#BTS Is Not Exempt from Military Service
Some politicians started to raise the need for special military service exemption for popular culture artists, including BTS. Following the law, Jin, the eldest member of the group, needs to join the army by the end of this year. In response, the Military Manpower Administration has repeatedly maintained its position that BTS, who became the first Korean artist to land at No.1 on Billboard Hot 100, is not exempt from military service. However, MMA has left open the possibility of discussing the postponement of enlistment, saying, “We will also review the postponement of conscription and recruitment of outstanding people in the field of pop culture with related ministries based on national consensus.” Meanwhile, BTS successfully held an online concert last weekend. The number of viewers has not been released yet, but the number of cheering icons alone has exceeded 100 million.
#Tale of the Nine-Tailed Take the Lead in Wednesday-Thursday Viewership Battle
Three new dramas were launched side by side on Oct. 8. tvN’s Tale of the Nine-Tailed, KBS’s Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol, and JTBC’s Private Lives, which feature unique genres of fantasy, rom-com, and rom-com with con-artists, attracted keen attention in the ratings competition. And among the three, it was Tale of the Nine-Tailed that took the lead. According to Nielsen Korea, ale of the Nine-Tailed saw 5.8% ratings, while Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol and Private Lives recorded 2.6% and 2.5%, respectively. Amid the ongoing talk of the crisis that Wednesday-Thursday dramas are facing, attention is being paid to whether the three new projects will revive the depressed Wednesday-Thursday drama.
#YG Deletes the “Nurse Scenes” from BLACKPINK’s “Lovesick GIrls” MV
As soon as the music video for BLACKPINK’s “Lovesick Girls,” the title track of the group’s first full-length album, was dropped, the controversy was sparked over the “sexual objectification of nurses.” The scene in question is the part where Jennie appears in sexy nurse outfits. The Korean Health and Medical Workers’ Union stated to “stop sexualizing nurses,” to which YG Entertainment issued their official position, saying, “Please watch the music video as an independent art genre.” But as the controversy only grew, they decided to delete the controversial “nurse scene” from the music video and officially apologized.
#Former Stellar Member Gayoung’s Remarks in Miss Back Becomes a Battle for Truth
Gayoung, a former member of Stellar, appeared on MBN’s Miss Back and opened up about her idol days, leading to a battle of truth with the head of her former agency. Gayoung claimed that Stellar’s “R-rated concept” was forced by her agency and that she only received 10 million won (about 8,745 USD) during her 7 years as an idol. However, Choi Byung Min, the head of Gayoung’s former agency, stated that even when the group failed to break the break-even point, the company still duly paid them despite the difficult situations and that they asked the members’ parents for permission about the sexy concept. He also added, “If they continue to broadcast without fully checking the facts, we will take legal actions.”
