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Key Confirms SHINee Recently Renewed Contracts With SM Entertainment

SHINee poses while preparing for their album 'Hard.' Credit: Facebook/SHINee

Good news, SHAWOLs! K-pop boy group SHINee marked their 15th year in the idol industry by deciding to continue their artist journey with SM Entertainment. 

The news was confirmed by member Key in his guesting at Ddeun Ddeun, the web series of Yoo Jae Suk and Ji Seok Jin. 

In the episode, Jae Suk expressed his shock at how SHINee is entering their 16th year as idols. It was followed by Seok Jin asking if the group had already renewed their contract for the third time. 

To which Key said that their contract renewal with SM Entertainment happened recently. Additionally, he also said: “Even if we leave, we’ll leave together. Together, always.” 

SHAWOLs’ reaction 

After the episode aired, SHAWOLs quickly took to social media to express their happiness on the news. 

Many are applauding the group’s longevity, given that it’s rare for the idol industry to hit the 15-year mark. Much more for a group to retain all of its members since they debut. Additionally, it’s also rare for all of the members of a group to stay under the same label. However, all of these feats were achieved by SHINee. 

Aside from these milestones, though, what really warmed the hearts of the fans was Key emphasizing that they’ll always be together. 

For their fans, it’s another testament to the tight-knit bond among the members. Many also took it as a reassurance that SHINee members will stick to each other on any part of their career. 

Moreover, fans also looked back on the group’s idol journey and reaffirmed their support for SHINee. 

However, there were also some fans who hoped that the recent contract would mean that SM Entertainment will treat SHINee better. It can be recalled that early this year, SHAWOLs complained about the agency’s lack of care for the group. 

The long-lasting career of SHINee

SHINee debuted as a five-member group in May 2008 with the EP Replay. In December 2017, member Jonghyun passed away. 

As of 2023, all of the remaining four members: Onew, Key, Minho, and Taemin, have finished their mandatory military services and made their respective solo debuts. 

In celebration of their 15th anniversary, the group is also releasing the documentary film My SHINee World. Said film will reportedly chronicle the group’s growth from their debut days. It will also feature live performances from the group’s sixth solo concert SHINee World VI PERFECT ILLUMINATION. A final release date for the documentary has yet to be announced. 

In June, the group released their eight full album HARD.

Featured image: SHINee poses while preparing for their album ‘Hard.’ Credit: Facebook/SHINee

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RED VELVET Irene Might NOT Renew Contract with SM Entertainment

A new report reveals SM Entertainment could lose Irene

SM Entertainment could be losing an important talent. A new report suggests that there is a possibility that Irene will not renew her contract with the agency. If this is the case, the RED VELVET leader could be planning to sign with a different company.

RED VELVET Leader Irene Reportedly Reconsidering Contract Renewal

Recent reports have sparked speculation that Irene may choose not to renew her long-standing contract with SM Entertainment. These rumors have also been linked to the extended hiatus of RED VELVET. The group’s last activity was in June 2023 when they concluded their ‘R to V’ World Tour.

This is troubling news for fans considering that there has only been one member confirmed to stay with SM Entertainment. So far, only Seulgi’s contract renewal has been officially confirmed by the label. Needless to say, fans are curious about the contract statuses of other RED VELVET members.

While SM Entertainment has remained silent regarding Irene, Wendy, Joy, and Yeri‘s contract negotiations, the group had previously hinted at their preparations to release their third full album during a livestream held earlier in August. This cryptic message added to the intrigue surrounding the group’s future plans.

The uncertainty surrounding Irene’s contract decision and the undisclosed status of the other RED VELVET members’ agreements have left fans eagerly awaiting official updates from the label, as they hope for the beloved group to continue their musical journey together. Stay tuned for more updates on this story.

Irene recently made headlines when she took on the role of the new muse for 2aN, a Korean makeup brand’s Japanese branch. Irene’s comeback with a new brand endorsement comes after a three-year hiatus from such engagements. Within hours of the announcement, products featuring Irene as a model began flying off the shelves, with several items quickly selling out.

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Look: ‘NCT Universe: Lastart’ Announces Official Lineup for NCT’s Final Unit

The seven members of NCT's final unit pose for a photo. Credit: Twitter/K-pop Herald

Attention, NCTzens! SM Entertainment’s survival show NCT Universe: LASTART aired its final episode on Wednesday, September 6, revealing the seven members who will officially debut as NCT’s last unit .

In NCT Universe: LASTART, a total of 11 trainees underwent four rounds of missions showcasing their potential as K-pop idols. Super Junior’s Eunhyuk and soloist Boa served as art directors and mentors in the show.

