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JANUARY 1 - DECEMBER 31
Hello everyone, and welcome to this special edition of ICYMI! In case you were wondering why we didn't post our usual article on Sunday, here is the answer - our team was secretly adding the final touch to this thread to celebrate the end of 2019! We (miatheikonic, Nara and Galaxy) have been working since the end of November to compile everything that happened in the past twelve months. This article is divided into four posts, and we hope it's complete enough for you to start 2020 with all the information you need on news, new releases, chart results and various achievements.
Before you start reading, go get yourself something to drink, grab some snacks and make sure nothing will distract you for a while! We hope you will enjoy
BY GALAXY
Disclaimer: the writing of this portion required a lot of reading and researches. Some stories deserved more than a short paragraph to be told completely, but unfortunately, I had to keep recaps somewhat short. I hope that information will be accurate enough, and if it isn't the case, feel free to correct me in the comments section!
JANUARY:
#1- We're all used to Dispatch's wild celebrity romance stories and exposés, and yet, 2019 started with an announcement that no one saw coming. As a "celebration" of the new year, the tabloid revealed on January 1st that EXO's Kai and Blackpink's Jennie were in a relationship, posting pictures of a picnic in November 2018 as proof. SM Entertainment released a statement a few hours later confirming the news -- the idols "had become fond of each other". Unfortunately, the two decided to part ways quite soon after, and we learnt about their separation on January 25th. Will Dispatch reveal another couple in a few hours? Let's wait and see!
#2- January was also a month of investigations and huge revelations - one particular case becoming and remaining a subject of intense scrutiny for the rest of the year.
An inquiry was initiated by the Ministry of Education, which found that Dongshin University had awarded diplomas and provided scholarships to several celebrities, despite their extremely low attendance rates. Yoong Junhyung, Chu Gayeou, Jang Hyunseung, BTOB's Eunkwang and Sungjae, and Highlight's Gikwang and Doojoon all saw their degrees revoked after a trial and rejected appeal in January and April respectively.
The Burning Sun scandal -- a case so complex that it still regularly makes the news today -- was revealed to the world on the 29th of January, through an MBC video broadcast of an assault that had allegedly taken place in a Gangnam club. The Kpop industry was shaken to its core as BigBang member Seungri (a co-director of the club), was isolated as a suspect in the investigation that followed. A paragraph wouldn't be enough to summarise this situation: a hundred people were booked for questioning over the course of the year, a line up including several idols and police officers. Furthermore, it seemed to open the floodgates to the disclosure of several other interconnected scandals, involving prostitution, gambling and the unauthorised sharing of sexual material (all to be discussed later in this article).
#3- Let's now take a look at the musical side of things, which saw a lot of positive developments in Korea and China. JYP and BigHit both announced new debuts: ITZY (a girl group - debuted on February 12th) and TXT (a boy group - debuted on March 4th), respectively. Excitement amongst fans was palpable, with teasers breaking records, and social media accounts quickly attracting millions of followers! On January 17th, another highly anticipated group, WayV, released their first song in China -- a Mandarin version of their sister-group NCT 127's "Regular". On January 24th, PSY revealed that he had finally created his own company, P-Nation. Rumors that EDawn and Hyuna were to join the label quickly circulated, and were proven right just a few days later!
Unfortunately, J-music fans weren't destined to receive the same good tidings -- Kana Nishino announced that she would be putting her career on an indefinite hiatus, marrying her boyfriend two months later; Arashi revealed that they would be ceasing all activities by 2020; and Kojima Mako made the decision to graduate from AKB48.
(Main sources: wikipedia.com, koreadispatch.com, soompi.com, popcrush.com, eonline.com, scmp.com, aramajapan.com, onehallyu.com, universityworldnews.com.)
FEBRUARY:
#1- In February, a certain group made sure the entire world would remember them for a long time to come! BTS, dressed to impress, made headlines when they presented their first Grammy Award in Los Angeles on February 11th (an unprecedented event in the world of Kpop). After hinting at upcoming collaborations with industry bigwigs, they sold out their world tour -- entire stadiums worth of tickets -- in a few hours, and even ended up having to add more dates to satisfy popular demand. It was also revealed that the group had made huge donations to several charities during that month. Their admirable selflessness was clearly noticed by many people, as we learnt that the city of Gwangju, J-Hope's hometown, would open a mental health clinic called "Hope" on the idol's birthday. We really couldn't be prouder of BTS!
