ICYMI IN CASE YOU MISSED IT // AUGUST 23 - AUGUST 29

[Polaris_Tae]

AUGUST 23 - AUGUST 29


Hello Hallyuplussers and welcome to another week of In Case You Missed It! We received some exciting news this week that Red Velvet's Joy & RnB soloist Crush are currently in a relationship! In addition to this, we also learnt of some concerning news regarding WayV's Lucas this week related to his past relationships, which you can learn more about below In addition to celebrity news. We also received updates on various upcoming comebacks from high profile and mid-tier acts alike. If you'd like to find out more about just who'll be releasing new music, or any of this week's biggest news stories, make sure to continue reading!

BY POLARIS_TAE


MONDAY:
#1- We received a slew of news in relation to upcoming releases this week! On Monday NCT127 announced that they would be returning on the 17th of September with their 3rd full album. Astro & AKMU will also be returning this September. Astro will return with their new single, 'ALIVE' in association with the UNIVERSE social platform on the 2nd of September, while AKMU will be releasing a limited edition LP for their 3rd album, 'Sailing' which is expected to begin shipping on the 25th of September. Then on Friday, we saw Jessica Jung release her newest single, an OST titled 'I Can't Sleep' for her and her sister Krystal's travel variety program. Meanwhile, it's been reported that SEVENTEEN will be returning with a new comeback this October. We can't wait!

#2- TREASURE has announced that they'll be holding their first fanmeeting, 'TREASURE st PRIVATE STAGE [TEU-DAY]' on the 2nd of October. The fanmeeting will be held both online & offline. However, there's a possibility that the offline portion of the fanmeeting will be cancelled due to covid-19 restrictions.

#3- Sadly, it's been announced that Solia, who made their debut as a group only five days ago, has already disbanded. The company has cited a lack of funds to financially support the group as their reason for disbanding the group so soon.

#4- We received some relationship news in regards to a RED VELVET member. It's been revealed that RED VELVET's Joy & RnB soloist, Crush are currently in a relationship together. It's been shared that the two became close following the release of their recent duet together last year as well as shared a mutual interest in their pet dogs. What are your opinions on this relationship?

#5- Sadly it's been announced that VERIVERY's Gyehyeon will be sitting out of group performances for the group's latest release after he suffered from a leg injury in preparation for the groups' comeback stage. Later in the week, another idol was shared to have inured themselves. This time it was ATEEZ's Jongho, who injured his knee. Thankfully he and his management team managed to catch the injury before it developed any further. The idol will be participating in group schedules in a limited capacity and will not be partaking in the groups' choreography so as to ensure his injury is able to fully recover. We hope to see them both back to full health again soon!

#6- We end Monday's news with a few updates related to the film & entertainment industry. SEVENTEEN, Hwang Chiyeul & Super Junior have all confirmed their attendance for the upcoming 2021 'THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS' set to be held on the 2nd of October. Meanwhile, NCT's Doyoung has been awarded the best actor award at the 2021 Seoul Webfest. Congrats!



TUESDAY:
#1- More releases were announced on Tuesday! SHINee's Key will return with his pre-release single, 'Hate That...' on the 30th of August. Then in September, two artists, Baek Yerin & PURPLE KISS, will be returning with new music! Baek Yerin will return on the 10th of September with a cover album. Meanwhile, PURPLE KISS are set to make their comeback on the 8th of September with a new mini-album. Which of these releases are you looking forward to the most?

#2- UNIVERSE has announced that former GFriend member Yerin will the latest artist to be joining the social media platform. Her page is set to open on the 30th of August, so make sure to sign up for the platform if you want to keep up with all of her future updates!

#3- While still on the topic of former girl group members, it's been shared that former Gugudan member Hana has officially signed a contract with FN Entertainment with the intention to promote as an actress. We wish her nothing but success!

#4- Japanese singer, Kenshi Yonezu has announced the launch of his very own interior brand, 'REISSUE FURNITURE'. We wish him the best of luck in this business endeavour! Speaking of brands, Astro's Cha Eunwoo has received another brand deal! The idol has been selected as the newest muse of DASHU Perfume. Congrats!



WEDNESDAY:
#1- It seems that the past week was full of releases & announcements as the comeback news didn't stop flooding in on Wednesday! On Friday, BTS released a new remix of their hit single 'Butter' which had an exciting feature by Megan Thee Stallion. Did you listen to it yet? Then, in September we'll receive five more new releases! BLACKPINK's Lisa will make her solo debut with her first single, 'LALISA' on the 10th of September. Also releasing solo material in September will be Wonho, who is set to make his comeback on the 14th of September with a new mini-album. Now onto group releases for September. fromis_9 will make their return on the 1st with their special single 'Talk & Talk', while A.C.E will release their repackaged album, 'Changer: Dear Eris' on the 2nd of September. Finally, it's been reported that ENHYPEN will be making their comeback during the latter half of September. We can't wait!

