Hello and welcome to another great new edition of In Case You Missed It! This week, we saw new releases from artists such as Hitsujibungaku, Kiss of Life & more! Additionally, we received some updates stating that WM Entertainment would be cutting ties with their US touring agency, J&B Entertainment following a series of gross mismanagement & illegal activity. Meanwhile, we also received various comeback updates from WayV, NCT127, B.A.P & more. Now, with all that said, let’s jump into In Case You Missed It for another week!
BY POLARIS_TAE
MONDAY
#1- We had a series of contract updates on Monday. Former BB Girls Yujeong signed a contract with RND Company, while Moon Ga-young signed with Peak J Company. Meanwhile, it was announced that Zion.T had officially departed from THEBLACKLABEL following the expiration of his contract.
TUESDAY:
#1- Now we have a slew of upcoming comebacks and new music releases to announce! Four artists — DKB, NCT127, Youha & MINIMANI’s Yu Soohyun — have marked a date in July for their comeback! MINIMANI’s Yu Soohyun will be returning on the 7th of July with her second solo album, I’ll Pay. Then a few days later on the 9th, Youha will make her comeback with ‘We’ll Kiss Again’. Then later in the month both NCT127 & DKB will both drop new music. NCT127 will be back on the 15th of July with their 6th LP, WALK, while DKB will be dropping their new EP in mid-July. As for August, we’ll be seeing new releases from B.A.P & Global Girls (formerly known as PoshGirls). B.A.P will be making their return during August as 4 members — due to Zelo’s current military hiatus — as ‘BANG&JUNG&YOO&MOON’. Then on the 1st of August Global Girls will be making their comeback for the first time under their new name with their 1st album, Drama. We also have three new debuts to share this week! ASTRO’s Yoon Sanha will be making his solo debut early next month in August. Meanwhile, the SM-associated Cpop group, WayV will be making their Japanese debut this September. The group will be releasing their first Japanese-language mini album, The Highest on the 25th. As for upcoming groups, Mystic Story, which is the label behind Billlie & the band LUCY, have announced that the label is planning to debut their first male idol-group in mid-August. Are you looking forwards to this new group? Plus which new comeback are you most anticipating?
#2- Two idols found themselves booked and busy this week! BTS’ Jin had some exciting news to share with us this week! The idol will be participating in the Olympic Torch Relay for the 2024 Paris Olympics as a torchbearer representing South Korea. As for Purple Kiss, the RBW idol group will be the opening act for Dreamcatcher at the 2024 Istanbul Kpop Festival in Türkiye. Are you excited to see Jin in Paris?
WEDNESDAY:
#1- The webtoon-based drama adaptation of My Girl Is A Man is reportedly in discussions with Chuu, Astro’s Yoon Sanha & Oh My Girls’ Arin. Will you be adding this series to you to-watch list?
THURSDAY:
#1- We have some updates for a few hosting opportunities this week! The 3rd Blue Dragon Series Awards will be taking place this July at Incheon with SNSD’s Yoona & South Korean host/announcer Jun Hyun-moo acting as hosts for the ceremony. Meanwhile, SHINee’s Taemin will be joining the cast of Road To Kingdom 2 as both the host, a well as one of the program’s official judges & mentors. Are you looking forward to seeing the Kingdom series return for another year?
#2- Dreamcatcher also had some updates to share this month. The group will be embarking on their 2024 world tour, Luck Inside 7 Doors, at the end of the year and have just announced the initial stops for the US leg of the tour. The group will be stopping at a total of ten stops beginning in New York in early November. Meanwhile, it’s been shared that Dreamcatcher’s Siyeon will be sitting out of promotions for the groups’ 10th EP, VirtuouS due to poor health and anxiety. We wish her our best.
FRIDAY:
#1- On Friday it was announced that Pink Fantasy would sadly be disbanding. This comes directly following an earlier announcement that they would be taking an indefinite hiatus. After continued discussions with the groups members, it was ultimately decided that the group would be disbanding instead. Are you sad to see them go?
#2- We also have some legal updates to share with our readers for Friday. First, it was reported that prosecutors were looking to summon the chairman of Kakao for questioning in relation to the conglomerate’s activity in regards to the alleged stock manipulation in the lead up to their purchase of SM Entertainment in 2023. Also on Friday, Kwon Eunbi’s label — Woolim Entetainment — shared that they had officially filed several complaints with the relevant authorities following the coalition of evidence related to sexual harassment, defamation and more against the idol. What are your thoughts on these situations?
