Latest news with #K-pop
Hype Malaysia
18 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
A Plastic Bag For RM70? YG Entertainment Slammed Over BLACKPINK's Disappointing Tour Merch
Fans are counting down the days to BLACKPINK's (블랙핑크) long-awaited reunion tour 'DEADLINE', which kicks off on 5th July 2025 (Saturday). However, with just two weeks left until the first show and still no comeback, the public is starting to get cross with YG Entertainment. Recently, the agency released merchandise details for BLACKPINK's 'DEADLINE' tour pop-up in Japan. For those wondering, K-pop concerts in Japan often have a different set of merchandise than the rest of the tour. Companies will also hold pop-ups to sell more merchandise before the concert to build hype. Unfortunately, BLACKPINK's recent merchandise list had more fans disappointed than excited. As it turns out, the products for sale consisted of the usual t-shirts, caps and cheering towels with the group and the tour's logo. However, the product that angered BLINKS (BLACKPINK fans) the most was a clear bag made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a.k.a plastic, with the BLACKPINK logo. More shockingly, the pop-up sells the plastic bag for 2,500 yen (approximately RM74) each. Understandably, this sparked a lot of backlash for YG Entertainment. Many fans argued that the company is taking advantage of fans looking forward to BLACKPINK's comeback by jacking up prices for cheap and bland merchandise. Some also slammed the lack of consideration for the designs, quipping that the label and the tour's design team are lazy and uncreative. At the same time, fans are expressing outrage toward YG Entertainment for the lack of updates regarding the tour and BLACKPINK's comeback. Many argued that the quartet has no new music released for the tour, despite only two weeks left until the first show. While there are rumours that the group will make their comeback in early July, some lamented that it's too close to the start of the tour. Overall, BLINKs lamented that the company and the group seemed unprepared for the tour. What are your thoughts on this? Do you agree that everything is too rushed? Sources: Twitter (1)(2)(3)(4) What's your Reaction? +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0
Hype Malaysia
18 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
(Video) Netizens Criticise New Girl Group Baby DONT Cry's Debut Track Over Inappropriate Lyrics
The lucrative business of the K-pop entertainment industry has seen its fair share of young trainees, as intake for idol training starts as early as 14 years old. With calls for the protection of minors in the industry out of fear of being exploited, where does the line draw between artistic vision and age-appropriate content? P Nation's new girl group, Baby DONT Cry (베이비 돈 크라이), has sparked criticism among netizens for their new debut single 'F Girl' teaser due to its sexually related themes involving the group's underage members. Posted yesterday (19th June 2025), the 22-second teaser shows the members in a convenience store purchasing what appears to be a candy wrapper, stylised to resemble a condom. The group consists of members Yihyun (이현, 19 years old), Kumi (쿠미, 17 years old), Mia (미아, 17 years old), and Beni (베니, 16 years old). As such, the soft play on sexual themes has sparked discourse about age-appropriate content for younger idols. Reportedly, i-dle's Soyeon (소연) was credited to have produced, written and composed 'F Girl'. Netizens called out the teaser track with Twitter user @/hallojisso commenting, '[The] quotes saying, 'the pervert is you' when that candy is very obviously a condom, the song is called 'F Girl' and they're using a cherry as a logo'. Despite the majority of criticism, some netizens have also come out to defend Soyeon and the Baby DONT Cry members, mentioning how the song was approved by KBS and it's a play on feminism. Twitter user @/ane_bnh comments, 'I think they're hinting at dirty thoughts about the palace, like the song Nxde, that's why she opened the candy and ate it, as if she's saying, 'I'm not what you're thinking.' I think the song is feminist'. Despite not releasing the full music video yet, PSY's first girl group is already under fire for the allegedly inappropriate concept. Could this be a marketing strategy to hype up the group's debut single album? Watch the full teaser here: Sources: Youtube, Twitter, Kpop Fandom Wiki Alyssa Gabrielle contributed to this article What's your Reaction? +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0
AsiaOne
34 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Seoul High Court rules NewJeans must honour contracts with Ador, Entertainment News
NewJeans have had their request for an appeal to be freed of their contract with record label Ador rejected. Seoul High Court ruled on Tuesday (June 17) that the K-pop girl group — comprising Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein — must honour their contracts with Ador and not embark on solo endeavours as they could be penalised for doing so. Commenting on the decision, Ador said in a statement: "We sincerely appreciate the court's decision. We hope that this ruling will serve as an opportunity for the members to return to their rightful place as NewJeans and resume their activities. As they approach their third debut anniversary next month, Ador is committed to providing full support for the artists' further growth and success." The K-pop label had suggested the girls inking independent deals could "destabilise" the South Korean music sector. Ador — which is part of the Hybe group — said: "This decision was made to prevent confusion and potential harm to third parties, including advertisers. "Allowing unilateral terminations of exclusive contracts and independent activities without legal procedures could undermine investment