Chie Izuno works full time at an office Branch. Though sheโs 30, sheโs very young at heart and kind of innocent. She tries hard to go into the dating field but finds herself struggling due to her weight and self-esteem issues. She meets up with one of the companyโs investors, Jin Harada, a super sucessful and young business man. However Jin has a severe lack of social skills. Chie strives to make a deal with Jin in order to aide her in her goal to lose weight and gain confidence, she tells Jin she can help him with his own flaws. Where will this agreement lead them to, and can two total opposites and flawed individuals overcome their personal demons?
In limited theaters in Canada:
Believe the hype! Parasite is the best reviewed film of the year with 99% on Rotten Tomatoes! Don’t miss visionary director Bong Joon Ho’s acclaimed masterpiece taking over theatres in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal beginning October 25th.
For showtimes and to purchase tickets now click
https://www.cineplex.com/Movie/parasite-korean-west
Movie Trailer
Marketing & PR is๋ง์ผํ
๊ณผ ํ๋ณด๋ POP! Goes The World ์์ ์งํ๋ฉ๋๋ค. ๋ ๋ง์ ์ ๋ณด๋ฅผ ์ํ์๋ฉด pgtw@kpopcanada.comย ๋ก ์ด๋ฉ์ผ ๋ถํ๋๋ฆฝ๋๋ค.
PR & Promotions nationally by PGTW โ contact pgtw@kpopcanada.com
South Korea is often said to be one of the safest nations on earth to live or travel in, with the homicide rate being very low and continuing to decline as the years go by. Itโs actually quite safe to walk around at late hours, even at dawn, compared to a lot of places around the world.
Of course, a death by murder is just as terrible as anywhere else, but the fact remains that South Koreaโs homicide rate is low. However, it is a shame that we cannot say the same about its suicide rate, which in reality is horrifically high.
According to WHO, the suicide rate in South Korea is currently the tenth highest in the world and (shockingly) the second highest among the OECD nations, just after Lithuania. And it is not because of a recent increase either; until very recently, South Korea had taken the highest spot.
In 2012, suicide was reported to be the fourth highest cause of death for South Koreans, which is tragic, to say the least. It is also the top cause of death amongst the younger generation; in fact, the most frequent form of death for Korean citizens aged from 10 to 39. And, from most celeb deaths by suicide that you read about on the news, youโll notice that the average age group of suicidal celebrities is 20s to 40s.
But South Koreaโs extremely high suicide rate is mostly due to the vast number of deaths by suicide among its elderly and retired citizens – and the extent of widespread poverty among the senior citizens in South Korea is ever increasing, with half of the country’s elderly population living below the poverty line. Many people feel that life is not sustainable through the existing social safety net, and this often results in the elderly committing suicide – not to become financial burdens on their families, since the old social structure where children looked after their parents has largely disappeared as of late.
We see the highest suicide rates in elderly Korean citizens residing in rural areas, especially because of general lack of jobs, especially in the case of the elderly. With 85.7% of those in their 50s experiencing job discrimination due to ageism, on top of the general poverty rate, suicide rates are ever on the increase for these groups.
The time of the year is also relevant, because autumn usually sees a particularly high suicide rate in South Korea. The condition of many victims of depression tends to worsen during this time, according to a study.
Another study says that happiness is very hard to achieve in South Korea, with its strong societal sense of competition and materialism. South Korea really needs to work to address its serious suicide rate in as many ways as possible.
J. Chung.
You voted, you decided! Here is your K-Pop Top 30 for September 2019. There were definitely some surprises in there! Please stay tuned as the October 2019 voting list will be available soon. All clips used under Fair Use. Video is promotional. Kcrush does not profit from these videos.
#FTISLAND #PIERCE #Dreamcatcher #SuperJunior #Chen #EXO #Minty #Wings #GWSN #3YE #AmberLiu #Zico #WeGirls #PurpleBeck #CLC #Sonamoo #Kpop #Koreanmusic #Jessi #Choa #Way #CrayonPop #Hoody #ANS #Bol4 #Laboum #FinKL #Saturday #TWICE #Gaho #Davichi #LeeHaeRi #KuHyeSun #GooHyeSun #AKMU
WYNE (Jang Subin) is a Korean R & B singer who competed in the sixth season of SuperStarK, where she was highly praised by singer-songwriter Yoon Jong-shinย for her tone, and soon signed with his label Mystic Story. She parted ways with the company in late 2018 and is currently signed with The 015B.
Weโd like to thank Wyne and her management for making this interview happen and wish them the best in all they work to accomplish.
ย
Hello, briefly introduce yourself to our readers please.
Hello, I am a singer-songwriter called Wyne. I am 24 years of age and work in Seoul, Republic of Korea. I sing and write R&B music.
Was it your dream to become a singer/musician since a young age?
Yes, I loved singing since I was very little and was so very immersed in music. If there were any singing contests or competitions held at school, I would compete; and I remember dancing and singing a lot. I guess, that is how I built my dream as a singer.
ย
Please tell us how the name WYNE come about.
Iย got my name from Amy Winehouse, whom I really respect and admire. And, I also got this name in hope that Iโd become a musician who makes better music as time goes by, like fine wine.
ย
Which one of your songs are you the most attached to?
Iย like all of my songs, but I am the most attached to a song that will be released this November called ๋ฌผ๊ฑฐํ (which literally means Water bubbles).
Itโs my most favorite song that Iโve written thus far โ I recall putting in a lot of work and effort for every wording, melody, and track.
That maybe why this song feels just like me.
ย
How do you usually take care of your voice?
Iย wear a mask a lot. Itโs the best in protecting your bronchial tube because it effectively humidifies the throat area. When the weather gets cold, I wear a mask wherever I go. At home, I always have the humidifier on and drink water frequently.
What is the first thing that you do when you get up?
Iย clean out the cat litter. I live with one cat and itโs my soulmate that makes me happy all the time.
ย
Which artist or musician do you admire the most?
Amy Winehouse. I respect her not only because I find her voice and song lyrics very attractive, but the fact that she touches peopleโs souls through her music.
At times, I go into the corner and even cry while listening to her songs, and I think her ability to move someone in her songs is superb. Iย want to take after her in that respect.
Do you have a favorite color or dress code?
The color coral, and simplistic fashion.
ย
Do you have any food or beverage that you like or dislike the most?
My fav food is chicken. I dislike any food that has spices or coriander in it. For beverage, I love iced Americano the best.
ย
ย
What is your hobby or interest outside of music-related?
Iย enjoy watching movies and TV dramas a lot. I normally watch them via Netflix and gain musical inspiration from the stuff that I watch too.
ย
Where do you most like to perform in the world?
Anywhere in the States and Europe would be great. I want to perform at Glastonbury Festivalย and Coachellaย as well.
ย
Thank you for your precious time. Can we wrap this up by letting us know your hopes and dreams for the future? Add something nice to the fans too.
The single is out in November and I plan to continue holding performances. My hope is to keep making great music and become a great musician!
To all the fans, I thank you and love you, all!
ย
ย
—J. Chung.
