BTS’ RM to collaborate with alt K-pop group Balming Tiger on new single ‘Sexy Nukim’

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Following the world premiere of “My Neighbor Adolf” on the Piazza Grande in Locarno, Beta Cinema has sold the dark comedy to Vendetta Films, which will bring the Udo Kier and David Hayman starrer to cinemas across Australia and New Zealand in the first quarter of next year.  Prior to Locarno, Beta Cinema sold the film to Hungary (Cinetel) and Switzerland (Praesens Film), while deals for North America (Cohen Media Group), U.K. and Ireland (Signature Entertainment), Italy (I Wonder), South Korea (Lumix Media) and Japan (Tohokushinsha Film) had been revealed before. The film is set in Colombia in 1960, just a few days after the Nazi criminal Adolf Eichmann was caught by Mossad agents in Argentina. Polsky, played by Hayman, is a lonely and grumpy old man, living in the remote Colombian countryside. He is a survivor of the Holocaust. He spends his days playing chess and tending his beloved rosebushes. One day, a mysterious old German man – played by Kier – moves in next door, and Polsky suspects that his new neighbor is… Adolf Hitler. Since nobody believes him, he embarks on a mission to uncover the evidence. In order to gather it, however, he will need to come closer to his neighbor than he would like – so close that the two could almost become friends.

VIXX rapper and soloist Ravi has returned with his fifth EP ‘Love&Holiday’ with two new music videos.On September 12 at 6pm KST, the musician dropped his latest EP ‘Love&Holiday’ under his self-established label GROOVL1N along with the music video for one of its two title tracks, ‘Kiss You’.The new music video is a compilation of clips from Ravi’s 2022 ‘Revoir’ concert, including interactions with the crowd and his backup dancers. The end of the video features a snipper of the musician saying to fans at the end of the show: “I will never forget this, goodbye! I love you.

Super Junior’s Siwon and actress Lee Da-hee are set to star as the leads of ENA’s upcoming romance K-drama, Icy Cold Romance (literal title).Icy Cold Romance follows two close friends who start to develop feelings for each other after an unexpected meeting on the set of a reality dating show. According to South Korean media outlet TenAsia, Siwon will be playing Park Jae-hoon, a plastic surgeon who signs up to star in the reality show Kingdom of Love as a favour to his best friend.Lee (Search: WWW), meanwhile, is set to play Goo Yeo-reum, a producing director who obsesses over Kingdom of Love after repeatedly helming programs that have been discontinued.Icy Cold Romance will be helmed by Choi Kyu-shik, best known for his work with Rude Miss Young Ae and the second and third seasons of Let’s Eat.

Disney+ Day, the streaming service has announced that BTS’ Permission to Dance on Stage: LA is now available to stream exclusively on the platform.Permission to Dance on Stage: LA is a concert film recorded during the septet’s four-day residency at the SoFi Stadium on November 27 and 28, and December 1 and 2, 2021—a show that went on to become the biggest single venue concert engagement by any act in almost a decade, after selling 214,000 tickets and grossing US$33.3million (£25million).The film, shot in cinematic 4K, features performances from their first in-person concerts after two years, after live events were put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.BTS are set to hold a free live performance in Busan next month, in support of the South Korean city’s bid to host the forthcoming 2030 World Expo. The concert, titled ‘Yet to Come in Busan’, will be held at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium on October 15, 6PM KST.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Prodigy are expanding their casts. Oscar nominee Carol Kane is set for a recurring role in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and Billy Campbell has joined the voice cast of animated series Prodigy. The news was announced Thursday as part of the global live-streamed Star Trek Day event.

A surprise for BTS fans on Disney+ Day. At 12 AM Thursday, Disney+ began streaming the concert film BTS Permission To Dance On Stage – LA worldwide as part of Disney+ Day.

Little Women is already a big hit.

Stray Kids have announced their upcoming return with ‘Maxident’ through a stunning new comeback trailer.On September 6 at Midnight KST, Stray Kids dropped a two-minute trailer for their upcoming mini-album ‘Maxident’, thereby officially announcing the release. This record, which marks the boyband’s seventh mini-album, will arrive on October 7 at 12am EST/1pm KST.In the new trailer — which appears to have been filmed in North America during their ‘Maniac’ world tour — the boyband wander the streets while soundtracked by a serene piano instrumental.The music switches up to an energetic EDM beat as they begin storming the city, but the members are soon interrupted by a mysterious phone call.

BTS’ potential military exemption.South Korea’s Ministry of National Defence has followed-up on minister Lee Jong-sup’s previous comments regarding a potential public poll on BTS’ military exemption, announcing that it will not be going forward with the poll.During an August 31 parliamentary hearing, defence minister Lee Jong-sup told lawmakers of plans to implement a national survey to gauge public opinions on exempting the boyband from mandatory military service. The ministry later clarified that officials were only examining the need of such a survey at the time.As of September 1 however, it confirmed that it will not be conducting a poll on BTS’ enlistment.“The Ministry of National Defence will not arrange a public poll on the matter, nor making decisions on the issue of BTS’ military service solely based on the result of the poll,” it shared through an official statement, as reported by SBS News.All able-bodied male citizens of South Korea are to enlist in the military by the age of 28, serving at least 18 months of mandatory service under the current law.

