The Most Popular NCT Members, Ranked by Lowest to Highest Following

Alex Ritman Banijay has acquired the format rights to “Alumni Lovers,” the school reunion dating show from MBC that first launched in South Korea last December. In a deal to be formerly announced by its global head of acquisitions Helen Greaterox at an MIPTV panel later on Monday, the French TV giant will launch the format in Netherlands via its SimpelZodiak label and France through Endemol France.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Oscar-winning Japanese animation film “The Boy and the Heron” earned a chart-topping $34.9 million between Friday and Sunday at the mainland China box office. Over its full five-day opening run, it took an even more spectacular $73 million. China was the last major territory to play the Studio Ghibli-produced fantasy in cinemas – it released in its native Japan in July and is imminently headed to streaming in many other territories – but that did not stop Chinese audiences from lapping it up. While most films release in China on a Friday, “The Boy and the Heron” was given a Wednesday outing in order to capture momentum from the Thursday-to-Saturday Qingming public holiday. Consultancy firm Artisan reports that it earned RMB248 million ($34.9 million) over the conventional Friday-to-Sunday weekend.

Emiliano De Pablos Spain’s film and TV industries are in their second wave as standout content providers for global streamers. Some of the country’s most intriguing titles will take the international stage this weekend at MipTV in Cannes. Built on a foundation of hits such as “The Red Band Society,” “Grand Hotel,” “Velvet” and “Locked Up,” a new era of internationally renowned content creation in Spain kicked off in 2018 with Alex Pina’s blockbuster series “Money Heist,” picked up by Netflix.

K-pop girl group LE SSERAFIM as “Friends of the NBA” in Asia as part of a new multi-year collaboration.The “Friends of the NBA” programme is described by the association as “the league’s celebrity and influencer programme in Asia to engage fans in new and creative ways”, per a press statement released today (April 5).Billed as a “celebration of the intersection of sports and music”, the programme will see LE SSERAFIM attend NBA games and events, collaborate with the association on “a variety of exclusive content” to be featured on both parties’ social media channels, participate in promotional activities for the league and more.In the same press release, LE SSERAFIM spoke of the newly established collaboration in a joint statement: “We are so excited to collaborate with the NBA through its ‘Friends of the NBA’ program. We had a great time watching an NBA game in person last year in LA! We look forward to working together with the league to experience so much more with NBA fans around the world.”Meanwhile, NBA chief marketing officer Tammy Henault also said, “We’re thrilled to team up with breakout K-pop sensation LE SSERAFIM, a young and dynamic group of NBA fans.

Later this month, acclaimed South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook (“Decision To Leave”) returns to the world of genre with the Max series “The Sympathizer,” which focuses on a Vietnamese double agent operating on U.S. soil.

Big Bang star G-Dragon will be releasing new music sometime in the second half of the year, his label has confirmed.His label Galaxy Corporation announced that G-Dragon would be making his long-awaited comeback “in the second half of this year”, in a statement to South Korean news outlet News1 earlier today (April 3).“After making his comeback, he will be carrying out global activities, and activities in Japan are also planned as part of them,” Galaxy Corporation added in its statement, via Soompi. G-dragon’s forthcoming comeback will be his first solo release in about seven years, since he released his self-titled EP ‘Kwon Ji-yong’ in 2017.

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.

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.

K-Pop is going stronger than ever!

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.

Netflix reality series Physical: 100.Created by producer Jang Ho-gi, the South Korean series brings together 100 individuals from various athletic backgrounds and pits them against one another in tests of strength, balance, agility, endurance and strategy.The first season was released on Netflix across January and February last year. A second season, set in a giant underground mine, kicked off in March 2024.The final two episodes will be released on Tuesday April 2 on Netflix.

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.

Netflix's hit show Squid Games is well-known across the world wit everyone now waiting for its second series. Thankfully to help fill the void until then, Squid Game: The Challenge was released which was also a hit success.

BM of K-pop group KARD has announced his upcoming 2024 ‘After the After Party’ tour.Today (March 19), KARD’s BM and tour organiser Konnect’d Entertainment revealed that the K-pop idol is set to go on his first solo tour of the US, titled ‘After the After Party’.According to the announcement the rapper will embark on his tour this May. Information about the tour, including cities, dates, venues, ticketing and more is expected in the coming weeks.

NCT leader Taeyong will be enlisting for two years of mandatory military service next month, SM Entertainment has confirmed.The singer’s label made the announcement today (March 18) in a statement to South Korean news outlet Newsen. “NCT’s Taeyong is enlisting in the navy as an active duty soldier on April 15,” SM Entertainment said, as translated by Soompi. “There will be no official events held on the day he enters the recruit training centre, and we ask for your understanding as his enlistment will be held privately to prevent safety incidents due to congestion on site,” the label added.

Glastonbury has unveiled the line-up for its 2024 edition, with boyband SEVENTEEN set to be the first K-pop act to perform at the festival.Today (March 14), the iconic UK music festival announced its much-anticipated line-up for the upcoming 2024 edition, which will be held from June 26 to 30 this year at Worthy Farm in Pilton, England. Glastonbury 2024 will be headlined by Dua Lipa, Coldplay, SZA and Shania Twain.Also on the bill for the main Pyramid Stage are South Korean boyband SEVENTEEN, who will become the first-ever K-pop act to perform at the iconic UK music festival.

EXCLUSIVE: America’s undiscovered K-pop stars are getting their shot at fame.

NCT member Lucas Wong has announced his debut solo single, titled ‘Renegade’.Lucas’ new single was announced today (March 11) through the singer’s official social media accounts. According to a teaser image for the release, ‘Renegade’ will drop on April 1 at 6pm KST.‘Renegade’ will feature three English tracks, with label SM Entertainment describing the title track as a “rock-based hip-hop song that embodies the ambition to pursue one’s own path without hesitation, embracing change for a better direction and a stronger inner self”.LUCAS 루카스 The 1st Single 〖Renegade〗 ➫ 2024.4.1 6PM KST#LUCAS #루카스 #Renegade #LUCAS_Renegade pic.twitter.com/kzkTWFPeoK— LUCAS (@lucas_official) March 10, 2024루카스 첫 싱글 ‘Renegade’ 4월 1일 오후 6시 발매! 오늘부터 예판 시작동명의 타이틀 곡 ‘Renegade’ 포함 영어곡 총 3곡으로 구성‘Renegade’는 록 기반의 힙합 곡으로 더 나은 방향을 위한 변화와 더욱 강해진 내면을 통해 망설임 없이 자신의 길을 걸어가겠다는 포부 담겨Lucas is making his… pic.twitter.com/1obOW9Lxrs— LUCAS (@lucas_official) March 11, 2024The official announcement of Lucas’ debut solo single comes just days after SM Entertainment confirmed that the ex-NCT member would make his return this year. It marks his first project since he went on hiatus in August 2021 after a South Korean netizen claiming to be his ex-girlfriend accused him of gaslighting her.Lucas would later leave both NCT and its sub-group WayV in May 2023, but would remain signed under SM Entertainment, with the label saying that the singer was “planning on showing his performance though a wide variety of individual works from now on”.Last month, the Hong Kong-born K-pop idol addressed is past controversies in a two-part documentary titled Freeze and Unfreeze.

Noah Centineo has officially embarked on another dangerous adventure as Owen Hendricks in The Recruit, and the cast has been unveiled.