ICYMI IN CASE YOU MISSED IT / JANUARY 25 - JANUARY 31

[Polaris_Tae]

JANUARY 25 - JANUARY 31


Hello again Hallyuplussers and welcome to another edition of In Case You Missed It! This week marks the end of January and we hope that you, just like us, enjoyed all of the fantastic releases that dropped throughout the month. Some personal favourites of ours include Cherry Bullet's most recent release, (G)I-DLE's "Hwaa" and of course Dreamcatchers' "Odd Eye", which you'll be able to read about below. This week was less focused on news, and instead had us turning our eyes to some fantastic releases that made sure to conclude the first month of the year with a bang! To read all of our opinions on just which releases impacted us the most this week, make sure to read through another carefully constructed ICYMI to see for yourself!

BY BEEFY & POLARIS_TAE


MONDAY:
#1- Sadly, the actress Song Yoo Jung has passed away on January 23rd at the age of 26. The actress was known for her role in 'School 2017' and her appearance in IKON's "Goodbye Road" music video. May she rest in peace.

#2- Jeong Huncheol, better known as the rapper Iron has passed away after being discovered bleeding outside of an apartment building. We send our condolences to his family.

#3- BLACKPINK's Rosé held her first stage for her solo debut at the group's upcoming concert, 'THE SHOW' which was held on the 31st of January! Did you catch her performance?

#4- EXO's D.O was officially discharged from the military on the 25th, we give the idol a warm welcome back!

#5- Now some news from the world of television! We start with the great news that OCN's 'The Uncanny Counter' has been confirmed for a second season! Then, it's been shared that Park Jihoon, Lee Shinyoung, and Kang Minah will be starring in the drama 'It's a Blue Spring From Looking Afar', based on a webtoon of the same name. Finally, the highest rating Japanese dramas or doramas of the Winter season has been revealed; the list includes some dramas such as 'Tengoku to Jigoku' with 16.8% in first and 'Red Eyes' with 12.4% in second. For the full list make sure to check out the previously linked thread!

#6- Streaming platform Melon introduced a new chart called 'Latest 24Hits'. The chart will feature the Top 100 most listened songs released within a week to four week period. This new chart will encourage listeners to discover new songs and artists that are on the rise!

#7- TXT has announced their second fan live event, '2021 TXT FANLIVE SHINE X TOGETHER' which will be held both online and offline on March 6th! Will you be attending?



TUESDAY:
#1- Brother and sister duo AKMU have renewed their contracts with YG Entertainment for another five years. We're looking forward to all the new content the duo will continue to release under the company!

#2- Daybreak will be making a comeback with a new single '말이 안 되잖아 (Doesn't make sense)' featuring Heize on February 2nd. In the same month on February 17th, NCT 127 will be releasing their second Japanese mini-album, LOVEHOLIC. The group pre-released the single 'First Love' on January 27th! Then the new band Let's Go MAKOTOØ'S has been formed by Makoto Takahashi, Masaki Hayashida, and Hideki Sakakibara; to learn more about this new project band, please make sure to check out the linked thread and read a full article about them!

#3- The Korean Music Awards have released their idol group and soloist nominees for the 2021 award show. The nominees include BTS, Baek Yerin, Yukika, Oh My Girl, and more for the two categories Best Pop (Song) and Best Pop (Physicals). We are looking forward to seeing who will take home the prize!

#4- Kpop superstars BTS and BLACKPINK have been selected as ambassadors for Tokopedia! We congratulate them both on receiving another great title!

#5- NCT's Mark has opened a personal Instagram account! Make sure to click the linked thread and follow him ASAP!



WEDNESDAY:
#1- Soloist Youha and her mother musical actress Choi Jungwon will be releasing a remake of '어둠 그 별빛 (Darkness the starlight)' together. This song is scheduled to be included in the remake album 추억 만들기 which is in celebration the late Kim Hyunsik's 30th anniversary. We are looking forward to hearing this future release!

#2- B1A4's Baro will be officially discharged from the military on February 20th! We are looking forward to the idol's return!

#3- Show Champion cancelled their broadcast on January 27th due to a staff member being in close contact with a positive COVID-19 case. We hope everyone will stay safe and healthy!

#4- NAVER will be transferring its V-LIVE business to beNX . A company affiliated with Big Hit Entertainment; Naver has invested 354,8 billion won into the company; thus, beNX will be renamed WEVERSE COMPANY INC. We are interested in where this business endeavour will lead the two companies.

