Category: LATEST STORIES

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BTS KPOP NEWS LATEST STORIES

How to Get Tickets for “BTS Permission to Dance On Stage – LA” Concert

BTS to perform live again with Permission to Dance on Stage concert in LA's SoFi Stadium. Photo: bts_bighit/Twitter

After two years of waiting, the BTS concert ARMYs have been waiting for is finally here.

Following their “Love Yourself: Speak Yourself” world tour finale at the Seoul Olympic Main Stadium in 2019 and the cancellation of their Map of the Soul tour, BTS members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook can finally dance on stage once again. On their YouTube channel—BANGTAN TV—the K-pop superstars announced their upcoming BTS concert at the SoFi Stadium in LA, happening on November 27 & 28; and December 1 & 2, 2021.

BTS ARMY’s support coupled with the fact that this concert took two years to happen means anticipating that BTS concert tickets will get sold out within minutes, as usual. Or faster than usual, which is also in minutes.

While the brand-new SoFi Stadium in LA has a 70,000 to more than 100,000 seating capacity and there are actually four concert dates (November 27 and 28, December 1 and 2, 2021), again, we are talking about a massive fanbase finally getting to watch the Bangtan Boys after two years.

Where can you buy BTS concert tickets?

Follow these steps to get BTS’s Permission to Dance On Stage – LA:

1. Sign up for ARMY membership on Weverse: Join BTS ARMY by October 2, 6 pm PST to get exclusive access.

2. Apply for BTS concert – ARMY member pre-sale by October 2, 6 pm PST.
You will receive this confirmation if your registration on Weverse was successful:


3. Register for Ticketmaster Verified Fan by October 2, 6 pm PST.
You will receive this confirmation if your registration on Ticketmaster for BTS’s concert in LA was successful:


4. Get ARMY member pre-sale tickets on Ticketmaster on October 7, 3-10 pm PST.

How much are the tickets for BTS’s concert at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles?

As of press time, neither Big Hit Entertainment/Hybe Corporation nor Ticketmaster has published the ticket prices. Stay tuned for updates.

It’s not just the fans who are excited for this “reunion” concert. BTS members RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook have always expressed how much they have missed seeing ARMYs in their concerts.

In the meantime, let’s enjoy their performance for BTS (방탄소년단) BTS ROOM LIVE:

And the last song they have performed on stage to date, Mikrokosmos at Love Yourself: Speak Yourself (The Final) concert in Seoul 2019:

BTS to perform live again with Permission to Dance on Stage concert in LA. Photo: bts_bighit/Twitter
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FEATURES LATEST STORIES

For your listening pleasure: I Say Mamamoo: The Best

MAMAMOO's mumumumuch official music video. Photo: MAMAMOO/YouTube.

Mamamoo is known for their vocal prowess and their jazzy, retro-infused sound not commonly found in the K-pop scene. Since they debuted in 2014, the quartet continuously released hits that ranged from energetic to theatrical to soulful.

In the seven years since their debut, Mamamoo has firmly established themselves among K-pop’s vocal powerhouses. And when singer-rapper Hwasa sings “I’m ready for some action / Are you ready for perfection” in her deep and sultry voice for Piano Man, you know she’s just spitting out truth bombs about their music, which makes their latest release even more exciting for Moomoos.

On September 15, the ladies dropped their first compilation album, I Say Mamamoo: The Best. This is the group’s first album after Wheein left RBW Entertainment and signed on with TheL1VE. The 23-song album features remixed and re-recorded versions of their hit songs and popular B-sides. It also includes two new tracks: lead single mumumumuch and Happier Than Ever.

https://twitter.com/RBW_MAMAMOO/status/1438065396045672448

I’ve always enjoyed Mamamoo’s music, and for the most part, I was pleasantly surprised by this album. The lead single, mumumumuch, is a light disco track that makes for easy listening and has echoes of their signature sound. To be honest, I was expecting their title track to have that hard-hitting, let’s-bring-the-house-down energy that makes full use of their formidable pipes. But my personal thoughts aside, I can say it’s still a good song.