#2 - Another scandal broke out in February, this time involving the Seoul School of Performing Arts -- a prestigious institution with many notable idols amongst their alumni. Late in the month, students posted a video accusing the school's principal of coercing them into physical contact "private party" performances. The case was already under investigation by the Seoul Police. By the end of March, an online petition addressed to the government, demanding justice for the teenagers, had gathered more than 200,000 signatures. The principal resigned from his position in late April.
#3- February was definitely an interesting month music-wise. Five days after ITZY's debut with "Dalla Dalla", Yuehua revealed their new girl group, Everglow, scheduled to release their first album a month later. Rapper Beenzino completed his military service on February 16th, and started comeback preparations. In Japan, Hiragana Keyakizaka46 announced that it would be separating from the main Keyakizaka46 group, and operating independently under the name Hinatazaka46. B.A.P members decided not to re-sign with TS Entertainment, and in a similar vein, Cai Xukun won his lawsuit against his former company, thus nullifying his contract.
(Main sources: grammy.com, koreaboo.com, onehallyu.com, altselection.com, @oh_mes2 on Twitter.)
MARCH:
#1- Kang Daniel's fans had cause to worry in March. The idol, who had won the second season of Produce 101, and subsequently performed as the center of Wanna One, was revealed to have filed a contract termination request with his label, LM Entertainment. The company refused to cooperate, and the issue was taken to court, where it was explained that Kang's contract had been sold to a third party, in a for-profit transaction -- all without his knowledge or consent. In early May, a ruling was made in his favour, and he was permitted to leave LM Entertainment. And a happy ending: Daniel started his own company and made his solo debut with the album "Color on Me" on July 25th.
#2- On March 11th, the investigation of Big Bang's Seungri, in relation to the Burning Sun incident, took an unexpected turn. Just a few days after the announcement of his upcoming military enlistment, allegations were made against the idol, stating that he was a member of an illegal sexual spy-cam 'molka' chatroom -- and that he wasn't the only celebrity involved. In a matter of days, both singer Jung Joon Young, and F.T. Island leader Choi Jong Hoon were implicated, and the former was seen returning to Korea for questioning. (In Choi's case, there was also a second offense: it was revealed that he had bribed police officials into covering up a personal DUI back in 2016). The three idols quickly announced their retirement from the entertainment industry, and were banned from leaving the country. Investigations continued through the spring, and while Seungri was booked for allegations of procuring, Jung Joon Young, arrested on multiple 'molka' chatroom charges, was revealed to have corresponded with yet another celebrity -- Highlight's Yong Jun Hyung -- who admitted to having received illegal footage in a one-on-one conversation with him, and ended up leaving his group. Lee Jonghyun, also named in connection to these crimes, initially tried to defend himself, but finally confessed. However, the musician refused to part ways with his group immediately -- he changed his mind later in the year, leaving CNBlue in August after facing months of heavy criticism. Finally, Roy Kim and Eddy Kim were also confirmed as participants in the 'molka' chatrooms. In April, five men, including Jung and Choi, were charged with gang sexual assault. In November, the two men were sentenced to 6 and 5 years in prison, respectively.
#3- On a lighter note, the Kpop industry was positively bustling with activity in the month of March. Everglow debuted on the 18th with their album's lead single "Bon Bon Chocolat". Companies saw idols come and go: SNSD's Seohyun joined Namoo Actors, Suzy left JYP for SOOP Entertainment, and A-JAX, CocoSori and Kalafina announced their disbandment. While AKB48 officials reported that no senbatsu election would be held this year, two former members of the group signed with Korean agencies: Takeuchi Miyu with Mystic Entertainment, and Takahashi Juri with Woollim (she debuted as a member of Rocket Punch in August). We had to bid SHINee's Key, VIXX's N and 2AM's Jinwoon all a temporary farewell -- they enlisted in the army on the 4th. Last but not least, ZE:A's Siwan was discharged on the 27th and was casted on the wildly popular drama "Strangers From Hell" soon after.
(Main sources: soompi.com, ourdaniel.com, onehallyu.com, wikipedia.com, reddit.com, Koreaboo.com.)
