ICYMI IN CASE YOU MISSED IT // APRIL 19 - APRIL 25

[Polaris_Tae]

APRIL 19 - APRIL 25


Hi Hallyuplussers and welcome to another edition of In Case You Missed It! Our writers broke their backs again this week to deliver all of this week's news and updates for you to read in this condensed format. This week we saw the return of Nu'est and DAY6 after an entire year of inactivity from both! We also saw numerous announcements related to BTS as well as multiple groups announcing their fandom names. To find out just what they are you'll need to continue reading. So with that said, let's jump into this week's ICYMI!

BY POLARIS_TAE


MONDAY:
#1- We begin the week with a slew of comeback announcements from TWICE, & (G)I-DLE as well as reports that BLACKPINK's Lisa is preparing to make her solo debut. (G)I-DLE will be releasing a new single through the UNIVERSE social media platform titled 'Last Dance' without the participation of Soojin who is currently on hiatus following numerous bullying accusations. The single was initially scheduled to drop in late April but was pushed back following the outbreak of her controversy. TWICE will also release music soon; as it's been announced that the group will be making their comeback this June. Meanwhile, it was reported that BLACKPINK's Lisa is eyeing June as a possible date for her solo debut. Are you anticipating these upcoming releases as much as we are?

#2- SHINee's Taemin has announced that he will be holding an online solo concert, 'Taemin: Never Gonna Dance Again' on the 2nd of May. This will likely be his final concert prior to his military enlistment on the 31st of May.

#3- DREAMCATCHER will be launching their first reality show with the help of Han Dong-chul PD of PRODUCE101 fame. Filming is set to begin this month and the show will be released in the format of a web variety which means that it'll likely be easily accessible to international audiences. We can't wait!

#4- Rainbow's Seungah has found a new home at StarHue Entertainment after she signed an exclusive contract with the company as an actress. The following day it was announced that child actress Park Soyi & PENOMECO had also joined new agencies! Park Soyi signed a contract with YG Entertainment; while singer-songwriter PENOMECO officially joined P-NATIONWe're looking forward to all of their future activities under new management!

#5- DRIPPIN' announced their fandom name this week! From this week onwards their fans will now be called... DREAMIN! Later that same week, P1Harmony also announced their official fandom name to be P1CE. Do you think these names are a good fit for their fans?

#6- JYP Entertainment has belatedly announced that DAY6 as a whole will not be participating in any promotional activities as a group following an extended conversation with the group related to promotions. The group's leader, Sungjin is currently partaking in mandatory military service and would be unable to participate in promotions regardless of the situation. Do you miss seeing DAY6 promote as a group together?

#7- Now onto news related to the Japanese Entertainment industry! The Male Artist Nikkei Entertainment Power Ranking for the first half of 2021 has been released! Oizumi Yo proved his star-power by placing first; while Nagase Tomiya and Yonezu Kenshi rounded out the top three positions. A number of other artists managed to rank on this list, including a number of ARASHI members & Suda Masaki. Did you see anyone you know on the list?

#8- Sadly, it has been announced that Stardust's Kansai-based group Takoyaki Rainbow will essentially be disbanding on the 9th of May after all the members plan to graduate following their conclusion concert 'Over the Takoyaki Rainbow' on May 9th. Don't worry though, as the group has promised to return as five under a new project sometime in the future. We sincerely hope it's sooner rather than later and look forward to each of their individual promotions in the meantime.



TUESDAY:
#1- A senior group that we've all been waiting for will be coming back soon, and it will be none other than 2PM who are reported to be coming back this summer! In response to these reports, JYP has confirmed that the group is currently preparing a new album, but a date has yet to be set. The following day it was announced that BIBI would be returning with a brand new album on the 28th of April. Which upcoming release are you most looking forward to seeing?

#2- We received some fantastic news in regards to BTS this week! The group gained not just one but two partnerships with international corporations! On Thursday McDonalds announced that they would be collaborating with the group to create a BTS Meal in May across multiple countries globally. Later in the week, it was announced that BTS had become house models for the global fashion empire that is Louis Vuitton. Are you looking forward to seeing the boys decked out in expensive clothes?

