Here are top five Korean newsmakers in the entertainment industry of the week.
We're marching towards the end of December, but the energy of these artists doesn't seem to slow down. Many South Korean personalities, some new, some old, illuminated the headlines in the third week of this month. Be it a much-anticipated trailer of a film, or a singer breaking charts, we have you covered.
Here are five artists who shook the internet this week.
BTS' Jimin, who is currently serving in the military, has decided to top iTunes yet again, only this time with a new song. On December 22, the singer dropped a song dedicated to his fans, 'Closer Than This,' and right after its release, it reached the top of iTunes charts in numerous countries across the globe. By the morning of December 23, the heartfelt song had already made its way to No.1 on iTunes Top Songs charts in more than 90 regions, which includes the United States, Japan, Germany, France. Additionally, the song also topped the Bugs' realtime chart on December 22 at 3 PM KST. Meanwhile, Jimin’s hit songs 'Like Crazy' and 'Set Me Free Pt.2' from his solo debut album 'FACE' have both re-entered the chart, nine months after its release.
The official synopsis of the series reads: “As disturbing incidents persist, a story unfolds, revealing deeply buried family truths when the siblings unexpectedly inherit their long-forgotten uncle's mountain estate.” 'The Bequeathed' is a suspense horror thriller series, helmed by the distinguished 'Hellbound' and 'Train to Busan' director Yeon Sang-ho. The director unveiled the trailer of the spine-chilling show on December 21, along with the much-anticipated release date. It has confirmed its release date to be January 19, 2024 only on Netflix. The show boasts a star-studded cast, featuring Kim Hyun-joo, Park Hee-soon, and Park Byung-eun in lead roles.
On December 22, 'Coffee Prince' actor Kim Dong-wook and a non-celebrity marketer-writer Stella Kim had a private, intimate wedding at a cathedral in Seoul. Stella is of Korean descent but she moved to the US at a young age. Fans were stunned to know that the actor is marrying her because back in the day, she was a famous SM Entertainment trainee who was set to debut in girl group Girls’ Generation. However, she didn't end up joining them. Their wedding photos are spreading like wildfire on social media by the attendees. When the actor's marriage was announced in August, his agency stated, “The bride-to-be is a non-celebrity with outstanding beauty. The two decided to get married after dating seriously based on their faith and trust”. The wedding was attended by many celebrities, such as Jung Woo-sung, Girls' Generation's Sooyoung, Shin Ha-kyun, Yoo Jae-jin, Cha Tae-hyun, Oh Jung-se, and many more.
Jung Kook has been creating and breaking his own records ever since his solo debut in July. Now, the BTS singer has set a new record in the United Kingdom. On December 22, the Official Charts announced that Jung Kook's debut solo album 'GOLDEN' has maintained its position on the Official Albums Chart for the seventh consecutive week. Despite initially debuting at No. 3, the album continues to stay steady at No. 84 for the week of December 21-27. This remarkable feat makes Jung Kook the first Korean solo artist to stay on the Official Albums Chart for seven weeks straight.
PLEDIS Entertainment, on December 21, announced the debut of upcoming boy group -- TWS. It's an acronym for “TWENTY FOUR SEVEN WITH US.” This will be the label's first boy group since 2015, with the debut of SEVENTEEN. PLEDIS Entertainment had earlier announced that the debut of the upcoming group is scheduled for the first quarter of 2024. Alongside a logo motion teaser featuring the group's name and logo, PLEDIS Entertainment has already made several new social media accounts for TWS on all platforms. However, no other details have been announced yet.