Astro's Cha Eunwoo to enlist in July

Cha Eunwoo of Astro will start serving his mandatory military service from July 28, agency Fantagio said on Thursday.
He was accepted by the Army marching band and will be the second member of Astro to enlist, after MJ.
Earlier this month, the 28-year-old had an interview and received notification of his acceptance on Thursday along with the enlistment date.
He debuted as a member of Astro in 2016 and in February last year, released his first solo material, the EP 'Entity.' The idol has forged a career as an actor as well, appearing in a slew of dramas and movies. He is currently shooting the Netflix drama 'The Wonder Fools,' which airs next year, and a movie with the working title 'First Ride.'
Separately, he starred opposite IU in her music video for 'A Beautiful Person,' which was unveiled on Thursday.

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Korea Herald

6 days ago

• Korea Herald

[Grace Kao] Fans swarm Hybe as four BTS members return

The world, but Army in particular, welcomed BTS members RM, V, Jimin and Jungkook back to civilian life last week. Members Jin and J-Hope returned earlier in 2024, and Suga is due to complete his military service on June 21, 2025. Nowhere was the excitement more physically palpable than in Seoul at the Hybe Headquarters in Yongsan-gu. Starting on June 10, crowds of Army waited for RM and V to return following their discharge from the military. On June 11, Army gathered to wait for Jimin and Jungkook's return. I spent some time at the Hybe Building on Wednesday morning. It was a beautiful sunny day, which matched the mood of the crowd. There were at least five buses with welcome messages for the members, and large banners hung from nearby buildings. One bus was covered in purple and included photos of the group together with the message '12 Years with You. Russian Army.' Another had a photo of the group, and there were other buses that celebrated individual members' returns. At the Hybe building, two large banners proclaimed, 'We are back,' with the W and the A in "back" substituted with the signifiers for BTS and Army, respectively. Other banners celebrated Jimin and Jungkook in particular. I saw thousands of Army standing on the blocks surrounding the Hybe building. I heard Jungkook's 'Seven' loudly playing from a truck that drove past the crowds, and we happily sang along. While the crowd was at least 90 percent women, I saw people of all ethnicities and ages, and my best guess is that the vast majority were not local Koreans nor were they teenagers. Many international and older Armies made a pilgrimage to BTS' mothership. After all, it takes considerable resources to finance a trip to Korea from abroad. I first spoke to Bethania, 23, who came from Chile and had been in Korea as an international student since February. She told me she had been a BTS fan since 2015 and that Taehyung/V was her bias, and her favorite BTS song was '2! 3!' However, she first became interested in K-pop via 2NE1. Leandra, 29, is originally from Brazil, but currently lives in Germany. She traveled to Korea from Karlsbrune, Germany, just for these members' return despite having 'only been a fan for two years.' Her bias was, like mine, J-Hope. She told me that her favorite song was 'Crystal Snow' — one of BTS' Japanese singles with which I was unfamiliar. Next, I met Luna and Zara, 20-somethings who traveled from Singapore. Luna has been a fan since 2013 and named Jungkook as her bias. Zara explained that she had been a fan since 2018, and that RM was her bias. They planned a two-week trip to Korea for Festa, and were on their way to Busan to visit Jimin's father's cafe. Luna had been to Korea a total of four times, while this was Zara's second trip to Korea. I also chatted with Julie, 57, who hailed from the UK. This was her first time in Korea, and she planned a 29-day trip just for BTS. She has been a fan since 2017 and her bias was Jimin. She couldn't name a favorite BTS song because 'there are just too many.' She happily showed me the 15 or so tattoos that covered her arms — all were related to BTS (although one might have been in honor of Wanna One). She was thrilled to be in Seoul and planned to travel throughout the country. Twenty-something Jaeren was one of the few men I saw, but he admitted that he wasn't a hardcore fan. In fact, he was with his 50-something mom who has been a true Army since 2020. This was their first trip to Korea. They flew to Seoul from Los Angeles, California, and planned a three-week trip around BTS. His favorite song was 'Idol' and his bias was also Jungkook. I could see many other women from different nationalities gathered around. One of the banners bore the Turkish flag. I heard Chinese Mandarin. I saw many Japanese women in their 40, 50s and 60s, but I was unable to communicate with them. I don't know if the BTS members worry about being forgotten. I imagine that it must cross their minds as dozens of boy groups have debuted during BTS members' time in the military. Other groups have seen their popularity rise in the absence of BTS. However, I don't think they should worry too much, especially when it comes to international Army. People who traveled from abroad clearly made their presence felt by spending their time and money on welcoming RM, V, Jimin and Jungkook back. However, the elation I witnessed was really about the imminent reunification of the biggest boy group in the world. I know that Disneyland calls itself 'The Happiest Place on Earth.' However, at least for two days last week, Hybe may have claimed that spot for the BTS Armies that were there.

