JANUARY 1 - DECEMBER 31
Hi ICYMI enjoyers! Welcome to the 2024 edition of our annual ICYMI series. For our annual edition, our team worked hard to craft a dedicated summary of an entire year's worth of news, releases, achievements and more in one easy-to-digest article. We spend the final few months of the year sifting through both the forum, as well as the wider Asian Entertainment sphere, for the most relevant updates. This year, we saw several news-worthy updates such as the long-lasting NewJeans, Min Hee-jin & HYBE saga, Jin representing South Korea in the 2024 Paris Olympics torch relay and so much more. Additionally, we saw several artists make their return with new and interesting comebacks. You can see some of our top picks featured in the top releases section of the wrap-up. We hope you enjoy this wrap-up, and look forward to seeing you all in 2025 as well!
BY POLARIS_TAE
Disclaimer: the writing of this portion required a lot of reading and researching. Some stories deserved more than a short paragraph to be told completely; however, I had to keep some recaps relatively short. I hope that the information here will still be accurate enough, and if that isn't the case, then feel free to correct me in the comments section below!
JANUARY:
#1- We began the year with some prominent legal updates. The most important of which, concerned further updates related to the 2023 acquisition of SM Entertainment by Kakao. To start, Kakao shared that they would be conducting a complete overhaul of SM Entertainment's management structure a mere 10 months after the conglomerate acquired the company in 2023. The company would later dismiss several key figures in the team including Jang Cheol-hyuk, CEO, Tak Yeong-jun, COO, Lee Seong-soo, CAO (Chief A&R Officer), and Park Jun-young, CCO, and establish new leadership. Kakao shared via Market Insight that the group had engaged in "opaque measurement practices, leading to their dismissal. They initiated questionable investments in personal ventures without the consent of the parent company" which ultimately led to the downfall of the entertainment company despite previously advocating for "advanced management" and "transparent governance". Later that same month, Kakao issued a press release staunchly denying the rumors circulating that they were looking to sell SM Entertainment which picked up following the stock price manipulation scandal surrounding the purchase. As for HYBE, it was shared via industry insiders that the label, as well as SM Entertainment's founder and former majority shareholder Lee Soo-man were looking to acquire SM Entertainment following their failed attempt in 2023. Following this report, HYBE would purchase all of Lee Soo-man's remaining shares of SM Entertainment (3.68%) for 104 billion KRW (~$78.1 million USD). The label currently holds a 9.38% stake in SM Entertainment.
#2- Also in January we saw several high-profile line-up changes. BELIFT LAB shared via an official statement that Youngseo had officially left the label and ILLIT following the mutual termination of her contract. ILLIT would later debut in the first half of 2024 with 'Magnetic' as a 5-member group. Meanwhile, former Iz*one member Honda Hitomi said her goodbyes to AKB48 after nearly ten years with the group. It was later revealed that she would be joining the Kim Jaejoong-produced girl group, Say My Name. Finally, SM Entertainment shared an announcement in regards to Exo. The label shared that the group would be continuing group activities through the label and that the non-SM-associated Exo members would be conducting their individual activities through their respective agencies.
(Main sources: hallyuplus.net, @MarketInsight via n.news.naver.com, News1 via n.news.naver.com, Edaily via v.daum.ne, @koreaboo via x.com, @balloon_wanted via x.com, @weareoneEXO via x.com, @kchartsmaster via x.com, @48RequestHour via x.com)
FEBRUARY:
#1- The FIFTY FIFTY poaching scandal from 2023 continued into 2024 as well. It was shared that ATTRAKT's criminal complaint against CEO of The Givers, Ahn Seong-il — the man who kicked off the chain of events surrounding FIFTY FIFTY, and their former members' legal troubles — had been forwarded to the prosecution. The case concerned ATTRAKT's criminal complaint against Ahn for interference with business and damaging or destroying data processors or special media records. ATTRAKT additionally shared that the criminal complaint had been officially recognized as a crime and court proceedings would now begin. Ahn, however, would not be liable for detention during this process. The following month, ATTRAKT's CEO was cleared of all charges against him related to the case that former FIFTY FIFTY members — Sio, Aran & Saena — filed against the agency head in 2023. Then later in the year, ATTRAKT shared that they would be re-organizing the group around Keena following the departure of the three former FIFTY FIFTY members. The group would officially mark their return in September as a five-member group with their 2nd mini album, LOVE TUNE.
