New Normal Korean

   K-pop boy band BtoB have gone through many changes since arriving in 2012, dabbling with everything from hyperactive, playful dance pop to intense hip-hop before making their name as emotive balladeers. The end of 2020 witnessed another change. With the group finding it difficult to perform as a whole as members rotate in and out of South Korea’s mandatory draft, four members formed a new unit within the larger group called BtoB 4U, with the aim of cheering up fans after a dark year. With the release of their Inside EP last November, the quartet of Lee Chang-sub, Lee Min-hyuk, Peniel Shin and Seo Eunk-wang incorporated a wide range of sounds to create an upbeat, uplifting album. The four, who each typically go by their given names, have all completed their military service apart from Peniel, who as an American citizen does not need to serve. Peniel said last year “was a hard year for everyone, so we wanted to spread some positivity”. Minhyuk said: “I’m a couc

 An unlikely player entered the conversation this week after the second impeachment of United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday: K-pop girl group Twice. Fans of K-pop, and of Twice in particular, who were in favour of his impeachment had a lot of fun taking to social media to post memes, with one user accumulating more than 100,000 likes for a tweet featuring a picture of the girl group and the caption: “Trump got impeached not once but …”.  This isn’t the first time groups of K-pop fans have countered Trump online: last year, they drowned out racist hashtags against Black Lives Matter protests and also helped sabotage the turnout at the president’s election rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by registering for tickets and not showing up. Other fan accounts shared similar posts, using images and videos of Twice. As well as Twice fans, many Korean-American media personalities, including Vulture senior writer E. Alex Jung and filmmaker, actor and former Try Guy Eugene L

 As the doom of 2020 gives way to 2021, conversations raising awareness about mental health care are coming from the world of K-pop. The year began with Nu’est member Aron taking a break from the industry after experiencing symptoms of anxiety on Jan 2, shortly after his group performed at K-pop company Big Hit Entertainment’s New Year’s Eve concert.   Two days later, it was revealed that boy band SuperM was teaming up with the Prudential insurance company for a pan-Asian campaign dubbed We Do Well Together. The aim is “to encourage people across Asia to stay well and healthy, and have fun doing it” through a series of promotional tie-in releases and events. Ethnomusicologist Stephanie Choi told the Post that “corona blues” had sparked a growing dialogue in South Korean society about mental health issues. “I think it would be timely for a megagroup like SuperM to talk about mental health to their fans around the world. I don’t think their project has to do part

   Park Yoochun suddenly uploaded a video on YouTube, surprising many people. Yoochun announced on his social media that he has opened up a new channel saying, " I have newly opened an official YouTube channel called 'Recielo,' and I will be updating everyone through YouTube in the future."   Just as he announced, a video with the title "Park Yoochun Starts YouTube" was uploaded to the channel 'Recielo.' In the video, Park Yoochun begins by saying, " Hello everyone, it's nothing special, but I finally got to open a YouTube channel. I have the chance to meet you all through YouTube after a long time." He continued to say, " I will show you my daily life through the channel, so please give me much love and support. I hope I will be given more opportunities to greet you all through this." However, netizens have been reacting coldly to his video and the news of his YouTube channel. Netizens commented, " He has an am

   The tvN drama ' True Beauty ' has been rising in popularity as it grabbed the viewers' attention even before the episodes aired.  One reason the drama is so popular is that the visuals of the actors synchronizing almost perfectly with the original webtoon drawing. Cha Eun Woo  plays the lead male character as he has been showing off his perfect visuals on the screen. Despite his good-looks, Cha Eun Woo was often criticized for his acting skills as viewers often said he seemed awkward and needed improvement. However, he has been recently praised as viewers complimented that his acting skills greatly improved in the drama. One netizen posted in an online community  saying, " I was so surprised when I saw Cha Eun Woo's acting. He improved a lot, especially when he was yelling at his father in the drama."  Other netizens joined in and commented , " He did improve a lot, I wish he can improve more so he can show a more dynamic acting," &q

   The girls of Momoland have been chosen as the endorsement models for the K-beauty brand ' Too Cool For School ' worldwide! On January 21, 'Too Cool For School' announced, "We believe that among K-Pop idols, Momoland is a group whose individual members each boast very unique charms. We are looking forward to the synergy effect between 'Too Cool For School' and Momoland not only in Korea, but in the foreign market."  The K-beauty/cosmetics brand is popular in over 30 countries across the globe. Fans can now look forward to Momoland representing 'Too Cool For School' where the brand is sold everywhere!  

