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☆ Want to train like a K-pop star in South Korea? A new visa will make it easier
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-19 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | Yoonjung Seo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —South Korea will soon launch a new visa for foreign nationals who dream of training like a K-pop idol, in a bid to boost its tourism industry back to pre-pandemic levels. The “K-Culture Training Visa” will be open to foreigners who want to train in K-pop dancing, choreography and modeling, the finance ministry announced on Monday. K-pop is already the most-cited reason for visiting the country, according to the MCST, with particularly strong interest from overseas fans from Southeast Asia, Europe and the US. Tourists visit the statue of Sejong the Great of the Joseon Dynasty at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea on February 21, 2024. South Korea has also made it easier for digital nomads to stay and work in the country, implementing its “workation” visa at the start of this year.

Persons: –, Lee Jung, jae, Sejong the, Kim Jae Organizations: CNN, Ministry of Culture, Tourism, Korean, Tourists, Getty Locations: South Korea, Seoul, Southeast Asia, Thailand, Philippines, Korean, Europe, Korea

☆ Blackpink’s Jennie makes her runway debut at Jacquemus show
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-11 | by ( Christy Choi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Black shades and a red towel were all Blackpink’s Jennie Kim needed to look chic ahead of the Jacquemus show in Capri, Italy. And just as Bardot was to Godard, Jennie was designer Simon Porte Jacquemus’s star on the runway on Monday. In her surprise runway debut, the 28-year-old closed the show of minimalist form and colorful threads in a backless halter dress, paired with a turquoise shoulder bag and zebra-print heels. Fans waiting outside venues have become a fixture as they look to get a glimpse of the K-pop celebrities attending fashion shows. Of course, fans would have had a difficult time getting to this runway location.

Persons: Jennie Kim, Brigitte Bardot, Jean Luc Godard’s, Mépris, Bardot, Godard, Jennie, Simon Porte Jacquemus’s, Curzio Malaparte, Godard’s, Mépris ”, ”, Stephane Cardinale, Corbis, Jacquemus, “, ‘, Luc Godard, Princess Diana, Jacques Demy’s Organizations: CNN, Casa Malaparte, Chanel Locations: Capri , Italy, Casa, of Salerno, Dua Lipa, Jean, Versailles

☆ Opinion: May is the month when we honor Asian Americans. Here’s what a lot of people get wrong
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Opinion Regina Kim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —As we near the end of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, I can’t help but feel a bit disappointed. Regina Kim Courtesy Regina KimBut too often, efforts to honor the contributions of Asian Americans, however well-intentioned, fall short because people fail to differentiate between Asian Americans and Asian communities outside the US. A recent study by the Asian American Foundation found that over half of Americans can’t name a single famous Asian American. This may be one reason why so many Americans can’t name any Asian Americans of note. The media needs to make a conscientious effort to seek out, identify and spotlight Asian Americans — and not just during AANHPI Heritage Month.

Persons: Regina Kim, Peggy Gou —, AAPI, “, Mark Tuan, Audrey Nuna Michael Hickey, Laufey, who’ve, Daniel Anderson, Peggy Gou, Ali Wong Elyse Jankowski, Kat Turner, Sun, ” Turner, Steven Yeun Gregg DeGuire, wasn’t, Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh, Lulu Wang Michael Kovac, Mindy Kaling, Kevin Mazur, Lee Jung, jae, ” Oscar, Bong Joon Ho, Lulu Wang, ”, —, Steven Yeun, Bruno Mars, Olivia Rodrigo, Sarah Kinsley, Lyn Lapid, Audrey Nuna Organizations: Forbes, CNN, Billboard, AAPI, American, AANHPI, America, South, Korean, Asian American Foundation, Globe, Twitter, Facebook Locations: Hawaiian, American, “, Korean, Europe, America, Asia, Icelandic, South Korean, Hong Kong, Malaysian, keshi

☆ Lando Norris claims first win of F1 career, storming to victory at Miami Grand Prix in front of star-studded crowd
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Ben Morse | Thomas Schlachter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Lando Norris won the first race of his Formula One career, storming to victory at the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday in front of a crowd flooded with celebrities. Sunday’s victory was also McLaren’s first grand prix victory since 2021 – and second in the last 12 years. “He drove perfectly, the car was really fast.”Norris finished 7.61 seconds ahead of second-placed Verstappen to win the 2024 Miami Grand Prix. The F1 season next heads to Italy for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix with the race weekend starting on May 17. This year’s attendance at the Miami Grand Prix was a sold out 275,000 across the race weekend, according to Formula One.

