Rising girl group BABYMONSTER is making waves in Japan with exciting appearances on the country’s top music shows and a tour in four cities!

On November 29th, BABYMONSTER will perform their hit song “DRIP” from their debut album on TV Asahi’s live broadcast Music Station (also known as M Station). This popular music show, which has been airing for 38 years, is a major platform for both local and global stars to showcase their talents.

Before their official album release, BABYMONSTER had already proven themselves as a "monster rookie" group with their powerful live performances, especially with the track “SHEESH.” Fans are now eagerly awaiting their "DRIP" stage, where the group will perform the Korean version of the song while using handheld microphones, showing off their upgraded live performance skills.

In addition to Music Station, BABYMONSTER will also appear on NHK's Venue101 on November 30th and Fuji TV's Weekly Na Na Na Music on December 11th, continuing their full-scale promotions in Japan.

BABYMONSTER has already made a strong impact in Japan with their debut album DRIP. The album quickly topped charts like iTunes Japan’s Top Albums and Line Music’s Top 100. It also ranked high on Oricon and Billboard Japan.

In celebration of the album's release, BABYMONSTER’s pop-up stores in Tokyo, Osaka, Aichi, and Fukuoka have been packed with excited fans. The group’s popularity is also set to grow with their debut world tour in 2025, which will include stops in Kanagawa, Aichi, Osaka, and Fukuoka.

Since the release of DRIP on November 1, BABYMONSTER has been busy promoting the album, with the title track still climbing domestic charts like Melon’s Top 100. As they ride the momentum, the group is planning to continue engaging with fans through their follow-up track “Love In My Heart” throughout the rest of the year.

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Squid Game 2 is causing a huge buzz, and it’s not just because of the intense game action – it's Gong Yoo’s unforgettable role as "Ddakji Man"!

Director Hwang Dong Hyuk has shared his praise for Gong Yoo’s powerful performance, even claiming that his presence on screen is so strong that it surpasses Lee Jung Jae's in some scenes!

On January 2, Director Hwang Dong Hyuk sat down for an interview about Squid Game 2 at a café in Seoul, and he couldn't stop talking about Gong Yoo’s role.

He explained that the character of "Ddakji Man" was so well-received by fans in Season 1, despite his brief appearance, that Hwang knew they had to dive deeper into his backstory in Season 2.

“I didn’t want to explain everything in detail about who he is and why he became the way he did, but I wanted to leave some clues for the viewers", Hwang shared. He revealed that from the start of the planning for Season 2, he had one goal: to make the first episode focus on Ddakji Man.

Hwang, who had worked with Gong Yoo before on The Crucible, explained that he was beyond impressed with the actor’s return to Squid Game as Ddakji Man.

“His energy on set was just incredible. We wanted his death scene to be really cool, and Gong Yoo gave it everything. I couldn’t believe how well he brought the character to life,” Hwang said.

The director also shared that Gong Yoo told him it was his first time playing a villain. But it wasn’t just any villain – it was a mysterious one, and Gong Yoo was determined to make the role unforgettable.

Hwang was so amazed by Gong Yoo’s performance that he said there were times when the actor’s presence almost overshadowed Lee Jung Jae, who plays the lead role of Gihun.

“There were hardly any NGs (No Good takes) with Gong Yoo. He nailed it in one or two takes, delivering performances with expressions and energy I didn’t expect. It was truly a defining moment in his career,” Hwang confessed. The director added that all the staff could feel the same way – they all knew they were witnessing something special.

Since Squid Game 2 was released on December 26, 2023, it has been breaking records. The show topped the global OTT ranking site FlixPatrol in 93 countries, becoming the first Netflix original series to achieve such a feat.

With Gong Yoo’s incredible performance and the continuation of the high-stakes drama, Squid Game 2 is proving to be just as unforgettable as the first season!

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