Articles by Kim Jae-heun
Kim Jae-heun
jaaykim@heraldcorp.com-
K-pop music awards: Who truly benefits?
K-pop idols are increasingly succumbing to illness and exhaustion as they face the relentless pressure of participating in a growing number of music awards, where the demands for performances, rehearsals and public appearances are higher than ever. As the competitive nature of the industry pushes them constantly to excel and maintain a flawless image, many artists are experiencing the physical and mental toll of this grueling schedule, raising serious concerns about their long-term health and th
K-pop Sept. 10, 2024
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Source Music to hold auditions in 15 cities worldwide
Source Music, the agency behind popular K-pop girl group Le Sserafim, has launched a global audition in search of its next girl group members. The 2024 Source Music Global Audition, which kicked off Sept. 9, is open to any female born after 2006. Applicants can audition in various categories, including vocals, rap, dance, acting, songwriting and more. Online applications will be accepted from Sept. 9 to 22 via the official website. Successful applicants from the first round will be invited to of
K-pop Sept. 9, 2024
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Twice’s Tzuyu reveals new, mature side in solo debut
Twice's youngest member Tzuyu is set to make her solo debut Friday, promising fans a more mature and sexy side they haven’t seen before. The Taiwanese singer becomes the third Twice member to go solo, following Nayeon in June 2022 and Jihyo in August 2023, with the release of her first mini-album, “abouTZU.” "While performing with Twice members and seeing various stages, I started wondering what it would be like to have my own stage, inspired by other female solo arti
K-pop Sept. 5, 2024
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Fans call for zero-waste K-pop industry
Kpop4Planet (K4P), a climate activist group founded by K-pop fans advocating for a more sustainable K-pop industry, held a protest titled "Plastic Album Sins" in front of Hybe’s headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Wednesday, urging the industry to take stronger environmental protection measures. During the protest, K4P cited an August survey that gathered input from over 12,000 K-pop fans here and overseas. According to the survey, 42.8 percent of respondents identified marketing
K-pop Sept. 5, 2024
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Is Ador moving to isolate Min Hee-jin?
Ador may be taking steps to distance NewJeans from the influence of former CEO Min Hee-jin, as her close associate and director behind the music videos for “ETA” and “Ditto,” Shin Woo-seok, announced Monday that he would cease collaboration with the group. In May, Shin had submitted a petition opposing Min's dismissal as Ador's CEO. Shin revealed that the Hybe-owned label recently requested that he remove all NewJeans-related content from his production company
K-pop Sept. 3, 2024
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K-pop groups face dilemmas when confronted with political issues
K-pop idols continue to grapple with navigating geopolitical controversies, as highlighted by a recent incident involving JYP Entertainment's K-pop group Nmixx. The group performed part of “Dokdo is Our Land” in a YouTube video on Aug. 22, sparking a heated dispute between Korean and Japanese fans. The incident raised a critical question: Should K-pop bands refrain from addressing political issues, or should they be candid about their political positions? Japan has claimed sover
K-pop Sept. 2, 2024
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SM takes unanticipated swift action on NCT's Taeil
SM Entertainment, reputed for its often cautious approach to managing artist controversies, has drawn significant attention for its swift and uncompromising handling of the recent scandal involving Taeil, a member of NCT since 2016. On Wednesday, the company announced the K-pop star's involvement in a criminal case related to sexual misconduct and confirmed his immediate departure from the group, marking a notable shift in the agency's risk management strategy. "We recently confir
K-pop Aug. 30, 2024
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Former Ador CEO Min rejects producing NewJeans, Hybe keeps door open
Min Hee-jin, the former CEO of Hybe-owned label Ador, has rejected the company’s offer to continue as the producer of NewJeans during the remaining two months of her contract. On Friday, Min, through her public relations agency Macoll Consulting Group, released a statement saying, “Hybe’s announcement that Min would continue to work with NewJeans, as reported on Tuesday, was never agreed upon.” Min was offered a business delegation agreement to produce NewJeans from Aug.
K-pop Aug. 30, 2024
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Le Sserafim looks to bounce back from Coachella incident with new album
K-pop girl group Le Sserafim of Souce Music returns with its 4th mini-album “Crazy” on Friday, six months after the release of the mini-album “Easy” in February. “Crazy” delivers a message to “go wild just once with Le Sserafim,” and features a variety of genres, including electronic dance music (EDM)-based house music and techno. The album includes five tracks: the title track "Crazy," "Chasing Lightning," "Pierrot,"
K-pop Aug. 30, 2024
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Former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin to weigh ‘multiple options’ with NewJeans
Former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin is uncertain about her continued work with NewJeans under Hybe following the dismissal from her position at Ador on Tuesday. “Min is considering various options (regarding her continued involvement in producing NewJeans). It is difficult to provide further details at this time,” an official from Macoll Consulting Group, Min’s public relations agency, told The Korea Herald on Thursday. On Tuesday, Hybe announced the appointment of Kim Ju-young, an i
K-pop Aug. 29, 2024
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Katseye gains momentum as streaming interest grows in US
Katseye, the global girl group launched via a collaboration between Hybe and Geffen Records, has been gaining significant popularity in the US, coinciding with the release of a documentary on the group's formation on Netflix. After the eight-part documentary series "Pop Star Academy: Katseye" was released on Aug. 21 on Netflix, there has been a surge in buzz surrounding Katseye in the US, according to Hybe on Wednesday. "Pop Star Academy" highlights the process of select
K-pop Aug. 28, 2024
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[Exclusive] Samsung unsure of Suga's future as brand ambassador: source
Amid the ongoing controversy over K-pop star Suga’s drunk driving incident, Samsung Electronics is considering not extending its brand ambassador contract with the singer. “There is a risk in promoting someone as a brand ambassador who has caused a social controversy, regardless of the person's fandom. It is a serious matter and requires a lot of careful consideration,” a source familiar with the situation told The Korea Herald Tuesday on condition of anonymity. Samsung wi
한국어판 Aug. 28, 2024
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[Exclusive] Samsung unsure of Suga's future as brand ambassador: source
Amid the ongoing controversy over K-pop star Suga’s drunk driving incident, Samsung Electronics is considering not extending its brand ambassador contract with the singer. “There is a risk in promoting someone as a brand ambassador who has caused a social controversy, regardless of the person's fandom. It is a serious matter and requires a lot of careful consideration,” a source familiar with the situation told The Korea Herald Tuesday on condition of anonymity. Samsung will no
K-pop Aug. 28, 2024
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Why K-Pop idols face stricter scrutiny: cultural and economic forces behind Korea's high standards
The recent drunk driving incident involving BTS's Suga and the criticism he has faced have sparked discussion about why K-pop idols face such strict scrutiny. Experts point to the unique fan-idol relationship and the way entertainment companies treat idols more as products than individuals. The domestic K-pop fandom is intense and deeply involved. Every K-pop group has a dedicated fandom that supports its idols in every conceivable way. When a group releases a new album, fans often purchase
K-pop Aug. 27, 2024
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Ador’s Min Hee-jin replaced by new CEO amid ongoing dispute
Min Hee-jin is stepping down as CEO of Hybe music subsidiary Ador, with the company announcing on Tuesday that Kim Ju-young has been appointed Ador's new CEO. The decision came amid an ongoing dispute between Min and Hybe that began in April over her alleged attempt to seize management rights of Ador. “On the 27th, the company held a board meeting and appointed Kim Joo-young, a current Ador director, as the new CEO,” the statement read. “While former CEO Min Hee-jin is ste
K-pop Aug. 27, 2024
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