   Hallyu heartthrob Ji Chang-wook is back, showcasing a fiery onscreen chemistry with romcom darling Kim Ji-won in Kakao TV’s new romance series Lovestruck in the City , which is currently streaming on Netflix. The 33-year-old actor might be well-known for his swoon-worthy appearance , but Ji might not have always boasted such stunning looks, according to rumours. Observers are convinced he’s had plastic surgery, specifically rhinoplasty to refine the shape of his nose.  On his debut, in 2008 in the film, Sleeping Beauty , Ji Chang-wook was recognised for his distinct facial features. He had a prominent nose and double eyelids that were so attractive to the Korean audience  

   Sought-after actor Lee Jong-suk is reportedly being cast, along with stars Kim Rae-won , Jung Sang-hoon , and Park Byung-eun , in the new action movie Decibel (working title). Following reports about Lee’s confirmed participation in the film, his agency A-MAN Project clarified, “Lee Jong-suk received an offer to appear in Decibel . It is among the works that he is currently reviewing.” Decibel will revolve around the events that ensue when a bomb that responds to sound is found at the center of a city. Thought to be connected to a submarine incident that happened a year ago, submarine commanders, reporters, and members of the Defense Security Support Command come together to stop the impending terrorist attack. Although no specific details were revealed about Lee Jong-suk’s potential next role, the project may formally mark his comeback to the entertainment industry after getting discharged from the military on January 2. Before his enlistment, Lee last graced the b

    Run On features Im Si-wan ( Strangers from Hell ), Shin Se-kyung ( Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung ), Girls’ Generation’s Choi Soo-young ( Tell Me What You Saw ), and Kang Tae-oh ( The Tale of Nokdu ). It follows a track and field athlete who quits the national team after challenging the unfair system of the sports industry and goes to become a sports agent and his odd relationship with a film subtitle translator who becomes his temporary translator for foreign interviews. Kim has reportedly finished filming his scenes. The production crew of Run On said, “Please check the details [of his special appearance] through the broadcast.” Kim Seon-ho’s special appearance is said to have been made possible by his good relationship with the drama’s director, PD Lee Jae-hoon, whom Kim worked with during his debut drama in 2017, KBS2’s Good Manager . Kim has then gone on to star in many popular dramas, such as 100 Days My Prince (2018), Welcome to Waikiki 2 (2019), and Ca

It is not unusual for writers to leave shows while they are still airing, but not top-rated series such as The Uncanny Counter, about a group of demon-hunters Yeo Ji-na is said to have disagreed with the direction its narrative was taking. Fans were taken by surprise, and its rating plateaued in South Korea In a surprise off-screen twist, Yeo Ji-na, the writer of The Uncanny Counter , has left the hit Korean TV show. A representative for the OCN series announced the news on Sunday. Yeo’s last script was for episode 12, which aired on January 10. Yeo disagreed with the producers of the show over the direction its narrative was taking in the final episodes. Reports suggest that rather than a major blowout, a mutual split was decided after a long discussion between both parties. The news was met with surprise by fans of the show, which has been a major success for OCN, becoming the first to top a 10 per cent audience rating in the cable TV channel’s history. Several viewer

  GOT7 has revealed a heartfelt letter for fans. On January 19, the last day of their contract with JYP Entertainment, the members posted a handwritten letter on their Instagram accounts. The letter reads as follows: Ahgase (short for GOT7’s fanclub name I GOT7), this is GOT7. First of all, we feel very apologetic to our Ahgase about writing a letter for a reason like this. We are parting ways without contract renewal with JYP [Entertainment], which launched our beginning with us and worked hard for us until the end, as we cheer on each other’s futures. All of us members will be taking on new starts with people who will take responsibility together for each of our individual futures. We are writing to you like this as we want to tell our fans first. We know very well that no words can make up for the hurt feelings and uneasiness felt by Ahgase. However, we think there is just one thing that we can really say to Ahgase as GOT7. All of us want to continue making music for A