3YE (pronounced “Third eye”) is a three-member Korean girl group signed under GH Entertainment. The group debuted on May 21, 2019 with โDMT – Do Ma Thangโ.ย Previously, all three members were part of GH Entertainment’s previous girl group Apple.B. We would like to thank the girls and their management for making this great piece of interview happen. We wish them all the best in all they want to achieve.
Hello, would you like to introduce yourselves to our readers?
Ha-eun: Hello, I am Ha-eun, the mood maker and maknae (youngest) of the group. Iโm 21-years-young, and in charge of doing mid-range and deep, low vocals.
Yuji: Hi, my name is Yuji and I am a 22-year-old charismatic leader and main dancer of 3YE. I love watching films and dramas alone, and enjoy shopping since I have a liking for clothes! I can dance, rap, act and able to do variety entertainment as well~
Yurim: Hello, this is Yurim, who has a chic visual and unpredictable charm! I may look cold on the outside but in reality, Iโm really bright and laughing out loud.
Iโm also 22 years old.
Weโre curious to know how you three initially got into this Hip-Hop girl group. What were your dreams growing up?
Ha-eun: Iย think we were put into this group, because weโre a very different group of this genre than the rest. Iโve always wanted to be an all-round entertainer since I was very young. My mom recommended me to learn, so Iย started learning dancing in elementary school, and I got to really love it. Iโd perform and compete in contests, then I was casted by my first company. I learned how to sing in the process and began dreaming of becoming an entertainer.
Yuji: Iย loved being on stage to sing and dance since I was in kindergarten. I would always play around with a dance video on at home. I got the chance to learn belly dancing when I got into elementary school. After that, I wanted to learn other genres of dance, then moved on to do acting and singing as well. Thatโs how I began wanting to be an entertainer/celebrity.
Yurim: When I was younger, I saw a flight attendant on a TV drama and thought she looked so cool, which got me dreaming of becoming both an actress and flight attendant. I wanted to be a flight attendant and act different characters at the same time, so Iโve always wanted two careers lol. I loved going to the acting academy as well, so thatโs why I wanted to be an actor, and later a celebrity.
How did the group name come about?
Yuji: The name stands for โthe third eyeโ, so as to differentiate ourselves from other standardized groups. It could be interpreted that weโre totally different from the rest and we wanted to show a unique charm that only weโre able to emanate.
What has changed the most for you since your debut? Do you have any fun memories with the fans?
Ha-eun: Beforeย we made our debut, we used to practice with songs by other artists, but itโs great to have our own songs to practice on! We definitely have more interaction with the fans now too~
Yuji: Before going on stage for an outdoor performance, we interacted with the fansโ, played games with them and had a lot of fun.
Yurim: Before going on air, we took turns to become our manager for a day and it was a new experience and lots of fun. I wish we could do more stuff like that in the future too.
Musically speaking, what do you think is 3YEโs uniqueness?
Yuji: Each part of our songs has been produced differently and has an addictive chorus, with strong and dramatic music, only 3YE has those unique charms.
Whatโs the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?
Ha-eun: While I am still sleepy, I head towards the fridge, where I take out a red ginseng and two probiotic pills and take them.ย ย
Yuji: For my health, I take a vitamin with lukewarm water, then massage my chin!
Yurim: Because so many of our fans upload new stuff about us online each day, I search 3YE, the first thing when I get up!
Which 3YE song are you the most attached to?
Ha-eun: I feel attached to both of them but OOMM (Out of My Mind)ย was more unique and fun in a way.
Yuji: We love both our singles! But if I had to pick one, it would be DMT (Do Ma thang), which is our debut song.
Yurim: Love the two songs equally but I would have to choose OOMM (Out of My Mind)ย because itโs catchy and fun.
Share with us a song or an album that you listen to the most often.
Ha-eun: I listen to Rihanna – Love the way you lieย frequently. ^^ If given the chance, Iโll sing it for you.
Yuji: Iโve been listening to a lot of Zedd, Kehlani – Good Thingย lately. Itโs great to listen to when youโre working out lol.
Yurim: Kassy โ Story of Nightfall, I am a fan so usually listen to her songs a lot.
Do you have any food that you especially like or dislike?
Ha-eun: Iย used to hate mushrooms when I was younger, so my mom would slice them into little pieces and make me mushroom rice. I can eat them now, since Iโve grown up lol.
Yuji: Iย can eat all kinds of food but stuff like oysters that have fishy taste and smell, I find difficult to eat, I think.
Yurim: I also eat any kind of food, except forโฆ peas. I dislike how they feel and taste.
Do you have preference to any style of clothes? What would you say are your favorite shades?
Ha-eun: I have a preference for black & white and nude tones, but I donโt hate any other colors. I normally like to dress in a street, simple and modern casual/vintage styles; Iย also personally like a brand called Wonder Girl.
Yuji: I like simple colors like black and white but donโt really like orange. I wear Lap and More day brands a lot. I prefer to style myself with modern, Amekaji, casual and street look.
Yurim: I think I wear black the most often but I donโt have any colors that I dislike in particularly! I prefer modern, feminine, casual outfits.
What are your hobbies and interests? What are the most confident at doing well?
Ha-eun: Iย normally enjoy watching movies and variety shows on TV. I canโt say that Iโm good but I have an interest in interior designs. What Iโm best at is singing emotional songs in a mid-range and low voice. Ha ha.
Yuji: My hobbies are watching films, dramas and shopping. I am the most confident at dancing and I would love to try out all sorts of different genres of dance in the future.
Yurim: I love shopping and watching movies. I love adorning โ so styling is what I am pretty good at!
Who do you most admire in the world?
Ha-eun: I respect my parents and consider my older sister as an idol, lol. ๏ฟฝ
Yuji: I love and respect my parents โค๏ธ
Yurim: I also respect my parents the most. ??
Recommend us any books, musicals or films that youโve enjoyed lately.
Ha-eun: I recently watched a movie called Tall Girl. I found the main character really memorable and intriguing, to watch her overcome her inferior complex and find confidence in the end.
Yuji: Iย went to the cinema lately to watch Exitย on my own. It was nerve-wrecking and there were scenes that made me nervous but since it was both refreshing and emotional, I want to watch it again some time.
Yurim: I watched the movie Slumdog Millionaireย and it left a big impression on me. Itโs about winning a TV quiz and it reflects on the main characterโs life which has a moral that even the littlest things in life are precious.
Where do you think is a place to visit in Korea?
Ha-eun: Iโd love to recommend Paju, where I was raised! It has a lot of incredibly fun places with a lot of cultural sites that people can visit too!
Yuji: I think Gyeongjuย would be great ~ It would be a very meaningful trip for foreigners. I recommend you all to visit!
Yurim: I think Jeju Islandย is a great place, thereโs a lot to see and eat. Itโs so beautiful too.
Where do you want to perform in the future?
Ha-eun: There arenโt any specific locations in mind, but weโd go to as many countries as possible to do a tour!
Yuji: Would love to do our own concert in the States. Or is this too much to dream about?
Yurim: Iโd really love to tour around Europe.
Please let us know any plans, goals and wishes you have for the future. Say something nice to your fans too.
