United News of Bangladesh

Shares of Hybe, the agency behind global K-pop sensation BTS, tumbled sharply after the boyband’s highly anticipated comeback concert drew far fewer fans than expected. The free event, held Saturday at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, featured all seven BTS members – Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook – performing together for the first time since their 2022 hiatus for mandatory military service. Around 104,000 fans attended, less than half of the 250,000 originally anticipated. Hybe’s shares, which had climbed in recent months ahead of BTS’s world tour and the release of their new album ‘Arirang’, fell 15.5% on Monday following the turnout. The concert, marking the start of BTS’s 82-date world tour, was live-streamed on Netflix to over 190 countries, including South Korea. Analysts suggest the online broadcast, along with strict crowd management measures, may have contributed to the lower in-person attendance. Netflix is expected to release viewership data later this week. Meanwhile, Big Hit Music, Hybe’s music label, announced that ‘Arirang’ sold 3.98 million copies on its first day. At the historic Gwanghwamun Square, BTS performed tracks from the new album as well as hits like ‘Butter’ and ‘Dynamite’. BTS remains Hybe’s main revenue driver, and the extended hiatus had previously weighed on the company’s profits. With K-pop’s global popularity surging, the band now faces competition from fellow groups like Blackpink, Seventeen, and Stray Kids, as well as fictional competitors such as Netflix’s ‘KPop Demon Hunters’, which is reportedly planning a world tour next year to promote a sequel of its hit film. With inputs from BBC

South Korean girl group NewJeans has officially rebranded as NJZ, following an ongoing legal dispute with their former label, Ador, a subsidiary of K-pop giant HYBE, home to BTS. The rebranding comes after the group terminated their contracts with Ador on November 28, 2023, citing breaches of contract. In a recent interview with CNBC’s Squawk Box Asia, NJZ announced plans to headline the ComplexCon Hong Kong festival from March 21-23, with a new song debuting on the final day. The members will also perform solo, marking their first major public appearance since parting ways with Ador. The group revealed their new name, NJZ, via Instagram, following a call for fans’ suggestions during their separation from Ador. Tensions had been rising for months, and the members claimed they had fulfilled their contractual obligations as of January 5, leaving only advertisement-related duties. Despite this, member Danielle expressed concern over continuing interference from Ador, calling the situation “quite frightening.” In the midst of this legal turmoil, NJZ is focused on the future. Member Hanni stated that the group’s goal for 2025 is to release new music as quickly as possible, emphasizing that they were confident in their decision and unafraid of the ongoing situation. BLACKPINK announces 2025 world tour, teaser sends fans into frenzy Ador has filed two injunctions in South Korean courts to validate the group’s contracts and block them from signing advertisement deals independently. The company insists that the contracts are valid until 2029. The rift between NewJeans and Ador has also impacted HYBE financially, with the company’s market value dropping by $423 million following the news of the split. The legal dispute is ongoing, with hearings scheduled for March and April 2025. Despite the challenges, NJZ remains firm in their decision to never return to HYBE or Ador. Source: with inputs from Indian media