#3- The 31st Lotte Duty-Free Family Concert has announced its official lineup! The concert is set to include performances from BTS, TWICE, ITZY, TXT, Super Junior D&E, plus many more. Meanwhile, TWICE will be the musical guests on the April 27th edition of 'The Kelly Clarkson Show' performing their single 'Cry For Me'. Will you be tuning in to see their performance?

#4- It's official! IOI has confirmed that they'll be officially coming back to greet fans as a group next month via a live stream titled 'I.5.I - Yes, I love it!' which will be broadcast across multiple online platforms including Seezn, KT Olleh TV & TVING. Will you be catching them live next month?

#5- Jang Nara has added a photographer to her list of qualifications after she announced that she would be holding a photography exhibition from the 30th of April to the 2nd of May to celebrate her debut anniversary.

#6- The final piece of news for Tuesday comes in the form of an announcement by Netflix relating to the cast of the upcoming Netflix Original Series, 'Creators File GOLD'. Yokohama Ryuusei, Nagano Mei, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Adachi Yumi, Tominaga Ai and more are set to star in the upcoming series. Are you looking forward to this?



WEDNESDAY:
#1- We begin Wednesday with drama and variety news! Oh My Girl's Arin has reportedly joined the cast of the Hong Sisters upcoming drama 'Return' alongside Nu'est's Hwang Minhyun. Meanwhile Super Junior's Donghae & Eunhyuk will be receiving their own show on NAVER Now titled 'DnE Show'. Will you be watching either of these programs?

#2- Former Gugudan member, Kim Nayoung has announced that she'll be holding her first solo concert, 'Sweet Summer Day&Night' on the 27th of June. We hope you'll be tuning in to see her live just like we will!

#3- BigHit Music has responded to reports stating that BTS will be enlisting in the military as a group in 2022 stating "We have nothing further to say about their military enlistment besides what our artist has already said. We ask for your understanding." This comes following the recent law passed in South Korea where the South Korean Ministry of Defence can now allow [South Korean] K-Pop artists who have received a decoration of cultural merit from the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism to delay their enlistment up until the age of 30. So far, only the members of BTS meet this qualification.

#4- Numerous Kpop idols have used their platform to speak out and ask for action to combat climate change this week via the 'Kstars4climate' campaign. Those participating included Oh My Girl's Hyojung, Weeekly, The Boyz, BTOB's Seo Eunkwang & more. We hope to see even more idols speak out on issues like this in the future!

#5- BLACKPINK's Rose has been officially named as the newest global ambassador for Tiffany & Co. We congratulate her on receiving yet another exciting opportunity!

#6- Th 2021 'Busan Asia One Festival' has officially announced its final lineup! Artists set to participate include the likes of Lovelyz, ENHYPEN, Kang Daniel, ASTRO & more. We can't wait!



THURSDAY:
#1- ONEWE has announced that they will be halting all scheduled activities after it was discovered that one of their staff members had tested positive for covid-19. Each of the group members has been tested for the virus & all results thankfully come out negative. The following day it was announced that STAYC had all tested negative for covid-19 after they had come into contact with actor Kwon Hyuk-soo who had tested positive for the virus on the 19th of April. We hope to see them both resume schedules soon.

#2- Nu'est's Hwang Minhyun stays employed and well paid after it was announced that Laeil Soymilk have renewed their contract with the idol for the third year in a row. The company's profits have increased over 45% since the idol joined hands with the company. We hope that they can continue to work together in the future as well!

#3- CUBE Entertainment has teamed up with Naver Cloud for global IT and in an effort to expand their game business

#4- Now on to more television and variety news! TVING has announced plans to launch a tvN's Amazing Saturday spin-off program titled 'Idol Dictation Contest' which is set to premiere on the 21st of May. Meanwhile, AB6IX's Jeon Woong will be pairing up with GOLDEN CHILD's Jangjun for the new web variety show 'Ssap Possible?' We can't wait!

#5- NMB48 has announced that their 25th single will be Shiroma Miru's graduation single. The single is set to release on the 16th of June.



FRIDAY:
#1- We added another group comeback to the May release list on Friday as rookie girl group woo!ah! will be making their comeback with a new release. We can't wait!

#2- Red Velvet's Wendy has been announced as the newest brand ambassador for Pond's Indonesia. We congratulate her and look forward to seeing her in all of their upcoming advertisements!