Ha-eun: We want to evolve and become a world-wide known group. Please stay with us! For the future, 3YE will be really improving as a group. โค๏ธI Love You!!
Yuji: Thank you all for always staying with us and hope we can take this journey together for life ~ Please have a great day today and listen to our music! Please take good care of yourselves so as to not catch a cold! Love you! โค๏ธ
Yurim: Thank you so much for always supporting and loving us. โค๏ธ Weโll be showcasing better stage performances for you guys so, please stay with us ~~~ Love you! โค๏ธ
– J. Chung
As Koreaโs first ever Beauty Director and the Founder and CEO of Lovely & Beauwork, Oh Min has also recently been appointed as the head of BOS Beauty Contest which is to be held in November of this year. This beauty contest is open for beauticians from Korea, China, Cambodia and Vietnam.
For this interview, Mr. Oh has shared with us his passion and philosophy when it comes to having the right mindset for success – and what his goals are for the days to come. We like to express our gratitude towards Mr. Oh , especially since this is the second interview that we have had with him, which makes him the only person in KCrush America weโve had two interviews.
We wish Mr. Oh and his creative team all the best in all his future endeavors. As this week is Seoul Fashion Week, we expect more fashion-related articles and interviews to be available to our readers.ย
Hello, thank you for taking the time out for this interview. What have you been up to since the last time we talked to you?
As you know, Iโve been working in this field (as a hair designer and Beauty Director) for so many years, and on August 27, 2019, I was made the chairman of BOS Beauty contest and commission. I personally think itโs somewhat a pity that beauty contests and competitions nowadays, are corrupted and not evolving in the way they should be. I intend to put in my part, in order to search and find more productive and talented people in the K-Beauty industry.
And what do you mainly require of the beauty contestants?
Back when I was in charge of operating my own beauty education institute, I was asked countless times to have some of my students compete in their beauty contests, but since I was aware of how these contests are in real life, I recall enrolling students to my academy after confirming that they were not going to compete in beauty contests. Later, three of my students asked me several times if they could enter a beauty contest for their own development purposes, so I gave in and gave them permission after making them promise five conditions, stated below.ย
- Winning an award at the contest should not be your ultimate goal.
- You should develop your own work.
- Record your work process while preparing to enter the contest.
- Do not rely on your connection (or personal acquaintance) with any instructors.
- Do not enter the contest using an abnormal route.
I was told by one of the staff members that they received a strange phone call from the organizers of a certain beauty contest, a week the contest was to be held. They phoned in to thank the three of my students for entering and said they would reward two of the three students, and they asked me to prepare which one of to be rewarded which prize. So, I strongly opposed their idea, saying it was beyond me that they could think of picking the winners without even having the contest.ย
Vogue, Christmas Edition
Which fashion show do you recall as your best work from your 30-year career?
Iโve worked on over 4500 shows in the last 30 years โ took part in the opening of the 2012 London Olympics (viewed by the entire world) with Designer Lie Sang Bong and fashion shows which was praised by the vip guests including the IOC members. We very honored when asked by Victoria and Albert Museum, to donate our Dancheong tiles which were created by me.
Likewise, myself and my team (Oh Minโs Creative Team) have worked across 5 continents and 6 oceans โ basically, all over the globe. I am currently in charge of the hair styling at various fashion shows including Pret-a-Porter Busan, Daegu Collection, Seoul Fashion Week and all kinds of fashion shows outside of Korea. Each year, I do approximately 200 fashion shows, TV dramas, films, commercials in total, as a Beauty Director with my team members.
Where do you usually get the inspiration for all the shows?
Thereโs a rule that I seek from my apprentices and peers that I work with. I ask them to research and work hard to acquire the necessary information and to think outside of the box in order to fulfill the given tasks. We go to the extremes to challenge ourselves and experience in all aspects that we can – and go beyond just fashion and beauty.
When do you feel the most gratified or rewarded?
Well, Iโd say that I am the most rewarded and thankful whenever I see how much my students or juniors have evolved. I always demand that they have to rise beyond myself, Oh Min โ so, I feel really emotional and gratified when my juniors come up with something that is far beyond what I couldโve done.
This dress is from โOver the Rainbow: Dancheongโ, Lie Sang-Bongโs Spring/Summer 2012 Collection.
It is inspired by the Dancheong, the Korean pictorial art used to decorate and protect the wooden structure of traditional architecture.
What would you advise to anyone who wants to get into this business?
My message to the established beauty professionals is this: be true professionals. Iโve seen beauty salons of mammoth scale, franchises and famed Cheongdam beauty clinics, behaving despicably and breaching the principles of the fashion industry. Often, they service the hair and make-up in fashion shows, perhaps to advertise their institutions, for free. It is a shame to see them slaving themselves with no reward, and at the same time asserting their prestige.
Once, a model came to stand with our team, waiting for her turn on the catwalk. She was a stranger, and when we asked why she did not join her own group, she said that the beauty services rendered for free made her feel awkward. And her team happened to be a big salon with franchise shops all over the country. You might think such a salon would ask for more guarantee, but that was far from the case. The model called her team just hairdressers. The owner of such salons will have all those shows and collections on their sleeve, by hiring out their staff for free. What are they teaching their own staff? When the workers have their own salons, how could they avoid doing the same, the same as their teachers and mentors?
At another occasion, a new fashion designer was so eager to work with us because the free wigs provided for his last show were disappointing, to say the least. When he expressed his surprise and dismay at the guarantee we asked for, I had some strict words with him. If we were to do it for free and he needed diamonds for hair, would we have to offer those for free as well? Where do we draw the line? My point was that everything, from a tiny comb, needed to be paid for, everything from materials, accessories, not only for themselves but their fabricating costs. He did pay for everything and now is a famed designer.
Not to say that I did all those shows for just money. We do voluntary work for free, for example for building habitats for the needy. In professional work, we are not servicing but cooperating, in charge of the whole show as a project.
I tell my staff that they will have to overcome me, who is currently the best in this generation. I also tell them that in the future, they would have to demand 120% of what I do. The inheritance I have for them exceeds the value of my salon itself. The beauty work that I do now is the inheritance, for nobody but myself and my staff. I tell my fellow and junior beauty directors to be true professionals. We are also the provider of many new jobs. If beauty refers to everything beautiful, a beauty director creates, makes decisions, completes and solves the problems of beauty. In other words, a beauty director is a term that encompasses everything to do with beauty, as a master, even a president of everything in the whole world to do with beauty. And I hope to see many others coming forward to dream this beautiful dream of becoming a professional beauty director.
Youโre a mentor to quite a number of people, but who is your mentor?
Reflecting back on my life, my mentor would be my father. He was a second-generation only son in his family, and he raised seven children by himself, and I think about him a lot when I raise my children.
My father would say that children are reflection of their parents. Heโd wake me up at every dawn and say, โEarly bird catches the wormโ and this is what I always say at the end of every lecture that I do!! When youโre lying down asleep, you can only dream. But when you are staying up and actually working, you can fulfill your dreams!!
What do you advise to your juniors during fashion shows?