The ladies promised a fresh spin on their most popular songs, and they delivered. Their re-recorded version of Piano Man turned up the sensuality, while Decalcomanie, Mr. Ambiguous and You’re the Best ramped up the jazzy, big band sound that’s rare in K-pop. Even their 2021 versions of A Little Bit, Wind Flower, and Words Don’t Come Easy sounded clearer, fresher, and had more depth.

Hip, Mamamoo’s clapback for their haters, gets an even more energetic re-do in the remix version, while Gogobebe’s tropical sound gets a rock-infused makeover. My personal favorites, though, would have to be the orchestra versions of Starry Night and Paint Me. The originals already showcased the foursome’s vocals, but the use of strings and the piano gave the rearranged tracks added drama and intensity.

Overall, the album showcases the group’s versatility, reminding everyone that Mamamoo can own every genre they try and must not disband. This album is an excellent introduction to those who are just discovering them, and a beautiful present for the group’s loyal fanbase.

Mamamoo’s discography is timeless, and this compilation album proves that their songs will stay on Moomoos’ and casual fans’ playlists—mine included—for a long time.

Featured image: MAMAMOO’s mumumumuch official music video. Photo: MAMAMOO/YouTube.
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LATEST STORIES VARIETY

Subscribed! YouTube Channels of 12 Male K-pop Idols.

EXO Chanyeol's Personal YouTube channel, NNG ᄂᄂᄀ. Photo: NNG ᄂᄂᄀ/YouTube

We’re always on the lookout for fresh content from our idols—anything from music show performances to variety show appearances. But in the last few years, we have seen idols open their own YouTube channels, giving us a new opportunity to see our idols living their lives away from the stage.

Some idols open their own channels to post song covers, and several grab the chance to better showcase other aspects of their personalities. But above all, K-pop idols use the platform to better connect with fans.

Take a look at the personal YouTube channels of these male K-pop idols and click that subscribe button so you can catch up with their daily lives!

iKON

Chanwoo

iKon’s Chanwoo posts a variety of content on his Chanwoo Sari channel for iKONICS to enjoy! From food reviews to gaming to car interviews, there’s a lot of stuff for fans to indulge in.

Chanwoo also gives fans a sneak peek of the new YG building. Check out his YG New Building Tour video below:

BIGBANG

Daesung

Bigbang’s Daesung tried to make his YouTube channel D’splay as anonymous as possible, but there’s no hiding from VIPs! In his channel, Daesung uploads drum covers of K-pop and western songs. He has also recently started uploading vlogs of his daily life and activities.

Watch his drum cover of Take My Breath by The Weeknd:

VIXX

N

Want to wind down and relax after a long day? Head over to VIXX N’s channel, Today’s Record, to watch soothing videos that give Starlights a glimpse of the idol-actor’s daily life.

Watch N as he drives around Korea for his drama Mine:

Ken

On the other hand, main vocal Ken’s YouTube channel, ! Ken Do !t, is rife with bright and cheerful energy! In his channel, the idol and musical actor posts song covers, mukbang videos, backstage footage from his musicals, and more.

Ken is still serving in the military, but his pre-filmed content is uploaded regularly on the channel. Watch his hilarious—and on point!—cover of Into the Unknown from Frozen 2:

Ravi

Main rapper Ravi is the latest VIXX member to become a YouTuber—and one of the latest idols to join the platform. He opened his YouTube channel just this September! Aside from video and audio clips of his music, Ravi has also posted a teaser video of what Starlights can expect! Looks like fans can look forward to the idol showing the singer, variety show star, record producer, and record label boss sides of himself, so make sure to subscribe and turn on the notifications!

Hyuk

VIXX’s maknae Hyuk only recently launched his YouTube channel H:Life. The idol posts vlogs about his daily life and work. In his first few videos, though, he never showed his face—but a lot of Starlights easily figured out his secret. On the 100-day anniversary of his channel, Hyuk finally revealed himself! Fingers crossed for English subtitles to be added soon for international fans!