#3- WJSN's Dayoung will be halting all promotional activities with the group due to a condition disorder caused by an autoimmune disease. As a result, she was unable to attend WJSN's recent fansign on the 24th. We hope to see her back to full health soon!

#4- Zhao Liying's studio has confirmed that the actress has divorced her husband of three years Feng Shaofeng. The two share a son together and have announced that they plan to carry out their responsibilities as parents regardless of their current relationship status.



SATURDAY:
#1- The singer brand reputation rankings have been released for the month of April! BTS continues their dominance over the #1 position, while BRAVE GIRLS & IU rounded out the top three! Did your bias group manage to rank this month?

#2- Rainbow's Jisook will be joining the cast of the upcoming KBS idol drama, 'Imitation'. Will you be watching this drama? If you weren't before, we hope Jisook gives you the incentive to do so!

#3- To start off the weekend, we received the news that D-CRUNCH members Hyunwook & O.V have tested positive for covid-19. We wish them both a speedy recovery.



SUNDAY:
#1- On Sunday it was announced that Kenshi Yonezu will be coming back this June with a brand new single. He'll be living rent-free in our minds as we count down the day to this fantastic new release!

#2- HeyGirls & Mirae have both announced their official fandom names! HeyGirls will now be calling their fans 'Haven'; while Mirae will be called 'NOW' from today onwards. What are your thoughts on these names?

BY DRAGON OF THE WEST


#1. NU'EST - INSIDE OUT
NU’EST have made a return and this time it’s with their second full-length album titled Romanticize, nearly seven years since their first full album Re:Birth was released in mid-2014. The album is led by the title track 'Inside Out', a song that draws lots of elements from their most recent releases from its slinky melody to the muted synths underpinning it. At this stage in their career, NU’EST are incredibly polished with their performances being smooth as butter, and maybe that’s the problem. 'Inside Out' is a good song, but it lacks peaks and valleys, instead pulsing along a muzzled groove that never quite kicks into gear. The chorus is catchy, and the producers were smart to open with it. Even though you may find yourself nodding along to it, it does become quite difficult to engage with the track on any meaningful level. That being said, they clearly saved the best for the album’s b-sides, as almost all of them stand out more than the title track. Songs like 'Dress' and 'Black' are groovy as hell and each member has a solo track in the second half of the album. Of those tracks, Ren’s 'Rocket Rocket' steals the show and is a song that’s certain to get your heart pulsing. Overall, this was a solid enough album for being their second full-length release, but I personally wish they experimented more with the title track.





#2. DAY6 - YOU MAKE ME
Following a hiatus from full group activities since May 2020 due to members Sungjin and Jae taking breaks to focus on their mental health while Young K, Dowoon and Wonpil released a mini-album The Book of Us: Gluon as the subunit Even of Day, DAY6 are finally back with their seventh mini-album The Book of Us: Negentropy and its lead single 'You Make Me'. Being the final entry to their The Book of Us series, 'You Make Me' very much feels like the closing of a chapter, and the song leaves us on a wistful note. Despite it not being particularly catchy in the way we expect of lead singles, listeners can come to appreciate its variety of textures, from the glitchy keyboards in the pre-chorus to the hip-hop elements in the verses. Its centerpiece is a series of power notes, each impressive and emotive on their own however when taken together, they don’t create much of a melody compared to what we’ve come to expect from DAY6’s songs. All in all, 'You Make Me' is an indulgent track, recalling many of the group’s strongest elements and is certain to leave a lasting impact on MyDays being the final release they’ll get from the entire band for a while due to impending military duties.





#3. APINK - THANK YOU
To mark the special milestone of having debuted a decade ago, Apink have released an anniversary single – quite literally titled 'Thank You' – as a gift to their fans for sticking by their side for the past ten years. Across their ten-year career, Apink have managed to deepen and develop their sound without losing the fresh innocence of their debut-era work. 'Thank You' could have easily been recorded during any year of their existence, and that timelessness is an asset that not many can relate to. While it may not be one of their stronger melodies, it certainly brings a sense of classic, feel-good pop effervescence which is a welcoming sound given recent circumstances. A further testament to their legacy is the fact that the girls manage to deliver this cutesy concept without it ever feeling overexaggerated or making it feel like it overstays its welcome. Congratulations to the group of their milestone, and we all look forward to what more they have in store for us.





