2024 has been another year filled with Korean celebrity news that has caused much buzz in the entertainment industry.

From shocking scandals to agency feuds, this year has been nothing short of eventful for K-pop idols and celebrities. As the industry continues to grow and evolve, the personal and professional lives of celebrities like BTS have been the focal points for discussion throughout the year.

So here are the biggest headlines of 2024 by month:

January

NCT member Haechan's indoor E-cigarette smoking controversy and apology:
NCT's agency, SM Entertainment issued an apology statement and confirmed that Haechan was filmed smoking an electronic cigarette in a dance studio.

IU's "Love Wins" song title controversy and change:
Initially titled "Love Wins," IU's track sparked controversy due to its association with LGBTQ+ rights slogans. After criticism, especially from the LGBTQ+ community, IU and her agency EDAM Entertainment changed the song title to "Love Wins All."

February

ZEROBASEONE member Kim Ji Woong's video call fan sign even profanity controversy

ZEROBASEONE's Kim Ji Woong faced criticism for allegedly using profanity at the end of a fan sign video call event. He was accused of saying "Ssibal" at the end of the video call with a fan.

Minoi's Indoor Smoking and Advertisement Shoot No-show Controversy

Rapper Minoi was involved in two separate controversies this year. She was under fire for smoking indoors, which is illegal in many public spaces in Korea and also she failed to show up for a scheduled advertisement shoot without prior notice.

Actor Ji Chang Wook's indoor E-cigarette smoking controversy and apology:

Another celebrity under fire for smoking e-cigarettes indoors was Ji Chang Wook. He was caught smoking indoors at the filming of the drama 'Welcome to Samdal-ri.' Following the backlash, Ji Chang Wook's agency issued an apology.

Lee Kang In and Son Heung Min conflict:

A dispute arose between soccer players Lee Kang In and Son Heung Min during the Asian Cup. The altercation reportedly led to Son Heung Min dislocating his finger. Lee Kang In later apologized publicly for his role in the incident

Hanteo Music Awards public defecation incident:
A fan reportedly pooped in the standing area of the concert hall during the awards show. This act led to widespread complaints about a horrid smell, causing discomfort among attendees and even prompting some K-pop idols to gag on stage due to the stench.

Shinsadong Tiger passes away:

One of K-pop's most famous producers, Shinsadong Tiger (Lee Ho Yang), was found dead in his studio on February 23, 2024. He was 40-years-old.

March

BTOB Lee Min Hyuk's Bubble Comment Controversy and Apology:
Various screenshots of the BTOB member's conversations with fans surfaced, sparking discussion among netizens. One of the controversial comments he made was regarding South Korea's low birthrate, referencing his friends' marriages and urging them to "contribute to the national birthrate."

Hyeri-Ryu Jun Yeol-Han So Hee Transit Dating and Social Media Post Controversy:

A complex dating situation involving actresses Hyeri, Ryu Jun Yeol, and Han So Hee sparked one of the most talked about public interest this year. Ryu Jun Yeol was accused of dating Han So Hee during his breakup with Hyeri, raising suspicions of "Transit romance," or when an individual jumps right into a new relationship during a breakup or right after a breakup. The controversy included allegations of overlapping relationships and indirect social media posts that were interpreted as targeting each other.

Kim Sae Ron's Controversial Photo Post with Kim Soo Hyun:

Actress Kim Sae Ron stirred controversy by posting a photo with actor Kim Soo Hyun on social media. The nature or context of the photo led to public debate on whether they were dating and criticism that the actress posted the photo for clout in light of Kim Soo Hyun's popularity.

Baseball player Oh Jae Won's Drug Use and Blackmail Incident:
Former national baseball team player Oh Jae Won was arrested and indicted on charges of repeatedly using drugs and, in an attempt to cover up his drug use,  threatening an acquaintance who intended to report him.

April

Actress Song Ha Yoon's school bullying allegations:

Song Ha Yoon, the actress known for her role in 'Marry My Husband,' faced allegations of school bullying. Her agency confirmed she was forcibly transferred from Banpo High School due to a school violence incident, but claimed it was unrelated to recent accusations

Hwang Jung Eum's divorce and revelations of her husband's infidelity:

Actress Hwang Jung Eum publicly accused her ex-husband Lee Young Don of infidelity. Subsequently, a civilian was mistakenly identified as the alleged mistress, leading to a defamation lawsuit.

