NewJeans voice support for ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin

NewJeans have dropped a music video for their new Japanese single, ‘Supernatural’.The video for ‘Supernatural’ plays out like an episode of a ’90s TV series, featuring opening credits and a teaser for an upcoming episode at the end. Additionally, member Hyein, who previously sustained a foot injury, is substituted with a masked dancer during most choreography scenes.“I don’t know what we’ve done / I don’t want to go back / I already know / Don’t know what we’ve been sold / I’ll find out / So it’s sure,” the girl group sing on ‘Supernatural’.

aespa have dropped a new music video for ‘Live My Life’, a cut from their new album ‘Armageddon’.‘Live My Life’ originally appeared on aespa’s first-ever studio album, ‘Armageddon’, which was released late last month. The record was led by the single of the same name, and also includes the smash hit ‘Supernova’.“I live my life / Break out from the box that defined me / Your obvious way of thinking / I live my life / Now it truly begins, this life I’ve chosen / And I, as a main character,” the quartet sing on the pop-rock track.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent “Flow,” a director-driven animated feature which world premiered at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard and just swept three awards at Annecy Film Festival, has been embraced by a raft of major distributors in key territories, including the U.K., Japan, South Korea, Germany, Spain and Italy. The movie is represented internationally by Charades.

H1-KEY have officially released their third mini-album ‘Love or Hate’, along with a music video for title track ‘Let It Burn’.Both the record and accompanying visual were released on June 19 at 6pm KST. The latter features the four members of H1-KEY as rebellious students of a high school, as they revel in the nostalgic joys of being teenagers while embracing their defiant spirit.The song itself is “characterised by rebellious and straightforward lyrics different from past H1-KEY songs”, they said in a press conference for the release.

Kwon Eun-bi has officially dropped her second single album ‘Sabotage’, alongside a music video for its title track.The former IZ*ONE singer released both the single and accompanying visual on June 18. In the music video for ‘Sabotage’, Kwon Eun-bi is cast under a love spell by a stranger and sings of the inescapable impulse of falling hard and fast.“Boy, that is sabotage / Baby, you really know, really know, know what’s the deal / Oh, that is sabotage / This feel awakening in my deepening heart / ‘Cause when you look at me, look at me, can’t tell what’s real,” she croons on the chorus.Aside from its title track, the ‘Sabotage’ single album includes two other B-side tracks: ‘Unnatural’ and ‘Bad Blood’.

Tomorrow X Together (TXT) have announced their first-ever virtual reality concert, dubbed ‘Hyperfocus’, which will be screened from next month onwards.The band’s forthcoming VR concert is set to take place across five different cities in the US over the following months. The ‘Hyperfocus’ concert promises to “deliver an unforgettable performance that allows fans to get up close and personal” with the boyband, per Billboard.“We have been thinking about how to get closer to our fans, and this VR concert is an opportunity for us to do so,” TXT said of the forthcoming VR concert in a press statement.

Jin of K-pop boyband BTS recently surprised fans by performing an unreleased extended version of his solo song ‘Super Tuna’.Yesterday (June 13), a day after he was discharged from the military after two years, BTS’ Jin held a fanmeeting in Seoul, South Korea to commemorate the boyband’s 11th anniversary as part of their annual ‘Festa’ celebrations.During the event, the K-pop performed some of his solo tracks, including ‘The Astronaut’ and ‘Moon’ from BTS’ 2022 album ‘Proof’.

With filming set to begin in October this year, Zo In-sung, Park Jeong-min, Park Hae-joon and Nana have been confirmed as cast for Ryoo Seung-wan‘s upcoming film, HUMINT.

Jin is done with his military service!

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief A three-hour hugging marathon in Seoul, South Korea, is set to be among the first public engagements of Jin, the oldest member of K-pop supergroup BTS, after being discharged on Wednesday from his 18 months of mandatory military service. Some 1,000 fans of the pop star were chosen in a raffle. They will meet him on Thursday at this year’s BTS FESTA, an annual celebration of the band’s debut anniversary, to be held at the Seoul Sports Complex.

BTS have reunited to celebrate member Jin’s official discharge from mandatory military service earlier today (June 12).BTS singer Jin was discharged from active duty after completing his mandatory two years of military service this morning. His dismissal was attended by his bandmates – save for Suga – who are all currently still serving the South Korean military.Photos and videos published by South Korean press show the six BTS members celebrating Jin’s dismissal together with Jin holding a bouquet of flowers.

