SEVENTEEN’s official social media accounts surprised fans with Dream, the new solo single from Jeonghan. The simple video features an image of a bed left unmade as a background for Yoon Jeonghan’s sweet vocals.
That’s not the only surprise Jeonghan had in store for CARATs. The SEVENTEEN vocalist also recorded a Japanese version of Dream which was shared on the group’s YouTube channel as well.
Dream is a true solo effort for Jeonghan, who wrote and composed the song. It’s possible that he had also written the Japanese lyrics since he had been studying Japanese for some time now. It’s a mellow tune that’s guaranteed to put CARATs at ease and looking forward to the next SEVENTEEN comeback.
Jeonghan has been finding new ways to reach CARATS and his fans, who are called JJONGJJONGIEs. The second eldest SEVENTEEN member had previously opened his own Instagram account to share never-before-seen photos of himself and his fellow members. It certainly looks like we’ll be seeing more of Yoon Jeonghan as a true artist in the near future.
Finally, after days of anticipation, with everybody asking, will she or won’t she, Lisa finally took that flight to Paris and joined (well, sort of) her three BLACKPINK sisters Jisoo, Rosé, and Jennie to revel in Paris Fashion Week celebrations.
As we have reported earlier on Blackpink in Paris Fashion Week 2021, Jisoo and Rosé were first to book their appearances in the shows of the fashion houses they endorse. Jisoo was first to make a splash as she attended the Christian Dior Spring-Summer 2022 Paris Show at 2:30, local time, last Tuesday, September 28. BLACKPINK’s visual wowed everybody as she posed for photos wearing a white mini dress with black embroidered Greek statues and motifs, which according to Vogue, is from the Dior Resort 2022 collection. Talk about effortless chic!
But before the fashion show, Jisoo also explored the House archives of Dior. At Dior Heritage, Jisoo had her picture taken holding the original Lady Dior bag that was carried by Princess Diana. Dior’s social media accounts also posted a photo of Jisoo at the Eiffel Tower, all decked in Dior. “I love you Paris,” the K-pop idol is heard saying in Korean in the video.
Not to be outdone, Miss Rosé who arrived in Paris with Jisoo, also made sure her presence was felt when she stole the show at Saint Laurent Spring-Summer 2022 at 8:00 in the evening on the same day as the Dior event. Wearing a sheer black chiffon minidress with silk trim over a pair of black hot pants, BLACKPINK’s main vocal was again the toast of the fashion scene after making a much-publicized and historic appearance in the Met Gala, where she, along with CL, was the first female K-pop idol to grace the event.
After attending the Saint Laurent show, Rosé did a couple of shoots for YSL Beauty before going back to Seoul and thus, missing the arrival of the next member to arrive in Paris.
Since Solo artist Jennie is known as a brand ambassador for major fashion brand Chanel, fans thought it was inevitable for her to join the two in Paris. And that she did! In the afternoon of the 29th, Jennie arrived in Paris, dressed in Chanel from head to toe. Upon her arrival, she took to Instagram to present her proof of life, as she met her bandmate Jisoo and the two went out for dinner together the same evening. Both idols had cardigans on to warm themselves warm as the autumn weather in the city of lights was in full blast.
As of press time, Jennie has finished attending the Chanel Spring-Summer 2022 Paris that happened at 10:30 AM, local time. She was a vision in red, wearing a red bouclé crop top and mini skirt with pearls, making her look prim but with an edge.
Finally, we have Lisa, With her arrival in France on October 4, Lisa began trending on Twitter as fans started talking about her leaving South Korea and joining the three other members in order to attend Paris Fashion Week. However, having all BLACKPINK members in Paris at the same time was not meant to happen because as mentioned earlier, Rose was already in Seoul on the 29th, while Jisoo left Paris on the 4th, the same day Lisa arrived.
As to why Lisa is in Paris, there is still quite a lot of mystery pertaining to that. Celine, the French fashion brand where she is the global ambassador, does not have any shows for this season, This led to people speculating that Lisa may have accepted an invite from another fashion house, Miu Miu, which will have an event today (October 5) and has been worn by the idol on her recent appearances. Also, reports have surfaced that BVLGARI, the jewelry brand Lisa is also an ambassador of, is staging events, including a showcase at the Paris Opera today, October 5.
But then, YG Entertainment stepped in.
On an Instagram post, Bulgari’s CEO, Jean-Christophe Babin posted Lisa’s picture with the caption:
“Our great ambassador @lalalalisa_m is in Europe. Unfortunately, due to COVID, her agency prefers [that she] not [participate in] events or shows. That’s also the reason why insofar we could not shoot her together with @zendaya, @lilyaldridge and @vittoria for the @bulgari Brand Campaign 2021/22 and [why] we could not run a major event yet together.”
So, the mystery remains: What is Lisa doing in Paris? If YGE has barred her from joining events (which is so weird considering the three have already joined numerous events), why did they fly her there? Let’s hope we get further clarification the soonest.
ENHYPEN members Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, and Ni-ki have finally recovered from COVID-19, according to their label, Belift Lab. Except for Sunoo who was only advised to stay in self-quarantined, the rest of ENHYPEN tested positive with the corona virus.
“We would like to inform you that ENHYPEN members Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, and Ni-ki have been determined to have fully recovered from COVID-19, have been discharged from their treatment facilities, and are no longer in quarantine as of Thursday, September 16,” the statement read.
It added, “All the members are resting with a clean bill of health. Sunoo also underwent re-testing in order to exit self-quarantine and was found to be negative.”
The label thanked fans for their “deep support” for ENHYPEN and dropped even more good news.