Day6

Jae

Day6’s Jae also runs his own YouTube channel. Initially, the channel was called Jaesix, and he posted videos of him interviewing and playing games with fellow idols, as well as his a-day-in-the-life vlogs. More recently, renamed the channel to eaJ. The latest posts are now the singer-songwriter’s self-written tracks.

GOT7

Jay B

GOT7’s Jay B launched his channel in February 2021 as a way to communicate with his fans. His initial uploads were the songs from his mixtapes. But just last August, Jay B uploaded his first vlog—so make sure to hit that subscribe button so you don’t miss future updates!

EXO

Baekhyun

Baekhyun’s KyungTube contains vlogs, behind the scenes footage of album recordings and music video shoots, ASMR and mukbang videos, and more. Before he left for his military enlistment, he pre-filmed lots of content to be released regularly, and it looks like he’s keeping his promise!

For the EXO fan club’s anniversary, Baekhyun uploaded a video of him preparing a rainbow cake to greet EXO-Ls a happy birthday:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vBKpUNbYFo

Chen

If you’re missing Chen’s soothing vocals, make sure to check out his YouTube channel. Aside from his solo songs and OSTs, he also covers songs from other artists.

Chen hasn’t uploaded any videos recently, but you can still get your fill of his amazing covers such as his rendition of Breath by Park Hyo Shin:

Chanyeol

Chanyeol’s Studio NNG documents the idol’s life as he goes to recording sessions with his bandmates and collaborators, tries out baking, and builds a bar in his studio. There’s also behind-the-scenes footage from music video filming, and backstage videos from music show performances.

Like Baekhyun, Chanyeol also pre-filmed content to be released monthly throughout his military enlistment. Make sure to subscribe and click the notification bell so you don’t miss an update!

Lay

EXO’s only Chinese member, Lay, also has his own channel! Subscribe to Lay Zhang so you watch his amazing dance performances, cinematic music videos, and more!

We know this is nowhere near a full list because more and more idols open their own channels every day. But in any case, fans everywhere are delighted to see their idols show off their unique talents and fun personalities on YouTube! Who’s your favorite male idol YouTuber?

EXO Chanyeol’s personal YouTube channel, NNG ᄂᄂᄀ. Photo: NNG ᄂᄂᄀ/YouTube

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FEATURES LATEST STORIES

BLACKPINK’s Lisa Shares First Impressions of Jennie, Jisoo, and Rosé

The "Lovesick Girls" of BLACKPINK. Photo: BLACKPINKOFFICIAL/Twitter

BLACKPINK has been together for more than five years and the bond between the girls is truly strong. But what was it like meeting the members for the first time? Lisa shares her first impressions of Jennie, Jisoo, and Rosé when they met as YG Entertainment trainees.

Lisa is currently promoting her solo single Lalisa, and she loves talking about their group during interviews. In a conversation with Rolling Stone, the girl group’s maknae opened up about her first impressions of her fellow BLACKPINK members.

But who was the first fellow trainee that Lisa met? The BLACKPINK main rapper revealed that it was Jennie. “I met Jennie first, and then after that, I met Jisoo and Rosé,” Lisa said.

That first meeting easily left a lasting impression on the young Lalisa Manobal. The Thai rapper stated that she remembered Jennie right away because of the way the future BLACKPINK member greeted her.

“I remember Jennie, she was the only one who like, said hi to me in English because other people can’t talk in English,” Lisa said before adding, “We were super close.”

Speaking of lasting impressions, meeting Jisoo was also very memorable for Lisa. The youngest member of BLACKPINK revealed that Kim Jisoo had a favorite hoodie that became her personal uniform during rehearsals.

“Jisoo unnie I remember that when I first saw her she wore like a red hoodie. She always wore that. Seriously, every day she wore that to practice,” Lisa shared.

We can’t really blame Jisoo for sticking to her most comfortable clothes when it’s time for practice. After all, rehearsals can be grueling and you want to wear something comfortable during those long hours.

But what did Lisa think when she met Rosé? The On The Ground singer was clearly an impressive person to Lisa because of how she walked into the room.

