0:02 From BTS's comeback and Danielle's
0:04 possible redbut with New Jeans to major
0:05 developments in the legal battles
0:07 between Attract and the Givers, as well
0:10 as Ador and Minhi Gene, here's a roundup
0:11 of the recent K-pop news you might have
0:14 missed. Let's start with BTS's comeback
0:15 because [clears throat] new details just
0:18 dropped. On January 16th, Big Hit
0:19 released an official notice confirming
0:22 that BTS's upcoming album and tour will
0:24 be titled Arirang. And that name alone
0:26 already says a lot. Arrang is one of
0:28 Korea's most well-known folk songs and a
0:30 deeply meaningful cultural symbol. It
0:32 does not have one single definition, but
0:34 it is usually tied to emotions like
0:36 longing, separation, sorrow, and hope,
0:38 and is often loosely understood as
0:39 referring to a beloved or beautiful
0:42 person. The song itself reflects Korea's
0:44 painful history, especially themes of
0:46 division and loss, which is why it
0:47 carries so much emotional weight.
0:50 Because of that, BTS choosing Arang as
0:51 the title of their comeback feels very
0:53 deliberate. Throughout their entire
0:55 global career, they have never distanced
0:57 themselves from their Korean identity.
0:59 From using traditional instruments and
1:00 wearing handbach in performances to
1:02 openly addressing Korean history and
1:04 social issues in their music, that
1:06 connection has always been there.
1:08 Calling their comeback Arriang feels
1:10 very intentional, especially after
1:11 nearly four years apart because of
1:14 military service. It gives off a strong
1:15 sense of reunion and coming back home,
1:17 which fits perfectly for a group finally
1:19 reuniting and sharing that moment again
1:22 with fans worldwide. The album details
1:24 also reinforce that message. There will
1:26 be three physical versions titled Rooted
1:28 in Korea, rooted in music and living
1:30 legend along with a weverse version.
1:32 Even just from the names, it is clear
1:34 that Korean history, identity, and
1:36 legacy are central to this era and to
1:38 the story BTS wants to tell with this
1:39 release. The album [music] is set to be
1:41 released on March 20th, so make sure to
1:43 check it out when it comes out. Lately,
1:45 attention has shifted to former New
1:47 Jeans member Danielle and the growing
1:49 talk about where she might end up next,
1:50 especially after Whisper started
1:52 spreading that she could be preparing to
1:54 debut again, this time under the Black
1:56 Label. Ever since Ador ended her
1:57 contract and move forward with a
1:59 lawsuit, her future has been one of the
2:01 biggest question marks for fans and the
2:03 industry alike. Many wondered if she
2:04 would step away from the spotlight
2:07 altogether or keep chasing her dream of
2:08 being an artist, even with a massive
2:10 lawsuit hanging over her head. However,
2:12 based on recent moves, it looks like she
2:14 is choosing to keep going. One of the
2:16 clearest signs came when Danielle
2:17 quietly opened her own personal
2:19 Instagram account, which was a way to
2:21 stay connected with fans and eventually
2:23 share updates once court proceedings
2:25 begin, including her own perspective on
2:27 everything that has happened. Despite
2:29 being discovered only days earlier, the
2:30 account quickly attracted close to 1
2:32 million followers. And what really
2:34 caught people's attention was the people
2:36 who followed her. Among them were major
2:37 figures like Japanese contemporary
2:40 artists Takashi Murakami, former Kiss of
2:41 Life creative director Lee Hayne,
2:43 actress Semi, and even public relations
2:45 managers from luxury brands such as
2:47 Selene and Omega along with many other
2:50 recognizable names. However, one name
2:51 that got people's attention is Danny
2:53 Chung. He is a creative director and
2:55 composer currently working with the
2:56 Black Label, known for tracks like
2:58 Sodapop and Your Idol, and he was also
3:00 the speaking and singing voice behind
3:02 Baby Saja in the movie K-pop Demon
3:04 Hunters. His involvement immediately
3:06 reignited speculation that Danielle
3:08 could be in talks with the company,
3:10 possibly even preparing for a future
3:12 debut in one of their groups. The rumors
3:14 only gained more traction when Mars, a
3:16 former Dream Academy contestant who has
3:18 also been linked to the Black Label
3:20 through previous speculation, followed
3:22 Danielle. That single follow led people
3:23 to start imagining the two debuting
3:25 together, potentially in a global group
3:28 similar to Cat's Eye. Reactions were all
3:29 over the place. Some people treated the
3:31 rumors lightly, joking about dream
3:34 lineups and even saying Danielle Maris,
3:36 former ISNA member Giun and Yongo should
3:38 all end up in one group together. Others
3:40 took a more hostile approach, using the
3:41 speculation to attack Danielle and
3:43 accuse her of lying about trying her
3:45 hardest to stay with her former group,
3:47 claiming she must have already had plans
3:49 elsewhere. There were also those who
3:51 completely rejected the rumors, arguing
3:53 that after everything Danielle has been
3:54 through, it makes no sense to assume she
3:56 would immediately sign with another
3:58 company. They explained Danielle was
4:00 forced out of a group that she and her
4:01 members spent the last two years
4:03 fighting for. She's not joining another
4:06 idol agency, let alone a new idol group.