#2- We also saw the dating scandal between æspa's Karina & Lee Jae-wook hit the tabloids in February. The news, however, was not taken well by various netizens within the idol's fandom. Lee Jae-wook's agency would announce legal action for the spreading of libel and malicious posts, while Karina herself felt forced to step out and apologize for being caught up in the scandal. In April, it was shared that the pair had officially parted ways as a couple.
It was announced in March that the father of Fantasy Boys' K-SOUL had sadly passed away at the end of February.
Record Producer and long-time EXID collaborator Sinsadong Tiger passed away on the 23rd of February. He was 40-years-old.
(Main sources: hallyuplus.net, soompi.com, @kchartsmaster via x.com, @theseoulstory via x.com)See Also‘The Fire Inside’: Why Rachel Morrison, the First Woman Nominated for the Cinematography Oscar, Moved to Directing«Джокер» произвел неоднозначное впечатление на Американскую киноакадемиюDianne Wiest's 20 Best Movies & TV Shows Ranked - Dinh Tien Hoang High School
MARCH:
#1- Our biggest story in March was related to Han Sohee and the controversy related to her relationship with her now ex-boyfriend Ryu Junyeol. News broke in mid-March that the actress was in a relationship with Ryu Junyeol and had been in a 'some'-type relationship with the Reply 1995 actor since late 2023. This happened while the pair was spotted on vacation abroad in Hawaii. The actress later confirmed her relationship with the actor via a now-deleted Instagram post. Ryu Jeon-yeol's label corroborated these details with an official statement confirming earlier news reports about the couple. Suspicions, however, began to arise related to the timeline of events that led to the beginning of the pair's relationship which would lead to Han sharing a detailed timeline of the pair's relationship. Additionally, Han Sohee was found to have been throwing shade at Ryu's long-time ex-girlfriend, Hyeri. This would cause Han Sohee to lose brand deals due to her behaviour. Additionally, Hyeri & Sohee would issue statements apologizing for their behaviour. A mere two weeks following the initial reports, Han Sohee & Ryu Jun-yeol announced their split as a couple.
#2- The fallout from the Johnny's abuse cover-up scandal continued throughout 2024. The label, began to distance itself from the disgraced (now-deceased) Japanese former label head, Johnny Kitagawa, by rebranding as SMILE-UP. The label head — and former Shonentai member — Noriyuki Higashiyama shared with the BBC that it was discovered that there were at least two more perpetrators of abuse at the label and that they were thought to still be alive. The SMILE-UP director revealed that he had not pursued contact with authorities despite this concerning discovery. He later shared that: "From a legal standpoint, I don't think we have the authority to do that," but further shared that "...If those involved file a criminal complaint, I imagine we would co-operate as much as possible." Additionally, a UNHRC council session heard about the 'deeply concerning issues' within the Japanese Entertainment Industry. This particularly related to the idol and animation sector following a report that discussed topics such as "young talents being coerced into signing contracts obliging them to comply with every demanding requirement of producers, advertisers, and agents, while also subjecting them to exorbitant penalties for non-compliance", which "fosters a culture of impunity and exacerbates sexual violence and harassment". It was also critical of Johnny's — now SMILE-UP — response to allegations of serial abuse against their founder, Johnny Kitagawa.
The Mangaka and creator of the Dragon Ball series, Akira Toriyama passed away in March due to an acute subdural hematoma. The manga creator was 68-years-old.