WAKEONE has announced that TO1 member Chan will be absent from the upcoming New York stop of the KCON US Tour 2022 amid health concerns.The South Korean label took to the K-pop boyband’s official Twitter page yesterday earlier today at New York local time (September 1) to announce that member Chan will not join the rest of his bandmates in the group’s performances at the upcoming New York stop of the KCON US Tour.“Chan wasn’t feeling well during a rehearsal for the KCON 2022 US Tour New York, and he is currently taking a rest,” read the company’s English statement. “Although the artist has a strong will to participate in the performance, we have decided [for] Chan not to attend the New York performance to prioritise the artist’s health and condition.”“We apologise to the fans for causing concern with the sudden news, and we promise to do our best for Chan’s recovery,” WAKEONE concluded.The New York iteration of the ongoing KCON US Tour, which is scheduled for tonight at local time, is the final stop of the tour, after a slew of performances across the US in the past month, in cities such as San Francisco, Houston, Atlanta and more.Aside from TO1, other acts who are part of the KCON tour include girl groups STAYC and LIGHTSUM, as well as boyband CRAVITY.

There are so many excellent K-Pop releases in 2022!

Jeff Benjamin With new headlines dropping daily about the global expansion of K-pop, overseas investors now have a chance to cash in. Today, Sept. 1, a K-pop and Korean-entertainment ETF — under the ticker name KPOP — launched on the NYSE Arca Exchange through South Korean IP investment company Contents Technologies. With top pop-culture players on board, KPOP marks the first time investors in the U.S. and Europe can access the companies most directly involved in the expanding K-pop music scene. Of the 30 corporations in the exchange-traded fund, the major holding companies of KPOP include several of the scene’s most internationally influential names, all publicly listed on the local Korea Composite Stock Price Index. 

There are so many K-Pop superstars also happen to be social media sensations – and the top accounts have millions and millions of followers.

LE SSERAFIM will be dropping new music for their first comeback soon, as confirmed by their label Source Music.On September 1, South Korean media outlet Sports Dongah reported that the five-piece are set to return sometime in the fall, and are currently preparing for the new project.Shortly after the news broke, Source Music issued a response via Newsen. “It is true that LE SSERAFIM is preparing for a comeback.

Dreamcatcher will be releasing new music in October, which will reportedly be the sequel to ‘Apocalypse: Save Us’.Earlier today (September 1), a representative from South Korean music label Dreamcatcher Company issued a brief statement to Korean news outlet XSports News announcing that the girl group are due to drop a new album next month.“Dreamcatcher is in the midst of preparing with the aim of making a comeback in October,” read the statement, as translated by Soompi. At the moment, specifics about the comeback are scarce, however details about the release’s format, exact release date, tracklist and more are expected to arrive in the weeks leading up to the release.The K-pop group’s forthcoming return to music will mark their second comeback of the year following April’s ‘Apocalypse: Save Us’, which was Dreamcatcher’s sophomore studio album. That record included title track ‘Maison’.

Netflix and tvN have unveiled a new trailer for the upcoming South Korean TV adaptation of Little Women.Set to premiere this weekend, the new K-drama series follows three sisters, In-ju (Yumi’s Cells star 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), who grew up in poverty. As the story progresses, the trio will go against one of the nation’s wealthiest families.The newly released trailer offers a glimpse into the lives of each sister: In-hye, the youngest, is a student at a prestigious arts high school, but cannot afford the same luxuries her peers enjoy.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor The power of fandom was on display in Downtown Los Angeles last week as thousands of K-pop devotees gathered for KCON, a three-day celebration of South Korean pop culture. KCON was more like a family reunion for many attendees, as several of them explain on the latest episode of Variety‘s “Strictly Business” podcast. K-pop is growing in popularity around the world, but it’s still niche enough that its most ardent fans revel in being together with those who “get it,” as numerous attendees explained. “You come for the music, the choreography, the outfits — all the pretty, fun, sparkly stuff. And then you end up staying because you make friends,” said Epiphany, a KCON-goer who lives in North Hollywood.

Our Beloved Summer, Parasite) and Son Suk-ku (Our Liberation Notes, D.P) are set to star in Netflix’s upcoming South Korean thriller series Murder DIEary.On August 19, Netflix Korea confirmed that Choi and Son would be leading the cast of its upcoming drama adaption of the hit thriller webtoon of the same name by NOMABI.Choi will star as its lead character, Lee Tang, a college student-turned-killer. He learns that all his victims had been criminals themselves, leading him to believe he has an innate urge to sense and eliminate evildoers.Investigating the killings is Gang Nan-gam (played by Son), a police detective said to have “animal-like instincts”.