Make Way for the New Kids On the Block: OCJ NEWBIES
December 7, 2022 | 3568 Visits
Make Way for the New Kids On the Block: OCJ NEWBIES
The K-Pop boy group makes history as one of the only groups to ever appear in four global mainstream magazines pre-debut
ELLE MEN HK, Cosmopolitan HK, Harper’s Bazaar HK, and Men’s Uno HK features the group in high fashion ensembles from Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent, Versace, Moschino and more
New K-Pop boy group, OCJ NEWBIES, is making waves even before their official debut, claiming their ground in the fashion space with four major magazine shoots already under their belt.
Earlier this year, the company One Cool Jacso Entertainment opened official SNS accounts for their new trainee boy group, announcing that thirteen members have already been confirmed for the line-up. The agency recently shared that the number of members will increase to sixteen or more. The group will be active in Korea as well as worldwide, representing East Asia at large with its diverse members hailing from Korea, China, Hong Kong, as well as the first ever male idol from Indonesia.
Talent is served in abundance with these boys. Group and dance leader Lex has been learning modern dance since he was a child and has won several national dancing awards in Korea. Members Dongbin and Hyunsik are well-known to the public for both being contestants on the hit survival TV program Produce X 101. Other members have also been past contestants on music competition shows such as Loud, World Klass, We Are Young, and Stars Awakening.
Even pre-debut, the group has already made quite the stir in the fashion world, featuring in major Asian fashion magazines such as Cosmopolitan, ELLE MEN, Harper’s Bazaar, and Men’s Uno – all from Hong Kong.
Men’s Uno Hong Kong shows off the boys in a comfortable yet professional style in Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent, and Fendi. There’s something timeless in the simplicity of these clean silhouettes, straight-cut suits, and cozy knitwear. It’s important to note, “simplicity” doesn’t necessarily mean plain, and these modest looks go a long way in showing off the group’s classic style. Members such as Lex show us immaculate vibes sporting his Saint Laurent outfit, and we are here for it.
Cosmopolitan Hong Kong takes the traditional menswear concept of suits and slacks and elevates it with pops of color. Lex in his royal dark blue ensemble pushes the message that one can have fun while still looking dapper, and who better to spread this truth with than a brand like Louis Vuitton. There is a theme with dark bold colors that leave captivating visuals.
ELLE MEN Hong Kong explodes with color and texture, layering a chic and bright look on the OCJ group. From Beomsoo’s white and purple fur jacket to Lex’s rich magenta trousers, to Hyunsik’s 60’s inspired, retro LV print, the contrasting colors in Louis Vuitton’s one-of-a-kind ensembles make each member shine.
Harper’s Bazaar Hong Kong takes the group in a completely different direction, choosing to showcase pastel and floral-print looks that edge into the fine art category, fully showcasing their stunning visuals in Louis Vuitton and classic Moschino outfits. Their glistening hair colors enhance the already rich tones in their outfits. While a playful bear emblem on Sing keeps the outfits youthful, Lex’s Louis Vuitton floral trench coat and Sing’s Moschino web of chain and strap designs add an air of lavishness and luxury.
Rolling Stone recently published their “100 Best Songs of 2022” list with several K-Pop artists making the cut!
Rolling Stone’s annual list ranks the 100 best songs each year. This year, Jin, Le Sserafim, PSY, (G)I-dle, Nayeon, BIGBANG, NCT-127, aespa, Stray Kids, IVE, Seventeen, BLACKPINK, and NewJeans join Japanese-British singer Rina Sawayama, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion, Bad Bunny, and Harry Styles among others on the list. Here’s where your K-Pop artists ranked on this year’s list!
“That That,” PSY ft. Suga
PSY’s 2022 comeback song “That That” was the lowest-ranked K-Pop track on the list appearing at number 93. The track’s praised for its use of Mexican horns overlaid on the dance beat. Suga’s production and rap also earned praised, as did the choreography and MV stylization.
“Nxde,” (G)I-dle
Coming in at 88, “Nxde” received rave reviews for its empowering message against objectifying women. The use of the melody from the opera Carmen, Soyeon’s writing, and the Marilyn Monroe references in the song and MV were among the highlighted strengths.
“Pop!” Nayeon
When TWICE’s Nayeon released her debut album Im Nayeon earlier this year, her lead single “Pop!” was a hit. Ranked 86th on Rolling Stone’s list, writers loved Nayeon’s “bubblegum sound” and felt she exceeded expectations with her vocals. Rolling Stone loved how she channeled TWICE’s sound while standing out as her own person.
“Antifragile,” Le Sserafim
Le Sserafim is one of four debut/rookie artists on the list, joining Nayeon, NewJeans, and Jin, the latter two appearing later.
“Antifragile,” Le Sserafim’s comeback track released October 16, 2022, ranked 75th. While Rolling Stone loved their debut track “Fearless,” “Antifragile” earned a spot on the list due to the song’s catchy chorus and instant likeability. We tend to agree with Rolling Stone here.
“Still Life,” BIGBANG
Entering the list at 73, “Still Life” was appreciated for its soft rock turn and departure from BIGBANG’s usual sound. Rolling Stone loved Taeyang and Daesung’s distinct voices, T.O.P’s rap, and G-Dragon’s soft vocals. The lyrics and subject-matter also earned accolades.
“2 Baddies,” NCT-127
At 71, NCT-127’s hit received love for the experimental sound and strong sense of futurism and masculinity. Rolling Stone praised the rap, percussion, and bass as well as the group’s determination shared in the lyrics.
“The Astronaut,” Jin
Coming in at 68, Jin’s solo debut made the list thanks to strong vocals and tender message. Rolling Stone liked that Jin teamed up with Chris Martin (Coldplay) for the song and how it is a message to Jin’s fans.
“Girls,” aespa
The blending of synth, Hip-Hop, and EDM in aespa’s “Girls” caught Rolling Stone’s attention. Checking in at 65, “Girls” “snake-charmed” it’s way into the magazine’s list based on its sound, visuals, and storyline presented in the MV.
“Maniac,” Stray Kids
At almost the halfway point, Stray Kids’ catchy hit “Maniac” ranked 56th. “Maniac” was recognized for “pushing the envelope” and breaking social norms. The song’s “electronic production” also caught Rolling Stone’s ears to earn recognition.
“After Like,” IVE
While it is a surprise “After Like” was selected instead of mega-hit “Love Dive,” Rolling Stone points out that it was difficult to choose between the two songs. “After Like” was praised for its disco sound and Gloria Gaynor samples and how it gets “better and better with each listen.” “After Like” lands on the list at 53.
“Hot,” Seventeen
Landing at 38, “Hot” earns credit for enhancing Seventeen’s popularity. “Hot” impressed Rolling Stone due to Seventeen’s self-producing, songwriting, and choreography.
“Pink Venom,” BLACKPINK
At number 35, “Pink Venom” is considered an anthem and a tribute to 1980s “hair-metal glam.” Rolling Stone points out that the song is a solid summer anthem that is “incredibly fun.”
“Hype Boy,” NewJeans
Rolling in at 24, a rookie group ruled the K-Pop artists on the list. NewJeans was the highest ranked K-Pop act on Rolling Stone’s list. “Hype Boy” enthralled writers thanks to its theme of young love and cute lyrics. Rolling Stone also loved how the track caught the eyes and ears of more established K-Pop acts, making NewJeans a standout artist in this year’s rookie class.
Congratulations to all the artists who earned recognition this year!
Now, let’s hear from you. Were you surprised at this year’s selections? What were your favorite tracks this year? Let us know in the comments!
Jin (Kim Seok-jin) will become the first BTS member to enlist in the army. While Jin’s enlistment date has been speculated for several weeks, Big Hit Entertainment confirmed his enlistment will be soon via a statement.
We want to thank you for your continued support of BTS and would like to update you on Jin’s upcoming enlistment into the military.
Jin will fulfill his required time with the military by enlisting in the army. Please note that we will not be holding any kind of official event on the day of his recruitment.
The entrance ceremony is a time to be observed by military personnel and their families only. In order to prevent any issues that might occur from crowding, we ask fans to please refrain from visiting the site. Instead, we ask you to keep your heartwarming words of support and farewell in your hearts.
We also advise you not to get adversely affected by purchasing unauthorized tours or product packages illegally using artist IP. Our company will take necessary action against any attempts at commercial activity making unauthorized use of such IP.
We ask for your continued love and support for Jin until he finishes his military service and comes back. Our company will also strive to provide every support he needs during this time.
Thank you.
An unspecified source stated several weeks ago that Jin will begin his enlistment December 13, 2022. While Big Hit did not confirm the date, it appears the source may be correct. At the time of the report, Jin shared his displeasure of the enlistment date leak by stating:
News did I did not intend to go public has been published, but my ARMYs, you shouldn’t come to the training center TT.
There will be many others coming to enlist or accompany their loved ones as they enlist, so it will be hectic and could lead to potentially dangerous situations.
Meanwhile, Jin celebrated his 30th birthday December 4 by sharing a live session on Weverse with fans. His solo debut song, “The Astronaut,” also ranked #68 on Rolling Stone’s “100 Best Songs of 2022” list.
Travis Yee Haw is breaking barriers with his country music vibe. The reputable “Asian country singer” Tiktoker and “The Cowboy” from Fox TV’s “I Can See Your Voice – Season 1” is making quite a statement in the entertainment industry. Hailing from Los Angeles, Travis Yee has already made an impactful statement in the industry with his first musical pieces already creating a buzz for their originality and creativity.
KCrush America Magazine had an interview with Travis Yee Haw to know more about him as well as his debut, music, and aspirations. Here are some excerpts from the interview.
1. Beyond the “Asian Country Singer” on TikTok and “The Cowboy” from FOX TV’s I Can See Your Voice, who really is Travis Yee Haw?
I don’t even know! LOL jk. I’m a city boy originally from San Francisco, now living in Las Vegas. I got into music unexpectedly. Some artists say, “music found me”, and that has been so true for me. I didn’t grow up on music. I had no aspirations to be a singer. Events and experiences over time made me fall in love with the process of recording and a realization that I had a decent voice.
2. “Everything but country music” was your 1st debut single. Why country music and why “Everything but country music” exactly?
I fell in love with country music over 10 years ago. Honestly, I don’t even remember what year because time goes by so fast. But, I was driving to San Diego one year, and the only thing available was a Highway Country music station. I started enjoying country music immediately, the stories it told, the energy it gave, and how it made me feel.
“Everything, but Country” was an idea I came up with when people would explain the type of music they listen to, basically everything, but country. It stuck with me. I thought it would work perfectly as a song because it seemed to be a common theme among music listeners that listen to a wide variety of music.
3. Your 2nd single “Eyes like mine” is a masterpiece that touches on contentious issues such as racism. What was the inspiration behind this song and its intended purpose?
Just that. The goal was to tell my story and perspective through a song. Not everyone may understand. There are people who will always judge. Some people are brought up in a box and are unaware of diversity. It is what it is, but it’s really inspiring, even for me, to help spread a little awareness. And it’s coming from the heart. I think there are so many people afraid to be themselves because they are different or feel they will be judged. If I can help make it easier for some to be okay with taking that next step, then I feel like I did something good.
4. Your very 1st TikTok video of you singing Garth Brooks’ song went viral and also got a thrilling response from Garth himself. How did that make you feel and how did it impact your then blossoming career?
That felt incredible. He’s a superstar. An inspiration to the world. He took a minute to watch my video and say those kind words. If anything, I should be doing more to prove to him that what he said really motivated me and made me believe, even more, that I can do this. Also, that TikTok was super random and was going to be the only TikTok I post. Someone told me to give it a shot and so I did. Did not even expect that TikTok to go viral, but I guess most people don’t plan on a viral video.
5. There is a perception that country music artists ought to embrace a cowboyish look. What is your take on this?
It’s definitely been like that for awhile, but I do feel the expectations of what a country artist should look or sound like is evolving. We already see a change in the industry which is amazing. People are being more accepting. I believe labels and managers are more open. I think people are realizing that people are starting to appreciate country music for the music and not the look. Let’s hope it keeps evolving.
6. Cardi B’s “WAP” cover was beautifully blended in Garth Brooks’ style. How did you fathom fusing this daring cover?
Haha this was the best. I had so much fun doing this as well. WAP was the #1 song and it is not thing something I would ever listen to. Then I decided, you know what, TikTok is more for fun and entertainment. Let’s not be so serious and turn WAP into a country song. I knew Garth Brook’s “The Dance” was the perfect song for it. All country music lovers know the song immediately when it starts playing. It’s an emotional song and would totally ruin WAP and The Dance. I feel like I did my job lol.
7. You have covered songs done by artists from numerous genres. Who is your biggest inspiration and whom would you wish to collaborate with in the future?
I am really inspired by legends like Garth Brooks, George Strait, and Randy Travis. I’ve also always been a huge fan of Chris young. I would love to collaborate with him or any of the other artists listed. I respect and admire all of them and many more. I’m inspired by all music artists, not only because of their music, but because of their passion, hustle, and commitment to country music.
8. In addition to contributing towards writing your 3rd single, “She’s Changing”, you personally created its video. Is this a previously or recently learned skill and how do you balance all these responsibilities?
I have always enjoyed video editing and being creative. This was something I’ve just done for fun in the past, but thought…wait, I could save money and try something myself. I actually did the “Eyes Like Mine” video myself too. It’s such a fun process. Definitely takes a lot of time, but it’s 100% enjoyable and fun. Plus, I love doing anything on a computer haha. Video editing is fun because you get instant gratification after making any edits. From starting with a raw video to turning it into a movie.
9. The “She’s Changing” single is quite emotional. Was it by any chance birthed from your own personal experience?
In a way, but maybe not the way in which you may think. The idea of this song came about when I started thinking about friends who kind of drift off. The friends that you were close with in high school, but haven’t talked since. Nothing other than people just moving on with their lives. It also happens in relationships with no closure…which definitely hurts, but it happens. Sometimes people change and they move on. Sometimes it hurts and sometimes people get over it. Sometimes it’s for the better of both parties, neither, or one party.
10. Content creation requires an endless flow of creativity. In addition, you are quite unique in your choice of music genre. What are the challenges you face?