#2- KCON:TACT HI 5 has revealed their third official lineup! ATEEZ, AB6IX, Itzy & more are set to perform at the event. Which performance are you most looking forward to seeing?

#3- PLAY M has announced that they have officially taken action against APink Eunji's long-time stalker. The company has officially filed a lawsuit against the individual after it was revealed that they had visited Eunji's house recently. We hope that the harassment again Eunji can finally come to an end.

#4- WayV's Lucas found himself in hot water on Wednesday after he was exposed for gaslighting and gold-digging by a former girlfriend. In the following days, multiple other victims came forward to make their own claims known regarding their past relationships with the idol and his problematic behaviour. Following the initial reports, the idol took to Instagram in order to address the accusations and apologize for his past actions. It was also announced that the idols' sub-unit single with fellow WayV member Hendery, which was scheduled for release on the 25th of August, would be halted. What are your thoughts on this ongoing controversy?



THURSDAY:
#1- N.Flying will be joining the performance lineup for the 'INCHEON PENTAPORT ROCK FESTIVAL' scheduled for the 0th of October. We can't wait!

#2- aespa has gained another brand deal this week! The group has been selected as the advertising models for the outdoor brand, 'EIDER'. Congrats! While on the topic of brand deals, another SM artist has been offered an exciting opportunity this week, that is none other than NCT DREAM! The group has officially been appointed as the new brand ambassadors for the sportswear brand, FCMM. We can't wait to see how they represent the respective brands!



FRIDAY:
#1- Now for our final few comeback announcements of the week! On Friday we learned that HIGHLIGHT's Yang Yoseob will be releasing his first solo album on the 20th of September. This marks his first release as a soloist since 2019. We wish him the best! Afterwards, it was reported that MAMAMOO will also be returning in September to release a compilation 'best of' album. Then on Saturday, it was announced that LOONA will be making their Japanese debut on the 15th of September. Are you looking forward to any of these upcoming releases?

#2- While still on the topic of RBW artists, it's been announced that the company -- and their artists -- will be conducting the 'Mind-Hug Project' with Good With Us & the Korea Foundation for Suicide Prevention in order to comfort those who are suffering. We thank them for taking such a charitable initiative to help.

#3-Kim Jaehwan, along with PENTAGON's Shinwon has been chosen as the newest DJs for two EBS radio shows, Shinwon will be the DJ for 'Night's Radio', while Kim Jaehwan will host the teen-oriented program 'Listen'. Congrats!



SATURDAY:
#1- Cho PD, who is often described as the 'godfather' of 1st generation Korean hip-hop is reportedly preparing to debut a new kpop group with the aim to target the global market. Are you curious about this upcoming group?

#2- The singer brand reputation rankings have been released for August (2021)! BTS has once again taken the top position, while Im Youngwoong & Jeon Somi round out the top three positions for August! Did any of your favourites manage to rank this month?

#3- As the Chinese Entertainment Industry begins to crack down on problematic content, the iQiyi CEO, Gong Yu has announced that they plan to cancel all survival shows on the platform in accordance with the policy.



SUNDAY:
#1- LOONA has announced that four of the groups' members: Kim Lip, Heejin, Yves & Jinsoul will be collaborating with Ryan Jhun to release a single for his 'Maxis Project' titled, 'Keep Music Alive'. Are you looking forward to this upcoming collaboration?

#2- Trot singer Song Gain has sadly tested positive for Covid-19 this week and is receiving treatment for the virus in an isolation centre. On a related note, Starship Entertainment has released a statement regarding the conditions of Ahn Yujin & Jang Wonyoung, who also undertook a test for coronavirus recently. Yunjin's test thankfully came back negative, though it's been confirmed that Jang Wonyoung has attained the virus. We hope that they can all make a full recovery soon.

BY DRAGON OF THE WEST


#1. STRAY KIDS - THUNDEROUS
Nearly a year since they released IN LIFE, and just a few months after reigning victorious on Mnet's Kingdom, Stray Kids have finally made their long-awaited comeback by releasing their 2nd full-length album titled NOLIFE, led by the title track 'Thunderous'. Utilizing traditional instruments to forge a beat drop is not uncommon in K-pop, especially among boy groups. It’s always a welcome trick if utilized properly, but like any familiar trope it requires those basic building blocks – great hook, memorable melody – to stand on its own. 'Thunderous' is quite evidently an attempt at following up on the success of last year's 'God's Menu' and the two songs share similar features, particularly in terms of their structures. While the beat drop isn't their best by any stretch, the percussion that follows immediately after it is a nice touch. 'Thunderous' will prove to be a grower for a lot of people, myself included, but I personally hope we get to see them going back to producing songs which are in similar vain to some of their better releases, such as 'Miroh' & 'District 9'.





