MONSTA X, GOT7 and Wanna One members perform NewJeans and LE SSERAFIM dance covers at military festival

BTS, (G)I-DLE and LE SSERAFIM, have denied any rumours of links to a recent spate of drug-related investigations in the Korean entertainment industry.In the past week, popular South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun and Big Bang member G-Dragon were booked on suspicion of drug use. The two cases are said to be unrelated to one another.Soon after the news broke, rumours that other high-profile K-pop stars were also being investigated for drug use started circulating online, according to SBS Star.Among them were LE SSERAFIM’s Kim Chaewon, (G)I-DLE’s Jeon Soyeon and K-pop boyband BTS.

FIFTY FIFTY‘s label Attrakt has terminated the contracts of group members Aran, Sio and Saena.K-pop agency Attrakt announced today (October 23) that it has decided to terminate its exclusive contracts with three of the K-pop act’s members: Aran, Sio and Saena. It comes amid a legal battle between the label and the K-pop idols over their contracts.In its statement, Attrakt said that it had informed the three K-pop idols on October 19 that their contracts with the label would be ending as the trio had “show[n] o sign of remorse for violating their contract”, per The Kpop Herald.According to South Korean news outlet Dispatch, Attrakt also accused the trio of having “slandered and defamed the agency, and to this day continue to distort facts and make false claims, repeating arguments that have been rejected by the court, without any remedy for the breach of contract”.FIFTY FIFTY shot to worldwide fame earlier this year due to the viral success of their single ‘Cupid’.

MONSTA X singer Hyungwon has officially announced his upcoming enlistment into the South Korean military through a handwritten letter.Earlier today (October 20), the K-pop idol took to MONSTA X’s official fan cafe website with handwritten letter, where he announced his impending military enlistment, per Korean outlet Sports DongA. Under South Korean law, it is mandatory for all able-bodied male citizens to serve a term in the military of 18-21 months.“Hello Monbebe (MONSTA X’s official fanbase)! This feels like the strangest letter I’ve ever written,” Hyungwon wrote.

South Korean auteur Chung Ji-Young came to the eighth London East Asia Film Festival on Wednesday night with his latest film The Boys, which opens in its homeland on 1 November. Based on real events, which saw three innocent country boys imprisoned in 1999 for a callous murder-robbery in North Jeolla Province, the film stars Sol Kyung-gu as detective Joon-cheol. Once known as “Mad Dog”, Joon-cheol has mellowed over time, and when he receives information many years later that suggests the real criminals have gone free, Joon-cheol begins a crusade for justice — bringing down the wrath of the area’s corrupt lawmakers, who begin a campaign of intimidation intended to destroy his career and credibility.

Chinese director Ning Hao has flown directly from Busan film festival in South Korea to China’s Pingyao International Film Festival (PYIFF) with his latest film, The Movie Emperor, starring Andy Lau. 

SM Entertainment has addressed a report about EXO‘s Sehun and Chanyeol signing with a different agency for their solo activities.Earlier today (October 17), South Korean news outlet SBS reported that EXO member Sehun and Chanyeol would be signing with a new agency for their solo careers. Notably, the two K-pop idols make up the boyband’s sub-unit, EXO-SC.According to SBS, the unnamed agency is reportedly founded by Jeong Hoon-tak, the former CEO of iHQ (also known as SidusHQ).

(G)I-DLE singer Soojin is reportedly preparing to make her solo debut after signing with a new agency.On October 16, South Korean news outlet SpoTV News reported that ex-(G)I-DLE member Soojin is currently “quietly preparing to make a solo comeback”, as translated by Korea JoongAng Daily.This was followed by a separate report by News1, which claimed that Soojin had signed an exclusive contract with a newly founded K-pop agency called BRD Communications.The news outlet also alleged that the singer is preparing to release music later this month under her new label. At the time of publishing, neither the singer nor the agency have commented on the reports.Soojin first made her debut in 2018 as a member of (G)I-DLE under CUBE Entertainment.

DAWN has announced that he has begun his mandatory military service and will serve as a public service worker.Under South Korean law, it is compulsory for all able-bodied male citizens to serve a military term of 18-21 months. Public service workers are assigned to public health centers, regional offices, and other government offices – men who are considered not fit enough for active duty often enlist in these roles.DAWN shared the news of his enlistment on Instagram earlier today (October 12). “I’m greeting everyone with slightly sudden news!” He wrote on his story (translated by Soompi).

LE SSERAFIM have announced their next comeback, which will be marked by the release of their first English-language single, ‘Perfect Night’.Previously, the group have only released one other song in English, with a version of the viral single ‘Eve, Psyche & The Bluebeard’s Wife’ released in the language.LE SSERAFIM will release ‘Perfect Night’ at 1pm KST (5am BST) on October 27. According to an announcement on Weverse, the track “sends an energetic message that even a not-so-perfect day can be fun when you spend it with your crew”.The single will follow the girl group’s first studio album, ‘Unforgiven’, which was released earlier this year.

