KBIZoom | Breaking k-pop news, k-drama photos and viral videos

On the afternoon of the 31st, a video titled "Went to Rob Gangnam's House and Only Got Sanghwa’s Stuff?! First Time Receiving Couple's Treasures!" was uploaded on the YouTube channel 'The Appraisers.' The seventh episode featured Gangnam as a guest. In the video, Gangnam mentioned that he runs a café, to which Jeongyeon responded in surprise, revealing, "I used to work part-time at a café," which shocked Gangnam. Gangnam was impressed, saying, "You really lived a busy life. Working part-time, going to school, attending auditions, and now you're performing in stadiums? You should write a book." When asked if she still remembers making drinks at the café, Jeongyeon confessed, "This is the first time I'm revealing this, but when I took a break from activities due to my panic disorder, I worked part-time at a friend's café." Gangnam responded, "So, you didn’t just stay still, you kept...

On the 31st, a video titled "Escorting to Waterbomb" was uploaded to the YouTube channel 'Jipyeonhan Sesang.' On this day, Kwon Eunbi appeared as a guest on the show "Shall I Give You a Ride?" Comedian Ji Seokjin expressed his amazement, saying, "I was so surprised. When you were on 'Running Man,' Jaesuk said, 'She bought a building,' and I was like, wow, she's really something," referring to her current status as the owner of a building worth 2.4 billion KRW (approximately 1.8 million USD). Kwon Eunbi modestly responded, "Most of it is from loans," to which Ji Seokjin replied, "Yes, people say that, but as you pay it off, it becomes yours. You're really smart," expressing his admiration. Kwon Eunbi then humorously asked, "So how many properties do you own, Seok Sam Hyung? Four or five?" Ji Seokjin clarified, "No, not at all. Just enough to live on. I don't ha...

According to Chosun, as the charges against the three are not severe, it is likely that the authorities will handle the case through written proceedings rather than a public trial. Son Woong-jung and the two coaches are accused of mistreating C, a trainee at the football academy “Son Soccer.” C reported being attacked by Coach Son Heung-yoon at the coaching camp in Okinawa, Japan, in March and has been verbally abused by Son Woong-jung and others since November 2023 for mistakes made during training and matches. South Korean media has also revealed a video showing inappropriate comments made by coaches at Son Soccer towards the trainees. When handling the ball poorly, trainees were reprimanded and even cursed at. After the incident was publicized, Son Woong-jung issued a heartfelt apology and asserted that there was no malice intended. “I swear that none of the actions or words of the coaches at the academy were without love for the children,”...

LE SSERAFIM officially released their fourth mini-album "Crazy," along with the title track's music video. The group's comeback after Coachella has captured the attention of K-pop fans. This release is a crucial project to gauge LE SSERAFIM's ability to revive their reputation following widespread controversy during their performance at the world's biggest music festival. However, fans are concerned as the album has been consistently receiving low ratings, ranging from 0.5 to 1 star, on Melon. Despite being released just a day ago, the album "CRAZY" has already garnered a score of 3.7 with over 5,000 ratings, while LE SSERAFIM's previous album "EASY" received a score of 4.2 with 2,800 ratings. LE SSERAFIM's 'CRAZY', presents a predominantly electronic soundscape, with Chaewon and Huh Yunjin taking the lead on singing. Sakura, Kazuha, and Eunchae contribute rap verses. While Pierrot is a stan...

On the August 30th broadcast of KBS2's The Seasons: Zico's Artist, he disclosed that he would be enlisting soon. During the show, Lee Jae Wook had a candid conversation with host Zico, sharing his experiences as an actor and stories from his past. He spoke about his time in a high school hip-hop club, vividly conveying the emotions he felt back then. He also joined Zico on stage to perform a duet, showcasing his impressive singing skills. For their duet, they chose Primary’s “Johnny.” Lee Jae Wook explained the song choice, saying, “There are actually more songs, but I can’t do them.” When Zico jokingly asked, “You don’t know Jae Wook?” Lee Jae Wook humorously responded, “Oh, the guy who’s good at acting?” With his husky voice, he surprised the audience with his singing talent. When Zico ad-libbed, “Why are you doing this?” Lee Jae Wook replied, “Me? I’m lonely,” catching the audience's attention. For the second song, they selected...