#2. JAY B - B.T.W (FEAT. JAY PARK)
GOT7's leader Jay B has released his first solo mini-album titled SOMO:FUME, the 'SOMO standing for 'Sound of my own', an album focused on his signature R&B sounds and featuring several AOMG/H1GHR Music artists and producers. The title track 'B.T.W' features Jay B's new boss & fellow artist Jay Park, and is a song that is evidently Jay B within his element as we've seen with some of the songs he has produced for GOT7 and his own SoundCloud page. His vocals take center stage on this track, and he sounds great. Jay Park steps in to inject new texture to the second verse, and his lighter tone is a nice foil for Jay B’s vocal. There really isn't an awful lot to say about a song like this, other than if you're into more chill and laidback tracks, then this one and by an extension, the rest of the EP, should be far up your list of stuff to check out. It definitely paints a clear picture in terms of what we can expect from his solo career going forward, but that won't come as a surprise to long-time fans.





#3. KWON EUN BI - DOOR
Former IZ*ONE member and leader Kwon Eunbi is the first to make her official solo debut, and she does so through her 1st mini-album OPEN and the title track 'Door'. While the jazzy swing sound brought by 'Door' is one that has been done quite a lot in K-pop, it is still quite enjoyable in small doses. The repetitive pre-chorus hook is countered with a rather strong chorus, which sees Eunbi doing a great job putting in her excellent performance skills to command attention, although the song does feel a bit monotonous the longer it goes on. The streamlined sound is catchy from first listen, but I'm not quite sure if it has much going for it in terms of longevity. Nevertheless, it is a good start to what should prove to be a promising solo career for Eunbi, and hopefully Woolim does well to ensure that she gets the promotion necessary to establish herself in the cut-throat field of female soloists.





#4. BRAVE GIRLS - AFTER WE RIDE
2Making sure to strike while the iron's hot, Brave Girls have released a repackage album After 'We Ride' just two months after they released their 5th EP Summer Queen. Similar to last year's 'We Ride', they've gone for a city pop sound with the title track 'After We Ride', and as expected, they pull it off really well. The blend of synth and rhythm guitar in the instrumental charged forward with a funky energy. The song is simple, but this work's well to its strengths as the structure flows together naturally rather than being disjointed. This adds great drive to the track, even if it never results in one knockout centerpiece, which could lead to it going on to become a timeless track as opposed to one that has gets forgotten with time. Brave Girls have had one heck of a year, and if this proves to be their last release in 2021, it is certainly one that caps off the success they've been able to enjoy so far, and their future will definitely be something to look forward to.

BY NARA


#1- Stray Kids has achieved more than 930K pre-orders for their upcoming full album 'NOEASY'! They're on their way to becoming a million seller-huge congrats!

#2- NCT 127 has recorded over 1.32 million in pre-orders for their upcoming album 'Sticker' which is scheduled to be released on September 17th! Congrats to them, and anticipate their comeback!

#3- Congrats to this week's YouTube milestones: BRAVE GIRLS' new MV for 'After We Ride' has already surpassed 10 million views within 3 days after its release, EVERGLOW's debut MV 'Bon Bon Chocolat' has reached 100 million views on YouTube, and TWICE's MV for 'Dance The Night Away' has surpassed whopping 300 million views!

#4- ONF's 6th mini album 'POPPING' has surpassed 100K sales on Hanteo, and it is their first album to reach this milestone in sales! It's about time they earn this well-deserved achievement!

#5- BLACKPINK Lisa's upcoming solo album 'LALISA' has surpassed 100K in pre-orders! Congrats, and we anticipate her grand solo debut!

#6- CRAVITY has already surpassed 100K in first week sales for their latest album 'The Awakening: Written in The Stars'! They're the third 2020 rookie group (after TREASURE and ENHYPEN) to earn this achievement-congrats!

#7- TWICE's 'Feel Special' has reached 200 million streams on Spotify- big congrats to the group!

BY POLARIS_TAE

Our team took nominations for User of the Month earlier this week. Who do you think will be our User of the Month for September?

Our Events Team took a survey this week on how the team can improve on making rewards more accessible to different users of the forum. Do you have any ideas on how the events team could improve in this aspect?

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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: Translations and SM Team - Press Division.



That's it for this week. We'll be back next week with another batch of news and updates, so be sure to catch us then for another great update!





GFX BY @yerm
PROOFREAD BY @Polaris_Tae
FEATURED ARTISTS Crush, Kwon Eunbi, Lee Know (Stray Kids), Yuna (Brave Girls), JAY B​

 

[UMJI MOODS]

Many thanks for the weekly wrap up. I am always appreciative.​

 

[kimsguardian]

what a week, my queen and my baby eunbi dropped their gorgeous mvs in the same day.
thank you for the updates, you guys are always the best!

 

[Vampire]

thanks for the updates!

didn't realize seventeen had already announced another comeback for october, and i'm still shocked by how many preorders nct 127 is pulling in these days!

 

[Bellamy]

Thank you for the updates!!!
I'm happily anticipating NCT 127's music!!!

 

[MedicationHelps87]

I like this.

Thanks heaps guys!

Missed out on a few there, have to admit.
Nice presentation too.