#5- Actress Ning Jing has been confirmed as a mentor or "initiators representative" for Chuang 2021! We are looking forward to her appearance on the show!

#6- IU has been chosen as the brand ambassador for the outdoor brand 'Black Yak'. She will be following in the footsteps of fellow entertainers Lee Seung Gi and Shin Sekyung. Speaking of IU, her hit drama 'Hotel del Luna' will be produced as a musical in 2022! We congratulate IU on her new endorsement and are looking forward to this future musical!

#7- Actor Kim Seon Ho donated 100 million won to Korea Childhood Leukemia Foundation! We are incredibly thankful and happy to see him take such a charitable action!



THURSDAY:
#1- GOT7's Jackson released his latest Chinese-language single, Alone on Saturday. Meanwhile, Idemitsu Kosan revealed that the SixTONES ballad, 'Lifetime' will be used in a number of their commercials starting on the 30th of January.

#2- The final lineup for the Mnet idol performance show, KINGDOM has been announced! BTOB, iKON & SF9 will be joining The Boyz, Stray Kids & ATEEZ in competing on the show. Later, it CHUANG 2021 announced the judging lineup for the upcoming episode of the survival show. Chinese singer Zhou Shen, f(x)'s Amber Liu, plus R1SE member Zhou Zhennan & BonBon Girls 303 member Nene will all join the show as judges/mentors.

#3- Stray Kids will be holding their very first online fan-meeting, 'Stray Kids 1st #LOVESTAY 'SKZ-X' on the 20th of February. Will you be purchasing tickets for this?

#4-Following the Kpop fandom app UNIVERSE's launch, the app released several details regarding pricing for premium content. Meanwhile, the Kpop platform, 'Idol Champ' announced that they would be removing artists with under 100 followers.

#5- GOT7's Jinyoung greeted us with some exciting news on Thursday after BH Entertainment finally announced that he had officially signed with them. We look forward to seeing all of his new activities under new management!

#6- South Korean actor Lee Je-hoon has been announced as the newest model for 'KeumSung Bed'. We congratulate him on this new and exciting opportunity.

#7- Finally, former E-Girls member Fujii Shuuka has shared via Instagram that she has gotten married to ALI vocalist LEO. We congratulate them on their marriage!



FRIDAY:
#1- We start Friday off with announcements of even more new releases! SM rookie group, aespa will be releasing a remake single of Yoo Young-jin's 'Forever' on the 5th of February. Also in February, PURPLE KISS will be returning with their 2nd pre-debut single on the 3rd. While in April ≠ME will be making their major-label debut under King Records.

#2- Kyary Pamyu Pamyu has announced the launch of her very own label 'KRK LAB'. We look forward to this new business venture!

#3- The upcoming JYP/P Nation boy group show, 'LOUD' has announced its premiere date for May. Will you be tuning in to see this?

#4- On behalf of artists such as Lim Young-woong, Kim Ho-joong & BTS, Genie Music has announced that they have donated over 50 million KRW to the Snail of Love. We thank them for their generosity.

#5- The newest faces for the Korean job search site Albamon have been announced! They are Lovelyz Mijoo & Jo Byunggyu. We congratulate them on gaining yet another exciting opportunity!



SATURDAY:
#1- The January individual idol brand rankings has been released! Jimin has once again taken the top spot for another month, while BTS' V & BLACKPINK's Jennie round out the top three positions. Did any of your biases manage to rank this month?

#2- The final episode of ARASHI's documentary series, 'ARASHI's Diary -Voyage-' has announced its air-date as the 28th of February! The episode will cover the group's last schedule as a full group, 'This is ARASHI LIVE 2020.12.31', the groups' last online fan meeting before going on their extended hiatus. Will you be checking out the final episode?

#3- It has been reported that Maeda Katsu & Katsuji Ryo will sadly be getting a divorce.



SUNDAY:
#1- We received some concerning news this week. CHUANG2020 contestant Blair Wang's studio had effectively cancelled all of her schedules after failing to lose the specified weight that her company desired. What are your thoughts on this issue?