Previously on August 29, Rolling Stone Mexico dropped their exclusive interview with BLACKPINK’s Lisa, which included various interesting information about the world-famous idol. In particular, Lisa mentioned how “Rock Star” was created, saying, “I wanted to find a great sound, create visuals or choreography that was iconic, that’s what I was going for” and added, “I wanted to find a catchy beat, something that would be easy for people to remember, that would identify it as a LISA song”. Lisa also revealed the pride and joy she felt while filming in her home nation - Thailand.  “I was really happy to have the opportunity to film in my country,” she reflected, adding, “I am proud to be Thai, so if I have the opportunity I want to show it to people more”. When discussing her collaboration with Rosalía in her new single, “New Woman”, Lisa shared, “I've always been a huge fan of Rosalía. I love her performances, her style, I love it. She had t...

On August  30, an article titled “When is the debut date? Teddy's jewelry box opening, MEOVV TMI” was published by Esquire Korea. The article includes various anecdotes about The Black Label’s upcoming girl group MEOVV, including one which is related to BLACKPINK’s Rosé. https://twitter.com/roseprotectrr/status/1829467055327674630 /> In particular, when discussing MEOVV member Ella Gross, Esquire Korea wrote that the soon-to-debut female idol “which is related to BLACKPINK’s Rosé”. Additionally, it was revealed that Ella’s Demo was so good, BLACKPINK’s Rosé wanted to “steal” the song after hearing it.  On the other hand, the article also includes various other information about other MEOVV members and speculate that MEOVV may debut on September 9th, which is Cat Day in Korea, aligning with their cat concept.  Source: Esquire Korea The post MEOVV’s Song So Good, BLACKPINK’s Rosé Want to Steal It?  app...

The article wrote, "Producer Kim Hyung-jin announced the release of his 8th book, a full-length novel titled 'World Intelligence Agency', centered around artificial intelligence. The novel 'World Intelligence Agency' has garnered attention for depicting global stars BLACKPINK's Jennie and Psy conducting simulations at an AI robot camera global center. What makes this novel particularly significant is that it was written by Kim Hyung-jin, the biological father of BLACKPINK's Jennie. Drawing on true events from Jennie's trainee days to her current success, Kim Hyung-jin has crafted a story that aims to offer readers a fresh sense of inspiration." The article is now deleted. The theqoo post regarding this became a hot topic with nearly 55,000 views as of the afternoon of August 30th. Below are some comments from Korean netizens. - What is this? This is scary... Is he really Jennie's dad? - Maybe he's using Jen...

Recently, a netizen wrote a post on the Korean forum Pann Nate, saying: "I'm the person who wrote daily posts about MEOVV and made it to the hot topics, but now I'm leaving the fandom." Posts by OP on Pann: * Ella Gross in Teddy's new girl group, she hasn't lost her charm even as she's grown up!!! * Second member of The Black Label's rookie group MEOVV - Gawon revealed. * New member of The Black Label's girl group MEOVV - Anna. * New member of MEOVV - Sooin revealed. * Hope MEOVV members have elegant faces. * Check out the new photos of Teddy's girl group. I hoped it wouldn't be Narin, but the last member turned out to be Narin… Well, goodbye. MEOVV, good luck. Comments on the post: [+250, -37] * [+165, -7] Honestly, if it weren't for Teddy's name, this group would be like any other mid-tier agency idol group. * [+158...

On August 30, a topic titled “Honda Hitomi (IZ*ONE) is rumored to be re-debuting a Korean girl group” was published on the Korean forum “theqoo”, drawing significant attention.  In the topic, it was pointed out that the CEO and director of iNKODE, the agency formed by famous 2nd gen K-pop idol Kim Jaejoong, recently followed Hitomi on Instagram. In addition, Honda Hitomi’s account was noted to be based in Korea, sparking rumors about the former IZ*ONE member being in Korea for training. https://twitter.com/hndhtmsocial/status/1817637929797484562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1817638267401154953%7Ctwgr%5Ec34cbfc5a3d2fe1068a69c732d766e68ed327596%7Ctwcon%5Es2_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheqoo.net%2Fhot%2F3384187886 /> Moreover, fans notice that Hitomi's personal Instagram account hasn't posted anything since February, while iNKODE has published a teaser for a new girl group recently, leading to suspicions that the female idol ...

