• Byeon Woo Seok's OST 'Sudden Shower' hits Melon's top 10, 'Lovely Runner' continues to charm viewers

    Actor Byeon Woo Seok is making waves in the music scene, all thanks to the hit tvN drama 'Lovely Runner'.

    On May 13th, Melon, a popular music site, reported that 'Sudden Shower' by ECLIPSE has secured the 10th spot on their TOP 100 chart. This is a record-breaking achievement for 'Sudden Shower'.

    The song continues to climb the Melon daily chart, jumping from the 305th spot to the 19th place as of May 12th.

    But that's not all! Another OST from 'Lovely Runner', titled 'RUN RUN', made a comeback to the Melon TOP 100, landing at the 100th spot on the 9th.

    'ECLIPSE', the band featured in 'Lovely Runner', stars none other than Byeon Woo Seok. The drama's writer, Lee Si Eun, revealed that 'Sudden Shower' is a heartfelt song composed by Ryu Sun Jae, inspired by his first love, Im Sol (played by Kim Hye Yoon).

    The song encapsulates Ryu Sun Jae's earnest desire to protect his loved one, likening her to a comforting 'Sudden Shower'. Byeon Woo Seok, who has captivated many female viewers with his portrayal of Sun Jae, also lent his voice to the OST, showcasing his impressive singing skills.

    'Lovely Runner' is on a roll, with its viewership steadily increasing, particularly among the MZ generation. The drama kicked off with a 3.1% rating (according to Nielsen Korea nationwide) on April 8th, and reached its peak viewership of 4.8% with the 9th episode aired on May 6th.

    The drama is also creating a buzz online, sparking the 'Seon Jae' trend (fans going gaga over Sun Jae). As per the data released by Good Data Corporation Fundex, a K-content online competitiveness analysis agency, on the 8th, 'Lovely Runner' topped the overall TV-OTT buzz in the first week of May with a whopping score of 24.19% and a TV-OTT drama buzz of 60.52%.

    The lead actors, Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon, are also enjoying the spotlight, ranking 1st and 2nd respectively in the TV-OTT drama actor buzz, with scores of 11.20% and 10.35% respectively.

    Source[1]

  • NewJeans in Hot Water Over Search for New Stage Names – ADOR Says It Could Lead to Serious Contract Issues

    ADOR has responded to NewJeans' recent search for new stage names, claiming that the move could seriously breach their exclusive contract.

    On January 23rd, ADOR shared their stance on the matter with Herald POP, addressing the controversy around the members’ contest for new stage names.

    The company clarified, "ADOR maintains that the exclusive contract is valid, and we are sincerely following the legal process."

    The statement continued, "We regret that the members are attempting independent entertainment activities, such as seeking new stage names before receiving legal judgment, as this could be a serious breach of contract."

    The situation dates back to November 28th of last year when NewJeans held an emergency press conference.

    At the time, the group announced that they were terminating their exclusive contract with ADOR, stating, "We are terminating the contract with ADOR at midnight on the 29th."

    They added, "The fault lies with HYBE and ADOR, so there is no reason for us to file a lawsuit, nor do we have any reason to pay any penalty". Since then, the members have been pursuing their own independent activities.

    In response, ADOR filed a lawsuit seeking confirmation of the validity of their exclusive contract with the group.

    Before the court could deliver a judgment, ADOR took further legal action, requesting an injunction to prevent NewJeans from independently contacting advertisers.

    They also sought a ban on the group entering into advertising contracts without ADOR's approval, maintaining that the agency's status should be upheld.

    Not backing down, NewJeans' members appointed the same law firm, Sejong, as ADOR's former representative Min Hee Jin. They declared, "We will fight proudly in court to clarify ADOR’s and HYBE’s wrongdoings and bring the truth to light".

    In a bold move, they also announced they would not be returning to HYBE and encouraged fans to participate in their search for new stage names that have no ties to the NewJeans brand.

    Source: [1]