BY BEEFY


#1- DREAMCATCHER - ODD EYE
Dreamcatcher has returned with 'Odd Eye' from their 6th mini-album, Dystopia: Road To Utopia. This release is the groups' third album in their Dystopia series following last years Dystopia: Lose Myself. The series acts as a social commentary on hate-speech and the effects that hate can have; which can be seen through the Tree of Life metaphor. In Dystopia: Road To Utopia, we see that the hate has completely taken over. That the groups attempt to protect the Tree of Life has ultimately failed, causing dystopia to not only take over the Tree of Life, but also life as we know it. This release also marks the return of Chinese member Handong, who was previously a contestant in Youth With You 2 and found herself stranded in China following the outbreak on Covid-19 due to her Wuhan issued passport. Following the spread of covid-19 in 2020, the South Korean government had temporarily suspended those with a Wuhan passport from immigrating into the country until a few months back. 'Odd Eye' is the groups newest single where they talk about a "lie overshadowed by sweetness" and overcome by sadness. The group continues their hard-rock inspired sound, but this time borrow a few elements that would be more at home in the trap genre. Nevertheless, the fusion of these two genres into a single song is, at times, breathtaking. The instrumental remains heavy in the background, while also allowing each of the members' powerful vocals to shine through; presenting us with the best of what Dreamcatcher has to offer. We guarantee that if you're anything like us, you'll be screaming 'Odd Eye' along with them for weeks to come!





#2- IU - CELEBRITY
The queen herself, IU, has returned with the pre-release single, 'Celebrity' ahead of her fifth full-length album's release. It's ironically been eight months since the release of her hit single 'Eight' featuring Suga of BTS. IU continues with her soft and delicate tone, this time taking on a brighter and more poppy sound rather than her last single's rock indie one. We instantly start the song off with a mellow yet bubbly synth instrumental paired with IU's heavenly vocals. The chorus begins with the endearing phrase "You're my celebrity" and is a lot more energic than the song's subdued verses; the second part of the chorus is actually a beat drop filled with bouncy synths. IU's vocals throughout are one of the many aspects that make it memorable. Her soft vocals take on a soothing and comforting tone that heighten its listening experience. IU continues to be a masterful lyricist in this single, just like her previous releases. According to the singer "Celebrity" was inspired by a close friend of hers. The song's lyrics speak of someone who marches to the beat of their own drum and is viewed as different and scrutinized; however, IU disagrees with this and ensures them that they're her celebrity or inspiration. We can also follow IU's message and encouragement, and do whatever we please without the fear of judgment. The music video shows us the life of a celebrity, which depicts how those in the spotlight are constantly badgered, followed, and judged by the public. Overall, 'Celebrity' is a very pleasant and encouraging listen that we believe everyone should give a listen to!





#3- FAKY - THE LIGHT
Japanese girl group FAKY are back with their first release of the year 'The Light', their last single 'Little More' came out less than three months ago in November. The group dives headfirst into a new retro sound for the release, once again show us their amazing versatility. 'The Light' is a cute single filled with plenty of charming brass and groove laced throughout its instrumental. The beginning sets the bright tone of the rest of the track, with loud horns and an addictively funky bassline. In contrast, the verses are almost dreamy, with the members' vocals almost sounding distant compared to the song's upbeat instrumental. The chorus builds on the song's energy and explodes with its funky horns and melodious percussion; the members' charismatic vocals also shine as always during this part. There are so many fun moments in this track like the little instrumental breakdowns, and the bridge that amps up the dreamy sound with the addition of a groovy guitar melody. The accompanying music video matches the song's retro aesthetic with its hazy cinematography—the members in styles reminiscent of the early 2000s. The transitions between each member are extremely pleasing and interesting to watch so that you may end up replaying the video a couple of times! As for the song's lyrics, they talk about taking that first unsure step out of your comfort zone and changing yourself for the better. FAKY has delivered an excellent track that mixes their signature colour with this new retro trend. We look forward to what else the group will be releasing this year!





#4- IZONE - D-D-DANCE
IZ*ONE released the special single 'D-D-DANCE' for the new social media platform UNIVERSE. The group's last release was December's 'Panorama'. Unfortunately, to view the full music video, you'll have to download the new UNIVERSE app. 'D-D-DANCE' builds upon the group's signature sound, with the same refined elegance paired with a thumping bassline and synths. The song starts out with an assortment of scattered sounds similar to their last year's 'Fiesta'. The verses are filled with the members' smooth and memorizing vocals and a short charismatic rap section. We continue to the pre-chorus, where the main focus is only on the members' vocals as the instrumental filters out to only one low pulsating bass. The song's chorus is extremely catchy, here the song comes to life, and we feel the urge to get up and dance. We're sure you'll have the lines "d-d-dance" or "I got you" stuck in your head for a long time. 'D-D-DANCE' also puts the members' different vocals colours on display. We can hear some higher and softer tones that make some of their vocals unrecognizable. However, this change suits the song's upbeat and lighthearted nature. 'D-D-DANCE' is a lively pop track, that will make you get and dance however you like just the song commands you to! We can not wait to hear the group's next release!





