'Shinsegae family' Annie spotted studying hard in economy class

SOURCE: “당연히 비즈니스 탈 줄”…‘신세계家’ 애니, 이코노미석서 ‘열공’ 근황

ALLDAY PROJECT's Annie (real name Moon Seoyoon) is drawing attention after glimpses of her modest daily life were released.

On the 5th, Annie posted a photo on a fan communication platform along with the message, "I'm on a plane going on a trip with a friend." In the photo, she is seen seated on the plane wearing a headset and diligently writing something in a notebook.

What especially caught attention was the seat she was using. Despite being from a chaebol family and a famous idol, she was flying in economy class rather than first or business class. Along with the photo, she added, "I'm studying for finals on the plane. My friend secretly took this picture, but I thought Day One would like it."

After the news spread, netizens reacted with comments like, "Even a chaebol granddaughter idol flies economy. I should reflect on myself for debating if I should fly first class," "If Annie flies economy, who am I to complain... I suddenly feel humbled," "I thought she'd obviously fly at least business, this is surprising," and "Traveling in economy class while studying for finals. This is the definition of living productively."

Some netizens also speculated, "Business and first class needs to be booked in advance. Maybe there were no seats left because she booked the trip last minute," and "It's probably because she's traveling together with her friends."

Annie is currently preparing for her graduation from Columbia University in New York, where she is double majoring in Art History and Visual Arts.

Continue reading 'Shinsegae family' Annie spotted studying hard in economy class

Fire broke out in a girl group dorm ... "I thought I was in the afterlife"

SOURCE: 걸그룹 숙소서 화재 발생 끔찍…사후세계 온 줄 ‘일촉즉발’

Celebrating their 4th debut anniversary, CLASS:y revealed the fire incident they experienced at their former dorm.

In the video released on CLASS:y's official Youtube channel on the 5th, the members shared shocking stories they had kept to themselves. The part that surprised everyone the most was the 'fire incident' that occured in their early debut days.

The incident started with a ventilation fan in the master bedroom bathroom. The members who used the master bedroom at the time woke up to a burning smell while sleeping after returning from school. One member recalled, "When I opened my eyes, everything was so dark I thought I had entered the afterlife. Black smoke mixed with ash was floating around. There were flames coming from the bathroom," describing the situation.

What made it even more shocking was the members' reactions. The member who witnessed the fire shouted, "There's a fire!" and tried to put it out by throwing water from the sink, but it didn't work. Meanwhile, some members were still half-asleep and couldn't fully grasp the situation, so they stayed lying in bed, causing the leader and firefighters to break into cold sweat.

The fire was eventually extinguished safely by firefighters, but what happened afterward was ironically funny. While evacuating on the emergency stairs, they were caught eating fried chicken they had ordered earlier. One member said, "Since it was early in our debut, it would've been awkward if we got caught ordering it, so we hid it in the dishwasher," and added, "After the fire was out, we ate it together on the emergency stairs and even took pictures."

The firefighters who arrived on the scene were surprised to see seven young women living together, asking, "What do you do? Are you idols?" Later, someone in an online community posted, "My dad's friend said he went to put out a fire at CLASS:y's dorm," which people didn't believe at the time, but four years later was confirmed to be true, bringing laughter to fans.

Meanwhile, through their 4th-anniversary video, CLASS:y continued to communicate with fans by sharing not only the fire incident, but also bold stories about each other and their strong friendship.

Continue reading Fire broke out in a girl group dorm ... "I thought I was in the afterlife"

IOI Kim Doyeon: "The kiss scene with Jeon Somi was my idea"

SOURCE:아이오아이 김도연 “♥전소미와 뽀뽀, 내가 직접 제안”…재연도 화끈하게 

IOI's Kim Doyeon personally revealed the behind-the-scenes story of her kiss scene with Jeon Somi.

On the 6th, Kim Doyeon shared details about the kiss scene from the teaser video through the fan communication platform Plus Chat.

When a fan asked, "How did you feel when you first received the storyboard?" Kim Doyeon replied, "You might not believe it, but that was my idea," and added, "The original reference was a scene involving a cute slap on the cheek, but I suggested changing it to a kiss instead of a slap."

Afterwards, a reaction reel for the teaser video was posted on IOI's official social media. In the video, Kim Doyeon and Jeon Somi reenacted the scene from the teaser.

Earlier at midnight, IOI unveiled the music video teaser for 'Suddenly,' the title track of their third mini-album 'IOI: LOOP,' through their offivial social media channels. The video features a scene where Jeon Somi approaches Kim Doyeon and unexpectedly kisses her, followed by the title 'Suddenly' appearing on screen.