I definitely don’t have challenges in being creative. I love being creative. It’s fun. It’s my energy. It’s my personality. It’s my experience. The challenges I do face though is making sure creativity doesn’t feel like work. I want to make sure it remains fun. I believe that creativity is
11. Power comes with responsibilities. Do you ever feel burdened of being a voice of change, especially with your career and passion at stake? And if so, what motivates you?
I definitely don’t feel like I have any power. I don’t feel burdened at all because I started all this because of passion and had no expectations. The responses and lives I’ve impacted have made me want to grow even more in this area. That definitely motivates me. People say, if I can at least inspire or help 1 person through this, then it’s all worth it. That’s absolutely true and there are definitely proud moments when you know you have positively impacted someone.
12. Your enormous success must have created greater expectations from fans. How do you remain grounded and relaxed amidst the pressure of delivering musical pieces that are as impactful if nor more?
So far, I’ve never felt the pressure from anyone that supports me and my music. The hardest part in all this honestly is trying to get out of my head. The support and encouragement has been so great, but I still find myself overthinking or doubting what I release or what I post. I don’t know why, but it’s something I’m definitely trying to work on. It’s hard for me to accept that my work is good enough.
13. Your music is now available on major platforms including Spotify and Apple iTunes. Your apparel merchandise store is also thriving. So, what’s next for Travis Yee and his dream project?
It sounds so cool when you say that because I would’ve never thought I’d be a music artist before 10 years ago. The next part of my journey is to get back into consistent song writing as I’ve been out of it for a little. I want to steer my focus away from TikTok a little because I will be taken more serious with original music. Original music showcases the true talent of an artist and I want to look back and be proud of music that represents me. I can’t say that so much about parodies or covers.
Once again, thank you and all the best in your endeavors.
– TEEN TOP CHUNJI’s first solo debut… start one’s activities in earnest
TEEN TOP CHUNJI’s first solo album, CHUNJI 1st Single [Too late] Scheduler! He’ll be back as a solo artist!
– TEEN TOP CHUNJI’s first solo debut… start one’s activities in earnest
Teen Top CHUNJI surprisingly unveiled the scheduler of “CHUNJI (TEEN TOP) 1st Single [toolate]”.
At 0:00 on the 6th, CHUNJI released her first solo album [too late] scheduler on Teen Top’s official SNS channel and started her singing career in earnest after being discharged from the military.
Immediately after being discharged from the military, CHUNJI quickly began his activities through his solo fan meeting “2022 CHUNJI’s PLAYLIST” and the musical “Klimt.” In particular, this album [too late] is CHUNJI ‘s first solo album and at the same time, it is an album released after a military hiatus, raising fans’ expectations.
According to the released scheduler, CHUNJI will sequentially release various promotional contents such as mood photos, text mail, track lists, and voice mail starting on the 6th. In addition, a listening session will be held on the 15th prior to the album release on the 16th, and the first place to release the song will be presented to fans who have been waiting.
Meanwhile, CHUNJI ‘s 1st Single [toolate] is on the 16th.It will be released simultaneously offline.
Following his soaring popularity on the mega-hit Chinese show ‘CHUANG2021’, where he formed the boyband INTO1, Japanese artist INTO1 SANTA has released new single ‘I’m from…’ on November 25.
INTO1 SANTA / ‘I’m from…’ download and streaming links:
INTO1 SANTA personally selected the concept for the song, which features autobiographical lyrics that tell his story. Set to a beautiful flowing melody and based on INTO1 SANTA’s own life experiences so far, the lyrics express the importance he places on chasing his dream, while showing gratitude to the family, friends and fans who have supported him along the way.
Comment from INTO1 SANTA
“This song tells my story. As the title ‘I’m from…’ suggests, it is based on my past experiences. These experiences could only have been achieved with the support of my family, friends and all of you, and they have allowed me to become who I am today – and to love myself.
“I hope you too can continue to do what you love. If you work hard on achieving your dream, your efforts will be rewarded in countless unexpected ways. And while you’re chasing your dream, never forget to care for and appreciate the family and friends around you.
“I really hope you enjoy this song.”
The jacket photo was shot specially for this single release, and it carries a connection to the lyrics, capturing INTO1 SANTA in front of a wall covered in graffiti messages and photos that express his “past, future and present”.
Keep an eye out for INTO1 SANTA, the Japanese artist who is taking China by storm.
INTO1 SANTA began making a name for himself as an incredible dancer when he was still a child. He has won numerous dance contests, and was the youngest ever competitor to win the prestigious SDK global dance battle. In 2020 he made his music debut as a member of the boyband WARPs UP, and in 2021 he appeared on the mega-hit Chinese show ‘CHUANG2021’. Impressively taking second place, he became a member of the limited-time unit INTO1. In addition to his activities as a member of the group, INTO1 SANTA has also become ambassador for multiple brands in China and appeared on popular TV shows including ‘Street Dance of China’ and ‘Great Dance Crew’.
The 11-member group debuted June 30, 2021. Since their debut, Omega X has built a solid fandom that has looked out for the members, and thanks to a fans’ keen eyes, verbal, physical, and sexual abuse against the members have come to light, allegations that Spire Entertainment denies. The group is now suing their company for contract termination.
The Los Angeles Incident
The abuse against Omega X were first noticed by a fan October 22, 2022 following the group’s Los Angeles concert. In a Twitter post dated October 23, user hwi_418 shared audio of a Spire Entertainment executive, Kang Seong-hee, allegedly shouting and assaulting Omega X members.
얘들아 우리 밖에서 음식 시킨 거 우버 기다리고 있는데
애들 회사 대표님이 애들 때리는 거 봤어
진짜로 손이 너무 떨려서 어떻게 해야 될지 모르겠어 애들이 눈앞에서 맞고 있는데 아무것도 못해 pic.twitter.com/vJEqNPzx5n
Hwi_418 wrote, “Everyone, We were just waiting outside for the Uber rider with the food we ordered to come, but we witnessed [OMEGA X’s] agency’s CEO hitting them. My hand was shaking so hard I didn’t know what to do. They were hit just in front of me, but I couldn’t do anything.”
Spire Entertainment, at the time, said they would “fact check” the incident.
Kang later said the accusations stemming from the alleged incident were “a one-sided allegation started by an ‘anti-fan’ against the management.”
“I was exhausted because I’ve been up for several nights in a row,” Kang said. “I even had a bloody nose because I was so tired. But the members didn’t think to make me feel better. They didn’t care about me. So, I felt upset and acted out of disappointment. Usually, I’m extremely polite toward the members. I even use honorifics when I talk to them.”
Following the incident, SBS published a report complete with a video allegedly showing Kang physically and verbally assaulting the members. One member, Jaehan, received the brunt of the attacks whilst in the middle of a panic attack, while Taedong was repeatedly scolding for coming to Jaehan’s aid.
“Why on earth do you think you losers should be loved by people? You’re just losers who don’t even know how to be loved,” Kang can be heard saying.
“Stand up. If you’re always sick like this, stop being a K-pop singer,” Kang is later heard yelling at Jaehan while he struggled with a panic attack.
In response to SBS’ report, Kang said, “I have never shouted at the members or assaulted them. I was really sad, so I just said, ‘For once did you protect me like this when I was in a hard time?'”
Following the alleged assaults, Omega X’s flight back to Korea was canceled, with fans and SBS pointing out that Omega X had to use their own funds to return home. Kang, however, stated the flight was canceled three days prior to prevent the members from “sitting with fans.”
“We realized that the seats we originally booked could lead to the members sitting mixed with fans,” Spire Entertainment said. “So, we talked about potentially canceling the tickets three days ago. It is not true that we left the members behind on purpose.”
In response to the Los Angeles incident, others on social media came forward with stories of alleged abuses. One user came forward with a purported incident in Chile when the group visited as part of their world tour.
[Hi], so [I’m] not a fan of omega x and [I] don’t know them well, but [I] would like to talk about something my mom told me about what happened yesterday at the airport. idk if [I] can talk about this here, but [I] think it’s important to do so.
[My] mom was in [Chile] for holidays (we’re from Argentina) and she was coming back on Monday, but the flight got cancelled so she had to stay at the hotel there (where omega x was staying as well).
[When] she was having breakfast, she saw two boys (members of omega x) that were being yelled at by a woman (who she believes [is their] manager or something like that). she thought that maybe they were celebrities because they had their faces all covered with caps and masks.
[So] then she found out they were from a kpop group called omega x. after that she saw them again in the airport, while waiting for the flight, and the same woman was yelling at them in front of everyone. my mom and her friends couldn’t believe it and she told the woman to stop yelling at them. then the woman left and nothing else happened, but she told me the members bowed at her as a thank you.
[When I’ve] heard about it, [I] was really stunned and my mom told me she felt really bad for them, they looked also very respectful and kind.
[I] really can’t believe how the company doesn’t do anything about this, and [I’ve] also read about the situation with their tour.
[Actually,] my mom told me to make a complaint to the company because they cannot be treated like this. [I’m] not familiar with the group, so [I] don’t know what to do exactly, but [I] wanted to let the fans know about this.
[Please] help spread this so we can stop these situations [from happening] ever again.
hi, so i’m not a fan of omega x and i don’t know them well but i would like to talk about something my mom told me about what happened yesterday at the airport. idk if i can talk about this here but i think it’s important to do so#omegax@OmegaX_members@OmegaX_official
Spire Entertainment Releases Statements, More Allegations Revealed
As the alleged abuse against Omega X went viral, Spire Entertainment attempted to do damage control. On October 24, the company released a statement.
Hello, this is OMEGA X’s management Spire Entertainment.
First, we would like to sincerely apologize for causing you concern with the recent news. As of October 22 (local time), OMEGA X completed their first world tour, ‘CONNECT: Don’t Give Up,’ in Los Angeles. Following the month-long tour, which began in Guadalajara, Mexico, on September 16 and ended in LA, USA, on October 22, we had a celebratory team-wide dinner. The conversation, which has circulated online via social media, was recorded at that dinner.
At the time, having completed all legs of the tour, the OMEGA X members and Spire Entertainment team were discussing the hard work that went into the concerts, as well as the future that is to come. During this discussion, we also talked about certain moments that caused disappointments in one another. And in doing so, the conversation got heated, and voices were raised.
Please note that we kept communicating after dinner. And Spire Entertainment and the members have since resolved all hard feelings. We have concluded to continue moving forward together, all the while being more considerate toward one another.
This past month on tour, getting to meet the fans from all around the world who love and support the members, has been an inarguably meaningful time for both OMEGA X and the managing team at Spire Entertainment. And while we have tried everything in our powers to keep our promises with the fans, we apologize for having caused such concern in the end.
Spire Entertainment would like to thank the fans again for wholeheartedly supporting OMEGA X. As the name ‘OMEGA X’ suggests, the group will continue to share and create valuable moments from the beginning to the end; and we, as the management, promise to protect both OMEGA X and the fans through these moments.
Again, we extend our sincerest apologies for the situation.
On November 7, Spire Entertainment released another statement further apologizing for the incident and announcing Kang resigned from her position (JTBC discovered that she was just reassigned a new position).
Hello, this is SPIRE Entertainment.
First of all, we deeply apologize to all OMEGA X members, families, fans, and everyone whose feelings were hurt by an unfortunate event that has happened recently.
SPIRE Entertainment takes the full responsibility and announce that the CEO who’s responsible for this matter has resigned. We’d also like to apologize for not responding well and disappointing many fans with inadequate response to the situation.
We will take in all your advices and comments to do our best to prevent this kind of things from happening again and focus on providing a better environment for the members so that they can focus only on the artists’ activities. Please continue supporting OMEGA X, and we promise to try our best to be back with better news.
In new video and chat logs revealed by the news agency, SBS states the Los Angeles incident started because Omega X did “not properly thank the CEO” during the Los Angeles concert. Kang stated Omega X did not sincerely read the words of thanks provided on the teleprompter. Kang was upset the group didn’t express gratitude toward the company during the concert.
SBS also released information stating Kang made Omega X stop performing in the middle of a concert to call her because she was angry the members did not contact her earlier to express condolences over her father’s passing.
Spire Entertainment’s co-CEO, Hwang Seong Woo, who is also Kang’s husband, has also been accused of abusing Omega X. SBS revealed messages showing Hwang forced members to perform shows despite testing positive for COVID-19. Kang allegedly yelled that the members had “no will to perform,” while text messages from Hwang stated, “Pull yourself together,” and, “Arm yourself with mental spirit.”
When asked about the latest allegations, a Spire Entertainment spokesperson said, “The company officially apologized, and the CEO in question took responsibility and resigned.”
Other incidents between Spire Entertainment and Omega X include instances where the CEO would call members outside of working hours and getting angry if members ignored texts and calls. It was also revealed the company demanded six-figure payments from the group members for contract termination as well as additional claims that came out once Omega X got their turn to speak.
Omega X Speaks Up
Since the abuse allegations came out, Omega X members have finally been speaking out about their experiences under Spire Entertainment.
On November 6, Omega X opened their own personal Instagram account to communicate with fans since they are presently blocked from using their official accounts. For their first post, the group shared a statement that reads:
Hello. We created this small communication space to convey the current situation regarding the issues that have happened to us and to thank the fans who love and support us. According to Spire Entertainment, we have all signed a memorandum stating that we will take civil and criminal responsibility if uploading to SNS without consulting the company. We ask for your understanding that although we wanted to communicate with the fans as soon as possible, we had to be very cautious.
We have had happy times since our group activities but also had to endure some painful times. When our situation became known to the public, we were worried that what we had achieved so far would be in vain. But now we have put our fears behind us and decided to be brave.
The eleven members have decided to get back up and not give up on our dreams and take this as our second opportunity. The driving force that allowed us to challenge ourselves and stick to our plans was the fans who waited, believed, and supported us. It was because of our fans that we were able to survive two years.
Although there were days when we wanted to cry because the agency was mistreating us, remembering our fans’ shouts and reading your messages before going to sleep was the only strength that kept us going.
From now on, we will continue moving forward toward our dreams as we always have. We will stand in front of our fans again with good music and performances. The eleven members have the same goal, and the fans have the same dreams as us, and it is something that is the most precious to us that we don’t want to lose again.