(Main sources: hallyuplus.net, @xeesoxee on Instagram.com, @inquirerdotnet on x.com, @adoring_sohee on x.com, soompi.com, @theseoulstory on x.com, @PopBase on x.com, TokyoHive.com, bbc.com, @JPopProjectNews on x.com, @DB_official_en on x.com)
APRIL:
#1- The Min Hee-jin & HYBE dilemma officially kicked into full swing in April. ADOR, via Min Hee-jin, shared a statement claiming that several HYBE labels had purposefully committed plagiarism against Min Hee-jin, and ADOR's IP: NewJeans. This statement would later balloon into a scandal of insurmountable proportions filled with legal threats and misinformation where we would see over a dozen ongoing court cases against several parties including HYBE, ADOR, several current and former employees of both companies, as well as Min Hee-jin herself. Following the spread of misinformation, several HYBE labels including BigHit, BELIFT LAB, Source Music & ADOR each announced that they would be pursuing legal action against those found to be spreading slanderous content about their artists. It was later shared by ADOR's parent company, HYBE that they would be conducting an audit of ADOR after it was found that the label, Min Hee-jin and her associates had been seeking to annex the label — and NewJeans — from the HYBE Labels conglomerate.
As of now, Min Hee-jin has left HYBE and her position as CEO of ADOR. There have been several court cases filed against the former ADOR head scheduled to take place next year. These include defamation lawsuits filed by both Source Music & BELIFT LAB, as well as a lawsuit filed by a former ADOR employee who claims that they were dismissed following an incident of workplace harassment by one of the executives from Min's faction. As for NewJeans, the group has wholeheartedly sided with Min Hee-jin. In November they officially sent notice to ADOR explaining that the label would have two weeks to meet the group's letter of demand, or the group would move forward and seek to terminate their contract with the label. ADOR briefly responded by stating that they had received the notice and were currently in the process of reviewing the letter.
#2- SHINee's individual contract renewals were up in April! It was shared that two SHINee members would be officially departing SM Entertainment once their contracts were up. The group's leader, Onew — who recently returned from his health-related hiatus in May — confirmed his move to Griffin Entertainment. As for Taemin, it was shared that the youngest SHINee member had joined the MC Mong-founded label, Big Planet Made. As for Minho & Key, they've both renewed their contracts with SM Entertainment. SHINee is still signed as a group under SM Entertainment, so we can expect to see more music from them soon. However, their solo activities will now fall under their individual management labels.
#3- April was a month of goodbyes with groups including Cherry Bullet, Nature, Dempagumi.inc & the LDH group MOONCHILD all announcing their respective disbandments.
The Superstar K2-associated soloist, Park Boram passed away on the 11th of April. Her cause of death was later revealed to be acute alcohol poisoning, She was 30 years old.
Reita, the bassist of the Japanese Visual Kei rock band, The GazettE's passed away on the 15th of April. He was 42-years-old
(Main sources: hallyuplus.net, @dempagumi via x.com, @ldhegirlsintl via x.com, @OshiCircle via x.com, n.news.naver.com, @kchartsmaster via x.com, koreajoongangdaily.joins.com, asianjunkie.com, @sugatheartist via x.com, @Kpop_Herald via x.com, @balloon_wanted via x.com, soompi.com, bts_bighit via x.com, weverse.io/bts, @bpmentofficial via x.com)
MAY:
#1- We began the month of May with the news that the Kang Daniel-founded agency, KONNECT would be shutting down. This was due to the actions of KONNECT's largest shareholder, Mr. A, who held a 70% stake in the company. That same month, Kang Daniel filed a criminal complaint against the shareholder where he detailed a litany of charges including forgery of private documents, embezzlement, breach of trust, infringement on information and communications network, and computer fraud. A spokesperson for Kang Daniel shared that Mr. A had reportedly used the idol's name and company seal without his knowledge to sign an advance distribution contract worth over ₩10 billion in late 2022. Kang would only be made aware of this contract in 2023. Additionally, the shareholder has been accused of embezzling ₩2 billion from KONNECT corporate accounts and ₩1.7 billion from Kang's own personal account without the artists' authorization. Prior to its closure, it was shared that all KONNECT-associated artists — including GFRIEND's Yuju, We Dem Boyz & Chancellor — had amicably parted ways with the label.
