K-pop Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

SEVENTEEN have announced their first-ever compilation album, titled ’17 Is Right Here’, due out later this month.The K-pop boyband first announce ’17 Is Right Here’ at the end of their ‘Follow Again’ encore concerts in Incheon this past weekend (March 30 and 31) to fans in attendance. Teaser for the upcoming album was shared by their label Pledis Entertainment shortly after.The teaser was designed and animated by artist Max Dalton, and included re-creations and illustrations of SEVENTEEN’s past albums as a callback to their discography.

Uncle Samsik, starring Song Kang-ho. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the new series.The new K-drama, set in the 1960s, will follow the story of Kim San, a bright and ambitious man who has dreams of turning South Korea into a modern, industrial nation.Kim San’s ambitions soon attracts the attention of Uncle Samsik, a shady fixer who takes whatever steps necessary to help accomplish his goals.

Highlight have regained the trademark rights to their original name, BEAST.Highlight’s label, Around Us Entertainment, announced today (April 2) that the boyband have reclaimed the trademark rights to their original name, BEAST. The group originally debuted in 2019 under the name BEAST, before changing it to Highlight in 2016 after leaving CUBE Entertainment.In a statement to South Korean news outlet eDaily, Around Us Entertainment said that it has “smoothly completed the mutual agreement regarding the use of the trademark for BEAST”, per Soompi. However, the quartet will continue their activities under the name Highlight.“Regardless of the group name they promote under, it feels new to be able to showcase the group name BEAST,” it added.

NME also previously spotted social media accounts for a potential Waterbomb Festival Singapore back in March.

aespa singer Karina and South Korean actor Lee Jae-wook have broken up, their agencies have confirmed.Today (April 2), South Korean news outlet TenAsia reported that aespa’s Karina and Lee Jae-wook have broken up, just a little over a month after the pair went public with their relationship in late-February 2024.In response to the report, a representative from Lee’s agency C-JeS Studios confirmed that the pair have “decided on the breakup in order to focus on the project he is currently filming”, per Newsen via Soompi.“The two decided to remain as colleagues who support each other,” the entertainment agency added. “They will each greet [fans] through good activities from their respective positions going forward.

GOT7 singer BamBam has teased new music from the boyband, revealing that “all the songs are done”.GOT7’s BamBam recently appeared on popular Thai YouTube channel WOODY, where he spoke about a potential reunion for the boyband and what fans could expect in the future.The K-pop idol touched on the pressure he and the rest of the band feel when fans ask for a full group comeback, saying that “it would be about whether we’d be able to fulfil our promise to our fans or not”.“We wanted to come back at [a specific] time, so we kept them waiting, which is just the pressure on ourselves about the timing,” he explained. “As for returning with seven people, I think it’s not too much pressure because every one of us would love to come back as seven people.”However, BamBam mentioned that seeing as two GOT7 members are currently enlisted for South Korea’s mandatory military service – JAY B and Jinyoung – the group will have to wait until they return before they can release new music together.That being said, BamBam did reassure fans that preparations are already underwar for a GOT7 comeback.

Tomorrow X Together (TXT) have released their sixth mini-album ‘minisode 3: Tomorrow’, alongside a music video for its lead single ‘Deja Vu’.‘minisode 3: Tomorrow’ was released today (April 1) at 6pm KST. The accompanying music video for ‘Deja Vu’ features the five members of TXT caught in different, trippy dimensions, yet still connected through their relationships with each other.“I remember the answer I finally found / My future is you / Say my name, I’ll hug you, as promised on the first day / Like deja vu, you’re like deja vu,” they belt on the song’s affecting chorus.‘minisode 3: Tomorrow’ is the third installation in the boyband’s ongoing ‘minisode’ series of mini-albums.

Reports of their break-up first surfaced on March 30, which was then confirmed by Ryu’s representation at C-JeS Studio that same day in a brief statement. Later, Han’s label 9ato Entertainment published a more detailed statement explaining the circumstances behind their decision to part ways.“[Han So-hee and Ryu Jun-yeol] both found their roles as actors to be more important.

T-ARA singer Areum has addressed her recent suicide attempt and subsequent hospitalisation on Instagram.On March 27, South Korean media reported that Areum had been taken to a hospital after attempting to take her own life. The news came a day after Areum accused her ex-husband, businessman Kim Young-gul, of being physically and emotionally abusive towards her and her children.On March 29, Areum took to her Instagram to post a picture of herself on a hospital bed, accompanied with a caption addressing her attempt and her recovery, saying that “the hospital said it was a miracle I survived”.“I remembered my loved ones, children, family and friends at the brink of death,” she wrote, per Korea JoongAng Daily. “After realising I might never see them again, I desperately wanted to live, so I held on and regained consciousness.”In the same post, Areum also addressed several accusations a South Korean YouTuber had levied against her and her current partner, which included soliciting money from her Instagram followers for a prior hospital treatment, unrelated to the suicide attempt.“What this YouTuber has said is not true,” Areum wrote.