We apologize for the delay, and we know that many people have been worrying and waiting for us. Thank you for reading the truth that we took the courage to post. Thank you. From OX. #오메가엑스 #OMEGAX #PROTECTOMEGAX
Omega X and their attorneys held a press conference November 16 discussing the allegations and abuse evidence. During the press conference, the group discussed the assertions against the company that were previously identified in the media, and they addressed purported sexual harassment they’ve endured since they debuted the previous year.
“Something unimaginable in 2022 happened. We have told the agency that we will be terminating [the members’] exclusive contract, which will lose its legal effect starting today. We will press charges and demand compensation,” attorney Noh Jong-eon said. “We have plenty of evidence including photos, videos, and voice recordings.”
Attorney Noh added they have plans to fight for compensation from Hwang and hold him criminally liable for assisting Kang in the abuses.
During the press conference, each of the members shared their experiences with the company, including being forced to drink, sexual harassment, and the CEO threatening suicide.
“After practice was over,” Jaehan said, “CEO Kang called me and forced me to drink. Sexual harassment was also involved. She touched my face and hand. After drinking, she called me through KakaoTalk. She lashed out by saying that if we are going to continue to be idols, we have to crawl. She also said she would commit suicide, so the members received therapy. We only wanted to be respected as people who love music.”
Jaehan continued, “…We thought we had to endure for the fans who waited for us. As the oldest member and leader, I was so scared that our dreams would collapse while looking at our exhausted members. We held back and endured, but we have reached the point that we cannot endure any longer. We took courage for someone, for all those dreaming the same dream as us.”
In another statement, Jaehan added, “She would threaten us that we should ‘grovel’ if we wanted to remain as Omega X and that she would either kill us or kill herself if we didn’t.”
Hangyeom, Yechan, and Sebin highlighted that the members were forced to drink alcohol during drinking sessions and company dinners.
“They said there would be no next album if we refused to attend drinking gatherings,” Sebin said.
“We felt like fools when we realized that we were being gaslighted,” Yechan said. “When the older members were called for drinks, I wanted to tag along and help. We got in the habit of just laughing it over with jokes or trying to forget it.”
Attorney Noh added the sexual harassment the members experienced came from unauthorized touching of thighs and faces.
“Kang would swing between being kind to the members and then abusing them,” attorney Seo Ju-yeon said. “The members became unable to trust themselves. The sexual harassment by Kang shows how power imbalances crushes young people’s dreams. Our legal firm will do our best so that the members can continue being active, and so that this kind of abuse does not happen again.”
Four of the Omega X members are also currently being treated for mental distress, anxiety, and panic disorders following their ideal.
“I really tried to endure it,” Hangyeom said. “Since this was my second debut, I didn’t want to make fans hear the word ‘disband.’ So, I just picked up the phone whenever Kang, drunk, would call me all the time, during our schedules and even late at night after work. Whenever I got home, I became anxious that Kang would call any minute. I eventually couldn’t take it anymore and started going to a psychiatric clinic. In fact, even now, when I hear a phone ring or vibrate, or anything remotely like an alarm, I panic.
“Even before starting psychiatric treatment, I had many occasions when I couldn’t breathe because of her endless calling and verbal abuse,” Hangyeom continued. “Once, when another panic attack happened, I told Kang that I couldn’t breathe. She mocked me saying, ‘Oh, are we going to see articles that say, ‘Omega X becomes a 10-member band’ because ‘Hangyeom has panic disorder?’ I was shocked by that.”
The members also pointed out the abuse didn’t just stem from Hwang and Kang, but from others within the company as well.
“Another high-up at our agency told us ‘Die’ in the group chat, while we were touring South America,” Yechan said.
Continuing Fallout from the Controversy
After Omega X and their attorneys held their press conference, Japanese media company SKIYAKI announced they will no longer work with Spire Entertainment.
On Omega X’s Japanese website, SKIYAKI wrote that have “determined that SPIRE… has committed a serious compliance violation. We have decided to terminate our exclusive contract with SPIRE.”
On November 30, SKIYAKI closed Omega X’s Japanese website, with their social media accounts and fan club service also closing December 1. SKIYAKI relayed the news via a statement on Omega X’s website.
Due to the closure of the site, the fan club service will also be terminated.
Please note that customers who are currently registered will be automatically unsubscribed on November 30, 2022 (Wednesday).
The monthly membership fee for November 2022 will be refunded to all members, so please read the ‘Refund Procedure Information’ below before proceeding. We would like to ask all of our members for their understanding.
In addition, regarding the official Japanese SNS account, we will delete the account on Thursday, December 1, 2022.
Please note.
・YouTube Japan official channel
・Japanese official Twitter account
・Japanese official TikTok account
・ LINE official account
In addition, we are currently selling at the official Japanese SHOP.
Regarding various CDs and goods, at 23:59 on Wednesday, November 30, 2022,
We will end the sale, so thank you for your understanding.
Although the exclusive contract with SPIRE has been terminated, we will continue to watch over the future of OMEGA X together with our fans.
Thank you very much for supporting OMEGA X on this site, even though it was only for a short time.
Prior to their November 16 news conference, Omega X also filed to trademark their group name in both English and Korean and the fandom name (For X). The group filed for trademark without Spire Entertainment’s knowledge according to reports. If Omega X wins their contract termination suit, they will have the rights to the group and fandom names.
Due to a change in the staff member in charge of fan marketing, we are in the midst of changing the passwords for the official fan cafe.
After the transition is complete, [the OMEGA X members’] access will be restored, and we will immediately make it possible for them to resume communicating [with their fans].
We did not intentionally cut off communication between [the members] and their fans; it was a measure we took to prevent the leak of their personal information during the process of changing the staff member in charge of fan marketing. At present, each member has been issued a new password, and they are now able to access the fan cafe.
Members Previously Abused at Former Companies
Omega X is a group made of members from inactive or disbanded groups, so each of the members are from different K-Pop companies.
During the press conference, the Omega X members highlighted the abuse they experienced at Spire Entertainment isn’t surprising because it is an industry-wide issue.
“There was abuse in my old agency, too,” said Hangyeom. “I wasn’t beaten but other members were, at the office or even during tours.”
“I know not every agency is like that, but I think a lot of K-pop trainees and even current idols are being treated unfairly,” Omega X member Taedong said. “In my previous agency, I practiced 15 to 17 hours a day without a single day off. They confiscated my phone and forced me to share my passwords.”
Taedong added, “Verbal and physical abuse were frequent in my previous agency as well.”
Taedong was formerly signed under 2Y Entertainment. Following the press conference, his older sister posted on her Instagram story backing Taedong’s claims. She wrote,
Another thing that Taedong couldn’t say because he cried is that when he was under 2Y, his cellphone was forcefully taken away and he couldn’t even keep in contact with his family members. In addition to changing his phone number, they would figure out his password and check his phone. Without a day of rest, the kids would be forced to practice for 15 to 17 hours a day. Even when our grandfather passed away, we couldn’t reach [Taedong], so I direct messaged him through Instagram to let him know of our grandfather’s death. Taedong belatedly found out [of his death] and he couldn’t even stay by his side and could only send his condolences. I am extremely angry that the CEO of 2Y Entertainment, who slapped and verbally abused [Taedong], is so quiet right now, acting as if this is not about him.
“Being an artist means you’re signed exclusively to one company, which leads to a closed-off environment for us, more so than other jobs,” said Yechan. “Without a conference like this, there’s no opportunity for us to open our hearts like today. I hope that these things can be reflected for necessary changes to contracts. I hope there are committees or related government bodies that can protect people like us, who suffer from this kind of unfair treatment.”
When addressing Spire Entertainment’s initial press release about the Los Angeles incident, Avila said, “This ‘statement’ is the biggest piece of dookie I’ve ever seen, lol. [Like it’s] fooling no one. It addresses literally nothing.”
In his stories, he also shared two additional statements highlighting issues with the company’s statement.
“These company statements are always 98% ‘we bow our heads in apology/ we thank the fans for the love’ and 0.0002% actually mentioning what people are bringing up/ the actual situation, lol.” He continued with, “Like, the CEO literally screamed at them like ‘where are you’ and when someone fell over was like ‘get up.’ Like, there’s literally audio evidence.”
Another Omega X supporter, Dongkyu, who was formerly in the idol group SPECTRUM with Jaehan, said, “I won’t curse you (Kang) out here since I’ve already done it a lot vocally. How dare you to my dongsaeng. How dare someone like you.”
SNUPER’s Taewoong simply posted #PROTECTOMEGAX on his Instagram story. SNUPER is currently on hiatus, but Taewoong and Sebin are still considered members.
Former 14U member LOUDI posted #PROTECTOMEGAX on his Instagram. LOUDI, who is currently a soloist, is close with the Omega X members.
Singer and social media personality Grazy Grace shared a quote from CEO Kang berating Omega X. She overlayed the quote with a statement saying “Y’all don’t know how many crazy people there are behind the scenes… Oh and I thought I was going insane in Korea.”
Other fandoms have also shown their support for Omega X, wishing them well on their fight against Spire Entertainment.
What’s Next
On Wednesday December 7, 2022, Omega X and their attorneys are expected in court for their first hearing. During this hearing, a judge will decide if all 11 members should be let go of their exclusive contracts with Spire Entertainment. Omega X and Spire Entertainment are expected to share their arguments at this time.
As for Spire Entertainment, JTBC and Koreaboo both report the company is currently scouting trainees to debut in an upcoming male idol group. Kang, who was said to have resigned from the company, was spotted at a dinner meeting with trainees. It’s unclear if the upcoming court proceedings will affect any of Spire Entertainment’s future plans with debuting a new group.
The Omega X situation is still unfolding. Stay tuned for more updates as they become available.
Travis Yee Haw is breaking barriers with his country music vibe. The reputable “Asian country singer” Tiktoker and “The Cowboy” from Fox TV’s “I Can See Your Voice – Season 1” is making quite a statement in the entertainment industry. Hailing from Los Angeles, Travis Yee has already made an impactful statement in the industry with his first musical pieces already creating a buzz for their originality and creativity.
KCrush America Magazine had an interview with Travis Yee Haw to know more about him as well as his debut, music, and aspirations. Here are some excerpts from the interview.
I cannot fully describe the level of excitement I had for this album. I am a huge fan of RM’s Mono, a mixtape that has stood the test of time and four years later is still one of my favorites. How does Indigo fair? Here’s my review.
Yun (with Erykah Badu): 6.5/10
The album opens with RM’s classic smooth rap over a coffee shop-esc lo-fi instrumental, with soft piano, bass, and jazzy notes. Erykah Badu comes in with some soulful vocals which match the R&B vibe perfectly. The lyrics of this song are strong and set a precedent for the album:
I wanna be a human
‘Fore I do some art
It’s a cruel world
But there’s gon’ be my part
‘Cause true beauty is a true sadness
Now you could feel my madness?
Still Life (with Anderson .Paak): 8/10
“Still Life” is a feel-good song with upbeat grooves and great ad-libs. This song is sure to get you dancing. RM continues his lyrical genius with this track, comparing his life to still life art. Lyrics like “I want to escape the frame of this canvas” and “Shall my flower bloom again” help listeners think through complex ideas whilst bopping along to the beat–classic Kim Namjoon.
All Day (with Tablo): 7/10
RM comes out with strong rap in “All Day.” And it’s no surprise because of who he chose to feature, Epik High’s Tablo. Together, they make this bright track unique and a cheerful listen. Trading off between Korean and English, this song is a bop for a wide audience.
Forg_tful (with Kim Sawol): 8/10
This is the moment I had been waiting for–RM vocals. I’ve always loved his soft singing voice, but rarely got to hear it on BTS or solo tracks. “Forg_tful” is sweet, calming, and introspective. The soft guitar in the back allows for all the focus to be on the vocals. Additionally, the use of whistle makes the song feel homey. The duet between artists was delightful. RM’s lyrics are reflective as he sings:
I keep forgetting the me of yesterday.
I’m only twenty-six, yeah, yeah.
Why can’t I remember?
Closer (with Paul Blanco, Mahalia): 6.5/10
“Closer” felt very RM, identifiable in lyrical nature and sound. The collab here works so well to propel the message of missing someone and wanting to be close to them. The last third “Closer” is the best part, as the instrumental feels more concentrated, leading into a crescendo of sound.
Change pt.2: 8/10
This track is honest and gritty. The production stands out on the album, as it utilizes electronic to give off a hectic feeling that reflects the lyrics. RM expresses regrets and change in a relationship, which is perfectly represented in “Change pt.2.”
Lonely: 7/10
Opening with an upbeat guitar riff, this song’s melody is midleadingly upbeat compared to the lyrics. Check out a glimpse below:
I tried a million times to let you go
So many memories are on the floor
And now I hate the cities I don’t belong
Just wanna go back home
There’s something cathartic about this song, and I can see someone putting it on repeat when feeling lonely.
Hectic (with Colde): 8.5/10
This track has a retro, disco feel, yet is still chill in nature with RM’s vocals and Colde’s soft rap. Lyrics like “Still love and hate this city” remind me of his track from Mono, “Seoul”. RM is honest in “Hectic” with the repeated line, “Today was a hard day.” I can easily see myself listening to this song on loop.
Wild Flower (with youjeen): 10/10
There’s a reason this track was released as the music video. It’s explosive, strong, and memorable. If you only listen to one track on Indigo, it needs to be “Wild Flower.” As if RM’s vocals and rap weren’t enough, youjeen makes this track boom to life in the chorus. Her vocals are powerful and the perfect choice for this song. “Wild Flower” isn’t just a great track, the lyrics are brutally candid.
Even before the start, I imagined
An end where I could applaud and smile
That’s what I wishеd for
When everything I bеlieved in grew distant
When all this fame turned into shackles
Please take my desire away from me
Society’s all for the loudest voice
And here I am, still speaking silence
When your own heart underestimates you
When your dreams devour you
When you feel you’re not yourself
All those times
No.2 (with parkjiyoon): 9/10
A lovely outro to the album, parkjiyoon’s vocals are rich and perfect for this ballad. After such a big song, “No.2” is a great landing place. It’s upbeat enough to not feel like a let down after “Wild Flower” but not as explosive to feel in competition with the previous track. There’s something nostalgic about the melody, too. The song’s message is not to look back, keep going forward. It ends with RM’s vocals and a soft exit. It’s the perfect close to Indigo.
