Hello everyone, and welcome back to another Week in Review. Here’s the round up:
Serious News
- Samsung Group heir Lee Jae-yong has bowed in apology during an address that was televised nationally on the 23rd. Just a month before, he had taken over leadership of the group’s charity the Samsug Foundation; it owned one of the hospitals involved in the spread of MERS in the country.
- Celebrated author and the first woman to win the Man Asian Literary Award winner, Shin Kyung-sook, has apologised over a plagiarism scandal. It was claimed last week that a 1996 short story by Shin, Legend, included paragraphs copied directly from Japanese author Mishima Yukio‘s Patriotism. Publication of the book containing Legend have since been ceased, as the literary community deals with the shocking event.
Debuts and Comebacks
- Mamamoo kicked off this round of promotions with a fun mini-album and an eyebrow-raising MV.
- BTS dropped the MV for “Sick,” which was pretty dope.
- AOA kicked off a summer of girl groups with “Heart Attack.” I quite enjoyed the MV; what did you think of it?
- Sistar also went back to the classroom for their MV for “Shake It.” What a rowdy school!
- Unpretty Rapstar Tymee teamed up with Dal Sabet’s Subin for single “Love Is.”
- New four-member girl group Playback debuted with a song of the same name.
- Teen Top also returned with “Ah Ah,” which isn’t a foot-tapping tune so much as it is a foot-flying one.
Teasers and Announcements
- After denying a Wondergirls comeback, JYP Entertainment then went and announced a Wondergirls comeback. As many expected, Sunmi has been brought back to fill the gap left by Sunye‘s hiatus and Sohee’s departure. The more surprising news was that the Wondergirls will now be a band, with Yubin on drums, Lim on guitar, Sunmi on bass and Yeeun on keyboard. The last time we saw Wondergirls with guitars was kind of… embarassing, so here’s hoping that this Wonder band impresses.
Kara‘s Hara has officially announced her solo debut. She will be joining the sea of releases taking place this summer.- A Pink will be coming back in July with a song from “Luv” composer Shinsadong Tiger.
- Nine Muses will be unveiling their S/S Edition this July, and the preview sounds promising!
- BtoB is one of the few notable male idols making a comeback right now. Have you checked out their audio teasers yet?
- Infinite is another male group coming back this summer: expect them mid-July.
- f(x) and Guckkasten will be headlining the London Korea Festival at Trafalgar Square on August 9.
- Girl’s Day has releasedindividual teasers for upcoming single “Ring My Bell.” The group has gone the Hollywood route, with:
- Minah as South Korea’s fave Olivia Hussey from Romeo and Juliet
- Hyeri as Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany’s
- Yura as Sharon Stone from Basic Instinct
- And Sojin as… Madonna?
- SM has hinted at a Super Junior comeback to celebrate their 10th anniversary.
- Rookie duo GB9 dropped a teaser for upcoming single “Bang.”
- JYPE singer G.Soul will be making his comeback, as signalled by this image teaser.
- Shinee’s style guru Key is getting ready to take on Martha Stewart with his upcoming lifestyle show Key’s Knowhow. Mnet has released a trailer ahead of the July 1st premiere; I wonder what the blue mask is made from?
Other News
G.o.d member Park Joon-hyung released wedding photos in the lead up to his upcoming nuptuals with his non-celeb girlfriend. Congrats to the couple!- The K-pop fandom got into a tizzy on the 25th when word started spreading about Sulli‘s apparent departure from f(x). After checking… something, SM was finally able to tell us that “nothing has been decided.” And so, Sulli joins Tao in the are-they-aren’t-they camp. Word is they’re looking for Kibum there, but haven’t yet found him.
- A nine-member version of SNSD‘s “Catch Me If You Can” came to light, sending fans into a frenzy. Each frame was examined for traces of Sica, and every ear strained for a hint of her distinct tone. Opinions vary between Jessica making the song worse, and making the song better. Pick a side.
- The next K-pop act to take a crack at the US is… Brave Brothers? Word is that he’ll be collaborating with YG on this venture — the rapper, not the troll.
- 2NE1 leader-cum-the next Nicki Minaj CL turned up in the trailer for doco Jeremy Scott: The People’s Designer upcoming thing, rubbing shoulders with Miley Cyrus, among other muses of the people’s designer. See it for yourself:
