Tuesday, August 11, 2026

Actor Kim Soohyun is set to make his official return to public activities.

On August 10, Gold Medalist confirmed, "Kim Soohyun will attend the RCTI 37th Anniversary Special Live 'Mahakarya RCTI 37,' which will be held in Jakarta, Indonesia, on the 23rd (local time) as a special guest."

'Mahakarya RCTI 37' is a special live event held by RCTI, Indonesia's largest private TV network, to mark its 37th anniversary. The four-hour event is a large-scale live show organized as part of a Hallyu collaboration project with Indonesia’s largest media group, MNC. The entire event will be broadcast live on TV and streamed on the streaming platform RCTI+.

During this event, Kim Soohyun is expected to participate in special performances and interviews alongside local Indonesian artists. This event is getting a lot of attention, as it will be Kim Soohyun's first public appearance after stepping away from entertainment activities following controversies surrounding his personal life.

Following his appearance in Jakarta, Kim Soohyun is set to meet more fans across Southeast Asia. The Philippine brand BENCH, which selected him as their brand ambassador even after the controversy, plans to host a fan meeting for roughly 20,000 fans at Manila's SM Mall of Asia Arena on October 2. As his overseas schedule resumes, everyone is keeping a close eye on when he will officially make his comeback in Korea.

His sudden break from the entertainment industry began when the family of the late Kim Saeron brought up accusations through the Youtube channel Garo Sero Research Institute. Kim Saeron's family claimed that she dated Kim Soohyun for six years starting when she was still a minor. They later filed a formal police report in May of last year. 

In response, Kim Soohyun's side confirmed that he dated Kim Saeron, but denied she was underage at the time. They also stated that the audio recordings shared by Kim Saeron's family were all generated using AI and took legal action against her family and Garo Sero Research Institute for defamation. 

The police ultimately dropped the case against Kim Soohyun due to a lack of evidence. Meanwhile, the person behind Garo Sero Research Institute, Kim Se-ui, was arrested on multiple charges including defamation and intimidation. This official police decision cleared Kim Soohyun of all legal issues.

Kim Soohyun to Make First Public Appearance in Jakarta After 16-Month Hiatus

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The kid who starred in 'Pinkfong Baby Shark Dance,' the most-viewed Youtube video in history, is returning to the spotlight to debut as a K-pop star.

On August 10, The Pinkfong Company announced that Park Geonroung will make his official K-pop debut under the stage name Baby Shark Boy. He will release his debut digital single, 'WAVE (feat. MONSTA X's Joohoney)' on August 20.

Now 17 years old, Park Geonroung personally participated in writing the lyrics for 'WAVE.' The song shares his excitement about returning to the public eye after ten years and his determination to take on new challenges.

Released back in 2016, the 'Pinkfong Baby Shark Dance' video has racked up more than 17 billion views. It has held the title of the world's most-viewed Youtube video for 69 months in a row. Last year, Park Geonroung made a surprise appearance in a short video celebrating the 10th anniversary of 'Baby Shark,' which quickly hit 22 million views and got fans wondering what he was up to.

Through his new single and music video, The Pinkfong Company plans to show Park Geonroung's story across different stages of his life. To give fans a deeper look at his journey, they will also release a special behind-the-scenes documentary titled 'WAVE: A Boy's Record,' which follows his growth right alongside the success of 'Baby Shark.'

Talking about his shift from a child star to a K-pop artist, Park Geonroung shared, "I've always been grateful that people still remember the video I appeared in as a child. Ten years ago, I danced next to Baby Shark, but now I wanted to share my own voice and stories I wrote myself." He added, "I'm really happy that I can share this new beginning with the people who have remembered me for such a long time."

‘Baby Shark’ Kid Park Geonroung to Make K-Pop Debut With MONSTA X’s Joohoney

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Former CNBLUE member Lee Jonghyun returned online to share an update on his life and new job after eight years away from social media.

On August 10, Lee Jonghyun posted a few photos along with a long message on his account. He wrote, "This is Lee Jonghyun. I left this account empty for eight years. My account was hacked, and I'm still waiting for my username and bio to be changed back." He continued:

"For several years, I hid away from the world. After that, I learned how to work and try to live again."

Opening up about life away from the entertainment industry, he revealed, "It's just a small thing, but for the past eight years, I've been working professionally in beauty marketing. I've genuinely come to enjoy it." He shared, "This is what my days look like these days: I have meetings, examine products, and think about how I can do things better."

Talking about what it's like to work a normal job, he admitted, "I leave home in the morning and come back at night," and added:

"I've come to realize how difficult it is to simply live an ordinary life and go to work. I think everyone is truly amazing."

He ended his post by expressing his intention to stay in touch, stating, "From now on, I want to communicate with people as Lee Jonghyun, the person. I hope you have a nice day." Along with the message, he posted pictures of himself working on a laptop in an office and enjoying a nighttime view of the city.

For context, Lee Jonghyun initially debuted as a member of CNBLUE in 2010 and was active in music and TV. In 2018, he enlisted for his mandatory military service as an active-duty soldier. However, he faced intense public criticism while he was serving due to a series of controversies.

In March 2019, he came under fire after being identified as a participant in a group chat involving singers Seungri and Jung Joonyoung, who were embroiled in a scandal centered on the illicit filming and distribution of illegal sexual videos. In August of the same year, he faced even more backlash when it was revealed that he sent inappropriate direct messages to BJ Park Minjung including comments such as "Your belly fat is so cute."

These back-to-back controversies ultimately led to his departure from CNBLUE. At the time, he released a statement saying, "I sincerely apologize to those who were hurt by my inappropriate words and actions, as well as those I disappointed. I feel ashamed and deeply sorry for letting down the fans who believed in me."

FNC Entertainment, his agency at the time, also apologized, stating, "We accept the public's criticism regarding his poor choices and values. He feels deep regret for his actions. As a public figure, he will be careful with all of his words and actions, and he will continue to reflect on his mistakes."

Former CNBLUE Member Lee Jonghyun Returns to Social Media After 8 Years