#4. P1HARMONY - SCARED
FNC’s latest boy group, P1Harmony, made a relatively solid debut back in October last year but for some reason, have had to wait for nearly 6 months to have their first comeback. They’ve finally made their first comeback with the mini-album DISHARMONY: BREAK OUT and the title track 'Scared', a hip-hop-inspired song with an insistent breakbeat that drives its instrumental, complimented by cacophonous rhythms that deepen the groove. The hook packs quite a bite and is made even stronger by a descending vocal flourish that adds extra flavor to the track. The highlight of the song comes in form of the group’s rappers being given a chance to shine over playful percussion, rather than being relegated to a post-chorus trap breakdown, as is the case with a lot of modern boy groups. This is definitely a song that many would find difficult to sit down to while listening to it.





#5. TWICE - KURA KURA
We’re being blessed yet again by the hardworking girls of TWICE as they recently dropped the music video for the lead track of their upcoming Japanese single 'Kura Kura'. The song takes disco imagery and wraps it with what most would consider to be a typical J-Pop sound, but that’s not to say that it isn’t a good song. It’s quite the opposite. It skirts the line between the cutesy concept from their earlier years along with the more matured concepts that they’ve tackled lately, blending a bubblegum melody to propulsive percussion. The track opens with its strongest element – a catchy refrain that will later become a stomping post-chorus and while this is nowhere near being a perfect song, it does make me long for an entire song filled with this bright, uplifting sound from the group. Perhaps that’s what we’ll get when they make their summer comeback in June? Only time will tell.





#6. B1A4 - 10 TIMES
We had another group celebrating their 10-year anniversary this week as B1A4 released a new single titled '10 Times' although it was admittedly rather odd that they didn't include members Jinyoung and Baro in this. To their credit, they imbue '10 Times' with a more dynamic arrangement than most fan songs. There’s no rule book stating that these releases have to be ballads, and many will be happy to hear the track kick up its tempo every once in a while. The song is at its best when it’s building. This surge rarely results in anything more than a fake-out beat drop, but the journey is pretty satisfying. As far as anniversary songs go, this is a decent one but it could have been a lot better. It missed the spark that Jinyoung and Baro bring to the group, especially the former with his great producing skills, and I sincerely hope a time comes where we get to see all five members on a track again.

BY NARA


#1- It's yet another week of amazing feats for BLACKPINK! Rosé became a half-million seller with her debut single album 'R'; this marks the first time in about 19 years a Korean female solo artist has reached such achievement. Moreover, the group's MVs for 'As If It's Your Last' and 'Lovesick Girls' have surpassed 1 billion and 400 million views on YouTube respectively!

#2- EXO Baekhyun's latest album 'Bambi' sold over 1 million copies! With this achievement, he is now a double million-seller after his first milestone with 'Delight' last year. Huge congrats to him!

#3- Wheein's EP "Redd" surpassed 50,000 sales on Hanteo, therefore making MAMAMOO the only girl group to have all members reach this milestone on Hanteo! Congrats to her on this achievement!

#4- (G)I-DLE has now surpassed 900 Million streams on Spotify! They're the first 4th generation girl group to reach this wonderful milestone!

#5- ASTRO's 'All Yours' has surpassed 300,000 copies on Hanteo! Huge congrats to the group!

BY POLARIS_TAE

Our Translator Lurkette gave us a translation of the article 'Until the 10 member Dempagumi.inc is born -- Interview with Mofuku-chan, YGQ, and Yumiko' for us to mull over.


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This brings us to the end of In Case You Missed It for another week. Make sure to sound off in the comments if anything piqued your interest. With that said, we'll see you again next weekend after what will undoubtedly be a packed week of news, releases and achievements!





GFX BY @yerm
PROOFREAD BY @Dragon of the West
FEATURED ARTISTS Majima Wakana, JR, Bomi, Sungjin (Day6), Seungah (Rainbow)​

 

[UMJI MOODS]

Many thanks for your hard work. Always something that I have missed.​

 

[Happy]

Thanks once again for doing this!

 

[kimsguardian]

my bbombbombbom in the header!
thank you for the updates, you guys are the best!