Additionally, the contestants were also trained by numerous talented SM artists, including NCT members themselves. In episodes six and seven, Johnny and Haechan appeared as special artist directors. Aside from them, NCT members Taeyong and Ten also appeared as mentors in the earlier episodes of the show.

 

During the program’s last episode, Eunhyuk surprised both participants and viewers by revealing that the unit would consist of seven members. Initially, SM Entertainment announced that it will only have six members. 

Meet NCT’s last unit

Prior to the show, SMRookies members Sion and Yushi were already confirmed to be the unit’s first two members in June. The two have been fixed participants in all of the missions for the series. 

Joining Sion and Yushi are Riku, Sakuya and Daeyoung. They were ranked as the top three members in NCT Universe: LASTART’s final episode. Meanwhile, Jungmin and Ryo are the last two members who will complete the team. 

“We’ll do our best to live up to the name of the world’s popular boy group NCT,” the members were quoted as saying. 

 

As of writing, SM Entertainment has yet to reveal the debut details of the new NCT unit. However, during the finale episode, it was revealed that the group will  hold pre-debut shows and participate in the NCT NATION concerts in Japan.

The new unit, considered to be the last chapter to NCT’s limitless expansion concept, is yet to reveal their final group name. Previously, it was stated that the group would be called NCT Tokyo, although this was not confirmed in the survival show’s last episode.

With this last addition, NCT now has a total of 27 members and six units. These are NCT 127, NCT Dream, Wayv, NCT U, NCT DoJaeJung, and the LASTART group. 

Also, it can be recalled that three members left the group in 2023. In May,  Lucas officially left NCT and WayV after a two-year hiatus. Meanwhile, Sungchan and Shotaro left NCT to debut under new boy group RIIZE.

Featured image: The seven members of NCT’s final unit pose for a photo. Credit: Twitter/K-pop Herald

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SM Entertainment Artists to Have Own Channels on HYBE’s Weverse

SM Entertainment artists during the SMTOWN 2022 concert in Japan. Credit: Facebook/SMTOWN

It’s official: SM Entertainment artists are moving to HYBE-owned fan community platform Weverse. 

On Tuesday, September 5, Weverse announced that 13 SM Entertainment acts will launch their respective channels on their platform. Their respective channels will simultaneously open on September 12, 2pm KST. 

These artists include Kangta, BoA, TVXQ!, Super Junior, Girls’ Generation, SHINee, and EXO. Red Velvet, NCT 127, NCT DREAM, WayV, aespa, and RIIZE will also join the platform. 

“Everything from dedicated communities to official membership! Get connected with SM ARTISTS on Weverse,” they captioned the post. 

From Kwangya Club to Weverse

SM Entertainment first announced their plans of moving to the fan community app by HYBE in April. “Through the coexistence of our private messenger bubble and the fandom platform Weverse, we are materializing the fan-centered ‘SM 3.0,” the agency said then. 

At the time, SM Entertainment artists were using the private messenger service DearU bubble and Kwangya Club. However, Kwangya Club, which was launched in June 2022, will be closed by September 11. 

 

With this move , SM Entertainment artists are expected to have easier communication with their fans. This is because the platform is known for its community service and livestream options. Moreover, official merchandise of the agency will now be available through the Weverse Shop. 

Additionally, SM Entertainment assured supporters that all fan club memberships purchased from Kwangya Club will also be automatically transferred to their respective Weverse accounts. 

In a press release, Weverse company CEO Choi Joon Won said: “We welcome artists of SM Entertainment, who are loved by fans around the world, to Weverse,”

Although artists signed to companies under HYBE’s multi-label system were the first to trythe app, more K-pop acts have since moved to the platform. In fact, YG Entertainment acts like BLACKPINK, WINNER, and TREASURE are also using the HYBE-owned app.

Featured image: SM Entertainment artists during the SMTOWN 2022 concert in Japan. Credit: Facebook/SMTOWN

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RIIZE’s Shotaro Reflects on Moving From NCT to Rookie Group

Former NCT member Shotaro discussed what it was like making the big move to the latest rookie group RIIZE

Shotaro opened up about his honest reaction to the big change in his career. The former NCT member discussed what it was like to debut in an established K-pop act. Shotaro Osaki then reflected on what he faced when he joined SM Entertainment’s new rookie group RIIZE.

Shotaro Reflects on Moving From NCT to Rookie Group RIIZE

Back in May, SM Entertainment issued a statement regarding Sungchan and Shotaro’s status in NCT. The company revealed that the idols, who joined the group in 2020, will join a new group. Since then, Shotaro and Sungchan went from members of an established group, NCT, to starting over in a rookie group, RIIZE.