Persons: CNN — Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, – Norris, “ I’m, I’ve, ” Norris, –, McLaren, Zak Brown, Norris, ”, ” Brown, Mark Thompson, Verstappen, Brit, “, Lando, It’s, it’s, ” Verstappen, Lisa, Blackpink, Tom Brady, Blackpink’s Lisa, Camila Cabello, Ed Sheeran, Anthony Mackie, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Odell Beckham Jr, Fred Kerley, Keke Palmer, Daniel Ricciardo, Rudy Carezzevoli, Donald Trump Organizations: CNN, Miami, Prix, McLaren, Sky Sports, Getty, Emilia, Grand Prix, Miami Grand Prix, North, NFL, Miami International, Kansas City Chiefs, Former, Formula One Locations: British, Italy, Grand, North America

☆ Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Blackpink's Lisa: Celebrities spotted at Coachella 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Amanda Goh | Ayomikun Adekaiyero | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The annual Coachella music festival, held in Indio, California, is underway. Here are the celebrities who have attended the music festival so far. The likes of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, Taylor Swift, and even Blackpink's Lisa have been spotted among the audience. Here are the celebrities who have been seen enjoying Coachella 2024 so far. Taylor Swift and Travis KelceTaylor Swift and Travis Kelce at Neon Carnival held during the Coachella Music and Arts Festival on April 13, 2024 in Thermal, California.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Lisa, —, Lana Del Rey, Tyler, Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sanchez, Travis Kelce Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Gilbert Flores, Swift, Jason, Lauren Sánchez, Kris Jenner's, Corey Gamble, Lana Del Rey's, Rocky, Shakira, Blackpink's Lisa LISA, BLACKPINK, Bizarrap's, Blackpink's Lisa, Blackpink, Barry Keoghan Barry Keoghan, Tommaso Boddi, Sabrina Carpenter's, Keoghan, Carpenter, Justin Bieber, Jaden Smith Bieber, Smith, Hailey Bieber Hailey Bieber, Campbell Puckett, 🌵🎡, Rob e, mee, fou, ann u, e, Lew, tim e Organizations: Service, Billboard, Los Angeles Times, Coachella Music, Arts Festival, Getty, NFL, Coachella, AP, Valley Music, Arts, spo Locations: Indio , California, Thermal , California, Coachella, Singapore, fes, Fes

☆ Aespa’s Karina: K-pop star ends relationship weeks after it sparked a fan backlash
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —After apologizing last month for a new relationship that angered some particularly animated fans, K-pop star Karina is once again single – highlighting the long-standing challenges of dating in the fervid fanspace of Korean entertainment. Karina, of the girl group Aespa, and actor Lee Jae-wook have broken up after going public five weeks ago, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap, citing statements from the pair’s respective representatives. Lee’s agency, C-JeS Studios, said he had ended the relationship to focus on work, “leaving them as colleagues who support each other,” Yonhap reported. In the past, K-pop stars who went public with their relationships have faced heavy public backlash, sometimes impacting their professional careers and contracts. There have been some signs of change in recent years, with attitudes slowly shifting among both fans and agencies.