Total: 7.5/10
“Wild Flower” is the standout on this album and the song I have been listening to most. There are some good tracks on this album for sure, but ultimately Indigo does not beat out Mono in my book. Additionally, some listeners might find they’re skipping tracks due to expletives. However, overall, it’s a solid debut full-length album. I appreciate the intentionality of RM in selecting the collaborators and how honest he is in his lyrics, making him one of my favorite Korean artists.
November provided A LOT of great music, so it was hard to narrow down our choices. We hope you enjoy our selections! As a reminder, our list is in alphabetical order.
K-Pop Power Couple HyunA and Dawn have ended their relationship after six years.
“We broke up,” HyunA wrote in an Instagram post. “We decided to remain as good friends and colleagues from now on. Thank you always for your support and for looking over us fondly.”
Dawn, formerly known as E’Dawn, also confirmed the split in an Instagram post.
“Hello, this is Dawn. I won’t talk at length. Even after we broke up, [HyunA] is equally precious to me, she is more sincere and cool than anyone I have ever seen, and she is the artist I will continue to love the most. Please don’t live like this and spend your precious time in good places.”
The pair started dating in 2016 but didn’t confirm the news until 2018. When the news broke, the now-former couple stated fans had the right to know.
“While we knew that [dating publicly] would cause us to be linked in some way, both of us felt that it would be hard to meet our fans’ eyes [while performing] on stage. We wanted to honestly tell our fans and show ourselves confidently while having fun performing.”
In February 2022, the pair announced they were engaged but did not have plans to marry immediately.
“We both are thinking we should get married to each other,” Dawn said back in July on the MBC talk show Radio Star. “We haven’t decided on the date, but we could get married next week if we wanted to.”
When she appeared Radio Star in July, HyunA stated, “Dawn proposed to me a few months back, but I feel like I don’t want to get married. There seems to be a lot of things to take care of.”
When they made their relationship public in 2018, the pair were under Cube Entertainment. Following the relationship news, Dawn was ousted from the idol group Pentagon. Then, HyunA and Dawn’s contracts with the company were terminated.
“We decided the trust is broken and cannot be saved so we are kicking the two out of the company,” Cube said in a statement released in August 2018.
Cube Entertainment denied the relationship news prior to HyunA and Dawn’s confirmation, leading to the breakdown in trust.
HyunA and Dawn’s ousting from Cube Entertainment also ended the sub-unit Triple H, a trio made up of HyunA, Dawn, and Hui (Pentagon) right in the middle of their “Retro Futurism” promotions.
Former EXO member Kris Wu (Wu Yifan) has been sentenced to a total of 13 years in prison after the Beijing court sentence found him guilty of raping three women in his Beijing home. He was also found guilty of the “crime of assembling a crowd to engage in sexual promiscuity,” a charge from 2018. In addition to the sexual crime charges, Wu was also found guilty of hiding personal income and evading taxes and was ordered to pay fines upward of 600 million yuan ($83.77 million) to be paid toward the Beijing Municipal Tax Service.
“According to the facts … the nature, circumstances and harmful consequences of the crime, the court made the above judgment,” the court said in an online statement.
The Chinese-Canadian former idol and singer who made his career in both South Korea and China was arrested on rape charges in 2021 following accusations stemming from alleged rape crimes between November and December 2020. Court documents show that Wu was accused of raping three women while they were intoxicated.
According to Variety, Wu’s main accuser is a beauty influencer in China. She made accusations against Wu in social media posts and stated Wu date-raped her while she was 17-years old. The accuser alleges Wu paid her “hush money,” which she returned prior to going through legal proceedings.
Two other women came forward to state Wu did the same to them while they were minors (in China, the legal age of consent is 14-years old).
For the 2018 accusations, Wu and other unnamed defendants were found guilty of “assembling a crowd” before assaulting two women Wu allegedly got drunk.
When the accusations came to light in 2021, there were initially 24 different women accusing Wu of sex crimes. However, police investigations seem to have found several of those allegations false. Yet, questions were raised about police bias toward Wu during the investigations and raised questions about China’s patriarchal society, causing a second-wave #MeToo movement and a #GirlsHelpGirls movement that were eventually censored, much like other high profile #MeToo instances.
Canadian Embassy officials were present during Wu’s sentencing as a supportive measure for Wu and his family.
“Canadian officials monitor the cases of Canadian citizens detained abroad, and advocate for cases to be treated fairly and equally as per international and local laws,” an embassy representative wrote to CNN. “Due to privacy considerations, no further information can be provided.”
Following Wu’s prison sentence, he is expected to be deported to Canada as he is a Canadian national.
Despite the charges, Wu’s fans trended #JusticeforKrisWu following the sentencing, stating Wu is innocent and that charges are false even without seeing any evidence against Wu or hearing the court case.
Wu’s trials were all closed-door trials to protect the victims’ privacy.
Due to the accusations, Wu’s endorsement deals have all been dropped including Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Porsche, and L’Oréal.
Wu, who was born in China but has called Vancouver, British Columbia home, debuted in 2012 with SM Entertainment’s Korean-Chinese idol group EXO. Wu left EXO in 2014 when he filed a lawsuit against SM Entertainment to have his contract nullified. In 2015, SM Entertainment filed a lawsuit against Wu and the Chinese companies he was working with at the time for “infringing on the rights of EXO members” and causing financial harm to SM Entertainment and the company’s partners. Wu fired back stating SM Entertainment made him leave EXO and didn’t take care of his health. Wu and SM Entertainment settled their cases soon after.
Wu, who is currently 32-years old, will serve his jail sentence in China. Currently, it’s unclear if Wu and his legal team will file appeals.
It’s been a whirlwind weekend for Blockberry Creative’s (BBC) girl group LOONA as it was announced that Chuu was expelled from the group. Following the announcement, fans, staff, and advertisers came to Chuu’s defense. Allegedly, nine of the LOONA members have filed to have their exclusive contracts suspended though BBC denies this information.
Background
Prior to the dual announcements, Chuu filed a lawsuit to have her exclusive contract with BBC suspended back in December 2021, though news related to this injunction didn’t make the media rounds until March 2022. The courts awarded Chuu a partial injunction, though details for her case have not been released. However, fans point to some alleged mistreatment against Chuu by BBC may be one of the causes. Since the case, Chuu supposedly has control of her media and personal appearances.
Soon after the lawsuit news, rumors of Chuu leaving BBC began in June 2022, to which BBC stated were baseless claims.
“They didn’t give me any notices about attending the schedule in the afternoon, so I’m sad…I miss you too…a lot, a lot,” Chuu wrote on Fab at the time.
Chuu later clarified, “There is one thing I said that seems to be spreading in a weird way so I’m just going to say this. Just because a schedule is uploaded doesn’t mean I can participate in all of them. The company needs to confirm and then send confirmation for me to attend. Even if the schedule is uploaded, I don’t know if I am participating in it or not.”
We are releasing a statement to notify fans that we have decided that our agency artist Chuu will be expelled and withdrawn as a member of LOONA as of November 25, 2022.
There have been lots of speculations about LOONA’s Chuu this past year, but the agency and LOONA members did not release any statements in order to not cause trouble with the group’s growth or cause concern to fans.
With the LOONA members’ affection for the team and consideration for their fans, rather than say what is true or not, they tried to express their feelings by putting in their best efforts for performances and content.
However, after recently being told of Chuu’s violent language and misuse of power toward our staff, the truth was found upon investigation. Agency representatives are apologizing and comforting staff, and we have decided to take responsibility for this and remove Chuu from LOONA.
First of all, we officially apologize to the staff who have been greatly hurt by this incident, and we will put in our full effort so they can now heal and focus on treatment and then return to their normal lives.
We apologize to the fans who have loved and supported LOONA until now and ask for your sincere forgiveness in not being able to have 12 members together until the end.
The agency and LOONA will return to our roots and work as hard as possible so an incident like this never happens again in the future no matter what. The LOONA members did not work only for their individual gains, and they know what fans have given them to bring them to this point, so they did not do anything to cause trouble to the team. They will make it to the end and give back for the love from everyone who supports LOONA.
Also, the agency and the LOONA members will act with respect and gratitude toward all of the staff who work with us. The agency will do everything possible to give back for the staff’s sacrifices and devotion so something like this never happens again. We once again bow our heads in apology to the involved staff and the fans for causing trouble with this incident.
After BBC released their statement, BBC began to receive pushback from ORBIT (LOONA’s fandom), as well as messages from other LOONA members doubting the legitimacy of BBC’s claims. Staff members and over a dozen companies also spoke out against BBC’s claims, standing by Chuu. The pushback caused BBC to share another message on the fan café on November 28, 2022.
Hello. This is Blockberry Creative.
The agency is providing an additional statement regarding the notice ‘LOONA’s Chuu’s removal from the team’ that was posted through the fan cafe on November 25.
This notice was an announcement with information explaining the current situation and asking for understanding of all the fans who showed love to LOONA for a long period of time. It was not written with the goal of exposing Chuu’s misuse of power to the public and media.
For a few days after the announcement, the agency was told to provide evidence for the reason for Chuu’s removal, and articles were published with information such as “Chuu is not that kind of person” and “the company is the one doing harm.”
The fan notice posted on November 25 at around 5 p.m. KST was an announcement from the agency explaining Chuu’s changed course of action and the reason for her removal to fans and those who support LOONA, and it was not an exposé.
It is of course natural to explain the reason for her removal, and it is the rights of Chuu herself and the staff who was harmed to provide the truth or evidence of this.
Regarding the relevant facts, if there is something unfair or anything that should be corrected, this is an issue that the people directly involved should reveal. The agency has already finished confirming the incident that took place between Chuu and the staff member, and we released a statement regarding that.
We ask that you refrain from making speculative reports without evidence and malicious comments and rumors defaming the agency regarding this fan notice going forward. The agency will cooperate in providing information and evidence on the matter of violent language and misuse of power if Chuu and the victim agree.
In addition, we sincerely ask once again that you refrain from making indiscriminate and groundless speculative reports so that the LOONA members are not hurt by this incident and can start team activities again.
As I have not received any contact regarding this series of situations or know anything about them, I’m currently grasping the situation, but what I’m sure of is that I haven’t done anything that would be shameful to my fans. In the future, as my position is decided, I will share another statement.
Thank you so much for your concern and for trusting in me.
LOONA members Gowon, Heejin, and Hyunjin have been subtly sharing their support of Chuu throughout the whole ordeal.
During fan calls, Gowon and Heejin also showed their support by performing the “Chuu heart.”
In a message written on Fab, Hyunjin said, “My head hurts and my heart hurts too. I’m angry. I’m super angry.” Recently, she updated her social media description to feature all 12 animals representing each of the LOONA members including Chuu’s animal, the penguin. In another statement, Hyunjin added “This is heartbreaking. Please support Chuu unnie.”
Nine Members Rumored to Have Filed for Contract Suspension
On November 28, 2022, JTBC reported that nine members, Heejin, Haesul, Yeojin, Kim Lip, Jinsol, Choerry, Yves, Gowon, and Olivia Hye, allegedly filed an injunction against BBC to have their contracts suspended. According to JTBC, the suspension request is due to collapsing trust between the company and the group.
ViVi and Hyunjin were the only two members to not file an injunction. Netizens speculate ViVi did not file due to her visa (she is from Hong Kong), while Hyunjin didn’t to support ViVi.
More information regarding the injunctions may be forthcoming, so this portion of the story is still developing.
Stay tuned for more details as the story develops. What are your thoughts on the situation?
Alexander Wong (IG @slackkeyalex) is a slack-key guitarist who was born and raised in O‘ahu, Hawaii. He plays traditional Hawiian slack-key guitar music that is infused with acoustic styling, all integrated into ultra modern compositions and productions. At the age of 17 he started playing slack-key and studied under the legendary Jeff Peterson. Before releasing his first debut album S-K1, Alex graduated from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he specialized in Songwriting and minored in Philosophy. Alex’s music has been compared to: Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin, Claude Debussy, George Winston, Jimi Hendrix, John Butler, Kotaro Oshio and Slack-Key guitarist Makana. His music is known for being emotional yet uplifting and dreamy. You can find S-K1 on iTunes, Spotify and YouTube.
Note: This is a dynamic list and will be updated if more disbandments are announced.
CW/TW: Article mentions suicide.
Sporting one the strongest debut classes in recent years, it’s no secret that 2022 has been one of the best years debut-wise for many K-Pop groups. Unfortunately, 2022 marked the disbandment of 34 groups as of October. Here are the groups we said goodbye to this year.
4Seazn
Under Litchi MCN, 4Seazn was a project girl group composed of cheerleaders Sohyun, Baek Seol, Soojin, and Hana. The members were unveiled April 2022. They started busking in June. During some of the busking events, Baek Seol was not present and was replaced by Yeonkyung. Baek Seol returned, and Yeonkyung’s status with the group was unknown.
Each of the members represented a different season. Sohyun was fall, Baek Seol winter, Soojin represented summer, and Hana was spring.
The group was inactive on social media despite having social media accounts. On October 9, Litchi MCN stated the group disbanded due to “internal circumstances.” 4Seazn never officially debuted.
AmyX
AmyX was an eight-member girl group under H Entertainment and MixPlan Entertainment that was supposed to debut in 2022. SNS accounts were opened for the group and each of the members – Ulin, Heejin, Haruna, Rina, Sohee, Geuna, Wang Qin, and Rui – were introduced between August 24-August 31.
However, in September, many of the posts on AmyX’s social media accounts except for the posts featuring Sohee, Wang Qin, Rina, Rui, and Geuna, hinting that Ulin, Heejin, and Haruna left the group. Then, at the end of September, everything relating to AmyX was deleted. It was later revealed that Ulin, Wang Qin, and Geuna signed exclusive contracts with Shinwha Entertainment with Sohee also signing an exclusive contract with them in October.
Wang Qin and Geuna have been added to the pre-debut lineup for Shinwha Entertainment’s upcoming girl group, NEXTU. If NEXTU debuts with the lineup consisting of Riel, Jane, Shine, Geuna, and Wang Qin, it will be the first K-Pop girl group to feature Kyrgyzstani members (Shine and Jane).