But what was it like to make the big change for Shotaro? The Japanese idol discussed his thoughts during RIIZE’s debut event on September 4. First, Shotaro stated that he was proud to have been part of NCT.

“I had been promoting as a member of NCT before and it was such an honor for me to perform in that group,” he said. “I really appreciate the fans and members for supporting me.”

Shotaro continued by admitting he is happy and excited to be a part of RIIZE.

“And now I’m debuting as RIIZE, I’m so happy to debut with the members I practiced with,” he said. “I’m excited for us to show you many things in the coming days. We’re also preparing a lot of things for you, so please look forward to them.”

Jung Sungchan and Osaki Shotaro debuted as part of NCT on October 12, 2020. They were featured as part of the group project NCT 2020 and participated in the album ‘NCT 2020 Resonance Pt. 1’. SM Entertainment initially planned for the two idols to become a part of a new NCT unit.

RIIZE released their debut single album ‘Get A Guitar’ and the title track of the same name on September 4, 2023.

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Fans Protest Against SM Entertainment for Alleged Mistreatment of NCT’s Jaemin

NCT's Jaemin in the teasers for 'Golden Age.' Credit: Facebook/NCT

Amidst the ongoing promotional activities for the album Golden Age, several fans have called out SM Entertainment for allegedly not giving fair and equal treatment for NCT’s Jaemin. 

With the hashtags “Respect Jaemin as artist,” “SM be fair to Jaemin,” and “Jaemin deserves better,” fans have listed down their complaints for the agency’s supposed unfair conduct towards the idol. 

SM Entertainment’s alleged behavior towards NCT’s Jaemin 

According to fans, there have been multiple instances wherein SM Entertainment’s treatment of Jaemin has been concerning. 

One of the listed circumstances was during NCT DREAM’s promotional activities for their third studio album ISTJ. Eagle-eyed fans claim that Jaemin’s TikTok challenge videos were predominantly shot on the filming sites for the group’s music video or concert venues. However, fans pointed out that the idol already mentioned that he did the challenge with other artists. But a quick scroll on NCT DREAM’s TikTok account would show that it wasn’t uploaded. 

 

Next, fans also noticed that Jaemin was the only member who used the same photo for the poster of NCT Nation: To The World. Other NCT members had different concept photos in the several posters. Aside from the poster, other fans also mentioned that Jaemin was once excluded in a VCR, too. 

 

Additionally, fans raised the alarm about Jaemin’s styling. A compilation of his previous wardrobe and looks showed that most of his outfits were repetitive. More than not being given accessories, fans were more worried about the clothing and shoes that the idol used that are bigger than his size. 

 

But what really dismayed the fans was the lack of opportunities for Jaemin to act or be a brand ambassador. Even hough he already received an acting award, he hadn’t had any recent engagements for dramas or any brand deals. 

 

Because of this, fans couldn’t help but air out their discontent for the agency. In fact, some fans even sent protest trucks in front of SM Entertainment’s building. 

However, the label has yet to react or acknowledge the issue. 

Dramas in NCT Land

Nonetheless, Jaemin’s situation isn’t the only controversy surrounding an NCT member recently. 

Currently, SM Entertainment is pursuing legal action against an individual who trespassed into Jaehyun’s hotel room. 

Meanwhile, fans were also concerned about the members’ health conditions. They also slammed the agency for not putting the artist’s health and safety their priority. 

That is because Taeyong has complained about having chest discomfort, while Taeil  sustained a fracture in his thigh because of a motorcycle . Moreover, other members such as Winwin, Renjun, Haechan, Johnny, and Chenle were also experiencing health problems in the previous months. 

Despite the series of issues though, NCT still remains to be booked and busy. They’ve been releasing music videos for the tracks for Golden Age. 

Also, they’re set to embark on the Japan stops for their concert tour. As for NCT 127, another NCT subunit, they’re making a comeback in October with their fifth full-length album Fact Check. 

In early August, NCT also announced four upcoming releases from its NCT LAB project. 

Featured image: NCT’s Jaemin in the teasers for ‘Golden Age.’ Credit: Facebook/NCT

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RIIZE’s Seunghan Apologizes For Hotel Photo Controversy

Seunghan from RIIZE has taken it upon himself to issue a personal apology for the recent controversy surrounding a hotel photo. The young idol took it upon himself to reach out to fans and explain what had happened. In addition to that, his agency might be getting ready to track down the source of the images.