in the entertainment industry and destabilise the K-pop sector." In September, NewJeans accused Ador of bullying, harassment and subterfuge, and two months later, they requested their contract be terminated. However, South Korea's Ministry of Employment and Labour dismissed the harassment claims. The girls held an emergency press conference to announce their exit from Ador and warned the agency they would terminate their contract if they did not rectify breaches of their contract. In response, Ador said: "We regret that the press conference regarding the termination of the exclusive contract was planned and conducted without sufficient review, prior to receiving a response to the legal notice." Ador then filed a lawsuit against NewJeans to "clarify" that their contract "cannot be unilaterally terminated" based on their claims. The label said: "It was necessary to clarify to both the artist and all relevant stakeholders that our exclusive contract cannot be unilaterally terminated based solely on the claims from one side." Ador added: "We believe it is important to clarify any misunderstanding that the exclusive contract with the artist has been lawfully terminated, as this could lead to the artist engaging in entertainment activities in violation of the existing agreement." Ador denied all the allegations made against them. [[nid:716425]]
Indian Express
38 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
BLACKPINK's Jennie tells crew ‘I warned you' as she cries for help, says Jisoo should've done HotOnes instead: Watch
After Lisa and Rosé, it was BLACKPINK's Jennie who arrived for the HotOnes challenge, but unlike the previous two, this one was chaotic enough to leave the singer in tears. The K-pop star arrived confident, dressed in a white silhouette with her hair tied in a ponytail, but was soon seen leaping off her seat, crying for help, sniffing, and struggling to breathe as the heat kicked in. She took her first bite with a smug grin, even saying she was disappointed, the wings looked too easy, especially for someone who doesn't even like spicy food. That changed fast. Things got so intense, Jennie half-joked she might now be allergic to spice. During the segment, the Ruby singer also answered questions about her Coachella experience, the songs she fought for, and whether Jisoo would survive the challenge better than the rest. Meanwhile, host Sean Evans couldn't stop hyping her up for braving the madness. Also read: BTS loses brand value ranking to K-pop's rising superstars despite major military comeback in June: Check out the Top 20 The K-pop artist, who last year went solo with her agency ODDATELIER after terminating her individual contract with YG Entertainment, released her latest album RUBY. The album is said to have been inspired by the iconic English playwright Shakespeare. The singer reacted to the fact that the play was broken down into seven parts for her to understand, and that's when things kicked in; it was her time to show the seven years in BLACKPINK through her style. 'I've had my ups and downs. I've had my rollercoaster emotions of when I loved music, and when I hated music. And every moment in between was the important thing that got me here. So, I started just breaking myself down, and I guess it just inspired me to look at myself in a different way and really dive into what got me here and who I am,' she said. When asked if there were any songs that she fought for, she admitted she did — and not just the songs, but even the core message of the album. 'We didn't have to forcefully make the music easy for people to like this album. Let me try and do what I like and what I convince myself to do to get to people,' she said. Jennie mentioned songs like Zen and Starlight to describe how the idea of the songs and even the theme wouldn't instantly kick in, but once it does, it stays with people. 'I knew that it would touch the people that I want to touch.' #Jennie's reaction to every wing on 'Hot Ones'. — Buzzing Pop (@BuzzingPop) June 19, 2025 BLACKPINK's rise to prominence in a normally boy group-dominated K-pop landscape is a trailblazing revolution in the industry that opened gates for other girl K-pop groups to expand their aura overseas. The group holds countless records, one of them being headlining Coachella, both as a group and individually. This year, both Jennie and Lisa performed solo. Sean asked how much it means to her when fans sing the lyrics of her lesser-known songs, to which the singer replied that it's not even the lesser-known songs, it's the ones that never made it to the album, the B-side tracks, that fans know by heart and even scream out loud in the crowd. 'They're just screaming the lyrics from the top to the end, and that's when you really feel like — oh, they really do listen to your album. They really do listen to your music.' Other than the questioning round where she completely blanked out after the No. 8 sauce, Da Bomb, kicked in, she said, 'This is no joke,' as she finally gulped down the milk, grabbed some ice cream, and yet kept coughing, joking with her crew playfully, 'See, I warned you!' She fanned herself with a napkin, said she couldn't hear anything anymore, and looked fully shaken. Also read: BLACKPINK's Rosé Joins Brad Pitt's F1 team with her debut movie soundtrack; Ed Sheeran, Doja Cat, Burna Boy part of the lineup When the host asked if she could convince Jisoo to join, she said, '100%, because she's the one who taught me spicy and she's the other you. Like, she made me eat spicy food with her ever since we were trainees. So, I think [Jisoo] should come on this show. You're gonna love it.' Signing off, the singer added, 'Whatever ROSÉ and LISA did — this is the real reaction. Because I watched their episode and they were so chill about it, so I was like, if they're doing it, maybe I can do it too. But I can't!'