APRIL:
#1- Only three years after his previous scandal, JYJ's Yoochun made headlines once again, in April. Through an investigation of a possible link between Hwang Hana (Yoochun's ex-girlfriend) and the Burning Sun case, it was discovered that the former lovers had taken drugs together. Yoochun denied the accusations, stating at a press conference that he had never used drugs - however, he tested positive a few days later, and the police had gathered enough evidence to back their claims. When the singer tried to defend himself once more, his company terminated his contract and announced that he would be retiring from the entertainment industry. He was arrested on April 26th, and admitted to most of his charges on April 29th. In July, he was sentenced to a 2-year probation, along with 10 months of imprisonment in case of any breach during that period.
#2- Adding to the list of notable debuts, April saw AB6IX and their first EP, "B:Complete". Blackpink, BTS and Twice, all saw great success with their new releases ("Kill This Love", "Boy With Luv" and "Fancy") -- breaking records and setting new standards. Blackpink, in addition to their hit-making, marked Kpop history with their performance at Coachella. The Japanese group Perfume also had the honour of participating in the festival. SHINee's Choi Minho enlisted in the Marines, while actor Lee Minho was discharged from the army. Lastly, Fantagio confirmed Hello Venus' disbandment, and it was revealed that the members of TRAX hadn't renewed their contracts with SM Entertainment.
(Main sources: soompi.com, k-gen.fr, onehallyu.com, wikipedia.com, koreaboo.com.)
MAY:
#1- In May, AKB fans had much to be angry about. Back in early January, we had learned that Yamaguchi Maho, a member of NGT48, had been assaulted by two men (helped by a third accomplice) at her apartment in December 2018. Upon being met by a lack of support from her managers' and even the police, who had freed the suspects without any charges, Maho decided to speak out via V-Live. She explained her situation, and accused a member of her group of sharing her personal information with the perpetrators prior to the incident. Soon, Maho had issued an apology to her fans - but then, some weeks later, stated that she had been forced to do so by NGT officials. The following months didn't see any improvement: even though the director of their theatre was transferred to other functions, and an internal investigation was launched, the idol and her management remained embroiled in conflict. The city of Niigata cut all ties with the group, and several girls were accused of bullying on the basis of their response to the events. Maho and two of her friends, Sugahara Riko and Hasegawa Rena, announced their graduation from the group on April 21st. On the same day, it was revealed that NGT would be dismantling their current team system to start anew. The three idols concluded their AKB journey on May 18th, with a solo stage performance for their final concert (no other members were allowed to join them). Since then, Maho has become part of Ken-On Group, Riko has signed a contract with Avex Management, and Rena has taken steps to pursue a career in voice acting.
#2- May was a month of goodbyes: Pristin and 14U disbanded, Berry Good's Taeha and AOA's Mina left their groups, ChoA parted ways with FNC Entertainment, and EXO's Xiumin and Yoon Jisung began their enlistment. Fortunately, their was also some good news, as Super Junior's Kyuhyun and 2PM's Taecyeon finally came back from the army!
(Main sources: Wikipedia.com, sbs.com.au, onehallyu.com, mainichi.jp, asahi.com, tokyohive.com, produce-101.fandom.com, soompi.com.)
JUNE:
#1- Our summary of the Burning Sun scandal wouldn't be complete without a discussion of the downfall of Yang Hyun Suk, the founder of YG Entertainment. In the face of multiple criminal allegations made against him earlier in the year, Yang Hyun Suk ended up stepping down from his position as CEO of the company on June 14th. On the 28th, a documentary reported that he may have been involved in illegal night business, and these accusations crescendo-ed over the summer, with a certain Madame Jung claiming that the man had been involved in the solicitation of prostitutes. Yang was booked by authorities on July 17th, and a month later, was revealed to be suspected for embezzling his artists' concert profits for gambling in several countries. Investigations on him and Seungri immediately followed, he was banned from leaving the country, and police seized YGE to search for evidence.
The case, unsurprisingly, had consequences for the idols signed under YGE. Treasure13's debut, initially planned for July, was put on hold due to Yang's departure from the company. Meanwhile, IKON's B.I, who had been publicly exposed for trying to purchase drugs in 2016 from Han Seo Hee, was terminated. The idol left his group on June 12th and apologized to his fans immediately after.
#2- Were you one of those who were overjoyed to see Song Hye Kyo and Song Joong Ki get married in October 2017? If yes, you were probably met with some pretty devastating news in June! On the 27th, it was revealed that Song Joong Ki was in the process of filing for divorce and that the couple had been living apart for months. Even though his (ex-)wife immediately clarified that "differences in personality" were what drove the two apart, and asked journalists to refrain from invading their personal life further, rumors began to spread with claims that Song Hye Kyo had cheated -- with Park Bogum, according to some. The actor's agency was quick to respond with a firm denial of all such accusations, and threats of legal action against any rumor-mongers. Regardless of what instigated the Song-Song divorce, we were sad to see such a beautiful love story ending so soon!