#5- GOLDEN CHILD - BURN IT
Rising boy group Golden Child is back! Four months after the single 'Pump It Up', they're back with the title track 'Burn It' from their fifth mini-album YES! 'Burn It' is a dramatic Latin-inspired pop track, that will instantly grab and hold onto to your attention. This release wastes no time, bringing straight into the track with a member's sombre vocals paired with only a soft whistle melody. As it builds up more power, it adds a nice layer of reggae beats which completely changes the song's mood. We get the opener one more time for the pre-chorus, which is a nice little treat. The chorus is divided into two parts. The first part being lead by commanding and powerful vocals; and the second being a beat drop of sorts, with the repetition of "burn it" and a chant-like vocal harmonization. This particular release sounds very similar to something we'd see released during the 2nd generation. However, this song does not at all sound dated, and this nostalgic sound makes it a fantastic listen! The song's dramatic nature perfectly suits its story-based music video; in it, we witness the group's members navigate a world infested with flesh-hungry zombies. There are various storylines taking place within the video, each taking on challenges that come with this apocalyptic world. Be warned though this mini-movie is a bit of a tear-jerker. The mini-album offers a lot more lighthearted tracks than its title track; a personal favourite from the album that we've had repeat is the addictive 'Round N Round'! We really enjoyed this comeback, and are looking forward to what else the group has in store for this year!

BY NARA


#1- Digital monster IU came back this week, and her title track 'Celebrity' is making a significant impact on the charts! It achieved a real-time all-kill by charting #1 in four charts real-time (MelOn, Flo, Genie, and Bugs). Furthermore, it reached Certified All-Kill by placing #1 in major daily charts!

#2- HyunA's 'I'm Not Cool' has reached 10 million views on YouTube in less than one week since its release! Congrats to the queen of alluring concepts!

#3- Dreamcatcher's new MV for 'Odd Eye' has surpassed 10 million views on YouTube! Congrats to the group on achieving this milestone!

BY POLARIS_TAE

Shop+ fans, our Shop+ team was busy again this week working hard to stock our virtual shelves with nothing but the best items for you to purchase! Get your hands on them today!

The Social Media Team brought us one article this week!

Ren gave us their thoughts on the Taiwanese drama 'Someday or One Day'.

Our Translations Team had a busy week this week! We welcomed back our Korean Translator jana22sal to the team. The team also opened a brand new articles translation request thread where you can request either articles or SNS posts (under 500 words) to be translated.

Our Chinese Translator Vanilla Cupcake brought us two articles this week! The first was an article about the goods that were stolen from TWICE's Tzuyu's family home only to be later listed for sale online. The second article was on (G)I-DLE's Yuqi confirming that Super Junior's Ryeowook was her idol and that she received some “some depressing news from not long ago” after the idol confirmed his relationship.

Our Japanese Translator, Lurkette shared part two of Tsunku♂'s thorough analysis of the Hello!Pro Kenshuusei.


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We are searching for new members for the following teams GFX, Public Relations - Video & Outreach Divisions, Translations and SM Team - Press Division.



This brings us to the end of this week's In Case You Missed It! We hope to see you again next week for even more great updates! As always, don't forget to hit us up with a comment telling us just what you liked the most this week!





GFX BY @Mina
PROOFREAD BY @Polaris_Tae
FEATURED ARTISTS Taki (FAKY), Kim Seonho, Dami (Dreamcatcher), Y (Golden Child), Wonyoung (IZ*ONE)​

 

[Chococo]

Great job by ICYMI as always, very proud of you girls for your hard work! Quite an eventful week, SHINee's comeback announced, Dreamcatcher's and IU's comebacks too!!

My beloved Seonho is in a header! I really am proud of how far he has made and I am so happy for his success. He's doing so amazingly well and he deserves all the rewards for his hard work. Hope he finds some time in his busy schedule to rest and eats well. All the love for him

 

[UMJI MOODS]

What a week. Several sad/bad things, but also people like Kim Seonho showing true generosity of spirit. Many thanks as always for keeping us updated.​

 

[Happy]

Thanks for the update!

 

[anh]

thanks for the updates as always!

 

[kimsguardian]

lol han jipyeong ssi in the header
thanks for the updates, you guys always amazing!

 

[OutroTearTheFirst]

Ooh I didn’t know mark opened an IG!
Also, super excited for season 2 of The Uncanny Counter! Really enjoyed the first season
Thanks again for the updates, SM Team!​