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First Post
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- First Post
What to know about BTS as the K-pop group returns from military service
BTS' entertainment agency said no events are planned for Suga's release out of concern for overcrowding. read more It's official — almost. Soon, all seven members of the massively popular K-pop group BTS will have completed South Korea's mandatory military service. Rapper Suga will be the last of the bandmates to be released on Saturday, after fulfilling his duty as a social service agent, an alternative to serving in the military that he reportedly chose due to a shoulder injury. BTS' entertainment agency said no events are planned for Suga's release out of concern for overcrowding. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The six others, RM, V, Jimin, Jung Kook, Jin and j-hope, served in the army. Earlier this month, four members of BTS — RM, V, Jimin and Jung Kook — were discharged from South Korea's mandatory military service. Jin, the eldest BTS member, was discharged in June 2024 as was j-hope in October. BTS is expected to reunite later this year. Ahead of that highly anticipated homecoming, here's what you need to know about the group. The rise of BTS BTS — short for Bangtan Sonyeondan, or 'Bulletproof Boy Scouts' in Korean — debuted in June 2013 under the company Big Hit Entertainment, now known as HYBE. The seven-member group consists of RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook. The group launched in 2013 with the hip-hop heavy single album '2 Cool 4 Skool,' releasing three full-length projects before really gaining momentum with their 2016 album 'Wings.' Their global breakthrough came in 2017 when 'DNA' entered the Billboard Hot 100, making BTS the first Korean boy band to achieve such a feat. The song's success was followed by a performance at the American Music Awards, further fueling their international fan base. The band is largely credited with bringing K-pop to the international stage, and with good reason. Across their discography, BTS broke boundaries and records: In 2020, they released the five-time platinum 'Dynamite,' their first all-English single, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 — a first for an all-South Korean musical act. At the height of their popularity, BTS was not only the biggest K-pop group on the planet, but the biggest boy band overall. Global appeal In fact, they've been certified platinum many times over, according to The Recording Industry Association of America. Their platinum successes include: — 2018's 'Mic Drop;' — 2020's 'Map of the Soul: 7,' 'Love Yourself: Answer,' and 'Idol;' — 2021's 'Be,' and song of the summer 'Butter;' — and high-profile collaborations 'My Universe' with Coldplay and 'Boy With Luv' featuring Halsey. BTS has also been nominated for five Grammy Awards. Their first, for 'Dynamite' in the best pop duo/group performance category, marked the first time a K-pop act received a Grammy nod. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As their global popularity grew, the septet also became international advocates for social justice. Their 2018 address to the United Nations General Assembly launched the 'Love Myself' campaign in partnership with UNICEF to combat violence, abuse and bullying while promoting self-esteem among young people. The group's commitment to human rights activism continued in 2020 when they donated $1 million to the Black Lives Matter movement, denouncing racial discrimination and violence. Their fan base, known the world over as ARMY, responded by matching the donation within 24 hours. Their dual impact on music and social causes culminated in 2022 when they were invited to the White House to discuss anti-Asian hate crimes with President Joe Biden. BTS' mandatory military service stirs debate In South Korea, all able-bodied men aged 18 to 28 are required by law to perform 18-21 months of military service under a conscription system meant to deter aggression from rival North Korea. The law gives special exemptions to athletes, classical and traditional musicians, and ballet and other dancers if they have obtained top prizes in certain competitions and are assessed to have enhanced national prestige. K-pop stars and other entertainers aren't subject to such privileges. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, in 2020, BTS postponed their service until age 30 after South Korea's National Assembly revised its Military Service Act, allowing K-pop stars to delay their enlistment until age 30. There was heated public debate in 2022 over whether to offer special exemptions of mandatory military service for BTS members, until the group's management agency announced in October 2022 that all seven members would fulfill their duties. Break allows time for solo projects BTS tiered their enlistments, giving ample time for its members to focus on solo projects while the group was on a break. Jin released two EPs, 'Happy' in 2024 and 'Echo' in May of this year. Suga dropped his debut solo album, 'D-Day,' in 2023 under his moniker Agust D. Also in 2024, RM released his second solo album, the elastic, experimental 'Right Place, Wrong Person', and j-hope released an EP, 'Hope on the Street Vol. 1.' Earlier this year, j-hope embarked on his first solo tour. Jimin released two projects, 2023's 'Face' and 2024's 'Muse.' V's debut album, the smooth alt-R&B 'Layover,' arrived in 2023, as did Jung Kook's retro-pop debut, 'Golden.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