MAMAMOO singer Hwasa has announced her upcoming 2024 ‘Twits’ solo fancon tour, with concerts in Taiwan, Singapore and more.Today (April 1), MAMAMOO’s Hwasa announced the first batch of dates for her ‘Twits’ solo fancon tour. Notably, the tour is named after the K-pop idol’s fandom name Twits, which in turn was inspired by her 2019 solo debut single ‘Twit’.Hwasa’s new tour will kick off on May 11 with a concert in Hong Kong, followed by shows in Taipei and Singapore in June 2024.

BoA has responded to negative comments she has been receiving regarding her appearance, telling commenters to “stop wasting your time”.BoA has been the subject of criticism online recently regarding what netizens claim to be a ostensible change in the singer’s appearance, which first began when she made an appearance on the K-drama Marry My Husband.Such comments resurfaced again when she posted a TikTok on March 27 of herself dancing to the chorus of her latest single, ‘Emptiness’.

B.I has announced the Asia dates for the concerts on his upcoming 2024 ‘Hype Up’ tour.Over the weekend on March 30, B.I revealed the first batch of dates for his upcoming 2024 ‘Hype Up’ tour, which will kick off this May with concerts across six Asian cities.B.I will embark on his newly announced tour on May 24 with a show in Hong Kong. Thereafter, the singer will perform concerts in Bangkok, Singapore, Manila and Jakarta in June, followed by a Macau show in July.According to the poster for the 2024 ‘Hype Up’ tour, more cities and dates will be announced soon.

SHINee singer Taemin has officially signed with Big Planet Made, shortly after leaving longtime agency SM Entertainment.Big Planet Made announced today (April 1) in a statement to South Korean outlet Star News that the company has “signed an exclusive contract with singer Taemin, who is unparalleled in his activities both as SHINee’s main dancer and as a solo artist”, per Soompi. “We will actively support Taemin’s wide range of activities in his music career, and we will do our utmost so that he can soar in broader places and in a variety of directions.

Rina Sawayama and YOASOBI are set to join NewJeans at their two-date fan meeting in Tokyo in June.It was announced earlier this week that the two-day fan-meet concert, called the ‘Bunnies Camp 2024’, will take place on June 26 and 27 at the Tokyo Dome.And now, a poster for the shows has revealed that YOASOBI and Sawayama will be part of the shows, as “special guest appearances”.NewJeans Fan Meeting 'Bunnies Camp 2024 Tokyo Dome'

Tori Kelly has spoken to NME about her fifth studio album ‘TORI’, saying that she finally feels like she is “owning [her] craft” and living her dreams.Last Friday (March 22), the California singer-songwriter was in London working on the soundtrack for a popular TV show, which has yet to be disclosed to the public. Speaking to NME, she reminisced on the fact that four years to the day, she was in the capital for the UK leg of what was supposed to be her first-ever world tour.

Celeb Confirmed.Following the Seoul shows, the remaining four member of VANNER will host concerts in the East Asia cities of Taipei, Tokyo and Hong Kong in May and July 2024. More information about the concerts, including venue and ticketing details, are expected in the coming weeks.Meanwhile, tickets to the Seoul dates of VANNER’s 2024 ‘The Flag: A to V’ tour are on sale now from the official Yes24 website.

Queen of Tears.Today (March 27), Hankook Ilbo via The Korea Times reported that Kim Soo-hyun was paid about KRW300million per episode of his new K-drama series, Queen of Tears. That comes to a total of about KRW5billion over the show’s 16-episode run.According to the news outlet, the actor’s salary for the new K-drama is lower than the KRW500million he was reportedly paid for the 2021 series One Ordinary Day.

XG have announced an upcoming new single titled ‘Woke Up’, due out in May.XG announced the new song via their social media channels earlier today (March 27), revealing its title, format, release date and cover art. Titled ‘Woke Up’, the new track will be released on May 21 both physically and on digital platforms.Meanwhile, the cover art features a close-up shot of someone’s lips with black lipstick, along with silver grills designed to look like the girl group’s official logo.