SATURDAY:
#1- On Saturday WM Entertainment took to social media to announce that they had officially cut ties with the US touring agency J&B Entertainment. Who was the body responsible for managing ONF’s US promotional activities. It was reported that the CEO had allegedly created a secret group chat for a select number of ONF fans (FUSEs) in order to leak future activities & allow fans within the group chat to freely purchase VVIP & premium tickets without limits. The sensitive information that the touring agency CEO reportedly shared includes (but is not limited to) leaking data about their upcoming North American tour, hotel information, and their future comeback plans. WM Entertainment later approached J&B Entertainment for clarification on the situation after a fan reached out — via e-mail — to WM to accuse the ticketing agency of illegal activities. WM Entertainment later shared evidence of their correspondence with the fan to J&B Entertainment directly causing the agency’s CEO to directly confront and threaten several FUSEs in the group chat. Alongside this incident, the CEO of J&B also criticised the ONF members’ poor English skills, sold the t-shirts that ONF wore on the tour labelling them as “sweat-soaked t-shirts” & more. Aside from ONF, the touring agency is currently in contact with 82MAJOR, ASC2NT, AB6IX and JUST B. On Saturday, WM Entertainment shared that they had officially ended their collaboration with J&B Entertainment. Stating that: “We have been repeatedly voicing our opposition and demanding improvements on their arbitrary operating decisions” while also sharing that “Although the agency has belatedly apologised to the artists and fans and expressed their willingness to improve, we have decided to terminate the contract with them and cancel the tour visits in Taiwan and Hong Kong.” As for the group’s North American tour in August, the label shared that they would be updating fans at a later date once they are able to accurately assess the situation. In the final paragraph, WM shared that they would “like to apologise once again for causing disappointment to the fans who have always showed their love and support for the artists.” What are your thoughts on the overall handling of this situation?
SUNDAY:
#1- Ryan Reynolds & Hugh Jackman took some time off the regular press junket for their upcoming film, Deadpool & Wolverine in order to appear in the most recent episode of the Inkigayo! The duo appeared alongside Inkigayo host Moon Sung-hyun to announce the nominees for this week’s #1. Did you manage to catch them live?
#2- Chanmina had some exciting news to share with us this week! The Japanese-Korean rapper shared via her Instagram that she had tied the knot with South Korean rapper Ash Island. Additionally, it ws shared that the couple are expecting their first child together. We congratulate the couple on the upcoming addition to their family.
BY POLARIS_TAE
#1. Hitsujibungaku – Burning
Hitsujibungaku is a three-member Japanese alternative rock band that was formed in 2011. The group currently consists of guitarist & vocalist & founding member Shiotsuka Moeka, drummer Fukuda Hiroa who joined the group in 2015 & bassist Kasai Yurika, who was the last one to join in 2017. The group returned this week with their first anime-associated release since 2023s ‘More Than Words’ ED for Jujutsu Kaisen season 2. Their new single, ‘Burning’ is an indie-rock wistful single that acts as the ED for the second season of the hit idol-themed anime, Oshi no Ko. An anime about what would happen if two people incarnated into the children of their favourite idol. This season’s ED sees Ruby Hoshino take the spotlight away from her twin brother Aqua in order to become the main focus. Now moving back to our subject of Hitsujibungaku and ‘Burning’ is a stunning emotional single where both its vocals and instrumentals perfectly compliment each other while also touching on topics that you can expect to find within the Oshi no Ko anime, such as the sacrifices that individuals must make in order to survive in the Japanese Entertainment industry. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this release, and we’re looking forward to seeing more great hits from Hitsujibungaku in the future!
#2.
Kiss of Life is a South Korean multinational girl group under the management of S2 Entertainment. The group, which consists of four members — Belle, Natty, Julie & Haneul — made their debut in July, 2023 with their first EP, KISS OF LIFE. Two of the groups members, Natty & Belle were well known within the Korean entertainment industry prior to their debut within Kiss of Life. Natty had previously participated in the JYP competition program SIXTEEN, but was ultimately cut from the final TWICE lineup on the show’s final episode. The idol later competed in the JTBC survival audition program, Idol School alongside SIXTEEN alum Park Jiwon where she placed 13th and failed to make the cut once again. The idol made her solo debut under Swing Entertainment in 2020 with ‘Nineteen’ before finally re-debuting with Kiss of Life in 2023. As for Belle, she had been working as a songwriter & composer for various artists. Some of her best known contributions include LE SSERAFIM’s ‘UNFORGIVEN’, (G)I-DLE Miyeon’s ‘Softly’ & ‘Charging’, as well as Purple Kiss’ ‘Find You’. The group made their return this week with the bright and upbeat digital single, ‘Sticky’. This comes three months following their breakout hit single, ‘Midas Touch’ in April. The music video — filmed in Warsaw, Poland — is a bright and summery pseudo one-shot music video that channels both the flashdance concept of the pre-band era Wonder Girls hit ‘Like This’, while also paired with the stunning background of Poland in the Summer. As for the song, ‘Sticky’ is a bright sounding track with a summery vibe similar to some Sistar summer hits. Overall, it’s a great release, and I’m looking forward to seeing more great hits from Kiss of Life in the future as well!