Our team may seem like a spartan-styled organization but itโs moderate on all sides. Some call us crazy for working excessively but weโve never missed a show ever. I tend to stick by what I say and promise, and for all the blunders that my staffs make, I take full responsibility. I never ask the staff to take care of any mistakes theyโve caused. This is because we donโt make the same mistakes and I do not consider first-time mistakes, as a mistake. Thereโs something that I always tell my team members.
I tell them to work, not in front of me, but where I donโt see them. Which means, they should enjoy what they do. In reality, I know my team members like to find what to work on and theyโre experts at what they do. I also advise them to keep studying and researching. Weโre the best at what we do, when it comes to fashion, so I tell them to work harder on something unrelated to fashion. Thatโs how we can go beyond and further from where we stand. Thereโs something that I want to tell my juniors as well. Failure is something that we can all experience, and the other thing is, repetitiveness is a pain we all go through and only we donโt know weโre improving. These are the kind of things that I tell my juniors all the time. I tell them to enjoy the wait too. Your door to success is always waiting for you.ย ย
Thank you very much for this interview. Lastly, let us know your future plans and goals.
My line of skincare products is coming out this season of Autumn. Oh Minโs perfume series is coming out at the end of this year. My new fashion brand of sunglasses, bags, shoes, accessories and other fashion goods is in plans too. My second line of sunglasses are being prepared to launch soon – the first collection received unbelievably well from the public and got sold out.
The beauty artist that I admire the most is Paul Mitchell. He developed diverse products in many different categories and was such a special artist. Even parasols, umbrellas, shampoos were designed and created in his name. I also started off my career as a beauty director but I am currently developing all kinds of goods. Itโs already been over 10 years since I changed my work title to Beauty director.
Thatโs why when I released my line of sunglasses, the consumers didnโt find it that strange or unexpected. A beauty director is someone who manages and watches over the whole show and work, from head to toe, and develops and introduces a new trend for the people. Generally, if I were still working as a hair artist or makeup artist, I donโt think it wouldโve been easy for me to tell a story between artists and release diverse line of collections.
My current dream is what my late wife wanted when she was alive. I want to build a museum in my own name, where Iโd exhibit all my countless past work and data. An example would be, the Dancheong tiles that was donated to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The two pieces out of the 6 tiles were given to the museum, one is with Designer Lie Sang Bong and the remaining 3 pieces are currently with me. I own so much that could later be displayed at my museum, and I would love to dedicate the opening to my late wife.
Only the people who do their utmost deserve to see a beautiful future. The harder work youโve put in right now, is really what is going to brighten up your tomorrow.
Rookie actors in films or TV dramas, tend to work hard to show their physiques but real stars show their souls. If you regard yourself a professional, you need to spend the time working to show your soul in what you do. This is how a professional should operate. And weโre truly all professionals. I wish you would work really hard on what you do, so youโd want to do the same even in the next lifetime. You have to push harder to be respected and become the best in your field. Weโre all in this together.
– J. Chung.
#KoreasFirstBeautyDirector #OhMin #fashion #koreanfashion #koreanbeauty #SeoulFashionWeek #CEOofLovelyandBeauwork #OhMinPerfume #OhMinSunglasses #OhMinHairDesigner #LieSangBong #AllEyesOnKorea #2012LondonOlympics #DifferentDreamKDrama #beautydirector #kcrushinterview
On October 14, 2019, 25-year-old singer and actress Sulli (Choi Jin-Ri) was found dead at her home in Seongnam after her manager could not get a hold of her. Her body was discovered at 3:20pm local time. Sulliโs manager last spokeย to her around 6pm local time the day prior.
According to the Seongnam Fire Department, when paramedics arrived on the scene, Sulli had signs of cardiac arrest and post-death paralysisย (rigor mortis), indicating that she passed several hours before being found.
So far, police have stated there are no signs of foul playย in her death. A spokesman said they even checked security footage around her apartment and did not notice any unusual activity. Suicide is speculated in Sulliโs passing, but police will not confirm or deny the reports. They have stated that Sulli battled severe depression, which is something she herself has been open about in the past.
โThe investigation is ongoing and we wonโt make presumptions about the cause of death,โ police official Kim Seong-Tae said.
Police did not find a suicide note at the scene, but they did find writings from Sulli. They have not released the contents to the public.
Following the news, SM Entertainment, released a statementย confirming the starletโs passing.
This is SM Entertainment.
We apologize for conveying such sad and unfortunate news.
Sulli has left our side.
We cannot believe the situation now and we are just filled with grief.
For her family who is grieving after the sudden news of her passing, we earnestly request that you refrain from writing speculative articles or spreading rumors. We express our deep condolences.
Friends and fellow celebrities have taken the news hard. Several artists including Amber Liu, Super Junior, SuperM, NCT Dream, Nuโest, and SF9 canceled activitiesย out of respect, while many others, including close friend Hara (who recently received help following a suicide attempt), Gyuri, Ahn Jae Hyun, Kyla Massie, Kevin Woo, DinDin, and AOAโs Mina have shared thoughtsย on social media expressing their shock and grief.
Hara wrote, “In that world, I hope Jin-Ri can do whatever she wants.”
Gyuri said, โA beautiful and cheerful person. Itโs difficult to express how Iโm feeling in words. I hope the world will become a bit more tolerant to everyone.โ
U-KISSโ Jun said, โYou went through so muchโฆ I hope you will not be concerned about anything there and I hope you will be really happy, noona. Rest in peace now.โ
๋๋ฌดย ๊ณ ์ย ๋ง์์ด์..
๊ฑฐ๊ธฐ์ ย ์๋ฌดย ๊ฒ๋ย ์ ๊ฒฝย ์ฐ์ง๋ง๊ณ ย ์ ๋งย ํ๋ณตํ๊ฒย ์ง๋์ผ๋ฉดย ์ข๊ฒ ์ด์ย ๋๋.
์ด์ ย ํธํ๊ฒย ํนย ์ฌ์ธ์.โ JUN (@JuN97L) October 14, 2019
Sulli has been open about her depression, anxiety, and panic disorders, and she most recently discussed these issues on Reply Night (also known as A Night of Hate Comments).
โMy life is actually empty, so I feel like Iโm lying to everyone by pretending to be happy on the outside,โ Sulli said on Reply Night earlier this month. โI asked around a lot for advice. They told me, โEveryone has a dark side in their lives, but they live pretending that they donโt. Donโt think of it as weird.โโ
In 2018 prior to the airing of her reality show Jinri Store, Sulli posted aboutย her anxiety issues and social phobia in a now-deleted Instagram post, โEven close people left me. I was hurt by them and felt there was nobody who understands me, which made me fall apart.โ
Sulli has been the target of Internet trolls and cyberbullying in recent years. Everything about her life from dating to her apparel choices have been criticized by Netizens. In an Instagram storyย from this year, Sulli asked, โIโm not a bad person. Why are [they] talking bad about me? Tell me one thing I did to deserve this?โ
The Busan-born star began her celebrity careerย in 2005 as a child actress. From there, she debuted in f(x) in 2009 with the song โLA chA tAโ before leaving the group in 2015 to focus on her mental and physical health and to turn to acting. She recently appeared in the drama Hotel del Luna and recently made a comeback in the music scene with โGoblin,โ a track and video about someone with Dissociative Identity Disorder. Her comeback as a singer was met by Netizen backlash.