4:08 No matter how people feel about it, it's
4:09 important to keep in mind that all of
4:11 this is still just speculation. And
4:13 unless Danielle or the black label
4:14 address it directly with official
4:16 statements, none of it should be taken
4:18 as fact. Before we dive into more
4:20 updates, make sure to subscribe to the
4:22 channel and turn on notifications so you
4:24 don't miss any new videos. Next, there
4:26 is the update about All Day Projects
4:28 Annie going on hiatus to focus on her
4:30 education. On January 14th, the Black
4:32 Label released a statement confirming
4:33 that Annie would be stepping back from
4:35 group activities this month so she could
4:37 concentrate on finishing the spring
4:39 semester, which runs until May. The
4:40 company explained that she will be
4:42 staying in New York for several months
4:44 to fully focus on campus life, though
4:46 she is still expected to take part in
4:48 some overseas schedules, including fan
4:50 sign events during this period. In the
4:52 meantime, All Day Project will continue
4:53 promoting through the other members who
4:55 will be focusing on individual
4:57 activities while Annie is away. Later
4:59 that same day, Annie addressed fans
5:00 directly through a fan communication
5:02 platform. She shared that she originally
5:04 planned to explain the hiatus herself,
5:06 but was caught off guard when news
5:08 articles were released so quickly. Annie
5:09 explained that she had been informed
5:11 early last year that extending her leave
5:14 of absence was no longer possible, which
5:15 led her to discuss her options with both
5:17 [music] the company and the members
5:19 before coming to a decision. She also
5:21 reassured fans that she only has one
5:23 semester left before graduating since
5:24 she had already earned many of her
5:26 credits in advance, asking fans to wait
5:28 for her. Annie promised to prioritize
5:30 her studies while also working on new
5:32 music in the US and keeping fans updated
5:34 regularly. [music] The announcement
5:36 immediately sparked heavy debate with
5:38 people firmly split on how they felt
5:40 about it. A lot of the conversation
5:42 centered on privilege. On one side, some
5:44 argued that this should be normal, that
5:45 idols should be allowed to prioritize
5:46 their own growth and personal
5:48 fulfillment instead of always putting
5:50 the group first, which often really
5:52 means prioritizing the company's
5:53 financial interests. From that
5:55 perspective, Annie's decision was seen
5:57 as a healthy choice, especially in an
5:59 industry where dropping out of school is
6:01 usually treated as [music] standard. At
6:02 the same time, the larger part of the
6:04 discussion focused on the reality of
6:06 privilege. While many agree that idols
6:08 being able to pause their careers for
6:10 education should be normal, people
6:11 pointed out that Annie's situation is
6:13 clearly an exception rather than the
6:15 rule. Not many idols are in a position
6:17 where they can step away without serious
6:19 consequences. And it's hard to ignore
6:21 that she is one of the few who can
6:22 actually afford to take time off to
6:24 focus on school. As one user put it,
6:26 "The average idol will be convinced to
6:28 drop out of middle and high school and
6:30 apologize for taking a day off because
6:32 both companies and fans will torture
6:33 them about anything that means not being
6:35 focused on their work." What's your take
6:37 on this? Now, moving on to the lawsuits,
6:39 starting with Attract's recent court
6:41 victory against The Givers and its CEO,
6:43 Anssungil. This case has been going on
6:46 for a long time, so a quick recap will
6:47 probably help put everything into
6:49 perspective. The conflict first exploded
6:52 about 2 years ago, right after 50/50
6:54 found massive success with Cupid. At the
6:56 height of that momentum, three of the
6:58 members filed an injunction asking the
6:59 court to suspend their exclusive
7:01 contracts [music] with Attract, a move
7:02 that completely shocked the industry.
