Friday, June 19, 2026

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ILLIT's Moka has announced another temporary hiatus shortly after her return due to worsening health conditions.

On the 19th, MyDaily reported that ILLIT's agency BELIFT LAB stated through an official notice:

"Moka has been undergoing treatment and recovery due to excessive tension and symptoms of anxiety since the preparation process for the group's 4th mini-album."

The agency added, "It has been determined that she needs a more stable period of rest for a full recovery. Therefore, she will halt all activities for the time being and concentrate entirely to restore her health."

The news is especially heartbreaking as it comes right after Moka's strong determination to continue performing. Previously, on April 20, Moka temporarily halted activities after receiving medical advice that she needed treatment and rest due to sudden health issue. As a result, ILLIT carried out all promotions for their 4th mini-album 'MAMIHLAPINATAPAI' as a four-member group without her.

However, Moka's desire to meet fans was so strong that she resumed activities roughly one month later at the end of May. She briefly participated in full-group promotions, including stages during the final week of the music show appearances. The agency explained:

"Due to Moka's strong will to meet fans, she participated in some of the final week's music shows. However, after careful discussions, we decided once again to prioritize her well-being above anything else and allow her to rest."

As a result of the agency's decision, ILLIT will once again enter an emergency operating mode shortly after their comeback stage activities concluded. BELIFT LAB stated:

"We are deeply sorry to share this news with the fans who have been waiting. Moka also feels a great sense of disappointment. ILLIT will continue activities as a four-member group for the time being."

The agency also added, "We will spare no effort in providing all necessary support for Moka's recovery and stability so that she can regain her health and stand before fans again."

ILLIT's Moka halts activities again after shedding tears on stage

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SECRET's Jeon Hyosung has personally revealed the story behind recruiting their new member, Yebin.

On the 18th, Jeon Hyosung, Zinger, and Yebin appeared as guests on the Youtube channel 'Grade A Jang Youngran,' where they talked about SECRET's newly formed lineup.

Ilgan Sports reported that in this video, Yebin introduced herself by saying, "I was born in 2002. I'm 25 years old." Hearing this, host Jang Youngran was surprised. It was revealed that Jeon Hyosung (born in 1989) and Zinger (born in1990) are 13 and 12 years older than Yebin, respectively.

When Jeon Hyosung mentioned, "We have a 13-year age gap," Jang Youngran jokingly replied, "Good job. You need younger members so the group's average age goes down." Regarding how she joined SECRET, Yebin stated:

"I previously participated on a JTBC vocal survival show. The team I was preparing to debut with fell apart, but Hyosung Unnie looked upon me favorably."

In response, Jeon Hyosung shared the reason why she personally recommended Yebin, saying:

"I also experienced having my debut plans fell through before I debuted with SECRET."

She added, "I wondered if there might be someone with a story that's similar to mine. That's when I watched 'Girls on Fire.'" She continued:

"After hearing that the group's debut plans had fallen through, I looked into the contestants, and Yebin caught my eye. I strongly recommended her to our talent development team. I told them, 'I think this girl is talented.'"

Meanwhile, SECRET has been reorganized into a three-member group consisting of Jeon Hyosung, Zinger, and Yebin. They announced their fresh start by releasing a special mini-album, 'SECRET FLAVOR,' on the 18th.

Jeon Hyosung reveals why SECRET recruited their new maknae: "Yebin's debut plans fell through ... She caught my eyes"

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On the 18th, rapper Dok2 opened up about his longtime admiration for his girlfriend Lee Hi and the journey of how their relationship developed over the years in the episode of 'Home Room Show' released on Youtube.

TV Daily reported that in this episode, Dok2 recalled:

"We first met around 2014 or 2015 through mutual acquaintances. We've known each other for quite a long time. We grew closer while working on music together and almost ended up dating back then. At the time, I wasn't in good health, but I didn't tell Lee Hi about it."