Ulin, who revealed she left AmyX in September 2022, was also a member of AngelRus, another group that disbanded this year.
With the SNS deletions and member departures, AmyX officially disbanded September 2022.
AngelRus
AngelRus, a global group based in South Korea, was set to officially debut in March 2023, but their debut was pushed up to November 2022. Unfortunately, several lineup changes and an investigation into LPA Entertainment’s CEO for having compromising photos of female trainees on his phone and computer ended AngelRus’ shot at debut.
The group was announced in February 2022. In March, LPA Entertainment announced the group would have seven members: Three Korean members, one member from Hong Kong, one Taiwanese member, and a Japanese and an additional Korean member added at a later date. Five of the members, Ellie, Ulin, Ayo, Ina, and Maye, were unveiled at DUSTIN’s untact concert.
In April, Japanese-American member Christina and Japanese member Kira were added to the lineup, making the group seven members. However, Ulin left the group in May, dropping the team to six members. A few weeks later, LPA Entertainment added Emma, who would have been the first Moroccan music artist to debut in Korea. In June, Ellie left the group.
In August, police raided LPA Entertainment’s offices and invested the CEO’s phone and computers where compromising photos of female trainees were found. In the messages confiscated by the police, the CEO convinced a Taiwanese trainee to send him photos featuring her in her underwear every Tuesday. The CEO claimed the compromising photos were taken with the trainee’s consent so AngelRus could debut faster.
Following the investigation, LPA Entertainment rebranded as Namoo Entertainment. AngelRus are no longer listed as under the agency, and only former members Kira and Ayo are still signed with the company.
APRIL
APRIL officially debuted August 24, 2015. The DSP Media girl group were former Female Rookies of the Year (Korean Entertainment Art Awards, 2016), Rising Star Award winners (Korean Brand Awards, 2016), and K-Pop Singer Award winners (Korean Culture & Entertainment Awards, 2017 and 2018).
When APRIL debuted with “Dream Candy,” the lineup consisted of Somin (now with KARD), Chaewon, Hyunjoo, Naeun, Yena, and Jinsol. In November 2015, Somin announced her departure from the group due to discomfort with the group’s concept.
In 2016 during their SPRING EP and “Tinkerbell” promotions, Hyunjoo took a seven-month hiatus due to health concerns, dropping APRIL to a four-member group. Chaekyung joined APRIL as a guest member in August 2016. After Hyunjoo announced her permanent departure from the group to focus on acting, Chaekyung and new member Rachel were added as permanent members.
In 2021, a bullying controversy plagued APRIL. In February 21, online posts allegedly made by Hyunjoo’s brother and a former classmate purported Hyunjoo left the group due to bullying and not because she wanted to pursue acting like reports initially indicated. In the post, it was stated the bullying was so bad that Hyunjoo attempted suicide. In April, Hyunjoo backed up the claims she was bullied in a post shared on her Instagram while adding that DSP Media would not let her terminate her contract.
As of 2022, Chaewon’s still pursuing a lawsuit against Hyunjoo for defamation; Yena withdrew her case. Naeun also dropped her case after Hyunjoo admitted the bullying claims against her were false. However, Netizens continued to harass each of the APRIL members.
APRIL disbanded January 28, 2022 after a “long period of careful discussion and deliberation” after RBW Entertainment acquired DSP Media, though it’s still unclear if it was due to the scandal or other circumstances. The group’s last song was “Now or Never” from Hello Summer July 29, 2020.
AWEEK
AWEEK was a seven-member male idol group signed to Illusion Entertainment and Oneworld Entertainment. Prior to debuting in South Korea January 31, 2019, they pre-debuted in Japan as a six-member group.
During their pre-debut time, the members consisted of D1re, Chawon, Ilkwon, Hyeon, Aiden, and Yongjin. Ilkwon left prior to debut to take care of his mother and Woori was added, but he, too, left prior to the group’s debut. When they debuted, AWEEK was a five-member group. Members Logan and Jingyu were added prior to their first mini-album, The Birth of Seven, released November 19, 2019. The group remained as seven members when their first single album, “Better Today,” was released June 16, 2020.
On August 21, 2021, members Hyeon and Yongjin left the group. The two were inactive prior to the announcement due to personal reasons. The group was active as five-members, holding online events up until their move to the PocketDols platform.
The group’s SNS was last active in April 2022. On December 31, Logan and D1re both posted on Instagram that AWEEK disbanded.
Chawon debuted as a soloist in 2021 with “Today of All Days,” so there is an expectation he will continue to perform solo. Aiden also made his solo debut April 22, 2022 with “Memory.” Yongjin, who left in 2021, is currently a member of MEGAMAX (InMedia) as a Jini and a former member of Underdog. He also appeared in the survival shows Burn Up 30 and Produce 101 Season 2. Jingyu is a former member of ASTIN and the busking group KingdomS. As of December 7, 2022, he is serving in the military. Logan, as Mir, was also in ASTIN.
Azer-Blossom
Formed by Howon University’s Applied Music Department, Azer-Blossom was a seven-member girl group made up of Kim Seohyun, Choi Minkyung, Hwang Yejin, Yoo Minha, Baek Jihyun, Jeong Myeongwoo, and Park Siwoo.
On September 1, 2021, Azer-Bloom debuted with “Focus on Me.” The group— who was associated with two other Howon Universirt Applied Music Department groups Azer and Kairos—disbanded in 2022, though the date is unclear.
Prior to debuting with Azer-Blossom, Yoo Minha was a contestant on Mnet’s CAP-TEEN in 2020. Jeong Myeong-woo, who goes by the stage name Yeum, re-debuted in the K-Pop duo PRIMROSE on January 13, 2023. She is currently signed to AO Entertainment.
BCHCS/L.U.B/DIA
DIA (Diamond, Do It Amazing) disbanded in 2022 when the members opted to leave PocketDol Studio (MBK Entertainment & Interpark’s sub label). Somyi, Eunice, Huihyeon, Yebin, Chaeyeon, Eunchae, Jueun opted to focus on their own schedules and activities. Somyi left first in January, while the other members departed the label in September.
DIA’s five-member sub-unit BCHCS (BinChaenHyunSeuS) also disbanded in 2022 after not having any promotions since 2017. The sub-unit, made up of Eunice, Somyi, Yebin, Huihyeon, and Chaeyeon, released four singles: “You’re the Moon and the Earth” (2016) from First Miracle DIAID I and 2017’s “LO OK,” “Give Me a Kiss,” and “It’s Your Choice” from Love Generation.
L.U.B, DIA’s second sub-unit, originally debuted December 31, 2016. Initially a four-member sub-unit consisting of Eunjin, Jenny, Eunchae, and Jueun, L.U.B disbanded as a duo in 2022. Eunjin departed the DIA and L.U.B in 2018 to focus on her health, while Jenny left both the group and sub-unit in 2019 also due to health concerns.
Seunghee, an original member of DIA, departed the group in 2016 to focus on acting.
DIA’s last single was “The Blinding Past,” released September 14, 2022.
Be on new
Signed under Be the Max Entertainment, Be on New was a pre-debut five-member group consisting of Dojun, Sunho, Youngwon, Sol, and Siwoo. The group was announced June 18, 2022 with the members unveiled between June and October. On December 28, 2022, Be the Max Entertainment announced Dojun, Sunho, Youngwon, and Sol left the agency. Siwoo is still with Be the Max Entertainment and will have his solo debut June 2023.
Prior to being with Be on New, Dojun was in the pre-debut group ONE A DAY and formerly in DUSTIN and EAST ONE. Sunho was also in the pre-debut group ONE A DAY as well as DUSTIN, CHAZE, and Like a Movie. Youngwon was formerly of the pre-debut group C On H and was F.able’s maknae.
BLINGBLING
Managed by MAJOR9, the six-member group BLINGBLING debuted November 17, 2020 and disbanded July 26, 2022.
BLINGBLING consisted of Yubin, Jieun, Ayamy, Marin, Juhyun, and Narin and was active in both South Korea and Japan. The group was MAJOR9’s first idol group and had originally hoped to be together for 10-years.
In an interview with Pinkvilla, the group said, “We hope that we’d still be active as BLINGBLING even after 10 years. We hope that in 10 years, people will think of us when they hear the word ‘bling bling.’”
BLINGBLING released two singles during their two years together: Their debut “G.G.B” and “Oh Mama” from their Contrast mini album.
Blue Fox
Blue Fox debuted October 12, 2018 with “Wake Me Up” and “I Believe I Can Fly.”
During their active period, Blue Fox underwent a number of lineup changes with the final lineup consisting of Junhee, Yeonji, and Ayeon, all of whom joined the group in 2020. Over the years, the lineup was made up of the following members:
Song Iyaki (2018-2022)
Aria (2018-2019)
Daya (2018-2019)
Hae Na (2018-2019)
Jina Son (2019-2020)
Moon (2019-2020)
Jiyeon (2019-2020)
Doyeon (2019-2020)
Hyogang (209-2020)
JH (2020-2022)
Jenny (2020-2022)
Blue Fox Entertainment announced Blue Fox disbanded due to personal issues and health concerns on September 5, 2022. However, 12 days later, Junhee, Yenji, and Ayeon performed as Blue Fox again and have been performing at festivals since. It’s unclear if they are just completing contractual obligations or if the trio have decided to keep going.
BOTOPASS
BOTOPASS disbanded August 25, 2022. BOTOPASS was made up of members Seoyoon, Cui Xiang, Jiwon, Ria, Mihee, Harin, Shiho, and Ahyoon. The eight-member girl group under WKS ENE and XX Entertainment debuted August 26, 2020 with “Flamingo,” the only track the group released.
Like APRIL, BOTOPASS, too, was embroiled in a bullying controversy.
Cui Xiang, Seoyoon, and Jiwon were former members of the girl group ILUV. Another former ILUV member, Shin Min Ah, accused the former of bullying her physically, sexually, and mentally during their time together in ILUV. On July 13, 2020, Min Ah posted the claims on her now-deleted Instagram stories, and on July 14, stated that WKS ENE wanted her to keep the allegations secret. On July 15, Min Ah attempted to end her life but was rescued. She made another suicide attempt in September 2020 due to the bullying case, Netizen comments, and alleged harassment by WKS ENE. Min Ah has spent time in the hospital to seek treatment. She’s now retired from the entertainment industry.
The allegations against Cui Xiang, Seoyoon, Jiwoon, and WKS ENE may be the reason behind BOTOPASS never receiving another comeback after “Flamingo” and the reason behind their disbandment.
BVNDIT
BVNDIT debuted in April 2019 with the digital single “BVNDIT, Be Ambitious!” MNH Entertainment’s five-member group consisting of Yiyeon, Songhee, Jungwoo, Simyeong, and Seungeun released four digital singles – “BVNDIT, Be Ambitious (2019), “Dramatic” (2019), “Cool” (2020), and “Children” (2020)—and three mini albums: Be! (2019), Carnival (2020), and Re-Original (2022). In 2019, they were nominated for eight awards.
Prior to being in BVNDIT, Yeyeon (formerly Dasol) was a member of the group 1PS, but she never officially debuted with them. In 2021, Seungeun participated in Girls Planet 999 but was eliminated in the fifth episode.
On November 11, 2022, MNH Entertainment announced BVNDIT’s disbandment following the members’ contract terminations at the end of October.
BugAboo
A-Team Entertainment announced on December 8, 2022 that six-member girl group BugAboo disbanded. The company cancelled the group’s future activities and terminated their contracts. BugAboo, consisting of Eunchae, Yoona, Rainie, Cyan, Choyeon, and Zin, officially debuted with “BugAboo” October 25, 2021.
A-Team Entertainment teased the group beginning in 2019 when they were initially known as ISE (Innocent Sexy Eyes). As a pre-debut group, ISE consisted of members Eunchae, Rainie, Yoona, Chaeeun (Cyan), Choyeon, Hyunbin (Zin), and Suyeon. Before ISE was announced, other pre-debut members included Seo Yunju, Lee Sumin, and Suji; all three as well as Suyeon left A-Team Entertainment. Seo Yunju is now under YES IM Entertainment as mimiirose’s maknae.
During their run, BugAboo had their YouTube reality series booboo TV (2021-22). Prior to BugAboo’s debut, Eunchae (then signed to Million Market) and Choyeon also appeared as contestants on 2018’s Produce 48 where they placed 32nd and 50th, respectively.
BugAboo had their last comeback in June 2022 with “Pop.”
BUILD UP (BLDP)
Signed under INAKIST Entertainment, male group BUILD UP debuted November 24, 2019 with their single “Think of You.” From 2019-2022, BUILD UP was signed under OneWorld Entertainment for their Japanese promotions.
When they debuted, BUILD UP was a trio consisting of Ji Hyeok, Do Ram, and Jeong Gyu. In December 2019, Minjun, Yoobi, and Sungwook were added. In February 2020, BUILD UP made their first comeback as a six-member group with “Dreamland.”
In April 2020, INAKIST Entertainment created a Makestar for BUILD UP to fund a mini album. However, the Makestar project was canceled and fans who contributed received refunds.
Ji Hyeok, Do Ram, and Jeong Gyu appeared on MIXNINE, but they did not survive past preliminaries. Do Ram was a former member of ALLDAYZ, while Ji Hyeok (Jelly-P) was a member of A6P.
Cheatcode
Four-member live girl group Cheatcode disbanded January 16, 2022 following their final live event, though their actual disbandment was revealed to be December 11, 2021.
The South Korean group consisting of Yenxi, Rookie, Mono, and Mio was active in the J-Pop and J-Rock scene during their short lifespan. They debuted as a duo (Yenxi and Rookie) on October 10, 2021 with the live performance of “I cheatcode YOU.” Mono and Mio were added to the group in November 2021.
Cheatcode was signed to à la mode.
CLC
Signed under Cube Entertainment, CLC debuted in 2015 as a five-member group consisting of Seunghee, Yujin, Seungyeon, Sorn, and Yeeun. In 2016, Elkie and Eunbin were added to the group.
In December 2020, Elkie filed a contract termination lawsuit against Cube Entertainment stating she wasn’t paid for her acting gigs and that the company stopped their “developmental support” for CLC, which is why group activities were on hold. Elkie also stated the agency affected her mental health. Cube confirmed her contract was terminated in February 2021.