“For Rosé, she had a guitar with her,” Lisa said before admitting she was fascinated with the fact that Roseanne Park was also a foreigner who happened to be her age.

“I remember and I was like, ‘Wow, she’s from Australia.’ She’s the same age as me, which was really cool to have a new friend come in,” Lisa said.

There is little doubt that all of the members of BLACKPINK were already impressive when they were just trainees. The friendship and bond between Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa is proof that first impressions last and an important aspect of the girl group’s success.

A BLACKPINK comeback?

But when can we expect to see BLACKPINK as a group again? Lisa is still focusing on her solo outing and the other members are also working on their own projects. Although it might take some time, BLINKs will always be ready for the idol group’s return in the future.

The “Lovesick Girls” of BLACKPINK. Photo: BLACKPINKOFFICIAL/Twitter
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KPOP NEWS LATEST STORIES

PENTAGON’s Jinho To Be Discharged From Military Service

Mnet's Road to Kingdom was a memorable enlistment send off for Jinho. Photo: Mnet K-POP/YouTube

Jinho is coming home soon!

PENTAGON’s agency—CUBE ENTERTAINMENT—shared an update on the group’s official Twitter account regarding Jinho’s return from mandatory service:

“Jinho, who joined the army as an active-duty soldier in 2020, will be discharged from the military on November 14 without returning to the unit after his last vacation in accordance with the Ministry of National Defence’s guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” the statement read.

“We extend our sincere gratitude to the fans who have been patiently waiting for a long time,” it continued. “Please continue to support his activities after his military discharge.”

Jo Jinho enlisted into military service on May 11, 2020. Before his enlistment, the PENTAGON vocalist shared “I’m Here”, a self-composed song dedicated to UNIVERSEs and his fellow group members. As the oldest member of the boy band, he is the first member to complete military service. Fellow member Hui is currently enlisted and is expected to be discharged in late 2022.

UNIVERSEs were thrilled to get the update about Jinho’s military discharge and began celebrating all over social media.

https://twitter.com/Wooseokie_1998/status/1443131157722374149

https://twitter.com/impossibluerose/status/1443067193210638336

But does this mean that Jinho will immediately begin promoting with the rest of PENTAGON? That’s the big questions that fans have been asking since the news was dropped. UNIVERSEs are undoubtedly eager to see Jo Jinho again before the end of the year. However, we will need to wait for another official update from CUBE ENT.

Welcome back Jinho, we can’t wait to see you again soon!

Featured image: Mnet’s Road to Kingdom was a memorable enlistment send off for Jinho. Photo: Mnet K-POP/YouTube
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KPOP NEWS LATEST STORIES

MAMAMOO’s Hwasa Preparing For Next Solo Comeback

Hwasa's solo concept photo for MAMAMOO's "WAW" online concert. Photo: RBW_MAMAMOO/Twitter

There’s simply no time to rest for Hwasa.

Following MAMAMOO’s best of album launch earlier in September, the singer-rapper is reportedly gearing up for her next solo comeback. Several reports have suggested that Hwasa is currently working on new music, which has been confirmed by a source from MAMAMOO’s agency, RBW Entertainment.

“Hwasa is steadily working on her solo album. But the exact timing of the release has not been decided, and we will share an announcement in the future once it is decided on,” the source said.

This is exciting news for MOOMOOs who have been waiting for new music from Hwasa. Fans were thrilled to know that we’ll finally be getting a follow-up to the opulence that is Maria.

https://twitter.com/_moonbyulida_/status/1443023012844900358

https://twitter.com/DearBichoMalo/status/1443036323451973636

Some fans also pointed out that Hwasa’s next comeback also means another reunion with her fellow Refund Sisters member Jessi.

For now, it is unclear when Hwasa will be dropping her new album. However, MOOMOOs are convinced that the comeback will be a lot sooner than we think. There are speculations that the MAMAMOO maknae will release her next album before 2021 ends.

Hwasa has been busy with both music and Korean variety. MAMAMOO has just released their compilation album I SAY MAMAMOO: THE BEST which featured new versions of their songs. The LP also included a sweet title track “mumumumuch” that is dedicated to the girl group’s beloved MOOMOOs.

