BTS’ J-hope shares farewell message ahead of military enlistment

Kai of K-pop boyband EXO is set to enlist in the military next week.The news was shared by Kai’s label SM Entertainment on May 3, announcing that the K-pop idol will enlist in the South Korean military on May 11. In accordance with South Korean law, all able-bodied men over the age of 18 are required to serve in the military for up to two years.SM Entertainment said that Kai had been preparing new music with boyband EXO, but is set to enlist early “due to a recent change in regulations of the Military Manpower Administration”, per Soompi.

Kai is preparing for mandatory military enrollment.

Tamar Herman For Suga of BTS, D-day arrives with a storm of thunder and lightning amid a purple haze. At the opening of his Agust D tour at t New York’s UBS Arena, the rain heralds a bold, and oftentimes fiery, two-hour testament to his artistry and drive. The tour kicked off on April 26 and will continue across the U.S. through May. Suga’s solo spot is the first tour by an individual member of the history-making South Korean group, and he’ll spend the rest of the spring touring across Asia.  On the second of his two nights at UBS, April 27, Suga spent his time on stage rapping, singing, and ruminating on the different facets of his career thus far: Suga of BTS, his alternate persona Agust D, and himself, Min Yunki. 

A Canadian actor has died following complications from 12 plastic surgery procedures — all because he wanted to look like K-Pop superstar Jimin from BTS.

BTS member J-Hope is reporting for military duty. The K-pop star shared a selfie showing off his new buzz cut and a message for fans as he began his 18-month mandatory military service in South Korea on Tuesday.

BTS member J-Hope is reporting for military duty. The K-pop star shared a selfie showing off his new buzz cut and a message for fans as he began his 18-month mandatory military service in South Korea on Tuesday.«I'll be back in good health,» reads the caption on his Instagram, translated from Korean. The artist, whose real name is Jung Ho-seok, follows in the footsteps of the group's eldest member, Jin, who began his military service in December. Under South Korean law, all able-bodied men are required to perform 18 to 21 months of military service.

BTS member J-Hope has only gone and joined the army. So that’s one more gone. He’ll be back in two years though, never fear.

Jungkook of K-pop boyband BTS has made a donation to support a children’s hospital in Seoul.Today (April 18), South Korean media outlets Yonhap News Agency and Korea JoongAng Daily reported that the South Korean musician artist donated ₩100billion (roughly US$750,000) to the Seoul National University Children’s Hospital.According to hospital officials, Jungkook’s donation will be aid in the funding of medical expenses for kids who come from low-income households. It will also be put towards the hospital’s comprehensive care centre plan.“I hope my donation can be a bit of a help to children in danger, and I hope children can smile happy,” Jungkook said in a press release.

Lewis Capaldi has shared a hilarious clip on Tik Tok quipping that his "15 minutes of fame are over".

BTS are set to release a new song for the upcoming South Korean animated series Bastions.Today (April 14), South Korean television network SBS released the opening title sequence for Bastions, featuring an as-yet-untitled song sung by BTS as the show’s theme song.The upcoming BTS song will be their first release as a full group since the release of their anthology album ‘Proof’ in June 2022. Since then, the members of the group have branched out into solo careers.“BTS is expected to provide an overwhelming sense of immersion to the emotions and action scenes of the series by singing the theme song in perfect harmony,” the show’s production company Timos Media said in a statement to Yonhap News Agency.In addition to BTS, K-pop groups and musicians such as LE SSERAFIM, Brave Girls, Heize, AleXa and more will feature on the soundtrack of Bastions.

Joanna Gaines took her family on a very meaningful trip. The 44-year-old Magnolia Network star and interior decorator shared touching footage from her family's recent visit to Seoul, Korea, where her mom, Nan Stevens, is from.«For years, my mother has talked about taking her three daughters to Seoul, Korea when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom.

BTS exhibition ‘Proof’ is set to open in Los Angeles this Spring, HYBE and Live Nation have announced.The ‘Proof’ exhibition is set to take place at the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica this May, following stops in the South Korean cities of Seoul and Busan last year.The upcoming exhibition will feature “an immersive visual journey that explores the members’ past, present and future through photographs, videos and experiential installations in a multi-room walkthrough experience”, per a press release, via Billboard.According to the ‘Proof’ exhibition’s official website, registration for ticket access is open now until April 17 at 11:59pm PT. The website states that all who register will be “equally eligible to participate in the onsale”.“However, if demand for tickets exceeds supply, visitors will be randomly selected to participate in the sale,” it adds.