On August 30, Seunghan took to RIIZE’s official Instagram account to post his apology.

“I’m writing this because I feel I need to tell you this in advance before standing in front of fans. Firstly, I sincerely apologize to fans who support RIIZE,” he wrote. “Because of my personal issues, I caused harm to the team at a very important and critical moment before our debut and disappointed the members and staff.”

“I am also feeling regretful for not being able to apologize quickly because I was scared and anxious,” Seunghan added. “I’m unable to blame anyone else, and all of this happened because of my imprudence. I reflected a lot on my past time and actions.”

Seunghan concluded by promising to do his best as a member of RIIZE.

The hotel photo controversy captured Seunghan sharing an intimate moment with his purported girlfriend from his trainee days. Not surprisingly, it ignited a considerable online buzz. Although SM Entertainment disclosed that Seunghan’s health concerns would lead to his temporary absence from the group’s ‘NPOP’ recording, many believe it was due to the recent uproar.

Seunghan’s decision to apologize directly suggests his understanding of the situation’s gravity and his commitment to addressing it sincerely. The hotel photo incident has not only generated public interest but has also impacted his professional commitments within RIIZE. It serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by K-pop idols in navigating personal matters while in the spotlight, often requiring them to balance their personal lives with their public image and career responsibilities.

RIIZE will release their first single album “Get A Guitar” on September 4, 2023.

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RIIZE’s Seunghan Cancels Activities For Health Reasons

Seunghan will not be participating in an upcoming recording for a music show broadcast. The RIIZE member has reportedly cited health reasons for not joining the rest of the idol group in their latest activity. Interestingly, Seunghan’s absence coincides with the recent release of pre-debut photos involving the idol and his suspected girlfriend.

Seunghan Bows Out of RIIZE’s Scheduled Activities Due to Health Reasons

On August 29, SM Entertainment announced that Seunghan will not be attending RIIZE’s pre-recording for Naver’s new music show “NPOP” later in the day. Although a reason was not immediately revealed, fans believed that it had to do with health reasons. Nevertheless, the rest of RIIZE were expected to participate. They will be promoting with the remaining six members.

A source from the agency has since provided some explanation. “Seunghan will be absent due to his poor health condition caused by a cold,” they elaborated.

Although SM Entertainment already shared the reason, people believe it has something to do with a recent post. An anonymous SNS user had shared a series of photos with no known source. They then accused RIIZE member Seunghan of visiting a hotel with an underaged girlfriend during his trainee days.

Both the agency and Seunghan have not addressed the allegations. In the meantime, the RIIZE member is taking his time to recover from his recent health issues.

RIIZE, a seven-member ensemble comprising Shotaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Wonbin, Seunghan, Sohee, and Anton, recently pre-released the track “Memories” on August 21, achieving the impressive feat of topping the iTunes Top Songs charts in eight regions. The group is now fervently preparing for their eagerly awaited debut, set to occur with the release of their first single album, “Get A Guitar,” scheduled for release on September 4, 2023.

We extend our warm wishes to Seunghan for a swift and complete recovery.

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Watch: NCT U Makes Stylish Return With “Baggy Jeans”

"Baggy Jeans" is the second title track to NCT's Golden Age album. Credit: Twitter/NCT

NCT’s revolving sub-unit NCT U finally returned with new music on Monday, August 28, with the release of “Baggy Jeans.” 

Said track is one of the two title tracks of NCT’s fourth studio album Golden Age. The members featured in the sub-unit’s performance are Taeyong, Mark, Doyoung, Jaehyun, and Ten. 

 

Meanwhile, the other title track, “Golden Age,” was led by all 20 members of the group. Its cinematic music video was also released days ahead of the album. 

 

Aside from the two title tracks, Golden Age also has eight other tracks. The list  includes “Call D”, “PADO”, “The BAT”, “Alley Oop”, “That’s Not Fair”, “Kangaroo”, “Not Your Fault”, and an interlude track “Oasis.” 

Moreover, GOLDEN AGE serves as NCT’s first full group comeback in more than a year and a half. Their last was the studio album Universe that was released in December 2021. 

NCTzens misses NCT U

What really made “Baggy Jeans” special is that it marks the sub-unit’s first comeback in seven years. NCT U last came together in 2016 with their debut track “The 7th Sense.”

 

After the music video dropped, fans brought their sentiments to the social media where they shared how addicting the song is. Even the comment section is also packed with positive comments as fans enjoy the unit’s new music.

“Finally NCT U’s unit comeback again with an iconic song and choreography! The music video is also unique! I love it,” one fan commented. 