Persons: Karina, Lee Jae, Yonhap, “, ” Yonhap, ”, Lee, wasn’t, Jisoo, Ahn Bo, hyun, “ I’m, commenter Organizations: CNN, South, JeS, Chosun Ilbo Locations: South Korean

☆ Virtual-reality concerts could redefine the live-music experience — but it'll take more time
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Ngozi Nwanji | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

VR concerts have emerged as a creative outlet for artists such as Travis Scott and Teflon Sega. The enigmatic singer Teflon Sega, who performs as a virtual-reality avatar, also worked with Wave to put on a virtual concert in 2022. Why artists and fans are interested in VR concertsThe appeal of VR concerts lies heavily in their experimental nature. Sarah Malkin, the director of metaverse entertainment content at Meta, told BI that the virtual concerts served both creative and strategic purposes. Over three months, the artist's VR concert was available to watch at select theaters in different cities.

Persons: Travis Scott, —, Justin Bieber, John Legend, Calvin Harris, Victoria Monét, Jack Harlow, Jorja Smith, Sarah Malkin, AmazeVR, Megan Thee, Steve Lee, Malkin, Cat's, Jason Diamond, Diamond, Lee, There's, Amy Dorsey Organizations: Sega, Companies, Meta, Service, Business, Forbes, Wave, Meta Quest, VR, Sony Music, Diamond Bros, Detroit, Arris Composites, Apple Vision, Food and Drug Administration, Dorsey Pictures Locations: AmazeVR

☆ Extended-reality workouts usher in an immersive era of virtual fitness on VR headsets
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Diana Umana | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Business Insider spoke with leaders at the fitness brands Puma, Les Mills, FitXR, and Supernatural about leveraging extended reality to provide tech-driven workouts. Shifting perceptions of fitness technologyPuma this year partnered with Meta Quest 3 to launch immersive mixed-reality workouts in the metaverse. He recalled seeing people's perceptions of VR workouts change at a launch event for Puma and Meta Quest's partnership earlier this year. Lisa Edwards, Les Mills' digital innovation director, said the game's development required the company to adapt to connect "a global community of fitness enthusiasts." Three years ago, when Les Mills met with developers, the technology was more rudimentary; putting time and resources into extended-reality services was a risk.

Persons: —, Rachel Z, Les Mills, Ivan Dashkov, I've, Dashkov, Kathryn Przybyla Dashkov, there's, Lisa Edwards, Lisa Edwards , , Les Mills Edwards, Sam Cole, Cole, Achilles, FitXR Cole, Leanne Pedante, Lindsey Byrnes, Pedante Organizations: Service, Puma, Meta, aha, Les Mills, VR Locations: FitXR, Les

☆ Aespa’s Karina apologizes to K-pop fans after relationship reveal sparks backlash
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Jessie Yeung | Yoonjung Seo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —Are K-pop stars allowed to love? Under Karina’s apology post on Wednesday, the comment section was flooded with fans rallying in support. “No idols (K-pop stars) should apologize for dating in 2024,” one top comment read. And while there were messages of support there, too, there were plenty of disgruntled fans who weren’t satisfied with Karina’s apology. “Other fans pointed out that Karina’s apology hadn’t mentioned the status of her relationship – speculating that was simply confirmation they were still dating.

Persons: Karina, Lee Jae, wook, ”, “, Hyuna, Dawn, Jisoo, Ahn Bo, hyun, Aespa, hadn’t Organizations: South Korea CNN, Chosun Ilbo, Entertainment, Triple H, CNN, Twitter Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Asia, Instagram, Japan, Weibo

☆ 'The White Lotus' picks Blackpink's Lisa to appear on season 3 of the drama series
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Blackpink's Lisa is set to make her acting debut in "The White Lotus" Season 3. Lisa's role is not yet specified, and she will be credited as Lalisa Manobal. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementBlackpink's Lisa will make her acting debut and join the cast of "The White Lotus" for the show's third season, HBO confirmed Monday.

Persons: Lisa, Lalisa Manobal, — Organizations: HBO, Service, Business

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Seventeen-year-old Naima Khairiya Ismah started being bombarded by social media posts from candidates for Indonesia's presidential election on before she'd even given voting any thought. Candidates are reaching out through the apps young voters use, the K-pop music many love, and even video gaming events. “As young people, we can't meet the candidates in person,” said first-time voter Ismah, chatting after class outside her Jakarta high school. But their campaigns have been stressing issues that matter to young people: job opportunities, climate change and institutional corruption. Last month, Raka showed up at the popular Mobile Legend Championship e-sport tournament in Jakarta to appeal to young gamers.

