KARA member Heo Young Ji is leaving DSP Media after a decade-long partnership.

On September 5, DSP Media shared the news, saying, “Our exclusive contract with Heo Young Ji, who has been with us for the past 10 years with great trust, has ended.”

They added, “We sincerely thank Heo Young Ji for bringing positive energy both on and off the stage as one of our artists. We will continue to support her in her future endeavors.”

Heo Young Ji joined KARA in 2014 and has not only excelled as an idol singer but also made a name for herself in dramas like Another Miss Oh and Moments of 18.

KARA, with Heo Young Ji, made a group comeback in 2022 with their 15th-anniversary album MOVE AGAIN. They continued their activities with a new single, "I Do I Do," released last July.

The group also held solo concerts, "KARA THE 5th JAPAN TOUR 2024 'KARASIA'," performing in Tokyo on August 17-18 and in Osaka on August 24-25.

Official Statement from DSP Media

"Hello, this is DSP Media. We want to thank all the fans for their continued love and support for Heo Young Ji.

We want to let you know that our exclusive contract with Heo Young Ji, who has been with us for the past 10 years, has ended.

We express our deep gratitude to Heo Young Ji for her positive energy on and off stage, and we will cheer for her future projects.

Please continue to support and follow Heo Young Ji as she begins a new chapter.

Thank you."

Source: [1]

Xiumin’s agency, ONE HUNDRED, has spoken out about his unexpected exclusion from KBS 2TV’s Music Bank.

On March 4, the agency released an official statement, saying, “Xiumin, under INB100, is preparing for his solo comeback with Interview X on March 10, his first in two years and six months."

They added, "We have tried multiple times to reach out to KBS to secure a stage for him, but they have completely ignored us.”

The agency also revealed shocking details, stating, “Recently, KBS unofficially told us that Xiumin cannot appear on Music Bank or any programs where SM Entertainment artists are also performing.”

They continued, “We have repeatedly contacted KBS, asking them to put the artist and his fans first, but they won’t even respond.”

ONE HUNDRED strongly criticized the situation, saying, “As a public broadcast station, KBS should not be making decisions based on a specific company’s stance."

They added, "This is extremely unfair. We have done everything we can to resolve this, and we’re deeply disappointed to have to break this news to fans.”

Despite the setback, the agency reassured fans, promising, “Even if Xiumin can’t appear on KBS, we won’t give up. We’ll find even better opportunities for him to showcase his performances in front of fans.”

Meanwhile, Xiumin, who moved to INB100 (a subsidiary of ONE HUNDRED LABEL) in 2023, is set to release his second mini-album, Interview X, on March 10.

Fans are now waiting to see how this situation unfolds.

Source: [1]