Credit: Rowoon Instagram Rowoon will be fulfilling his mandatory military service as an active-duty soldier in the Korean Army. FNC Entertainment confirmed the news to Dispatch on May 28th, stating, “Rowoon will enlist on July 21st.” He is set to undergo five weeks of basic military training before being assigned to his permanent unit, where he will officially begin his service. No special events or public send-offs are planned....

Credit: IPFI SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, and NCT Dream have landed their albums in the top 10 of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’s (IFPI) prestigious 2023 Global Album Chart. SEVENTEEN claimed the number one spot with their 10th mini-album FML. Their impressive streak continued with their 11th mini-album SEVENTEEN’S HEAVEN landing at number 8. Stray Kids weren’t far behind, securing the second position with their powerful 3rd regular album ★★★★★ (5-STAR) and the eighth position with their 8th mini-album ROCKSTAR (樂-STAR)....

Credit: at9film Travel and Days (literal translation) , starring South Korean actress Shim Eun Kyung, has won the Golden Leopard prize at the 78th Locarno Film Festival. Shim’s agency, Fanfare, announced the news on August 18th, following the festival’s closing ceremony in Switzerland on August 16th. The Locarno Film Festival was founded in 1946 and is now one of the world’s most prestigious and longest-running film events, celebrated for showcasing artistic and innovative cinema from around the globe....

Credit: Netflix, BH Entertainment Shin Mina is eyeing a romance drama for her next project—her first since getting married—and Lee Jin Wook is officially on board. On January 9th, Shin Mina’s agency confirmed that she is “positively reviewing” an offer to star in the upcoming drama Wed–Thu–Fri (working title). Lee Jin Wook, meanwhile, has finalized his decision to appear in the series after reviewing the script. Wed–Thu–Fri is a romance set around a restaurant that only opens three days a week—Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday....

Credit: AM Entertainment Shin Mina purchased an old residential property in the Yongsan area of Seoul in January 2018. She later demolished the building and converted the land into a parking lot. Recent analyses suggest the property’s value has increased by at least 10 billion KRW (approximately $6.9 million). News1 reported on February 23rd quoted real estate brokerage firm Building Road and said “Shin Mina is expected to have gained at least 10 billion KRW in property value based on other property transactions nearby the area....

Credit: SM Entertainment RIIZE’s Shotaro has spoken out directly to deny recent dating rumors involving aespa’s Giselle. On January 28th, Shotaro went live on Weverse to connect with fans through a broadcast titled “Briefly before I sleep…” During the casual livestream, fans flooded the comment section with questions asking whether he was dating Giselle. Credit: online communities The rumors began circulating online after claims surfaced that Shotaro had been video-calling Giselle, prompting speculation among netizens....

Credit: SBS SBS has unveiled its powerhouse lineup of Grand Prize (Daesang) nominees for the upcoming 2024 SBS Drama Awards set for December 21st, featuring six of the industry’s most compelling performances this year: Ahn Bo Hyun, Hwang Jung Eum, Ji Sung, Jang Na Ra, Park Shin Hye, and Kim Nam Gil. Flex X Cop star Ahn Bo Hyun solidified his presence as the leading star of the “exhilarating hero” genre—which has become SBS’s signature format....

Credit: Song Hye Kyo Instagram A quiet tap of the ‘like’ button has landed The Glory star Song Hye Kyo in the middle of a political firestorm. On June 8th, online communities lit up with chatter after it surfaced that Song had “liked” a social media post related to President Lee Jae Myung’s personnel policy, posted back when he was still the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate. Given the sensitive reactions to celebrities’ political expressions during the recent presidential election, this latest incident is generating significant attention....

Credit: tvN Song Il Kook revealed that he has been living apart from his wife for the past two and a half years and is currently raising their famous triplets, Daehan, Minguk, and Manse, on his own during the week. The star opened up about his life as a “weekend husband” on the September 11th episode of tvN STORY’s talk show Spouse Space . He explained that his wife, who is a judge, was assigned to a position in a provincial city, a common practice in the Korean legal system....

Credit: Ryeowook, Ari Instagram Ari, formerly of the girl group Tahiti, has announced her upcoming marriage to Super Junior’s Ryeowook . Taking to Instagram, Ari shared, “At the end of this beautiful month of May, I’ve got some warm news to share. We’ve been together for quite some time, and now we’re ready to start a family.” Her post continued, “I want to thank everyone who has supported and understood us and who encouraged us along the way....