#3- One of the most anticipated and speculated-about debuts in the last few years finally became a reality in June! Produce 101 winner and former I.O.I member, Jeon Somi, released "Birthday" under the Black Label on the 13th, close to a year after her departure from JYP Entertainment. In enlistment news, B1A4's Jinyoung began his service on June 20th.
Actress Jeon Mi Sun passed away on June 29th. She was 50 years old.
(Main sources: hallyuplus.net, soompi.com, koreaboo.com, @oh_mes2 on Twitter, wikipedia.com.)
JULY:
#1- While many of us were busy celebrating our summer vacations, the realm of Kpop was still bursting at the seams with scandals! One of the most notable cases of the month involved Big Bang's Daesung - a Gangnam building he had owned since 2017 was found to be hosting illegal activities including the distribution of drugs, and prostitution. The idol, who at the time was still in the military, immediately blamed the building's leaseholders, denying any awareness of the situation and apologising for his poor management skills. However, lawyers maintained that there was no way such business was being conducted entirely unbeknownst to him. As of today, almost a hundred people have been interrogated and/or booked by the police, and Daesung is still liable for further investigation. Several floors of the building have since been demolished.
At the beginning of the month, we also learnt about the arrest of Kang Ji-Hwan, accused of sexual assault on two female employees of his agency. It was revealed that the actor had been under the influence of alcohol when the incident took place at his home. He quickly admitted to all charges, and formally apologized to the two victims. Huayi Brothers, his agency, terminated his contract a few days later. He was sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment in December.
#2- On July 19th, the 4th season of Produce 101 came to an end, and the names of the 11 winners were finally announced during the show's final episode! OUI's Kim Yohan (1st place), TOP Media's Kim Wooseok, Plan A's Han Seungwoo, Starship's Song Hyungjun and Kang Minhee, Yuehua's Cho Seungyoun, DSP Media's Son Dongpyo, MBK's Lee Hangyul and Nam Dohyun, Woollim's Cha Junho and "X" member Brand New Music's Lee Eunsang were all selected to be part of X1, which made its debut on August 27th with "Flash". However, celebrations didn't last long, as viewers quickly caught on to strange and unlikely coincidences in the amount of votes for several of the winners. Fans spent time exchanging theories on the internet, some of them announcing that they would take legal action on the 24th. Over the summer, police decided to conduct an investigation on the matter, seizing CJ ENM -- only to discover a phone mentioning rigged votes. It was the beginning of a case that is still underway today...
#3- It's now time to recap other industry related news, and there is a lot to cover! EXO-SC debuted on the 22nd; Ailee left YMC to start her own agency; Lee Kaeun parted ways with Pledis; Jenny and Kangin left DIA and Super Junior, respectively; Nogizaka46's captain Sakurai Reika announced her graduation from the group; and Camila disbanded. BigHit began its expansion, acquiring Source Music in the process. EXO's D.O and Infinite's Sungjong enlisted in the military (the latter only revealed he had left a few days later), and Big Bang's T.O.P was discharged. Last but not least, we were shocked to learn that Simon Yam had been stabbed while on stage at a presentation in China, but thankfully, the actor quickly recovered.
Johnny Kitagawa, the founder and president of Johnny & Associates, died on July 9th. He was 87 years-old.
An arsonist started a fire at Kyoto Animation's first studio on July 18th. 36 people were confirmed deceased and 34 others were injured.
(Main sources: hallyuplus.net, soompi.com, knetizen.com, allkpop.com, nst.com.my, @oh_mes2 on Twitter, variety.com, wikipedia.com.)
AUGUST:
#1- Less than a month after his debut, Kang Daniel was once again a topic of interest -- this time for dating rumors! On August 5th, it was reported that the idol was in a relationship with Twice's Jihyo, and that they had been seeing each others for almost 8 months! JYP Entertainment quickly confirmed the news and we learnt a few days later that 2AM's Seulong had been the one to introduce the two. Unfortunately, Daniel faced some backlash from netizens, who accused him of not caring about his fans and career enough -- his agency later announced that they would sue anyone spreading malicious rumors. As of today, it seems that the two idols are still dating, and we wish them happiness!
