Wednesday, August 12, 2026

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Former CNBLUE member Lee Jonghyun has spoken out on social media for the first time in eight years, sharing updates on his current life and addressed long-standing rumors surrounding his departure from the group. 

On August 11, Lee Jonghyun posted a long message on his personal social media account, writing, "I want to share something I've been keeping to myself for a very long time."

Addressing his departure from the group back in 2019, Lee Jonghyun took full responsibility for his past actions, saying, "I was once a member of CNBLUE, but because of my careless behavior and immaturity, I left the band and spent the past eight years distancing myself from the world." He added, "I have always carried a heavy heart knowing that my actions caused the team and its members to face unwanted misunderstandings and criticism." He continued:

"Some fans may have thought that the members turned their backs on me, but that is absolutely not true. It hurts me to see the members were hurt in ways they never wanted because of this. Leaving the group was entirely my own decision and my own fault, and facing the consequences was my responsibility."

Speaking about his life away from the spotlight, Lee Jonghyun shared, "After leaving the entertainment industry, my personal life also went through various hardships." He revealed: 

"I started a family as well, but I am currently in the process of sorting things out so that we can each go our separate ways."

Despite these challenges, he expressed his desire to face his past mistakes, saying, "I want to face my past mistakes rather than avoid them. I want to step back into the world as a regular person."

Most importantly, Lee Jonghyun made it clear that he is not returning to the entertainment industry, writing:

"This post is by no means being written for the purpose of returning to the entertainment industry."

He explained, "I gathered the courage to write this post in order to prevent unverified rumors or misunderstandings concerning specific brands and business maters related to my current job as a non-celebrity." He added, "I would like to offer my sincere apologies and gratitude to the CNBLUE members, who have suffered from unnecessary misunderstandings for a long time."

Meanwhile, Lee Jonghyun originally debuted in 2010 as a member of the four-member band CNBLUE and gained popularity with hit songs such as 'I'm a Loner' and 'Love Light,' while also pursuing acting projects. 

However, in 2019, he voluntarily left the group after becoming embroiled in a major controversy surrounding a group chat linked to the distribution of illegally filmed material, alongside public backlash when it was revealed that he had sent inappropriate private messages to a female BJ. 

Former CNBLUE Member Lee Jonghyun Reveals He Started a Family After Leaving Entertainment Industry

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

Monday, August 3, 2026

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Girls' Generation's Choi Sooyoung shocked fans by revealing that she once ended up in the emergency room from overeating.

On the episode of JTBC's 'Please Take Care of My Refrigerator' that aired on the 2nd, Uhm Junghwa and Choi Sooyoung appeared as guest stars. 

During the broadcast, Sooyoung opened up about how far her love for food goes, saying, "Once I find something delicious, I just keep eating."

She shared, "At company dinners, I love having cold kimchi noodle soup with grilled meat. There was this one time where, when I was eating, I suddenly got a terrible headache. I was so full that it felt like the blood stopped flowing to my brain. I went to the emergency room, threw everything up, and only then did I finally felt better."

The studio panelists were completely shocked and asked, "You just kept eating even when you felt like that?" Sooyoung shocked them further by saying, "The thought that it tasted good is stronger than the feeling of being full." She added, "I really love eating. I just love delicious food so much."

Hearing her story, Chef Yoon Namno completely agreed with her experience, revealing, "I know exactly what that's like. I also throw up easily for that exact reason, and I've ended up in the emergency room once too. The food was just so incredibly delicious. I ate and drank about 1.1 kg of food and somaek (soju and beer). I was so full that I could barely breathe after that."

Girls' Generation Sooyoung Reveals How Her Love for Food Once Landed Her in the ER

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DAY6's Young K, who has long comforted listeners with songs of hope and healing, has taken off his mask to stand before the microphone simply as Kang Younghyun. As he described it himself, his second full-length solo album, 'YOUNGEST,' is 'the most Young K-like album' he has ever made. 

Talking about how the album started, Young K said, "I went to the company with nothing but the album title. I hadn't even decided how many songs to include. Over the past 10 years with DAY6, I have given everything I had, so I have no regrets. Now, I want to figure out who Kang Younghyun really is."

The title track, 'Shut The Door' delivers a direct warning over an upbeat synth-pop sound, capturing his raw feelings:

"Here we go again, you're dying to tear me down. You're so desperate, but why? The friends I trusted are talking behind my back again. They say sincerity gets through, but why?"

 

Young K admitted that the lyrics were inspired by his own painful experience. He shared, "I always knew being 'Young K' could become something that people I know would gossip about. Even so, finding out about it still hurt a lot. So I played this song and showed the lyrics to those friends. They broke down in tears and apologized to me. We have since made up, and we are back on good terms."

To the public, Young K is known for being cheerful, witty, and full of humor. However, Kang Younghyun opened up about being much more sensitive and emotionally delicate behind the scenes.

"I'm actually lonelier and more fragile than people think. I get hurt easily, but I spent a long time pretending those feelings weren't there. I also tried hard not to admit my shortcomings. After spending about 16 years, including my trainee days, focusing entirely on becoming 'Young K,' I realized that my true self is still young and inexperienced."

That period of deep self-reflection is expressed through the album's 15 tracks. Through the music and lyrics, Young K poured out everything he wanted to say without holding back. At the same time, just like DAY6's music, he made sure fans could relate.

"Even though this album is about my own life, I intentionally left room in the songs so that fans can fill them with their own stories."

 

Starting out as a student with nothing more than the simple dream of becoming a star, Kang Younghyun has grown over a decade later into one of K-pop's top singer-songwriters. In many ways, 'YOUNGEST' feels like an honest diary entry, one that offers comfort to the younger version of himself, whose emotional growth was still trying to catch up with Young K's remarkable success. 

Looking back on his journey, he shared, "There were times in this industry when I couldn't say what I really wanted to say, and times when I had to force myself to smile even though I didn't want to. But thah happens to everyone in life. You can't always say what's on your mind. While working on this album, opening up my inner self felt embarrassing and uncomfortable at first, but in the end, it ultimately helped me see who I really am."

DAY6's Young K Shares the True Story Behind 'YOUNGEST'

Friday, July 31, 2026

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Girls' Generation's Yuri is officially leaving SM Entertainment after 19 years together.

On July 31, SM Entertainment released an official statement confirming the news, saying, "After long discussions with Kwon Yuri, we have mutually agreed to conclude our 19-year partnership as of August 31."

Looking back on her time with the company, SM Entertainment continued, "Since Kwon Yuri debuted as a member of Girls' Generation in 2007, she has helped lead the global K-pop wave. She grew into a member of one of the defining groups of an era, and shone as an actress. It has been a privilege for SM Entertainment to be part of every step of that journey. We sincerely thank Kwon Yuri for her remarkable achievements as an all-around artist."

To reassure fans about group activities, SM Entertainment clearly stated, "Although her exclusive contract with the company is coming to an end, she will continue promoting as a member of Girls' Generation. We fully support Kwon Yuri as she starts this new chapter in her career."

Yuri debuted with Girls' Generation back in 2007, quickly rising to the top of the K-pop industry with legendary hit songs like 'Into the New World' and 'Genie.'

On top of her music career, she has built a successful acting career, appearing in dramas including 'Fashion King,' 'Innocent Defendant,' 'Bossam: Steal the Fate,' 'Good Job,' 'Parole Examiner Lee,' as well as films such as 'No Breathing,' 'Dolphin,' and 'Somebody.' She even proved her talent live on stage in the play 'The Student and Mister Henri.'

Girls' Generation's Yuri to Leave SM Entertainment After 19 Years