    Updated January 20 KST: Park Si Yeon has posted an apology on her Instagram account following the news of her recent DUI (driving under the influence). She wrote: This is Park Si Yeon. As I should personally apologize, I’m cautiously uploading a post on my personal account. First, I sincerely apologize for evoking criticism. Regardless of the reason, it was something that should not be done. I thought about it lightly and I am regretting and deeply reflecting on myself. I am so sorry to the people who support and cherish me as well. Once again, I will sincerely reflect.   Source (1) Original Article: Park Si Yeon has been booked for a DUI (driving under the influence). On January 19, SBS reported that Park Si Yeon was driving on January 17 at around 11:30 a.m. when she hit the back bumper of a car that had been waiting for the light to change to make a left turn at a three-way intersection. Traffic police nearby witnessed this and went to the scene. It’s report

   The upcoming film “Double Patty” starring Red Velvet ’s Irene and Shin Seung Ho has released a new trailer! “Double Patty” is a coming-of-age film about young people chasing their dreams and embarking on a relatable journey of growth and development. Irene stars as Lee Hyun Ji, an aspiring anchorwoman who works tirelessly to achieve her dream, while Shin Seung Ho plays Kang Woo Ram, a former  ssireum  (Korean wrestling) athlete. The trailer opens with a glimpse into the daily lives of Lee Hyun Ji, who juggles her studies and various part-time jobs, and Kang Woo Ram, who is seen working at a restaurant and a club. Suddenly, the soothing music that accompanies the montage cuts off as the sound of a gurgling stomach is heard, and text that appears on a white background reads, “Have you eaten?” The first meeting between the two main characters is then revealed as Lee Hyun Ji asks Kang Woo Ram what he would like to order after he appears at the restaurant where she works

    Updated January 18 KST: Moon Ga Young ’s agency has confirmed that she is in talks to star in “Link” (working title)! On January 18, a representative of KeyEast responded to the reports of her casting by stating, “Moon Ga Young is currently in talks to appear in ‘Link.'” Kim Seon Ho , who previously starred opposite Moon Ga Young in JTBC’s “ Welcome to Waikiki 2 ,” is also currently in talks to star in the drama as male lead Eun Gye Hoon. Stay tuned for further updates! Source ( 1 ) Original Article: After stealing hearts in “ True Beauty ,” Moon Ga Young may be starring in another tvN drama for her next role! On January 18, Korean news outlet Sports Chosun reported that according to an industry insider, Moon Ga Young had decided to appear in the tvN drama “Link” (working title) for her next project. A mix of fantasy, romance, and mystery, “Link” is described as a drama about a man who suddenly begins feeling all the emotions experienced by a certain woman. T

    KBS 2TV’s upcoming drama “ River Where the Moon Rises ” has shared a new glimpse of Kim So Hyun in her starring role! A reinterpretation of a classic Goguryeo folk tale, “River Where the Moon Rises” will tell the love story of Princess Pyeonggang (played by Kim So Hyun) and On Dal (played by Ji Soo ). In this retelling of the famous story, Pyeonggang—who is also the fierce warrior Yeom Ga Jin—is an ambitious woman who dreams of becoming the first female to lead Goguryeo. On January 18, the upcoming drama released an exciting sneak peek of Kim So Hyun in character as the highly capable princess. Dressed in armor and sporting a look of determination, Pyeonggang rides fearlessly into battle on horseback with a powerful, captivating aura. Even after a vicious fight in which her face becomes splattered with blood, the princess exudes poise and strength as she stands her ground on the battlefield.    The producers of “River Where the Moon Rises” remarked, “Through her unp

   Forget flying, we’re going to space this 2021! Netflix is releasing Space Sweepers, an excitement-packed outer space sci-fi blockbuster on Feb 5 2021 . Space Sweepers   sees the space crew of Victory spaceship, made out of a genius space pilot Tae-ho (Song Joong-ki), a mysterious ex-space pirate Captain Jang (Kim Tae-ri), a spaceship engineer Tiger Park (Jin Sun-kyu), and a reprogrammed military robot Bubs (Yoo Hai-jin), living off salvaging space debris in the year 2092.     It is set in a fictional universe where Earth is nearly destroyed by pollution and a group of upper-class people build a new habitable world in outer space. Surpassing other space sweepers and successfully snatching a crashed space shuttle in the latest debris chase, the crew finds a 7-year-old girl inside who is later revealed to be a human-like robot wanted by the UTS Space Guards. Seeing it as an opportunity to make more money, the crew demands a ransom in exchange for the girl. The tr