#2- Also in May we discovered that Kep1er would be extending their contracts with WAKEONE after it was shared that the group members had officially come to an agreement between their respective labels & the groups' management. The duration of Kep1er's contract extension was not publicly disclosed. This came with a caveat, however, as it was shared that two of the group's members, Yeseo & Mashiro would be departing the group to debut with the newly-formed 143 Entertainment girl group, MADEIN. Meanwhile, another girl group member departed their group in May. AKB48's longest-serving active member, Yuki Kashiwagi said her final goodbyes to the group after a total of 17 years with the group.
Japanese voice actress Eiko Masuyama, who was most well-known for her portrayal of Fujiko Mine in the Lupin anime franchise passed away on the 20th of May from pneumonia. She was 88 years old.
(Main sources: hallyuplus.net, @KoreanUpdates via x.com, @balloon_wanted via x.com, @Yukiriiiin__K via x.com, @JPopProjectNews via x.com, yomiuri shimbun, japannews.yomiuri.co.jp)
JUNE:
#1- SM Entertainment and Exo's Chen, Baekhyun & Xiumin (hereafter referred to as CBX) found themselves on opposing sides once again in June. The trio shared that they would be filing a complaint against SM Entertainment after it was discovered that a clause in the artists' contracts entitled the Kakao-owned Entertainment company to 10% of CBX's individual earnings despite not being individually contracted under SM Entertainment. The group held a press conference on the 10th of June detailing their complaints against SM. Following this, SM shared that they would be pursuing legal action against INB100 and CBX for failing to fulfill their contractual obligations. INB100 later responded by announcing a counter-suit and stating: "As a large entertainment agency, please stop making petty excuses to sway public opinion and reveal the basis for the dispute fairly and clearly." There have been no recent updates regarding either party's respective lawsuits as of the time of writing. CBX currently maintains their exclusive (group) contracts under SM Entertainment, while they have continued to pursue their respective solo activities under the Baekhyun-founded semi-independent label, INB100.
#2- 2NE1 commemorated their 15th anniversary this year with an announcement that the group would be re-uniting under YG Entertainment following their disbandment in 2016. All group members, including Minzy — who departed the group in 2016 following her departure from YG Entertainment — met with the YG founder and former CEO, Yang Hyunsuk in June to discuss potential plans for their 15th anniversary. This would later be announced to be a 2024-25 Asia tour beginning in October, the 2NE1 Welcome Back Tour, and a comeback next year in 2025.
(Main sources: hallyuplus.net, @balloon_wanted via x.com, YG ENTERTAINMENT via YouTube.com, m.entertain.naver.com)
JULY:
#1- BTS' Jin was the first member of the global Kpop powerhouse to be discharged from the military. The eldest BTS member officially made his return to the public on the 12th of June. In July, the idol traveled to Paris in order to represent South Korea as an official torchbearer for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The idol traveled the route from Paris's Rue de Rivoli all the way down to the Place du Carrousel. Which houses the Arc de Triomphe, Paris's centerpiece for city planning. In total, Jin traveled around ten minutes prior to transferring the torch to Algerian French skier and Olympian, Sandra Laoura.
#2- Several celebrities shared nuptial announcements. Japanese-Korean rapper Chanmina & South Korean rapper Ash Island shared that they had recently gotten married and were expecting their first child together. They welcomed their first child, a baby girl, in November. Our second couple announcing a wedding in July was HyunA & former BEAST/HIGHLIGHT member, Yong Junhyung. The former labelmates shared that they would be getting married in October. The pair have since tied the knot. This was HyunA's first public relationship following her much-publicized relationship (and subsequent fallout) with former PENTAGON member Dawn. Yong Junhyung fell into hot water during the Burning Sun scandal after having admitted to [reportedly] unintentionally watching a molka (illegally filmed sex video) sent to him privately by Jung Joon-young. Prior to the former BEAST member's marriage to HyunA, he provided some context related to the scandal, while also apologizing for his past actions. He stated that: "All of these actions were extremely immoral, and I was very foolish. I treated it as something that is not a big deal, without thinking that it was a crime and an illegal act. It is also my fault for not stopping Jung Joon-young." He further detailed that: "Since late 2016, I have only maintained a relationship of simple greetings once in a while with Jung Joon-young. Even though I knew of what was happening at that time, I thought it was not a big deal and was too relaxed. I was a silent observer to this serious problem, where my actions could have led to even more victims."
