Category: KPOP NEWS

Fourth-generation girl group STAYC has been making waves with their third mini-album, Teenfresh, and their first world tour. When they appeared at KCON 2022, thousands of fans chanted their iconic line, “STAYC girls, it’s going down.” Their U.S. chart successes further solidify their international popularity.

However, the downside of immense popularity is that everything you do attracts attention, including your mistakes. For instance, a wardrobe mishap during their Dallas concert recently caught global attention. Intending to pay homage to the local sports team, members Isa and Sumin wore what they believed to be Texas Rangers jerseys. However, these jerseys were not from Dallas’s baseball team but from the Rangers Football Club in Scotland. Specifically, they donned kits from the 1996-97 season, a period when the Scottish club had stars like Paul Gascoigne and Ally McCoist.

While other STAYC members correctly donned Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Cowboys jerseys, the mix-up led to a surge in searches for Texas Rangers jerseys, with a 1,328% increase overnight. However, this spike might be attributed more to the baseball team’s success than the girls’ wardrobe. Anyway, watch the girls performing in the wrong jerseys in the video below.

STAYC ‘LOVE’ (TEENFRESH Tour) 231019 Dallas, TX

Ally McCoist on the STAYC mix-up

Fans from both the baseball and football Rangers teams took the blunder in stride. Instead of criticism, many expressed gratitude that the jerseys weren’t from the New York Rangers hockey team. The story quickly went viral, with major media outlets like the New York Times and BBC News covering the incident.

Even McCoist himself got in on the act. Speaking on the TalkSport breakfast show, he said, “It’s hilarious. How can you make a mistake like that? They’re clearly looking for Texas Rangers tops and they stick on Glasgow Rangers tops—I nearly cried laughing when I saw it. To be fair to the girls, they look better in the strips than me!”

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time K-pop has intersected with Scottish football. In 2018, boy group Stray Kids featured a Celtic jersey, Rangers’ arch-rival, in their ‘My Piece’ music video. As STAYC continues their global tour, fans worldwide eagerly await more memorable moments, both planned and unplanned. – K-Pop News Writer

Featured Image: The girls’ mistake sent shockwaves through the K-pop and sports worlds. Source: X/@CloudHeino.

Seo Soojin, previously known for being a member of the girl group (G)I-DLE, is making a notable comeback to the entertainment scene after a two-year break, which was a result of school violence allegations. Her new agency, BRD, recently showcased a teaser video for her forthcoming record Agassy, set to drop on November 8. The teaser shows Soojin wearing something that looks like hanbok, the Korean traditional dress, complemented by a traditional Korean hairpin, binyeo.

수진 (SOOJIN) [아가씨] Concept Trailer

The day before, Soojin launched her personal YouTube channel. Here, she uploaded a dance video for one of her album’s tracks, “Black Forest.” The monochrome video features Soojin performing a unique contemporary dance to dramatic instrumental music. As the video progresses, two masked back-up dancers join her, adding depth to the performance. 

Despite the limited information about her solo debut, this dance video has already garnered significant attention. Within a mere two hours post-release, the video attracted around 47,000 views. As of this writing, the count has surged to 91,000 views, and her channel boasts more than 160,000 subscribers. She has also released a series of concept photos since then.

수진 (SOOJIN) – BLACK FOREST

What happened to Seo Soojin?

To provide context, Soojin’s career hit a snag in 2021 when actress Seo Shin Ae, a former classmate, accused her of bullying and violence during their school days. Soojin firmly denied these allegations and took legal action against her accusers. The controversy led to her departure from (G)I-DLE in August of the same year. However, in March of the subsequent year, the case was dismissed due to insufficient evidence. Following this, Cube Entertainment announced the termination of her contract. During the nearly three years she spent away from the limelight, Soojin maintained a connection with her fans through social media.

Recently, Soojin signed an exclusive deal with a new agency, BRD Communications. This move marks her re-entry into the K-pop world as a solo artist. As she prepares for her solo debut, many are keenly observing to gauge the public’s reception. After leaving (G)I-DLE in 2021, she is now making her return to the music industry after a hiatus of two years and eight months.

Soojin‘s resilience, especially in light of the challenges she faced, is commendable. Her next steps are eagerly anticipated by fans and the industry alike. – K-Pop News Writer

Featured Image: This photo is from the fourth batch of concept photos Soojin released. Source: X/@BRD_SOOJIN.