Credit: W/A Studio A new emotional romance film with an all-star ensemble is headed to Busan. Seven O’Clock Breakfast Club for the Brokenhearted (working title), starring Suzy , Lee Jin Wook , Yoo Ji Tae , and Keum Sae Rok , has been officially invited to the Competition section of the 30th Busan International Film Festival, which will run from September 17th–26th. This newly established Competition category showcases around 14 titles selected from across Asia that represent outstanding aesthetic achievement....

Credit: JYP Entertainment TWICE’s Momo has purchased a luxury villa worth approximately 4.3 billion won ($3.2 million), becoming the latest K-pop star to make a major real estate investment. The $3.2 million purchase was made entirely in cash, according to court registry documents. The October 31st report shows that Momo signed the contract and paid the full balance for the villa in Achiul Village on October 23rd. The absence of any registered mortgage on the property indicates that the multi-million-dollar transaction was paid upfront....

Credit: CJ CGV The 2020 box office hit Okay! Madam is officially returning with both familiar faces and new energy in its long-awaited sequel. The film follows the family who once pulled off a daring rescue mission aboard a hijacked airplane as they receive a mysterious invitation to a luxury cruise liner—only to get swept into another round of unpredictable mayhem. A surprise breakout hit of summer 2020, Okay! Madam makes its comeback five years later, now doubling down on action, visuals, and laughter....

Yuehua Entertainment Fans were completely caught off guard when idol Kim Sungjoo, leader of K-Pop boy group UNIQ, admitted to having a child and being in a relationship with his wife for what fans speculated to be for 5 years based on photos. Kim Sungjoo, the main visual and leader of boy group UNIQ which debuted in 2014 and is currently more active in China since 2020, was revealed to have been keeping a big secret from his fans....

Credit: TVING The upcoming TVING series Queen Woo (literal title) is facing criticism even before its official release. Queen Woo is an action-packed historical drama that follows Queen Woo, who, after the sudden death of the king, must appoint a new king within 24 hours while evading the ambitions of five tribal factions. However, as promotional content has been unveiled, issues regarding historical accuracy have arisen. While some details, like the rare depiction of traditional neck guards from Goguryeo, are praised, the costumes have sparked controversy for their resemblance to Chinese styles....

Drama Ranking for the 4th week of September TOP 10 Popular TV Drama Series tvN Bon Appetit, Your Majesty (Share 23.06%) Netflix You and Everything Els e (Share 18.86%) Disney Plus Tempest (Share 9.09%) SBS The Mantis: Original Sin (Share 7.20%) JTBC Hundred Memories (Share 6.99%) tvN Shin’s Project (Share 6.10%) MBC To The Moon (Share 4.30%) JTBC My Youth (Share 3.88%) KBS2 Walking On Thin Ice (Share 3.03%) KBS2 Queen’s House (Share 2....

Credit: MIDO, Eden Nine, Kim Sae Ron’s social media Won Bin ’s name is back in the headlines after 15 years, but even Kim Sae Ron might have wanted to keep him out of it. YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute, also known as HoverLab Inc., released a voice recording on May 7th, provided by an informant from New Jersey, USA, claiming it captured a conversation with the late Kim Sae Ron....

Credit: Hiin ENT, 3Arts Won Ji An and Jameela Jamil have officially signed on for the feature film Pyongyang Home Video , a co-production between Hollywood’s Imagine Entertainment and Korea’s Desert Bloom Pictures. The project will be helmed by director Yoon Sung Hyun, known for his distinctive filmography including Bleak Night, Netflix’s Time to Hunt, and Coupang Play series Newtopia. Inspired by true events, Pyongyang Home Video follows two sisters who grow up watching smuggled Hollywood VHS tapes in North Korea....

Credit: JYP Entertainment “We sincerely apologize to everyone who was hurt by Jun Han’s careless words,” the agency stated. “Jun Han is taking this matter very seriously and is deeply reflecting on the pain and disappointment caused by his thoughtless remarks.” JYP also acknowledged shortcomings in how they educate their artists. “We recognize our own responsibility for not providing sufficient education. Going forward, we will pay closer attention to prevent such incidents from recurring and will thoroughly educate our artists on social awareness, sensitivity, and how to communicate with the public more thoughtfully, so they can grow into mature individuals with sound values....

Credit: One Hundred Label, INB100 MC Mong has fired a direct shot at SM Entertainment. On the morning of the 5th, MC Mong posted a lengthy message on his Instagram. He wrote, “Someone who has never made music is serving as the A&R director, and an ignorant manager is acting as CEO while behaving like a ruffian. Your ignorance and greed have crossed the line, and eventually only you will remain....