At midnight on November 24, Big Hit Music announced the release of Rap Monster 's first solo album! The series of posts featured the rapper posing in different outfits against a simple backdrop with the theme of Indigo (the album's title). The trailer for the album was released a week ago by Big Hit Music on their YouTube channel which featured the rapper enjoying various places including his trip to the California set " Four Aces " earlier this year. Big Hit Music also revealed that the promotion for the new solo album will include a small-scale concert of about 200 people for a 1-hour concert in Seoul. Audience members will be selected via a lottery system and the performance is scheduled to be on December 5 at 20:00 KST. Indigo is the first full-length album since RM 's mixtape Mono, a seven-track work plus a music video, done in 2018. The album is slated to be released on December 2 at 14:00 KST through Big Hit Music . Let us know if you're excited about this news!

Ex-Produce 101 and Wanna One's Park Ji Hoon does it again with superb acting in his new fall drama Weak Hero Class 1 ! The eight-episode webtoon-based series surprised many with themes of school bullying and child abandonment violently displayed on the screen as the drama is rated 19+. Park Ji Hoon commands the camera with his superb acting skills as a depressed high school student that just wants to finish high school and move on with his life. We give you three reasons why Park Ji Hoon's acting is worth watching! 1. Dark and menacing demeanor What sets this role from other past roles that he's done is the dark and menacing demeanor Yeon Shi Eun (his character) displays throughout the series. His "don't mess with me" look he gives to fellow his classmate and class bully, Jeon Young Bin ( Kim Su Gyeom Juvenile Justice 2021), is authentic! The anger we feel while watching this drama is unreal! We can really relate to what Ji Hoon's character is feeling! Every scene is a buildup of angst and anxiety until there is a fight. The fighting scenes had us cheering for the "good guys" as they take on the local thugs hired by Young Bin. 2. When can I graduate? We've all been there! Some of us had a great time in high school, others not so much. Ji Hoon's character, Shi Eun, is the epitome of the latter. Constantly getting bullied with no friends and only focusing on studying, he can't wait to get out of high school! Park Ji Hoon's deliverance of his disgust for his fellow classmates and the situation at school can only be elevated by the fact that his father is constantly away for work and has no idea his son is emotionally distressed. 3. Amazing supporting cast Although Park Ji Hoon's acting is superb, we can't discount the fact that the support roles in this drama are equally impressive. Many of the scenes that Ji Hoon's character actually show emotion when he is provoked by those around him. One of the scenes is when Shi Eun is getting bullied by a local gangster, Jeon Seok Dae ( Shin Seung Ho Alchemy of Souls 2022), but Seok Dae shows compassion stating, "This is just business." while controlling his emotions during the fight, makes us, the audience, really feel bad for his situation. He is being paid to beat up another kid unfairly, so his conscious is eating away at him since he takes pride in being a fighter. So what do you think about Park Ji Hoon's acting? Are you impressed? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Every able-bodied man in South Korea is required to enlist in the military, including K-pop stars since South Korea's still technically at war with the North. The first member of BTS to enlist will be Kim Seok Jin, also known as just Jin , who turns 30 in December. In this post, I'm going to show you how five K-pop idols look before and after their military service. 1. SHINee 's Minho Minho is a member of K-pop group "SHINee". From "Pinterest" The Republic of Korea Marine Corps recognized Choi as an "exemplary marine soldier" for forgoing early discharge to participate in defense drills. Choi completed his military service on November 15, 2020. From "Pinterest" He Talks About His Life In The Military, Friendship With TVXQ's ... He said: “I'm the type that likes a challenge. I knew it would be difficult, but since I had to go to the military anyway, I wanted to experience the challenge.” 2. SHINee's Key Key's full name is Kim Ki-bum. Key is a member of K-pop group "SHINee". From "Pinterest" Key enlisted for his mandatory military service back in March of 2019, and he served as part of the military band. He wrapped up his military service in October 2020. From "Pinterest" In his first interview since his military discharge with Cosmopolitan Korea , the 31-year-old singer when he was 30 he spoke candidly about his military experience. "It wasn't easy to adjust, but I had a good time," Key confessed. 3. INFINITE's Dongwoo INFINITE's second oldest member is a singer, rapper, and actor. He is the main rapper of the South Korean boy band Infinite and its sub-unit Infinite H. From "Pinterest" INFINITE's Dongwoo has enlisted in the military as an active-duty soldier From "Pinterest" On the day of Dongwoo’s enlistment, Sungjong posted a photo of themselves in the car, captioning the post, “Our second-eldest Dongwoo, come back safely.” 4. INFINITE's Sungyeol Lee Sung-yeol, commonly known as Sungyeol, is a South Korean singer and actor. He is a member of the South Korean boy band Infinite formed by Woollim Entertainment. He is also the leader of Infinite F. From "Pinterest" "Nine years have passed since I debuted as a member of Infinite, and met you (fans) in 2010," Sungyeol said in a hand-written letter posted on his social media account. "I'll come back after faithfully completing my service while cherishing the happy memories that I've made with you," - he said before the military. From "Pinterest" Following Sunggyu, he is the second INFINITE member to complete their service. Sungyeol joined the army on March 26, 2019, and after completing his basic military training, he was assigned to the 37th Division to continue his military service. During his service, he appeared in the military musical 'Return Home' with his group leader Sunggyu. 5-BTOB's Minhyuk Lee Min-hyuk, commonly known as Minhyuk or Huta is a South Korean singer, dancer, songwriter, rapper, and actor. He is a member of the South Korean boy band BTOB . From " Pinterest " K-pop boy band BTOB member Minhyuk completed his military service in 2019 he was enlisted on February 7. From " Pinterest " Minhyuk is the third member of BTOB to finish military service. Before his enlistment, he released his debut solo album “Hutazone” in January 2019. “2020.9.12. It’s been a long time but I don’t know if you’ve been well,” Minhyuk wrote on Instagram upon discharge. What do you think Jin will look like? Do you like the second part of this post? Let us know in the comments!