Hwasa has also been busy with reality show Home Alone (I Live Alone), where she is part of its regular cast.

Featured image: Hwasa’s solo concept photo for MAMAMOO’s “WAW” online concert. Photo: RBW_MAMAMOO/Twitter
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K-POP STYLE KPOP NEWS LATEST STORIES

Jisoo and Rosé Invade Paris Fashion Week; Will Jennie and Lisa Follow?

BLACKPINK members Jisoo and Rose take a selfie at the iconic Eiffel Tower ahead of their schedule for Paris Fashion Week 2021. Photo: sooyaaa__/Instagram

The month of September has been all about our beloved lovesick girls BLACKPINK. First, on Sept. 10, Lisa finally made her highly-anticipated solo debut with her single Lalisa, breaking records left and right like it’s nobody’s business. Just days after, September 15 to be exact, our main vocal Rosé made headlines by being the first member of the group to appear at the Met Gala and being one of the first two female K-pop idols to grace the ceremony overall (with 2NE1’s CL). But even before the two girls gave us much-needed BLACKPINK developments, it was actually Jennie that ushered in the month with some eye-popping photos of her in the Calvin Klein Fall 2021 campaign, wearing nothing but her Calvins… underwear.  How’s that for the group reminding us they’re in everyone’s area? 

And before the month ends, BLACKPINK strikes again with more of the group’s fashion-related activities. All the members are reported to attend one of the fashion industry’s most awaited events: the Paris Fashion Week. It seems that BLINKs haven‘t been disappointed that the usually frugal (when it comes to giving their idols activities) YG is keeping the girls busy by giving the girls a packed schedule by letting them attend high-profile events even without a group comeback on the horizon yet!

It was only last week when news about BLACKPINK’s appearance at Paris Fashion Week started circulating when a number of Korean media outlets reported the group would be flying to the City of Love soon. Some sources claimed that Rosé and Jisoo were scheduled to leave for Paris via Incheon International Airport on Sept. 25, while Jennie and Lisa, who still have items in their Korean schedule, would be taking their flights at a later time. The rumors seemed to make sense with fans, especially since all the four girls are current global ambassadors for French fashion brands – with Dior having Jisoo, Celine having Lisa, Saint Laurent having Rosé, and Chanel having Jennie.

Also read: K-pop’s Massive Influence Threads High Fashion

Alas, the reports came true when indeed, Jisoo and Rosé departed Incheon and went to Paris on September 25. Blinks rejoiced when the two shared selfies of themselves in front of the Eiffel Tower on Instagram. 

After the IG updates, the two girls have gone to work, and by work, we mean appearing in the fashion shows of their respective brands. The Dior Collection show at Paris Fashion Week was scheduled to take place on September 28 at 2:30 PM, and Jisoo did not disappoint by attending the event wearing a black-and-white mini dress from the brand’s Resort 2022 collection. The group’s visual paired her attire with a tiny Lady Dior bag and open-toed platform heels, and with long straight hair, Jisoo gave high fashion vibes through and through. 

But the day didn’t end there, as the Yves Saint Laurent Collection show was held that evening at 8 PM. It was our On The Ground singer’s turn, and she continued her penchant for black YSL outfits by wearing a sheer mini dress with knee-high boots, which she glammed up with a gold chunky necklace with pearl detailing.

So now, you may ask, when are Jennie and Lisa joining Jisoo and Rosé? The Paris Fashion Week will be until October 6, so there are still a good number of days for the two left in Seoul to take that Paris-bound flight. The Chanel Collection show will take place on October 5 at 10:30 AM, while there are no scheduled shows for Celine. Would that mean only Jennie would be off to Paris while Lisa would continue her Lalisa promotions in Seoul? Stay tuned for developments in the coming days. 

