ICYMI IN CASE YOU MISSED IT // JANUARY 8 - JANUARY 14

[Polaris_Tae]

JANUARY 8 - JANUARY 14


Hello Hallyuplussers and welcome to In Case You Missed It for another week! This week we saw an update related to the management of the individual careers of Exo's group members, various new comeback announcements, an update to Kakao's management and governance, as well as the fallout of Haechan's vaping controversy. We also saw the return of several high-profile artists. Including B1A4's long-awaited return, as well as a new comeback from ITZY! All this, and so much more in this week's weekly wrap-up! Read on to find out all of the details!

BY POLARIS_TAE

MONDAY:
#1- We had some concert announcements this week! On Monday, TWICE's official Japanese YouTube channel shared the news that the group would be adding additional concert dates to their 'Ready to Be' tour in Japan, including two dates in Nissan Stadium. The group will be performing on the 13th & 14th of July at Yanmar Stadium, while they will be holding shows at Nissan Stadium on the 27th & 28th of July. The group will be the first female foreign artist in history to hold a concert at Nissan Stadium. Then on Thursday, the Korean-American soloist, AleXa shared the dates for a few of her upcoming 'Sick of You' US Tour. The artist will be touring across various cities in the North-East, Mid-west, South and West of the country from the 29th of March to the 7th of April. Are you looking forward to any of these upcoming performances?

#2- SM has shared an update related to the Exo members' individual activities this week. On Monday, the agency shared a press release stating that the group would continue their group activities as an 8-membered group; with an upcoming fan meet scheduled for April this year along with new music and performances expected throughout the remainder of 2024. The company further elaborated that, when it comes to the member's solo activities, Exo members D.O, Chen, Baekhyun & Xiumin will remain under SM for their group activities with Exo, but the management of their solo activities will fall under the management of their respective management companies. In addition to this announcement, it was shared that the Exo-CBX sub-unit would remain as an SM group, but their unit activities would fall under Baekhyun's newly founded agency, INB100. Chen & Xiumin have also signed to INB100 for the management of their solo careers.



TUESDAY:
#1- We had a slew of new comeback and debut announcements throughout the week! Three artists will be making their return in February: fromis_9's Lee Seoyeon, MAMAMOO's Solar & Weeekly. fromis_9's Lee Seyeon released a remake of Zico's 'I Am You, You Are Me' as an OST for the film, Our Secret Diary on Wednesday. Later in January, both Weeekly & Solar will be making their return with new music. Weeekly will be returning on the 25th of January with the digital single, 'Stranger', while Solar will be resuming her Solar Emotion project for the first time in five years with the release of Solar Emotion Part 7 & its title track, 'Love Has Gone' on the 18th of January. Then In February, P1Harmony will be making their return with their first full-length album. Now moving on to solo releases. It's been revealed that Astro's Cha Eunwoo will officially make his solo debut during the first half of 2024. Which of these upcoming music releases are you looking forward to the most?

#2- Following the announcement that Chungha had lost the copyright to her long-standing fandom name, ByulHarang after a dispute with her former company, it was announced on Tuesday that the soloist had officially chosen a new name for her fans! The idol officially took to YouTube this week to announce that her fans would now go by the name HAART. What are your thoughts on the name change? Do you like the new name? Or will you miss her original fandom name?



WEDNESDAY:
#1- Just when we thought that we left the news of the SM acquisition in 2023, we got thrown another curve ball! It was reported on Wednesday that Kakao has been exploring the option of selling its majority stake in the company. This comes following many legal risks that the company has faced in relation to its acquisition of SM Entertainment. The Financial Supervisor Service (FSS) referred Kakao, its subsidiary, Kakao Entertainment (formerly known as LOEN or KakaoM), as well as the executives who were involved in the stock manipulation to public prosecutors following a suspected violation of the Capital Markets Act. This was a result of the information that arose at the end of 2023 when a Kakao executive, Bae Jae-hyun — the Chief Investment Executive of the company — had been indicted and will be facing a trial for manipulating and inflating the stock price of SM Entertainment. This was a direct retaliation to HYBE's attempt to purchase a majority stake in the company and was a direct violation of the South Korean Capital Markets Act (2007). In addition to the possible sale of SM Entertainment, Kakao has responded to reports stating that the company's co-CEO's would be resigning from their positions. The company stated that nothing is confirmed concerning the report on the resignations of the company heads. Do you have any comments on the company's business strategy?