The much anticipated Song Joong Ki drama Reborn Rich premiered on November 18 and lived up to its hype as it delivered a thrilling and strong on-screen performance by the veteran actor! The first episode catapulted to first in nationwide viewership at 6.058% (Nielsen Korea). Read on to find out why! Filled with devious characters at every turn, Yoon Hyun Woo ( Song Joong Ki ) works as a Senior Manager for the Future Asset Management Department at the Soonyang Group, a conglomerate. Following orders and pleasing the upper management is what he does best. When he comes across a document given to him by a lower-level employee, he finds out that a secret slush fund has been kept overseas through a paper company. He brings up the matter with his boss and in turn, takes over his immediate supervisor's position as the new Senior Finance Manager of the Planning and Coordination Department. Hyun Woo is sent to retrieve the company's assets overseas but runs into trouble with the locals who in turn kill him. Before he dies, we find out interestingly who was behind the order to kill Hyun Woo. Hyun Woo is then reborn as Jin Do Joon, the family's youngest son. Song Joong Ki is must-watch tv! There is a very good reason why Song Joong Ki was cast for this amazing role! He takes command of every scene he is in and shows his veteran experience as we kept our eyes glued to the screen! The end of the first episode showed a glimpse of the action and drama that will take place in future episodes! We can't wait! Check out the trailer for episode 1! Have you seen it yet? Let us know your thoughts below!

After four long years since the Russian World Cup in 2018, this year's World Cup opening ceremony in Qatar kicked off with a bang as Jungkook headlined the opening act with Fahad Al Kubaisi, a Qatari singer. Check out the whole performance! The stage was covered with amazing dancers and lighting as Jungkook charmed viewers around the world with his amazing soft vocals! It was great seeing Jungkook having the time of his life in front of a different audience who might not know too much about K-pop. This year's World Cup opening ceremony shattered all viewership records as at least 5 billion viewers were glued to their television sets! (Reuters) Did you watch the opening ceremony? What are your thoughts about K-pop crossing over into other realms of entertainment such as sports?

Last night, on November 18, the girl group Mamamoo kicked off their previously announced World Tour “MY:CON” with their first date in Seoul. With a concert of some solid 3 hours, numerous performances, solo stages, and even covers, they fired up the stage and gave their fans a night they will never forget! The quartet performed a total of 35 songs and in complete Mamamoo style, they surprised the audience by covering each other's solo songs by performing not 1, not 2, but 5 encore songs! Needless to say, they brought the visuals, the dance skills, and the amazing vocals, which they are known and popular for. We can easily say they proved to the public they have earned the title of "Vocal Queens" and might I say, "Queens" in general. Here are some clips from last night's concert: What do you think? Would you go to a Mammoo concert? Do you have a concert you've been to that is memorable to you?