On August 28, media outlet The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that South Korea is the most vulnerable country to deepfake sexual crimes, citing the "2023 Deepfake Status Report" released by cybersecurity firm Security Hero. The report analyzed 95,820 videos from ten deepfake pornography sites and 85 deepfake channels on video-sharing platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, and Dailymotion from July to August last year. The analysis found that 53% of individuals featured in deepfake pornography were South Korean singers and actors. Americans accounted for the second-largest share of deepfake victims at 20%, followed by Japan (10%), the UK (6%), China (3%), India (2%), Taiwan (2%), and Israel (1%). The report emphasized that "South Korea is the country most frequently targeted by deepfake pornography." The report also listed the top 10 individuals most frequently targeted by deepfake pornography, eight of whom were South ...

Lee Se-young ranked third in the female ranking of star actors in the 4th week of August (75th), voted from 3:01 p.m. on the 22nd to 3 p.m. on the 29th. Lee garnered 8,906 votes in the latest poll. The top spot went to Kim Hye-yoon, who received 42,645 votes. Following Kim, Yoona came in second with 17,807 votes. After Lee Se-young, Park Eun-bin came in fourth (6407 votes) and Kim Ji-won came in fifth (3789 votes). Meanwhile, star ranking is a ranking vote website in which fans directly vote for their favorite stars to determine their rankings. Stars are given various privileges depending on the ranking of the voting results. The star, who has been ranked No. 1 for four consecutive weeks, will be featured on an outdoor advertising billboard. Fans of the No. 1 star for four consecutive weeks will also be able to support the outdoor advertising video. Source: StarNews The post Lee Se-young Vo...

At a press conference for their new album release, LE SSERAFIM addressed the controversy surrounding their performance at the Coachella festival in April. Kim Chae Won expressed, "We feel very sorry for the many disappointing aspects of our Coachella performance. The group has learned and realized a lot both individually and collectively. This was our first time participating in a large outdoor music festival shortly after our debut, and we unintentionally became too excited and couldn’t control the pace. This affected the quality of our performance. We have recognized that there is much more to learn and experience. Improving and showing progress is a long-term goal for us. We have discussed among ourselves and are committed to presenting the best images. This activity is the first step. We would greatly appreciate it if everyone could view the group with affectionate eyes." Huh Yunjin also commented, "Based on this experience, I hope LE ...

Yushi, a member of the group NCT WISH, is facing a wave of criticism from the online community after a series of interactions with fans, which many people believe were indifferent and lacking sincerity. 🔻 Fansign on July 6, 2024 During a fansign event, when a fan asked Yushi: "Yushi, you know, right? In Japan, unless people are family or close friends, they don't call each other by their first names. So, since we’re not that close, should I call you by your last name, Tokuno?" Yushi thought for a while and then responded: "Yes." This left the fan unsatisfied, and she continued: "What? 'Yes'?! Hah, okay, then how can I get closer to Yushi?" But Yushi only replied: "I don't know." As the time was running out, the fan asked Yushi to answer quickly, but he just smiled and said: "Time's up" before handing the album back to the fan. 🔻 Fancall In a call with a fan, when she set t...

Despite being in her mid-30s, Hahm Eun-jung still maintains a youthful appearance that rivals her prime in her 20s. However, in 2015, she shocked everyone when a test revealed that her "cellular age" was 74 years old. During her appearance on KBS's health variety show "Vitamin", Hahm Eun-jung underwent a test to analyze the fat content in her blood and assess her cellular health. Despite being the youngest participant, her results were the highest, indicating a cellular age of 74! This result was even more surprising considering that Jo Young-gu, who was in his late 40s at the time, had a cellular age of 34. Hahm Eun-jung mentioned that she was eating well during her non-active periods, but it was pointed out that she was not consuming enough food overall and was eating 807 calories less than her daily requirement. Fortunately, Hahm Eun-jung is now maintaining a healthy lifestyle thro...