Sulli leaves behind family and many friends. As per her familyโs request, her funeral will be private.
“The mourners and family do not want this. We ask reporters to understand with a generous heart. We ask that you cooperate so that Sulli’s last journey will be beautiful,โ SM Entertainment said.
Words cannot express our shock and grief over Sulliโs passing. We wish her and her family peace.
If you or someone you love is struggling with depression, there is help.
United States
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:ย Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Crisis Text Line:ย A 24/7 nationwide text-messaging hotline. Text 741741 to talk to a trained counselor.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:ย Call 1-800-273-8255- Available 24 hours every day.
The Trevor Project:ย Call 1-866-488-7386.ย Crisis and suicide prevention services available to the LGBTQ+ community.
Trans Lifeline:ย Callย (877) 565-8860.ย ย Crisis and suicide prevention services for trans and non-binary individuals.
Veterans Crisis Line:ย Call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1 for help. Text 838255 for text-based services. This service aids veterans.
Canada
Kids Help Phone:ย Call 1-800-668-6868.ย A 24-hour service for youths 20 and under.
The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention: ย Assistance is available in French and English. However, they are not a crisis center, but they do haveย links to crisis centersย in each Canadian province.
Trans Lifeline:ย Call (877) 330-6366
Youthspace:ย This service helps people aged 30 and under. Text them at 778-783-0177. The service is available from 6pm to midnight PST.
For a complete list of suicide and crisis lifelines available in many countries, please visitย Wikipediaโs list of resources.
—-Olivia Murray
*The founder and first leader of North Korea, Kim Il Sung, created the country’s policy which cut off North Korea economically from the rest of the world.
*Kimโs dictatorship has ruled North Korea for over 70 years, by three generations of the family. Kim Jong Un – grandson of Kim Il Sung – came to power in 2011, after the death of his father, Kim Jong Il.
*It is officially forbidden to give children the name born by their Leader, so if a child had been named like this before his accession, the parents must change the name.
*North Koreaโs total population is around 25,49 million, while South Korea is more than double the number.
*North Korea is one of the most undernourished nation in the world – an estimated 41% of the population, or 10.5 million people, are believed to be undernourished – ranking 109th out of 199. The situation has been severe since the famine in the 90s, and 2 million people died from the result.
*The obesity rate is near-to-zero in North Korea.
*200,000 North Koreans, who commit political crimes are in prison camps with their entire family imprisoned with them. Around 40% of camp prisoners die from malnutrition while mining and agricultural work.
*Pyongyangโs citizens are known to be loyal to the regime, and the government decides who and if someone is worthy to live in the capital.
*In 1997, North Korea accepted the new chronology, and started counting the year after Kim II-Sungโs birthday in 1912, so itโs still year 107, while the rest of the world is in Year 2019.
*Every North Korean household are given a government radio that canโt ever be turned off, but only allowed to turn the volume down.
*North Korea restricts internet to its citizens, and not even 1% of the population has internet access.ย Citizens are relegated to using a state-controlled, domestic-only intranet network. If you own a computer, the service is free and allows access to only a short list of censored websites.
*North Korean government makes $50 million or so per year from drug production and producing fake US currency.ย N.K has denied the claim but the UN suggests the illegal funds help fund Kim’s luxurious lifestyle.
*Only 8% of all North Koreaโs roads are covered with a surface. Since most transport inside the country is controlled by the authorities, only military people and politicians can afford to own a car – most citizens travel by bicycle.
*North Korea mainly trades with China, which makes up around 60% of the countryโs exports. North Korea is among the top 20 countries exporting fishery products – Seafood, makes up a quarter of all goods sold abroad.
*North Korea is said to be sitting on a wealth of mineral deposits, with one estimate reaching nearly $10 trillion. The deposits could include more than 200 types of mineral, including iron, gold, zinc, copper, and graphite – plenty of rare metals used in smartphone production.
*Defecting is becoming extremely difficult since Kim Jong-un took over the North Korea regime in 2011.ย Defectors pay brokers $12,000~$17,000 to defect to South Korea. In 2012, the price was around $2,000 or $3,000.
*There are said to be about 28 โapproved haircutsโ in North Korea, but none of the menโs approved haircuts can be similar to their supreme leaderโs. The menโs hairstyle can be less than 2 inches long and unmarried women must have short hair, but married woman can have more options.
*Wearing jeans is illegal in North Korea.
*North Koreans are only allowed to listen to music if the artist/song is approved by the government
*North Korea has their own rules for basketball. You can get 4-points, and missed free throws result in losing points. Slam dunks are worth 3 points.
*The Rungrado Stadium in North Koreaย is the biggest stadium in the world, with staggering 150,000 seats.
*Mount Paektu is almost 1000 meters taller than the highest mountain in the Korean peninsula.
*If someone breaks the law, the whole family for three generations forward gets punished as well. South Korean TV programs are very popular, and are illegally broadcasted or smuggled in, if the regime finds out about it, it could mean a death penalty.
*North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests since 2006, in violation of international law. Two were conducted in 2016, including a hydrogen bomb – but the United States doubted that claim.
*North Korea is one of the few countries in the world whose residents do not pay taxes. Taxation got abolished in 1974 and only organizations and individuals who are making money outside the country pay tax. However, it is rumored that the government plans to reintroduce income tax in the future.
*At the Korean border, lies the village of Kijong-dong, specifically built to show the southern neighbors the privileges of living in the North. It was constructed in the 50s when electricity was a luxury.ย Later, it became clear that these buildings were nothing but empty boxes with no floors, ceilings, or inner walls.
ย
ย
ย – J. Chung.
After signing with A Entertainment in March 2019, B.A.Pโs Zelo announced on social media that he and the company have parted ways.
In a screenshot shared on Instagram, Zelo stated โMy relationship with A Entertainment ended.โ The confirmation comes after he hinted that he was no longer part of the company via Instagram stories.
View this post on Instagram
Currently, Zelo has posted on social media that he is looking for artists to collaborate with him. One message reads โBeatmakers who are interested in working together on music, please DM me.โ
View this post on Instagram
If youโre a musician and you live in Korea, you might have a chance to work with Zelo if you message him. Some dreams could come true?
—-Olivia Murray
Many of you will have witnessed a lot of โJade Rollersโ these days being advertised as a useful beauty and skincare tool. Jade roller is said to do great wonders to your skin and bone structure by many dermatologists, beauty influencers and skin experts, but in many Asian countries, Jade has been known to be great for a large number of things to improve your health and looks for many centuries. Frequent use of this beauty gadget can vastly benefit the skin and prevents aging in various ways, so Iโm told. It tightens, smooths and sculpts the skin, lessens wrinkles, promotes elasticity & firmness, generates a cooling effect, reduces puffiness and dark circles.