Hot after a successful " Yet To Come in Busan " international concert, BTS ' Jung Kook will be taking the stage again at the FIFA World Cup 2022 opening ceremony in Qatar! On November 12, BTS announced that Jung Kook will be performing in the opening ceremony as well as featured on the official FIFA World Cup soundtrack! This is what they said! Other performers reported to be involved in the opening ceremony include Shakira , the Black Eyed Peas , Robbie Williams , and Nora Fatehi . Don't forget to check out our special edition K-pop Idol World Cup bracket on both our social media and website! Check our YouTube video for more details on the tournament! Vote for your favorite idol each day and see who wins it all!

Disney+ 's new teen revenge thriller Revenge of Others ( 3인칭 복수 3inching Bogsu ) starring Shin Ye Eun ( More Than Friends 2020) and Lomon ( All of Us Are Dead 2022 , All of Us Are Dead 2 2023 ) provides a gripping, edge-of-your-seat, violent performance! Here's why you needed to be watching this action-packed, butt-kicking drama! Revenge of Others tells the story of a 19-year-old high school senior, Ok Chan Mi ( Shin Ye Eun ) who has an identical twin brother that dies while talking to her via video chat. The police close the case as a "suicide", but Chan Mi doesn't believe them. She decides to transfer to Yong Tak High School in Seoul to find out the killer and the truth. Meanwhile, Chan Mi gets involved with Ji Soo Heon ( Lomon ), a popular student that has a secret that only she finds out while tailing him one day. Chan Mi believes that Soo Heon is somehow involved with her brother's death and gets close to him to get to the truth. We find out in the second episode that Soo Heon is not the person everyone thinks. He vows to take revenge on the school's bullies on behalf of the victims in the most violent way! Why you should watch If you're into dark revenge thrillers with a lot of action, Revenge of Others is perfect for you! Although this does involve a lot of high school themes in South Korea such as teen pregnancy and bullying , it does have a lot of adult/more mature situations that most people can relate to. Throw in some violent and action scenes and you got yourself an entertaining high school drama! The acting is superb and the relationships between the characters are believable and the situations they are put in are understandable. Revenge of Others is a 12-episode drama that premiered on November 9 is now streaming on Disney+. New episodes will drop every Wednesday at 17:00 KST ! Let us know if you have seen this drama! Would you recommend it? Share your thoughts!

The webtoon fantasy-inspired drama The Golden Spoon that premiered on MBC TV on September 23 capped off an unexpected thrilling finale on November 12! The fantasy-romance drama featuring Yook Sung Jae from K-pop boy group BtoB shocked viewers with a shocking ending! Here's our take on the surprising ending that has everyone talking! **Spoiler Alert! The Golden Spoon Ending The final episode brought much-needed closure but also left the door wide open to the viewer's interpretation. Towards the end of the episode, we see Lee Seung Cheon ( Yook Sung Jae ) back at Hwang Tae Yong's ( Lee Jong Won ) house after being released from the murder charges set upon him by Hwang Hyeon Do. The housemaid prepares a poisonous drink disguised as orange juice for him in the middle of packing. The next scene shows Seo Young Sin entering Tae Yong's room with blood all over the floor and a dead "Tae Yong" as she alerts the rest of the house. Na Ju Hee ( Jung Chae Yeon ), who has been waiting outside for Seung Cheon rushes into the house and is shocked to find out what happened. The next scene is set three years in the future where everyone is settling into their new lives and almost forgetting about what happened three years earlier. Seung Cheon's sister has married Jang Mun Ki (Tae Yong's assistant) and Oh Yeo Jin ( Yeon Woo ) is also married to Park Jang Gun and has a newborn. Hwang Hyeon Do has also been released from prison after serving his time but is wheeled out in a wheelchair. It seems that he has been fed the same paralytic that killed Seung Cheon by Young Sin who wants to make him suffer. She tells him that Seo Jun Tae was actually his son and we see the shock in Hyeon Do's eyes. Meanwhile, Ju Hee is given the assignment to interview a gardener who teaches children how to invest in stocks. The search for this gardener brings Ju Hee to the beach where she meets none other than Seung Cheon! It is revealed in the next scene that before Seung Cheon was able to drink the orange juice given to him by the housemaid, the gardener was at the house at the same time eating his third meal with the golden spoon which made him the new Hwang Tae Yong and therefore passes away. Seung Cheon becomes the gardener and walks out of the house with no memory of anything that happened before. As Ju Hee meets the new Seung Cheon, she has a vague feeling of knowing him and has a stir of feelings although she doesn't know why. Our thoughts on the ending Although there was closure in the last episode, we felt that the identity changes between the characters often made us confused. Many times, we had to pause the episode and really think about who is the "real" character and whose body was "borrowed". It also made us realize how difficult it must have been for the actors to play these multiple roles! Check out this behind-the-scenes video for episode 16! Let us know if this ending had you scratching your head or rewinding it to watch it again! Let us know your theory in the comments below! We would love to hear from you!

