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[Today’s K-pop] Pentagon’s Hui goes solo

Jan. 16, 2024 - 17:06 By Hwang You-mee

(Credit: Cube Entertainment)

Hui of Pentagon held a media showcase for his new solo album in Seoul on Tuesday and talked about debuting as a solo musician, after eight years as the leader and main vocalist of the band.

Introducing himself as a “solo rookie artist,” he said that everything still feels surreal.

“I’ve put quite a long time into this and thinking that I get to unveil (this) today has made me shake since yesterday,” said the singer and songwriter, who has fully devoted himself to preparing the EP since November.

The album is dubbed, “WHU IS ME: Complex,” as “complex” is the key to understanding him.

“It is what has made me what I am now … as I’ve never stopped making efforts to overcome it,” he explained.

The EP -- fronted by upbeat dance number “Hmm BOP” -- consists of four tracks and featured artists include bandmate Wooseok.

 

GOT7’s Yugyeom to drop 1st solo LP

(Credit: AOMG)

Yugyeom of GOT7 will bring out his first solo studio album on Feb. 21, said agency AOMG on Tuesday.

LP “Trust Me” comes about seven months after he dropped digital single “Lolo,” the titular track that topped the iTunes top songs chart in 16 regions.

He is the rapper of the septet and left JYP Entertainment in 2021 after his contract came to an end. He subsequently joined the current agency founded by Jay Park and released a series of solo works: EP “Point Of View: U” and digital singles “Take You Down,” “Ponytail,” and “Lolo.”

Meanwhile, all seven members uploaded hand-written letters to their fans to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their debut. The youngest member posted it on his personal account as well, tagging each member, and Bambam replied with a meme that said “Die Bitch.”

 

FT Island to tour Asia

(Credit: FNC Entertainment)

FT Island is planning to tour seven cities in Asia from Jan. 27, according to agency FNC Entertainment on Tuesday.

The three-member act will visit fans in Macao on the day before heading to Bangkok; Taipei, Taiwan; and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia the next month. In March, it will perform in Hong Kong; Jakarta, Indonesia; and Singapore. The tour originally was to bring it to five cities but expanded to seven as per requests from fans in Indonesia and Singapore.

At the band’s year-end concert held in Seoul, the band members told the audience that they will try to keep holding concerts every year. They also expressed hope that 2024 will be a new chapter for them, adding that they are preparing a Japanese-language version of an album and a YouTube channel.

 

Infinite’s Sungjong may take legal action against agency: report

(Credit: SPK Entertainment)

Sungjong of Infinite terminated his contract with agency SPK Entertainment citing non-payment, according to a local media report on Tuesday.

He has sent a series of certificate of contents letters to the management firm and notified that the exclusive contract is to be terminated as the agency failed to support him and to make payments from profits he made over the 15 months, said his attorney.

Sungjong debuted as a member of the band in 2010 and left Woollim Entertainment in January 2022 before signing with the current firm eight months later. He held a solo concert, put out a single album and toured Europe. He also participated in the band’s seventh EP last year as well as its Asia tour, but has not received any payments from these activities, claimed the performer.

The agency has ignored his attempts for a peaceful solution and last week, officially notified that it will not confer with him, he added.