Korean Newsmakers Of The Week: Song Seung-hyun Announces Retirement, LISA To Make Acting Debut And More

It’s almost the end of the third week of February. As the month unfolds, significant events have shaped the headlines. From the former member of F.T. Island, Song Seung-hyun announcing his retirement from the industry to BLACKPINK’s LISA making her much-awaited acting debut, we have you covered.

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

BLACKPINK’s LISA Set To Make Her Acting Debut In ‘The White Lotus 3’

Yet another member of BLACKPINK is all set to step into the acting realm. The renowned girl group’s rapper LISA is slated to make her acting debut in Season 3 of the HBO drama ‘The White Lotus,’ as reported by Variety on February 13 KST. Her agency, LLOUD, confirmed the news, stating, “Lalisa Manobal is set to star in Season 3 of the HBO Original ‘The White Lotus.’” The drama, which first premiered in 2021, unfolds captivating stories within the luxurious setting of the White Lotus hotel spanning over a week. Previous seasons of the Emmy-winning show were set in Hawaii and Sicily, with the third season set to be filmed in LISA’s home country of Thailand.

BTS’ V Gives Military Update

Any and all updates from BTS members are highly-awaited. The band’s member, V, enlisted in the South Korean military on December 11, 2023, and on February 14 KST, the idol shared an update on Weverse. He wrote to fans saying, “I’ll do an interim report. 72.5kg achieved. I’ll be back. Salute.” Before entering the military, V maintained a slender figure, weighing 62kg, and is currently serving in the 2nd Infantry Division, Ssangyong Unit, in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. In his live broadcast, prior to his enlistment, he had expressed his goal to increase his weight to 86kg to boost his physical strength, whilst reassuring fans that he will “bulk up” and come back with a more masculine physique. Well, ARMYs will have to wait until June 10, 2025, to see him in an all-new look.

TOMORROW x TOGETHER To Make A Spring Comeback

TOMORROW x TOGETHER is gearing up for a grand comeback. According to SPOTV NEWS on February 16 KST, the group is set to release a new album in April. While their agency, BIGHIT MUSIC, has yet to officially comment on the report, if numerous sources are to be believed, this album will mark the five-membered band’s return after a gap of approximately six months since their third full album, ‘The Name Chapter: FREEFALL.’ Even at the 38th Golden Disc Awards held in January, the band hinted at their comeback, stating, “We will return in 2024 with a spectacular stage. We have begun recording for our next album.” However, until this is confirmed, their fans, MOAs, can watch them at the ‘2024 TXT FANLIVE PRESENT X TOGETHER’ on March 2-3 at the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium, Seoul.

BLACKPINK’s JENNIE’s ‘One Of The Girls’ Becomes The Most-Streamed OST By A K-Pop Act

‘One of the Girls’ has gone on to become one of the most-streamed songs since its release. And since then, BLACKPINK’s JENNIE, in collaboration with The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp, has continued to achieve remarkable success with the song. Despite being released months ago for HBO’s ‘The Idol’ without any promotional efforts, the song has sustained strong performance on almost all music platforms. Currently boasting 493 million streams, it has surpassed BTS’ Jung Kook’s FIFA Anthem ‘Dreamers’ (398 million streams) to become the most-streamed OST by a K-Pop Act on Spotify. Notably, the seductive R&B song also holds the fifth position among the most-streamed songs by a K-Pop act last year on Spotify. Additionally, with this, JENNIE has become the first female Korean soloist to chart a song for seven weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.

Song Seung-hyun Announces Retirement From Entertainment Industry

On February 15 KST, Song Seung-hyun, a former member of F.T. ISLAND, made a sudden announcement of his retirement from the entertainment industry. In a lengthy Instagram post, the singer conveyed his heartfelt apologies to fans, acknowledging his absence and the lapse in communication since parting ways with the band and his former label, FNC Entertainment. He stated, “After much contemplation, I have decided to leave the entertainment industry and possibly leave Korea to start a new chapter in my life. It has been four years since I departed from the team FTISLAND to pursue a career as an actor. The challenges were not only in adapting to new endeavors but also in facing the uncertainties of unpredictable waiting periods and complex interpersonal relationships. While there are no easy tasks or simple relationships in any field, I aim to embrace a healthy and disciplined new life that I can tackle day by day. I wanted to convey my gratitude to the fans who have been patient and supportive, and I sincerely hope that both you and I can lead healthy and happy lives without physical or emotional distress.”