Thatโs not all. It eliminates toxins, helps facial oil and skin products see better results, stimulates blood circulation and oxygen, while relieving facial tension, headaches and a bunch of other mental stress, fatigue, anxietyโฆ Basically, this Jade roller can do a ton of good, not just to your skin complexion/tone/condition, it offers a lot of health benefits to the modern generation.
Jade has played a special part in Korean tradition and history as far as back c. 850 BC โ the precious stones used on the jeweled ornaments were exclusively owned by the Korean royalty and elites of high ranks from the times of the Shilla Dynasty (c. 300~668 AD) and still widely utilized and loved today.
For many centuries, the precious gems were worn by royals and Jade symbolized the wearerโs rank and position. The kingโs throne amongst other royal possessions would be produced of Jade because the precious gems were very scarce, only the privileged were able and allowed to wear or own them.
Jade consists of approximately 45 different natural minerals and since the substances of calcium and magnesium are scientifically proven to be able to prevent far infrared ray emission, it has been known throughout numerous generations that by wearing the gems can benefit oneโs state of physical health and well-being.
Jadeโs Health Effects
The Jade contains the minerals, calcium, and magnesium which are crucial elements for the human body, 40 plus percent of which consists of magnesium comprised of chlorophyll. The cells that make up the human body are also structures of magnesium; this is why the vibration waves of the energy emitted from the Jade is almost the same as those of the human body cells. The Jade is regarded as a breathing material, giving off vibrations that act as resonance entering into our body cells in due proportion, resulting in the revival, improving physical structures, blood circulation and moderate alkalization and eliminates harmful substances in the body: this is the particular effect the Jade has on the maintenance of human health.
The precious stone has the tendency to be cool to wear in the Summer and warm during the Winter. The qualities of the wondrous gem vary vastly, depending on where they were cultivated and the skill of its craftsman. It has been stated in Dongui Bogam which is an ancient literature compiled by the Korean physicians that the energy produced by the body and wavelength is almost identical which helps to soothe the internal system and tensions of oneโs physique. Jade goes beyond than being just a beautiful ornament or jewelry because unlike most other gems and precious stones, it has been known for centuries, proven through medical research to be extremely beneficial to the health of the wearer. Jade is said to be able to effectively elevate and miraculously treat various illnesses and diseases that even modern science cannot solve at times. Below is the list of some of the symptoms Jade can provide cure or treat blood pressure, indigestion, constipation, menstrual pain, palsy, diabetes, neuralgia, chronic headache, arthritis, infertility, postpartum depression, obesity and the long list goes on.
The Jade is incredibly beneficial in cases of dull headaches and limp legs, cold sweat and frequent feelings of fatigue. The resonance-vibration effect of jade revitalizes the bowel dynamics, removing old lesions such as decayed protein or residual fat, the causes of obesity, as well as gas, resulting in slimming of the body.ย Since Jade is amazingly effective for both peopleโs physical and mental well-being, Jadestone beds are also very popular in Asia and known to be very beneficial to oneโs states of health.
— J. Chung.
October 9th is a national holiday to commemorate the proclamation of Hangeul, the Korean alphabet. The day was declared a holiday quite recently, in 2013. The commemoration itself has a longer history, however. It was in 1926 that a group of nationalistic activists, gathered to work towards the preservation of the Korean language under the Japanese colonial rule, designated the last day of the ninth month (then according to the lunar calendar system) to celebrate the 480th anniversary of the invention and declaration of Hangeul.
Hangeul was invented in the 15th century by the King Sejongย (1397~1450), known as Sejong the Great, and his scholar-officials. There are only a couple of monarchs in the entire Chosun dynasty always mentioned by the people of today along with the epithet โthe Greatโ, and King Sejong is one of them mainly because of his work on the Hangeul system. Hangeul was proclaimed under the title of Hunminjeongeumย – roughly translated as โCorrect Sounds for the Education of the Peopleโ. The term Hangeul was suggested by Ju Si-gyeong, a scholar of the Korean language and culture, in 1913: soon after Japanโs annexation of Korea.
In 1940, the exact lunar date of the proclamation of Hangeul was discovered, and the day was fixed as October 9th according to the Gregorian calendar.
It is a popular belief that the introduction of Hangeul was the result of consideration and care for the common people, who were not educated enough, or could never be educated enough to read or write in classical Chinese. A more somber perspective would be that Hangeul was intended to strengthen the barrier between the gentry and the common man. It should also be noted that whatever the intention behind the Hangeul system had been, there must have been a need felt by at least some of the ruling class for letters for the uneducated, for various purposes, perhaps including commercial and contractual ones.
Whatever the truth may be, Hangeul is today the national alphabet system of Korea. It is easy enough for anyone to learn, definitely one of the reasons why it has survived for so long in more or less the same form. Hangeul originally had 28 letters, 17 of which were consonants and 11 were vowels. Four of them were dropped to make in total 24 letters, or 14 consonants and 10 vowels.
Hangeul is thought to be very reflective of phonology, with consonants that are shaped to resemble the sounds they are supposed to make. One may not realize this at first but even without knowing, it makes the learning curiously easy. It is trickier, however, to get the exact placement of letters right for every sound (work equivalent to โspellingโ in Roman alphabets), because of the irregularities that exist within the Korean diction and sound system.
Still, Hangeul is a very instinctive way of expressing basic sounds present in all languages. Unlike other alphabet systems that cannot be traced back to their inventors Hangeul is, as an invention by a great king, celebrated every year.
— J. Chung.
Fresh from her SM Entertainment contract expiration and signing with Steel Wool Entertainment, Amber Liu released the dates of her upcoming North American X tour.
The North American leg of her X tour begins January 2020 and will stop at 24 cities across the United States and Canada. For the tour, she will be joined by Meg & Dia (all tour dates), Justice Carradine (January 17- February 4, 2020), and Justin Park (February 5-22, 2020).
Tickets for the tour go on sale October 4, 2019 at 10am local time. Fan and VIP ticket sales started October 1, 2019, but the sale continues until October 3 at 10pm EST. Tickets are available on Future Beat and Amberโs official website.
|
Friday January 17, 2020 |
Fresno, California |
Strummers |
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Saturday January 18, 2020 |
San Francisco, California |
The Warfield |
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Monday January 20, 2020 |
Portland, Oregon |
Wonder Ballroom |
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Tuesday January 21, 2020 |
Seattle, Washington |
The Showbox |
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Thursday January 23, 2020 |
Vancouver, British Columbia |
Vogue Theatre |
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Saturday January 25, 2020 |
Salt Lake City, Utah |
The Complex |
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Sunday January 26, 2020 |
Englewood, Colorado |
Gothic Theatre |
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Tuesday January 28, 2020 |
Minneapolis, Minnesota |
Varsity Theater |
|
Thursday January 30, 2020 |
Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
The Rave |
|
Friday January 31, 2020 |
Indianapolis, Indiana |
Deluxe at Old National Centre |
|
Saturday February 1, 2020 |
Chicago, Illinois |
House of Blues |
|
Tuesday February 4, 2020 |
Boston, Massachusetts |
Paradise Rock Club |
|
Wednesday February 5, 2020 |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Theatre of Living Arts |
|
Friday February 7, 2020 |
New York, New York |
Terminal 5 |
|
Saturday February 8, 2020 |
Silver Springs, Maryland |
The Fillmore Silver Spring |
|
Sunday February 9, 2020 |
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
Rex Theater |
|
Tuesday February 11, 2020 |
Detroit, Michigan |
Saint Andrews Hall |
|
Thursday February 13, 2020 |
Columbus, Ohio |
Newport Music Hall |
|
Friday February 14, 2020 |
Atlanta, Georgia |
The Masquerade |
|
Sunday February 16, 2020 |
Dallas, Texas |
South Side Music Hall |
|
Monday February 17, 2020 |
Houston, Texas |
House of Blues |
|
Tuesday February 18, 2020 |
Austin, Texas |
Scoot Inn |
|
Friday February 21, 2020 |
Los Angeles, California |
The Wiltern |
|
Saturday February 22, 2020 |
San Diego, California |
Music Box Theater |
Many cities that previously werenโt considered as suitable venues for other K-Pop acts will now have a chance to see a now-former K-Pop idol in action, and perhaps successful ticket sales for those venues will provide hints to other K-Pop acts to consider these cities in the future.