According to a report from The Korea Herald on the 28th, an insider familiar with the situation at Samsung Electronics stated, "Appointing an individual involved in social controversy as a brand ambassador carries significant risk, regardless of fandom. Careful consideration is required." The insider further added, "However, Suga will not be immediately removed from the advertisements because the contract is with BTS as a whole. Unless Suga leaves the group, it is difficult to take immediate action. We need to observe the situation further." Earlier, on the 17th, Samsung Electronics' German branch deleted a promotional photo from their official X (formerly Twitter) account showing Suga holding a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. The photo, which was posted on the 15th and 16th, was taken down after both domestic and international BTS fans (known as ARMY) argued that it was inappropriate for Suga to continue appearing in advertisements following ...

"Black Myth: Wukong" is an action RPG that's been a global sensation, attracting over 2.2 million users at launch. Praised for its graphics and engaging story, it's been dubbed the "God of War of China" by some critics. The game’s storyline doesn’t merely copy “Journey to the West” but expands on the aftermath of Sun Wukong’s return from retrieving the scriptures.  Global Sensation for a "Journey to the West" Media After completing the mission assigned by the Buddha and overcoming 80 trials, Tang Seng and his disciples each find their place in Heaven. Sun Wukong, however, refuses to become a Buddha and escapes to live freely on Flower-Fruit Mountain. This defiance angers Heaven, which sends Erlang Shen, the Four Heavenly Kings, and countless celestial troops to confront him, even massacring monkeys on Flower-Fruit Mountain, sparking Wukong's rage. A fierce battle between Sun Wukong ...

On August 27th, a video titled "HYEIN ELLE Japan Photoshoot Behind" was uploaded to NewJeans' official YouTube channel. The video showcased behind-the-scenes footage of Hyein's photoshoot. As Hyein entered the set cheerfully while singing a children's song, her demeanor instantly transformed into a professional one as the shoot began. Hyein shared, "The clothes I'm wearing now are from the collection I saw in Paris. So, it feels so nice to be wearing them. I saw so many beautiful outfits there. And today, I've been able to wear several outfits I really liked, so I'm very happy about that." Playing with a large bouncy ball prop, Hyein jokingly said, "We've grown close. I made a new friend today. Hi! It must be cold. It's been on the cold floor this whole time." As the shoot continued, Hyein seemed to grow tired. She commented, "I'm so bored without my bandmates. I'm pret...

At 4 PM on August 27, THE BLACK LABEL released the fourth teaser for their new girl group MEOVV. With five glamorous and elegant "cats," Teddy's latest rookie group has K-pop fans buzzing with excitement. MEOVV is set to unveil its full lineup this week and is scheduled to debut next month. After three stunning visuals - Ella Gross, the "mini Park Min Young" Gawon, and the edgy Sooin - netizens are eagerly anticipating the looks of the fourth member. MEOVV is touted as the most "battle-ready" rookie group right now, with each member possessing breathtaking beauty and strong potential for fame. The fourth "cat" of the group is Anna, born in 2005 and from Japan. Anna boasts exceptional charisma and a cinematic face. Before joining THE BLACK LABEL as a trainee in 2019, she was a model in Japan. The trailer introducing Anna highlights her pure, youthful beauty reminiscent of a scho...

Suga, a member of BTS, continues to be the center of attention among both Korean and international audiences after issuing an apology for a DUI scandal. Domestic viewers have been vocal in their criticism of the idol and demand strict punishment, while international fans have criticized Korean media for being too harsh on the artist. The question now is whether Suga can bounce back from this controversy. Divided Fan Reactions Suga's scandal has led to a split in fan opinions: some remain loyal and continue to support him, while others express disappointment and call for his departure from the group. Music critic Jung Min Jae notes that even if Suga continues to work with the other BTS members, he may never fully regain the trust of Korean fans. Additionally, Big Hit Music’s handling of the scandal has further frustrated many. Jung also predicts that as BTS continues its activities with members who have completed their military service, Korean pub...