Korea Herald

13-06-2025

• Korea Herald

It was more than J-Hope's concert — BTS reunites on debut anniversary

Jungkook, Jin join J-Hope on stage as BTS reunites for the first time since military discharge Some 27,000 fans roared as they chanted 'J-Hope' over and over until the K-pop star finally appeared on stage at exactly 7 p.m., wearing sunglasses and a striking red outfit, for his encore solo concert 'J-Hope Tour 'Hope on the Stage' Final' at Goyang Sports Complex, Gyeonggi Province, Friday. Marking the final stop of his world tour that began in end of February, J-Hope kicked off the show with four back-to-back tracks — 'What If,' 'Pandora's Box,' 'Arson' and 'Stop.' 'What's up, Army (BTS' fan name). What's up, Goyang. Thank you so much to everyone who came to 'Hope on the Stage Final,'' he said, greeting the crowd that filled the stadium. 'This is it — the final show. I can't believe it myself. Starting in Seoul at the end of February, this tour has lasted for three months and it's finally come to an end. I'm honored that the finale is happening on such a meaningful day — June 13,' he said. BTS debuted on June 13, 2013. The 'golden maknae' surprises Army And meaningful it truly was. Following four songs from his special album 'Hope on the Street Vol. 1,' J-Hope was joined on stage by none other than Jungkook, surprising fans who had anticipated the appearance of at least one BTS member. Four members — RM, V, Jimin and Jungkook — were recently discharged from their 18 months of mandatory military service. The stadium erupted in deafening cheers when the youngest member appeared and joined in singing "I Wonder." 'I was so nervous waiting under the stage. I've missed you all so much during the past year and a half,' Jungkook said shyly, clearly not yet used to the crowd. 'My mind just went blank for a second. I can't believe I am really standing here. So many memories rushes back — it feels both nostalgic and new. I've missed you so much. It's such a joy to sing in front of you again.' 'I was watching Hobi (J-Hope's nickname) backstage and he is so cool — he's on a different level,' Jungkook added, before performing 'Seven (feat. Latto)' to give J-Hope time to prepare for the next segment. A bold new chapter: J-Hope's stage three Stage 3 was all J-Hope. Of the four songs performed in this section, three were fresh singles — 'Killin' It Girl (feat. GloRilla),' 'Mona Lisa' and 'Sweet Dreams (feat. Miguel) – FNZ Remix.' 'Killin' It Girl' had just been released half a day earlier. 'This one doesn't need a long explanation,' J-Hope said, referring to his new song. 'It's a song that shows the sexy side of J-Hope. I released the three singles this year — all exploring love in my own way, made for easy listening. I wanted to give the songs a beginning, middle and end.' Later, he fired up the crowd with a BTS medley including 'MIC Drop,' 'Baepsae' and 'Dis-ease,' fueling anticipation for BTS' eventual return to group activities. The final segments, titled 'Fantasy' and 'Wish,' reflected J-Hope's ideals and his hopes for happiness for everyone. The setlist included his Billboard Hot 100 debut track 'Chicken Noodle Soup (feat. Becky G),' the B-side 'Hope World' from his first mixtape, BTS' beloved hit 'Spring Day,' 'Equal Sign' from 'Jack In The Box' and 'Neuron,' the main track of 'Hope on the Street Vol. 1.' A show-stealing finale with Jin and the members But the true highlight of the night came in the encore — when Jin joined J-Hope on stage for a duet performance of 'Spring Day.' He followed it up with a live rendition of his second solo EP's main track, 'Don't Say You Love Me.' 'Today is June 13 — our debut anniversary. I felt like I had to perform. So I just asked Hobi directly if I could do a stage with him. And here I am,' Jin told fans. While only Jungkook and Jin appeared on stage, the rest of the BTS members were also present at the venue to support J-Hope. RM, V, Jimin and Suga were spotted in the VIP section and waved to fans when J-Hope mentioned them during his closing remarks. 'Today is such a happy day — not just for me, but for all of our members,' J-Hope said. 'They came to support this concert. BTS members are so precious to me. Without them, there would be no me. And without all of you (Army), there would be no BTS.' 'As long as I can keep moving, I'll show you the best performances and continue sharing good music with you. Thank you so much for coming.' As those words were broadcast on the stadium's jumbo screen, Goyang Sports Complex was once again filled with the thunderous cheers of Army — a moment that many will remember as the start of BTS' next chapter.