While participating in Girls Planet 999 in 2021, Yujin stated “CLC will no longer be having group activities,” which Cube Entertainment did not confirm. Yujin placed third in the competition and is now fulfilling contract obligations with Kep1er.
During their run, CLC released eight Korean Eps and two Japanese releases. They were nominated for 29 music awards from several different institutions including Golden Disk, Soompi, Soribada, Gaon Charts, and MAMA, but only one three awards out of those nominations: Rookie Award, (2015, Korean Culture Entertainment Awards), The Next Rising Star of Asia Award (2018, Daradaily Awards), and Music Star Award (2019, Soribada Best K-Music Awards). However, their EPs Crystyle (2017) and No.1 (2019) and singles “Hobgoblin” (2017), “Me” (2019), and “Devil” (2019) all ranked in the top ten on Billboard’s World Albums and World Digital Songs charts.
D-Crunch/STOPES
Initially signed to All-S Company, D-Crunch debuted in 2018 with the single album “0806” and the song “Palace.” Between 2018 and 2022, D-Crunch released four mini albums (M112 (4colors), M0527, Across the Universe, and Daydream), two single albums (“0806,” “Addiction”), two digital singles (“Together Puppy Part.7,” “Pierrot”), and one Japanese single (“Are You Ready?”).
Prior to debut, the special sub-unit Geupsik-Dan pre-debuted featuring Dylan, Chan Young, O.V, Jung Seung and female trainees Karam and Hyeong Shin. They released the single “Geupsik” July 10, 2018.
D-Crunch’s second sub-unit, STOPES, released their mixtape 128√e980 January 28, 2021. The duo, made up of Hyun Wook and Jung Seung, released a second mix tape titled Tell Me: What You Want on November 12, 2021.
Before disbanding, three D-Crunch members departed from the group. In December 2020, Hyunwoo departed the group due to health reasons. In November 2021, Minhyuk departed the group while Dylan went on hiatus due to anxiety. Dylan completely departed the group October 21, 2022 prior to D-Crunch’s disbandment.
In addition to Hyunwoo, Dylan, and Minhyuk, D-Crunch’s members included Hyun Ho, O.V, Hyun Wook, Hyun Oh, Chan Young, and Jung Seung.
FAINIT
FAINIT was a five-member group under FAINIT Entertainment. Consisting of Jinseo, SeoA, Idam, Liha, and Meanu, the group debuted with the single “KILLER” June 13, 2022, but they disbanded in late August or early September.
FAINIT was supposed to be the start of the fictional FAINIT UNIVERSE, and the members were supposed to transcend space and time and represent different cultures.
GIG
GIG (Good Influence Girls) was a pre-debut girl group under Entertainment CUP.
GIG was originally supposed to debut in November 2020, but the original debut lineup left the company. Entertainment CUP auditioned for new members and pushed the debut to 2021.
Beginning in March until April 2021, the members were introduced: GN (formerly of Whiteday), Dodo, Line, Yejin, Boma, and Chaehee were the members expected to debut, but Yejin and Dodo departed the group January 2022 due to inactivity. In March 2022, Entertainment CUP stopped posting content related to GIG, leading to the assumption the group disbanded.
G-reyish
G-reyish was an under-the-radar group that debuted in 2017 with the single “Turn Back Time.” Originally signed under Hyuk and Company, G-reyish transferred to Big Ocean ENM in 2021.
When G-reyish debuted, the group consisted of Hyunseo, Shinyoung, Yena, and Yeso. Hyunseo left the group in 2018 and was replaced by Hyeji. They released one mini album, 2021’s M, and six digital singles. Their last release was 2021’s “Breath (Blood Night).” They disbanded May 2022.
GIRLKIND/GIRLKIND XJR
Five-member group GIRLKIND debuted January 17, 2018 with the single “Fanci.” The group, which was made up of members Medic Jin, Xeheun, Jikang, Sun J, and Ellyn released a total of six singles, while their sub-unit, GIRLKIND XJR (Jikang and Xeheun) released the 2019 Makestar-funded mini album Life is Diamond.
Before their debut, Xeheun, under her given name Seheun, appeared on 2016’s Produce 101. In 2021, Ellyn participated in My Teenage Girl before being eliminated in the first elimination round on episode three.
Prior to disbanding in August 2022, GIRLKIND held their GIRLKIND Tokyo Live 2022 concert series at Showbox in Shin-Okubo, Tokyo between April 16-May 7, 2022.
GIRLKIND was under NextLevel Entertainment throughout their run.
H!bana
Managed by To Hermitage, H!bana was a live girl group that debuted in October 2020.
Originally a duo, H!bana consisted of Rei (October 2020-January 2021) and Mashu (October 2020-July 2021), with Nanako and Cheery joining Mashu in April 2021 after Rei’s departure. H!bana became a duo again when Mashu “graduated” from the group to focus on her studies. In January 2022, Nanako was terminated from the group due to contract violations. Cheery opted to be a soloist, therefore ending H!bana.
H!bana was a Korean take on a Japanese idol group. Their single “Hibana” was originally released in Japan October 11, 2020 with a Korean version released a few days later. “Hibana” was the only single released by the group. During their run, they participated in live stages for various underground artists.
HINT (TURAN)
Formerly known as TURAN, HINT debuted in July 2013 under Star Pro Entertainment. In 2017, TURAN performed under the new name HINT under Swan Media Entertainment until they disbanded in September 2022.
As TURAN, the group debuted with “Shotgun” and “Bang Bang Bang.” For their debut, the group consisted of members Chae Un, Elisha, Lian, Sebin, Ryuji and LeeKyung. In 2014, the group was “rebranded” and consisted of Lian, ByeolA, Elisha, E-Hwa, Hyobin and Hyejin with Hyejin becoming the group’s leader. They released the mini album Mystery Member and the song “Mamma Mia” in 2015.
In 2016, TURAN, with a new lineup made up of Hyejin, Cherry, Nael, Haesol, Hanbi, Chae Un, and ByeolA, released a Chinese mini album titled Hello TURAN. During this time, the sub-unit TURAN BLISS. Member Elisha also released a solo track under the name Alyssa. The group was later reduced to five members: Hyejin, Haesol, Nael, Cherry, and ByeolA before rebranding as HINT and joined by new members U, Arra, and Sogeum.
As HINT, they released the re-debut track “TangTangTang” in 2017. The song was a Trot-inspired track was followed by “Pang Pang Pang” and “Walkie Talkie” in 2018.
At the end of 2017, U left the group and was replaced by another former TURAN member ByeolA, who, along with Sogeum, left the group in 2018.
Now as a five-member group, HINT made their final comeback with “Eh Oh” (2020), a track that was a more mature departure from their previous tracks. HINT went on hiatus afterwards before all the members announced the group’s disbandment September 27, 2022.
HOT ISSUE
Made up of members Nahyun, Mayna, Hyeongshin, Dana, Yewon, Yebin, and Dain and founded by S2 Entertainment in 2020, HOT ISSUE debuted April 28, 2021 with “Gratata” and the mini album Issue Maker.
Some of the HOT ISSUE members already had showbiz experience prior to debut.
Mayna, also known as Mena and her Spanish name Simone, was a contestant on Produce 101 China in 2018.
Hyeongshin (Yu Ha) was in the pre-debut group ALLS-GIRL and D-CRUNCH’s pre-debut co-ed sub-unit Geupsik-Dan. She, along with co-member Dain, appeared in 2020’s teen survival show CAP-TEEN.
Yewon is the daughter of actor Park Junghak. Her older sister is musical actress Park Jiwon.
On September 29, 2021, HOT ISSUE released their final track, “Icons.” Despite the buzz surrounding the group, HOT ISSUE disbanded April 22, 2022, six days before their first anniversary.
I.C.E
When they debuted with “Over U” November 16, 2015, I.C.E was a four-member group made up of Kimmi (Eun-Mi), Da-Hye, Minju, and Yoo-Na. When Yoo-Na left in 2017, she was replaced by U-Jin; she departed in 2018.
In addition to “Over U,” I.C.E released two other singles: “Shameless” (2018) and “Oh My God” (2020).
On July 20, 2022, Kimmi,Da-Hye, and Minju all announced on Instagram I.C.E disbanded. The group was under HS Entertainment.
Kimmi and Da-Hye re-debuted as PCDM August 13, 2022. They are now under KEM Entertainment. As of November 2022, they’ve released two songs: “Oh My God” and “That’s It.”
JANUARY
In May 2022, the new girl group JANUARY was teased on Instagram. The four-member group was to be made up of three former Yellow Bee members Haru (Ari), Ryuhee, Soye, and new member Taehee. In July 2022, the group’s Instagram and Twitter accounts deleted all traces of the group, and the members unfollowed both accounts before they were deleted, indicating the group’s disbandment.
Haru returned to her former agency, Shin Entertainment Media, and to her former duo, Manito, with another former Yellow Bee member, Annie.
KAIROS
Formed by Howon University’s K-Pop department, KAIROS debuted with “No Limit” September 1, 2021.
KAIROS consisted of Kim Siwoo, Ha Seokhee, Lee Sunhak, Kim Youngkwan, Lee Junhyuk, Park Jungho, Kim Yoonsung, and Jang Junhyung. Youngkwan is set to debut in TM Entertainment’s upcoming male idol group East Shine. Seokhee appeared and Stars Awakening.
KAIROS’ social media accounts have been deleted, and they disbanded in 2022, though no month have been given for their exact disbandment date.
Kamisama
Signed with underground idol agency, à la mode, Kamisama was a Korean female J-Rock and J-Pop live trio. Members Tsuki, Tia, and Ai debuted at the à la mode Station Vol.1 live event November 21, 2021. They disbanded February 25, 2022 with an official announcement on Twitter. All traces of the group have disappeared since.
LST
LST debuted October 12, 2018. Between 2018 and 2020, LST, which was short for “Let’s Show Time,” released three singles: “I Wanna Go” (2018), “The Wolf” (2019), and “Dream” (2020).
LST went through different lineup changes during their run. When they debuted with “I Wanna Go,” the group consisted of KION, Dongkwon, Jigu, JN, and Sunwoo. At the end of 2018, Kibeom was added, making LST a six-member group. KION left in 2019, but Gabin and Gangbi were added to make the group seven members. Jigu left in 2019, leaving LST with six members.
Since the group’s disbandment, JN (Bae Jun-sung) signed with SoulMate Company. On June 10, 2022, Dongkwon (Shin Dong-kwon) signed with H Entertainment along with his former co-member, Jigu, though Jigu’s profile is no longer available under H Entertainment’s social media.
LST was under Hyunda Entertainment.
LUNARSOLAR
LUNARSOLAR was another group with a lot of buzz when they debuted in 2020. J-Planet Entertainment’s four-member girl group debuted September 2, 2020 with the single “Oh Ya Ya Ya” and the mini album Solar:Flare.
Consisting of members Jian, Yuuri, Eseo, and Taeryeong, LUNARSOLAR wasn’t short on talent. Jian (formerly known as TaeE) was once a member of female idol group S.E.T. She also competed on The Unit: Idol Rebooting Project (2017-18). Taeryeong competed on Produce 101 and Mixnine and was a member of female idol group A-Daily in 2018. She was also in the pre-debut group Blackmamba (ONO Entertainment). Meanwhile, Yuuri was a member of J-Pop group I’S9 (2013-15) and co-ed J-Pop group IsTaR (2017-18).
Following “Oh Ya Ya Ya,” LUNARSOLAR released their second mini album Solar:Rise and the single “Dadada” April 7, 2021. In December 2021, they released the holiday single “Christmas is You.”
On May 22, 2022, J-Planet Entertainment announced all of the members’ contracts with the company had been terminated and the group would disband. LUNARSOLAR released their final single, “Do You Wanna Get Down” on May 23.
Mamadol (M.M.D)
M.M.D was a six-member project group formed via the TvN reality show Mama the Idol (2021-22), a show focused on the return of former K-Pop idols who are currently mothers. The group featured Kahi (After School), Jungah (Jewelry), Byul, Yang Eunji (Baby VOX Re.V), actress Hyun Jyuni (Scarlet mojo-Pin), and Sunye (Wonder Girls).
The project group released one single, “WooAh Hip” January 28, 2022.
Manito
Manito was a duo consisting of Ari and Annie and signed under Shin Media Entertainment. They debuted September 2021 with the single “Toritoridotori.”
Prior to being in Manito, Annie and Ari were members of Yellow Bee from 2019 to when the group disbanded in 2020.
Due to inactivity, the duo disbanded in early 2022, and Ari left the agency to join the girl group JANUARY under the new name Haru. Unfortunately, JANUARY disbanded prior to debut.
Since JANUARY disbanded, it appears Ari is back with Shin Media Entertainment. As of November 2022, it’s unclear if Manito’s disbanded or restructuring as Manito’s Instagram showed updated profile images for Annie and Ari in September. However, no other updates have been provided since.
MVP
PH Entertainment’s seven-member male idol group MVP (Most Valuable Player) debuted March 13, 2017 with the track “Take It” and the mini album Manifest. The group was made up of twin brothers Jin and Been, Gi Taek (MR.MR’s Ryu), Rayoon, Kang Han, P.K, and Sion.
In addition to “Take It,” they released two other singles: “Every Day” (2020) and “Good Day” (2021) before Rayoon announced the group disbanded February 16, 2022.
Prior to their disbandment, MVP had a Makestar set up to prepare for another comeback, but the company canceled the project January 20, 2022 after it met its goal.
N.CUS
On August 27, 2019, N.CUS debuted as a 12-member group with the mini album Matchless Love. The Kyuri Entertainment group then dropped to nine members after EOS, Soon, and Myeong departed December 18, 2020. As a nine-member group, N.CUS (No. Competitors Under the Sky) released the 2021 single album “Unripe Love” and the 2021 single “Shining Star” before becoming inactive.
On January 5, 2022, Hojin shared an Instagram post stating all of the N.CUS members except Seokjin terminated their exclusive contracts with Kyuri Entertainment, disbanding the group.
Prior to being in N.CUS, Myeong was a pre-debut member of NOIR. Hwan, who now goes by his given name Sunghwan, is currently in WeNU, a group that debuted November 2022. Hojin competed on the JBTC reality competition Burn It 30 in 2020. Hyeonmin (Min) is currently in the dance crew ARTBEAT.