Ravi is leaving VIXX.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief A growing range of Thai, Japanese and Chinese-language films and TV shows are reaching global audiences – joining the by-now well-established international viewership for South Korean shows.Netflix’s Global Top 10 for the week April 3-10, sees made-for-streaming Korean title “Kill Boksoon” on top of the non-English-language films list, with 27.5 million hours watched in its second week of release. It is immediately followed by Thai film “Hunger,” about a young woman apprentice in an upmarket restaurant working under a tough boss. The film is directed by Sitisiri Mongkolsiri and stars “Bad Genius” breakout Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying.

VIXX rapper Ravi has left the K-pop boyband following his trial for alleged evasion of military service.In January 2023, a South Korean broker claimed that he had helped an idol rapper falsify an epilepsy diagnosis to attain an IV grade in his health evaluation for military service, allowing him to receive an exemption from active duty.In the same month, Ravi was identified by prosecutors as a possible client of the broker, per The Korea Times. Following the news reports, Ravi’s agency GROOVL1N said that it was “closely examining the truth about the situation”.

On April 21, BTS' Suga will release D-DAY, his new album and third full-length project under his rap alias of Agust D. The tracklist emerged this weekend, and an unexpected featured artist pops up on "Snooze," the ninth song: Ryuichi Sakamoto, the Japanese composer who died on March 28.

Kakao has been raided by South Korean authorities over allegations that it was involved in stock manipulation over its purchase of SM Entertainment shares.According to a report by English South Korean publication Korea JoongAng Daily, about 40 prosecutors and investigators from the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) – the East Asian country’s financial regulator – had confiscated data from Kakao’s office in the city of Pangyo in relation to its stock trading activity from February 2023.“The special judicial police at the FSS is presently in the process of investigating if the sale of SM shares is in violation of the Capital Markets Act under guidance from the prosecution,” an FSS spokesperson said in a statement to South Korean press, per Korea JoongAng Daily.“The team is looking into whether there was artificial engagement to sway share prices in a certain direction,” they added.Per The Korea Herald, Kakao are reportedly under investigation for allegedly artificially inflating the stock price of SM Entertainment in an attempt to block HYBE from taking control of the K-pop agency.Back in February, HYBE had launched a tender offer to buy up to 25 per cent of SM Entertainment for ₩150,000 per share. However, HYBE had only been able to acquire 0.98 per cent through that offer, per The Korea Herald.Around the same time, HYBE had submitted a petition to the FSS over an “abnormal” 2.9 per cent purchase of SM Entertainment stocks that had been transacted through a IBK Securities’ branch in Pangyo, according to Korea JoongAng Daily.Kakao has yet to comment on the situation. NME has reached out for comment.Meanwhile, HYBE has since dropped its bid to acquire SM Entertainment following a discussion with Kakao.

APPOINTMENTSBeatport Group has appointed Sofia Ilyas to the newly created role of Chief Community Officer. In that job she will “oversee the company’s diversity, inclusion and social action efforts” and also “head corporate communications, set the strategy for emerging growth markets and manage the company’s numerous partnerships with DJ and producer community organisations around the world”.The UK’s Entertainment Agents’ Association has a new President, Paul Winteridge from Exeter-based agency the Vern Allen Group. Says he: “It is with pride and excitement that I take on the role of President in what continues to be a difficult time for live entertainment.

BTS member Suga and South Korean singer IU are set to release a brand-new collaboration, titled ‘People Pt. 2’.Today (April 5), the K-pop idol announced the upcoming collaboration through the official BTS Twitter account. ‘People Pt.

Jinyoung is set to enlist into the South Korean military next month.Today (April 5), South Korean news outlet JTBC reported that the GOT7 member has received his military enlistment notice and would begin his mandatory service in May, adding that the K-pop idol would serve as an active-duty soldier.The report has since been confirmed by Jinyoung’s agency BH Entertainment. In a statement to South Korean media, BH Entertainment said that the K-pop idol “will receive basic military training at the training center [starting] on Monday, May 8 and fulfill his military duty as an active-duty soldier”, per Osen, as translated by Soompi.Jinyoung will be the second member of GOT7 to enlist in the South Korean military, following leader JAY B in February.