BTS May Be Given Exemption From Military Service in Korea

Hirokazu Kore-eda‘s next directorial effort is the baby-napping (kidnapping for babies) drama “Broker” which stars Song Kang-ho, who previously played the patriarch in the Best Picture winner “Parasite” and is a fixture of South Korean cinema. Kore-eda, a Japanese filmmaker, made waves in the film awards circuit with his fantastic 2018 drama “Shoplifters” which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and even etched out a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar nomination.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefLocally-produced action franchise movie “The Roundup” blasted its way into the record books and elevated Korean box office to levels not seen for more than two years.The film enjoyed record levels of pre-sales, significant teaser activity the previous weekend and opened officially on Wednesday.Over the weekend proper it rounded up $21.1 million from 2,500 screens nationwide, according to KOBIS, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic).Its five-day cumulative (including the previews) is an astonishing $29.1 million, which makes it the second biggest film of the year, behind only “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” and by far the highest grossing Korean film of the year to date. Those figures were earned from 2.5 million spectators between Friday and Sunday, and 3.5 million in five days.

trailer traces the origins of the Joint Economic Area, a fictionalized mint located where present-day North and South Korea are divided. While the aim of reunification is to benefit all citizens and establish a common currency, “in reality, only the rich got richer,” the trailer’s narrator says. “Welcome to capitalism,” Tokyo (Jeon Jong-seo) grimly adds.Like the original, a group of ragtag individuals assemble under the Professor’s (Yoo Ji-tae) tutelage, where they learn the inner machinations of a history-making heist.

Creative Artists Agency announced on Monday that CAA Moebius, its annual screening series showcasing diverse graduate student filmmakers, will return as an in-person event from May 18-19.

BTS broke a record previously held by Destiny’s Child at tonight’s (May 15) Billboard Music Awards, which are being held in Las Vegas.The annual awards show is currently underway at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, although the record-breaking band are not present at the event.Earlier today, it was announced that BTS had won the awards for Top Duo/Group, Top Song Sales Artist and Top Selling Song for ‘Butter’. The new wins take their total across all BBMAs to 12 trophies, becoming the group with the most victories in the history of the event.Destiny’s Child’s previous record – which was unbeaten for 17 years – was 11 wins.

David Beckham is one doting father – and has been making the most of his family time in Miami, so much so that was gatecrashed his second eldest son Romeo's date night with his girlfriend Mia Regan.MORE: Romeo Beckham shares sweet picture of Mia Regan after Brooklyn's weddingThe trio headed to fancy Korean steakhouse COTE Miami, with David poking fun at himself for "third-wheeling". Alongside a selfie, the 47-year-old joked: "Third wheeling these two [laughing face emoji].

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” opened with a stunning $14.4 million debut weekend in South Korea, far in excess of any film this year at the Korean box office. Its five-day opening score was $29.1 million.Data from the Korean Film Council’s Kobis tracking service shows the film garnered an 87% market share over the weekend, as it lifted nationwide box office to pre-COVID levels for the first time in more than two years.

BTS’ Suga has praised Psy’s global megahit ‘Gangnam Style’, saying it “paved the way for K-Pop” around the world.Released in 2012, The K-pop icon became the highest-charting Korean pop act on the Billboard Hot 100 when ‘Gangnam Style’ peaked at Number Two. Since then, only BTS have gone on to best his record, hitting Number One six times since 2020.Earlier this month Psy released ‘That That’, the lead track from new album ‘Psy 9th’ which was produced by and features Suga.Now the pair have teamed back up for an interview on Psy’s YouTube channel.

BTS have announced details of their new single, titled ‘Yet To Come (The Most Beautiful Moment)’.The track will be released on June 10, the same day as the group’s upcoming anthology album, ‘PROOF’.The Korean superstars’ label BigHit Music confirmed the single earlier today (May 6), unveiling its title and artwork.The agency also shared a promotion schedule for ‘PROOF’, which reveals two teasers for the ‘Yet To Come’ music video will arrive on June 8 and 9 (both at 12am EST/5am BST). The full music video will then arrive on June 10 at the same time as the album.#BTS #방탄소년단 'Proof' Lead Single Cover<Yet To Come>#BTS_Proof #YetToCome pic.twitter.com/ANy7nbNfdI— BIGHIT MUSIC (@BIGHIT_MUSIC) May 6, 2022‘Yet To Come’’s title calls back to BTS’ ‘The Most Beautiful Moment In Life’ series, which was released between 2015 and 2016.

