• NewJeans Show Respect for Jeju Air Tragedy with Black Ribbons During Japanese Live Broadcast, Winning Big Despite Heavy Hearts

    NewJeans made a powerful statement during a live broadcast in Japan as they appeared wearing black ribbons to mourn the victims of the Jeju Air disaster.

    On December 30, the group attended the 66th Brilliant! Japan Record Awards (referred to as the "Record Awards"), a prestigious event that was broadcast live. NewJeans took home the Excellence Award for their hit song "Supernatural", making it their second consecutive win after receiving the same honor last year for "Ditto".

    South Korea is currently in a national mourning period until January 4, following the tragic Jeju Air crash.

    In a heartfelt statement, their agency ADOR shared, "We extend our deepest condolences to those who lost their lives in this tragic accident and heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families enduring profound grief."

    They further explained their decision to continue with scheduled events, saying, "After comprehensive consideration of the potential impact on the event organizers, we have decided to proceed with the scheduled activities. However, it is with a heavy heart that we engage in these events at this time. We ask for the understanding of our fans."

    To show respect and honor the lives lost, NewJeans wore black flower-shaped ribbons on their outfits during the event. The group also shared a touching post on their "jeanzforfree" account with the caption, "With condolences in our hearts."

    Photos from the event captured the members performing on stage, their black ribbons standing out as a solemn tribute amid the dazzling lights.

    After their emotional appearance at the Record Awards, NewJeans is set to perform at "Countdown Japan 24/25", one of Japan's biggest year-end indoor festivals, on December 31.

    Meanwhile, the Jeju Air flight 7C2216, which departed from Bangkok, Thailand, and was bound for Muan Airport, crashed on December 29. The plane attempted to land at Muan Airport without its landing gear deployed, leading to a catastrophic collision with airport structures and a fire.

    This tragedy claimed 179 lives out of the 181 people onboard, including passengers, pilots, and crew members. In response, the South Korean government has declared a seven-day national mourning period.

    NewJeans’ heartfelt gesture serves as a reminder of the grief shared by the nation, even as they continue to shine on the global stage.

    Source: [1]

  • Seo Kang Joon’s ‘Undercover High School’ Takes Over—Becomes the Most Talked-About Drama in Just One Week

    Seo Kang Joon is proving his star power as his new drama Undercover High School takes the top spot in buzz rankings.

    On February 24, Good Data Corporation, a company that tracks online reactions to K-content, announced that MBC’s new Friday-Saturday drama Undercover High School ranked #1 in TV-OTT drama buzz for the third week of February.

    Not only that, but lead actor Seo Kang Joon also topped the TV-OTT drama actor buzz rankings, showing just how much viewers are loving his performance.

    The drama follows a National Intelligence Service (NIS) agent who goes undercover as a high school student to retrieve Emperor Gojong’s lost gold bars.

    Seo Kang Joon plays the elite NIS agent Jung Hae Sung, who ditches his suit for a school uniform to complete his mission.

    Despite tough competition from SBS’s Buried Hearts (ranked #2) and tvN’s My Dearest Nemesis (ranked #6), Undercover High School secured the top spot, largely thanks to Seo Kang Joon’s performance.

    According to Good Data Corporation’s Won Soon Woo, “Based on netizens’ sentiment analysis, Seo Kang Joon was chosen as the actor who best suits his male lead role among the three new dramas. The positive response to his visuals and acting has directly boosted the drama’s popularity.”

    Meanwhile, Netflix originals are also making waves, with The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call and Melo Movie ranking #3 and #4, while the highly anticipated When Life Gives You Tangerines entered the chart at #8 before its release.

    Other school-themed dramas are also gaining attention, with Friendly Competition (U+ Mobile TV) and Study Group landing at #5 and #9, respectively.

    MBC’s Undercover High School, starring Seo Kang Joon, airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 PM KST.

    Source: [1]