LE SSERAFIM's Coachella live performance controversy:
LE SSERAFIM faced criticism regarding their live performance at the Coachella music festival. They received backlash for their singing skills that was far below the expected live performance ability of K-pop idols.

HYBE-Min Hee Jin ADOR management rights dispute:
A conflict arose between HYBE and former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin over management control. The dispute escalated to legal proceedings, with Min's reinstatement bid rejected by the court. This issue is still ongoing as NewJeans recently announced the termination of their exclusive contracts with ADOR while the agency is denying the claims.

Min Hee Jin's Allegations NewJeans Concept Plagiarism by ILLIT:
Min Hee Jin raised accusations that rookie girl group ILLIT had plagiarized NewJeans' concepts.

BTS Music Chart Manipulation Judgment Document Controversy:
The HYBE subsidiary provided an update on the legal proceedings amid allegations of chart manipulation of BTS' albums and HYBE's alleged association with the pseudoscience group Dahnworld.

Han So Hee French University Admission Controversy:

Actress Han So Hee faced scrutiny over her admission to a French university, with questions raised about the legitimacy of her enrollment.

May

Kim Ho Joong's Drunk Driving Hit-and-Run Incident:

Trot singer Kim Ho-joong was involved in a drunk driving hit-and-run accident in May 2024. He crashed into a taxi in Seoul's Gangnam district and fled the scene. He initially denied alcohol consumption and also was found his manager took the blame. Kim Ho Joong later turned himself in admitted to drinking and was criticized for how he handled the situation.

Psick University's Yeongyang county regional disparagement controversy and apology:

This incident involves a controversy where comedy group Psick University allegedly made disparaging remarks about Yeongyang County, leading to public backlash and a subsequent apology.

Kang Hyung Wook's Workplace Bullying Controversy:

Popular dog trainer Kang Hyung Wook faced accusations of workplace mistreatment at his company, Bodeum2. Allegations included monitoring employees through CCTV and messengers, verbal abuse, and poor working conditions. Kang Hyung Wook denied most allegations but admitted to some mistakes, such as issues with contracts and pay disputes

Yang Jae Woong's patient death due to neglect controversy:

TV broadcaster and psychiatrist Yang Jae Woong faced legal action after a patient died at his psychiatric hospital. Yang Jae Woong was accused of professional negligence and falsifying medical records when a patient at his hospital died from intestinal pseudo-obstruction after being restrained and neglected despite complaining of abdominal pain.

June

Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin's Contract Termination Notice Controversy with SM Entertainment:
EXO members Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin notified SM Entertainment of their intent to terminate their exclusive contracts. The dispute centered around alleged unfair contract terms and the agency's refusal to provide detailed payment records

NCT member Renjun's controversy over revealing a civilian's phone number:
NCT's Renjun accidentally shared a private individual's phone number on a fan communication platform, mistaking them for a Sasaeng fan. He later issued a public apology for this incident.

July

BLACKPINK member Jennie's Indoor Smoking Controversy and Apology:
BLACKPINK member Jennie faced criticism after a video showed her vaping indoors during a makeup session in Italy. She later apologized through her agency, acknowledging her mistake and expressing regret for causing inconvenience to staff

Cyber Wrecker Association Blackmails Tzuyang:

One of the biggest YouTube scandals this year, this incident involves allegations of blackmail and extortion against Tzuyang by a group known as the Cyber Wrecker Association. The Cyber Wrecker Association blackmailed popular Mukbang YouTuber Tzuyang by threatening to expose her past personal issues involving her ex-boyfriend and extorting money from her.

Red Velvet member Seulgi's alleged power abuse controversy:

Red Velvet's Seulgi was involved in a controversy after swapping shoes with her manager at an airport. Initially seen as potential power abuse, Seulgi later explained it was due to foot blisters and apologized for the misunderstanding.

Yoo Ah In's Same-Sex Sexual Assault Accusation and Non-Indictment Decision:

Actor Yoo Ah In faced accusations of same-sex sexual assault. However, the case resulted in a decision not to indict due to insufficient evidence.

August

An Se Young's Badminton Association Corruption Controversy:

Olympic gold medalist An Se Young criticized the Korean Badminton Association for neglecting players' injuries and mismanaging the training system. The association initially formed an investigation committee, but the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism halted it due to procedural violations

Actress Jeon Do Yeon's attitude controversy:

Actress Jeon Do Yeon faced criticism for expressing discomfort about her appearance on the TV show "Pinggyego" with Yoo Jae Suk. Some perceived her comments on the show as disrespectful toward Yoo Jae Suk.

