Tuesday, March 17, 2026

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Kim Saeron's family reportedly attempted suicide ... "Suffering extreme pain due offensive from Kim Soohyun's side"


SOURCE: 故 김새론 유족, 극단적 선택 시도…"김수현 측 공세에 극심한 고통"

It is reported that the family member of the late Kim Saeron recently attempted to take their own life due to severe emotional distress. According to New Daily on the 14th, the bereaved family had planned to attend a group screening of Kim Saeron's final work 'Everyday, We' at CGV Cheongdam Cine City in Gangnam, Seoul, that afternoon. However, they were unable to attend after one family member attempted suicide at their home a few days earlier.

A family acquaintance told the media, "There's only one thing that the family wants from Kim Soohyun. It's for him to acknowledge all the facts and offer a sincere apology to the deceased." The acquaintance added with anger, "Instead, Kim Soohyun and his lawyer are causing unbearable pain to the family by claiming that they are spreading false information with fabricated evidence."

The acquaintance added, "Two years ago, the deceased felt as if her existence was being denied as Kim Soohyun denied their relationship. During the process of repaying the costs for handling her accident, she once again shed tears and blood because of the actions of Kim Soohyun's agency." They added, "Even a hundred apologies wouldn't be enough, yet they are now framing the bereaved family as criminals. It's unbelievable." The acquaintance also said that the family members have attempted taking their own life several times already. Finally, the acquaintance pleaded, "This is a very serious situation. Please stop criticizing and insulting the bereaved family."

The late Kim Saeron was found dead at her home in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, on February 16 of last year. This day also happened to be Kim Soohyun's 37th birthday. In last March, the bereaved family claimed through the Youtube channel 'Gaseyeon' that the late Kim Saeron had been in relationship with Kim Soohyun for five years, starting in 2016 when she was 15 years old. The family demanded acknowledgement and a sincere public apology from Kim Soohyun, but his side denied the claims, saying that they only dated from the summer of 2019 to the autumn of 2020, after she had become an adult. It is also known that the late Kim Saeron suffered severe stress during her lifetime, including being asked to repay 700 million KRW in penalties by her former agency, Gold Medalist, which is also Kim Soohyun's agency, following her DUI incident in May 2022.

Kim Soohyun has filed a lawsuit seeking 12 billion KRW in damages against the bereaved family and 'Gaseyeon.' The family has countersued Kim Soohyun on charges of violating the Child Welfare Act and making false accusations. Both sides are continuing their legal battle. On the 13th, Kim Soohyun's side once again denied the allegations of dating a mnor during a court hearing in a separate damages lawsuit filed by cosmetics brand A.

Continue reading Kim Saeron's family reportedly attempted suicide ... "Suffering extreme pain due offensive from Kim Soohyun's side"

Cho Hangyeol: "I look like BTS' Jin? Thank you, but... I'm sorry to the fans"

SOURCE: 조한결 "BTS 진 닮은꼴? 반응 감사하지만…팬들께 죄송" [인터뷰M]

Recently, Cho Hangyeol did an interview with iMBC Entertainment at the MBC building in Mapo-gu, Seoul, to celebrate the end of tvN's 'Undercover Miss Hong.'

'Undercover Miss Hong' is a retro office comedy set in the late 1990s about Hong Geumbo, an elite securities supervisor in her 30s who goes undercover as a 20-year-old entry-level employee at a securities firm where suspicious transactions were detected.

In the drama, Cho Hangyeol played the role of Albert Oh, the grandson of the Hanmin Securities chairman and also the only son of executive Oh Deokgyu. In the final episode, his character gave up his title as a third-generation chaebol to pursue his dream of being a cinephile.

'Undercover Miss Hong' was a hit, surpassing a peak viewer ratings of 12%. Along with the great performance of lead actress Park Shinhye, the solid acting of supporting actors like Cho Hangyeol and Choi Jisoo also stood out.

Cho Hangyeol shared his thoughts on the show's success, saying, "The script was very solid. I had a feeling it would do well," adding, "I think it turned out even better because every actor had a story and the characters were clear."

Cho Hangyeol said he actually checked the reactions to the scenes he acted in and expressed his gratitude, saying, "I loved the comments saying that I'm good at playing cheeky or sly roles. Hearing people call me a 'very charming actor' made me proud, it gave me strength."

He gained attention for his handsome looks and recently made an appearance on the Youtube variety show 'Hong Seokcheon's Jewel Box.' He shared, "So many amazing people appear on that show. It was an honor to be recognized there for my looks as well."