Persons: Khairiya Ismah, Joko Widodo, they've, ”, Prabowo Subianto, Ganjar Pranowo, Anies Baswedan, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Subianto, They're, who's, Raka, Subianto's, Chong Sung Kim, Kim, ” Kim, It's, Karlina Octaviany, Baswedan, Ahn, Octaviany, “, Muhammad Fakrezi Syamil, he’s, ” Ismah Organizations: Indikator Politik, Pixar, Subianto's Gerindra Party, Twitter, Golkar, Indonesian, “, Associated Press Locations: JAKARTA, Indonesia, Jakarta, Surakarta, Indikator, Indikator Politik Indonesia, South, Israel, Korean, Indonesian, South Korea, South Jakarta

☆ If It Isn’t Perfect, Is It Still K-Pop?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Jin Yu Young | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

What comes to mind when you hear the word “K-pop”? Is it the global boy band phenomenon BTS, wearing studded jackets and dancing in perfect sync? Or the girl group Blackpink, performing at Coachella in trendy fashions and perfectly curled hair? “Give me some more bass,” said Omega Sapien, a vocalist with electric-green hair and grills, swaying his hips and grunting to the beat. The studio was cluttered with art, vinyl records, dumbbells and other odds and ends.

Persons: ”, Omega Sapien Organizations: Coachella Locations: Seoul

☆ Coachella 2024 lineup: No Doubt to reunite after almost 10 years with Lana Del Rey, Doja Cat also headliners
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Alli Rosenbloom | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The lineup for Southern California’s legendary, desert-centric Coachella music festival has officially been announced, and there’s no doubt it’ll be a good time. On Tuesday, Goldenvoice, the company that produces the long-running festival, revealed that the 2024 lineup features popular ska/punk/rock band No Doubt as one of the four headlining acts. In the early aughts, the band went on to pursue solo projects after releasing a number of albums together. Last year’s Coachella headliners included Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny, Korean pop group Blackpink and singer Frank Ocean. The live music festival will return to Indio’s Empire Polo Field for two consecutive weekends on April 12-14 and April 19-21 this year.

Persons: Goldenvoice, Gwen Stefani, Lana Del Rey, Doja, Tyler, Balvin, Stefani, – Tony Kanal, Tom Dumont, Adrian Young –, ” Stefani, Young, “, Bad Bunny, Frank Ocean, Ocean Organizations: CNN, Southern California’s, Dumont, Puerto Rican, Field

☆ Asia’s year in review: Who had it good — and who had it bad — in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-22 | by ( Curtis Chin | Jose B. Collazo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

As 2023 comes to a close, we take a look at the year that was in Asia and the Pacific region. But who had it good and who had it bad in 2023? Bad year: China's property marketWith millions of Chinese citizens still waiting for homes they put down payments on — but might never be built — 2023 was a particularly bad year for China's property market. A newly built property is seen from the air in Hangzhou city, Zhejiang province, China, Dec 15, 2023. Chinese families and individuals who once saw homes as more than somewhere to live but also as investments have reason to fear 2023 won't be the last bad year they face.