GOT7 have confirmed they’ll be returning with new music, launching new social media pages and unveiling a refreshed logo.Today (May 6), the K-pop boyband established several new social media pages on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. Along with the new channels, the group also unveiled an animated teaser video featuring a brand-new logo, which features a 3D model of a seven-point star.GOT7 OFFICIAL CHANNEL LAUNCHYouTube▶️https://t.co/hWix228hrwInstagram▶️https://t.co/1iErPSDhtDTikTok ▶️https://t.co/fRWWWCbhfG#GOT7 #갓세븐 #MARK #JAYB #JACKSON #JINYOUNG #YOUNGJAE #BAMBAM #YUGYEOM #마크 #제이비 #잭슨 #진영 #영재 #뱀뱀 #유겸 #IGOT7 #아가새— GOT7 OFFICIAL (@GOT7) May 6, 2022GOT7 have also seemingly adopted a new tagline, “GOT7 is our name”, as captioned in most of their new posts following the rebrand.GOT7 IS OUR NAME #GOT7 #갓세븐 #MARK #JAYB #JACKSON #JINYOUNG #YOUNGJAE #BAMBAM #YUGYEOM #마크 #제이비 #잭슨 #진영 #영재 #뱀뱀 #유겸 #IGOT7 #아가새 pic.twitter.com/3R0Rhr85DL— GOT7 OFFICIAL (@GOT7) May 6, 2022In addition, a press release from Warner Music Korea confirms that GOT7 are set to release new music in the near future.

As he prepares to leave office next week, South Korea’s outgoing Culture, Sports And Tourism Minister Hwang Hee has called on the country’s incoming new government to amend the law so to exempt BTS members – and other successful pop stars – from military service.“It’s time to create a system for [treating] popular culture-art figures as art personnel”, he said at a press conference in Seoul yesterday, according to Yonhap.The issue of BTS’s national service has been a hotly debated topic in South Korea for a number of years now. Under the country’s laws, all able-bodied men must begin serving around two years in the military at some point between the ages of eighteen and 28.

BTS‘ exemption from the nation’s mandatory military service.The Culture Minister proposed in a press briefing on May 4 that globally recognised male pop-culture artists should be allowed to substitute their compulsory two-year conscription for alternative programmes.“It’s time to create a system for incorporating popular culture-art figures as art personnel,” Hwang said, per Yonhap News Agency, in recognition of figures such as award-winning athletes and classical musicians and their roles in enhancing South Korea’s image overseas.“The [exemption] system has been operated meaningfully to give those who have enhanced the national status based on their excellent skills more chances to contribute to the country, and there is no reason the popular art-culture field should be excluded from this,” he continued.Under South Korea’s current Military Service act, all able-bodied Korean men are required to enlist for approximately two years of military service before the age of 30. This was after an amendment to the act was made in late-2020 where the age limit was raised from the initial 28.“I thought somebody should be a responsible voice at a time when there are conflicting pros and cons ahead of the enlistment of some of the BTS members,” Hwang added.

Thania Garcia South Korean entertainment giant HYBE has reported a generated revenue of approximately $226 million — an increase of 59.8% — for the first quarter of the year.In 2021, the music company announced a billion-dollar annual revenue for the first time, thanks largely in part to Scooter Braun‘s megamerger agreement (between Ithaca Holdings and HYBE). Since then, the return of live music and large-scale events has unequivocally propelled revenue.Two of the top contributors were HYBE America artist Justin Bieber, whose “Justice” world tour launched in February, and of course BTS, whose “BTS Permission to Dance on Stage: Seoul” screening made it big at the global box office; the limited release raked in $32.6 million from 3,711 cinemas in 75 worldwide theatrical markets.

social media channels.A Mountain of Entertainment. Launches 22nd June.

Psy has credited BTS with having achieved the “unfulfilled dreams” of his 2012 hit single ‘Gangnam Style’.The K-pop icon became the highest-charting Korean pop act on the Billboard Hot 100 with the track peaking at Number Two. Since then, only BTS have gone on to best his record, hitting Number One six times since 2020.Speaking at a press conference for his new album ‘PSY 9th’ – which includes the single ‘That That’, featuring and produced by BTS’ Suga – Psy reflected on the success of ‘Gangnam Style’ almost a decade ago.

HYBE, the label behind BTS, is set to launch ‘Now: Work Out With BTS’, a 5-day exercise programme featuring the K-pop boyband.Today (April 29), HYBE Edu announced on Twitter that it will be launching a new exercise programme titled ‘Now: Work Out With BTS’, where the boyband are expected to share their personal work-out regimes with fans and viewers.“BTS is always serious about working out. Let’s get energised just like them and start working out!” read the tweet.