#3- In July we saw more long-time favorites disband. We said goodbye to Pink Fantasy, Mirae & Favorite throughout the month of July.
(Main sources: hallyuplus.net, @PopBase via x.com, @kchartsmaster via x.com, @minachanxx via Instagram, Yong Junhyung's statement translation via soompi.com)
AUGUST:
#1- One of our biggest scandals in August was the news of NCT127's Taeil being booted from NCT — and subsequently — his label, SM Entertainment, after it was discovered that the idol was being investigated for quasi-rape. The former idol was indicted in June for sexually assaulting a drunken woman, alongside two acquaintances. Which, in South Korea, is defined as an act of having non-consensual sexual intercourse with another person while they or either asleep or inebriated (thus unable to consent). Following the initial reports, it was shared that the former idol had been referred to the prosecution without detention. In October SM Entertainment shared that they had terminated Taeil's contract for breach of trust as he was "currently under prosecution investigation for a criminal case which is not only a reason for contract termination but he also broke his trust as an artist". As a reaction to the reports regarding Taeil, NCT member Haechan took to social media to share his thoughts through a long and detailed message. As for Taeil's case, the Seoul Metropolitan Police stepped out in mid-September to share that the former idol's case had been handed over to the prosecution without detention. The former idol was not deemed a flight risk and as such, would be able to remain within society while prosecutors continue their investigations into the matter.
#2- BTS' Suga found himself in trouble after it was reported that he was under investigation for violating road traffic rules by riding an electric scooter while intoxicated on the 6th of August. The following day, both BigHit & Suga released statements confirming the reports, while Suga additionally apologized for the incident. On the 8th of August, BigHit Music shared an additional apology clarifying that their artist was immediately sent home following the submission of a police breathalyzer test. Sharing that both Suga and his label [BigHit Music] were not aware that there were more procedures to follow and mistakenly believed the matter was closed. Suga later shared a second apology on the 25th of August once again apologizing for his actions and accepting any legal consequences that may come following the conclusion of the investigation.
#3- Also in August former Exo member and Chinese soloist Huang Zitao came clean about his relationship with former SM Entertainment trainee Xu Yiyang. The pair went official in July before swiftly announcing their engagement the following month in August on the set of the variety show, Dare or Not. Then a few months later in December, the couple announced that they had officially tied the knot!
#4- We had a few line-up changes and disbandments during August. Tempest's Hwarang was unceremoniously booted from TEMPEST by his label. The idol had been on hiatus since early March after he was found to have been clubbing by a fan of the group. The idol defended himself by sharing that he didn’t do anything bad and that he had only gone to the club for the music. In their August announcement, the idol's label, Yuehua Entertainment shared a statement detailing that they had been engaged in "deep discussions" with the idol related to his future activities. It was ultimately decided that the idol would conclude his activities with both TEMPEST and the label following a mutual termination of his exclusive contract. One of the final few vestiges of ioi also ended up concluding their activities as a group in August. The Fantagio-produced girl group, Weki Meki whose line-up included two former ioi members, Doyeon & Yoojung, shared that they had officially disbanded on the 8th of August. Several group members, including Elly, Sei, Lua, Rina, Suyeon, and Lucy decided not to renew their contracts with the label, while Doyeon & Yoojung stayed signed on to Fantagio.
Japanese voice actress Atsuko Tanaka — and mother of fellow voice actor Hikaru Tanaka — passed away in August following a prolonged battle with an unspecified illness. The actress was 61 years old. She was best known for her portrayal of Motoko Kusanagi in the Ghost in the Shell franchise. A memorial exhibition dedicated to the voice actress opened on November 14, 2024, at the Historia Maebashi.