Even the 'Top Gay' Hong Seokcheon told him that he resembles BTS' member Jin. Regarding this, Cho Hangyeol joked, "Sometimes people do say that. First of all, BTS is a group that I really like and enjoy listening to. As a Korean, I respect them so much. I love hearing people tell me that I look like Jin, but I'm sorry to the fans."

He added, "From now on, I want to keep showing an even more handsome side of myself."

'Undercover Miss Hong' finished on the 8th.

Continue reading Cho Hangyeol: "I look like BTS' Jin? Thank you, but... I'm sorry to the fans"
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Former idol member in his 40s who was once famous opens up: "I always feel like it might be the last time"

SOURCE: 한때 유명했다더니…40대 전 아이돌 멤버, 속내 밝혔다 "항상 마지막일 것 같아" ('귀묘한')

Kim Kyujong (40), a member of the group SS501, opens up about his worries about the future on the show 'Shin-ppal Talk Show: Strange Stories 2.'

On the 11th episode of 'Shin-ppal Talk Show: Strange Stories 2' that will air on the 17th, comedian Hong Yoonhwa and SS501's Kim Kyujong appear as guests.

Kim Kyujong looked quite nervous from the start, saying, "This set feels unusually nerve-wracking." He added, "Because of the nature of my job, I never know when I might stop. It always feels like every moment could be the last. What should I do?" expressing his worries.

After observing him closely, a shaman said, "You have the fate of a 'tough man,' but you have a lot of fears." Kim Kyujong agreed, saying, "That is right. I'm quite fearful." The shaman then advised, "Anything you do will work out. Start by getting rid of the negative thoughts that things won't work." When the shaman added, "You have strong luck related to documents and contracts. 'Samjae' doesn't always mean bad things. If there's 'Ak-Samjae' (NB: Three years of misfortune), then there's also 'Bok-Samjae' (NB: Three years of fortune). You can consider this 'Bok-Samjae." Hearing this, Kim Kyujong let out a sigh of relief.

Another shaman said, "I see marriage luck. However, if you marry a Korean person, it would be someone who has already been married once," surprising everyone. The public is now very curious about what else the shaman said about Kim Kyujong's future spouse.

'Strange Stories 2' airs tonight at 10.30 PM (KST).

Continue reading Former idol member in his 40s who was once famous opens up: "I always feel like it might be the last time"
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Lim Seulong: "2AM and 2PM debuted to 'take down' Super Junior and TVXQ"

SOURCE: 임슬옹 "2AM·2PM, 슈주·동방신기 잡으려고 나왔다"

2AM's Lim Seulong revealed behind-the-scenes stories from his early debut days.

On the 16th, Lim Seulong appeared with fellow member Jung Jinwoon on the Youtube channel run by Super Junior's Donghae and eunhyuk, where they reminisced about the past.

He said, "2AM an 2PM originally debuted to take down Super Junior," revealing their goals at the time. He added, "We were originally one group because he goal was to take down TVXQ."

He continued, "Then Super Junior debuted. Since Super Junior started out as one group but later formed sub-units, we decided to start as units (2AM and 2PM) and then combine later," explaining how 2AM and 2PM were formed.

To this, Donghae responded, "We heard that 2AM and 2PM would eventually come together as one group, so we were also looking forward to it. We kept wondering, 'When on earth is this going to happen?'"

Regarding this, Lim Seoulong replied, "We actually did it once in Japan," adding, "We promoted as a group called 'One Day.'"

He explained, "Since it's 2AM and 2PM, that's 12 hours and 12 hours combined, which is why it was called 'One Day.'"

Continue reading Lim Seulong: "2AM and 2PM debuted to 'take down' Super Junior and TVXQ"
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Aespa's Ningning fires back at hate comment calling her 'ugly' ... "So what? This is just how I look"

SOURCE: 에스파 닝닝, “못생겼다” 악플에 직격탄…“어쩌라고 이렇게 생겼는데”

Aespa's Ninging responded firmly to a hate comment about her appearance during a 'no-makeup' live broadcast.

Recently, Ningning held a live broadcast to communicate with fans through her social media. On this day, she chatted with fans in her natural, bare-faced appearance. She stood before the camera without any makeup to celebrate International Women's Day.

During a broadcast, a viewer left a comment saying, "You're ugly without makeup." Seeing this, Ningning didn't get flustered and responded with a laugh, saying, "So what? This is just how I look."

