Like “ICKY,” its lyrics are packed with sexual innuendos, and BM told fans the choreography would be “freaky.” Sure enough, when the group did “CAKE” on their 2023 PLAYGROUND World Tour, the performance raised eyebrows. Some were taken aback by the song’s suggestive choreography since KARD is a co-ed group.

Usually, not many people would bat an eyelash at provocative dance moves like humping. Especially not in this day and age. But the fact that a co-ed group performed such moves added an extra layer of shock. Some fans who were going to watch the concert with their parents are reconsidering their decision, given the explicit nature of the performances.

Despite the controversy, KARD continues to captivate huge crowds on tour. Besides, their longtime listeners know none of this is that shocking. For one thing, BM’s solo work, which includes songs like “Bad Intentions,” makes “ICKY” sound downright wholesome. Not only that, but he was featured on “Put It On Ya” by Jessi alongside Korean rapper Nafla, and that song is also quite explicit.

The ladies of KARD aren’t shy when it comes to lyrics, either. On their new album, they have a song together called “Fxxk You,” which is not about hating someone.

(Featured Image: The members of KARD took time out for a selfie during a recent video call event. Source: Twitter/KARD’s official Twitter account)

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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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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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(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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