In K-pop, Hueningkai of TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT) stands out. Not just for his talent, but also for his perseverance, dedication, and the bond he shares with the other members. Sitting down with Weverse Magazine, he opened up about all that and more.

The road to perfection

Hueningkai‘s recent dance challenges, especially with Jam Republic, showcase his improvement. He worked to refine his technique because he wanted to keep up with Yeonjun. His efforts earned him accolades from his instructors. But the road to perfection was arduous. His pursuit of excellence led him to do the Smoke Challenge not just once—but twice! 

“I was eager to show off my dance ability, that’s why I said I wanted to do it. I was actually worried because of how challenging that choreography is, so I put in quite a lot of practice. I felt sorry for the performance directing team because I kept saying, ‘No, again, again, again.’ We shot it 20, 25 times, but when I got back home and watched the video, I still wasn’t satisfied with it. So I said to them, ‘I’m really sorry, but can we shoot it tomorrow one more time?’ I did it again and again the next day and we finally ended up with a good take that we could upload.”

He’s all about hard work. “I think, more than anything else, the more I work at my dancing, the better it gets. I’d have to say dance is the easiest thing to get into, in a way. I think anyone can be good at dancing if they just have perseverance. Dancing isn’t just about the dancing itself—I feel like your own personal aura and your facial expressions are really important, too. Even the five members of our group all have their own unique vibe, and we’re all good at doing different facial expressions. When you dance, it’s important to understand what the music’s all about and to take what you’re capable of up a notch and express yourself that way.”

Hueningkai on Soobin’s struggles

The TXT members’ bond, forged over time, is evident in their concerts, where they lift each other up. “The five of us are so different that when we were trainees, we did team building exercises. But we’re completely used to each other now. We naturally got to know each other after living together for so long, and now we’re just like family. I think the quality of our teamwork really shows during concerts. If one of us has to sit out because they’re not feeling well, the rest of us are able to fill in for them. It’s weird, but suddenly we become really good at communicating in situations like that. Things just happen instantly when emergencies come up.”

Discussing the challenges each member faces, Hueningkai shares his thoughts on Soobin‘s struggles with spontaneity. “We have similar personalities, so I know how he feels. There’s times when I find performing hard too, and at times big crowds can make me scared. My MBTI tests show I’m an ‘I,’ and I like being at home. Soobin–hyung always says he’s sorry because he worries he’s not enjoying himself properly.”

Hueningkai tries his best to support their leader onstage. “We put our arms around each other and jump around and have fun,” he says. “I’m not very good at empathizing or talking with people. Whenever I’m talking with someone, my first thoughts are about the best way to go about doing things and how to solve things. I think it’s best that I quietly help them out by looking out for them and thinking about how I can be doing whatever I can for them.”

His dedication, growth, and more

He wasn’t always goal-oriented. He says his fellow members made him more driven. “I’m actually not much of a go-getter. I’m more about wanting things to go smoothly. I don’t like to overthink things. But it’s important in this field to be ambitious. You have to be driven if you’re going to make it to the top. I think it’s thanks to the determination of the others that I’m progressively becoming more driven myself. I actually have clearer goals now than I did a year ago,” he shares. 

However, the journey isn’t devoid of doubts. When asked if they’ll ever be content, Hueningkai says that might never happen. But he believes in continuous effort. “But I think it’s only right that we keep trying our best. I’ve changed a lot during this whole time. I guess what influenced me a lot was that I want to challenge the kind of image that boy groups have. Some people say boy groups aren’t popular with the wider public, but I wanted to let the world know who we are and prove ourselves,” he asserts.

Hueningkai‘s journey with TOMORROW X TOGETHER is a testament to his dedication, growth, and the bond he shares with his members. “I feel like I can keep going for a long time thanks to the other members. And I feel really, really proud to be a member of TOMORROW X TOGETHER. I don’t think I could’ve done it if I weren’t part of this group. I absolutely love our songs and our dances. I’m happy to be a part of the group. I want to be with them. Because I love the five of us.” – K-Pop News Writer

Featured Image: Hueningkai has grown by leaps and bounds. Source: X/@HNKMEDIA.