K-Pop Groups Disbanding in 2022 - 4 Groups Have Broken Up & Several More Contracts Are Expiring!

Broker lead actor Song Kang-ho has shared his thoughts on his recent Best Actor win at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.In a recent interview with South Korean outlet Korea JoongAng Daily, the South Korean actor, who plays Sang-hyun in the film, shared his sentiments on “finally” taking home an award at the Cannes Film Festival after previously starring in six films that have all debuted at the festival prior.Song is the second Korean to win Best Actor, after Jeon Do-yeon for 2007’s Secret Sunshine. “Of course, winning an award from such a prestigious festival as Cannes is a great and happy moment, an unforgettable turning point of my life,” Song said, before adding that awards are not as significant as they might seem.“I don’t think the action [of receiving an award] itself holds much significance,” he explained.

APPOINTMENTSThe O2 in London has hired Robbie Balfour as Marketing Director. “It’s a big year for The O2 as we celebrate fifteen years of the venue, and we’re THRILLED to welcome Robbie to the team to help drive our iconic brand forward into the next phase”, says General Manager Steve Sayer.Apple Music has hired Juan Paz as Global Head Of Latin Music Business.

So many K-Pop superstars also happen to be social media sensations – and the top accounts have millions and millions of followers!

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

K-pop is a fast-paced, ever-changing industry.

Jay Park, Lee Hi and Jessi are among the South Korean musicians to be confirmed for MIK Festival 2022, which will take place in London later this year.MIK Festival 2022 recently announced its line-up for the second day of the festival, which it has dubbed its “hip-hop day” on July 31. Set to take place at Southwark Park, the festival’s second date will feature Korean-American singer-rappers Jay Park and Jessi, along with singer-songwriters Lee Hi and GRAY.Also new to the line-up are hip-hop trio Epik High, and rappers pH-1, Loco and Dok2.

Seungri has been removed from Instagram, following his recent 18-month jail sentence.Yesterday (May 30), South Korean news outlets Korea JoongAng Daily and SBS Star reported that the former singer has been removed from social media platform Instagram. Seungri’s handle @seungriseyo, which had around 8million followers prior to its removal, is currently unavailable, as of time of writing.The social media platform’s move to remove Seungri from its platform comes just days after the South Korean Supreme Court rejected the 32-year-old singer’s appeal for a lighter sentence over his involvement in the Burning Sun scandal.

Broker and Decision to Leave have made history at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, marking the first time two Korean works have won at the same ceremony.The upcoming Korean films Broker and Decision To Leave have both taken home one award each at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, marking the first time two Korean films have won an award at the festival in the same year.South Korean actor Song Kang-ho, who rose to international prominence in Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite in 2019, took home the Best Actor award for his role in Broker, which was directed by Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda. This makes Song the second Korean, after Jeon Do-yeon for 2007’s Secret Sunshine to win the award, and the first Korean male actor to do so.During his acceptance speech, the 55-year-old actor thanked director Hirokazu Kore-eda, along with his Broker co-stars Gang Dong-won, IU, Lee Joo-young and Bae Doo-na.

Forbes has officially unveiled the 2022 edition of its annual 30 Under 30 list for Asia, with acts such as aespa and Jung Ho-yeon making the entertainment and sports category.The annual list highlights 300 individuals below the age of 30 that have made significant strides and impact in their respective fields, categorised by entertainment and sports, science and entrepreneurship, among others.Included in this year’s 30 Under 30 list for Asia under the Entertainment And Sports category are K-pop girl group aespa, who are notably the only South Korean music act to be included on the list. Meanwhile, Squid Game actress Jung Ho-yeon was also featured on the list as the only South Korean thespian to be included this year.The 2022 list also included Indonesian 88rising rapper Warren Hue, Thai singer-songwriter Pyra, Singaporean hip-hop artist Yung Raja, Malaysian rap artist SYA, ‘Chicken Tendies’ singer Clinton Kane, New Zealand duo Broods, Sydney duo Seaforth and ‘Josh’ singer Peach PRC.Last year’s edition of the same Forbes list saw Hong Kong’s Jackson Wang of GOT7 fame featured on the list, alongside other South Korean musicians such as MAMAMOO’s Hwasa and IU.The entertainment and sports category of the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list was judged by ONE Championship Group President Hua Fung Teh, Infinite Studios CEO Mike Wiluan and Caldecott Music Group’s founder and chief executive Kuok Meng Ru.

Seungri, who was once part of the boyband Big Bang, will serve the entirety of his 18-month jail sentence after a South Korean court upheld the sentence.Today (May 26), the South Korean Supreme Court rejected the 32-year-old singer’s appeal for a lighter sentence, over nine separate charges he received over his involvement in the Burning Sun scandal, according to SBS Star.The singer was originally sentenced to three years behind bars in August 2021, after a lower court found him guilty of all nine charges, which ranged from misappropriating funds to procuring prostitution for investors. At the time, he had also been ordered to pay ₩1.15billion (roughly £700,000) in restitution.However, Seungri’s sentence was halved earlier this year in January when the High Military Court of the Ministry Of Defense in Seoul held the final appeal trial.

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.

Warning: This story contains spoilers for season 1 of Squid Game.

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.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorBeta Cinema has sold the English-language tragicomedy “My Neighbor Adolf” to several major territories. The film stars German actor Udo Kier and Scottish actor David Hayman, and is directed by Israel’s Leon Prudovsky.All rights for North America have gone to Cohen Media Group, Signature Entertainment has acquired the U.K./Ireland rights, I Wonder took Italy, Lumix Media has South Korea and Tohokushinsha Film took Japan.The film, set in 1960, centers on Polsky, a Holocaust survivor, who lives in the remote Colombian countryside.

SEVENTEEN have announced the North American leg of their forthcoming ‘Be The Sun’ world tour.Today (May 17), the 13-member boyband took to Twitter to reveal their upcoming world tour. Titled ‘Be The Sun’, the tour is set to kick off in Seoul this June, before heading to North America, where SEVENTEEN will play in 12 different cities across the US and Canada.From August to September, SEVENTEEN will perform in US cities such as Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston.

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.

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.