   Given the riches that Korean TV offered the world last year, it’s hard to imagine the industry topping that in 2021. But with networks and streamers busy working on a range of exciting new stories, there’s reason to be very optimistic as we enter the new year. Expect high altitude adventure, a sci-fi drama set on the moon, a high-stakes survival game show, more zombies than you can shake a stick at and, of course, plenty of romance. Read on for our 12 most anticipated K-dramas of 2021 – which is merely a fraction of what’s on the way. 1. Cliffhanger Likely to be one of this year’s hottest shows, Cliffhanger is an adventure drama from tvN set in the mountainous Jirisan National Park. Superstar Jun Ji-hyun returns to screens as a top mountain park ranger who works with her fellow rangers, played by Ju Ji-hoon, Sung Dong-il and Oh Jung-se, who rescue the park’s visitors and become involved in a mystery. From Signal and Kingdom writer Kim Eun-hee, the show is cur

    tvN’s “ Mr. Queen ” revealed new stills ahead of tonight’s episode! “Mr. Queen” is a historical fusion drama about a man from modern times whose soul is trapped in the body of a queen from the Joseon dynasty.   Shin Hye Sun   stars as Kim So Yong, the Joseon queen with the soul of Blue House chef Jang Bong Hwan trapped inside her.   Kim Jung Hyun   plays her husband King Cheoljong, who is a weak and ineffective king on the outside but is stronger and sharper than he appears. Spoilers Despite Kim So Yong’s attempts to sort out her confused feelings for King Cheoljong, the two individuals have only been growing closer. When Kim So Yong’s note fell into King Cheoljong’s hands, they ended up writing notes back and forth all night. Meanwhile, crisis also befell the celebratory banquet as precious ingredients became unable to be used and Queen Sunwon ( Bae Jong Ok ) suggested a sudden bout of martial arts. To make matters worse, Kim So Yong found herself in danger as Jo Hwa Jin ( Seol In

    The writer of OCN’s “The Uncanny Counter” has officially left the drama. On January 17, a representative of the hit OCN drama announced, “Due to differing opinions about the later episodes, writer Yeo Ji Na has stepped down from the show as a result of mutual agreement.” The representative went on to state, “Writer Yeo Ji Na wrote the script through Episode 12, and director Yoo Sun Dong wrote the script for Episode 13.” Episode 13 aired on January 16, meaning that Yeo Ji Na’s final episode of the drama already aired last week. “The Uncanny Counter” is planning to have a new writer take over for Yeo Ji Na for the remaining episodes of the series. “The Uncanny Counter,” which stars   Jo Byeong Gyu   and   Kim Sejeong   as demon hunters with superpowers, is currently scheduled to air its finale (Episode 16) on January 24.  

    BTS originally released the music video for “Fake Love” on May 18, 2018 at 6 p.m. KST, meaning that it took the song two years, seven months, and 30 days to hit the 850 million mark. BTS is currently the only Korean boy group ever to reach the milestone on YouTube. Congratulations to BTS! Watch the intense music video for “Fake Love” again below: disini  

  A petition has been circulating in South Korea this week calling for sexualised fanfiction featuring K-pop stars and other real life people to be outlawed, but many are questioning the rationale behind the call. The talking point of “real person slash” – shorthand for fan-written fiction, aka fanfiction depicting same-sex relationships – became a topic of discussion this week as some began to equate the fan-made creations with sex offences. The petition rose to public attention shortly after secretly taken photos of Momoland member Nancy were manipulated and shared online earlier this week. The petition mainly focuses on the way male stars are depicted in same-sex relationships and also questions the depiction of underage stars in the stories. Another petition submitted on Jan 13 to South Korea’s presidential Blue House, to punish those who create deepfake porn videos featuring female entertainers, has over 337,000 signatures.   Rappers Son Simba and Bewhy’s supp

BTS steadily rose to the top as they consistently gained a large fan base across the world. As they gain more and more popularity, they have also become susceptible to scrutiny and hate from anti-fans. Still, BTS has a large fandom called ARMY to shield them from the hate, and also, their agency has routinely been monitoring malicious posts and comments about the members to take legal action. However, a small group of Jimin 's fans, have not been so satisfied with Big Hit Entertainment . A fan group sent a protest truck in front of the Big Hit building stating that Jimin has been mistreated and mismanaged by the company. The protest truck displayed the phrases, " Big Hit should plan various individual promotions to fit Jimin's exceptional and outstanding talent," "Big Hit should stop suppressing him and stop hiding Jimin's achievements," "Big Hit should protect Jimin's rights," and  "Sue all the antis who create and di