Recently, much attention was drawn when actor Lee Kyu-han and former Brave Girls member Yujeong announced their breakup after a year of public dating. Last July, the couple initially denied dating rumors, but two months later, they admitted, "We are meeting each other with mutual interest," officially confirming their relationship. Despite an 11-year age difference, the couple garnered much attention as they shared their sweet and loving relationship. During their public relationship, the couple was open and honest about their feelings for each other, which drew a lot of support from fans. They became the center of attention with pool photos they posted on their respective channels, especially the one featuring Yujeong’s glamorous figure, which earned them the title of a "hot love star" couple. After news of their breakup, netizens focused on whether these photos were still online. Lee Kyu-han deleted his previous posts, leaving onl...

Recently, the official SNS of The Black Label’s girl group, MEOVV, dropped the trailer for its 4th member, Anna, who was born in 2005 and comes from Japan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFPlz1XJ024 /> https://twitter.com/OFFICIAL_MEOVV/status/1828356781845762161 /> Upon seeing the trailer, K-netizens were deeply impressed by the visuals of Anna. In fact, many people even started to compare the MEOVV member to other renowned beauties like TWICE’s Tzuyu, Suzy, Han So-hee, and Shin Se-kyung. Below are some comments from netizens:  * I see Han So-hee and Tzuyu in her visuals, she looks so pretty  * This is a visual member for sure * I think of Suzy and Shin Se-kyung the moment I open the video * Wow, she’s really pretty? Where did The Black Label get all these gorgeous girls?  * Her visuals have an actress vibe… * She’s the prettiest in the group so far, has this mature vibe  ...

Global Fan Platform 'UPICK' Announces Byeon Woo-seok as Winner of Hot Character Awards.  From August 13 to August 26, the global fan platform UPICK conducted voting for the 'Hot Character Awards', targeting top actors in South Korea. The results revealed that actor Byeon Woo-seok secured the top spot. Byeon Woo-seok, along with D.O. and Kim Soo-hyun, engaged in a fierce battle until the end, making the voting process highly tense. Ultimately, Byeon Woo-seok earned a total of 15,124,407 votes, maintaining the number one position for three consecutive months. In addition, popular actors like Lee Seung-gi, Junho, Kim Se-jeong, Shin Hye-sun, and Cha Eun-woo also ranked high in the results. As a reward for his first-place win, Byeon Woo-seok will be featured in a billboard advertisement at Lotte World Mall’s Art Canvas. The ad will be created based on designs submitted by fans, adding a meaningful touch for both the actor and...

On the August 26th episode of Channel A's "Best Friend Documentary: Table for 4", actress Lee Seung-yeon invited her close friends Yoon Da-hoon, Hong Seok-cheon and Kim Ji-seong to share a meal and various stories. While discussing her love life, Lee Seung-yeon asked Hong Seok-cheon, "How's your love life these days?" This prompted Hong Seok-cheon to candidly talk about his past relationship experiences. Hong Seok-cheon responded, "You know how difficult it is to live as Hong Seok-cheon's partner. I’m so grateful to the person who endures me." Lee Seung-yeon described Hong Seok-cheon as someone who "devotes his whole self to love", to which Hong Seok-cheon agreed, saying, "I'm a total romantic." Lee Seung-yeon further mentioned "You even came out because of love. You're truly a love enthusiast", highlighting Hong Seok-cheon’s deep passion for love. Hong Seok-cheon also opened up abo...

Following the reveal of Ella Gross and Gawon, THE BLACK LABEL has introduced the third member of their rookie girl group MEOVV: Sooin, born in 2005 and from South Korea. Sooin, who is set to debut with MEOVV, stands out with her elegant and refined visual, often compared to a younger version of Suzy with a touch of Lisa’s charisma. Unlike the glamorous and sophisticated images of Ella Gross and Gawon, Sooin brings a youthful and playful edge to the group. Her introduction has generated significant buzz, especially after THE BLACK LABEL released her teaser video and profile photos. https://twitter.com/OFFICIAL_MEOVV/status/1827632008803336207 /> MEOVV - Member Sooin In the nearly two-minute trailer, Sooin showcases her skills not only through dynamic action scenes and expressions but also with impressive dance abilities. Born in 2005, Sooin has been a trainee at THE BLACK LABEL since 2019 and is currently a student at SOPA, an art school....

