• Origin Of BLACKPINK Jennie's Name Gains Attention In Light Of Squid Game's Popularity

    BLACKPINK member Jennie's past anecdote about the origin of her name is gaining attention in light of the popularity of 'Squid Game.'

    Last year, the global K-pop girl group appeared as a special guest on the JTBC program 'Knowing Bros,' and mentioned Lee Jung Jae, the actor who played the lead character on the megahit series 'Squid Game.'

    On this day, Jenny explained that most people do not think her name is her real name, and elaborated that her name is a pure Korean name and explained that her name actually has something to do with actor Lee Jung Jae.

    She said, "Actually my mom is a fan of Mr. Lee Jung Jae," and added, "He [Lee Jung Jae] played the role of Jae Hee in the drama 'Sandglass.' If my mom gave birth to a son, she planned to name him 'Jaehee,' but then she gave birth to a daughter. So she named me 'Jennie,' which is similar to Jaehee."

    Jenny actually met Lee Jung-jae and explained the background of the name. Lee Jung-jae is also said to be a fan of BLACKPINK, so he was surprised and delighted to find out that Jenny's mother was his fan.

    In an interview conducted on Netflix in September, Lee Jung-jae said, "After watching the trailer for 'BLACKPINK: Light the World', I realized that BLACKPINK was created and became the world's No.1 girl group through the fierce competition. I realized people can work that hard. " he continued, "that's how I became a fan of BLACKPINK." He added that he even recommended it to fellow actor Park Hae-soo.

    It was last year when Jenny made that statement. At that time, Lee Jung-jae was not as influential in the United States as in Korea. Since BLACKPINK was already a well-known artist abroad, domestic online community users predict that overseas fans will be surprised when they find out about the relationship between the two.

    'Squid Game', starring Lee Jung-jae, became the biggest hit among Netflix original works, as more than 140 million households worldwide watched it within 4 weeks of its release. Director Hwang Dong-hyeok announced at an event held in Los Angeles, USA that he would return with season 2 of 'Squid Game'.

    Source(1)

  • Hwanhee’s Agency Hits Back Against Shocking Claims of Favoritism on ‘King of Singers Season 2’—Vows to Defend His Reputation

    Hwanhee's agency, BT Entertainment, is firing back after serious fairness allegations were raised regarding the popular show ‘King of Singers Season 2’. They’ve denied all accusations and promised strong legal action for defamation.

    On February 5th, the agency issued a statement through their official fan cafe, saying, “We want to correct the false claims.”

    They explained that Hwanhee was initially approached to join the show in August 2024 by the production team. However, after checking with the event planning company, Dion Communication, they confirmed Hwanhee had no connection to the show or any related performances.

    Despite this, the agency pointed out that certain media outlets published unverified articles, wrongly suggesting that Hwanhee’s involvement could compromise the fairness of the program.

    BT Entertainment was quick to defend their artist, stressing the damage done to both Hwanhee's reputation and the agency itself due to these false claims. They added, "This has caused great harm to Hwanhee, who joined the program after careful consideration."

    The statement didn’t stop there. BT Entertainment made it clear that they won’t stand for any further defamation. They said, “We are taking legal action against these baseless reports” and emphasized their commitment to protecting Hwanhee from any further harm.

    They also reassured their fans, stating, “We will take swift action against any future misinformation to avoid any further harm to Hwanhee and his supporters.”

    This controversy started after a media outlet raised concerns on January 23rd about Hwanhee’s participation in the show. The report claimed that BT Entertainment’s CEO, who is also a director at Dion Communication, had invested 1.1 billion KRW in the ‘King of Singers Season 2’ concert, leading to suspicions of favoritism towards certain contestants.

    In the meantime, ‘King of Singers Season 2’ continues its intense competition, with Hwanhee making it to the semifinals. Fans are watching closely as he currently holds 1st place in the first round of the semifinals, cementing his position as a strong contender to represent Korea in the Korea-Japan King of Kings battle.

    Source: [1]