BLACKPINK members Jisoo and Rose take a selfie at the iconic Eiffel Tower ahead of their schedule for Paris Fashion Week 2021. Photo: sooyaaa__/Instagram
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BTS FEATURES LATEST STORIES

Coldplay x BTS Reminds Us We’re Not Alone With My Universe

Coldplay x BTS's My Universe official lyric video. Photo: Coldplay/YouTube

The song starts upbeat, reminiscent of early Coldplay when frontman Chris Martin was around the same age as BTS. It was more gaining-awareness-of-the-world Parachutes than a had-everything-in-the-world-but-did-not-know-what-to-do-with-it confused Mylo Xyloto. Think their Til Kingdom Come from X&Y remixed with BTS’s Mikrokosmos (which has always been an emotional ending stage, be it for their Map of the Soul tour in Seoul or BTS Festa 2021).

The buildup of My Universe is hyped yet soft and steady 20 seconds in—a clear feisty claim that sets the tone of the collab of the century: You are my universe.

It then cuts to the intro after “and I,” just as how our minds pause when we are consumed by strong feelings (such as love that moves people beyond boundaries and makes us see things exclusive to us and our beloved). It praises the poignancy of everyday things and the surreal, as Jungkook eloquently sang in Korean.

매일 밤 네게 날아가 (가)
꿈이란 것도 잊은 채
나 웃으며 너를 만나 (나)

I fly away with you; When I’m without you, I’m crazy. Please hold my hand.

Matched with its upbeat tune that hits the right spots, My Universe touches on this ode of love that trespasses hardships—and what can be harder than love that cannot be together—and leaves it as that.

And they said that we can’t be together.

No fixing. Just a quiet understanding that such is a special bond that transcends all barriers. At the same time knowing that when—as Kim Taehyung sings—darkness used to be more comfortable, someone gets the audacity to make our world light up inside.

Suga and J-Hope rapped it the best:

What brightens me up
Are the stars embroidered with your love
In my universe, you
Make another world for me
Because you are my stars and my universe
These hardships are just temporary
Just shine as bright as you shine now
We will follow you to adorn this long night

My Universe then ends in total technicolor surrender, as we do in real life. At the end of the day, when the world can’t help but be pitch-black, we somehow default to the safe space that is love. After all, how can we be alone when we are made of each other?

Coldplay x BTS’s My Universe is now available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and on CDs that got sold out within minutes on Weverse. Following its much-awaited release on September 24, 2021, we can now also hear a My Universe – Acoustic Version and an acquired taste My Universe – Supernova 7 mix. The My Universe official music video drops midnight ET, September 30, 2021.

BTS’s rap line—J-Hope, RM, and Suga—are credited as songwriters for My Universe, along with Chris Martin and the Max Martin. (He is partially responsible for numerous iconic 90s pop culture songs, including ones performed by Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, and Britney Spears; and more recent languishings such as Ari’s Thank U, Next album; Ed Sheeran’s “and you’re making me feel like I’m loved by somebody” I Don’t Care; and even TayTay’s “you look like my next mistake” Blank Space.)

Featured image: Coldplay x BTS’s My Universe official lyric video. Photo: Coldplay/YouTube
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K-DRAMA LATEST STORIES VARIETY

You Need To Check Out Three New Dramas Featuring Your Favorite Idols

We may have heard a lot of news about these dramas, including casting updates, the dropping of stills and teasers, but for the longest time, we have not been informed of confirmed dates for their release. 

Now, we have gathered the latest updates about three web and TV shows that will feature some of your favorite idols, so without further ado, here they are:

Heartbeat Broadcasting Accident

Scheduled to premiere on October 27 on Naver TV Cast

What’s it about: A lot of us K-drama followers are surely hard to please! We constantly complain that a majority of the content we see is not that relatable. If most dramas are about fantastical characters with superpowers like Goblin or A Korean Odyssey, we complain. If we get a suspense drama about how the 1% of society live, such as the Penthouse series or SKY Castle, we still complain. When we have period dramas like 100 Days My Prince or Mr. Queen, we still have something to say about the content being too foreign and irrelevant. Finally, when we have shows about celebrities like The Producers or Touch Your Heart, we still have an issue or two. 

