Korean Newsmakers Of The Week: Park Bo-ram Passes Away, RIIZE Announces Comeback Plans And More

In the second week of April, the Korean entertainment scene buzzed with excitement as highly anticipated comebacks from K-Pop icons captivated fans worldwide, while many developments right from weddings to deaths happened. From RIIZE announcing their comeback this year to K-Pop soloist Park Bo-ram’s passing, we have you covered.

Here are the top five newsmakers in the entertainment industry of the week, all the way from South Korea.

Park Bo-ram Passes Away

Park Bo-ram tragically passed away at the age of 30, as confirmed by her agency on April 12. The singer’s sudden demise occurred the previous evening. According to a statement from the Namyangju Police Station, she was at a private gathering with two friends, drinking. During the gathering, around 9:55 PM, the singer went to use the restroom, but did not come back out for a prolonged period of time. Concern arose and when a friend went to check on her, she was found unconscious, slouched over the sink. Emergency responders were called, and Park Bo-ram was swiftly taken to Hanyang University Guri Hospital. Unfortunately, she was pronounced deceased at 11:17 PM. The police are initiating further investigation and are planning to conduct an autopsy.

Ma Dong-seok & Ye Jung-hwa To Host Delayed Wedding Celebration

Ma Dong-seok, popularly known as Don Lee, and his wife, Ye Jung-hwa, are set to celebrate their wedding ceremony. According to a representative from their agency, the couple will host a private ceremony sometime in May, attended only by close family, relatives, colleagues, and acquaintances. Having dated publicly since 2016, they officially tied the knot in 2021. Despite being married for years now, they have not held a formal wedding ceremony and have been quietly enjoying their marital bliss.

Comebacks – HyunA, ZEROBASEONE, RIIZE, TWICE’s Nayeon

On April 12, it was announced that HyunA will be making her highly-anticipated comeback on May 2 with the EP titled ‘Attitude.’ This will not only mark her first album under her new agency but also her first official comeback after almost two years. Additionally, on April 11, ZEROBASEONE confirmed their comeback plans with a pre-release single. The group is set to release the single ‘SWEAT’ on April 24, followed by a new album in May.

Furthermore, it was announced on April 10 that RIIZE is gearing up for their comeback with the single ‘Impossible’ on April 18, serving as the prelude to their first mini-album, ‘RIIZING.’ The album is scheduled for release in June. Lastly, on April 9, JYP Entertainment, after many reports, confirmed that TWICE’s Nayeon is “currently preparing a solo album, but the release has not yet been set.” This upcoming album will signify Nayeon’s first solo comeback since her debut in June 2022.

Military Enlistments – iKon’s Bobby & Chanwoo

iKON’s Bobby and Chanwoo have announced their plans to enlist in the military. On April 6, 143 Entertainment disclosed that “Bobby will be entering a military training centre on May 21, and Jung Chanwoo will be [enlisting] on May 27. We ask that you send Bobby and Jung Chanwoo lots of support and encouragement until the day they return after diligently carrying out their military duty. Additionally, we will not be holding an official event [for the fans or press] on the days that the members enlist.”

aespa’s Winter Announces Temporary Hiatus

SM Entertainment has confirmed that aespa’s member Winter is currently recuperating from surgery for pneumothorax, commonly referred to as a collapsed lung. “Winter recently underwent surgery for pneumothorax and is currently recovering,” stated the agency on April 12, adding, “As [pneumothorax] is a condition prone to recurrence, [the surgery] was carried out as a preventive measure in accordance with her doctor’s opinion, and the decision was made after plenty of discussion.” The singer will be temporarily stepping away from group activities and will pay full attention to recovery.