She continued, "It's funny that someone says I'm ugly while I'm in the middle of talking about accepting ourselves as we are," adding, "Calling someone ugly is not a cool thing to do."

She also added, "Everyone looks different, don't they? I might not suit your personal taste, but instead of using your time to write 'You're ugly,' wouldn't it be better to listen to one more song?"

Ningning also shared a sincere advice with fans, saying, "I'm stronger than you might think I am," and added, "Because I focus on my people, my family, my friends, and my fans, I don't really care what anyone says."

She also mentioned the distorted views about women's weight, saying, "What does it matter how many kilograms you weigh? I just hope everyone eats what they want, travels, and lives happily."

Meanwhile, Aespa is preparing for a comeback with their second full-length album in May.

Continue reading Aespa's Ningning fires back at hate comment calling her 'ugly' ... "So what? This is just how I look"

'41 y.o' Lee Jehoon is now open to 'dating with celebrities♥' ... Will he join the list of actor couples getting married next year?

SOURCE: '41세' 이제훈, "연예인과 ♥연애" 오픈했다…"내년 결혼" 배우 부부 대열 합류? [엑's 이슈]

Actor Lee Jehoon draws attention with his specific mention of mariage.

On the broadcast of SBS 'My Little Old Boy' that aired on the 15th, Bae Yooram's daily life was shown. On this day, Bae Yooram met Lee Jehoon, Kim Euisung, Pyo Yejin, and Jang Hyukjin from the drama 'Taxi Driver 3,' which ended earlier this year with a great popularity.

When the topic of marriage naturally came up, Lee Jehoon told Bae Yooram, who is now approaching 40, "I hope you get married soon."

Lee Jehoon, who is two years older than Bae Yooram and is already in his 40s, added, "I'm in a hurry too."

He then continued, "My goal is to start dating this year and get married next year," shocking the whole 'Taxi Driver' team.

While talking about past failed relationships, Lee Jehoon confessed, "I don't usually date celebrities. Since we have to see each other for a long time in this field, I avoided it in case things didn't work out and it became awkward."

He then expressed regret, saying, "It was all pointless anyway (NB: to worry like that)." He also drew attention by expressing his openness to participate on a dating reality show.

Since Lee Jehoon specifically mentioned his hope to marry as soon as next year, some netizens reacted with comments like, "It seems like he is seriously seeing someone," "Is he really getting married next year?", "Are you dating to marry?" and "40s is the right time to get married."

Since several stars who previously mentioned marriage on TV actually followed up with surprise wedding announcements, speculation about possible 'marriage rumor'(?) is also being raised.

With him now being open to date celebrities, there are expectations that another 'actor couple' or 'star couple' will be born.

Meanwhile, other netizens responded with various reactions such as, "He's probably just saying that for the broadcast," and "It seems like he just really wants to find someone to marry."

Continue reading '41 y.o' Lee Jehoon is now open to 'dating with celebrities♥' ... Will he join the list of actor couples getting married next year?

The senior of 'I Am Solo' and 'Single's Inferno' is coming ... 'Heart Signal' launches Season 5 after three years

SOURCE: '나는솔로' '솔로지옥' 선배님 오신다…'하트시그널' 3년 만에 시즌5 론칭

'Heart Signal' is returning with Season 5 after three years.

On the 17th, Channel A's 'Heart Signal' team stated, "'Heart Signal,' the show that led the 'dating reality show syndrome,' is returning with Season 5. Up to Season 4, it has continued an undefeated streak by generating strong ratings and buzz."

'Heart Signal 5' will feature returning panelists Yoon Jongshin, Lee Sangmin, and Kim Eanna, along with new panelists Roy Kim and Tsuki.

Park Cheolhwan PD, known for the delicate directing style in the series, will once again take charge of 'Heart Signal 5' after three years.

Park Cheolhwan PD said, "We have returned with a new generation, with even more realistic and deeper emotions. Please show a lot of interest in the new 'signals' that are coming back once again with a winter vibe."

Channel A's 'Heart Signal 5' will premiere in April.

Continue reading The senior of 'I Am Solo' and 'Single's Inferno' is coming ... 'Heart Signal' launches Season 5 after three years

'44kg' Lee Mijoo grills two pieces of pork belly on her balcony ... Sparks debate over 'causing a nuisance'

SOURCE: '44kg' 이미주, 베란다서 삼겹살 두 점 굽다가 날벼락..'민폐' 갑론을박[Oh!쎈 이슈]

Lee Mijoo has been swept up in a controversy for causing a nuisance after grilling 'two pieces' of pork belly on her apartment balcony.