Meanwhile, IOI will make their comeback on the 19th at 6 PM (KST) with the release of their third mini-album 'IOI: LOOP' on various online music platforms.

Continue reading IOI Kim Doyeon: "The kiss scene with Jeon Somi was my idea"

Aespa, RIIZE, Taeyeon comebacks ... SM Entertainment records 279.1 billion KRW in revenue for Q1 2026

SOURCE: 에스파·라이즈·태연 컴백..SM, 올해 1분기 매출 2791억원[공식]

SM Entertainment has announced its consolidated financial results for the first quarter of 2026, continuing its growth trend.

On the 6th, SM Entertainment revealed that they have recorded 279.1 billion KRW in revenue and 38.6 billion KRW in operating profit for the first quarter of 2026. These figures represent an increase of 20.6% and 18.5%, respectively, compared to the same period last year.

Separate revenue for the first quarter reached 189.3 billion KRW, an increase of 14.4% year-on-year. Concert revenue increased by 56% and merchandise/licensing revenue by 20.3%, showing stable growth. Operating profit slightly decreased by 5.9% to 38.8 billion KRW due to the base effect of one-time music source revenue in the previous year. However, excluding this factor, it is effectively an increase. Net profit increased by 20.9% to 38.9 billion KRW.

These results were driven by increased album sales from key IPs, expanded concert scale leading to higher concert revenue, growth in the merchandise/licensing sector, the effect of DearU's consolidation, and improved performance from major subsidiaries. As a result, the share of concert and IP-based revenue has grown, and the company's revenue structure continues to diversify.

In particular, global tour by Super Junior, NCT Dream, Aespa, RIIZE, and NCT Wish contributed significantly to concert revenue growth. In the merchandise/licensing sector, sales of lightsticks and merchandise incrreased thanks to pop-up events tied to EXO's full-length album release, the NCT Wish project, and Aespa's tour.

The performance of major subsidiaries also improved. SM C&C saw growth in advertising and management revenue, while SM Japan benefited from expanded overseas activities of the artists. DearU has also been contributing stable profits since its consolidation. Operating profit for subsidiaries turned to a surplus compared to the same period last year.

Based on the 'SM NEXT 3.0' strategy, SM Entertainment continues to strengthen its IP competitiveness and expand globally, enchancing their long-term growth foundation through advanced content production and a broader IP portfolio.

Notably, rookie group Hearts2Hearts, which debuted last year, has been rapidly expanding their global presence. Their title track 'RUDE!' surpassed 100 million cumulative streams on Spotify Global within 28 days of release. They continue to succeed globally, with about 85% of streams coming from overseas. Furthermore, they also ranked No. 1 among K-Pop girl group songs released in 2026 on the Spotify Global TOP 200.

SM Entertainment plans to maintain growth in album, digital, and concert revenue in the second and third quarters with a strong artist lineup. In the second quarter, Taeyong, Aespa, and NCT Wish are scheduled to release full-length albums. SHINee, RIIZE, and Hearts2Hearts are scheduled to release mini-albums. Ryeowook is also scheduled to release a single. In the third quarter, Taeyeon and NCT 127 are scheduled to release full-length albums. Super Junior-83z, Red Velvet, and WayV are scheduled to release mini-albums. Meanwhile Yesung, Minho, and U-Know Yunho are planned to have new releases.

The concert sector will also remain active globally. In the second and third quarters, Aespa will begin a new global tour starting in Seoul and expanding to North and Central America and Europe. Additionally, EXO's tour concerts and first solo concert tours for U-Know Yunho and Irene are also scheduled.

Continue reading Aespa, RIIZE, Taeyeon comebacks ... SM Entertainment records 279.1 billion KRW in revenue for Q1 2026

Former Wanna One member Lai Kuanlin opens up about life after retirement: "I feel secure as a salaried worker"

SOURCE: '워너원 출신' 라이관린, 연예계 은퇴 후 달라진 삶 "월급쟁이라 마음 든든해"

Former Wanna One's member, Lai Kuanlin, shared an update on his life following his retirement from the entertainment industry.

In the second episode of Mnet's 'Wanna One Go: Back to Base' that aired on the 5th, Lai Kuanlin made an appearance and revealed his current life.

On this day, Ha Sungwoon traveled to Beijing to meet him. Lai Kuanlin came to the airport to greet him and the two shared a warm hug to celebrate their reunion.

Speaking about his current life, Lai Kuanlin said, "I joined a Chinese film production company. While working there, I'm learning about scripts and mainly working on short films. Being a salaried worker makes me feel secure."

He added, "I'm really happy right now. I love seeing myself move forward slowly. I really like who I am now, moving forward slowly through my own efforts, rather than that feeling of becoming a singer too quickly," expressing satisfaction with his current life.

