20121226_seoulbeats_leeseunggiWelcome back to another edition of SB Week in Review. If the past few weeks are any indication, 2016 is shaping up to be a year as chaotic as 2014 — and this week had no shortage of big news stories. In case you missed it, here’s all the latest happenings.

Serious News

  • The Park Yoochun sexual assault media firestorm has calmed down a bit, but that doesn’t make it any less complicated. As it stands, four women have accused the singer of sexual assault. One woman has since withdrawn her claim. The rest of the details are muddy and unconfirmed, and it might be a while before anyone has any real idea what’s happening.
  • Musical actor Kai (not to be confused with the Exo member of the same name) was accused of sending sexual images to a fan. The charges proved false, and now he’s seeking defamation reparations from the accuser.
  • Perhaps buried by the Park Yoochun scandal, Verbal Jint confessed to drunk driving this week with little to no backlash.
  • A rumor circulated that Lee Seung-gi had a secret love child with his coordi and has been raising said child in secret. Although it seems like nothing but mindless tabloid fodder, Lee Seung-gi’s reps plan to take legal action against those behind the rumor.
  • In other legal action news: Actress Han Ye-seul is taking action against a netizen she claims has harassed her online for over a year; MBK is perusing legal charges against malicious commenters; Former Exo member, Kris, will also be filing defamation charges against the women who claimed to be his girlfriends online.
  • Tasty lost their contract termination battle with Woollim Entertainment/SM C&C when a Seoul court dismissed the duo’s charges. This means they are still under contract with the agency.
  • FNC is under investigation for stock manipulation during the time they recruited Yoo Jae-suk to the agency. Well, shady money dealings are almost a compulsory step if FNC dreams of joining the ranks of the Big Three. Next step: tax evasion.
  • It wouldn’t be a noisy week without an update from resident scum bag, Kim Hyun-joong. His former girlfriend — and mother of his child — was acquitted of all charges regarding blackmail, false accusations, and fraud that the singer leveled against her last year. While she’s off the hook, Kim Hyun-joong still faces the civil suit she filed against him for defamation of character.
  • Actor Kim Sung-min was found unconscious after what appeared to a failed suicide attempt. He is in critical condition, and the prognosis is not bright.

Debuts & Comebacks

  • 20160624_seoulbeats_sistarDid Sistar‘s comeback have you singing “I Like That“?
  • O21 debuted with the catchy, “Show Me.” Now, if only the dance was as on point as the track.
  • Veteran duo As One returned with their first mini in a decade and the MV for “The Pain I Caused.”
  • Songstress Baek Yerin is back with the quiet single, “Bye Bye My Blue.”
  • Kisum brought all her buddies out for “No Jam,” the lead single on her new mini, MUZIK.
  • Madtown are back with “Emptiness.”
  • Romeo‘s “Miro” MV stars Shinee‘s Minho as the least malevolent puppet-master/villain in history.
  • Our SM Station release for the week is “Definition of Love” with Orphée Noah and Lee Dong-woo.

Teasers & Announcements

  • 20160624_seoulbeats_wonder_girls_YeeunOn June 27, Beast will release special track “Butterfly” prior to their official comeback in July.
  • Rosé is the next YG girl group member to be introduced to the public.
  • SM is spoiling us with teaser images for Taeyeon‘s Why comeback. Based on the teaser images I’m wondering: is her concept essentially Tiffany with Red Velvet‘s blue contacts? In addition to the teaser images, SM will drop the pre-release track “Starlight” featuring Dean on June 25.
  • Are you excited for Jellyfish‘s upcoming girl group Gugudan? Get to know the members through their Gugudan Theatre teasers.
  • Jay Park shared the unofficial MV for “All I Wanna Do,” featuring some shenanigans from his Follow The Movement 2016 American Tour with AOMG earlier this year.
  • Melody Day are getting appropriately colorful and quirky in the teasers for their summer mini, Color.
  • Wonder Girls released the teaser/release schedule for their return with Why so Lonely in July.
  • With the fate of Miss A still up in the air, JYP announced that member Fei will make a solo debut sometime in the near future.
  • Shinee’s Taemin will be making his Japanese solo debut in July.
  • Sonamoo have definitely changed up their concept, if the MV teaser for “I Like You Too Much” is any indication.
  • 2PM‘s Chansung will star in new web drama, Romantic Boys.

Other News

  • 20160624_seoulbeats_kim_min_hee_hong_sang_sooIt’s been revealed that actress Kim Min-hee and director Hong Sang-soo are romantically involved. Not only is the director 22 years her senior, he’s also married. The two met while filming Right Now, Wrong Then last year. Following the news, exclusive reports surfaced of text message exchanges, financial transactions, etc. Hong’s wife also released a statement saying she doesn’t plan to divorce her estranged husband. Looks messy.
  • CLC‘s Eunbin is well enough to rejoin promotional activities for “No Oh Oh.” CLC fans can also now officially call themselves Cheshire.
  • Happy Second debut anniversary to Mamamoo!
  • IOI‘s Sohye set up her own individual agency and fan cafe independent from the current IOI promotions.
  • Had a rough week? Exo’s Xiumin will make it all better with this video clip of him dancing as a baby (in a penguin onesie!).

 

(Naver: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16], Nate: [1] [2] [3] [4]. Images via SM Entertainment, Polaris, JYP.)