#2- On Wednesday SM Entertainment shared that NCT's Haechan would be going on a health-related hiatus following a severe diagnosis of tonsilitis. Then later in the week, the idol was caught on tape vaping in an SM behind-the-scenes practice video filmed within the practice rooms at the SM Entertainment building. Since 2013 South Korea has had a blanket ban on smoking and vaping in public spaces — such as bars, cafes, buildings and schools — and any individual caught consuming tobacco through either smoking or vaping — outside of designated smoking zones — will be held liable and issued a fine of ₩100,000, while liable companies are at risk of being fined ₩5 million. In response to the idol's vaping controversy, SM Entertainment shared an apology stating that "After the release of NCT 127's latest behind-the-scenes practice video content on January 10, we confirmed that Haechan was seen smoking an e-cigarette indoors." The company received a notice of penalty for the violation of South Korean smoking laws and the company fully intends to co-operate by paying the fine. Haechan, as the individual responsible, likely also received a fine of ₩100,000 in addition to the company's penalty notice. The company later stated that they "would like to deeply apologize for causing many people concerns with such careless actions. We will take precautions so that the same mistake does not happen again." What are your thoughts on this controversy? Do you think that South Korean smoking laws are too strict? Or was the idol rightfully punished for his inappropriate actions?

#3- On the 1st of January, Japan's Noto Peninsula was subject to a deadly earthquake that claimed over 100 lives. Following the disaster, various relief efforts were set up to help the region rebuild and alleviate the stress on its recovering residents. On Wednesday, it was shared that the popular idol group, ARASHI — who have been on an indefinite hiatus since 2021 — had donated over ¥67 million to aid in the relief efforts of the New Year's Day quake. The group members released a statement on their official social media: “We pray for the earliest possible restoration to normal life and peace of mind.” We thank the group for their overwhelming generosity and hope that those affected by the disaster can successfully recover from this incident.



THURSDAY:
#1- It's been shared that SF9's main rapper Zuho has signed an exclusive contract with Haewadal Entertainment for the management of his individual activities and solo career. The idol will remain signed to FNC for his group activities, while his individual activities will fall under the management of his new company.

#2- AOA's Yuna had some exciting news to share with us this week! It's been shared by EDaily that the idol will be tying the knot with her boyfriend next month on the 18th of February. It's been revealed that the AOA member's husband-to-be is Kang Junghoon from the music production group GALACTIKA. We congratulate the couple on their upcoming nuptials!



FRIDAY:
#1- We had a few more updates related to upcoming releases on Friday. Brave Entertainment has shared that they are preparing to debut a new 4-member girl group during the first half of 2024. The group will reportedly be named Candy Shop and will be the company's first girl group since BRAVE GIRLS in 2011. Now moving on and LE SSERAFIM's Huh Yunjin will be collaborating with US-based artist MAX in the singer's upcoming release 'Stupid In Love' from his 3rd studio album, LOVE IN STEREO. The singer has previously collaborated with HYBE artists on at least two occasions: first in 2020 on AGUST D's 2nd mixtape D-2 in 'Burn It' & secondly in 2021 with BTS member Suga on his own single 'Blueberry Eyes'.

#2- M-Countdown has released a clarification concerning their chart counting methods. The music program has shared that they will now begin to count the number of videos made on short-form platforms such as Tik-Tok. It's unknown whether the counting method will include fan-made content — such as BGMs in fan edits — or more official content, like dance challenges or related videos posted by official artists' accounts. What are you expecting — if anything — from this new change to M-Countdown's chart system?



SATURDAY:
#1- There were no new updates on Saturday.