#2- As one couple was revealed to the public, another was taken away. On August 17th, actress Ku Hye Sun announced on Instagram that her husband Ahn Jae Hyun wanted to file for divorce. It could have been a simple case of fading romance, if only Ku Hye Sun had not declared her still-existant feelings for her husband, and claimed that any official agency-issued statements addressing their situation would be full of lies. Their divorce turned into something of a public spectacle, with personal texts between them shared online, weighty accusations made by Ku, and both parties making attempts to justifying themselves in the media. In an interview given in November, Ku explained that she regretted some of her actions, and that she was feeling better about the split. We hope that they'll be able to settle the case peacefully!
#3- Things didn't calm down in the Entertainment industry either! On August 8th, SM Entertainment surprised everyone with the announcement of a new group: Super M, an elite crew of sorts, made up of members of EXO (Kai and Baekhyun), SHINee (Taemin) and NCT (Taeyeong, Mark, Lucas and Ten). Music Works made the decision to debut Song Yuvin and Kim Kookheon (both Produce X 101 participants) as a duet, disbanding their former group, MYTEEN, in the process. Japanese fans learnt that Johnny's jr groups SixTONES and Snowman would finally make their official debut in 2020, and that SKE48's Matsui Jurina would begin solo activities very soon - however, the idol went on hiatus in September for reasons pertaining to her health. Several idols left their companies: Park Jimin decided not to renew her contract with JYP Entertainment, YDPP's Gwanghyun parted ways with Starship, and Infinite's L and Produce X 101's Moon Junho left Woollim. Last but not least, August saw two celebrity weddings: comedian Kang Yoo Mi tied the knot with her boyfriend on the 3rd, while U-Kiss' Kiseop's was held on the 24th!
(Main sources: hallyuplus.net, oh_mes2 on Twitter, soompi.com, entertain.naver.com, youtube.com.)
SEPTEMBER:
#1- In September, more was revealed in investigation of Produce 101. After gathering sufficient evidence of rigging, authorities decided to expand their search to all four seasons of the show, and seized several companies. It was soon discovered that, back in 2016, an agency had allegedly forced employees to vote for their trainees with thousands of accounts. This obviously had an impact on the newly debuted X1 - their appearances on music shows and a few of their endorsement contracts started getting cancelled one by one. Additionally, suspicions arose surrounding Idol School, when a former contestant claimed that most fromis_9 members had already signed with CJ ENM before the show had even begun.
#2- September was also full of departures. On the 10th anniversary of the group, F(x) members Amber, Victoria and Luna announced that they wouldn't renew their contracts with SM Entertainment, and had decided to pursue their own endeavors with other companies. Baek Yerin parted ways with JYP Entertainment, Sunghyun left IN2IT, and Produce X 101's Wang Junghao went from YG to OUI Entertainment. In Japan, Nishikido Ryo resigned from Kanjani8 and Johnny's & Associates to create his own label, and LDH's Flower announced disbandment.
Actor Song Young Hak passed away on September 24th. He was 46-years old.
(Main sources: hallyuplus.net, soompi.com, k-gen.fr, c-k-jpopnews.fr, @oh_mes2 on Twitter.)
OCTOBER:
#1- October was another eventful month in the industry, and we'll start with happy news. On the 24th, AlSeulBit announced the upcoming debut of their new girl group Hinapia, comprised of 4 former Pristin members (Minkyung, Kyungwon, Yebin, Eunwoo) and a fresh face, Bada. The five girls performed their song "Drip" for the first time on Show Champion on the 30th. On the 8th, we learned that Produce 101's Kim Sohee had signed an exclusive contract with n.CH Entertainment and joined their girl group, Nature. Later in the month, two former idols, Saem (from RaNia) and Ahreum (from T-ARA) announced their pregnancy, and the latter got married on October 20th. Big Bang's fans finally had reason to rejoice this month -- G-Dragon discharged from the army on the 6th.