#3. Masaki Suda – Kujira
Masaki Suda is a Japanese actor known for his various roles such as his role in the 2016 film adaptation of Drowning Love — or Oboreru Knife — a story about a teen idol forced to give up her dreams of making it in Tokyo in order to move with her father & mother to a small town in rural Japan and her interactions with the local troublemaker, Kōichirō Hasegawa (played by Suda). The actor has additionally provided his voice to animated films such as the 2023 Hayao Miyazaki film, The Boy and the Heron — which his friend and past collaborator, Kenshi Yonezu sings the theme song of — as well as the SHAFT Studio anime film Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom? The actor is back with his first release since announcing the birth of his first child with wife — and frequent co-star — Komatsu Nana. His new release, ‘Kujira’, is accompanied by a music video directed by the Japanese music video director Motherfuck-san/Motherfucko (yes) where we see the single ask us whether the dreams that we have as adults holds the same weight as the sweet dreams we had in our childhood or teenage years across various stunning set pieces. Overall, ‘Kujira’ is a stunning pop-rock release that showcases both powerful instrumentals as well as the singer’s powerful and emotive vocals. What do you think? Did you enjoy Masaki Suda’s new release as much as we did?
BY POLARIS_TAE
#1. Jimin’s pre-release track, ‘Smeraldo Garden Marching Band‘ made its debut at #13 on the Spotify Global Weekly Chart. This makes it the highest charting debut for a Kpop act in 2024. Congrats!
BY POLARIS_TAE
Nominations for the July (2024) edition of User of the Month officially opened this week! Did you manage to get your votes in on time?
For this week’s H+ Station Chart update, aespa took the #1 slot for the once again with ‘Supernova’, while Red Velvet’s “Cosmic” made its debut on the chart at #6. Meanwhile, ARTMS & ILLIT returned to the chart at #4 & #9 respectively with ‘Virtual Angel’ & ‘Lucky Girl Syndrome’. Make sure to check out our chart to see where all of your favourite songs ranked!
Nominations for the next round of special edition +Cards have finally opened. This time, the team will be looking for OTP nominations for their upcoming Summer event! Nominations will be open until the 14th of July. So be sure to get yours in soon!
Here are all the awards that were added to the system this week! You can request them here (don’t forget to follow the instructions in the OP)!
Our Social Media lead, Polari_Tae shared a special Pride Month themed Plus Days article. Check it out here!
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Hallyu+ is actively recruiting for staff. If you want to contribute to the forum’s growth and join our amazing team, don’t hesitate and apply now!
We are searching for new members for the following teams: Blog Team, Translations, Awards & Social Media Team – Press Division. As always, our full list of recruitments can be found in the General Staff Recruitment thread.
This brings us to the end of In Case You Missed It for another week! Were there any updates that surprised you? Or stories that you were unaware of prior to reading? What about this week’s comebacks? Did you discover any new artists, either through this article or via the forum, that you’ve been enjoying lately? As always, our staff teams — Social Media (Press), Blog Team & Awards — are currently looking for new team members to join our staff. So if any of these positions interest you, then feel free to apply through the linked recruitments above. Our In Case You Missed It team is still searching for a dedicated Kpop music reviewer. So why not consider pitching in? If you’re not aware, we are active on both Twitter — now known as x.com — and Instagram, so feel free to follow us there for more fantastic updates! We’re still accepting feature and promo requests via our feature thread here. Additionally, our press team is seeking submissions for our new self-producing musicians playlist here! So make sure to add your submission soon! Let us know what you enjoyed the most this week in the comments below, and we’ll see you again next week for another great update!
We’re also here to let you know that we’re in the early planning stages of the 2024 In Case You Missed It yearly update. So if you’re interested in participating — either in a permanent position or just temporarily — then feel free to apply via our linked recruitment!
GFX BY @yerm
FEATURED ARTISTS Shitsuoka Moeka (Hitsujibungaku), Masaki Suda, Julie (KIOF), Yushi (NCT Wish), Moon Gayoung