—-Olivia Murray
Pledis Entertainment announced that Seventeen will embark on their latest tour in 2020.
Produced by Live Nation, Seventeenโs eight-city North American-leg of the Ode to You tour kicks off January 10, 2020 in New Jersey. Ode to You is Seventeenโs first North American tour since 2017โs Diamond Edge tour.
The Ode to You tourโwhich kicked off August 30, 2019 in Seoul, South Korea and is now currently working its way through Japan, Indonesia, and Thailandโis named for the groupโs Ode To album that dropped in September. Ode To is currently Seventeenโs best-selling album.
The North American tour leg will stop in New Jersey, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Mexico City, Los Angeles, San Jose, and Seattle when it rolls through in January. Unfortunately, venues have not been announced yet,* but tickets are available for pre-sale already via Ticketmaster.
Live Nation partnered with Ticketmasterโs Verified Fan platform. From now until October 20, 2019, fans who wish to attend Seventeenโs concerts can register on the verified fan page to receive a code. Then, those with verified fan codes can purchase tickets October 22 at 4pm local time until October 24, 2019 10pm local time before the general public can purchase tickets.
If you want to see Seventeen in concert, here are your chances to do so:
- January 10, 2020 โ New Jersey
- January 12, 2020 โ Chicago
- January 14, 2020 โ Dallas
- January 15, 2020 โ Houston
- January 17, 2020 โ Mexico City, Mexico
- January 19, 2020 โ Los Angeles
- January 21, 2020 โ San Jose
- January 23, 2020 โ Seattle
SEVENTEEN WORLD TOUR <ODE TO YOU> NORTH AMERICA pic.twitter.com/Po1gyoGAsd
โ ์ธ๋ธํด(SEVENTEEN) (@pledis_17) October 1, 2019
*Venues will be added to article when they are announced.
—-Olivia Murray
This winter South Korean boy band A.C.E is coming back with their newly announced tour A.C.E CONCERT [UNDERCOVER: AREA US].
The tour will kick off in Chicago on December 1; and in the span of three weeks, the members of the band will meet their fans in a total of 10 different cities all across the United States.
Although it has only been a year since A.C.Eโs last tour in the USA, the bandโs fans eager to see the artists again initiated a viral movement on www.mymusictaste.com, an online service that brings together music fans to request their favorite artistโs concert. In response to the growing demand, A.C.E and MyMusicTaste collaborated to make A.C.E fansโ dream come true.
This time, A.C.E is returning stronger than ever with their latest comeback โUnder Cover,โ which proves to be a real show stopper. Since their debut in 2017, the band has never been afraid to experiment with their concepts and sound. With each release, they have been able to surprise their fans. Once again, A.C.E showcases their versatility as โUnder Coverโ offers a balanced mash-up of rock and hip-hop genres juxtaposed with their husky vocals in the chorus, which later climaxes into a clear falsetto delivery towards the end of the track.
Their newly refined sound and powerful looks promise stage-burning performances that fans can look forward to. The group’s five members, Jun, Donghun, Wow, Kim Byeongkwan, and Chan, are ready to sweep away their audience with their dynamic energy and intensity.
More information about the tour and ticket details will be announced soon via MyMusicTasteโs official channels on social media and https://mmt.fans/CE0M/.
A.C.E CONCERT [UNDER COVER: AREA US Schedule:
- December 1 – Chicago @ Park West
- December 4 – Atlanta @ The Masquerade
- December 6 – Minneapolis @ Pantages Theatre
- December 8 – New Jersey @ White Eagle Hall
- December 11 – Miami @ Revolution Live
- December 13 – Puerto Rico @ Bellas Artes de Caguas
- December 15 – Dallas @ Granada Theater
- December 18 – Seattle @ The Neptune Theatre
- December 20 – San Francisco @ August Hall
- December 22 – Los Angeles @ The Fonda Theatre
About MyMusicTaste:
MyMusicTaste is a fan initiated live event making service that brings fans, artists and promoters from all over the world together in one place to create a valuable and meaningful concert experience for everyone involved. MyMusicTaste puts the power in the fans’ hands, allowing fans to request their favorite artist’s concert in their city. With the mission to connect and amplify the voices of fans all over the world, MyMusicTaste successfully promoted concerts of artists such as EXO, GOT7, MONSTA X, The xx, Machine Gun Kelly, and more in over 52 different cities. With the simple idea–empowering fans to bring their favorite artistโs concert in the city of their choice based on fan demand–MyMusicTaste is challenging the $27 billion concert market through cutting-edge technology and sophisticated, user-friendly service. Currently, www.mymusictaste.com supports more than 30 countries and offers 15 different languages.
SuperM are hitting the road across North America starting in November!ย All tickets will be on sale Saturday, October 5th, 10:00 a.m. local time.ย http://SuperMOfficial.com!ย They stated that all tickets purchased will include a copy of their first Mini Album!ย More dates are expected to be announced soon!
Currently, a Flash Sale is taking place until October 11th for some of their merchandise such as the Limited Edition SuperM Picture Disc Vinyl exclusively found only in their webstore
Are you excited for their first North American tour as SuperM?
On September 26, 2019, the Ministry of Employment and Labor confirmed that a former TS Entertainment employee reported the company for failure to pay its employees.
โTS Entertainment has been reported on charges of failing to pay stipends for unused annual leave and severance pay to employees. Following an investigation by a labor supervisor, they have been forwarded to the prosecution on charges of violating the Labor Standards Act,โ a government representative said.
The official could not confirm if the former employee stated if other employees also werenโt paid. However, the official stated that the prosecutors are working on gaining more details regarding the claim.
The claim by the former employee is the latest in a long line of claims against the embattled company starting back in 2014. To date, all of B.A.P, Jieun and Hyoseong from Secret, rapper Sleepy, and Sumin and Nahyun from Sonamoo have all filed suits against TS Entertainment for contract nullification due to failure to pay. In each instance, TS Entertainment maintains their innocence while snidely suggesting the artists are acting in unfair and one-sided manners.
