Girls’ Generation to make comeback as full group for 15th anniversary

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and Media“Jurassic World: Dominion” is off to a roaring start at the international box office.The blockbuster hopeful opened in 15 major markets this week, including the likes of Italy, Mexico and Brazil, and has already sunk its teeth into $16.7 million through Thursday. “Jurassic World: Dominion” is expected to bring in more than $45 million this weekend, giving it a healthy head start before it opens in U.S.

Manchester United duo Facundo Pellistri and Fred each claimed assists as the June internationals exploded into life on Thursday evening.

SISTAR member Hyolyn is set to release new music later this year.In a statement released to South Korean media earlier today (June 3), her label Bridʒ announced that the singer is preparing to release new music next month. “As she is dubbed a ‘Summer Queen,’ she will come back with songs so people can have another ‘hot summer’ this year,” the label said of the forthcoming project, per Korea JoongAng Daily.The label added that the forthcoming project will be “something more than what was seen on Queendom 2.” Further details on Hyolyn’s upcoming project are expected to be released in the following weeks.Hyolyn’s new release will come six months after the release of ‘Layin’ Low’.

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

Girls’ Generation singer YoonA has provided an update on the iconic girl group’s highly anticipated comeback.Earlier this week on May 30, the K-pop idol held an Instagram Live broadcast in celebration of her birthday. During the session, the singer-actress hosted a brief Q&A session where she was asked by fans for an update on the long-awaited Girls’ Generation comeback this August.YoonA responded that she was “preparing for the Girls’ Generation album right now”, and as a result has met up with her bandmates “really often”.

Lovelyz member Mijoo is reportedly set to release solo music later this year.According to reports from several South Korean media outlets, Mijoo is reportedly in the process of selecting songs for her solo debut. Industry insiders consulted by JTBC added that the songs considered for the singer’s solo debut are reportedly summer-themed and composed by different producers.Antenna, Mijoo’s management agency, has since confirmed the news.

H1-KEY, has parted ways with the K-pop act only five months after their debut.Grandline Group, the agency behind H1-KEY, announced in a statement to South Korean media outlet Wikitree today (May 25) that Sitala will be leaving the K-pop girl group due to undisclosed “personal reasons”, following discussions with the singer.“After speaking at length with the artist and the members of H1-KEY and considering the situation in its totality, we have come to this decision,” Grandline Group said, as translated by Koreaboo. “Most of all, we would like to apologise to the fans for the sudden news.”Last year, Sitala drew flak online over her family’s alleged involvement in the 2014 political crisis in Thailand.

Kang Daniel is here!

Kang Daniel has made his much-anticipated comeback with his first full-length studio album ‘The Story’, alongside a music video for title track ‘Upside Down’.In the new visual, the K-pop idol makes his way through a myriad of vibrant sets, accompanied by a team of dancers. His journey starts in neon-lit a barbershop, before he heads to a rooftop carpark, and stops by a laundromat for the dance break.“Just imagining it tires me out / Wanna know the reason, I don’t know / I feel like I’m the only one moving backwards / I need to change it back, turn everything around,” he sings on the new laidback track.‘The Story’ features ten new tracks, all co-written by Kang, alongside contributions from labelmate K-R&B singer Chancellor, who features on the song ‘Mad’.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefCinema box office this year in North America is poised to overtake theatrical revenues in China, the country that has been the world’s largest movie market for the past two years.Before the latest weekend, gross revenues in the year to date stood at $2.38 billion for the North American compared with $2.43 billion for China, according to data from ComScore.U.K.-based research firm Gower Street Analytics forecast that the North American figure would overtake China’s revenues over the weekend or early this week. That reflects business growth in North America and the current reversal in China, where anti-COVID measures are causing renewed cinema closures.Gower Street says that some 85% of global cinemas are now open for business, compared with pre-pandemic levels.

Marta Balaga Things got personal at Cannes Market’s Fantastic 7 showcase this year, highlighting upcoming genre projects selected by seven festivals including Spain’s Sitges, Bucheon in South Korea, Cairo, Guadalajara in Mexico, SXSW and Toronto, as well as Whanau Marama New Zealand Intl. Film Festival.“I think it’s my most personal film ever,” said director Jaume Balagueró, also behind “[REC],” co-directed with Paco Plaza.In his latest film “Venus,” presented by Sitges, he will combine elements of survival drama and modern witchery.

CUBE Entertainment has announced that K-pop girl group CLC‘s official activities as an act have ended.The South Korean entertainment label published a notice earlier today (May 20), announcing the impending termination of the K-pop girl group’s fanclub forum, named CLC U CUBE.In the notice, the label attributed the reason for its closure to the conclusion of CLC’s activities as a group. This is notably the first time the label have confirmed that the girl group are no longer active as a K-pop act, following CLC’s long absence.“First of all, we would like to extend our deepest gratitude to all of you for always loving and supporting CLC over the last seven years,” wrote CUBE Entertainment.

The International Film Festival Rotterdam has appointed its new team line up and structure as the festival revamps.

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.

The stars are stepping out for the 2022 Billboard Music Awards!

It’s Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday — especially when it’s New Music Friday! We’re breaking down this week’s best new tracks to keep on your radar.

IZ*ONE vocalist Jo Yu-ri will be releasing new music next month, as confirmed by her agency WAKEONE.The entertainment confirmed Jo’s impending comeback in a brief statement to South Korean news outlet Top Star News earlier today (May 13). WAKEONE noted that the K-pop idol will be “making a comeback with a mini-album in June”, as translated by Soompi.Jo’s forthcoming record will be her first release since making her solo debut in October 2021 with the single album ‘Glassy’.

B.I is back!

DIA have announced that they will be disbanding after dropping their final album in August.South Korean news outlet Edaily first reported on May 11 that the girl group are  in the midst of preparations for “one last final album in August before their contracts with their agency PocketDol Studio expires”, as translated by Soompi. The report had also claimed that the DIA members will be “walking their separate paths after wrapping up promotions as a full group.”PocketDol Studio later confirmed the report in a separate statement to Chosun, writing, as translated by Koreaboo: “DIA will release their last album in August and will end their exclusive contract in September.” More details are to arrive in the months leading up to the release.This confirmation also came shortly after a separate statement from a representative of the entertainment company, who clarified at the time that it was “difficult to say whether the August album will be the last album”, per YTN, as translated by Soompi.DIA’s August release will notably be their first release in over two years, with their last project being their sixth mini-album ‘Flower 4 Seasons’ which dropped in June 2020. That record was led by title track ‘Hug U’.The group – comprising Jueun, Eunchae, Chaeyeon, Yebin, Eunice and Huihyeon – had officially debuted under MBK Entertainment in 2015 with the single ‘Somehow’ from their debut album ‘Do It Amazing’, having put out one more studio album and six EPs since.

(G)I-DLE have announced a 2022 world tour that will take the Korean girl group to North America, Asia and more.The group took to social media on Wednesday (May 11) to announce the tour, titled ‘Just Me ( )I-DLE’. The tour, which so far runs from June to October, will see the group perform in the United States, Mexico, Chile, South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan and Singapore.