Moving to South Korea from the United States over eight years ago has made me realize some cultural differences that I am still adjusting to. Maybe these differences are just what one grows up with and I will probably never get used to them. Here are five quirky things/situations Koreans do that foreigners, like myself, will don't understand! 1. COVID fist bump/handshake. Ever since COVID-19 hit South Korea, many social interactions have changed. Koreans already never touch each other, unless they are close friends or lovers. I thought that it was normal to not really touch a stranger and just bow, but like everything else in South Korea, Koreans tend to change pretty quickly. Many older Koreans tend to shake hands, especially if you're a foreigner. Attending my weekly Sunday church service, I've always bumped into the same ahjussi (middle-aged gentleman) but let me tell you, we've always had differences in how to greet each other. Sometimes, it seems like he wants to give me a fist bump, sometimes I think he wants to shake hands, and maybe sometimes, he wants to give me an elbow bump. Needless to say, I get so confused since COVID hit. Koreans tend not to touch each other, especially shaking hands, so I just assumed bowing was the way to go! So the awkwardness continues to this day! How do you greet each other after COVID? 2. Last food on the table and everyone just leaves it. In many East Asian cultures, when eating in a group, sharing food is very common. Therefore whenever there is just one little morsel still left on the plate or numerous plates, people often get a little antsy. You see, being the last person to eat the last morsel often depicts that person as selfish or not caring about the group. So, many people just leave the last food item on the plate when they leave or feel guilty when they ask the whole table if they can have the last piece. You can just feel the eyes burning into you as you pick up the last food haha! Just joking! Depends on who you're really eating with, but most Koreans usually leave the last item on the plate and leave. What do you think about this culture? Would you be the person to eat the last piece? 3. Using toilet paper for wiping your mouth at the restaurant! Now, this takes a little getting used to! Toilet paper on the roll in a restaurant? No way! I'd rather just bring my own pocket tissues! But in Korea, if you're at a cheaper restaurant such as a tteokbokki or gimbap restaurant, you'll see rolls of toilet paper attached to the side of the walls! Instead of napkins, like in the west, you're expected to wipe your mouth with these rolls. Granted that these rolls of toilet paper are clean, the thought of it just being toilet paper irked me quiet a bit when I first arrived. I've grown accustomed to this now, but what about you? Would it freak you out a little? 4. Weird Konglish words. Konglish is a combination of Korean and English/foreign words. Koreans love their Konglish and it is widely accepted in Korea these days. Here are some Konglish words you might know from either K-dramas or K-pop songs: fighting - to cheer up service - on the house; something for free hunting - picking up the opposite sex at a club or bar Now that you have a better understanding of what Konglish is, let me tell you a little story of how I just wanted to go to a chicken restaurant and order some chicken to go. I told the cashier, "포장해 주세요." which means "I would like this to go." The cashier, in turn, asks me, "Take out?", in English...It's the same meaning! So why would she ask me that?? Granted that many young Koreans often mix English and Korean words together so they themselves might be confused, but I noticed that I wasn't the only person she said this to, she asked the same question to the other people behind me as well! 5. CCTVs are everywhere! There's a reason why South Korea is one of the safest countries in the world. CCTV cameras are literally everywhere! Koreans are so afraid of them that it forces them to be very wary of everyone in public. Not saying that everyone is suspicious of anyone they come across, but let's just say, there are a lot of trust issues involved. But this doesn't deter from the fact that you can leave your wallet and cell phone on the table, in plain sight, and they will still be there when you come back 2 hours later! What do you think about these quirky habits/situations? Have you encountered any of these while you were in Korea? If you've never been to Korea, how would you react? Let us know!

