ICYMI IN CASE YOU MISSED IT // JUNE 14 - JUNE 20

[Dragon of the West]

JUNE 14 - JUNE 20


Hello Hallyuplussers and welcome to this week's edition of In Case You Missed It! In this format, we look to break down all of the past week's news, events, releases & more into one easily digestible news source. This week we saw multiple new comeback announcements along with some surprising news related to relationships within the Japanese Entertainment industry. The site also kicked off our newest Hallyu+ Event. 'Hallyuversary 2021'. We hope that you're having as much fun as possible participating in the event that the events team painstakingly brought to life and we hope to see even more great games and events throughout the coming days! Now, without further ado, let's jump into another amazing article!

BY POLARIS_TAE


MONDAY:
#1- Numerous comebacks were announced this week! In June, Sam Kim will be returning with a new single. As for July, we will be seeing a slew of artists return with new music! Day6 (Even of the Day) will return on the 5th of July, while DONGKIZ will return a few days earlier on the 1st of July. Then on the 4th of August, Rocket Punch will be releasing their debut mini-album 'Bubble Up!'

#2- INFINITE's Kim Sunggyu has some exciting news this week! He's glad to announce that he's signed an exclusive contract with Double H tne. Later in the week, it was announced that GFRIEND's Yerin had signed a contract with Sublime Artist Agency, which is also home to GOT7's Youngjae. We look forward to seeing their future activities!

#3- Weverse has announced that they have two new artists joining the social media platform! iKON & Everglow will be joining the platform to communicate even more with their fans! Will you be subscribing to their new channels?

#4- Now onto new and exciting brand deals to start off this week! BRAVE GIRLS has joined hands with the swimwear company Barrel after it was announced that they've been selected as the company's newest swimwear models. Meanwhile, Seo Kang-joon has been selected as the advertising model for the premium oral care brand, DENTISTE for the second year in a row. Congrats!

#5- The Gaon Chart will be making some changes to how they calculate artist popularity this week! The chart has announced that they plan to start using TikTok engagements to measure the popularity of artists. Do you think this is a step in the right direction for the ever-evolving South Korean music Industry?



TUESDAY:
#1- More exciting releases were announced on Tuesday! It's been announced that BTS has plans to release a CD single version of 'Butter' this July, which is also set to include a brand new song on the release. The single is expected to drop on the 9th of July. Meanwhile, JYP Entertainment has confirmed that Stray Kids are currently preparing for their comeback. It is unknown whether Hyunjin -- who is currently on an extended hiatus due to school bullying accusations -- will participate in this newest comeback, but JYP stated that they will update fans on the details further down the line. Which artists are you looking forward to seeing the most?

#2- The 27th Dream Concert has shared their full line-up for their June 26th concert. Artists set to participate in this year's concert will include: aespa, A.C.E, Itzy, Astro, Oh My Girl and many more. Which artists are you looking forward to at this concert?

#3- Another South Korean actor will be joining the Marvel Universe in a currently undisclosed role! Park Seojoon has been given the opportunity to join the cast of the upcoming 'Captain Marvel 2' film scheduled for release in 2022. It is unknown whether the actor will appear in a prominent role within the film right now, but we surely can't wait to see him in the film!

#4- (TW: s*icide, assault) Some concerning news came out related to B.A.P's Himchan this week. It has been shared that the artist attempted to take his own life earlier this week possibly in relation to his previous sexual assault allegations & DUI charges. Prior to this incident taking place, the former B.A.P member took to his Instagram account to apologise for his past actions. He is currently under investigation for a sexual assault that allegedly took place sometime in 2018.



WEDNESDAY:
#1- Thursday was a day for announcements related to all of our favourite female soloists! Huh Chanmi & SNSD's Taeyeon will both make their return soon. Huh Chanmi will be releasing a trot single on the 22nd of June. The following month, Taeyeon will make her return will a brand new single. We can't wait!

#2- YG Entertainment has announced that BLACKPINK's first ever feature-length film, 'BLACKPINK: The Movie' will be hitting screens around the world this August in over 100 countries. The project will mark just one of the many grand-scale events set to happen in conjunction with the group's 5-year anniversary. Make sure to catch it out when it releases!

#3- It has been announced that CLC's Seunghee, Yeeun & Seungyeon will be joining the cast of the upcoming Kakao Page web film, 'Taste of Horror'. Will you be checking it out when it finally premieres?