NU’EST
NU’EST was active from March 15, 2012 to March 15, 2022, disbanding on their 10th anniversary. The Pledis Entertainment quintet was made up of Ren, Aron, Baekho, Minhyun, and JR. For their Chinese sub-unit NU’EST M, Chinese rapper Jason Fu (JA) was added to the NU’EST lineup.
When NU’EST debuted with “Face,” they were one of the top groups to watch. Throughout the group’s run, NU’EST’s popularity remained consistent, but they mostly stayed under the radar until JR, Baekho, Minhyun, and Ren appeared on Produce 101 Season 2, with Minhyun making it into the temporary group Wanna One. Minhyun’s run with Wanna One and NU’EST’s appearance on the show helped the group earn more attention. Each of their releases between 2019-21 made it to the top 50 on Korean music charts.
Each of the NU’EST members had success outside of group activities.
Aron was a television and radio personality. During his time in the group, Aron was the host of the Arirang radio show Music Access. He also hosted Aron’s Hangout and Night. Currently, he is a host on After School Club and a co-host on the podcast Korean Cowboys with Joel Lane.
Baekho was a TV personality and musical actor. In addition to being a contestant on Produce 101 Season 2 (as Kang Dong-ho), he was also a contestant on King of Mask Singer and Battle Trip in 2018. In 2019, he was a cast member on Law of the Jungle, The Call, Let’s Go, Man Soo Ro. In 2021 and 2022, he held roles in the musical theatre shows Midnight Sun, Altar Boyz, and Currently, he is a soloist still signed under Pledis. His first EP Absolute Zero came out October 12, 2022.
JR also appeared on Produce 101 Season 2 where he came in 14th JR’s worked as an actor and TV personality throughout his career, appearing in the Japanese film Their Distance, Let Me Be Your Knight, Night Goblin, Shadow Singer, Master Key, UHSN, and Battle Trip among others. In 2021, he also hosted the radio show Royal Comics. Currently, he is signed to Evermore Entertainment as a soloist and actor. On November 8, 2022, he released his first EP Meridiem.
In addition to singing and modeling, Ren also served as a radio host, TV personality, and TV and musical actor while in NU’EST. He ranked 20th on Produce 101 Season 2 where he appeared under his full name Choi Min-gi. In 2017, he was a fixed cast member for Learning the Hard Way before becoming a fixed cast member on Hogu Chart and The Kkondae Live in 2018. With Aron, he also hosted the radio show Night from 2020-21. During this span, he also had lead roles in the musical theatre shows Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Hedwig and the Angry Itch. He’s currently signed with BPM Entertainment as a soloist and actor.
In addition to making it onto Wanna One with his ninth-place finish on Produce 101 Season 2, Minhyun’s also an actor, having had lead roles in Reckless Family 3 and Live On. Minhyun renewed his contract with Pledis Entertainment in 2022. He appears in the main role as Seo Yul in 2022-23’s Alchemy of Souls.
Throughout their time as a group, NU’EST was nominated for 81 awards, racking up 28 wins. On March 15, 2022, they released their final album, Needle & Bubble, a compilation album that commemorated their 10-year anniversary. “Again” was the lead single and final release as a group.
QODES
Formed by EJ Entertainment, QODES was a four-member hip-hop group with a gaming and science fiction concept. Each member was named after a letter in the Greek alphabet: Alpha (Kwak Ji-soo), Delta (You Kyung), Nu (Choi Yu-jin), and Lambda (Koma, Cho Ha-na).
When they debuted February 1, 2021, QODES released six singles as part of their “QODES QUEST” series of digital singles. EJ Entertainment’s plan for QODES was to release singles in wave each season (winter, spring, summer, fall), but the group went quiet following the first set of “QODES QUEST” singles.
During their short tenure, QODES made a splash in the K-POP scene with the MV for “LALALA.” The sexualized, queer-coded MV was praised featuring LGBTQA+ themes but panned for fetishizing the concept.
QODES quietly disbanded in 2022. Delta confirmed the disbandment via an Instagram DM.
REDSQUARE
While technically not disbanded, REDSQUARE was rebranded as IRRIS in 2022.
REDSQUARE debuted in 2020 under About Entertainment with the single album “Prequel” and title track “Colorfull.” Members Ari (now Yunseul), Green (now I.L.), Chaea (now Liv), Yehyeon were all former members of GOOD DAY. Lina was the only member not in GOOD DAY.
In December 2021, REDSQUARE moved from About Entertainment to ICONIC MnE.
When REDSQUARE rebranded as IRRIS, now under Mellow Entertainment, Yunseul, I.L, and Liv were joined by new member Nina. Lina is now a soloist under the name Blenn, while Yehyeon is now in the pre-debut girl group ALDL under the name Jein.
SIGMA
Sigma was originally a four-member group under PLUSWIN Entertainment. Former BIGFLO member Z-uK was unveiled as the first member April 2020 prior to the group’s debut. PLUSWIN and Z-uK announced that the SIGMA members would be selected via the SIGMA Project. The members were determined by 30% from the fan vote and 70% from the current members. Members Shu, R.Y.U, Chanhyo, and Ten were revealed during a livestream June 24, 2020. Ten, however, left the group in October 2020.
SIGMA officially debuted in Japan and South Korea January 26, 2021 with “Higher,” which was their first and only single. In February 2022, Shun and R.Y.U left the group; Chanhyo and Z-uK planned to continue as a duo. However, Z-uK is now a member of We:A and Chanhyo is in the group WeNU, so SIGMA’s suspected to have disbanded sometime this year.
SONOKI
Like H!bana, SONOKI (Soko no Kimi ni) was a Korean take on a Japanese live girl group. The quartet debuted July 25, 2020 with members Dchi (Do-hee), Hana, Yui (Jung Hye-gyo), and Aru. In November 2020, Yui graduated from the group and was replaced by Natsu (Yumehara Natsu).
SONOKI was supposed to have a graduation system much like the Japanese girl groups they were modeled after. In April 2022, the group was auditioning for new members before Aru left April 30. However, SONOKI disbanded July 3, 2022 following their final live show.
SONOKI released one mini album, Soko no Kimi ni. It was released physically November 2, 2021 and digitally on April 26, 2022.
TRAINEE A
BigHit Music formed Trainee A in 2021 beginning with the unveiling of trainees Junil, Inhyuk, Jihoon, Leo, James, Sangwon, and a “hidden” member (later be identified as JJ) in March. The squad quickly gained followers via their social media pages.
Since March 2021, Trainee A had trainees depart and added, starting with Junil leaving August 2, 2021. In January 2022, Woochan was unveiled as the newest addition after being a hidden member, while it was revealed Inhyuk was no longer a debut candidate. Thai actor Yorch was added as the newest trainee January 20. On August 25, Leo decided to leave the group.
On December 16, 2022, Trainee A’s production team announced the group’s SNS pages would “end their service.” On December 23 at 8pm KST, the trainees’ YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Soundcloud were all removed. The announcement caused fans of the trainees to wonder if the group disbanded. Yorch confirmed in an Instagram story the group did disband.
Prior to disbanding, Trainee A began busking in the United States. It’s unclear what members stayed with BigHit Music and who left the company.
TRCNG
TRCNG debuted in October 2017. The ten-member TS Entertainment group consisted of Jihun, Hayoung, Taeseon, Hakmin, Wooyeop, Jisung, Hyunwoo, Siwoo, Hohyeon, and Kangmin.
Unfortunately, like B.A.P, Sleepy, and Secret, TRCNG members Taeseon and Wooyeop filed a lawsuit November 18, 2019 against TS Entertainment for child abuse and violence, which TS Entertainment denied. TRCNG continued as an eight-member group until January 2021 when TS Entertainment shut down. However, TRCNG members were still under contract despite TS no longer existing. On March 28, 2022, the TRCNG members posted on social media that their contracts were terminated and TRCNG disbanded.
Following disbandment, Jihun, Hyunwoo, Siwoo and Kangmin (now Ha-Min) signed with APR Entertainment in April 2022. They re-debuted as APR PROJECT in June 2022. Hayoung (now Luke) joined 13 as a member of their music production team.
VENUS
Signed under MBK Entertainment and PocketDol Studios, VENUS was a three-member project Trot group that debuted August 6, 2019. The trio was formed in June 2019 following the conclusion of the reality survival program Miss Trot. Members Jung Dakyung and Park Seong Yeon are soloists, while Doo Ri was a member of the now-disbanded idol groups GBB and Sol.T.
Since the release of their debut single “Turn Signal” in 2019, VENUS was largely inactive. The group disbanded sometime in 2022.
WeGirls
In 2017 after Aftermoon Entertainment created a Makestar project to fund their first girl group, WeGirls. During the Makestar period, WeGirls’ nine-girl lineup consisted of Jaina, Hyeni, Yehana, Woori, Vivian, Julie, HaL Park, Lina, and Suha. However, following the Makestar project’s goal being met, Jaina (formerly Jina from Bob Girls), Woori, Vivian, Julie, Lina, and Suha departed the group. Cindy was added shortly after followed by E.You, Han Jung A (formerly in ZZBest, Hotties, and BADKIZ), Ellie (formerly in HOTTIES), Nina, and EunA to join Hyeni, HaL, and Yehana (formerly of Alice White). Cindy departed the group making WeGirls eight members. This eight-member lineup debuted with “On Air” August 31, 2018.
In February 2019, HaL departed the group to focus on acting. Hyeni left the group June 2019, while EunA departed in December.
In 2020, WeGirls underwent more lineup changes with the July departures of Nina and Ellie (expired contracts). In September, E.You left following the termination of her contract and became an actress under her given name Ko Ha Jung. On September 14, Aftermoon revealed they signed six new members: D, A, Y (Yerim), S, R (Rhai), and K.
In 2021, Aftermoon unveiled three more new members: Kimi (formerly of Bulldok, Scarlet, and Leader’S), Byeoljji (formerly in the pre-debut groups Ndear and MIDNIGHT and the dance team ZERO), and Hayoon (formerly of ILUV and Ndear), making WeGirls a ten-member group. However, they did not release anything under this lineup.
In February 2022, Yehana, who is now a soloist, revealed in an Instagram DM that WeGirls disbanded.
The Whales
The Whales debuted January 1, 2022 after placing sixth on JTBC’s audition show SuperBand 2. The K-Rock group had five members: Jo Kihun, Jung Seokhoon, Yang Jang Semin, Kim Joonseo, Kim Hangyeom.
Joonseo used to be in a jazz trio called Q tet. Seokhoon and Kihun are session band members for IU, Sam Kim, and Ha Sungwoon among others. Seokhoon is also in the band Paper Brick. Semin was once the leader of Binari, while Hangyeom was a contestant on CAP-TEEN.
In April, Hangyeom left the group, leaving The Whales short a vocalist. Hangyeom’s departure caused The Whales to halt activities and performances while the group restructured prior to releasing their second single July 22.
WSG Wannabe was a 12-member project group born from Hangout with Yoo. The lineup was made up of Navi, Yoon Eun Hye, Lee Boram, Kota, Park Jinjoo, Jo Hyun Ah, SOLE, Soyeon, Uhm Ji Yoon, Kwon Jin Ah, HYNN, and Jung Ji So, all established singers and actresses in the Korean entertainment industry. They are the female counterpart of MSG Wannabe, a male project group that also came from Hangout with Yoo.
During their run from July-August 2022, they released six single albums. The group also had three sub-units: OASISO, 4FIRE, and GAYA-G.
XRO
XRO was a Hip-Hop duo signed to MAJOR9. They debuted July 16, 2020 as MAJOR9’s first male group. The duo was made up of Hiro and Jaechan.
Prior to debuting in XRO, Hiro appeared on Mixnine where he placed 47th. He was also a former JYP trainee. Jaechan was a former contestant on Produce 101 Season 2 where he placed 55th. Jaechan competed on Extreme Debut: Wild Idol where he placed 16th.
XRO disbanded April 12, 2022 when Hiro opted against contract renewal. Jaechan will transition into acting and will appear in an HBOMAX series in early 2023.
ZPZG
ZPZG has the unique experience of disbanding twice.
When ZPZG initially debuted in September 2014, they were a quartet made up of Khan, N.K, Gyeom, and Ji Hoon and were active until 2016 when they disbanded the first time.
In 2019, ZPZG was revived with Ji Hoon being the only returning member. The group, now consisting of Ji Hoon, Hyo, Hwi, Taehwang, and Wonjun, re-debuted February 14, 2020. Ultimately, Ji Hoon either left or was removed from the group after he was excluded from September 2021 concept photos, making ZPZG a four-member group once again.
ZPZG disbanded again in June 2022 after J-Star Entertainment announced their artists would be reorganized as ABLUE and ANTARES.
This list will be updated if more disbandments are announced. Meanwhile, check out the YouTube or Spotify playlists featuring many of the groups above!
We enjoyed October’s K-Pop releases! Here are our favorites from the month (in alphabetical order). What songs were your favorites?
Led by producer/composer Hiroyuki SAWANO, who has provided music for movies, anime, TV shows and artists, the new team music project NAQT VANE released their second digital single, ‘VANE’, on November 2, 2022.
The song shares the same concept as NAQT VANE themselves: Creating an uplifting tailwind to encourage those who have a challenger spirit. Vocalist Harukaze’s strong yet gentle voice offers unflinching support, with an inspiring message for those of us who are trying hard to live our best life. In Japan, ‘VANE’ has been selected as the theme song for the historic Women’s Ekiden long-distance road relay, which is celebrating its 37th year.
Based on the concept that “the song that paves the way will never die”, the music video shows an ever-flowing stream of images referencing elements of “place” such as cities, commuter towns and countryside regions, along with symbols of “time” such as morning, noon and night. While the video to NAQT VANE’s debut single ‘Break Free’ used CG to portray a rich graphical world, this time vocalist Harukaze’s performance is front and center, and not to be missed. As if directly referencing the lyric “It’s raining outside, touching my raw nerve”, the video was shot outdoors in the pouring rain, and Harukaze’s deeply emotional side and artistic nature, which had remained veiled until now, have finally been revealed.