However, he still showed lingering feelings for Korea. When Ha Sungwoon complimented his improved Korean compared to his Wanna One days, Lai Kuanlin smiled and said, "It's because I still have lingering feelings for Korea."

Lai Kuanlin also revealed that he got a tattoo of Wanna One's debut date, August 7th, on his arm. He said, "If there is a day in my life that deserves celebration or a date I want to celebrate, I think it would be August 7th. It's the day my efforts led to a great result," touching viewers.

That day, Lai Kuanlin teared up while watching heartfelt video messages sent by the members. He said, "I miss all the member so much. Thank you so much for sending me these messages," and added, "Everyone is still the same. They haven't changed at all. They all look so amazing." He also shared his honest feelings, "Since my retirement was a decision I made myself, I feel a bit burdened about appearing on TV again."

Through a video message to the members who reunited after seven years, Lai Kuanlin confessed, "I miss the Hyungs so much. To be honest, I really do want to promote with you all again. But filming again would feel like too much of a burden for me personally."

He concluded, "There's so much I want to say. Let's meet in private and talk someday. I love you."

Meanwhile, after Wanna One's activities ended, Lai Kuanlin went through a legal dispute over his exclusive contract with Cube Entertainment in 2019. After winning the case, he continued his entertainment activities in China before announcing his retirement in 2024.

Continue reading Former Wanna One member Lai Kuanlin opens up about life after retirement: "I feel secure as a salaried worker"

Lai Kuanlin gets a tattoo of Wanna One's debut date: "I still have lingering feelings for Korea"

SOURCE: 라이관린, ‘워너원 데뷔일’ 타투 새겼다…“한국에 미련 남아”

Wanna One's former member Lai Kuanlin shared an update on his life after retiring from the entertainment industry.

In the Mnet's 'Wanna One Go: Back to Base' released on the 5th, Ha Sungwoon visited Beijing, China, to reunite with Lai Kuanlin.

That day, Lai Kuanlin came out to meet Ha Sungwoon, and the two, meeting for the first time in seven years, shared a warm hug to celebrate their reunion. Afterward, they moved to a restaurant to catch up.

Lai Kuanlin revealed that he is currently working at a Chinese film production company that produces short films. He said, "Being a salaried worker makes me feel secure." He added, "I really like who I am now, moving forward slowly through my own efforts, rather than that feeling of becoming a singer too quickly," expressing his satisfaction.

Surprised by Lai Kuanlin's fluent Korean, Ha Sungwoon asked, "Why is your Korean still so good?" to which Lai Kuanlin replied, "It's because I still have lingering feelings for Korea." He then revealed a tattoo of Wanna One's debut date, August 7th, saying, "If there is a day in my life that deserves celebration, I think it would be August 7th." touching viewers.

Meanwhile, Lai Kuanlin debuted in 2017 as a member of Wanna One through Mnet's audition program 'Produce 101 Season 2.' After winning a legal dispute over his exclusive contract with Cube Entertainment in 2021, he continued his entertainment activities in China before changing his career path to become a director.

Continue reading Lai Kuanlin gets a tattoo of Wanna One's debut date: "I still have lingering feelings for Korea"

BLACKPINK Lisa reveals behind-the-scenes of her multi-billion KRW dress, featuring 66,960 crystals crafted over 2,960 hours

SOURCE: 블랙핑크 리사, 2960시간 동안 6만 6960개 크리스탈 박은 수십억대 드레스 비하인드 공개

BLACKPINK's Lisa has shared behind-the-scenes details from her striking appearance at the Met Gala.

On the 6th, Lisa posted several photos on her account with the caption, "What a magical evening at the MET. It was an honor to be a part of this year's host committee. Thank you for having me."

In the released photos, Lisa is seen posing in her dress before attending the event.

Lisa attended the 2026 Met Gala held on the 4th (local time) at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. She made history as the first K-Pop artist to be named to the Met Gala's host committee.

Lisa wore a custom dress made by Robert Wun, which took over a staggering 2,960 hours (about 120 days) of handwork and was entirely embroidered with 66,960 white Swarovski crystals. The look also featured a 3D-printed piece modeled after Lisa's actual arms, earning praise as one of the most faithful interpretations of this year's theme 'Costume Art,' and received the highest scores for originality.

Additionally, Lisa wore a 50-carat oval sapphire necklace from Bulgari, earning her the nickname of a 'walking work of art' with an outfit worths billions of KRW.

Continue reading BLACKPINK Lisa reveals behind-the-scenes of her multi-billion KRW dress, featuring 66,960 crystals crafted over 2,960 hours