So alas, we are starting off this list with something most of us can surely relate to – an office drama! Heartbeat Broadcasting Accident is a web drama set in an office that will surely be relatable to a lot of us since it is about unrequited love (who can’t relate to fluttering hearts the first time we meet an attractive officemate?), influencer rivals (there’s always competition on who gets the boss’ approval, after all), and a love triangle (because it is sometimes inevitable that attraction breeds in the small circle of office teams)

Who’s in it? The web drama features SF9’s ZuHo, Lim Nayoung, Lee Hyunjoo, and Jung Mingyu.  ZuHo proves that all (or at least, a majority of SF9) members can act and pursue careers outside of their group. So, it’s not just Rowon and Chani who get to display their acting chops, as in this show, he will essay the role of Cha Seonwoo, a first planning team leader at “Sherry Shop” and has good looks and top skills and competes with a male colleague for the affections of a female officemate.

Lim Nayoung, former I.O.I and Pristin leader, seems to be intent on proving herself as an actress since her group’s disbandment and leaving her former talent agency, Pledis Entertainment. Debuting in the acting world with the acclaimed drama Flower of Evil, she has since appeared in the web drama Summer Guys with bandmate Kang Mina and the KBS idol drama Imitation, which also starred ZuHo’s bandmate Chani. Nayoung will be the leading lady of the drama, playing Yoon Yiseo, a social media influencer who has to keep an office job to make ends meet. She meets childhood friend Seonwoo in Sherry Shop, though she has also noticed another male officemate.

Second leads include Lee Hyunjoo, formerly of the girl group April, who plays Yura, Yiseo’s rival in many aspects – online, in Sherry Shop, and for Seonwoo’s affections. There’s also model-turned-actor Jung Mingyu, who as Kwon Hyuck, also works in Sherry Shop and will battle it out with Seonwoo for Yoon Yiseo’s heart. 

 

Idol: The Coup

Scheduled to premiere on November 8 on JTBC

 

Speaking of Lim Nayoung, after Pristin was disbanded, she moved to Sublime Artist Agency, where she is now pursuing an acting career. The agency is also home to former idols who have opted to diversify or shift their careers to include acting, such as Yerin formerly of GFriend, Youngjae of GOT7, and Ahn Heeyeon, or more known to us as Hani of EXID. Hani has dabbled a lot in acting since leaving Banana Culture, EXID’s agency, having bagged roles in web and TV dramas such as XX, The Spies Who Loved Me, SF8, Not Yet 30, and You Raise Me Up. Next for her is this idol drama, Idol: The Coup, which coincidentally is also similar to Nayoung’s previous drama, Imitation, in the sense that both are shows about the triumphs and struggles of idol groups. 

Idol: the Coup is a story of an idol group that is on the brink of disbandment because of its unpopularity. Just like most idol groups these days, the fate of the band ultimately depends on a breakout hit that may possibly save them and bring them back to public attention. Us fans are too familiar with this scenario, as we’ve witnessed groups that have been on the brink of getting dismissed and it just took one viral hit to change public perception. There’s Brave Girls with Rollin’, LABOUM with Journey to Atlantis, and EXID with that viral Up and Down fancam that featured none other than Hani!

Alas, this drama’s story is also quite familiar with its actors because aside from Hani, who plays the leader of the fictional struggling group Cotton Candy, the other members include Exy of the Cosmic Girls (WJSN) and Solbin of LABOUM. Suffice to say these actor-idols will be acting from experience, indeed. The drama also includes Han Soeun and Green (of the group REDSQUARE) as the other members of Cotton Candy, Produce X 101 alumnus Kim Minkyu as Seo Jihan, the leader and main vocalist of Mars, a popular K-pop boy group that has an opposite fate as their labelmates Cotton Candy. There also may be a love angle between the leaders of the two groups. 

Other members of the cast include Kwak Siyang as Cha Jaehyeok, the CEO of Starpeace Entertainment, the agency of both Mars and Cotton Candy, Lee Youjin as Piyon, a genius producer who exclusively provides songs to Starpeace Entertainment talents, and the other members of Mars, which also include real-life idols such as Hong Eunki (formerly of RAINZ and also a Produce 101 X contestant), Lee Eunsang (who was also with Eunki and Minkyu in PD101X and became a member of X1), and actors Baek Seohoo and Jo Joonyoung. 