(G)I-DLE made their first comeback in 2021 as they unveiled their 4th mini-album, ' I Burn ,' featuring the title track " HWAA ." As many (G)I-DLE fans were excited about the girl group's comeback, there has been one fan club expressing their disappointment. On January 11th, Shuhua's Chinese fan club posted a statement claiming they will not be purchasing any 'I Burn' mini-albums as Shuhua had less than 4 seconds in the song "HWAA."   The fan club wrote: "Hello. This is Shuhua's Chinese fanclub. We apologize, but we ask many people's support in the decision that we just made. After opening the Chinese fanclub, we have continued to support all activities of Cibe Entertainment and always participated in distribution for album purchasing for the group. We even participated in the work during this comeback as well despite not having enough work force. Also, we held events within our fan club to encourage fans to purchas

(G)I-DLE 's Soojin has been recently praised for her perfect styling for the promotion of the group's new mini-album ' I Burn .' On the afternoon of January 11th, (G)I-DLE held a showcase online to commemorate the release of their fourth mini-album 'I Burn.' On this day, the members wore stage outfits in red and white each posing for the camera individually. In particular, member Soojin has gained much attention in various online communities as her photos spread across the web. Netizens are praising her beauty saying it is the best styling for the girl group member ever. Soojin was seen wearing a red hairband with long black wavy hair that made her fair porcelain skin stand out even more. Her face looked more vibrant as she chose to wear bright red lipstick matching her hairband.

 According to one media outlet report on January 12, discussions between CJ ENM and the respective agencies of the IZ*ONE members are picking up in 2021.  One industry insider claimed that CJ ENM recently met up with representatives from some of the members' agencies in order to discuss details surrounding a potential extension of IZ*ONE's contract. Although, the report noted, that this was not the case with every member of IZ*ONE. But in the case of some members and their agencies, they have held discussions with CJ ENM since as early as October of last year.  Furthermore, another industry insider also put forward this statement: "While on paper, IZ*ONE's contract ends in April, internally there have been settlements aimed at ending the group's promotions with the end of 2020. The head production staff members of the survival program have been arrested and are on trial, and the contract for the dorm shared by the IZ*ONE members also ended in Decem

“ Tale of the Nine-Tailed ” actor Hwang Hee shared his experience on the show! The tvN program is a fantasy action romance drama that starred Lee Dong Wook as the male gumiho (a mythical nine-tailed fox) Lee Yeon, Jo Bo Ah as producer Nam Ji Ah, Kim Bum as Lee Yeon’s brother Lee Rang, and Lee Tae Ri as the beast Imoogi. The show wrapped up with its finale on December 3, ending with strong ratings . Hwang Hee played the gumiho Koo Shin Joo in the drama, who is a loyal friend of Lee Yeon and falls in love with Ki Yu Ri ( Kim Yong Ji ). As the show came to an end, he sat down to speak with the press in interviews that were recently shared. Hwang Hee spoke about his chemistry with Lee Dong Wook in an interview with Maeil Business Newspaper. “I was very cautious at first,” he said. “I was scared because he was such a senior actor. He didn’t treat me in a scary way, but I found it hard.” He continued, “However, he is a very light and relaxed person. So after some time had passe

  There we have it, ladies and gentleman, foxes and snakes, deities and humans – we have reached the end of this journey into the supernatural world of the nine-tailed fox. It’s been a journey filled with moments of joy, suspense, and fright. It’s been a journey of love — familial, platonic, and romantic. But most of all, it’s been a journey of resilience and for fighting until your last breath. And what a journey it’s been. But like all things, this too must come to an end. Here’s what happened in the final two episodes of “ Tale of the Nine-Tailed ”: Warning: Major, major spoilers! Run away now if you don’t want to know how the tale ends.  The beginning of the end We continue on from last week where we heard three gunshots. Naturally, Ji Ah is still very much alive, and she’s the one who shot the latter two shots… into the Butler ( Uhm Hyo Sup ). More specifically it’s Jimoogi (The Imoogi-possessed-Ji Ah) who does the shooting, as the first bullet nicked her neck and d