SUNDAY:
#1- On Sunday, Exo's Baekhyun shared that he was planning for a Summer solo comeback this year! This will be the idol's first solo release since the creation of his new solo agency INB100, which has the exclusive rights to manage the idol's solo career. Are you looking forward to his upcoming comeback?

BY DRAGON OF THE WEST


#1.B1A4 - REWIND
'Rewind' is B1A4's first comeback title track in quite a while, and is the lead single off their 8th mini album CONNECT with their last proper, full-scale comeback being way back in 2017. The song is reminiscent of late 80s-early 90s New Jack Swing, a difficult sound to nail down, especially among K-pop groups, but the group managed to make it work for the most part by committing to the groove. The chorus is nice and could probably play well in the long run, however there is a yearning wish that they could have had it hit much harder. The song as a whole is still a lot of fun though, and it's always good to see a veteran group make a long-awaited comeback, even if they are down to just three members.





#2.ITZY - UNTOUCHABLE
Following a string of pre-release singles and solo songs, ITZY has finally made their comeback with their 8th mini-album BORN TO BE and the title track 'Untouchable'. With Lia's absence from the track, the song's EDM beat is performed in a range that feels more comfortable and well-suited to the remaining members, with layered vocals throughout the song doing a good job of complimenting the arrangement. This song is very much a performance piece, relying on the intensity of ITZY’s stage presence and they definitely nail its delivery, making this one of their strongest title tracks in a very long time. Some of the recommended tracks on the album are 'Crown On My Head', 'Dynamite' & 'Born To Be'. Hallyuplussers should keep their eyes peeled for an album review dropping sometime in the next few weeks.





#3.SF9 - BIBORA
Between enlistments and solo activities, it appears to be that SF9 has now turned into a group that has shifted into a once-a-year-comeback pattern, and so it seems like they've decided to start the year off with said comeback in the form of their 13th mini album SEQUENCE and the title track 'Bibora'. The song abandons many of K-pop's pretences. It’s so refreshing to hear a song fully embrace this dancefloor sound without the needless slowdowns and twists the genre often forces itself into, and even though it seems to follow a predictable structure, the beat manages to keep the song aloft throughout its entirety. The rap breakdowns, particularly Zuho's verse, add to the song’s character without segueing into a completely different arrangement, and spikes of drama in the pre and post-chorus give the track heft. Seven years into their career, and despite being two members down, the group has released what is debatably their best title track yet. The album itself has a lot to offer as well, with songs such as 'Superconductor' and 'Strings' being standouts.





#4.LIMELIGHT - TA-DA!
Marking their final comeback as a 3-member girl group, with it being all but confirmed that Yeseo and Mashiro will be joining them once Kep1er disbands, LimeLight has released their 3rd mini album LAST DANCE with the title track 'TA-DA!'. Following on from the bold melodies and sound of their 2023 release 'Madeline', the group's latest single isn't a vast departure from that style of music, but fails to take the chance to go bigger and bolder. Like a lot of K-pop songs that delve into the citypop sound, this one is also ornamented with bright synth and flashes of disco guitar. The members sound great and even though I am slightly disappointed that their last release as three isn't as bold as it could be, I remain optimistic about their future once the group is restructured.





#5. RYU SUJEONG - FALLEN ANGEL
Ryu Sujeong is set to make her comeback later this month with her 2nd mini album 2ROX and in the meantime, she has put out a pre-release single titled 'Fallen Angel'. The track is laidback and offers a much darker vibe than most of her solo discography, and is interestingly sung entirely in English, with a synth beat being what drives the melody. The song on its own isn't all too memorable, with it becoming repetitive quite quickly, but the music video is what brings things together with the homoeroticism subtext being the driving force behind the concept. The push and pull between Sujeong and XYLØ hammers down on the fallen angel concept, and their voices blend well together to tie everything in a hauntingly beautiful way.