Teasers of the drama have already been released on JTBC’s YouTube channel, which show a lot of the cast members in heavy drama scenes. Looks like the idol actors don’t have to work that hard to be reminded of the struggles they had in their careers as idol group members. 

School 2021

Premiering on November 17 on KBS2

I’m sure most, if not all of us, have at the very least heard of an installment of the School drama series. After all, there have been eight (you read that right, e-i-g-h-t) of them released, with the first one coming out in 1999. A lot of established actors have been a part of the franchise, including Bae Doona (School 1), Lee Dongwook (School 2 and 3), Jo Insung (School 3), Gong Yoo (School 4), Kim Woobin (School 2013), Kim Sohyun (School 2015), Nam Joohyuk (School 2015), and Kum Junghyun (School 2017). BtoB’s Sungjae and former Gugudan center and I.O.I main vocalist Kim Sejeong also have School 2015 and 2017, respectively, as part of their acting credentials. 

A new batch of relative acting rookies will be introduced in this year’s School 2021, which was actually supposed to be School 2020 had the pandemic not delayed production of the show.  As with the other earlier editions of the drama, this 2021 version still follows the life and growth of students, with a twist. This time, the show will be set in a vocational high school and will star feature ex-X1 center Kim Yohan, Choo Youngwoo, and Cho Yihyun.  

Gong Kijoon (Yohan) used to be a taekwondo player and has played in national compet9tiojn when he suddenly had incurred a serious ankle injury. With his father’s business going bankrupt, Kijoon wanted to reverse his family’s misfortunes by quitting taekwondo and entering a vocational high school so he could be employed fast. Enter Jin Jiwon, his first love, who wants to become a carpenter and is already enrolled in the vocational school. There’s also Jung Youngjoo, a transfer student who has a connection to Kijoon’s past.

The other students in the drama include Kim Kangmin who plays Ji Hosung, a student who is always changing his plans on what he wants to become in the future and becomes Kijoon’s friend. There’s also Hwang Boreum Byeol who plays Kang Seoyoung, a high achieving student focused on making it to one of the five top universities in Korea and maybe cold and uncaring because of her ambition. 

What do you think of these dramas?

Featured Image: Still from School 2021 trailer; Photo: Viki Global TV Viki Global TV

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Former IZ*ONE Member Jo Yu Ri Drops Stunning Concept Poster For Solo Debut  “Glassy”

Former IZ*ONE member Jo Yu Ri's solo album, Glassy. Photo: JOYURI_offcl/Twitter

Jo Yu Ri is channelling her inner Cinderella! The former IZ*ONE member has just dropped a stunning concept poster for her debut solo album, Glassy.

The official Jo Yuri Twitter account shared the gorgeous concept poster for Glassy. It features Yuri in a dreamy blue dress holding a glass slipper.

It’s an ethereal look at Jo Yuri’s upcoming solo debut. New fans and WIZ*ONEs who have been supporting Yuri since she was a member of IZ*ONE simply can’t get enough of it.

https://twitter.com/wizoneiiizone/status/1441239848346525700

Hopefully, a video teaser will offer a taste of the new music she will be releasing this October.

Jo Yuri was one of the competitors on Produce 48 and was ranked #3, confirming her place as a member of IZ*ONE. She debuted with the 11 other members as IZ*ONE in October 2018. Unfortunately, the group officially disbanded in April this year.

Despite IZ*ONE’s disbandment, the members are determined to pursue their own careers. Jo Yuri is proof that these idols can continue making music for their fans.

Jo Yuri previously ​​released her first collaboration single Autumn Box, a duet with SG Wannabe’s Lee Suk Hoon.

Jo Yu Ri’s solo debut single album Glassy drops on October 7, 2021.

Former IZ*ONE member Jo Yu Ri’s solo album, Glassy. Photo: JOYURI_offcl/Twitter
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