During an episode of Trolley Problems, Zach Kornfield from The Try Guys posed a dilemma to Keith Habersberger and avid K-Pop fan Joyce Louis-Jean: Would you choose to have a one-night stand but lose all memory of K-Pop, or would you prefer to call BTS overrated and face the backlash from ARMY? Keith was unsure at first, but Zach reminded him that they had previously met K-Pop stars, including THE BOYZ, who had appeared on an episode of Cake Finder. Keith then joked that THE BOYZ’s Kevin often messages him, adding that they might have hooked up if he were not already married. https://twitter.com/mooneybees/status/1827848453277278403?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1827848453277278403%7Ctwgr%5E0774254a8cead6b8dea1cf9fbbba1bde0f9f1fbb%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.koreaboo.com%2Fnews%2Fboyz-kevin-response-try-guys-sexual-comment%2F /> After being tagged by numerous fans, Kevin saw the clip on Instagram Reel...

On the 26th, Harper's BAZAAR Korea's channel uploaded a video titled "World-Wide Handsome Reigns at Bazaar, Sounds Good." The video features Jin in an interview for 'Random Facts'. When asked about his nickname, Jin explained, "When I was in elementary school, I had nicknames like 'Kimbap' and 'Kimchi'. Later, in middle school, high school, and college, I was called 'Elementary School Kid'." Regarding the nickname "World-Wide Handsome," Jin commented, "It seems to have become more famous than I expected. It was a nickname I created and mentioned in an awkward situation, but quite a few people call me that," he laughed. Earlier, Jin, who participated as a torchbearer for the Paris 2024 Olympics in July, said, "I saw an interview where a French fan said, "I waited over a year in the military, so what's a six-hour wait?' That really s...

According to a report from Sports Today on the 26th, Lee Kyu-han and Yujeong have recently ended their romantic relationship and have returned to being colleagues. The two first sparked dating rumors in July last year after appearing together on KBS2's “Why Haven't You Been Here Before?” earlier in the year. Although they initially denied the rumors, they confirmed their relationship in September, overcoming their 11-year age gap to become a public couple. However, they have now reportedly ended their relationship and resumed their roles as colleagues. Lee Kyu-han is set to appear in the upcoming SBS drama “The Judge from Hell”, which is scheduled to air later this year. Yujeong, who left Brave Girls in April, recently signed an exclusive contract with R&D Company and is preparing for new activities. The post 11-Year Age Gap’ Lee Kyu-han and Yujeong Shockingly Break Up After 1 Year of Public Dating appeared first on KBIZoom. ...

“The Frog” is a suspense thriller that depicts how a suspicious visitor disrupted the normal lives of ordinary people in the middle of summer. In the drama, Go Min-si plays Seong-a, a mysterious character who arrives at Young-ha (Kim Yoon-seok)’s pension and disrupts his peaceful life. Go Min-si conveyed advice she received from her co-star, Kim Yoon-seok. "Senior Yoon-seok told me that villains are lonely characters in a story. He said if viewers feel even a little sympathy for the character, that makes for a good villain." She further explained, "He advised me not to focus too much on being evil but to ensure that emotions are conveyed in each scene." Go Min-si shared an interesting anecdote about her Instagram profile picture. "I've had a tomato as my profile picture for quite some time now. I thought Seong-a liked tomatoes. Seong-a is skilled with her hands, is passionate about art, and enjoys growing plants. In the work, you se...

In July 2023, Jungkook embarked on a new chapter in his career by debuting as a solo artist with the mega-hit "Seven", which quickly became a phenomenon. The youngest member of BTS saw "Seven" debut at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, amassing 1 billion streams in just 108 days, breaking Miley Cyrus' "Flowers" record for the fastest song to reach 1 billion streams on Spotify. With "Seven", Jungkook not only proved his capability with impressive achievements but also became a global trendsetter. "Seven" emerged as the most influential summer hit from a K-pop star, bringing UK Garage to the forefront of the music scene in 2023. The success of this lead single gave Jungkook the confidence to release his debut album "GOLDEN" in November of the same year. On November 3, 2023, Jungkook released his full album "GOLDEN", marking a turning point in establishing his name on the global music map. T...