TS Entertainment has yet to respond to the allegations as of this writing.
—-Olivia Murray
When it was announced that Sonamooโs Sumin and Nahyun filed a lawsuit for contract termination, TS Entertainment initially lacked a response to the announcement. On September 23, 2019, however, TS Entertainment released a statement addressing Nahyun and Suminโs claims.
In the statement, TS Entertainment said:
Hello, this is TS Entertainment.
This is our official statement regarding SONAMOO.
This past August, SONAMOOโs Nahyun and Sumin filed a lawsuit to confirm the non-existence their contracts.
Earlier this year, [Nahyun and Sumin] sent us a certification of contents regarding contract termination. They had been practicing without issue until the day before the documents arrived, but afterward, they suddenly cut contact, even with their fellow members.
The two membersโ unexpected actions greatly affected the rest of the members, who wanted to protect the group. Their actions damaged group promotions affecting the groupโs album release, schedules, and events.
After in-depth discussions with the remaining members and the membersโ parents on how we should proceed, weโve decided that SONAMOO will continue as a five-member group.
Moreover, we will be taking legal action regarding the two members that have caused these issues with their one-sided decisions.
Closing, we apologize for causing concern to all those who love our artists, and we will be giving our full support so that the remaining SONAMOO members can continue promotions.
Thank you.
Meanwhile, four members of Sonamoo lent their voices to the single โWe are Legendary.โ The single is for the game Legendary Game of Heroes. High.D was absent due to promoting V-1.
—-Olivia Murray
On September 24, 2019, Sonamooโs Sumin shared an Instagram post addressing why she and fellow Sonamoo member Nahyun filed a suit against TS Entertainment for contract termination.ย
Sumin shared the following in her message:
Hello, this is Sumin.
First of all, Iโm incredibly sorry to greet you all with this issue. However, after seeing articles circulating the Internet, Iโm writing this post because I feel so frustrated.
After continuously receiving payments as a group this entire time, we decided to receive individual payments starting from 2019. A few years after signing our contracts, there was a formal settlement procedure in which no proof of settlement was provided, except for a confirmation of the settlement statement that was typed up by the company, but we never received any payments. Because of this, Nahyun and I wanted to look at the settlement data clearly from the beginning and share it with the members. So, I asked the company to show me the data that could serve as evidence for the settlements, but after waiting for 30 days, the company gave me only a small portion of the settlement data.
After reviewing that small portion of the settlement data provided by the company, we found that a substantial amount of evidence was missing, so we sent the company a certification of contents in order to request a confirmation of this. As soon as the settlement data was confirmed through the certification of contents, we said that we would continue to work hard as SONAMOO.
But the company didnโt show the settlement data we requested, and they seemed to talk badly about us to the other SONAMOO members, saying that because we had sent a certification of contents without properly discussing the matter with them, it was a shame. I heard through an acquaintance that the company told the other members not to contact the two of us. At the time, Nahyun and I believed the company would send us the settlement data, so we had decided to go back and explain it to [the other members] later.
Furthermore, I exchanged text messages with my manager even after sending the certification of contents, and I continued to keep in touch with the companyโs current CEO even until the day before we submitted the complaint.
We also expressed our willingness to participate in the Makestar project for the fans who had been waiting, but the company did not respond.
Whatโs more, we were faced with the threat of our power going out and the water getting shut off, and we were eventually kicked out of the dorms, so our situation isnโt too different from those who are currently in dispute with the company. Iโll talk about the rest in court and cut back on my writing.
We tried really hard to smooth things over until the end, but the trust was completely broken, so we ended up taking legal action. I had a lot of concerns about the lawsuit, and Iโm still scared. In addition, I want to sincerely apologize to fans for causing worry and being unable to join everyone else as a member of SONAMOO due to this decision I made under difficult circumstances.
I hope there will be no more unfair treatment with the excuse of โmutual trust.โ Thank you so much for reading this long post.
In addition to Sumin and Nahyun, TS Entertainment is also involved in legal disputes with Sleepy and Secretโs Jieun and Hyoseong. They also had a lawsuit against them in 2014 when B.A.P filed for contract termination.
With each suit, TS Entertainment maintains itโs the artists that are the issue.
—-Olivia Murray
After signing with STX Lion Heart back in June 2019, B.A.Pโs Jung Daehyun will be making his second solo comeback this year, his first with his new agency.
โMy staff and I have been staying up many nights to prepare for this album. All the hard work can be seen through the quality of the album,โ Daehyun said during a recent V-Live.
According to the agency, Daehyun will be introducing a new style via the mini-albumโs release. The album and promotion period wonโt just feature Daehyunโs vocal abilities: He is expected to also show off some rap and dance abilities.
On September 27, the teaser schedule and album name dropped. Beginning September 30, teaser images for AIGHT will drop, followed by the albumโs track listing, highlight medley, and teaser videos. The album will be release October 11, 2019.
Prior to the album announcement, on September 6, Daehyun announced the name of his solo fandom during a V-Live special. Between the choices of โDailyโ and โIY,โ Daehyun selected โIYโ for his fan club name.
โโIYโ means โyou, who are so precious and special that you are irreplaceable.โ โYouโ can stand for either Daehyun or the fans,โ Daehyun explained during the V-Live.
Daehyun expounded on the name further by explaining the name is a homophone of โaiโ (the Japanese and Chinese word for โloveโ) and โ์์ดโ (ai), which means โchild.โ He also explained that as he continues to grow as an artist, the BABY fandom (B.A.Pโs fandom name) will also be growing into children; he also addressed that he will still use the BABY fandom name.
โThe word โBABYโ is forever,โ Daehyun said. โI think of โIYโ as a name that arose from within BABY, and BABY will always be a part of me. Thatโs what I think. Iโm always going to use โBABYโ as well as โIY.โโ
Are you excited for Daehyunโs comeback?
—-Olivia Murray
Earlier in 2019, Mystic Entertainment stated that iconic girl group Brown Eyed Girls, famous for there 2009 hit โAbracadabra,โ would be making their comeback in the first half of the year. With the year now almost over, hope dwindled, and it seemed like one of the poster groups for female empowerment and sexuality would not return this year. Then, on September 25, Gain, JeA, Miryo, and Narsha held a V-Live livestream where Gain announced the girlsโ impending October comeback!
https://www.vlive.tv/video/151715
“We are discussing the album and will come back in October,” Gain said. “It’s really at the last preparation stage. We are not lying.”
“Because we know that you are really eagerly waiting,โ JeA added, โwe are doing our best to prepare a great performance for you.”
JeA further confirmed the news on Instagram when she posted an image of the girls with the caption โI think I snapped this photo really well, guys #album meeting #browneyedgirl.โ
View this post on Instagram
๋ ์ข ์ ์ฐ์๊ฑฐ ๊ฐ์ ์ ๋๋กธ~ #๋ธ์๊ฑธ #์จ๋ฒ๋ฏธํ #browneyedgirls
It will be the girlsโ first comeback since late 2015 when they released Brave New World. Since then, each member has been busy with solo activities and personal business.
Are you excited for a Brown Eyed Girls comeback?
—-Olivia Murray