Yes, traveling is fun and memorable when you're in the company of other people, but what if we told you it can be just as memorable and fun when you're alone? South Korea is a wonderful destination, and although it is known to be very romantic , it has a lot to offer to solo travelers as well! So, if you've been thinking of coming here for a while but don't have anybody to go with, keep reading and find out 5 things to do in Korea this year that will leave you with no time to be bored! 1. Take a Trip to Nami Island Nami Island is a beautiful little island in the north of Seoul that offers beautiful trees, woodland, riverside walks, and much more. It has some amazing must-see scenery year round. Whether you are going in the spring and want to witness some cherry blossoms or you are going in the autumn to see the fall foliage, do not skip on this little island that has it all! Don't forget to take some amazing pictures for your Instagram ! Alternatively, you can also take a trip to Alpaca World or to the DMZ ! 2. Try THESE cafés! We all know Korea is the homeland of pretty and unique cafés (really, it has it all, like a Harry Potter-themed café and a café hidden behind a fridge!), so nothing new there. What you might not know is that there are cafés about simplicity and good coffee. This year try one of the many cafés that offer activities and entertainment other than just drinks. You can start by writing a letter to your future self at this Vegan café that will later mail it to you on your desired date. Or maybe you can try painting, drawing, or even pottery! Worth mentioning are also PC Bangs , where you can play games and eat or drink at the same time! Finally, if you are a K -pop or anime fiend, there are spots for you too, where you can find people that share the same passions as you! 3. Rent a bike Korea is a very green country, with some breathtaking scenery . So why not make the most of it and explore the city by bike? In recent years it has become increasingly easier to rent bikes (especially in the bigger cities) for a very cheap price. That makes it so much easier and more convenient to explore the city compared to walking everywhere! And you can enjoy the scenery better as opposed to taking the bus or the train. So today, why don't you just rent a bike, go to a park and let the road take you wherever it wants to take you? We promise you won't regret it! 4. Busking in Hongdae Okay, so this might be more of a Seoul thing, although you can experience something similar in the areas of Haeundae Beach and Gwangalli Beach in Busan, we had to mention it. There's nothing like watching some good busking on a Friday night or Sunday morning when it's the weekend and you're not rushing to work or home. People will gather, sit down and watch some great performances take place! It's also a good spot for making friends; just imagine turning around and seeing someone else sing the same K-pop song you are singing and adore! You've got to strike up a conversation then! 5. Explore one of the many GIGANTIC malls! If you find yourself having run out of things to do and being bored, just remember: it's Korea! The country has plenty of enormous malls and department stores you can visit. And they are everywhere! You are sure to spend hours inside one and not leave empty-handed. You will be able to find all kinds of things inside: from clothes to accessories to household goods, to cafés and restaurants. There's even a mall with a park , and another one with an observation deck and a skywalk inside! Did you know that Busan has the biggest department store in the world? Yeah, exactly, they know what they are doing! These are just 5 of the many things you can do in Korea as a solo traveler, so stop overthinking it and book a flight to this amazing destination right now! Have you ever been to Korea? If so, have you ever tried any of these things? If not, which one would you like to try first? Let us know in the comments!

#JYP #SouthAmerica #Brazil #Kpop Recently in an interview with CNN Brasil , on his visit to the country, J.Y. Park revealed that after K-pop's growth across borders, he's been thinking about new ways to recruit foreign trainees into the company. The founder of JYP Entertainment explained how it started with Wonder Girls and it brought a positive response from the global audience. JYP said: “I saw the possibility. So I started mixing other nationalities into the group…that was Nichkhun in 2PM and BamBam in GOT7 .” He further added that the third and final step of K-pop globalization was the creation of non-Korean groups like BOY STORY and NIZIU . Currently, J.Y. Park is working on a project together with Republic Records to debut a group with entirely North American members but who are not going to be trained on the same model as South Korean companies. The project is called A2K or America2Korea has already been announced on JYP Entertainment's Youtube channel . After his concert in Brazil and meeting the energy of Brazilian fans, JYP revealed that he now has his eyes on Latin talent for upcoming projects. He shared: "My next goal is in the Latin territory, like South America…that's my next project in my mind. That's why I really wanted to come here and feel you guys to see the energy and especially tomorrow I'm meeting the Brazilian fans. I get to see them, talk to them, shake their hands, and we're gonna dance together, and I think that's gonna give me an idea of ​​my next project. This will be the Latin project, based on South America. I can't wait." K-pop fans are already eager to find out which trainees will debut from A2K and are also curious to know which talents will be discovered in South America. And what do you think of this idea? Is it innovative or do you think it can't work? What is your opinion on this? Let us know in the comments! Source: Koreaboo