Stray Kids headline gig at BST Hyde Park.The South Korean pop group will be headlining the 2024 edition of BST Hyde Park later this summer, in what will be their only show in the UK this year. Find remaining tickets here.Their slot will take place on Sunday, July 14, and sees them close out this year’s series.

NewJeans.On June 5, ADOR said in a statement that has been “monitoring community sites to identify malicious and insulting comments as well as other defamatory acts toward NewJeans by spreading false information” and is in the process if “preparing for civil and criminal lawsuits, and other legal actions” against these commentors.“We want to make it clear that there will be no leniency or settlements in any case during this process,” the K-pop agency added, per Yonhap News Agency. “We will spare no effort in taking legal action against such postings on anonymous sites to protect the rights of the members of NewJeans,” it said.The announcement of legal action against “malicious comments” about NewJeans comes amid an increasingly heated feud between Min Hee-jin, the CEO of ADOR, and HYBE over the ownership of the K-pop agency.Last week, during a press conference, Min addressed her ongoing feud with HYBE, touching on the future of NewJeans, her alleged “betrayal” of the entertainment giant and more.

Cornerstone has closed worldwide distribution deals for Andrea Arnold’s latest feature film Bird, which debuted at last month’s Cannes Film Festival. 

NCT members Taeyong and Renjun have uploaded cryptic posts seemingly calling for fans to “boycott” the band’s new collaboration with Starbucks.The boyband’s new collaboration with Starbucks, which first hit South Korean shelves yesterday (May 30), features an array of NCT-themed merchandise, such as a drink called the Neo Cool Tasty Plum Fizzio, a Neo Croissant Tumble, a round French pastry packaged like a retro-infused vinyl album and more.“By capturing NCT’s identity, these products will offer a different kind of entertainment to those who purchase them,” SM Entertainment said of the new project in a statement.

ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin has addressed her ongoing feud with HYBE in a press conference held in Seoul, South Korea today (May 31).Min Hee-jin’s press conference today, which takes place a month after the first of such in the saga between her and HYBE, lasted a little under two hours. During the event, the ADOR CEO touched on the future of K-pop girl group NewJeans, her alleged “betrayal” of HYBE and more.In her opening statement, per Korea JoongAng Daily, Min spoke about how the period since the last press conference has been “the toughest” of her life, while thanking those who have supported and helped her.

ADOR follow a shareholders meeting, amid a prolonged feud with HYBE.Today (May 31), the board of ADOR, which is a subsidiary of entertainment giant HYBE, held its scheduled extraordinary shareholders meeting, during which it was decided that Min Hee-jin would continue on as the CEO of the K-pop agency, per Yonhap News Agency and Korea JoongAng Daily.Notably, the shareholders meeting takes place just a day after a Seoul court ruled in favour of an injunction filed by Min that prevented HYBE from exercising its voting rights to dismiss her. HYBE owns 80 per cent of ADOR, with Min Hee-jin holding a 18 per cent stake.However, according to Yonhap‘s report, two of Min’s “close aides” on the board, only identified by the publication as Shin and Kim, were dismissed and replaced by three C-suite executives officials from HYBE.

ADOR for the time being, after a court ruled in favour of her injunction to prevent HYBE from exercising its voting rights at an upcoming shareholder meeting.According to reports by Yonhap News Agency and Korea JoongAng Daily, today (May 30) the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favour of an injunction filed by ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin to prevent HYBE from dismissing her as the head of the K-pop agency.“The reasons for Min Hee-jin’s dismissal or resignation claimed by HYBE have not been sufficiently substantiated,” the court stated, per MyDaily via Soompi. “While Min Hee-jin’s actions may be considered betrayal to HYBE, it is difficult to say that they constitute actions of breach of trust in regards to ADOR.”The new ruling means that HYBE, which owns 80 per cent of ADOR, will not be able to remove Min as the CEO of the K-pop agency at an upcoming shareholder meeting tomorrow (May 31).

The Whirlwind, starring Sul Kyung-gu and Kim Hee-ae. Read on for all you need to know about the plot, cast and premiere date of The Whirlwind.According to Netflix, The Whirlwind will follow “the colossal clash between the prime minister and the deputy prime minister” of South Korea, set against a “tumultuous political landscape”.The new Netflix K-drama will star Sul Kyung-gu of A Normal Family fame as Prime Minister Park Dong-ho.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Rolling off the Cannes Film Festival where it won several awards, Mohammad Rasoulof‘s “The Seed of The Sacred Fig” has been acquired by a flurry of high profile distributors in major international territories. Films Boutique, which represents the critically acclaimed political drama globally, has sold it to Lionsgate for the U.K.