(Main sources: hallyuplus.net, @SMTOWNGLOBAL via x.com, m.entertain.naver.com, @balloon_wanted via x.com, @HikaruTanaka_va via x.com, lysn.com, edaily.co.kr, @dramapotatoe via x.com, weverse.io/bts)
SEPTEMBER:
#1- Former IZ*ONE member & AKB48 alum, Honda Hitomi became the most recent IZ*ONE member to re-debut in Korea. It was announced that the Japanese idol would be joining the Kim Jaejoong-produced 7-member idol group, Say My Name in October. The group officially made its debut in October with 'WaveWay'.
#2- Also in September, we had a few BLACKPINK updates. Jennie's label, OddAtelier took to social media to announce the name of the artists' solo fandom name, Rubies. Then later in the month, fellow BLACKPINK member Rosé personally shared via her Instagram account, @roses_are_rosie, that she had signed with the US-based record label, Atlantic Records, for her solo activities.
Japanese voice actress Emi Shinohara known for her roles as Sailor Jupiter in Sailor Moon & Kushina in Naruto & Naruto Shippuden passed away on the 8th of September while undergoing treatment for an undisclosed condition. The actress was 61 years old.
(Main sources: hallyuplus.net, @KoreanUpdates via x.com, @oddatelier via x.com, @sa2m2nam3 via x.com, @ToeiAnimation via x.com)
OCTOBER:
#1- In October SM Entertainment shared that Seunghan would be rejoining RIIZE following his extended hiatus. The group's Korean fanbase, however, was anything but happy with this announcement. The idol has since announced his departure from the group due to fan pressure. The following month, it was shared that the former RIIZE member would be continuing under SM as a soloist. He is slated to debut during the second half of 2025.
#2- NewJeans Hanni was called to the South Korean National Assembly in October after the idol shared via a live-stream in September that she had undergone workplace bullying and harassment from an employee working with BELIFT's newest girl group, ILLIT. According to the idol, the BELIFT manager had told the ILLIT members to ignore the idol. Several NewJeans fans responded to this claim by filing reports with the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee. The department later called on Hanni, as well as ADOR's newly appointed CEO, to testify on the issue and later investigated the matter to rule whether or not the manager had bullied Hanni. The case was ultimately dismissed in November with the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee stating that: "Due to the content and nature of the management contract signed by Hanni, it is difficult to consider her a worker under the Labor Standards Act, which provides work for wages in a use-subordination relationship". This has essentially set a precedent for the idol industry, idols or trainees are effectively barred from filing for, or claiming, workplace bullying and harassment. Even idols who have legitimate concerns related to harassment at their workplace will now have to pursue different avenues when seeking justice or compensation.
Japanese voice actress Nobuyo Oyama, known by generations as the voice of the titular character Doraemon from the beloved Japanese anime series passed away on the 29th of September from old age. She was 90 years of age. The voice actress portrayed the character for a total of 26 years from its first broadcast on the TV Asahi network in 1979 until her departure from the role in 2005.
(Main sources: japannews.yomiuri.co.jp, n.news.naver.com, @juantokki via x.com, @SMTOWNGLOBAL via x.com, @RIIZE_official via x.com)
NOVEMBER:
#1- We're starting our November updates with several NewJeans and Min Heejin-related news. The ADOR former CEO shared that she had officially resigned from HYBE effective immediately. Following her resignation, the Min announced several lawsuits against her former employer and their associates. The former NewJeans visual director shared that she had filed a suit against several BELIFT executives & HYBE's COO for defamation. She is seeking over USD 3.5 million in compensation. During the final weeks of November, Min Heejin announced yet another lawsuit. This suit was aimed at the HYBE CCO & head of PR for breach of duty and extreme damages towards NewJeans. Additionally, it was also announced that she had filed a criminal complaint against them via the Yongsan Police Station. Meanwhile, a collective group of Tokki's — known through the collective, Team Bunnies — shared that they had filed charges against the new ADOR CEO for perjury following their appearance at the South Korean National Assembly for an investigation related to the handling of Hanni's claim of workplace bullying and harassment. Then on the 13th of November, NewJeans officially sent notice to ADOR that they would be seeking contract termination if the label did not meet their demands and stipulations within the two-week notice period. Two weeks later on the 28th of November, NewJeans held a press conference sharing that they had officially departed ADOR. As of the time of writing NewJeans has yet to formally file a suit for contract termination and ADOR has stated that the group still belongs to their label, while also filing a suit seeking answers related to the validity of NewJeans exclusive contract. Following their [unofficial] departure from ADOR, the group has been undertaking their remaining ADOR-scheduled activities. However, it's unknown whether any activities scheduled by third parties outside of ADOR will remain legal as, in most contract termination cases, artists are forbidden from participating in schedules until their contract disputes have been solved.
