We're in the third week of the new year, and some old, some new celebrities are making headlines. From K-Pop idol IU making a comeback and landing up in controversy to HyunA announcing her relationship with ex-Highlight member Junhyung, this Saturday, we have you covered.
Here are top five newsmakers in the entertainment industry of the week, all the way from South Korea.
HyunA-Junhyung Confirm They're Dating, Agencies Respond
K-Pop sensations HyunA and Junhyung have taken to their Instagram to update their fans and followers with a revelation in their personal lives. They have posted an adorable photo, where they're seen holding each other's hands and walking down a beach. While initially some suspected that this could possibly be for an upcoming song collaboration, HyunA basically removed those speculations by commenting on her own post, "Please look kindly on us." Amidst all the backlash she has received for announcing this news, she liked a comment by a fan which said, "I’ll support your love. Please love prettily." On January 19, HyunA’s agency AT AREA responded by stating, "We are not involved with our artist’s personal life." While, Junhyung’s agency BLACK MADE similarly commented, "Because it’s a personal matter, it’s difficult for us to confirm."
P1Harmony Announces Comeback With 1st Full-Length Album
Mark your calendars as P1Harmony is making a comeback and what better way to do that than by releasing a full-length album! On January 18, the six-membered K-Pop band officially unveiled their schedule for a comeback to the music scene after releasing their last EP in June 2023. The group is set to release their first full-length album 'Killin’ It' digitally on February 5 at 6 PM KST (2:30 PM IST), along with a music video for their title track of the same name. The physical album release will be out two days post the actual release, on February 7, and on February 9 exclusively in the United States.
IU's Comeback, 'Love Wins' Controversy, World Tour
On January 15, IU officially announced her musical comeback in over two years and also launched a new TikTok account as a promotional strategy. The next day, she revealed the main poster for her upcoming pre-release single 'Love Wins,' which will feature BTS' V and be directed by Um Tae-hwa. On the same day, she stirred excitement among fans by announcing an 18-city world tour, 'H.E.R.,' starting in Seoul and then heading to different cities across Asia, Europe, and the United States. Amidst this, the title of her song sparked controversy within a section of the LGBTQ+ community, stating that by using this phrase, which has been affiliated with pride parades for the longest time, in the context of heterosexual content might diminish its value. Immediately after, the title was changed to 'Love Wins All,' and is slated for a release on January 24.
BABYMONSTER’s 'BATTER UP': Fastest K-Pop Group Debut MV To Cross 200M Views
YG Entertainment has announced that the music video for BABYMONSTER's debut single 'BATTER UP' has surpassed 200 million views on YouTube. Released on November 27, 2023, the music video achieved this feat in just under 54 days, making it the fastest K-Pop group debut music video to reach 200 million views. It has gone to break the previous record held by BLACKPINK's song 'BOOMBAYAH' which took about 370 days to make that record.
Jee Seok-jin Returns To 'Running Man'
Jee Seok-jin has announced that he is returning to 'Running Man' following his hiatus for health reasons. The SBS variety program announced on January 15 that "Jee Seok-jin will participate in the filming of ‘Running Man’ which is being held this morning. Today’s filming starring Jee Seok-jin will broadcast from January 28." In December 2023, the 57-year-old had temporarily stepped away from the show due to certain health concerns, which was confirmed by his agency ESteem Entertainment. After recovering well, he has come back to the variety show after a span of five weeks. As for the show, it had received the award for the Program of the Year at the 2023 SBS Entertainment Awards, and Jee Seok-jin received the Producers’ Award.
