Apink's Oh Hayoung sets the record straight on her relationship with Kim Heechul
On February 26th, Apink's Oh Hayoung made an appearance as a special MC on the 196th episode of the KBS 2TV variety show "Boss in the Mirror" (also known as "Donkey's Ears").
During the show, when asked if she was close to Kim Heechul, Oh Hayoung drew a line by saying, "We're only close for the sake of the broadcast".
Then she said that she had something to reveal about Kim Heechul, "Since our debut, we used to visit him to greet him. He would ask us questions like 'Who looked the coolest in stage outfit?' and 'Who stood out the most on stage today?'".
Kim Heechul was taken aback and asked, "Didn't you come here to promote your album?" to which Oh Hayoung replied, "Our album hasn't been released yet."
When Kim Heechul further questioned why she came, Oh Hayoung responded with "I'm a TV personality, should I not appear on TV?".
This caused Kim Heechul to declare that he would suspend filming, saying, "I will stop filming here," and bringing laughter to the set.
NewJeans Minji writes touching letter on her birthday during activity halt: “We didn’t stop and we won’t stop”
NewJeans' Minji touched fans' hearts with a handwritten letter on her birthday — even while the group is currently unable to promote due to legal issues.
On May 7, Minji celebrated her birthday by sharing a heartfelt message on the group’s personal SNS account, which the members opened themselves to stay connected with fans.
Minji began her letter with honesty, writing, “I think I’m living a busier life than I expected. When I finally looked up, it was already May, and it was my birthday.”
She admitted that she had a lot she wanted to say, but her thoughts felt “messy.” Still, her message to fans was clear, “I just hope that I, our members, and Bunnies can all be happy. Happiness is the biggest goal in my life.”
Minji then opened up about her personal journey and struggles, saying, “I sometimes think that running toward my happiness by doing what I love might look foolish to others. But isn’t giving up your happiness now for the sake of a future that might not even come… too harsh on yourself?”
Despite everything, she ended on a hopeful note, “I really miss the times when we shared our feelings through the good music we made together. But I always look forward to what’s ahead."
She added, "We didn’t stop here, and we’re not going to stop! It might look like we’re standing still, but I believe we’re growing deeper.”
Her message comes during a difficult time for NewJeans. The group announced last year that they were cutting ties with ADOR, their original agency, after trust was broken. They later began working independently under the new name ‘NJZ’.
However, ADOR responded with legal action — claiming the exclusive contract with NewJeans was still valid and asking the court to stop the group from promoting or signing deals.
The court sided with ADOR and granted an injunction, forcing NewJeans to pause their activities. Their appeal was rejected, and they’ve now filed a second appeal.
Through it all, Minji’s message proves one thing — even when forced to stop, NewJeans' hearts are still moving forward.
