Rookie girl group UNIS is making waves internationally, and Billboard has taken notice!

On February 28 (local time), Billboard named UNIS their 'K-Pop Rookie of the Month' for February 2025, proving the group’s fast rise just a year after debuting.

In the feature article, Billboard looked back on UNIS’s journey, highlighting their achievements and an exclusive interview with the members. The girls reflected on their past year, picking their debut and rookie award wins as unforgettable moments.

"Debuting was UNIS’s first step," they shared. "We were so nervous because we were finally meeting fans who had been waiting for us." Winning their rookie award also felt like a huge accomplishment, as they added, "It was proof that our hard work was paying off."

As for their 2025 goals? Jin Hyun Joo, Kotoko, Bang Yoon Ha, Alicia, and Im Seo Won had one clear mission: “We want to win first place on all music shows.” Meanwhile, JellyDanka had an even bigger dream, saying, “A solo UNIS concert would be a dream come true.”

The group also teased exciting new sides of UNIS this year. “UNIS isn’t just one concept. We’ll show fans everything—from cute and lovely to chic and charismatic,” they promised.

UNIS had an incredible 2024, dropping two albums, winning 12 trophies, and promoting worldwide. Their success carried into 2025 as they were named Most Anticipated Rookie Girl Group at the ‘2025 Korea First Brand Awards’ and took home two awards at the 1st D Awards.

With Billboard’s recognition, fans are saying UNIS is only getting started.

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Seo Ye Ji is facing major backlash after her surprising appearance on SNL Korea 7.

On April 12, Seo Ye Ji made her long-awaited return to variety shows by guest-starring on Coupang Play's SNL Korea Season 7.

Before the show started, she made jaws drop by joking, "I'll gaslight the SNL crew and make it fun," referencing her own past controversies.

During the "Seo Ye GPT" segment, Seo Ye Ji played an AI that helped Kim Won Hoon nail a company presentation. She then made a sharp comment, saying, "The truly embarrassing thing is sitting quietly and being talked about behind your back. I've experienced that a lot," hinting at the criticism she’s faced.

In the "Eve Hair Salon" skit, Seo Ye Ji acted as a salon director and joked about her past "Kim Ddak Ddak" scandal, where she was accused of controlling her then-boyfriend Kim Jung Hyun. When a character mentioned her stiff neck, she responded, "It's firm," making everyone laugh but also stirring mixed feelings.

Fans were shocked to see Seo Ye Ji using her past scandals as comedy material, especially since it’s been eight years since her last variety show appearance. Many pointed out that joking about serious accusations like gaslighting and academic fraud might have gone too far.

The controversy over Seo Ye Ji’s education also came back into the spotlight. She had previously claimed she studied abroad in Spain, but in 2021 it was revealed she never actually attended the university she mentioned.

Her agency explained she was accepted but didn’t attend because of her career in Korea, but many netizens weren’t convinced.

On SNL Korea, Seo Ye Ji even played a character who lied about her past to impress a boyfriend, making fans think of her real-life academic background scandal.

After the episode aired, reactions online exploded. Some comments included, "Falsifying academic background is a crime," "This was too much," "It was funny though," "Let’s forgive it since it’s black comedy," and "Why was Seo Ye Ji the first guest?"

Seo Ye Ji’s bold jokes have definitely split public opinion, with some calling it brave and others saying it only reopened old wounds.

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