7:04 Attract responded by claiming that the
7:06 situation was not organic and that
7:08 outside parties had interfered. The
7:11 agency accused Ansuniel, the CEO of The
7:13 Givers and the producer behind Cupid, of
7:14 trying to pull the members away and take
7:16 control of the group behind the [music]
7:18 scenes. Not long after, the court
7:19 dismissed the member's injunction
7:21 request, and Kina ended up being the
7:22 only member to return to Atract. [music]
7:25 She later revealed that Ansunil was the
7:26 one who suggested filing the injunction
7:28 in the first place and even instructed
7:30 the members to secretly leave their
7:32 dorms, which completely changed how the
7:34 public viewed the situation. Based on
7:36 Kina's testimony and additional
7:38 evidence, Attract officially filed a
7:40 damages lawsuit on December 18th of that
7:42 year. Fast forward to January 15th when
7:44 the Soul Central District Court ruled
7:46 that Ansun Gil and his associate
7:48 director Beck had violated their duties
7:50 as an outsourced production company
7:51 working for Attract. The court stated
7:53 that they attempted to deceive the
7:55 agency and engaged in professional
7:57 misconduct. Although Attract originally
8:00 sought around $1.37 million in damages,
8:02 the court ordered Ansungil and the
8:04 Givers to jointly pay approximately $341,000.
8:06 $341,000.
8:07 While the amount is much lower than what
8:09 Attract asked for, the ruling is still
8:11 seen as a significant turning point in a
8:13 dispute that has dragged on for more
8:15 than 2 years, many people were relieved
8:17 to see Ansungil face consequences, and
8:19 now attention is shifting to what comes
8:21 next as the broader legal battle
8:23 continues. Speaking of lawsuits and
8:25 court battles, January 15th was a busy
8:28 day in K-pop legal news. On that day,
8:29 the Soul Central District Court also
8:31 held the final hearing in the ongoing
8:33 case between Hib and former Ador CEO
8:35 Minhijene. This case involves two
8:37 lawsuits. Hype seeking confirmation of
8:39 the termination of the shareholder
8:41 agreement with Minhyene and her own suit
8:42 over payment for stock related to
8:45 exercising a put option. Lawyers from
8:46 both sides were present as the hearing
8:48 proceeded with Ador's team arguing that
8:50 Minhijun had been attempting to take
8:52 control of the subsidiary independently
8:54 with the goal of leaving Hive and taking
8:56 New Genes with her. They pointed out
8:57 that previous rulings, including the
9:00 provisional injunction last May, already
9:02 recognized this intent. Ador also cited
9:04 cacao talk messages and written
9:05 documents claiming Minhigene had
9:07 allegedly planned a coordinated PR and
9:09 legal campaign to damage hive, create
9:11 reasons for new genes to terminate their
9:14 contracts and seek investors to acquire
9:16 Ador shares. Actions they insisted went
9:18 beyond mere idol talk. Minhun's side
9:20 pushed back saying hib's audit in April
9:23 2024 was triggered by rumors alone and
9:25 that the supposed attack existed only in
9:27 messenger conversations. They denied
9:29 that any actual investor meetings or
9:31 proposals had taken place. arguing that
9:33 the claims were based on speculation.
9:35 Her lawyers urged the court not to be
9:36 swayed by what they described as
9:38 dramatized storytelling and to judge the
9:40 case objectively based primarily on the
9:42 messages themselves. The court is going
9:44 to deliver its final verdict on February
9:46 12th, raising anticipation for what's
9:48 going to happen next. What do you think
9:50 the outcome of this entire mess is going
9:52 to be? Don't hesitate to share your
9:54 thoughts in the comments, and thank you