On the 15th, Lee Mijoo posted a photo on her social media with the caption, "Title: On the balcony." The image unexpectedly sparked a heated debate with opinions sharply divided.

The photo Lee Mijoo posted showed her grilling pork belly. As the title suggested, she was grilling meat on a portable burner set up on her balcony. On the grill, there were two pieces of pork belly along with mushrooms and garlic. When her shoes ended up in the shot, she covered them with the word "Sorry."

After the photo was released, people reacted to her surprisingly small portion size. Her acquaintances and family joked about her grilling only two pieces of pork belly, saying, "There won't even be any grease coming out." In response, Lee Mijoo replied, "I grill them little by little so they don't burn," adding, "I chose the balcony because of the smell."

However, an unexpected issue arose. Some pointed out that grilling meat on the balcony to avoid the smell could causes harm to neighbors.

Some netizens criticized her actions, saying, "Doing this on the balcony of a shared apartment building is a nuisance to neighbors," and "If you don't want your house to smell, go to a restaurant." They argued that grilling meat on the balcony to keep her own home from smelling is a selfish acts that harms neighbors.

On the other hand, some felt the criticism was excessive. They argued that many people grill meat on their balconies, saying, "People are reacting more sensitively because she's a celebrity." As the photo draws more attention, various opinions on daily etiquette continue to be shared.

Lee Mijoo has not released any specific statement on the matter.

Meanwhile, Lee Mijoo debuted in 2014 as a member of Lovelyz. The team disbanded in 2021 when their contracts with the agency expired. Since then, she has been active as a soloist, starring on tvN's 'Sixth Sense' and MBC's 'Hangout with Yoo,' becoming part of Yoo Jaeseok's circle. Recently, she joined tvN's 'Naked History' and continues to communicate with fans through Youtube and social media.

Continue reading '44kg' Lee Mijoo grills two pieces of pork belly on her balcony ... Sparks debate over 'causing a nuisance'
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NCT Jaemin's gift voucher for fans pocketed by an EMart employee

SOURCE: NCT 재민이 팬들에게 선물한 상품권, 이마트 직원이 '꿀꺽'

On the 17th, it was confirmed that an EMart employee pocketed 900,000 KRW worth of gift vouchers that NCT Dream's Jaemin had given to fans.

On the night of the 14th, Jaemin sent fans 30 Shinsegae gift vouchers worth 100,000 KRW each to celebrate White Day.

When fans visited stores early the next morning to exchange the digital gift vouchers for physical ones, it was discovered that some gift vouchers had already been exchanged at an EMart branch in Gumi.

As suspicions spread on social media that someone at the branch might have used their authority as an employee to exchange the vouchers first, and as inquiries from fans poured in, Shinsegae Group launched an internal investigation.

A representative of Shinsegae Group stated, "We have confirmed that an employee at the Gumi branch withdrew nine gift vouchers worth 100,000 KRW each in advance," adding, "We are currently conducting an internal investigation into the specific details of the incident."

They also added, "We apologize for causing inconvenience to EMart customers. Based on the investigation results, we will take action according to our company's standards and principles. We will also strengthen our management standards for gift vouchers issuance and exchange to prevent similar things from happening again in the future."

COMMENTS:

-Huk... So it really was an employee?

-Hul... They got some nerve to pocket 9 gift vouchers.

-Fire that employee.

-Yesterday, I heard they pocketed all 30 of them. That wasn't true?

-Idols have to be really careful giving out gift vouchers like this. It can unintentionally become a controversy.

-I bet that employee must be a fan of Jaemin too...

-Greed brought this disaster upon themselves. If they had just taken one or two gift vouchers, they probably wouldn't have been identified.

-That employee is about to lose their job over trying to pocket 900,000 KRW.

-So what if the employee is a fan? They have no conscience.

-I actually feel bad for that employee, seriously...

-The problem here is that the employee exchanged the gift vouchers in advance. And honestly, taking 9 of them isn't very ethical either.

-Whether it was an employee or not, what does it matter anyway..?ㅋㅋㅋ It's not like they pocketed all 30 of them. Did Jaemin say fans who work at EMart aren't allowed to have them?

Continue reading NCT Jaemin's gift voucher for fans pocketed by an EMart employee