Pop Base: NCT Taeil's Rape Case Updates, RIIZE's Seunghan's Return & More

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RIIZE’s Seunghan Is Back!!!

Last year, on October 11th, RIIZE's Seunghan went on an indefinite hiatus due to a controversy that can only be described as overblown. The artist had faced backlash from supposed fans after a viral clip showed him hanging out with a girl many assumed was his girlfriend. Although Seunghan clarified that she was a childhood friend, he was still placed on hiatus to focus on his mental health and allow the controversy to subside.

Fortunately, it seems the storm has passed. On October 11th of this year, SM Entertainment announced that Seunghan has returned from his hiatus and will rejoin the group for future projects. In a recent post, Seunghan expressed his feelings in a handwritten letter.

Translation:

"Hello, this is Seunghan. First, I would like to sincerely apologize to the members and the fans. When the photos from before my debut were released, I was disappointed and regretful about myself, and I can't imagine how the members and fans felt. You must have been angry, surprised, and disappointed. I'm truly sorry to the fans who have supported us from this very important starting point and were hurt by my immature actions, and I feel sorry for the members who had to work hard together but suddenly faced my suspension of activities. I also want to apologize to everyone who had to endure that situation.

While I regretted the situation, I also felt despair at not being able to be with you all. I wondered if I would be able to stand on stage again or continue making music. During that time, I focused on more realistic thoughts. However, the members reached out to me once again. I'm really grateful and feel sorry for the opportunity they gave me, as it must have been a difficult decision."

Warning: the next section contains mentions of sexual assault.

Updates On NCT’s Former Member Taeil’s Rape Charges

There have been updates regarding the former NCT member Taeil's sexual assault case. On October 7th, Chosun Ilbo reported that Taeil is under investigation for aggravated quasi-rape that he allegedly committed with two of his acquaintances. In legal terms, "standard rape" is used when sexual assault involves violence, while "quasi-rape" applies if the victim was incapacitated due to sleep, drugs, or other circumstances.

As the case is currently under investigation at the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office, no further comments can be made at this time. However, we hope the victim receives justice soon.

The More You Know:

• CJ ENM has announced changes to the criteria for one of K-Pop’s most prestigious awards, the MAMA Awards. Previously, the Album of the Year Daesang (also known as the "grand prize") was determined by 25% South Korean digital streams and downloads, 15% global streams via Spotify, 20% judges' votes, and 40% album sales. With the new changes, the results will be more focused on the music, album concept, and quality, rather than sales figures. Additionally, a new category, "Best Choreography," has been introduced to honor artists and choreographers for outstanding performances.

  The nominations for this year’s MAMA Awards will be announced on October 14th, and the ceremonies will take place on November 21st at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and on November 22nd and 23rd in Osaka.

• On October 12, SEVENTEEN kicked off their new world tour, "Right Here." While their performances were as flawless as always, the concert had to be stopped midway due to a fire breaking out on stage. Fortunately, the staff worked diligently to extinguish the flames, and no one from the group, staff, or audience was harmed.

• Recently, HYBE shared a poster for their upcoming festival, "CINE FEST IN LATAM." This week-long movie festival, taking place from November 14 to 21, will be held in several Latin American countries, including Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, and more. It will feature screenings of the best concerts and performances by HYBE's artists, including ZICO, BTS, SEVENTEEN, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, ENHYPEN, LE SSERAFIM, BOYNEXTDOOR, TWS, and ILLIT.

Our Favorite Songs From Last Week

Jennie's new solo track, "Mantra," debuted at #5 on Spotify Global with over 5 million streams on its first day, making her the first Korean female soloist to achieve this milestone. After listening to the song, it's clear why it’s going viral. With Jennie's chill talk-rap style, a catchy beat, and unapologetically fun lyrics like, “It’s not that deep / I’m not that drunk / Sometimes, girls just gotta have fun,” this track is sure to become the 2024 pretty-girl-mantra.

Recently, it was announced that Geffen x HYBE's global girl group, KATSEYE, will release a remix of their recent hit "Touch" featuring a K-pop idol. That idol turned out to be none other than the 4th gen IT BOY, TXT’s Yeonjun. The original song "Touch" is about feeling disconnected from your lover and sensing the relationship slipping away. In the KATSEYE x Yeonjun "Touch Remix," Yeonjun's verse offers the lover’s perspective, someone still deeply in love but preoccupied with work: “Ghosting? No, you’re misunderstanding / Won’t be out of touch, all my fault, just let go of it.” Along with new verses, Yeonjun’s heavenly ad-libs elevate the already perfect song to another level.

Following SEVENTEEN's unexpected collaboration with DJ Khaled for the title track of their 12th mini album, the group has surprised K-pop listeners once again with another mesmerizing collaboration. Two of the group's main vocalists, DK and Seungkwan, recently shared a song they recorded for David Attenborough's new BBC Earth series "ASIA." The only way to describe this track is that it feels like the music that would play at heaven's gate.

This Week's Comeback Schedule

Saturday, October 12, 2024

• JD1: 3rd digital single album "책임져"

Sunday, October 13, 2024

• HYNN: Track "오늘 노을이 예뻐서 Sunset Song"

Monday, October 14, 2024

• SEVENTEEN: 12th mini album "SPILL THE FEELS"

• Xdinary Heroes: 5th mini album "LIVE and FALL"

• CNBLUE: 10th mini album "X"

• EPEX: Pre-release "My Girl"

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

• ITZY: Album "Gold"

• KISS OF LIFE: 3rd mini album "Lose Yourself"

• 82MAJOR: 2nd mini album "X-82"

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

• BILLLIE: 5th mini album "appendix: Of All We Have Lost"

• Roy Kim: Digital single "내게 사랑이 뭐냐고 물어본다면"

• SAY MY NAME: Debut album "SAY MY NAME"

Friday, October 18, 2024

• ONE PACT: 2nd mini album "Fallin"

• SUNWOOJUNGA: Album "Beyond (2 White Shade)"

• SORN (CLC): EP "HEARTSTORM"

— Javeria Yousuf

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