Dok2 explained that he later moved to Los Angeles and due to COVID-19 pandemic, the two naturally drifted apart. He also revealed that around 2017 or 2018, when Lee Hi was signed to YG Entertainment, he had attempted to recruit her to his own label, but the plan fell trhough because of his health issue.

In particular, Dok2 drew attention by confessing that he had been a fan of Lee Hi's music for a long time. He shared:

"I've been a huge fan of Lee Hi since she debuted. I used to go around asking people, 'Do you know Lee Hi?' I've always wanted to make music with her someday. That's how our connection kept going."

As time passed, the two grew close again after meeting through a performance in London. Dok2 recalled, "We started getting back in touch after the concert, and things just flowed naturally." He also spoke about the challenges they faced due to their different circumstances, saying:

"I'm 36 and she's 29. I was living in LA, while she was in Korea. We had to make some important decisions. During that process, I came up with the idea that we should work on music together."

Currently, the couple co-founded 808 HI RECORDINGS and are active as musical partners. In March, they publicly showcased their affection for one another by releasing their collaboration single, 'You & Me.'

Dok2: "I've been a huge fan of Lee Hi since her debut" ... The fruit of a long-time crush

Thursday, June 18, 2026

An individual identified as A, who is active as both an actor and a Youtuber, has been booked by police and is under investigation for driving under the influence.

According to a legal and police sources via TV Daily on the 17th, the Seoul Songpa Police Station is currently investigating A on charges of violating the Road Traffic Act.

A is accused of driving his car after drinking alcohol at a bar in Garak-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, on the 15th. When police caught him, his blood alcohol level was high enough to get his driver's license suspended.

This incident came to light after the bar reported a dine-and-dash case. Police responded to a report that 'a customer left without paying for his drinks and food and drove away,' which led them to catch A.

Regarding the unpaid bill, A explained that he 'simply forgot to pay for the meal.' It is reported that after being caught, he returned to the bar and paid the full amount he owed.

A police official stated, "We are currently investigating the exact details of the cast, focusing on the drunk driving allegation."

'DUI after leaving bar without paying' ... Police book actor-Youtuber A for drunk driving

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The formal process of tracking down the individuals responsible for posting malicious content about IVE's Jang Wonyoung has officially begun.

On the 18th, Sports DongA reported that Starship Entertainment announced they are continuing strong legal action against anyone who has posted malicious content and spread false information about Jang Wonyoung. The agency stated:

"According to a recent update from the investigative authorities, investigations are currently underway to identify the suspects and secure evidence."

Specifically, the authorities are currently working to obtain user information from domestic platforms where a lot of the malicious content was shared, like DC Inside and Naver Blogs. For users on overseas platforms like X (formerly Twitter), they are using international legal channels to identify the authors and obtain relevant data.

Starship Entertainment explained that they have been continuously collecting evidence through their own monitoring and reports from fans. The company emphasized that they are taking every possible legal measures, including criminal complaints and civil lawsuits for damages, against actions that violate their artists' rights, such as defamation, insults, spreading false information, sexual harassment, and invasion of privacy. They also stressed:

"Even if the posts are deleted, the accounts are deactivated or switched to private, we intent to hold those responsible accountable to the very end using the evidence we have already secured."

Malicious cyberattacks targeting Jang Wonyoung have been a problem for a long time. Starship Entertainment has consistently fought back against the spread of false information and defamation, most notably winning the legal battle against the notorious cyber-wrecker Youtube channel, Sojang.

By taking legal action through a U.S. court, Starship Entertainment succeeded in identifying the anonymous channel owner who was hiding behind overseas servers, and also won the related lawsuits. The case began in 2022 and ended in January of this year when the channel owner's guilty verdict became final.

At the time, Starship Entertainment stated, "We will continue to take strong legal action against all illegal activities targeting our artists, including the spread of false information, malicious slander, defamation, and violations of personality rights, without any leniency or settlements."