#6. NMIXX - RUN FOR ROSES
'Run For Roses' was first performed last year and while it isn't the title track for NMIXX’s upcoming album, it is still a compelling taste of what’s to come. Being a rare upbeat track that takes advantage of the group’s vocals — a treat for those of us who have been eager to hear more singing and less shouting from NMIXX, it is evident from the get go that it absorbs a few influences from country music. It’s surprising to hear these elements used this way, but the general vibe works quite well. NMIXX are up to the task, and this confidence is catchy. The track does a nice job segueing between theatrical peaks and more subdued sing-talk, adding a sense of dynamism that keeps it engaging throughout. While I'm not certain their title track lives up to this, I think I can speak for quite a number of people when I say that this is one of their most appealing releases so far.

BY DRAGON OF THE WEST

#1- Even with enlistment, BTS members continue to achieve several accolades with their music. We started the week finding out that V's solo album 'Layover' Managed to surpass 1 billion streams on Spotify. We then found out that Jungkook's 'SEVEN' went 2x Platinum while 'Standing Next To You' & '3D' went Gold in Canada. Jimin's 'Like Crazy' also went Platinum in Canada. The group's song 'Spring Day' continues to show its popularity among the general public in South Korea, as it recently became the first song to spend 7 consecutive years on MelOn's Yearly Chart Top 100, with the first being in 2017 when it was released. Finally, the group's album Love Yourself 承 Her was recently certified Gold in the UK. It has certainly been an eventful start to the year for ARMYs.

#2- NewJeans have become the first artists to simultaneously the Top 2 positions on MelOn Yearly Chart Top 100, with their hit singles 'Ditto' & 'Hype Boy' ranking 1st and 2nd respectively. They truly are monster rookies and we can only look on with eager eyes to the sort of achievements they are certain to get in 2024.

#3- Circle Chart, formerly known as Gaon, recently unveiled their Yearly Album Chart for 2023 with SEVENTEEN taking the top spot with their album FML selling over 5.5m copies. The highest-selling album by a girl group was aespa's My World with over 2m copies sold, and the highest-selling by a soloist was Jungkook's Golden with over 2.2m copies sold. Remarkably, there were 34 albums with over 1m copies sold, and the entire top 100 albums sold over 200k copies. 2023 was definitely the biggest year yet for album sales in K-pop, and it remains to be seen if 2024 can top it.

BY POLARIS_TAE

Our Events Team returned with various updates this week!

Our Hallyu+ Events Team Lead, Bchip returned this week with another new update to our weekly H+ Station Chart. This week, VIVIZ took the #1 position with their single 'Maniac'. Be sure to check out our chart to see where all of your favourite songs ranked!

Our flagship event, The Winter Adventure 2023 continued this week with another Mini Activity, 'Puzzle Hell' hosted by Soozie! In this event, participants were required to solve three puzzles — word sudoku, cryptogram & a maze — to claim fantastic prizes.

Chiharu hosted our Monthly Check-up for January. Make sure to check it out if you're looking for an easy way to earn pluscoins & elite points!


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We are searching for new members for the following teams Blog Team, Social Media — Press Divison. As always, our full list of recruitments can be found on our General Recruitment thread.



This brings us to the end of In Case You Missed It for another week. Did anything from the past week pique your interest? Or did any of your favourite artists make their return with new music? If so, then be sure to sound off in the comments. We'll be back again next week with more great updates to share!





GFX BY @yerm
FEATURED ARTISTS Nino (ARASHI), Ryu Sujeong, Gongchan (B1A4), Chungha, Hwiyoung (SF9)​

 

[fromisJelly]

What pique my interest this week is the change of Chungha's fandom name. We fans actually learn that we can't use ByulHarang anymore a month or so ago. While I think HAART is still a nice fandom name after learning the meaning of it, I will miss being called a ByulHarang. I especially remember the time when my username was ByulHarangBona before I moved to fromisJelly and eventually my current username.

 

[Dragon of the West]

I'm still surprised at how much I've enjoyed 'Run For Roses' by NMIXX as well as ITZY's comeback as a whole. As mentioned, keep your eyes peeled for an album review of the latter.