#2- Moving on to other HYBE-related updates, we have updates related to BigHit Music & fromis_9. HYBE has appointed long-time employee and former head of HYBE's T&D (Training & Development) team as the new CEO of BigHit Music, an independent label within the HYBE conglomerate. Home to artists including BTS, 8ight's Lee Hyun & TXT. It was also announced that BigHit Music's outgoing CEO would be moving on to a role as the CEO of HYBE Music Group APAC. This position oversees the businesses within HYBE’s music labels in Korea and Japan. As for fromis_9, it was shared that the girl group would be leaving PLEDIS Entertainment following the expiration of their contract in December. It has not been shared whether the group will be continuing following their departure from PLEDIS, or disbanding following their final schedules with the label.
South Korean actor Song Jae-rim passed away on the 12th of November. The actor was known for his roles in dramas such as Surplus Princess & Clean With Passion For Now. The actor was 39 years old.
(Main sources: m.entertain.naver.com, @juantokki via x.com, @kchartsmaster via x.com, @newsen_t via x.com, @mhereonlyforbts via x.com, @realfromis_9 via x.com, @soompi via x.com, @newjeans_loop via x.com)
DECEMBER:
#1- VCHA's KG shared via her personal Instagram that she had filed a suit against JYP America following several cases of abuse and mistreatment from various staff members. She shared that she had decided to seek her release from the company in May and still has yet to be released from her contract in December. She closed out her announcement by thanking fans for their support and stated that she hoped the fans continue to support the group regardless of her status as a member.
#2- We saw several groups announce their disbandments or departure from their labels in December. In the first week of December, C9 shared that their group, Cignature, had officially come to an end as a group. Also sharing a disbandment announcement that same week was Beauty Box. The group, which debuted in 2021, consisted of four members at the time of their disbandment. Three of these members — Gahyun, Sori & Chaeeun — terminated their exclusive contract following their disbandment, while the group's final member, Via, will remain with the label to debut in a new project. Our final disbandment of the year was the Road To Kingdom promotional boy group, TheCrewOne. The group, consisting of members from the IST boy group ATBO & BlueDot's JUST B joined forces to compete in season 2 of M-net's Road To Kingdom. Following their elimination from the competition series, the group shared that they had officially disbanded and would continue their activities separately as ATBO & JUST B. Now moving on to contract terminations. We have two groups with members moving on from their current agencies. Several members of Rocket Punch & Golden Child will be leaving Woolim on the same day. The label recently shared that Rocket Punch's Yeonhee, Yunkyung, Sohee & Dahyun would be departing the label, while Golden Child members Lee Daeyeol, Y, Bae Seungmin, Bong Jaehyun & Kim Donghyun would also be leaving Woolim Entertainment. Their contracts concluded with the label on the 31st of December.
Renowned "Golden Age" idol singer and actress Miho Nakayama passed away on the 6th of December. She was found to have died from a "freak accident" while bathing. On 12 December, Nakayama's remains were cremated at a private funeral. The singer-actress was 54 years old.
(Main sources: hallyuplus.net, @vchaglobal_a2k via x.com, @iamkgcrown via Instagram.com, @nugupromoter via x.com, @the_crewone via x.com, @realfromis_9 via x.com, @JPopProjectNews via x.com)
