Welcome to another edition of SB Week in Review. Here’s all the news you might have missed over the past week:
Headlines
- Court proceedings for Source Music and BLift Lab‘s respective defamation suits against Min Hee-Jin began this week with all sides presenting initial arguments. The next hearing will take place in March featuring PowerPoint presentations.
- In other Min Hee-jin news, the CEO of Davolink alleged in an interview with TenAsia that Min had met with him to discuss investment and potentially poaching NewJeans from Ador in September 2024.
- Meanwhile, the group has concluded all schedules under Ador and future activities remain uncertain.
- Neither Wendy nor Taeyeon participated in SM‘s 30th-anniversary concert over the weekend, citing the agency’s lack of planning.
Debuts & Comebacks
- BoyNextDoor charmed in “I Love You.”
- Onew picked himself up off the ground in “Winner.”
- JYP previewed its new boy group KickFlip with the pre-release, “Umm Great.”
- The group is slated to debut with Kick It, Flip It on January 20.
- BSS delivered happiness with “Prime Time.” Don’t miss our MV review!
- Gunwook of ZeroBaseOne dropped the solo MV for “Placebo.”
Teasers & Announcements
- GFriend shared the mood teaser for their reunion album Season of Memories, out on January 13.
- IVE dropped the “Rebel Heart” concept film ahead of its January 13 release.
- The group will return in February with Empathy.
- Oneus released the second MV teaser for “IKUK,” out on January 14.
- Seulgi and Park Wan-sun will team up for the JYP-produced track “Lucky” on January 15.
- Wei will be back with “Not Enough” and The Feelings on January 15.
- BB Girls put out the concept film for their single album Love, to be released on January 15.
- Got7 will reunite for Winter Heptagon on January 20.
- ZeroBaseOne will drop the pre-release MV for “Doctor! Doctor!” on January 20; the MV for “Now or Never” will follow on the 29th.
- CIX posted the comeback schedule for Thunder Fever; the album drops on January 23.
- Plave shared the teaser schedule for their February 3 return with Caligo Pt. 1.
- JHope teased a March comeback.
- OnlyOneOf teased a new single album “Stay” but did not specify a release date.
Other News
- Due to health reasons, Ateez‘ Wooyoung sat out the group’s Japanese activities this past week.
- Actress Park Gyu-young accidentally uploaded a photo to Instagram that may have given spoilers for Squid Game season 3; it was quickly deleted. While waiting for the next season, check out our review of season 2!
- Seventeen took home the physical daesang and Aespa the digital daesang at the 39th Golden Disk Awards.
(YouTube. Naver, The Korea Herald, The Korea Times, Chosun Ilbo Business. Images via: Starship Entertainment, Kakao Entertainment, SM Entertainment.)