Fans are becoming increasingly anxious about the future of seeing popular girl groups BLACKPINK and Red Velvet members performing together next year as both groups’ contract renewals remain uncertain, with their respective agencies maintaining silence Red Velvet, which celebrated their 9th debut anniversary this year, has not confirmed their contract renewal news, causing global fans to feel tense.

Among the members, only Seulgi’s renewal with SM entertainment (SM) has been reported, while there is no news about the rest of the members. Despite inquiries, the agency has not revealed its stance.

In this situation, one media outlet reported that leader Irene does not renew her contract, leading to speculation about whether Red Velvet can maintain the complete lineup.

Recently, Red Velvet changed their official social media account name from “Red Velvet Official” to “Happy Ending” and deleted all highlight video clips. SM explained that this change was made to match the concept of Red Velvet’s new album and that “HAPPY ENDING” is a part of the lyrics.

However, SM remained tight-lipped about the “members’ contract renewals” and “Red Velvet’s future activities”. BLACKPINK is also under intense scrutiny regarding their contract renewal. Discussions about the members’ contract renewal have been ongoing for about 4 months.

As they enter the “7-year mark”, various speculations have emerged, from members Lisa, Jennie, Jisoo’s transfer rumors, to the establishment of solo management companies for Jennie and Jisoo.

However, despite the members’ exclusive contracts having expired in August, YG Entertainment continues to maintain that there is no confirmed decision, only saying, “There is no confirmed decision yet, and discussions are ongoing.“

Currently, BLACKPINK members are actively engaged in various activities, despite their exclusive contracts having expired. Jennie made a solo comeback in October, Lisa made a bold move by appearing on the adult show “Crazy House”, Jisoo confirmed her appearance in the film “Omniscient Reader”, and Rosé will release her “2024 Season’s Greetings”.

In this context, fans are eagerly waiting to see whether they will continue to witness the full-fledged activities of these two representative K-pop girl groups.

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BTS's V, also known as TaeTae, continues to rule Japan's popularity rankings, cementing his status as a global superstar and making "TaeTaeLand" the place to be!

From January 13 to 19, 2025, V took the top spot in the male idol ranking poll on Japan's popular site NEHAN, marking an unbelievable 199 consecutive weeks at number one. This achievement is a testament to his immense popularity in Japan, where his influence keeps growing by the day.

But V didn’t stop there! During the same period, he made history by ranking first for an incredible 47 straight weeks in the "Actor Popularity Ranking" on the Korean actor site BIHAN.

He also secured the top position for 195 consecutive weeks in the "20s Korean Actor" category, proving that his reach isn't just limited to music.

On K-board, a platform offering K-culture news, V’s dominance continued as he topped the "K-pop Idol Popularity Ranking" for 155 weeks in a row. He also maintained the top spot in both the "Korean Drama Male Actor Election" and the "Flower Boy Election." Over on the K-pop site KPOP JUICE, V’s popularity remained unmatched.

V’s influence stretches beyond music and acting. Since the rise of the Hallyu wave in Japan, he has topped the "Celebrity Ranking" on X (formerly Twitter), surpassing both Korean and Japanese stars. BTS has also topped Japan's Google Trends, further proving their immense popularity.

Not only has V become a trendsetter in music and acting, but he's also a style icon, especially for Japanese Gen Z men.

Many have started copying his hairstyle and fashion, making him a true trend leader. One example of V’s impact is a small café in Japan, run by a barista rumored to look like V.

The café has become a hotspot, drawing huge crowds every weekend as women visit to see if the barista really resembles V.

Recently, this barista appeared on the Japanese variety show Too Beautiful Ramen Shop Owner & Handsome Café Owner alongside his mother. When asked if she thought her son looked like V, his mother humorously replied that she didn’t think he resembled V from the front but found it funny nonetheless.

The barista revealed his dream of having the best café in the world, with the host jokingly suggesting calling it "Cafe TaeTae."

V’s influence is so powerful that simply being rumored to look like him has brought appearances on Japanese media and broadcasts, proving just how far his reach extends.

Fans all over Japan are obsessed with TaeTae, and it's clear that his popularity is only going to rise even more.

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