Min Hee Jin announced her resignation from ADOR on November 20, 2024. She penned a heartfelt statement, explaining her decision. She will no longer service as ADOR’s director.
Former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin Resigns From ADOR And HYBE
Not only this, but Min Hee Jin also filed a claim to cash in her put options. A put option allows one to sell their stocks at a specific price or before a specific date. She filed the claim at the Seoul Central District Court the same day as her resignation.
Min Hee Jin will be able to earn profits even after leaving the company in this way. If she exercises her put options as per her shareholder agreement, she will be able to receive an amount equivalent to 75% of her stake in HYBE, which is 13 times the average operating profit of the past two years.
According to audit reports from April 2024, Min Hee Jin owns 573,160 shares in ADOR, totalling 18%. She will be able to receive around ₩25.8 billion KRW (about $18.5 million USD) through the put options. Min’s decision surprised some, as if she chose to make her claim in early 2025, she would have been able to cash in a higher amount due to the operating profit bracket applied.
The court may or may not accept Min’s claim, given that Min’s contract has already been terminated.
It was reported by JTBC News on November 19, 2024, that comedian and MC Yoo Byung Jae is currently in a relationship with a gorgeous younger woman.
It was reported that he did not seem to be mindful of others, and did not try to hide his relationship. The two have allegedly been going out on public dates. They are said to be dating happily while being considerate of each others’ busy schedules. According to witnesses, “they seemed to be really happy on the date. It was a pleasant sight and they matched each other well.
Although she is a non-celebrity, she is said to have a significant amount of social media followers. Yoo’s agency gave a brief statement to Newsen, explaining that “they knew nothing about it, as it is his private life.”
As of November 4, NCT’s Jaehyun has enlisted in the military for his mandatory service. He enlisted in the military band, making him the second member of NCT to serve in the military.
NCT’s Jaehyun Will Enlist In The Military In November
On the day of his enlistment, members Jungwoo, Doyoung, Taeyong, Johnny, and Ten attended to see him off.
| @nct/Instagram
Before leaving, he also left a heartfelt message to fans, asking fans to anticipate the future that is to come for everyone.
NCT’s Jaehyun Writes Heartfelt Message To Fans Ahead Of Military Enlistment
Most recently, the first official photo of Jaehyun in the military was revealed online.
| @aquariusjjh/X
In the photos, Jaehyun revealed a sharper image since joining the military.
| @aquariusjjh/X
Korean netizens praised his visuals and were glad to see he was doing well.
| theqoo
“He’s so f*cking handsome. Glad to see he is doing well.”
“Why does he look thinner than before.”
“His face got so skinny, but his eyes look like they could kill the enemy.”
“Jaehyun!!!”
“So handsome.”
“He looks manly.”
“Crazy!”
“I wished he would eat more so that he could gain some cheeks…but he is still so handsome.”
The rise of LGBT+ characters in K-Drama and the portrayal of queer stories in the industry has been a noticeably positive step forward from the industry. However, Love in the Big City producer revealed that making that step has not been easy at all and that a lot of work is still ahead.
While LGBT+ series in Korea continue to cause quite the controversy and heated debate, Love in the Big City has risen above it and managed to become a top series, garnering plenty of success.
| tvING
Based on the popular novel written by Park Sang Young, the series follows Go Young — a young gay man living with HIV — as he navigates life and love in Seoul alongside his best friend, Mi Ae. The narrative delves into his strained relationship with his mother, societal pressures that force him to separate from his lover, and a journey to Thailand that leads to self-discovery.
The show has been noted for its candid portrayal of LGBTQ+ themes and has faced both acclaim and controversy, reflecting the evolving landscape of queer representation in Korean media. But it has not been easy getting to this.
| tvING
In a recent interview, the show’s producer, Park Jun Ho, revealed that one of the most difficult challenges they faced during production was casting.
Park had hoped that the K-Drama would hit big if they pulled in big-name directors and actors. However, big actors’ agencies had other things in mind.
I started this project hoping that by having well-known directors and actors, who had mainly been seen in independent films with queer romance, participate, it would create a foothold to bring it into the mainstream.
— Park Jun Ho
| tvING
Park revealed that when they approached actor agencies to cast the characters, they were happy to offer new actors with little recognition but would strictly prohibit any of their popular actors from auditioning.
Even if the actor in question had the smallest hint of popularity, the agency drew a line.
Many companies were willing to recommend new actors but drew a line when it came to actors with even a hint of recognition. Even after actor Nam Yoon Su volunteered to play the role of Go Young, the production team received feedback from investors saying, ‘It still seems too early for this in Korea.’
