TREASURE is back after a year of hiatus. Launched in 2020 by YG Entertainment, they released three singles and one full-length album corresponding to the 'THE FIRST STEP' series in about a year and a half after their debut. The group, who grew rapidly through non-stop activities, surpassed the 1 million cumulative album sales and rose to become a K-pop rising star.

After one year of long recharging, they are ready to 'go straight' towards another growth point with the mini-album 'THE SECOND STEP: CHAPTER ONE.

At the comeback online press conference held at 10 am on February 15, member Jihoon said, “I wanted to show the color of TREASURE properly. I do,” .

Choi Hyun Seok said, "I've shown boyish beauty before, but I think I'm in the process of throwing off my youthful tee."

They completed a total of 6 tracks for their new album. The song that will be promoted as the title song is 'Jikjin' (JIKJIN), a hip-hop genre song that stands out with energetic lyrics that shout “Go straight!” and a striking sound. YG Entertainment invested 500 million won in the production cost of the music video for the title song to properly promote Treasure's comeback.

TREASURE will release all songs on the album through various music sites at 6 pm on the same day. It contains not only hip-hop but also R&B, ballad, and pop songs from various genres. The members actively participated in rap making, composing, and writing lyrics. Only 4 songs will be released on the music site: 'Jikjin', 'U', 'DARARI', and 'IT'S OKAY. The remaining songs 'BFF' (Best Friend Forever) and 'Gonna Be Fine' were only included in the physical album.

Yoshi said, “The goal of our comeback activities is to win first place on music shows. I want to share that joy with 'Treasure Makers' (fandom name) as soon as possible."

Bang Ye Dam said, “I often imagine winning first place. When we were nominated, I even had my feelings ready, but we finished second,".

"I hope this time my imagination will come true.", he continued.

Treasure is also preparing for a solo concert. On April 9 and 10, they will hold their first concert after their debut at the Olympic Hall in Seoul. Asahi said, "I want to hold a world tour in the future and meet fans from all over the world."

Hyun Bin is finally addressing the long-standing "ddongcha" (poop car) theory surrounding his character from My Name is Kim Sam-soon—and he's not holding back!

In an interview on the 19th with Star News, the beloved actor confessed, "I was wrong," responding to the reevaluation of his iconic role as Hyun Jin-heon from the 2005 hit drama. The "ddongcha" theory has been a subject of online debate for years, with many viewers critiquing Hyun Jin-heon’s character as overly arrogant and entitled.

Hyun Bin, who first rose to fame in My Name is Kim Sam-soon, took the time to reflect on the character that made him a household name. He shared, “I was just following the script; there were no personal opinions added to the character of Hyun Jin-heon. At that time, I knew Hyun Jin-heon was portrayed as a ‘bad boy,’ and the way it was expressed was different from today’s standards.”

With My Name is Kim Sam-soon now being re-released as part of Wavve's "New Classic" project, fans are revisiting the 2005 drama, and the character of Hyun Jin-heon is under fresh scrutiny. Director Kim Yun-cheol even admitted that the "prince on a white horse" and "bad boy" tropes that once worked in 2005 don’t quite match today's sensibilities, leading to edits in the 2024 version.

Hyun Bin humbly acknowledged his gratitude for his successful career and hit works, saying, "It’s wonderful and I am grateful to have so many hit works. I’ve been fortunate to work with amazing writers, directors, and actors. Thanks to them, I’ve received a lot of attention and love." He also shared a sense of humility, noting, “But I never know when that luck will come again."

Despite the dramatic shift in perspective on his character, Hyun Bin’s charm and dedication remain strong. Fans are eager to see him in his upcoming film Harbin (directed by Woo Min-ho), set to be released on the 24th.

Source (1)