THURSDAY:
#1- Moving onto comeback announcements for the latter half of the week! (G)I-DLE's Soyeon, MAJORS, DRIPPIN' & AleXa have all revealed their intentions to return within the next two months. MAJORS will be the first to return when they drop new music on the 25th of June. That same week on the 29th of June, DRIPPIN will release their first mini-album. The following month, (G)I-DLE's Soyeon will release her first mini-album on the 5th of July, while AleXa will return with new music later in the month. We can't wait!

#2- As for concert announcements, we have a lot of them! 3YE will be holding an exclusively Latin American concert on the 31st of July, while A.C.E & WJSN will both be holding online concerts on the same date! A.C.E's concert 'SIREN's CALL' & WJJSN's UNIVERSE exclusive fan party, 'Welcome to 우소家' will both be held on the 10th of July. SEVENTEEN will be attending the June 23rd edition of ABC's 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' as musical guests. Lastly, GOLDEN CHILD has revealed that they plan to hold an offline concert, 'Summer Breeze' on the 17th & 18th of July. We can't wait!

#3- Continuing on with the BTS x McDonald's collaboration, the group will be releasing a number of fast food-themed merchandise including pyjamas, shoes & more. Will you be buying any of these limited-time goods?

#4- A number of relationship-related news came out of Japan this week! It was reported that Komatsu Nana & her longtime boyfriend, actor Suda Masaki have started living together beginning in mid-June. Meanwhile, it has been reported that Kadowaki Mugi and Kaneko Daichi are currently in a relationship together. The two reportedly got to know each other while starring in the stage play 'Pandora no Kane' and have naturally started dating. We wish both couples the very best in their relationships.

#5- It's been revealed that Japanese actor Kimura Takuya has been offered a role in the upcoming international drama, "The Swarm'. Meanwhile, his daughter Koki will be making her acting debut in the upcoming horror film sequels 'Howling Village' & 'Suicide Forest Village'. We can't wait!



FRIDAY:
#1- Oh My Girl's Arin has proven her generosity by donating over 30 million KRW to 'The Beautiful Foundation'. We thank her for her continued generosity!

#2- SEVENTEEN's THE8 will be attempting to minimise strenuous dancing for the time being after sustaining an ankle injury. We hope that he gets better soon.



SATURDAY:
#1- The June edition of the individual boy group member brand reputation rankings has been released! BTS' Jimin once again took the top spot this week, while BTS' V & 2PM's Junho took 2nd & 3rd places respectively. The following day, the individual girl group member brand reputation rankings were released! aespa's Karina took the top spot this week, while BLACKPINK's Jennie & Oh My Girl's Arin rounded out the top 3 positions. Did any of your biases manage to rank this month?

#2- SEVENTEEN will be postponing promotional activities for their comeback after it was discovered that a number of their staff members had tested positive for the virus. The group all tested negative for covid-19 & are currently in self-quarantine at home.



SUNDAY:
#1- There was no relevant news on Saturday.

BY DRAGON OF THE WEST


#1. SEVENTEEN - READY TO LOVE
They had an incredible 2020 with two albums (Heng:garae & Semicolon) selling over a million copies and they started 2021 off with a string of solo & unit tracks but now Seventeen have finally made their first full group comeback of the year releasing their 8th mini-album Your Choice and the spectacular title track "Ready To Love". Despite this being their first title track involving Bang Si-hyuk as a producer, "Ready To Love" manages to come across as definitive Seventeen and is one of their strongest Korean title tracks in quite a while. It may not be the most exciting showcase for every skill set within Seventeen’s roster, but its single-mindedness packs a punch. Though the track is underpinned by a chugged, rock-influenced beat, its melody feels more like a ballad or mid-tempo. Even the rap segments take a more sentimental approach. The chorus tackles two distinct refrains, ending in an exclamatory chant that will certainly go down well in live settings. The guys sound fantastic, lending the song plenty of power without going overboard. And though we’ve never heard a song quite like this from Seventeen, they make the transformation sound effortless. Even with all that praise though, I must say that at least in my opinion, the strongest track on the entire album is undoubtedly "Anyone", a song that seamlessly weaves rock influences into Seventeen’s sound.