#2- Unfortunately, there was also what seemed like an endless barrage of bad news. First, we learned that Kim Sohee's addition to Nature was only due to Gaga's departure (she wanted to focus on her studies in China). On October 18th, it was announced that Heesun had withdrawn from PinkFantasy due to anxiety and depression. On the 23rd, The Boyz announced Hwall's departure from the group -- his leg was too painful for him to perform on stage regularly. On the 28th, Woojin left Stray Kids for personal reasons, and the release of the group's new album "Clé: LEVANTER" was postponed to December. A day later, Jung Da Eun and Han Seo Hee posted on their SNS accounts that Monsta X's Wonho owed them money, and revealed that he had spent time in juvenile detention as a 17-year-old. Starship Entertainment decided to terminate the idol's contract and Wonho left his group on the 31st. Despite fans causing an uproar asking for him to be brought back, Monsta X will now promote as six members. Last but not least, former B.A.P member Zelo announced the termination of his contract with A Entertainment, and we had to see off Infinite's Woohyun, who enlisted in the military on the 24th. The situation wasn't any better in Japan and China. Billie Idle, Q'ulle and LADYBABY all stated that they would disband in within a few months, AKB48's center Yahagi Moeka announced her graduation, and it was time for the members of Nine Percent to part ways, as the group's 18-month contract expired in early October.
Former F(x) member Sulli passed away on October 14. She was 25 years old.
(Main sources: hallyuplus.net, soompi.com, allkpop.com, koreaboo.com, wikipedia.com, onehallyu.com, @oh_mes2 on Twitter.)
NOVEMBER:
#1- Another scandal broke out in the Kpop industry on November 4th. Wooyeop and Taeseon, two members of TRCNG, sued their company, TS Entertainment, for child abuse and assault (allegedly perpetrated by director Park Sang Hyun and choreographer Yoon, respectively), as well as financial extortion. TS officials were quick to defend themselves, stating that they would in turn take their own legal action against the two idols, who had, at this point also requested contract termination. Even though their claims weren't supported by the other members of the group, Wooyeop and Taeseon's parents wrote a letter explaining their side of the situation, and said they had another one signed by all families. A few days later, the two members contacted Dispatch and provided the tabloid with pictures and details on their living conditions at TRCNG's dorms. All information got posted online on the 19th - on the same day, TS Entertainment announced that the group would now promote as eight instead of ten. On the 20th, Sports World published a report stating that TRCNG's comeback had been postponed multiple times in the past because Wooyeop had been dating a staff member and had missed several rehearsals. The idol's mother responded and refuted those claims, insisting on the fact that TS was facing financial difficulties, and that her son had spent weeks in the hospital because of Yoon's attack. On the 28th, it was revealed that the other members' families would file a lawsuit against Wooyeop, Taeseon and their parents for "trying to create conflict between them and TS Entertainment". The situation is still far from reaching a resolution, so let's see how this case evolves in the following weeks...
#2- In the latter half of the year, the investigation of Produce 101 progressed rapidly. Even more evidence of vote manipulation was uncovered, and it was reported that the producer of the show, Ahn Joon Young, had accepted bribery from agency officials. The man was booked in mid-November, along with Shin Hyung Kwan, the head of MNET. Unfortunately, this information came to light at the worst time for IZ*ONE. The girls, who were supposed to have their comeback with "BLOOM*IZ" on the 11the, saw their promotional activities and television appearances being cancelled -- the release of their album got ultimately postponed. In the end, neither IZ*ONE nor X1 appeared at Awards ceremonies at the end of the year, and members were sent to rest at home. A month later, it was revealed that the entire lineups of the two groups had been decided before the final episodes of the show (i.e, without taking votes into account) and that similar manipulations had also occurred on several occasions during the first and second seasons, most notably in the securing of a Wanna One spot for a contestant who'd been voted out. The producers' lawyers admitted to most of the charges. The police also decided to carry on their investigation of high-ranking officials in regards to the potential rigging of Idol School's. In late December, MNET announced that they would compensate cheated trainees, take reform measures, and avoid broadcasting "audition programs" in the future. They ultimately held a press conference on December 30th, and stated that IZ*ONE and X1 would resume their activities in a few weeks (however, the future of X1 is still being discussed).
#3- As usual, there continued to be newsworthy happenings through the month. Yeonwoo and Taeha left Momoland, and a third member, Daisy, is still discussing her future in the group with MLD Entertainment. CL, and actress Kim Sae Ron parted ways with YG Entertainment, and AKB48's Kashiwagi Yuki revealed that she would be graduating soon. As for Chu☆Oh! Dolly, they announced their disbandment for the end of the year. Lastly a bit of good news: BigBang's Daesung and Taeyang came back from the military.
Former KARA member Goo Hara passed away on November 24th. She was 28 years old.