Korea Herald

13-06-2025

• Korea Herald

Fans waited four hours to enter, but ‘2025 BTS Festa' delivered like never before

The world tunes in as two-day offline event welcomes fans around the world The highly anticipated '2025 BTS Festa' kicked off Friday at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, drawing BTS fans from around the world to celebrate the group's debut on June 13, 2013. The two-day event runs through Saturday as part of the annual 'BTS Festa,' which this year marks the band's 11th anniversary. "2025 BTS Festa" opened its doors at 10 a.m. in Halls 9 and 10 of Kintex Exhibition Center II. From the start, crowds stretched nearly a kilometer outside the venue, with the line showing no signs of shrinking -- even as the 7 p.m. closing time neared. Most BTS fans, known as Army, waited anywhere from two to five hours just to get in. Shaina, a Canadian fan who traveled from Canada, said she waited more than four hours to enter. 'It was tough to get in and rough standing in line. But the Festa itself is great. I'm a BTS fan and came a long way — I'm really enjoying it,' she said. Over the years, the event has evolved into a global tradition for both BTS and Army, with fans traveling to South Korea each June to take part in the festivities. This year's offline event opened to the public from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. without any need for reservations. To support international attendees, staff fluent in English, Japanese and Chinese were stationed throughout the venue. Event materials, including the official website and printed guides, were made available in four languages. 'I've been Army since 2017 and I'm a fan of RM. Of course I love BTS and all their festivals — that's why I'm here,' said Jennie, a fan from Indonesia. 'It's my first time attending BTS Festa. This event is so cool,' added Rini, another Indonesian fan. 'I've been a BTS fan for two years. It feels amazing that my favorite member, Jimin, got discharged.' To help thousands of fans navigate the venue more comfortably, real-time crowd density updates for each exhibition zone are posted every 30 minutes on the official website. A paid shuttle bus service also operates between Kintex GTX Station and Goyang Sports Complex, where J-Hope's solo encore concert 'J-Hope Tour 'Hope on The Stage' Final' is being held Friday. The venue featured a wide range of interactive installations and photo spots, including the Army Bomb Photo Spot and Whale Photo Spot. Starting at noon, a coordinated light show using fans' 'Army Bomb' light sticks lit up the hall every hour on the hour, creating a striking visual spectacle. Fans also explored exhibition spaces such as the "Voice Zone," where they could hear BTS members' recorded messages, and the "Spotify Playlist Zone" offering member-recommended tracks via NFC. The 'BTS Locker' display offered a glimpse into each member's unique style and preferences. Hands-on sections such as the 'DIY Zone,' 'Game Zone' and 'Coloring Wall' added interactive fun to the experience, while the 'Trophy Zone' showcased BTS' major awards, allowing fans to reflect on the group's accomplishments and shared journey with Army. 'My favorite spot was the capsule. But I also liked the Coloring Wall,' said Malani, a fan visiting from Boston. Kyla, who came from New York, agreed: 'I loved the Coloring Wall where we could draw and write messages to BTS. I also liked the AI thing — it was super cool.'