NewJeans' Hanni speaks out about alleged workplace bullying at National Assembly

SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - Hanni, a member of K-pop girl band NewJeans made a baffling appearance at the National Assembly on Tuesday. In a parliamentary audit of the Ministry of Environment and Labor, Hanni was scrutinized regarding workplace bullying and other forms of harassment she had endured. "What I experienced, which was not a one-time issue, is something anyone could go through," said the 20-year-old Vietnamese-born girl. "I came forward because I felt it s

October 15, 2024

Peruvian singer lights up autumnal night with fusion concert in Seoul

SEOUL, October 4 (AJP) - Peruvian singer Lenin Tamayo stole the autumnal night with a concert in central Seoul on Thursday. The multi-talented young singer, 21, who created his own music genre, dubbed "Q-pop," captivated audiences with unique and exotic performances that blend elements of K-pop with the indigenous languages widely spoken in the central Andes of South America. "Q-pop is rooted in the heritage and culture of the indigenous Quechua people, one of the

October 4, 2024

BTS member Suga fined 15 million won for drunk driving

SEOUL, September 30 (AJP) - BTS member Suga was fined 15 million won (US$ 11,463) on Monday for driving under influence earlier this year. The Seoul Western District Court ordered the 31-year-old rapper to pay the fine. Suga, who is currently fulfilling his mandatory military service with a public-sector desk job, was caught riding under the influence after falling off his electric scooter near his residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan on Aug. 6. At the time of the accident, his

September 30, 2024

KBS demands apology from Real Madrid after abrupt cancellation of K-pop concert

SEOUL, September 20 (AJP) - Terrestrial network Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) has requested a public apology from Spain's prestigious football club Real Madrid for abruptly canceling a K-pop concert that was scheduled to take place next month. The Spanish club unilaterally announced last week its decision to suspend all music concerts and other events at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium until next March, citing constant noise complaints from residents. Staff members and o

September 20, 2024

BTS included in Billboard's list of greatest pop stars of this century

㎤ SEOUL, September 12 (AJP) - K-pop boy band BTS has been included in Billboard's list of the greatest pop stars of this century. The seven-member group ranked No. 19 among the 25 most influential pop stars of the 21st century. "When you think of what it takes for a group to become pop stars, imagine having seven individual talents who can each do it all well: sing, rap, dance, and amass a love and fandom that even some of the biggest pop stars could only dream

September 12, 2024

Members of NewJeans demand HYBE reinstate their mentor

SEOUL, September 12 (AJP) - K-pop girl group NewJeans held a live YouTube broadcast on Wednesday, urging HYBE, the parent company of their label ADOR, to reverse its decision to dismiss Min Hee-jin, the label's former CEO. The abrupt broadcast came just a day before HYBE shareholders' meeting. Min, the woman behind the stellar success of the quintet, established her reputation at SM Entertainment, where she orchestrated the launch of popular groups like Girls' Generati

September 12, 2024

K-pop girl band IVE holds concerts at Tokyo Dome

SEOUL, Sept. 6 (AJP) -K-pop girl band IVE held concerts from Wednesday to Thursday at Tokyo Dome, Japan's iconic venue for mega-sized concerts and events, attracting some 95,000 audiences, its agency said on Friday. The event was the finale of the six-member group's world tour and the first time it had held concerts at the dome. "I couldn't believe it even when the Tokyo Dome concert was confirmed and during rehearsals. I will never forget the moment of

September 6, 2024

NCT's Taeil leaves group amid sexual crime allegations

SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - Taeil, a member of K-pop boy band NCT has left the group, after being accused of a sexual crime, his agency SM Entertainment said on Wednesday. Specific details of the alleged offense remain undisclosed, but the 30-year-old is reportedly under investigation by police in southern Seoul. "Given the seriousness of the matter, we have determined that it is no longer possible for him to be with us," the agency wrote in a post on X. Making his deb

August 29, 2024

NewJeans producer claims she was forced to step down

SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - Min Hee-jin, a producer behind the K-pop sensation NewJeans, claimed on Wednesday that she was forced out of her position as CEO of ADOR without her consent. Min's abrupt removal was decided during a board meeting the previous day, where she was replaced by Kim Joo-young, ADOR's internal director, who is also in charge of human resources at HYBE. ADOR, an affiliate of HYBE, has seen rapid success under Min's leadership. In a statement, law

August 28, 2024