Author: Samar Khouri

Seunghan, a former member of the boy group RIIZE, is set to debut as a solo artist in the latter half of next year. New venture “Seunghan is currently preparing to debut as a solo artist in the second half of 2025 and is receiving full support and guidance across several aspects considered essential for a solo debut, including systemized training, producing, management, and more,” SM Entertainment said in a statement. The 21-year-old went on an indefinite hiatus from group activities last November following the leak of controversial videos and photos from his trainee days. However, just two days after…

The Wind will be performing in Abu Dhabi on November 15 as part of the Korea Festival 2024, the UAE’s biggest celebration of Korean culture. The Wind is a six-member boy group under With US Entertainment, consisting of Thanatorn, Park Hayuchan, Kim Heesoo, Choi Hanbin, An Chanwon, and Jang Hyounjoon. Shin Jaewon departed from the group on December 6, 2023. They debuted on May 2023 with mini album, Beginning : The Wind Page.

BLACKPINK’s Jennie made a surprise nod to the UAE in her recent appearance on BuzzFeed’s ‘Kitten Interview.’ Abu Dhabi mention The K-pop star was asked, “What’s a story or memory you can share from your last tour?” while playing with rescue kittens. She casually mentioned visiting Ferrari World Abu Dhabi during the trip to the capital. The indoor theme park on Yas Island is the first Ferrari-branded theme park and is home to the world’s fastest rollercoaster, the highest loop ride, and the tallest space-frame structure ever built. “When we were in Abu Dhabi, we went to Ferrari World, which…

j-hope has completed eighteen months of military service, becoming the second member of the seven-piece group BTS to complete his mandatory duty after the eldest member Jin. The dancer-rapper emerged from the main gate of the 36th Army Infantry Division boot camp in Wonju, and hugged and received a bouquet of flowers from Jin — who was discharged in June — before saluting and waving to reporters and fans on the scene. j-hope enlisted in April last year and served as an assistant instructor. Jin was the only member visiting him as his other bandmates — Suga, RM, Jimin, V…

RIIZE’s Seunghan has decided to depart from the boy group. Departure Just two days after announcing the 21-year-old’s return from a yearlong hiatus, Wizard Production—the SM Entertainment division in charge of RIIZE—has announced Seunghan’s official departure. Seunghan was suspended from group activities last November personal videos and photos from his trainee days were leaked online in August 2023 before RIIZE’s debut. The leaks depicted him engaging in underage smoking and intimate behavior with a girl. News of his return sparked a wave of backlash from the group’s fanbase BRIIZE. The same day, he penned a handwritten letter to fans on…

TAEMIN has canceled the Abu Dhabi date for his first solo global tour ‘Ephemeral Gaze’. He was scheduled to perform on November 1. According to an online statement from live music agency Bright World, the cancellation was “due to the drastic escalation of violence and the unpredictable circumstances in the Middle East”. The concert would have marked the SHINee member’s second performance in the country following the ‘SMTOWN LIVE WORLD TOUR VI IN DUBAI’ in 2018 with his bandmates. It would have been his first time to hold a solo concert in the Emirates. Taemin kicked off his tour with…

DJ Khaled, known for his “We the best!” verbal branding, will be featured on boy group SEVENTEEN’s upcoming album ‘Spill the Feels.’ New album, collab The band’s agency PLEDIS Entertainment teased the collaboration with the Grammyaward-winning, multi-platinum artist on the group’s social media on Tuesday. DJ Khaled was featured saying “Hey SEVENTEEN, I just added my signature sound into our finished track, so check it out! IT’S FIRE!” ‘LOVE, MONEY, FAME’ featuring the US-Palestinian producer is the lead single of the six-track album. It is DJ Khaled’s first time teaming up with a K-pop group on a track. SEVENTEEN—comprised of S.COUPS,…

CJ Group Chairman Lee Jay-hyun revealed to have visited Saudi Arabia earlier this month at the Saudi government’s invitation to discuss bilateral cooperation opportunities in various cultural sectors. Lee met with key government officials from the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Tourism and the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) to explore possibilities to partner in various cultural sectors, in line with its ambitious Saudi Vision 2030. The three-day visit, organized by the Saudi Ministry of Culture, also aligns with the company’s ongoing plan to expand its market in the MENA region. “CJ Group has been maintaining a close partnership with…

K-pop rookies BOYNEXTDOOR returned with a coming-of-age EP, ‘19.99’ — signifies the transitory phase just before turning 20. Coming-of-age stories The seven-track release documents their personal stories and emotions as they reach their twenties. WOONHAK, the youngest member, is 19 years old, while the oldest members, RIWOO, JAEHYUN, and SUNGHO, are 21. ‘19.99’ features the pre-release track ‘Dangerous’ and Korean and English versions of ‘Nice Guy,’ a laid-back pop track that embodies the confidence of a 19.99-year-old who wants to look cool. Establishing themselves as a self-producing boy band, the members penned the album themselves while bringing in their signature…

Action comedy ‘Officer Black Belt’ debuted atop Netflix’s top 10 non-English film list in the week of its September 13 premiere with 8.3 million views, the streaming behemoth revealed in its latest weekly global top 10 tally. Performance Between September 9 and 15, the film garnered 15.1 million viewing hours from its release until the end of the viewing window. Netflix’s Korean original action title landed in the top 10 in 58 countries, which include Morocco, Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. It took the lead in South Korea. Kim Woo-bin takes on the role of…