 

The whirlwind of activities in NCT Universe 

Prior to the release of Golden Age, the act also held their first-ever offline concert as a full group titled NCT Nation: To The World. The members carefully curated a 40-song setlist, including the live performances of their latest titles “Baggy Jeans” and “Golden Age”.

After their South Korean stop, NCT will take the tour to Osaka and Tokyo in Japan.

 

Additionally, NCT 127, another NCT subunit, also announced that they’re making a comeback in October with their fifth full-length album Fact Check. 

Earlier this month, NCT also announced four upcoming releases from its NCT LAB project. This includes a solo track titled “Horizon” by Jaehyun, which was already released. 

 

Other upcoming songs include a duet by Taeil and Haechan, a solo track by Kun, and another unit song by Kun, Xiaojun, Renjun, and Chenle. For those unfamiliar, NCT LAB is a SM STATION series which allows the members to release their self-composed solo and unit tracks.

As of writing, NCT has a total of five subunits: NCT 127, NCT Dream, WayV, NCT U, and NCT DoJaeJung. However, SM Entertainment earlier confirmed that they’re forming the group’s last sub-unit, NCT Tokyo. 

Through the reality survival series NCT Universe: Lastart, a six-member boy group will be formed. 

Featured image: “Baggy Jeans” is the second title track to NCT’s Golden Age album. Credit: Twitter/NCT

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NCT’s Taeyong Worries Fans With Recent Health Updates

Taeyong in the teasers for NCT's 'Golden Age' album. Credit: Facebook/NCT

Taeyong of K-pop group NCT sparked concern among his fans as his health condition seems to worsen in the days leading to the act’s upcoming NCT NATION: To the World tour. 

After performing at the KCON LA 2023, Taeyong held a live broadcast wherein he updated fans with what he’s been up to lately. At one point of the livestream, he was seen trying to get up while appearing to look like he’s experiencing a lot of pain. 

The idol then confessed that he’d been feeling weak and experiencing chest discomfort recently. Because of this, Taeyong shared that he’s apprehensive as to how he’ll perform at the group’s August 26 concert. 

“I don’t know if I can perform well next week. I’m worried. I hope I get better by then,” he said. 

 

But what caused more worries among fans was that Taeyong had to fly out of the United States a day after his KCON LA 2023 stage to return to South Korea to resume his preparations for the group’s upcoming concert.

What frustrates fans even more was that the artist even arrived in the US on the day of his performance, proving that he’s following a very tight schedule. This incident then prompted discussions about NCT‘s hectic activities and well-being. 

Taeyong and his grueling schedule 

2023 saw Taeyong bloom as a solo artist while still doing promotions with NCT. 

In June, he made his highly-anticipated solo debut with the EP Shalala. Additionally, he also had solo schedules such as attending Paris Fashion Week and performing at the KCON LA 2023. 

 

On top of his solo ventures, he’s also actively participating with NCT’s group activities. In fact, he tried juggling his solo work and preparation for the group’s upcoming concert. 

However, eagle-eyed fans noticed that Taeyong was notably absent from a group photo taken during rehearsals. Since fans were getting perplexed about his whereabouts, the idol explained that he had to visit the hospital. 

Additionally, the artist disclosed through the online cafe that he had to receive treatment because of cold and high fever. Instead of focusing on his health, though, he was more fretful about missing the rehearsals. 

“There was no time to feel sick,” he wrote. 

Fans irked by SM Entertainment’s treatment of artists

Following Taeyong’s situation, fans took to social media to send their well wishes and prayers for the idol’s recovery. 

Moreover, many of them called out SM Entertainment for not putting their artist’s health and safety their priority. Several pointed out that the agency didn’t even updated fans about the idol’s health status.  

 

Several were also scrutinizing at how the label just let their artists continue to do a series of rigorous activities despite not being in their best health conditions. 

However, what angered fans the most is that Taeyong isn’t the only NCT member who’s not feeling well. Taeil will be taking hiatus from group activities after he sustained a fracture in his thigh because of a motorcycle . 

Aside from Taeyeong and Taeil, other members such as Winwin, Renjun, Haechan, Johnny, and Chenle were also experiencing health problems in the previous months. 

https://twitter.com/staytinyallie/status/1694745128399728669

 

Despite this, fans pointed out that SM Entertainment isn’t doing enough to make sure that their artists aren’t overworked.

Given that NCT has more scheduled activities set for the coming weeks, fans are asking for the agency to at least give the group a proper resting period. 

Featured image: Taeyong in the teasers for NCT’s ‘Golden Age’ album. Credit: Facebook/NCT

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