By Ra Hwak-jin/ Woo Jiwon
◇ BTS members to fulfill military service starting with oldest member Jin
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| ▲This image, provided by Big Hit Music, shows BTS at the concert titled "Yet To Come in Busan" at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium on Oct. 15, 2022. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
K-pop supergroup BTS on Monday announced that all its members will fulfill their military service starting with the oldest member Jin, the band's agency said Monday.
"Jin will revoke his request to delay his conscription at the end of this month and will follow conscription procedures required by the Military Manpower Administration," Big Hit Music said in a public notice to the local bourse. "Other members will fulfill their military duty in turn according to their individual plans."
Bills that would include globally recognized male pop culture artists, like BTS, in the program are still pending at the National Assembly amid a lingering debate over whether the K-pop giant should get exemptions in recognition of its contribution to improving the country's brand image.
With Monday's decision, the septet will pause working together as a group for the time being.
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| ▲ A file photo of K-pop superband BTS, provided by Big Hit Music (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Jin is expected to enter the military some time after dropping his solo song but can go within this year at the earliest if he revokes the postponement this month and if there are few people waiting to go to the military, according to officials at the Military Manpower Administration.
"We have so far discussed with the artists about their plans to carry out the military duty," Big Hit Music said. "We have thought a lot about the timing of announcing the decision and judged that now, when the concert to promote Busan's bid to host the 2030 World Expo is over, is the best time," it added.
The agency then expressed hope BTS can be reunited as a full group by 2025, asking for the people's generous understanding of the difficulty in pinpointing the exact time frame.
◇ BTS' Jin to release solo single
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| ▲This photo, a captured image from BTS website, shows BTS' Jin. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
K-pop megastar BTS' oldest member Jin will be releasing his solo single "The Astronaut" with Coldplay on Oct.28
Jin has released a poster announcing the collaboration with Cold Play on his official social media on Oct.20.
Coldplay participated in co-composing, writing, and performing of Jin's new single.
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| ▲This photo, a captured image from BTS official social media, shows a conversation between BTS' Jin and chris Martin. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Jin will perform his new single for the first time at Coldplay's concert, which will take place at Buenos Aires, Argentina on Oct. 28 (Local Time).
The stage will be released on BTS' official YouTube channel, and the paid event of watching Coldplay's concert live at theaters all over the world will take place.
Jin has previously made a surprise announcement of his upcoming release during the band's concert in the southeastern port city of Busan on Oct. 14, saying he came to release a song with the help of a person he personally likes.
Bighit Music said, "We hope 'The Astronaut' feels like a gift as he put all his love towards fans in the music."
◇ (G)I-DLE releases fifth mini album 'I LOVE'
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| ▲K-pop girl group Le Sserafim poses for the camera during a media showcase for its second EP, "Antifragile," at Seoul's Yonsei University on Oct. 17, 2022, in this photo provided by Source Music. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Girl group (G)I-DLE has returned to the music scene with fifth mini album "I LOVE," which shows their natural charm, on Oct. 17
(G)I-DLE has released new album in seven months after their first full-length album "I NEVER DIE" in last March, according their agency CUBE Ent.
The agency said, "The album shows (G)I-DLE's determination to show themselves with no such unwanted decorations."
The new album is composed of 6 songs including the title song "Nxde."
"Nxde" compares the word nude to (G)I-DLE's determination to show their natural selves. It shows their will to fight against prejudices and bias by using the world that can be quite obscene as the name of the title track.
Leader Jeon Soyeon played as the executive producer while the members participated in writing and composing to improve perfection.
◇ Le Sserafim members injured in car accident
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| ▲K-pop girl group Le Sserafim poses for the camera during a media showcase for its second EP, "Antifragile," at Seoul's Yonsei University on Oct. 17, 2022, in this photo provided by Source Music. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Two members of rookie girl group Le Sserafim were bruised in a car accident Wednesday, disrupting the group's plans to appear on domestic TV music programs to promote its new EP, the group's agency said.
According to Source Music, members Kim Chaewon and Huh Yunjin were taken to the hospital along with the agency's officials who accompanied them after their car was involved in a fender bender.
"Fortunately, the members and the officials were not seriously injured," the agency said, adding the two members will receive conservative treatment due to minor muscle pain and bruises.
The injury led the group to cancel its plan to appear in two local TV music programs on Thursday and Friday to promote its new album, and reschedule an autograph-signing event for fans planned for this weekend.
"We're going to operate the future schedules with the health of the members as our top priority," the agency said.
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