BTS may still be able to perform during military enlistment, says South Korean defence minister

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefThe third decade of the millennium looks quite different for the Korean entertainment scene compared with just a few years earlier.In March 2020, “Parasite,” a Korean-made film noir made history by winning three Oscars, including best picture. The following year, Korean veteran Youn Yuh-jung took the Oscar for best supporting actress in “Minari,” while in 2022 “Squid Game” leading man Lee Jung-jae looks poised for Emmy accolades.K-pop has broken out to become a phenomenon that tops charts, fills global stadiums and airwaves, and the social media warriors of group BTS, who call themselves “ARMY” would even claim to have had a small influence at the last U.S.

BTS be granted an alternative to – but not an exemption from – the country’s military service mandate.Mayor Park Heong-joon recently made a formal proposal requesting the presidential office  consider granting the K-pop group an alternative form of mandatory military service that is currently available to athletes and artists who have “helped elevate national prestige or cultural advancement”, said officials on August 18, per Yonhap News Agency.The mayor cited BTS’ roles as ambassadors for Busan’s bid to host the World City Expo in 2030 as a reason for his proposal. According to Yonhap News Agency, Park expects an “aggressive promotional drive” by BTS would grant the city a competitive edge amid an “increasingly fierce” competition to host the 2030 Expo.“I do not mean to give BTS the privilege of exemption from military service.

If there was any doubting the support of the BTS Army, take a look at the group’s subscriber count.

Michele Amabile Angermiller K-pop group MONSTA X, the artist KAI (of EXO and Super M) and JEON SOMI are among the first performers announced for KAMP LA 2022, a live-music event scheduled for October 15 and 16 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.Behind the event is South Korean company KAMP Global in partnership with Eventim Live Asia.“We want KAMP LA to be the ultimate K-pop experience in all aspects,” said KAMP Global CEO Tim Kim. “U.S. fans have waited so long for great music because of the pandemic — they need to see their favorite artists for the first time in two years in many cases.”Added Eventim Live Asia CEO Jason Miller: “Kim’s vision was immediately exciting.

Psy concert left the venue “severely damaged”.On August 15, KBS News reported that the floor of Jinnam Stadium in Yeosu City, Jeollanam-do had been left “severely damaged” after Psy’s August 6 show at the venue, which drew 28,000 concertgoers.According to the report, half of the stadium’s 600 square metres of elastic flooring had been “badly dented and torn off” following the concert. Jinnam Stadium is part of Yeosu City’s multi-purpose sports complex, which serves the city’s population and its visitors.Yeosu City has since demanded Psy’s concert organisers assist in restoring the venue, after its investigators determined the damage was caused by the use of a forklift to transport stage equipment.“In the event of damage to the facility, it is supposed to be restored to its original stage as a condition of [granting] the permit,” said Ahn Bo-hyeon, the city’s deputy director of its sports support division, told KBS News.

J-hope spoke to NME backstage at Lollapalooza 2022 and told us how it feels to be the first South Korean artist to headline a major US festival, what it’s like to have fans supporting his first solo album, and what’s next for BTS. Watch our interview with J-hope below.A day before his historical headline set, the BTS rapper told us playing the festival was a “super super meaning moment” but that he also thought doing it as a solo artist was special.“Me being the first South Korean headliner of a major US festival, but also J-hope’s musical journey,” he told NME.

Welcome to Deadline’s International Disruptors, a feature where we’ll shine a spotlight on key executives and companies outside of the U.S. who are shaking up the offshore marketplace. This week, we’re speaking with Korean super-agent Soyoung Lee, who represents some of the nation’s biggest stars and talked to us about her experiences of the Korean content boom.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefA+E Networks is giving a multinational launch Wednesday to “If You Wish Upon Me,” a Korean drama series that was produced by its A+E Studios unit.The show is a transformational story of an impoverished man with a troubled past and a twisted attitude who accidentally joins Team Genie, a group which carries out the last wishes of patients in hospice care. He starts caring for people other than himself for the first time and learns how to open his heart and live harmoniously.

BTS have continued teasing the return of their long-running web series Run BTS, sharing a new trailer for their imminent ‘Telepathy’ special.Run BTS debuted in August 2015, running for three seasons – over which the boy band have premiered 153 episodes and three specials – between then and last October. A fourth season is yet to be confirmed.

Big Hit Music has uploaded J-Hope of BTS‘ Lollapalooza set in its entirety on YouTube – watch it below.The video, which clocks in at slightly over an hour, was uploaded to the K-pop boyband’s BANGTANTV YouTube channel on August 3. It fully documents J-Hope’s headline set on the final night of the Chicago festival (July 31), including footage of all 18 songs on singer-rapper’s setlist that night, including cuts from his solo discography as well as BTS’ own songs.