Malicious rumors targeting Jang Wonyoung are being pursued to the very end ... Starship: "International cooperation is underway"

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A person identified as A, who created and distributed deepfake content targeting Aespa, has been sentenced to prison.

According to SM Entertainment via Newsis on the 18th, the 1st Criminal Devision of the Daegu High Court sentenced A to 2 years and 6 months in prison for producing deepfake videos featuring Aespa members Karina and Winter and selling them for profit.

Along with the prison term, the court also ordered A to complete 80 hours of sexual violence treatment education and imposed a 7-year employment restriction at institutions related to children and adolescents.

Regarding the ruling, SM Entertainment stated, "We are closely monitoring major domestic and international platforms alongside reports submitted by fans. As we mentioned in our previous notice, meaningful results continue to be achieved in deepfake-related cases, including this one."

They explained, "We are also continuously filing criminal complaints with investigative authorities against individuals who post malicious content and comments about our artists, on charges including violations of the Sexual Violence Punishment Act, the Information and Communications Network Act, and the Basic Telecommunications Act." They also emphasized:

"We will respond firmly without any leniency or settlements."

Meanwhile, Aespa released their second full-length album, 'LEMONADE,' last month.

Distributor of Aespa's deepfakes sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison ... SM Entertainment: "No leniency"

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According to TenAsia, Super Junior's Ryeowook shared a story about how he successfully lost 10kg in just two months prior to his debut in the web variety show 'Deokbabjib Store No.2' on the 16th.

When asked, "What is a memorable food that brings back emotional memories from your rookie days?" Ryeowook instantly replied, "Soybean paste stew." He recalled:

"I got into the company solely based on my singing skills. I ate whatever I wanted. I didn't really know anything about being a trainee or how to manage my weight."

He continued, "I kept eating tteokbokki, sweet and sour pork, and jjajangmyeon like I always did before I joined the company. Everyone there was so skinny." He explained, "Our current CEO was Super Junior's manager at the time," before adding:

"One day, he suddenly told me, 'Ryeowook, from today on, let's only eat soybean paste stew.' While everyone else was eating jjajangmyeon, I was the only one eating soybean paste stew. Eventually, I got so sick of it that I barely wanted to eat. That's how I lost weight."

Hearing this, Changmin asked, "How long did you eat soybean paste stew back then?" Ryeowook replied:

"Maybe I lived like that for about a month or two? I entered SM Entertainment in September and debuted in November. I probably lost about 8 to 10kg then. You don't need Mounjaro. Don't do stuff like that. Just eat like I did."

Previously, Ryeowook appeared on another show and revealed old photos showing a very different appearance. At the time, he confessed, "I was really chubby when I was younger. I used to weigh around 82kg." He also explained that he lost 22kg in just 30 days prior to his debut.

Meanwhile, according to his official profile, Ryeowook is known to consistently maintain a weight of 58kg at a height of 172cm. 

Ryeowook shares how he lost 10kg in 2 months with one-food diet: "Don't use Mounjaro"

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StarNews reported that on the 18th, Tiffany shared photos of a coffee truck that Byun Yohan had sent to the cast and staff members of the musical 'Yumi's Cells.'

The coffee truck featured Tiffany's poster from 'Yumi's Cells' along with a message that read:

"Please enjoy. Please take good care of our actress Tiffany Young."

Another message read:

"Bokja's family is cheering on actress Tiffany Young and all the cast and staff members of the musical 'Yumi's Cells.'"

Touched by her husband's heartfelt support, Tiffany responded with a heart emoji.

Meanwhile, Tiffany and Byun Yohan became legally married after registering their marriage in February. They have not held a wedding ceremony yet. Previously, agencies from both sides stated:

"No specific date or venue has been decided yet. They are carefully considering a simple, small-scale wedding with family members to express their gratitude."

Tiffany is currently starring in the musical 'Yumi's Cells,' which is scheduled to open on June 30th and run until August 23rd.

Tiffany responds to Byun Yohan's support with hearts♥: "Bokja's family is cheering you on"