Woody shares photo with Kim Gun-mo, fans note singer’s frail appearanceSinger-songwriter Woody has expressed admiration for veteran singer Kim Gun-mo, drawing fresh public attention to the latter’s recent comeback and noticeably thinner appearance. Woody posted a photo on social media with the caption, “My hero, my idol,” alongside a picture of himself sitting next to Kim. In the image, the two smile gently at the camera, though Kim’s visibly slimmer figure has sparked curiosity and concern among fans. Woody and Kim previously belonged to the same agency, and in May last year, Woody released a remake of Kim’s song “Sadder Than Yesterday,” offering a modern tribute to the original. Kim, once one of Korea’s most beloved pop singers, was accused in 2019 of sexually assaulting a female hostess at a bar in Seoul’s Gangnam District. He was cleared of all charges in 2022. Since then, he has remained largely away from the spotlight. In September last year, Kim launched a nationwide concert tour starting in Busan, marking his first public concert in six years. His return has prompted a wave of encouragement from fans and fellow musicians. Jazz pianiNov 17, 2025By Hankookilbo
Can NewJeans return to the top in a K-pop battlefield tougher than ever?With all five NewJeans members expressing their intention to return to Ador, fans are now asking the big question dominating the K-pop industry: Can the group reclaim the top position they once held before a year of legal battles, press conferences and political hearings derailed their momentum? The quintet’s return comes exactly one year after they announced the termination of their exclusive contracts in November 2024. Although Haerin and Hyein have formally resumed activities with Ador, the other three members — Minji, Hanni and Danielle — have only declared their intention to return, and final agreements with the label have not yet been completed. Still, the news has been welcomed by many fans as a sign that the group may finally step back onto the stage after shedding the stigma of being labeled “the lawsuit idols.” Ador previously revealed that it had continued preparing a full-length NewJeans album while the legal dispute unfolded, raising expectations that a comeback may follow once the internal negotiations are settled. Rebuilding after image damage Over the past year,Nov 15, 2025By Xportsnews
K-pop showdown at HYBE: Why Le Sserafim fans are furious over NewJeans comebackTensions inside the HYBE fandom ecosystem are intensifying as a group of Le Sserafim fans staged a truck protest outside the entertainment company’s Yongsan headquarters, demanding that the group be completely separated from NewJeans amid lingering disputes and long-running fan wars. On Friday, several LED protest trucks appeared in front of HYBE’s building with sharply worded messages such as “Separate the real victim Le Sserafim from the real perpetrator,” “HYBE must take legal action against the barrage of hate comments from the attacking fandom,” and “The debut order delayed by your executive — why blame Le Sserafim? This is real workplace bullying.” One truck also displayed, “NewJeans spread false claims even in court — HYBE must separate them.” Le Sserafim is managed by Source Music, a label under HYBE. NewJeans is under Ador, another HYBE subsidiary. The latest backlash comes after NewJeans members announced their return to Ador this week, reigniting anger among Le Sserafim fans who argue that their artists have faced unfair hostility due to disputes unreNov 15, 2025By Xportsnews
Singer-actor Yim Si-wan to make solo debutSinger-actor Yim Si-wan will debut as a solo artist next month with his first EP, "The Reason," his agency, SMArt, said Friday. Set for release on Dec. 5, the EP features five tracks of varied moods, including the lead single of the same title. Other details of the album have yet to be disclosed. Yim, who debuted as a member of the K-pop boy band ZE:A in January 2010, has since built a versatile acting career through prominent roles in TV dramas and films, such as "The Attorney" (2013), "Misaeng: Incomplete Life" (2014), and Netflix's "Squid Game" Season 2 (2024) and Season 3 (2025). According to SMArt, the upcoming album "captures Yim's previously unreleased musical tastes and delicate sensibility, offering listeners a new side of him as a solo artist."Nov 14, 2025By Yonhap
All NewJeans members did not file appeal in exclusive contracts case: sourcesAll five members of the girl group NewJeans have not challenged a court ruling that upheld the validity of their exclusive contracts with their management agency, industry sources said Friday. The members — Haerin, Hyein, Minji, Danielle and Hanni — did not file an appeal by the midnight deadline, effectively finalizing the lower court's decision, according to the sources. The K-pop quintet had clashed with the agency since Min Hee-jin was dismissed as CEO of Ador in August last year, demanding her reinstatement. In November 2024, they announced they would terminate their exclusive contracts with Ador, sparking legal disputes. Last month, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of Ador, determining that the group's contracts with the agency remain legally binding. Following the ruling, Ador announced Wednesday that Haerin and Hyein would return to the agency. Soon after, Minji, Hanni and Danielle also announced they intended to return, signaling that all members would rejoin the agency. Ador said Thursday it was coordinating individual meeting schedules with each member and plNov 14, 2025By Yonhap