Persons: Curtis, Chin, Jose B, —, Vikram, Amit Dave, Narendra Modi, Taylor Swift, Kim Ji, Jennie, Kim Jennie, Roseanne Chae, Lisa, Lalisa, King Charles, Rose, Roseanne Park, Jisoo Kim, Jennie Kim, King Charles III, Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim Keon Hee, Victoria Jones, Blackpink, Michelle Yeoh, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, San Francisco —, China Evergrande, Moody's, Asia's Organizations: Asian Development Bank, RiverPeak Group, ISRO —, Indian Space Research, Orbiter, ISRO, Buckingham, Sustainable, COP26, Getty, YG Entertainment, APEC, U.S, International Monetary Fund Locations: U.S, Asia, Turkey, Syria, Maui, Hawaii, Lahaina, Pacific, India, Gujarat Science City, Ahmedabad, Korea, British, LONDON, ENGLAND, Glasgow, London, England, South Korea, Malaysian, New Zealand, Thailand, China, San Francisco, United States, Taiwan, South China, Country, Hangzhou city, Zhejiang province

☆ Blackpink renews group contracts with agency, YG shares spike 29%
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-06 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

(Photo by Victoria Jones - Pool/Getty Images)Shares of K-pop agency YG Entertainment spiked as much as 29% after the company announced that it has renewed exclusive group contracts with all four members of girl group Blackpink. The stock closed at 48,000 South Korean won ($36.58) per share on Tuesday, near its 2023 low of 47,000 won. But on Wednesday, it surged at the open and hit an intraday high of 61,900 South Korean won per share. This could bring an end to the long running contract saga between the popular K-pop group and the agency. Shares of YG previously plunged each time South Korean media reported that members of the group will not renew with the label.

Persons: Lisa, Lalisa, Rose, Roseanne Park, Jisoo Kim, Jennie Kim, King Charles III, Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim Keon Hee, Victoria Jones Organizations: COP26, YG Entertainment, South Korean, YG, Munhwa Ilbo Locations: ENGLAND, British, Glasgow, London, England, South Korea, South Korean

☆ Blackpink renews contract with YG Entertainment after previous contracts expired in August
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-06 | by ( Gawon Bae | Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Seoul/Hong Kong CNN —All four members of K-pop supergroup Blackpink have renewed their contracts with label YG Entertainment, according to the label’s regulatory filing published Wednesday. “The board has completed a resolution about renewing the contracts with Blackpink’s four members,” YG Entertainment said in the filing. Since their debut in 2016, Blackpink have become one of the most successful girl groups in the world. In 2019, they became the first female K-Pop group to ever play at Coachella or any other US festival. YG Entertainment’s shares, which had been on the slide since mid September, soared 22% following the announcement.

Persons: – Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa, Rosé, ”, Blackpink, YG Entertainment’s Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, YG Entertainment, ” YG Entertainment, YouTube, Coachella, YG Locations: Seoul, Hong Kong

☆ Blackpink receive honors from Britain’s King Charles
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Reuters —King Charles III on Wednesday presented K-Pop band Blackpink with honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire medals in the presence of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol during his state visit to the United Kingdom, Buckingham Palace said. The quartet – Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa and Rose – chatted, laughed and took photographs with the British monarch as he presented the medals. King Charles III presents honorary MBEs to Blackpink during a special investiture ceremony in Buckingham Palace in the presence of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, Kim Keon Hee. Victoria Jones/Pool/Getty Images“It’s amazing you’re still talking to each other after all these years,” King Charles jokingly said to the band at the ceremony. Blackpink received the MBEs in recognition of the band members’ role as COP26 Advocates for the United Nations climate summit held in Glasgow in 2021, Buckingham Palace said.

Persons: King Charles III, Yoon Suk, Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa, Rose – chatted, Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim Keon Hee, Victoria Jones, ” King Charles, “, Blackpink, Buckingham Organizations: Reuters, CNN’s Royal, United, YouTube Locations: British, United Kingdom, Buckingham, Buckingham Palace, United Nations, Glasgow, London

☆ K-Pop band BLACKPINK receive honorary MBEs from Britain's King Charles
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The quartet – Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa and Rose – chatted, laughed and took photographs with the British monarch as he presented the medals. "It's amazing you're still talking to each other after all these years," King Charles jokingly said to the band at the ceremony. "I hope I shall be able to see you perform live at some point". BLACKPINK received the MBEs in recognition of the bank members' role as COP26 Advocates for the United Nations climate summit held in Glasgow in 2021, Buckingham Palace said. Reporting by Farouq Suleiman and Hanna Rantala; Editing by Emelia Sithole-MatariseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: King Charles, Rose, Roseanne Park, Jisoo Kim, Jennie Kim, Lisa, Lalisa, MBEs, Yoon Suk, Jennie, Jisoo, Rose – chatted, BLACKPINK, Buckingham, Farouq Suleiman, Hanna Rantala, Emelia Sithole Organizations: United, YouTube, Thomson Locations: British, United Kingdom, Buckingham, United Nations, Glasgow, London