Welcome to Deadline’s The Hot Ones, our guide to some of the best television being sold at Mipcom next week. Our editorial team has done extensive research in the run-up to the 2023 market and handpicked what we think are sure to be the shows that will be big talking points at this year’s event in Cannes. In between meetings and cocktail parties, you’re sure to hear whispers about the next potential global hit and The Hot Ones is here to guide you. Here’s our pick of top scripted titles headed for the Croisette.

NiziU is heading to South Korea!

“You Are What You Watch — How Movies and TV Affect Everything.” Case in point: The huge surge in archery lessons among women and girls, inspired by Katniss Everdeen’s bow-and-arrow skills in the 2014 movie “The Hunger Games.”Another prime example is the fact that after the success of “Jaws” in 1975, the shark population in the waters off the northeast United States decreased by about 50% as testosterone-fueled trophy hunters took to the sea.Across the generations, our viewing habits seep into our everyday lives — and it starts when we’re young, when the influence of characters like superheroes prove pivotal. Hickey cites one 2017 research study, wherein 180 children were given a boring, repetitive task to do.

Valerie Wu editor Elsie Choi, a film and TV development veteran who has worked for such producers as Dan Lin and Bruce Willis, has joined Los Angeles-based CJ ENM America as executive VP and head of scripted TV. CJ ENM is a South Korean entertainment company that has produced content such as Oscar-winning film “Parasite” and popular Korean fantasy drama series “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God.” Among the company’s recent productions are the romantic drama “Past Lives” with A24. It’s also the company behind the annual KCON Korean pop culture conference and concerts held in downtown Los Angeles in August.

EXCLUSIVE: Hybe America has elevated James Shin to the role of President of Film and Television for both the company and its Scooter Braun subsidiary SB Projects, where he’s worked for seven years, most recently serving as EVP, Film & Television.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Variety has been given access to the international trailer for animated film “The Peasants,” which is Poland’s entry for the international feature category of the Academy Awards. The film had its world premiere in the Special Presentation section of Toronto Film Festival last month, and screens next week at the London Film Festival.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Issues of cultural diversity, different Asian diaspora populations and the quest for the Asian cinematic identity came up for discussion on Thursday as the New Currents competition jury at the Busan International Film Festival prepared to get down to work. Filmmaker and academic Jung Sung-il, who is set as the jury president, appeared to invite a degree of dispute that might get the blood racing. “I have high hopes, hope for controversies and good conversations among the jurors,” he said in opening remarks.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “I hope we can communicate and reconcile again,” said Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon on the opening night of the South Korean city’s film festival. With so much of the dialogue in opening drama “Because I Hate Korea” discussing Korean societal rigidities, group loyalties, long working hours and poor pay (which cause the protagonist to emigrate to laid-back New Zealand), it is easy to forget that many of these characteristics are what may have saved this year’s Busan International FIlm Festival from going off the rails.

MAMAMOO‘s Hwasa over her alleged “indecent” performance.Today (October 4), the Seongdong Police Station in Seoul said it would not be referring Hwasa’s case to the prosecution, per Yonhap News Agency. It comes after the MAMAMOO singer was questioned in early-September over the alleged “indecent” performance.In July, the Student Parent’s Rights Protection Union had filed a complaint against MAMAMOO’s Hwasa over an alleged “indecent performance” the singer had staged in May at the Sungkyunkwan University Festival.At the time, the union claimed that the K-pop idol made a gesture that “suggested a perverted sexual act”, saying that that incident was “enough to bring embarrassment and shame to the public who witnessed it”.Last month, Hwasa spoke about the controversy during a guest appearance on South Korean television personality Sung Si-kyung’s YouTube channel.

K-pop group NewJeans will be releasing a song for this year’s League Of Legends World Championship.The single, titled ‘Gods’, will be released on October 4 at 6AM BST / 2PM KST. It will also launch with an animated music video from Riot Games, and NewJeans have described the song as “a new experience for all of us”.“It was fun to try a new genre and sound,” shared the group.

Showtime has set a November premiere date for comedy The Curse, starring Emma Stone, Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie. The 10-episode series will launch Friday, November 10 on streaming and on demand for Showtime and Paramount+ subscribers before making is linear debut on Showtime on Sunday, November 12 at 1 pm ET/PT. Showtime also has unveiled an expanded look at images from the series, which will have its world premiere at the 2023 New York Film Festival on Thursday, October 12, screening the first three episodes. You can see the images above and below.