Cha Eun-woo stays active during military service with new solo release ‘ELSE’Actor-singer Cha Eun-woo is maintaining a strong presence even during his mandatory military service, preparing to release his second solo mini album “ELSE” later this month and unveiling multiple music videos. Cha enlisted at the Army Training Center in July and, after completing basic training, has been serving in the military band. His expected discharge date is Jan. 27, 2027. Before enlisting, he told fans, “My album, film and drama projects will all be released. Please don’t forget me.” As promised, Cha is gearing up to release new music with “ELSE.” On Thursday, he also posted a teaser image announcing the upcoming music video for “Sweet Papaya,” one of the album’s tracks. According to the schedule, the video teaser will drop on Nov. 26, followed by the full music video on Nov. 28. Cha prepared two music videos in total: the title track “Saturday Preacher,” which will be released the same day as the album, and “Sweet Papaya,” which offers a completely contrasting mood. The preproduced content is expected to keep global fans engaged even during his serviNov 14, 2025By Hankookilbo
Back at ADOR, what’s next for NewJeans without Min Hee-jin?All five members of NewJeans have announced their return to ADOR, drawing keen attention to what lies ahead for the group as they proceed without Min Hee-jin, the creative force who shaped their debut, image and sound. Industry observers say "NewJeans without Min" will inevitably differ from the version that had dominated K-pop since 2022. NewJeans rose to instant prominence under Min’s meticulous direction, blending retro, hip-hop and R&B influences into a fresh K-pop identity. Beyond their hit singles, the group was widely praised for the high quality of their B-side tracks. Min spearheaded not only music production but also choreography, fashion and promotion, making her vision inseparable from NewJeans’ early identity. Her departure — and NewJeans’ return to ADOR — leaves many questioning how the group’s concept will shift. After Min stepped down, HYBE, the parent group of ADOR, appointed Kim Joo-young, its former chief human resources officer, as ADOR’s CEO before replacing her with Lee Do-kyung, a former deputy head of HYBE’s IPX division. Most of Min’s creative tNov 14, 2025By Hankookilbo
Dream concert organizer files complaint against nCH Entertainment over interferenceThe Korea Entertainment Producers' Association (KEPA) has filed a criminal complaint against nCH Entertainment, accusing the agency of spreading false information and deliberately obstructing preparations for the upcoming "Dream Concert in Hong Kong." In a statement released Thursday, KEPA said it had identified “clear indications” that the agency had attempted to disrupt the event, which is scheduled for Feb. 6–7 at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park. “During preparations for ‘Dream Concert in Hong Kong,’ we confirmed that nCH Entertainment engaged in the dissemination of false information, made threats and intentionally interfered with the production process,” KEPA said. “These actions pose serious harm to the stability of event preparations and the reputation of participating artists and partner companies.” The association said it has already submitted a criminal complaint, along with supporting evidence, to Gangnam Police Station. It added that it will cooperate fully with the investigation and pursue legal action to clarify the facts and determine responsibility. KENov 14, 2025By Hankookilbo
Saja Boys from ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ move to launch real-world music activitiesThe boy group Saja Boys, which gained popularity in the Netflix animated film “KPop Demon Hunters,” is expanding its presence into the real world with official music activities. The Federation of Korean Music Performers (FKMP) said on Thursday that “all five vocal artists of Saja Boys have recently joined as members.” The newly registered performers are Danny Chung and samUIL Lee, who join existing members Andrew Choi, Neckwav and Kevin Woo. They are the singers behind the boy group featured in “KPop Demon Hunters.” Andrew Choi, who finished third on SBS' “K-pop Star Season 2,” has since built a reputation as a skilled producer, creating hit songs for K-pop groups such as SHINee, EXO and NCT. Kevin Woo, formerly of U-KISS, has been active in solo projects, musicals and various stage performances. Other members also work across fields including production, vocal performance and songwriting. Their FKMP membership is notable because these artists primarily work overseas, yet they voluntarily chose to participate in Korea’s related rights system. This reflects growing globaNov 13, 2025By Hankookilbo
Ex-Ador chief says she respects NewJeans' decision to return to their agencyMin Hee-jin, former chief executive of girl group NewJeans' agency Ador, said Thursday she supports the members' decision to return to the company after a yearlong contract dispute. "The decision the members made yesterday to return together must have come after deep thought and discussion," Min said in a statement. "I respect and support that choice." Ador announced Wednesday that members Haerin and Hyein of the popular K-pop quintet would rejoin the agency. Soon after, Minji, Hanni, and Danielle also declared their intention to return, signaling that all members would rejoin the agency. The members had clashed with the agency since Min was dismissed as CEO in August last year, demanding her reinstatement. In November 2024, they announced they would terminate their exclusive contracts with Ador, sparking legal disputes. "I can start anew anywhere, but under any circumstances, NewJeans must remain whole as five members," Min said. "I hope the members continue to grow into a better NewJeans, and above all, that each of them will be happy."Nov 13, 2025By Yonhap