— Cine21
Fans online have been saddened by the news and Park’s words.
#LoveInTheBigCity producer revealed that many korean actors agency are strictly prohibiting their popular actors from playing LGBT/gay roles.
"They only send their newer actors for casting and draws the line at their actors with some popularity"
and then Nam Yoon Su stepped up pic.twitter.com/OIE3PxPoZI
— mikey / 🏳️🌈 (@beansxooo) November 16, 2024
However, they also feel that their support towards LGBT+ series is more important now than ever. After all, Love in the Big City becoming a hit could pave the way for more queer similar stories to reach our screens soon.
The 2024 Korean Grand Music Awards (KGMAs) have come under fire for alleged unfair practices after their first day concluded, sparking widespread criticism online.
Fans took to social media and forums, voicing concerns that the awards favored attending artists over deserving winners. The controversy especially flared around BTS‘s J-Hope, whose fans felt he was unfairly overlooked.
The KGMAs use a scoring system that allocates 20% for expert evaluation, 45% for performance, and 35% for fan votes. Given that fan voting holds substantial weight, many fans actively participated, even spending money to secure top spots for their favorite artists.
The lineup of attendees for the 2024 KGMAs. | Ilgan Sports
J-Hope, backed by his dedicated ARMY, secured first place with an overwhelming 81.1% of the votes. PLAVE followed with 9.8%, and BE’O came in third with 4.2%. Yet, despite J-Hope’s lead, he did not take home an award, leaving fans questioning the legitimacy of the results.
| TheQoo
Instead, the “Best Hip Hop” award went to Lee YoungJi, who ranked sixth with only 0.6% of the votes.
The controversy didn’t stop there. In the Best Band category, the newly formed all-female band QWER was announced as the winner. This decision sparked outrage as QWER had placed third with only 0.57% of the fan votes. PLAVE, leading with 89% of the votes, and DAY6, in second with 9.5%, were left empty-handed.
| TheQoo
#QWER 2025년 목표 단독 콘서트!!🥰 pic.twitter.com/Fltug8fiiS
— 영원 (@ckfsqka) November 17, 2024
Fans voiced frustration over what they perceived as the KGMAs prioritizing attendance over actual voting results. Many accused the awards of exploiting fans’ dedication and financial contributions while disregarding the actual vote counts.
| TheQoo
“Let’s boycott these shady award shows…”
“If this isn’t a scam, then what is?”
“Stop these paid votes; it’s just milking money from fans.”
“Someone should report this as fraud; it would get caught.”
“Didn’t they see this backlash coming? We should have avoided this mess.”
Kim Junsu, who was recently caught up in a blackmailing scandal by a female streamer, has been the target of an overflow of criticism for past events and controversies.
From his past fan gifts being compared in quality to a colleague’s gift to his Valentine’s Day event gift looking “cheap,” he has become the talk of the town on Korean online community boards.
Kim Junsu Flamed For “Cheap AF” Fan Gifts Amid Blackmail Scandal
In particular, his “No Reason” performance held in 2015 in Yokohama as part of his fourth Asia tour garnered much criticism online for being unnecessarily provocative.
| 연뮤갤| 연뮤갤
Although the concert was 12+, many Korean netizens at that time felt that it was still inappropriate, despite the fact that the show was in Japan.
| 연뮤갤| 연뮤갤| 연뮤갤
Korean netizens were absolutely shocked at the performance and couldn’t believe something like this actually existed.
| theqoo
“This is the first time seeing a bed performance that was this dirty.”
“His fans are so interesting… not to have spread something like to anyone.”
“I think he did this because he liked it. I don’t think female fans would enjoy it.”
“What is this? Does his fans like things like this?”
“It’s hilarious how he’s only being criticized for money..he likes girls just as much Park.”
“I saw this back then and am still shaken seeing it now.”
“My eyes…”
| theqoo
“The story of becoming blind due to my curiosity.”
“Totally shocked…this is too much..he probably has young fans too.”
“Ah my eyes.”
“Do fans really like this?”
“So dirty. I saw in the comments saying that the choreographer said that Junsu wanted it. Seeing this now, I can see why he sent the streamer that much money.”
“My eyes.”
“My damn curiosity made me see this.”
“My eyes….”
On the other hand, he released a statement regarding the blackmailing scandal revealing he was truly the victim.
Kim Junsu Emphasizes He Is The Victim Of The Female Streamer’s Threats
2NE1 member and K-Pop icon, Sandara Park, spoke about her former label, YG Entertainment.
Sandara Park | @daraxxi/Instagram| @daraxxi/Instagram
On an episode of MBC‘s Radio Star, the idol spoke about her time with YG Entertainment and how she almost didn’t make the group.