LONDON (AP) — King Charles III honored the K-pop band Blackpink on Wednesday, saluting their work in raising awareness among young people about the threat of climate change. On the second day of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s three-day state visit to London, Charles made Blackpink members Jennie Kim, Jisoo Kim and Lalisa Manoban honorary Members of the Order of the British Empire. The awards are part of Britain’s honors system, which recognizes outstanding service to the nation and the wider world. Charles had lauded the K-pop girl group on Tuesday during a state banquet in honor of Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee. “I can only admire how they can prioritize these vital issues, as well as being global superstars."

Persons: — King Charles III, Yoon Suk, Charles, Jennie Kim, Jisoo Kim, Lalisa, Roseanne, Yoon, Kim Keon Hee, Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa, Rose, ” Charles, “ Organizations: British Empire Locations: London, British, New Zealand, Buckingham, Glasgow, Scotland

☆ South Korean President to Meet UK PM Sunak for State Visit Talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON (Reuters) - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will meet British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for talks on Wednesday and sign an agreement stepping up cooperation in defence, security and technology. Yoon, on a state visit to London, and Sunak will sign a Downing Street Accord which will also involve them working together on enforcing U.N. sanctions on reclusive North Korea. A conservative, Yoon has cited a "polycrisis" of global challenges as a reason for seeking closer ties with like-minded partners. South Korea on Wednesday suspended part of a 2018 military agreement with North Korea after it defied warnings from the United States and launched a spy satellite. The suspension of a clause in the agreement will see South Korea step up military surveillance along the heavily fortified border with the North.

Persons: Yoon Suk, Rishi Sunak, Yoon, King Charles, Buckingham, Charles, BLACKPINK, Alistair Smout, Joyce Lee, Nick Macfie Organizations: British, Downing, Accord, Ministers, Corio Generation, BP, Guard Locations: London, North Korea, South Korea, Buckingham, Korea, United States, Seoul

☆ Meet the Thai celebrities — and ‘boys love’ stars — becoming fashion’s newest power players
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Tiffany Ap | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

(CNN) — Back in February, Nattawin Wattanagitiphat’s fans spared no expense in marking the Thai actor’s 29th birthday. Local media reported his birthday haul totaled 50 million Thai baht, or around $1.4 million. But more often than not, the Thai stars who are able to build international fan bases tend to be actors. “K-pop stars dedicated their lives training (from a young age) to be idols,” but Thai stars, she said, can be more relaxed. We don’t really keep the talent in a box like Korean companies do.”Another advantage some Thai celebrities have is their ability to resonate among Chinese audiences.

Persons: Nattawin, Christian Dior, Lefty.io, Karla Otto, TikTok, Kylie Jenner, Zendaya, Pascal Le Segretain, Dior, Tontawan Tantivejakul, Lalisa Manobal, Lisa, Celine, There’s, Pharrell Williams, Louis Vuitton, Davika Hoorne, Urassaya Sperbund, ‘, Calvin Klein, Bright’s, Metawin, ’, Nichapat, Sumettikul, “ KinnPorsche ”, Ralph Lauren, Kanawut, Suphap, It’s, “, ”, ” Suphap, Blackpink, Jisoo, Jennie, Rose, Evan Agostini, Dior womenswear, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson, Fatti, ” Laleh, ” Davika Hoorne, Michael Kors, Jamie McCarthy, Traipipattanapong, Gucci, Justin Shin, Krisda Witthayakhajorndet, Thais Organizations: The, Fashion, CNN, Thai, Rolex, Vogue, Mastercard, Bain & Company, American Vogue, Burberry, Prada, Venture Management, Gucci, MTV, Apo, South Locations: ’, Asia, India, Instagram, Thailand, North, South Asia, Thai, Southeast Asia, Pacific, Bangkok, Pee Mak, Norwegian, American, Vogue Thailand, Newark , New Jersey, Launchmetrics, Paris, Blackpink, Brooklyn , New York, Seoul, South Korea