#2. BRAVE GIRLS - CHI MAT BA RUM
Brave Girls are now back with a new mini album Summer Queen and its title track "Chi Mat Ba Ram". Ever since Sistar disbanded and left the throne vacant no group has made a convincing bid to take the crown of K-pop's summer queens but Brave Girls, following their newfound success ever since their 2017 track "Rollin" took over the charts, are now frontrunners to fill that role. "Chi Mat Ba Ram" harnesses a similar energy to some other summery songs produced by Brave Brothers for other groups, but its hook does unfortunately fall short in comparison to them. That isn't to say that it's a bad song though, because it definitely does have its strengths. Opening with a brassy flourish, the track moves into a sprightly, self-referential verse that unfolds like all of Brave Brothers’ tracks thrown in a blender. It’s not remotely new, but the whole thing moves at such a breathless pace you’ll hardly notice. For their part, Brave Girls imbue the performance with an infectious sense of joy. Underpinned by a relentless dance beat, the final product is undeniably fun, and that just may be the song's strongest asset. It never takes a moment to breathe, spinning its summertime fantasia with convincing resolve.





#3. YUGYEOM - ALL YOUR FAULT (FEAT. GRAY)
GOT7's Yugyeom has made his debut as a solo artist with his first mini-album Point of View: U and has enlisted the help of his AOMG labelmate Gray as a producer on several of the album's tracks as well as a featuring artist on the title track "All Your Fault", a collaboration that helps to establish Yugyeom’s newfound credentials. The track has an enjoyable, laidback groove. It’s not one of Gray’s more memorable productions, but it’s not trying too hard to be a big moment. The sense of ease makes for a pleasant listen. Yugyeom’s vocals have an airy appeal, layered on the chorus to create a satisfying texture. His solo career has a lot of potential to go extremely well and while "All Your Fault" may not be a particularly momentous start, it's slinky, subdued nature goes down easy. The mini-album follows similar vibes with the standout tracks being "All About You" and "Love The Way".





#4. WAYV KUN & XIAOJUN - BACK TO YOU
Seemingly out of nowhere, Kun and Xiaojun announced the release of their first single album as the first subunit from WayV, a subunit of the general NCT umbrella. Both of them are designated as main vocals within the group, yet don’t always have the opportunity to shine as part of WayV’s hip-hop heavy sound. "Back To You" is a ballad, stripped to its bare bones to offer maximum spotlight on their vocals. Their voices complement each other and drive the emotion forward without coming across as overwrought. The chorus has a pleasant lift, gradually expanding the track with each repetition. This climaxes in an earned power note during the song’s finale. It's a welcoming reminder that not just WayV, but also the NCT umbrella in general both have some pretty strong vocalists who can hold their own.





#5. UP10TION - SPIN OFF
A group that has faced quite a few unfortunate turn of events, primarily due to the company they're under (but that's a story for another day), UP10TION are finally back with their 2nd full-length album CONNECTION and the title track "Spin Off". The song opens with a tease of its chorus, and it’s a big one. There’s a sense of grandeur within this soaring refrain and their layered vocals crafting a knockout punch. When this chorus returns to unveil its full potential, the track absolutely soars. The instrumental makes a few interesting choices within this framework, but the change in momentum lasts far too long and sacrifices the blazing energy the track had been building. Luckily, it returns bigger than ever, bolstered by electric guitar as that brisk beat underpins the finale. The chorus does all the heavy lifting, and is more than up for the task proving that "Spin Off's" strengths outweigh its flaws.

BY DRAGON OF THE WEST


#1. To start off the Achievements for this week, we have YouTube milestones being hit. Jessi's "What Type of X" reached 40 million views and aespa's "Next Level" surpassed 100 million views becoming the fastest music video from an SM female artist to do so. Finally, TWICE's latest music video for Alcohol-Free surpassed 100 million views, extending their record as the girl group with the most music videos (18!) to do so.


#2. Brave Girls made their long awaited comeback with "Chi Mat Ba Rum" and as expected, it's an instant hit as it managed to attain 405,068 unique listeners in its first 24 hours, the biggest 24-hour debut for a girl group in 2021. Its music video also managed to surpass 10 million views in under 24 hours becoming their first MV to reach this milestone.