2NE1 was originally a three-member group. I thought I wasn’t going to make the team, so I cried, went to the practice room, and drank a whole bottle of soju, even though I couldn’t drink. Soon after, Teddyoppa asked for me to record, and I miraculously joined the group.
— Sandara Park
The idol also revealed what she thought was the reason why 2NE1 was disbanded, stating she found out about the disbandment through the press.
When we disbanded, I thought the sky was falling. Our situation was bad, so I guess the label thought it would be difficult for us to promote. We promoted for seven years, but we had only two full albums.
— Sandara Park
Sandara Park did not hesitate when she was asked if she’d like for 2NE1 to reunite. The idol stated how much she wanted it to happen.
Reuniting is still my dream. I have faith that there will come a time when everyone will want it.
— Sandara Park
2NE1 debuted in 2009 and officially disbanded in 2016. The group consisting of members Park Bom, Sandara Park, CL, and Minzy is best remembered for their hit songs such as “Fire” and “I Am The Best.” Speculation about the group’s reunification grew rampant when the group appeared together to perform at the 2022Coachella Music Festival.
In the end, their reunion came to fruition. 2NE1 has been holding a series of concerts to celebrate their 15 year anniversary, with many of their Southeast Asia concerts already sold out and more continuously getting added.
2024-25 #2NE1 ASIA TOUR [WELCOME BACK] – ADDITIONAL SHOW ANNOUNCEMENT#투애니원 #TOUR #WELCOMEBACK #ADDITIONAL_SHOW #ANNOUNCEMENT #KUALA_LUMPUR #HO_CHI_MINH #MACAO #YG pic.twitter.com/0vISWIRyHP
All K-Pop idols are trained for a very long time to cope with anything that the music industry could throw at them, whether it’s malfunctions on stage, public events, or even how to respond to fans. Yet, sometimes, things are completely out of the idol’s control and training, forcing them to think on their feet.
SEVENTEEN‘s Vernon has been praised for his mature response to a question during a global interview.
SEVENTEEN’s Vernon | @pledis_17/Twitter
SEVENTEEN held their 2022 Be The Sun World Tour between June and December of the year. While they were in America, the members not only played in front of thousands of screaming CARATs…
SEVENTEEN on tour | @pledis_17/Twitter| @pledis_17/Twitter
But they also did some promotions through interviews and videos. In particular, Vernon, Seungkwan, and DK visited the American radio station Sirius XM to chat about all things SEVENTEEN, including the members’ friendship, how they write their songs, and much more.
| SiriusXM/YouTube
From the very beginning, netizens were not impressed with the interview, explaining that the interviewer seemed to have not done much research. They believe he chose to ask very standard and generic questions to the members, such as how they were formed.
Of course, despite the basic essence of the questions, the members answered the questions respectfully. In particular, Vernon took the lead in answering many of the questions, and his true personality shone through as he was polite and detailed.
| SiriusXM/YouTube| SiriusXM/YouTube
Although netizens were willing to accept the more basic questions, one was asked that did not sit right with them as it referred to fellow K-Pop group BTS. It is common for many K-Pop idols to have BTS mentioned in global interviews, but netizens have deemed it disrespectful as it always seems to be comparisons or trying to get groups to speak negatively about BTS. This interview was no exception.
When you started the band, there’s no way you expected that you’d be up there just like BTS. That you’d be at the same level as BTS.
— Interviewer
| SiriusXM/YouTube
When the video was posted, the comments were full of netizens raising anger at the need to ask that question while specifying BTS.
It wasn’t surprising that netizens shared their anger at the question, wondering why it was necessary to name-drop BTS in SEVENTEEN’s interview. Yet, as angry as fans were, they couldn’t stop praising Vernon for his mature response to the question.
When we debuted, BTS wasn’t the BTS today either. So, it’s really crazy what we’re doing right now and where we are at right now.
— Vernon
| SiriusXM/YouTube
The answer might seem simple, but Vernon perfectly responded by showcasing just how far BTS has come in the past few years, but also not downplaying the achievements SEVENTEEN has had over the years.
When the clip was posted, that’s what netizens focused on, praising Vernon for his mature response and ability to steer the focus off comparisons and possible “fan wars.” In particular, as both groups are under HYBE, it was a question that might have been asked to start drama, but Vernon made sure to avoid it.
Both SEVENTEEN and BTS have had their own unique journeys when rising to fame, and netizens believe that idols should never be compared. In particular, it would always make groups feel uncomfortable being asked about senior artists when it comes to comparisons, so netizens believe all interviewers should be aware.