Brad Pitt made the rare move of talking about one of his children this week when he called his 16-year-old daughter Shiloh 'beautiful' on Monday. And later the 58-year-old Bullet Train star made a comment about one of his other daughters, 17-year-old Zahara, when chatting up Vanity Fair. 'I'm so proud of her,' said the star, who shares six children with ex-wife Angelina Jolie.

Little Women, which will also come to Netflix.The new visual shows sisters In-ju (Yumi’s Cells Kim Go-eun), In-kyeong (100 Days My Prince’s Nam Ji-hyun) and In-hye (All Of Us Are Dead’s Park Ji-hu) acquiring a backpack filled with ₩70 billion. It’s heavily implied that the bag is full of stolen money, with scenes with In-ju rappelling down the side of a building with the backpack and In-hye nervously walking away from a group of policemen.

CAMO is one of the rising stars we’re most excited about here at Just Jared, and we want our readers to get an exclusive chance to know her even better.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentSebastian Lelio’s “Wonder,” starring “Black Widow’s” Florence Pugh, “Winter Boy” with Juliette Binoche and directors Hong Sang-soo and Ulrich Seidl will compete in main competition at September’s San Sebastian Film Festival, the biggest film event in the Spanish-speaking world.In “Wonder,” the latest from Academy Award winning director Lelio (“A Fantastic Woman”),Pugh plays an English nurse brought in to the Irish Midlands in 1862 to observe the alleged miracle of girls going months without food.Binoche co-stars in “Winter Boy,” from resilient French auteur Christophe Honoré who won at Cannes Un Certain Regard with 2019’s “On a Magical Night.” Hong Sang-soo, the prolific South Korean director, will present “Walk Up,” a film which is billed as taking a gently delightful new perspective on themes dear to his poetics. Seidl’s “Sparta” forms part of a diptych with 2022 Berlin competition contender “Rimini,” both movies turning on men who cannot escape their past.The 12 competition titles announced on Tuesday by San Sebastian join its four Spanish contenders, unveiled last month.A brief breakdown on the new competition entries:San Sebastian Main Competition: Newly Announced Titles“Il Boemo,” (Petr Václav, Czech Republic, Italy, Slovakia)The passions and ambitions, breakthrough and tragic fall from grace of Czech opera composer, Josef Mysliveček,a mentor to Mozart.

With BTS definitely not on hiatus, the debate continues regarding how South Korea’s compulsory military service rules will impact on the K-pop powerhouse. And now the country’s defence minister has suggested maybe BTS members could continue to be involved in the group while also fulfilling their military service obligations.Under South Korean law, all able-bodied men must begin serving around two years in the military at some point between the ages of eighteen and 28.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefK-pop sensation BTS may be allowed to practise and perform overseas even if they enter South Korea’s mandatory military service, the country’s defense minister said on Monday.All able-bodied men in Korea are required to enlist for service before age 30 unless they are given an exemption. The oldest BTS member Jin would normally be expected to enlist later this year.Korea has previously offered exemptions to athletes and artists in other fields who have created national prestige.

BTS member J-Hope performed his headlining set at Lollapalooza 2022 last night (July 31), making him the first South Korean to top the bill at the famed Chicago festival.J-Hope closed out the final night of this year’s Lollapalooza, performing on the Bud Light Seltzer stage adjacent to sets from Green Day and Polo & Pan. Other headliners at the festival included J. Cole, Kygo, Dua Lipa, Machine Gun Kelly, Lil Baby and Metallica.According to setlist.fm, J-Hope performed a total of 18 songs across his 70-minute set, including eight of the 10 tracks from his just-released debut album, ‘Jack In The Box’.

Doja Cat canceled her performance at Chicago’s Lollapalooza to care for her health. The singer took to social media to announce she had to step back due to tonsil surgery.

BTS‘ J-Hope and IU have collaborated on performances of ‘Equal Sign’, ‘Pierrot Laughs At Us’ and ‘Safety Zone’.The rapper recently made a guest appearance on IU’s ongoing talk show IU’s Palette, during which he spoke about his recently released solo record ‘Jack In The Box’. In between interview segments, both J-Hope and IU performed two songs from J-Hope’s new album, ‘Equal Sign’ and ‘Safety Zone’, as well as the B-side track ‘Pierrot Laughs At Us’ from IU’s 2014 album ‘A flower bookmark’.The duo’s rendition of ‘Equal Sign’ sees IU take charge of the vocal-heavy portions of the song while J-Hope delivers the rap verses.

BTS reality series In The Soop will soon be hosting two lucky fans for an overnight stay through Airbnb.On July 26, Airbnb and In The Soop announced that the estate BTS stayed in during the reality show’s second season will soon be available for booking.