Korean Newsmakers Of The Week: O Yeong-su Faces 1-Year Prison Term, Stray Kids To Headline Major European Festivals And More

As we bid adieu to January, and welcome the second month of the year, there have been many significant headlines that South Korean stars have made internationally. From BLACKPINK’s JENNIE topping Billboards once again to many of your favourite K-Pop stars becoming members of the KOMCA, we have you covered. 

Here are the top five newsmakers in the entertainment industry of the week, all the way from South Korea.

O Yeong-su To Face 1 Year In Prison Over Charges Of Sexual Assault

O Yeong-su, the 79-year-old winner of a Golden Globe for ‘Squid Game,’ is set to face a one-year prison term sought by prosecutors over an alleged 2017 sexual harassment case. Indicted in November 2022, accusations include hugging and kissing the woman without her permission. Prosecutors urged the court to disclose his personal information and restrict work with young actors. The actor denied all charges, and expressed his distress, stating, “It’s so painful and hard to stand in this court at this age like this. It is miserable that the last chapter of my life will end in such a way, making my whole life fall apart. I ask you to make a wise ruling.” The verdict is scheduled for March 15.

Stray Kids Becomes 1st K-Pop Male Act To Headline BST Hyde Park And I-Days Festival

Stray Kids is set to take center stage at two prominent music festivals this summer. The group was revealed on January 30 as the headliner for both the British Summer Time Hyde Park in London and I-Days Milano, Italy. A noteworthy milestone, the ‘Megaverse’ crooners will be the first male K-Pop group to headline BST Hyde Park and the second K-Pop act overall after BLACKPINK. Scheduled for July 14, the eight-member group will showcase their moves and versatility at the renowned annual festival in London. Additionally, they will make history as the first K-Pop artist to headline I-Days Milano, and will grace the stage on July 12 at Milan’s Ippodromo SNAI.

Jung Kook, Jeon So-yeon, Vernon, And More Become Full Members Of Korea Music Copyright Association

The Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA) reveals that as of January 2024, approximately 51,000 composers and lyricists are registered members. While any copyright holder can join the association as a ‘junior member,’ the board annually promotes 30 of these junior members to the position of ‘full members.’ From this year’s promotions, renowned artists like, BTS’ Jung Kook, (G)I-DLE’s Jeon Soyeon, SEVENTEEN’s Vernon, have been chosen along with BOL4’s Ahn Ji-young, Code Kunst, Ahn Ye-eun. Many songwriters, including 250, VERSACHOI, Lee Seuran, and TOIL have also ascended to full membership. Notably, 27 members are selected from the mainstream category, while the remaining three come from the non-mainstream one. 

Lee Byung-hun’s Agency Confirms The News Of Burglary At His LA Residence

On January 28, various media outlets reported a burglary at the Los Angeles residence of actor Lee Byung-hun, known for ‘Concrete Utopia.’ According to law enforcement, the intruder broke the sliding glass door to enter the house, and luckily, Lee Byung-hun wasn’t home at the time of the robbery. The police said, “This appears to be the act of one of the robbers who break into [houses in] wealthy areas around Los Angeles.” However, no arrests have been made as of now. Responding to these reports, the ‘Squid Game’ actor’s agency, BH Entertainment, confirmed the news and said, “It is true that there was a break-in at Lee Byung-hun’s home in the United States, but it has been confirmed that there was no damage.” The actor is expected to return to LA soon for the police to determine if anything was stolen.

JENNIE Becomes 1st Korean Female Soloist With 5 Weeks On Billboard Hot 100 Chart

BLACKPINK’s JENNIE has made history on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Her collaboration with The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp on ‘One of the Girls’ from the HBO series ‘The Idol,’ initially peaked at No. 61, marking the highest rank for any female K-Pop soloist. Now, she has achieved another milestone as she becomes the first Korean female soloist to spend five weeks on the Hot 100 Chart. In the week ending on February 3, the song climbed back to No. 67, making its way there for a fifth consecutive week on the chart. Additionally, it returned to No. 7 on Billboard’s Global Excl. U.S. Chart and is strong at No. 14 on the Global 200 Chart.