“We would also like to inform you that ENHYPEN’s first studio album will be released in October. We will provide a separate notice with details,” the statement read.
ENHYPEN celebrated their recovery by sharing new photos of the boy group together.
BELIFT LAB has since shared the first teaser for ENHYPEN’s full album DIMENSION: DILEMMA. The label’s official YouTube channel dropped a visualizer for the LP’s first track Intro: Whiteout.
Featured image: ENHYPEN’s first full studio album, DIMENSION: DILEMMA, drops October 12, 2021. Photo: HYBE LABELS/YouTube
BLINKs already know that Jennie is one of the coolest people in the world. In addition to being a true all-rounder, the BLACKPINK member knows how to treat her fans right. So it’s no surprise that “Squid Game” star Jung Ho Yeon is saying that her friend is a true angel.
The friendship between Jennie and Hoyeon is truly adorable. The two celebrities have been very supportive of each other’s careers, and Hoyeon admits that she is still surprised by the BLACKPINK member’s generosity.
Jung Ho Yeon was recently interviewed by Herald POP where she spoke about “Squid Game”. At one point, the model also opened up about how her friend Jennie Kim reacted when Hoyeon was cast in the Netflix show.
“Jennie was happy for me ever since I told her I was cast in ‘Squid Game.’ She sent me a coffee truck, and she actively cheered me on by even uploading to her social media,” Hoyeon said.
BLACKPINK Jennie visits “Squid Game” set for Hoyeon
That’s not the only thing that Jennie has done to support her friend. Jung Ho Yeon had previously shared a photo of the two on the set of Squid Game. This confirms that the Solo singer visited Hoyeon while the latter was filming to give her full support for her friend.
The generous act is something that always impresses Jung Ho Yeon to the point that she compares Jennie to a real angel.
“Jennie is always there on the list of people I’m grateful for while acting in ‘Squid Game.’ She congratulated me so happily, as if my joys were also her own, that I wondered how such an angel could exist,” Hoyeon said
It’s great to know that Jennie is truly supportive of her friends despite her busy schedule. There is little doubt that her friendship with Jung Ho Yeon will continue to stay strong
“Squid Game” is currently streaming on Netflix.
Featured image: BLACKPINK Jennie visits “Squid Game” for friend Hoyeon. Photo: hoooooyeony/Instagram
And just like that, SEVENTEEN confirmed their comeback! Imagine that, only four months since the group’s latest release, Your Choice, we will be seeing our beloved thirteen again!
Really, how sure are you?
On September 22, the group’s social media accounts released not one, not two, but three teaser posts a full month before their scheduled comeback. The first post was in black, with the caption,
SEVENTEEN 9th Mini Album ‘Attacca’
2021.10.22 1PM (KST)
2021.10.22 0AM (ET)
#세븐틴 #SEVENTEEN
#Attacca
Followed by a teaser treated in a red filter, featuring all 13 members of the boyband in an empty indoor swimming pool as they walk into the distance, their back against the camera.
The last teaser post was in black again, with the group’s name in a white, italicized font, with the same caption about the group’s 9th mini-album entitled Attacca.
Attacca? What is that supposed to mean?
Attacca does sound like something coming from a Romance language. However, “attack” in Portuguese and Spanish only use one ‘t’ for ataca and the spelling in French includes a “q.” That leaves Italian, which indeed has attacca as a music term. It could be used at the start of the next section (movement) or by a conductor to mean that the musician will have to start playing immediately without any pauses. It is a distinctly Italian term and is used by musicians all over the world in its original form without translating it. After all, it may sound awkward to hear “attack the music” in English.
Otherwise, outside of music, attacca in Italian also means to attack, to stick, to attach, to hang, to affix, to plug, to fasten, or to tie, among other meanings.
It seems. All three teasers look dark and harken back to other more intense releases from the group like Hit, Home, and perhaps their most dramatic release, Fear.
But how about Jun and The8?
Pledis Entertainment had previously shared that SEVENTEEN will be promoting this upcoming release as an 11-member group, and will also do so for the rest of the year. The8 and Jun will be coming home to China to be with family and hold solo activities in their native country. So, does this mean that the two will not be in the album?
No, the album is already finished and the materials have already been furnished. As seen in the teaser post, both Chinese members are present. This means that they are in the album, it’s just that they will not be able to promote the EP with the rest of the group until December.
Stay tuned for further news on this exciting comeback!
SEVENTEEN’s comeback album, Attacca, drops on October 22, 2021 midnight ET.
SEVENTEEN’s comeback album, Attacca, drops October 22, 2021 at midnight ET. Photo: HYBE LABELS/YouTube
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.
After 2 years, BTS can now hold an offline concert (with safety protocols' consideration). It will be held at Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles that have 70k-100k capacity. The said offline concert will have 4 rounds. I'm so happy for them. #PTD_ON_STAGE_LApic.twitter.com/BI1y8xeUmR
BTS will hold the offline concert ( 4 concerts!) at LA’s SoFi stadium, this has a capacity of 70k to 100k! this will turn into a beautiful purple ocean again soon 🥺#PTD_ON_STAGE_LApic.twitter.com/9KWLrQ2zDP
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:
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.
"It doesn't matter how we make our entrance. When the moment comes, I'm not sure I can hold in my tears."
remember when yoongi said this? it will finally happen soon 😭 i’m just sure BTS and ARMYs will cry the moment they see each other again!#PTD_ON_STAGE_LApic.twitter.com/ktOpakQPAv
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.
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 Manturned 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.
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
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.
“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.
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