#3. Would it really be a regular week if BTS weren't hitting new heights? The answer to that is "obviously not". Their single "Butter" maintained its position at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the third week in a row and it also surpassed 250 million streams on Spotify in just 29 days, a new personal record for the group. Finally, the group released their Japanese compilation album "BTS, THE BEST" and it was announced that the album surpassed a whopping 1.1 million copies being shipped on just the first day. It sold 571,589 copies on Oricon on just its first day, the biggest first day album sales for a foreign act on the chart.


#4. SEVENTEEN's "Your Choice" sold 881,787 copies on its first day, a new personal record for the group and the fourth highest of all time.

BY POLARIS_TAE

The Events Team kicked off their June Hallyuversary Event to celebrate two years with Hallyuplus with events to keep us entertained for the coming weeks!

The daily check-in thread was opened for users to be able to easily gain tickets to participate in the ongoing Hallyuversary lottery!

Stannie is hosting 'The Showcase' event where users can submit various creative works in order to pay tribute to our GFX, Content+ & Social Media teams. Submissions close on the 23rd of June, so make sure to submit your projects ASAP!

Stannie hosted 'The Game of Mistranslation'. Users were required to attempt to translate a number of made-up words. Participants would then vote for the translation that they like the most & the winner would be the user with the most points at the end of the game. Ultimately, Baymax took the top spot. Congrats!

AKID❀KI paid tribute to the awards team by hosting 'Guess The Award', where players were given questions or tasks to complete related to a Hallyu+ award. OutroTearTheFirst took the top prize for this game. Congrats!

Chiharu is still taking sign-ups for the mod-themed game 'Mod Says' where the mod will give you tasks to complete within a set time frame. Make sure to sign up before it's too late!

Shop+ fans, our team was busy again this week adding even more great items to our store. Make sure to get your hands on them ASAP!

Our Content+ Team member, ARandomFan gave us their opinions on all things fashion in Asian Entertainment with their fun fashion review on the forum's official YouTube channel. We can't wait to see more content from them in the future!

The Translations Team gave us one article this week! Vanilla Cupcake gave us an article translation related to the contestants of the JYP survival show 'Sixteen' and where they are in relation to their current career paths.


+

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: GFX, Tech Team - Tech Admin, Translation Team - Translators and SM Team - Press Division.



This brings us to the end of another fantastic article! We hope to see you at the same time next week for even more great content!





GFX BY @yerm
PROOFREAD BY @Dragon of the West
FEATURED ARTISTS: Xiaojun (WayV), Minyoung (Brave Girls), Wonwoo (Seventeen), Mami, Yugyeom (GOT7)​

 

[UMJI MOODS]

Our weekly update is appreciated as always.​

 

[kimsguardian]

summer is here, it's time for my queens to slay~
thank you for the updates, as always you guys are the best!

 

[sm maid]

Thanks for the updates again! Glad Brave Girls didn't disappoint

 

[yongfilms]

thank you again for the updates

 

[Lilac]

I really like this week's releases from Brave Girls, Seventeen, and Yugyeom. They gave solid comebacks!

 

[abra]

Great job as always! I'm surprised that I've barely heard anything about SVT's comeback. I thought it got delayed because of the staff that got covid.

Also let me plug NMB's latest single which was released this week

 

[Seriously]

Thanks as always, I was pleasantly surprised by the brave girls track

 

[Bellamy]

It's a welcoming reminder that not just WayV, but also the NCT umbrella in general both have some pretty strong vocalists who can hold their own.

Facts!!!
Thank you so much for your hard work!

 

[Vampire]

oh damn, didn't realize yugyeom had released something

thanks for the updates!

 

[Stannie]

Thanks for the hard work and great coverage as always <3

 

[Chomiczewska]

Thank you for the updates
Both Yugyeom and Bambam delivered me bops this week, I couldn't be happier Also, whoever did the unique item kitty should not make it so cute, I want to buy it just to display it lol

 

[Dragon of the West]

Thank you all for the support and feedback! It's because of you guys that we put these out at the end of every week so all the support is really appreciated.

 

[Baymax]

It's a shame Seventeen's promotions has been postponed, was really looking forward to being overly fed
but I hope everyone that came into close contact with the staff that tested positive remain safe, and they are able to recover well.


Thank you for the update, as always!

 

[ARandomFan]

Thank you for taking the time to give us updates~

 

[Happy]

Thank you so much for the updates!