Actor Godfrey Gao died from cardiac arrest on the set of a Chinese variety show on November 27th. He was 35 years old.
(main sources: soompi.com, @oh_mes2 on Twitter, hallyuplus.com, k-gen.fr, c-k-jpopnews.fr.)
DECEMBER:
#1- December was not a good month for the female in Kpop, with various instances of mistreatment unfolding right in the public eye. Busters' Chaeyeon, only 15, was hit by comedian Choi Young Soo during the recording of the children's show "Tok! Tok! Boni Hani" on the 10th. Choi defended himself, explaining that he'd just been joking around with her, and Chaeyeon's company released a statement saying the same -- however, neither of these went too far in calming down angry fans. On the 16th, an ISAC staff member was seen pulling on the hair of Loona's Chuu to make her answer during an interview. After her fans took to social media to express their outrage, MBC apologized to the idol, making promises to train their staff properly moving forward. Senior group APink will probably never be seen at KBS's Gayo Daechukje again -- the girls had to calm their fans (and themselves) down after the company asked them to leave the stage mid-performance to broadcast commercials instead. And now, arguably the worst of all: During a rehearsal for SBS' Gayo Daejejeon on December 25th, Red Velvet's Wendy fell from a poorly-secured stage, and injured her face, pelvis and wrist as a result -- suffering from multiple fractures, she was hospitalised immediately. Her activities were obviously put on hold, and Red Velvet will promote as a four-member group for the time being.
After a long year filled with controversy, it seems as though there has developed an atmosphere of exasperation amongst fandom unsatisfied with the treatment of their favourite idols. On December 16th, Blinks protested against YG's negligence of Blackpink's career, demanding at least two comebacks per year, solo projects, promotional activities and award ceremony attendances. The company responded saying that Blackpink was already busy with the last leg of their tour and that there was no negligence on their part. In contrast to this, we also had a few cases where fans made an idol's life worse: on the 6th, a WJSN fansite caused a member of the group, Dayoung, fall during the recording of KBS' Music Bank -- and kept taking pictures when the girl started crying. As a consequence, Starship banned the fans involved from attending the girls' future schedules. After Twice's Nayeon was faced by an obsessed male 'fan', JYP Entertainment announced on the 19th that they have taken heightened security measures to ensure the wellbeing of all the members. Japanese group =ME also revealed that they had been very frightened by a recent encounter with their fans; on the 20th, their company stated that any further misbehaviour from fans would result in an immediate ban on participation in the girls' future activities. Let's hope that other companies will follow these examples and start protecting their idols more effectively.
#2- To finish with the news section, let's recap everything that happened in the entertainment industry this December! The biggest announcement of the month was undoubtedly made by actor Kim Woo Bin, who said that he would soon be returning to activities after beating cancer. It was also revealed a few days ago that TVXQ's Changmin is currently dating a non-celebrity -- the news was quickly confirmed by SM Entertainment. Earlier in the month, girl group Busters welcomed a new member, Jeon Jieun. Former KARA's member Jiyoung reportedly signed an exclusive contract with KeyEast and Yoon Seobin, who had left Produce X 101 and JYP following controversy, joined Sublime Artist Agency. Mirae, Kokoro and Linlin have terminated their contracts with FNC Entertainment and withdrawn from Cherry Bullet, and Lee Hi's departure from YG Entertainment was announced just a few hours ago. Kim Soo Hyun, Song Joong Ki and Kim Ji Won will reportedly leave KeyEast, Blossom Entertainment and King Kong By Starship Entertainment, respectively. Pledis Entertainment announced that Raina and Han Dong Geun have departed from the company (the latter signed a contract with Brand New Music), while Kim Sae Ron and Ye Ji will reportedly be joining Song Joong Ki's newly-created agency. In disbandment news, we saw the end of the boy group MYNAME, the members parted ways after spending 8 years together.
In Japan, Produce 101's winner group "JO1" was revealed on December 11th - Mamehara Issei took the show's first place and got the group's center spot. Minegishi Minami announced her graduation from AKB48, and EGIRLS stated that they would disband in 2020.
Singer and actor Cha In Ha passed away on December 3rd. He was 27 years-old.
(Main sources: hallyuplus.net, n.news.naver.com, soompi.com, wikipedia.com, onehallyu.com, @oh_mes2 and @balloon_wanted on Twitter).
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2019 failed me, 2020 you're up...