Physical: 100 is currently airing on Netflix – read on for updates on both eliminated and remaining contestants on the show.Physical: 100 brings 100 individuals from various athletic backgrounds and pits them against one another in gruelling tests of physical ability – from strength and balance to endurance and strategy.The show was created by reality show producer Jang Ho-gi, and made its debut on Netflix in January 2023 to great fanfare.

Physical: 100 has become the most-watched reality show on the streaming service this week.According to data shared by Netflix, Physical:100 season two was the most viewed non-English show for the week of March 18 to 24, logging 6.1million views with 25.3million hours viewed. Notably, the new season of the Korean reality show topped the list just over a week after it premiered on March 19.Season two of Physical: 100 is also notably the most-watched reality show and the fourth most-watched series overall on the streamer this week.

HYBE, home to K-pop juggernauts BTS, have inked a new 10-year “global alliance” with Universal Music Group (UMG).HYBE – also home to other K-pop groups such as SEVENTEEN, NewJeans and more – announced an expanded agreement with UMG. The new deal will give UMG “exclusive distribution rights” to HYBE releases for the next 10 years, while HYBE’s roster of artists will have access to the former’s “global network”.The new agreement will also see UMG further working with HYBE’s fan platform Weverse, in order to “[bring] more of a direct connection between UMG artists and their fandom[s]”.

T-ARA singer Areum has reportedly been hospitalised after a suicide attempt.South Korean news outlet Osen (via journalist Jeff Benjamin) reported that Areum had been taken to a hospital after attempting to take her own life in the early morning of March 27. The publication also reported that the singer has yet to regain consciousness and had left a suicide note.The news comes just a day after Areum accused her ex-husband, businessman Kim Young-gul, of being physically and emotionally abusive towards the singer and her children in a post on Instagram.

NewJeans have made a surprise announcement of two new single albums and a 2025 world tour – find all details below.The K-pop girl group have been teasing new music since the beginning of this month, and have unveiled not one, but two new single albums. NewJeans shared the announcement via their app Phoning, where they revealed the first single album will drop on May 24, and then on June 21.The first single album will be called ‘How Sweet’ and will feature its title track and another song called ‘Bubble Gum’.

mimiirose are set to make their return to music under new management later this year.Today (March 26), K-pop agency Pocket7 Entertainment announced that all five original members of mimiirose have signed a new exclusive contract with the company. This comes months after the quintet left YES IM Entertainment, following fraud allegations against its CEO Im Chang jung.“We are glad to welcome mimiirose, a group with a very unique and original music style, as the first new family members under the company,” Pocket7 Entertainment said in a statement to Korea JoongAng Daily.

Epik High member Tablo has announced his brand-new solo single ‘1000 Years’, featuring Taiwanese musician J.Sheon.Earlier today (March 26), Epik High’s Tablo released a teaser for the upcoming music video for ‘1000 Years’, a collaboration with J.Sheon. The clip features a soothing piano melody and follows several characters as they try to chase down others.Over on X (formerly Twitter), the Korean-American rapper also revealed that ‘1000 Years’ will be performed in English and Mandarin and shared that the song will “speak to anyone who has experienced heartbreak”.

NCT Dream have released their brand-new mini-album ‘Dream( )scape’, which dropped alongside a music video for title track ‘Smoothie’.In the trippy music video for ‘Smoothie’, members of the boyband wield swords while slicing up giant fruits. Other scenes in the clip also feature various fruit-inspired visuals, alongside thrilling action scenes and more.“Smoothie Smoothie Smoothie, shake it all out and grind it / Smoothie Smoothie Smoothie, Smoothie Smoothie Smoothie / Dirty taste, take it,” the band rap on the new song’s chorus.‘Dream( )scape’ marks NCT Dream’s seventh mini-album and features six new tracks: ‘icantfeelanything’, ‘Smoothie’, ‘Box’, ‘Carat Cake’, ‘Unknown’ and ‘Breathing’.NCT Dream are set to embark on a world tour in support of their new mini-album.

Pyramid Game‘s growing popularity.Pyramid Game follows the lives of students at the fictional Baekyeon Girls’ High School, where every month they cast a vote in a popularity poll that will subsequently sort them into ranks. The system establishes the school’s hierarchy, leaving those at the bottom vulnerable to physical, verbal and psychological abuse from classmates.The K-drama, which premiered in late February, has caused concern among teaching staff in South Korea that children may begin emulating the show due to its growing popularity, which includes depictions of school violence and bullying.South Korean news outlet Chosun Ilbo reported on March 22 that several elementary and middle schools across the country, mainly in the city of Jeonju, issued letters to students and parents in order to “prevent the spread of Pyramid Game” among cohorts in school.In the letter, the institutions also advised parents to guide their children accordingly.