☆ Blackpink's contract renewal sent YG shares on a wild ride. Why K-pop contracts matter
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

(Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Coachella)In the oversaturated K-pop music scene, groups come as quickly as they go. Most contract renewals take place without much fanfare — but not for Blackpink, one of the biggest girl groups in the world. When members of the girl group were due to renew their contracts, shares of their label YG Entertainment went on a wild ride. In September, shares of the Kosdaq-listed YG Entertainment plunged on two separate occasions. Shares of YG climbed about 3% on that news.

Persons: Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa, Emma McIntyre Organizations: Coachella, Valley Music, Arts Festival, YG Entertainment, Ilbo, YG Locations: INDIO , CALIFORNIA, Indio , California, Korean

☆ YG Entertainment shares climb 3% after Blackpink reportedly agrees to continue as a group
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

(Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Coachella)Shares of K-pop agency YG Entertainment climbed over 3% on Monday after South Korean media reported that girl group Blackpink has agreed to continue group activities under the label. According to an exclusive by South Korean outlet Munhwa Ilbo, individual members will not be renewing their exclusive contracts with YG but the group agreed to continue group activities as Blackpink under the label. In the future, they plan to carry out individual activities and come together only for Blackpink activities," according to a Google translation. The report added that two members already signed a contract "agreeing to continue Blackpink's activities," without naming the members. It's the latest development in a long-running contract saga involving the four-member group made up of members Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa.

Persons: Lisa, Jennie, Emma McIntyre, Blackpink, Munhwa Ilbo, Jisoo, Rosé Organizations: Coachella, Valley Music, Arts Festival, YG Entertainment, South, Munhwa Ilbo, YG, Munhwa Locations: INDIO , CALIFORNIA, Indio , California

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — K-pop superstar Rosé said Friday at a mental health awareness event hosted by first lady Jill Biden that it's important for the world to understand that famous people grapple with emotional struggles, too. Rosé, a part of the supergroup BLACKPINK, said having a large social media following makes her feel vulnerable, particularly when people are critical. “People who are older -- we never, ever spoke about mental health,” Biden said. Apple CEO Tim Cook opened the event but blanked briefly when the teleprompter went out. Cook recovered, telling the crowd he'd “go ahead and ad lib," then thanked everyone for coming and introduced the first lady.

Persons: —, Rosé, Jill Biden, there’s, ”, ” Biden, Vivek Murthy, Tim Cook, “, Cook, Wan, Wan Ismail, you’ve, ” Cook, ” Kim Keon Hee, Rachael Marape, Louise Araneta Organizations: FRANCISCO, Apple, Economic Cooperation, Marcos Locations: Cupertino, Asia, Pacific, California, Malaysia, South Korea, Papua New Guinea, Philippines

☆ K-pop: Blackpink’s Lisa face suspension on Weibo
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

On Wednesday afternoon, the Thai star’s verified account @lalalalisa_m was no longer searchable on Weibo, one of China’s most popular social media networks. The suspension of her account comes after Lisa performed five shows at the Crazy Horse Paris in September. Why did she choose the Crazy Horse show?,” one Weibo user wrote. “She was still very high-profile on Weibo after attending the Crazy Horse show,” the user wrote. “I may have also criticized her for the Crazy Horse show.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, @lalalalisa_m, Lisa, – Jisoo, Jennie, Rose –, Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, Lisa –, Lisa’s Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Weibo Community Management, Horse, CNN, YG Entertainment, Weibo Locations: Hong Kong, Weibo, Paris, Horse Paris, Asia, China

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