In addition, NAQT VANE have also announced another new song, ‘TOUCH’, which has been selected as the ending theme to drama series ‘Yakuza Lover’. The series is streaming now worldwide on Disney Plus.
SAWANO, NAQT VANE’s overall producer, recently provided the song ‘Tot Musica’ for solo artist Ado, which was used in the hit movie ‘ONE PIECE FILM RED’. SAWANO has a strong fan base in North America, Europe and Asia, which he has built up through his work on numerous anime productions, along with his success as a solo artist that led to a headline performance at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai in 2019. Vocalist Harukaze, meanwhile, is fluent in English and has tried her hand at a wide range of musical activity, such as performing as the opener for Callum Scott’s first ever concert in Japan. When NAQT VANE inevitably begin to tour, it seems likely they will reach regions across the world.
Following their debut in September with ‘Break Free’, NAQT VANE are planning a steady stream of new material, so look out for future announcements. Stay glued to the group’s official social media accounts (https://bio.to/NAQTVANE) for more.
NAQT VANE is a team music project featuring vocalist Harukaze, who has returned to Japan after spending her school days in the United States, along with overall production from Hiroyuki SAWANO and artwork by Classic 6.
Born in Hokkaido in 1998, Harukaze left Japan at age 15 to attend high school and college abroad. While studying Music Business in Los Angeles, she got a taste of a music culture that was different from what she’d experienced in Japan, and began to make music with people she met in the local scene.
In 2018, she released her first single ‘Summer Time (Feat. Roz)’, followed by her second single ‘Mr. Secret’ and in winter 2020 the EP ‘Best Regards’, before returning to Japan to begin the next phase of her music career. She became involved in NAQT VANE after meeting Hiroyuki SAWANO in 2021.
Born in Tokyo in 1980, Hiroyuki SAWANO is a highly celebrated composer and producer, providing compositions for music artists, TV shows, anime and movies.
In 2009, he released his first original album, ‘musica’.
In 2014, he began the project SawanoHiroyuki[nZk], undertaking star collaborations with renowned artists such as Akihito Okano (Porn Graffiti), Takanori Nishikawa, SUGIZO (LUNA SEA, X JAPAN), Sukima Switch, Sayuri, Aimer, Jean-Ken Johnny (MAN WITH A MISSION), Anly, ReoNa, Aina the End (BiSH), Yuuri, Taiiku Okazaki and more.
In 2019, he held a solo performance at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, China, with an audience of more than 10,000 fans, marking his advance to the global stage.
After meeting vocalist Harukaze, he launched the team project NAQT VANE in September 2022, participating as overall producer. The group plan to release original music in Japan and around the world.
Classic 6 are a creative collective active in Japan and overseas. They undertake art direction and overall production for fashion, art, graphic design for music artists, video and venue production. With a focus on visual branding that emphasizes stories and concepts, they are constantly exploring new creative outlets as a collective across a wide range of genres.
One of Japan’s fastest rising J-Pop acts YOASOBI confirm they’ll be releasing a new English language EP, E-Side 2, the follow up to last year’s acclaimed E-Side. Pre-order/pre-save HERE.
In celebration of the announcement, the duo shares “The Blessing” from the EP. Listen/share HERE. The song follows previously released track “The Swallow” which was released last week and also will be featured on the EP.
The focus track for the upcoming EP is “If I Could Draw Life,” theme song for the theater play “もしも命が描けたら(Moshimo Inochiga Egaketara).”
YOASOBI continue to go from strength to strength in the short window since their conception, being awarded the highly coveted “Artist of the Year” award at MTV’s Video Music Awards in Japan last year.
They have topped the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, reached #1 on the Billboard Japan Top Artists Chart and accumulated over 2.7 billion streams across releases.
The original Japanese version of “Into The Night” is ranked #1 on Spotify Japan’s “Most Streamed Songs in Japan in the Last Five Years” category, and the breakthrough hit has now surpassed 700 million streams.
This new music follows “好きだ [Sukida]” which was released earlier this year as part of their ongoing collaboration with Naoki Award-winning authors Rio Shimamoto, Mizuki Tsujimura, Miyuki Miyabe and Eto Mori. “好きだ [Sukida]” is based on Mori’s original novel, Hikari No Tane (Seed of Light) A Story to Read When You First Profess Your Love, which tells the story of a high school student professing her love to her childhood best friend.
Comprised of composer Ayase and vocalist ikura, the duo is known for turning novels into music. Last year, YOASOBI released their first ever English language album E-Side, as well as a Japanese album THE BOOK 2—The sophomore album includes seven tracks release throughout the year, plus one song which has previously only been performed live.
Yamato Releases Defining ‘Essentials’ EP on Japanese-Based Label Avex
Japan-based DJ/producer Yamato is dropping his biggest release of 2022 in Essentials EP. Having worked for Pioneer as a technical developer of Pioneer CDJ series, he has an unrivaled competitive advantage few other artists can touch. A keen sense of songwriting, a brand-savvy skillset, and an ability to surround himself with the right team makes it clear as to why he’s achieved so much in his internationally acclaimed career.
With over 30 million views on YouTube, Yamato not only began uploading to the platform early, but showcased clever live DJing video themes which resulted in the attention of a worldwide audience. Showcasing his incredible long-form DJ sets in a gorgeous setting using a multi-camera set up, Yamato was able to create lucious eye-candy videos that kept YouTubers coming back for more and demanding more of this content. The series has become one of several breaking points in a chain of successful stages this artist has journeyed through.
With the lockdown era coming to a close globally, Yamato’s goal with Essentials EP is to stir up energy within the listener and close the secluded, adverse chapter of their recent past. Featuring vocal collaborators Mike Macdermid and Poe Leos, the experience is jam-packed with uplifting, positive melodies while still sticking close to the roots of Yamato’s signature sound.
Featuring Mike Macdermid, title track “Essential,” launches with a shining, heavenly disposition. Piano House and electro-inspired sound design backs up a moment capturing mood brought about through the lyrics. A build up hits and transitions the song to a melodic drop, taking the single to a peak moment. The section showcases deep house influences, as the previous sections rinse and repeat, giving Macdermid an ability to continue onward.
Yamato also released a music video for “Essential” today.
Yamato / Essential feat. Mike Macdermid Music Video
“Reflection,” smoothly segues from the mood that “Essential,” set, yet a different directive soon takes place as the track heads toward the first drop, delivering on a feminine rap-verse thanks to vocalist Poe Leos. The drop comes in with a thunderous dominance, thick rhythmic synth-work ricocheting through the speakers of the listener. As bitter as it is sweet, “Reflection,” symbolizes a diversified, well-written essence that earned its spot on the EP.
“YOU,” pushes the EP on a dark and mysterious turn, representing one of the most experimental and technical vibes across the 4-tracks. The vocaded topline connected alongside sophisticated, alluring soundscapes makes this track perfect the dancefloor, having all the bells and whistles fit for a club venue setting.
Final single “Neon Lights” is the 2nd collaboration with Mike Macdermid. Electric guitar strumming and a rock-inspired percussion influence is all organized within a slower-paced house music framework. The eased-while-upbeat feel acts as a natural closer, providing a reflective, full-circle moment that is intrinsically embedded through the design of this song.
After only two years from the debut, Yamato won “WORLD DJ CONTEST 2013 JAPAN” hosted by Coca Cola. He was then asked by Avicii at the world contest, held in Ibiza, to perform with him at the festival in Budapest, Hungary, which led him to become the first Japanese DJ/producer to perform with Avicii.
With the backbone of having been a technical developer of Pioneer CDJ series, the superb skill and DJ style that utilizes Pioneer DJʼs CDJ is known to be a style that no one can imitate and it has been renowned and admired from all over the world, attracting audiences at big festivals and clubs in Japan and all over the world.
The performance videos series on YouTube has exceeded 30 million views, having fans all over the world and support from A-List names such as Afrojack, Laidback Luke, Lil Jon and many more.
Yamato Highlights
Worked for Pioneer as a technical developer of Pioneer CDJ series
DJ performance video series on his YouTube channel has over 30 million views
Has plays Ultra Japan, Ultra Singapore, EDM Japan, Summer Sonic, Zouk Out, Waterzonic, and many other events
First Japanese DJ/producer to perform with Avicii in Budapest, Hungary
Among those deceased include actor and singer Lee Jihan. Lee, 24, appeared on season two of Produce 101 in 2017 and had a role in 2019’s Today Was Another Namhyun Day. He was set to appear in the MBC drama Season of Kkokdu in January 2023 where he was playing the ex-boyfriend of the main female lead. Lee finished filming his scenes in September.
Lee’s agency, 935 Entertainment, confirmed Lee’s passing in a statement shared on Twitter.
“We are sad to deliver such news today, but Lee Jihan has passed away in the crush in Itaewon last night,” the statement said. “We would like to express our deepest condolences to his family, who are saddened by the sudden tragic news, also to everyone who loved him.”
Lee’s funeral will take place November 1 at the funeral hall of Myongji Hospital.
Celebrity Initially Blamed
Initially, rumors circulated that the crush occurred after a celebrity was spotted in one of the bars and people wanted to go see the individual. Some reports indicate AfeecaTV BJ Kei was the celebrity in question, but he set the record straight.
“Before writing this, I want to express my condolences to the victims. It was so heartbreaking,” Kei wrote on AfreecaTV.
“A lot of people are making comments saying that the accident occurred when many people gathered because of me,” Kei continued. “I’m sure those who watched my broadcast would understand, but some people are actually spreading unreasonable stories and false facts.”
Kei was present in Itaewon filming a live broadcast near the scene of the accident.
“The spread of false information was so severe that AfreecaTV even asked me to tell them the exact details and informed all the routes and times I had been yesterday. I think you will realize the truth after looking through all of that.”
Korean YouTuber Seon Yeo-jung attended the Halloween event in Itaewon.
“I was at the scene and I saw everything so clearly,” Seon said. “When I was out of breath and things turned gray in front of my eyes, many thoughts suddenly went through my mind like a flash. I thought I would die from being tangled or suffocation if I tripped and fell down while being pressed like that. When I was able to witness the scene, many people had already fainted on the ground, and no one knew what was going on.”
Seon added, “There were people behind my back shouting ‘Hey, push! We’re stronger. I’ll win’. Even if I went through the crowd on the right side, I didn’t just move as I wanted, but it felt like I was being pushed away.”
“Some people were shouting not to push while the others were shouting to push,” Yoon said in a now-deleted Instagram post. “The police were only on the main street and people were crowded without any order at the back on the international cuisine street. I went outside to smoke, and I saw people being rushed to the ambulance. Many more were being transported so the officers were performing CPR on the street because they couldn’t possibly take everyone on ambulances.”
Yoon added, “I could hear people pleading with their loved ones to open their eyes while performing CPR but only one person was resuscitated on that street where I was performing CPR. I also couldn’t save the person I was helping.”
South Korean officials allege there wasn’t an indication crowds in Itaewon would get out of control.
On Saturday, over 100,000 people were present in Itaewon, Seoul’s nightlife center. The Halloween event was Itaewon’s first since COVID-19 restrictions were lifted months earlier. According to Seoul police, 137 officers were sent to manage the crowd. Over 7,000 police officers were sent to another part of Seoul to monitor protests.
“The police just weren’t there,” said Maeng Geun-yeong, a private security guard posted at Prost Pub & Grill. “If police had been at the scene in advance, the accident could have been prevented. This happened because police were not deployed.”
This tragedy had early signs and was entirely preventable,” said Yoon Hong-bin. “I know how hard the police are working but it’s a shame that no one thought to dispatch them in the middle to guide people to walk from one side.”
While some feel a stronger police presence may have helped prevent the surge, others feel that an enhanced police presence may have made matters worse.
“This was not a problem that could have been solved by deploying police or firefighters in advance,” said Lee Sang-min, South Korea’s minister of Interior and Safety, who oversees police nationwide.
While the incident continues to be investigated, South Korean officials are left wondering what could have been done to prevent this tragedy and what can be done to prevent future tragedies.
“I hope everyone could work towards making sure this does not happen again, focusing on how this happened,” Yoon Hong-bin said.
South Korea enacted a mourning period until November 5, 2022. During this period, a number of music releases, dramas, and other entertainment-related shows and performances have been postponed or canceled as citizens take time to reflect on the second deadliest disaster since 2014’s Sewol ferry incident.
On Sunday October 29, 2022 local time, a Halloween celebration in Seoul’s Itaewon district ended in tragedy as reports of a stampede and people injured hundreds while others suffered from “cardiac arrest” symptoms. As of Sunday evening, 149 people are dead with the death toll expected to climb.
Currently, the cause of the rush, which occurred near the Hamilton Hotel, is unknown and under investigation. Some local media stated the panic occurred after an identified celebrity was reportedly in one of the bars in the area, but these reports remain unconfirmed.
Itaewon is Seoul’s nightlife and club center. The popular destination was holding their first Halloween celebration since COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in South Korea. “Tens of thousands” of people were estimated to be in the area at the time. Visitors to the Itaewon area were clad in Halloween costumes to celebrate the night’s festivities.
Choi Cheon-sik, an official from the National Fire Agency, reported that many of the victims appear to be women in their 20s with at least two being foreign nationals.
South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol presided over an emergency response meeting Sunday following the tragedy.
“The top priority is transporting and rescuing the patients and providing prompt medical treatment for the affected people,” Yoon told the meeting.
Video and photographs show pedestrians and emergency personnel administering CPR and medical assistance to those injured. Bodies covered in makeshift shrouds also lined the streets before being taken to a makeshift morgue set up near the area. Hundreds of ambulances also lined the streets to administer aid and take victims to hospitals.
“I turn the corner to the main street and there’s two or three ambulances, a fire truck and in the middle are like five or six bodies on the ground on one side of the street,” Grant Hauck, a visitor to the area, told USA TODAY.
The Seoul metropolitan government texted emergency alerts to citizens telling them to clear the area and head home.
“It’s always crowded, but nothing like this has ever happened before,” said bartender Ju Young Possamai.
“I’ve been to a lot of Halloween parties in Korea,” Possami said. “I never thought that something like this could happen in Korea, especially in Itaewon.”
This story is still developing and pends an investigation.
We send our condolences to the lives lost during this incident.