YG Entertainment has refuted reports that it spent US$30million on BLACKPINK‘s contract renewals.According to a business report released by the company on March 22, YG Entertainment had stated a KRW41.2billion (about US$30million) sum for intangible assets last year.Per Korea JoongAng Daily, this is an accounting practice commonly used by music labels in South Korea when funds are needed for contract renewals. Of note, last year YG Entertainment had secured the contract renewal of K-pop girl group BLACKPINK for group activities, following a months-long negotiation process.However, YG Entertainment has since denied that all the funds were used for that purpose, in a statement to Korea JoongAng Daily. “There were various other contract renewals as well as new contracts formed over various intellectual property,” a YG Entertainment spokesperson said.The label added that it “cannot disclose the contract details”, but noted that “the amount in question cannot be considered exclusive to BLACKPINK’s contract extension”.In the same report, Korea JoongAng Daily also noted that YG Entertainment said that it is “planning” for group activities from BLACKPINK.

Queen of Tears star Kim Soo-hyun has denied dating rumours with controversial actress Kim Sae-ron in a statement.On the morning of March 24, Kim Sae-ron took to her Instagram Stories to post a selfie of herself and Kim Soo-hyun. The post was taken down shortly after it was uploaded, however fans were quick to spot the photo and it was reposted on social media soon after.Following the post, rumours about a romantic relationship between the two actors quickly spread online.

EXO singer D.O. – real name Doh Kyung-soo – has announced his upcoming 2024 ‘Bloom’ fan concert tour of Asia.Today (March 25), EXO’s D.O.

Tyla has revealed that she’s currently in talks to potentially collaborate with BLACKPINK‘s Lisa on a new song.Last week, the ‘Water’ singer took to her Instagram Stories to post a video of herself and the Thai K-pop idol vibing to ‘Art’, a cut from her newly released eponymous debut album. She captioned the post with: “sweetest gorllll, played her some of my favourite songs on the album… Definitely a LISA x TYLA collab down the line.”Following the Instagram Story post, Tyla has since confirmed to Reuters, during an interview in support of her new record, that she and Lisa are currently discussing a potential collaboration.

ILLIT have dropped a teaser for the music video of their upcoming debut single, ‘Magnetic’.ILLIT’s label Belift Lab, a subsidiary of HYBE, shared the clip yesterday (March 21). The teaser is formatted vertically for mobile phone screens, and feature silhouettes of the ILLIT members performing the choreography to ‘Magnetic’.“This time I want you, you, you, you, like it’s magnetic / You, you, you, you, you, you, you, super attraction,” the new K-pop girl group sing on the song’s upbeat chorus.ILLIT – comprising Wonhee, Minju, Iroha, Moka and Yunah – were formed through the JTBC reality TV series R U Next?. The girl group will be the second K-pop act to debut under Belift Lab, following boyband ENHYPEN.The quintet will release their debut mini-album ‘Super Real Me’ on March 25.

(G)I-DLE vocalist Yuqi will make her official Korean solo debut in April, her agency CUBE Entertainment has announced.CUBE Entertainment announced Yuqi’s upcoming solo debut today (March 22) in a statement to South Korean news outlet XSports News. “Yuqi plans to release a solo single in April and promote it on music broadcasts,” the label shared, per Soompi.Information about the (G)I-DLE member’s upcoming solo debut, including the release’s format, tracklist and more, is expected in the coming weeks.

Resident Playbook, a spin-off of the popular Hospital Playlist, has been postponed into the second half of 2024.South Korean news outlet OSEN reported yesterday (March 21) that the premiere of Resident Playbook would be moved to the second-half of 2024. The show was previously scheduled to begin airing on May 11, following the finale of K-drama Queen of Tears, which will wrap up on April 28.OSEN also claimed that a separate series titled The Midnight Romance in Hagwon, starring Wi Ha-joon and Jung Ryeo-won, will have its broadcast moved up to fill Resident Playbook‘s original spot.The report has since been confirmed by tvN.

BoA has shared a new teaser for her new single ‘Emptiness’, which will be released next week.BoA dropped the teaser yesterday (March 21), which included snippets from its accompanying music video and of the song itself. The clip starts with a shot of BoA lying on her bed, before she sits up and flashes of a mysterious man play before it concludes.‘Emptiness’ and its music video are both due out next week on March 26 at 6pm KST.