Pop Base: NewJeans X HYBE Update, aespa & ATEEZ Tour, & More!

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HYBE X NewJeans X Min Hee Jin Update

As many people know by now, a few weeks ago, NewJeans created a YouTube channel without informing their management, issuing an ultimatum to HYBE to reinstate Min Hee Jin by September 25, 2024. As the deadline set by the group approached, HYBE announced on September 23:

"We plan to deliver our response to NewJeans' request to each member on the 25th. We will handle this matter privately, and the details of our response will not be made public."

Fulfilling their promise, on September 24, NewJeans members had a private meeting with current ADOR CEO Kim Joo Young, with their parents present.

While the contents of the meeting remain confidential, one thing is clear: Min Hee Jin has not been reinstated as CEO. However, it was reported that the former ADOR CEO, Min Hee Jin, was offered a five-year contract to continue producing NewJeans' music. As of the publication of this newsletter, Min Hee Jin has not yet signed the contract.

Recently Min Hee Jin also did a press conference, revealing that she had been working on NewJeans' album and a surprise fan event planned for Seoul World Cup Stadium, Korea’s largest stadium. Due to the conflict with HYBE, both the album and the fan meet have been canceled. The ex CEO also played a demo of the new NewJeans song that the group was working on.

HYBE, on the other hand, claims that the cancellations are unrelated to them and attributes it to Min Hee Jin's lack of work ethic.

Once again, every new update in the HYBE x NewJeans x Min Hee Jin situation demonstrates how the group is caught in the middle of corporate conflicts. Let’s hope the girls can release their album soon.

aespa Synk: Parallel Line Tour North America & Europe Dates

SM Entertainment has announced 14 North American and European dates for aespa's Synk: Parallel Line tour, which began on June 26, 2024, in support of their first studio album, “Armageddon”. The General sale begins Friday, October 4.

The new dates are as follows:

1. 2025.01.28 Seattle

2. 2025.01.30 Oakland

3. 2025.02.01 Los Angeles

4. 2025.02.04 Mexico City

5. 2025.02.06 Orlando

6. 2025.02.08 Charlotte

7. 2025.02.11 Newark

8. 2025.02.13 Toronto

9. 2025.02.15 Chicago

10. 2025.03.02 London

11. 2025.03.04 Paris

12. 2025.03.06 Amsterdam

13. 2025.03.09 Frankfurt

14. 2025.03.13 Madrid

ATEEZ Towards the Light: Will to Power Europe Dates

Additionally, KQ Entertainment has released 12 dates for the European leg of ATEEZ's 4th world tour, Towards the Light: Will to Power. The presale for the ATINY Membership will start on October 9 and ends on October 11. Additionally, a general access presale, ATEEZLIVE will start on October 9, at 10 am KST.

The dates are as follows:

1. 2025.01.18 Lyon-Decines

2. 2025.01.20 Milan

3. 2025.01.23 Zurich

4. 2025.01.27 London

5. 2025.01.30 Manchester

6. 2025.02.03 Amsterdam

7. 2025.02.07 Barcelona

8. 2025.02.11 Cologne

9. 2025.02.14 Copenhagen

10. 2025.02.18 Berlin

11. 2025.02.22 Paris

12. 2025.02.25 Brussels

The More You Know:

• K-pop fans can’t seem to win. Following SEVENTEEN's Jeonghan, who enlisted on September 26, NCT's Jaehyun is set to begin his mandatory military service in November 2024. Another man is being taken by the South Korean military as if he hasn’t served enough during his idol career!!!

• Wonho, NCT DREAM, KATSEYE, and P1Harmony are scheduled to perform at the 2024 iHeart Radio Jingle Ball!!! The CAPITAL ONE 48-hour presale will start on October 1, 2024. Meanwhile, the public sale will happen on October 4, 2024.

  Here are the dates on which each artist will perform:

  — KATSEYE: Tuesday, 2024.12.03

  — Wonho: Tuesday, 2024.12.03, Monday 2024.12.09, Tuesday 2024.12.10, and Saturday 2024.12.21

  — NCT Dream: Monday 2024.12.09, Tuesday 2024.12.10, and Friday 2024.12.13

  — P1Harmony: Tuesday 2024.12.17

• Stray Kids are set to perform at the 50th American Music Awards in a special tribute to the legacy of boy bands. The ceremony will air live on Sunday, October 6, at 8 PM ET on CBS and Paramount+.

• GOT7's Jinyoung is in talks to star opposite Park Bo Young in the romantic comedy K-Drama “Unknown Soul”, written by the creators of “Youth of May”. Jinyoung has previously appeared in several K-Dramas, including “The Devil Judge”.

• ZEROBASEONE is set to release a theme song for Pokémon titled "Only One Story," scheduled for release on October 11, 2024. This song is created for the fourth arc "Rayquaza Rising" in the Pokémon Horizons: The Series anime.

Our Favorite Songs From Last Week

Shinee's KEY's brand-new melodic and funky album “Pleasure Shop” is nothing short of perfection. The 18-minute album consists of six songs, each one better than the last.

The title track, “Pleasure Shop”, is undoubtedly the standout, with its catchy beat that sticks in your head. Despite the somewhat NSFW title, KEY is simply encouraging listeners to indulge in happiness and explore things that make them feel good.

Another great track from the album is “Going Up”, which features a sensual beat that perfectly complements the lyrics:

"Sweat down my body / Standing still / My dulled senses /Hold me tight, we’re going up."

This Week's Comeback Schedule

September 29, 2024 

• PENIEL: Digital Single “story of my L:ove”

September 30, 2024 

• WHIB: 3rd Single Album "Rush of Joy"

• VANNER: 3rd Mini Album "BURN"

• YENA: 3rd Mini Album "네모네모"

• Sphaze: 1st Single Album "Starlight"

• Yang Yoseob (HIGHLIGHT): Title Track: “숨 쉬는 것보다 당연한”

October 1, 2024 

• DUSTIN: 4th Album "Round A Round"

• CHEN (EXO): Digital Single “Beyond”

• TIOT: 2nd Digital Single ‘그 계절 긴 터널을 지나’

October 2, 2024 

• LEECHANGSUB: 1st Album "1991"

• ATEEZ: Japan 4th Single "Birthday"

October 4, 2024 

• ASC2NT: 2nd Single Album "Conversation Part 1"

• WOOSUNG: "4444"

• 3piece: 2nd Digital Single "피어올라"

• KISS OF LIFE: Pre-Release Track

— Javeria Yousuf

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