BTS SUGA's Drunk Scooter Incident:
SUGA was booked by police after falling off an electric scooter in Hannam-dong, Seoul. His blood alcohol level was above the license revocation limit. Big Hit Music issued an apology, stating no injuries or property damage occurred.

Bang Si Hyuk and Juicy Seyeon's U.S. Trip Controversy:
Bang Si Hyuk was spotted walking down the streets of Beverly Hills with influencer/ streamer Juicy Seyeon. 

Moon Taeil's special Quasi-rape accusation and expulsion from NCT:

Former NCT member Taeil was accused of being embroiled in a special quasi-rape incident and subsequently removed from the group.

NCT WISH members Yushi and Riku's Fan Sign Event Attitude Controversy:
This incident involves NCT WISH members Yushi and Riku facing criticism for their alleged insincere behavior during a fan sign event.

September

Yoo Ah In's Drug Use Conviction:
Actor Yoo Ah In was sentenced to one year in prison in the first trial for habitual drug use. The court cited the seriousness of his actions, exploiting loopholes in regulations for medical narcotics1
.
NewJeans Hanni's company bullying accusation controversy:
Hanni from NewJeans revealed instances of bullying within HYBE. She mentioned a manager telling others to ignore her, causing concern among group members about potential future mistreatment.

MBC's Asset Freeze Request for 'Jeongnyeon' Production Companies:
MBC filed for an asset freeze against the production companies of the drama 'Jeongnyeon,' claiming breach of contract negotiations. The production companies argue they never promised MBC exclusivity.

Kwak Tube's Controversy and Apology for Lee Na Eun's Appearance:
YouTuber Kwak Tube apologized for featuring former April member Lee Na Eun in his content, acknowledging he hadn't considered the implications deeply enough. The controversy stems from bullying allegations against Lee Na Eun during her time with April. Kwak Tube was criticized for defending Lee Na Eun in his video.

EXO's Baekhyun faced controversy for indoor smoking at a restaurant in Macau:

A video of Baekhyun smoking in a restaurant circulated on social media in September. His agency issued an apology stating that the singer and staff were unaware that e-cigarettes were prohibited in Macau.

Broadcasters Park Ji Yoon and Choi Dong Seok adultery lawsuit:

The two TV personalities and former anchors accused each other of infidelity and subsequently filed for adultery lawsuits. Park Ji Yoon filed a lawsuit against Choi Dong Seok's alleged mistress for damages. Then Choi Don SEok filed a countersuit against Park Ji Yoon for adultery.

October

April-Lee Hyun Joo Non-indictment Decision Document and KakaoTalk, Voice Recording Exposure:

An alleged new piece of "evidence" has surfaced, redirecting attention to the "bullying scandal" within the disbanded girl group April. The "evidence" consists of a court decision document from one of Lee Hyunjoo's defamation cases. The court document indicated that the recording of a phone call from July 19, 2021, was submitted to the court as evidence.

Seunghan's RIIZE Comeback Attempt and Withdrawal
SM Entertainment initially announced Seunghan's return to RIIZE after his previous departure. However, due to negative fan reactions, they reversed the decision within two days, and Seunghan officially left the group.

Jessi's Entourage Fan Assault Controversy
Jessi faced accusations of neglecting to intervene when a minor fan requesting a photo was allegedly assaulted by someone in her group. A witness named Henry came forward to defend Jessi, stating that the assailant was unknown to them and that Jessi was shocked by the incident.

BOYNEXTDOOR iPhone Flaunting Controversy After Galaxy Collaboration:
BOYNEXTDOOR was criticized for prominently using iPhone products at the airport shortly after their sponsorship with Samsung's Galaxy ended. This was contrasted with soccer player Son Heung Min's continued loyalty to Samsung products.

Lee Jin Ho's Illegal Gambling and Private Loan Incident
Comedian Lee Jin Ho admitted to illegal gambling, with his debt reportedly reaching around 23 billion KRW. He borrowed about 1 billion KRW from fellow entertainers and took out loans of up to 13 billion KRW from private lenders for gambling.

Singer-songwriter Gooreum's Unauthorized Use of Baek Ye Rin's Work and Privacy Exposure
Singer-songwriter Gooreum accused PLP (Peoplelikepeople) label of using Gooreum's work without permission. Gooreum claimed he had to provide excessive care for a PLP artist (presumed to be Baek Ye Rin) due to their emotional instability and impulsive behavior. He claimed he and the artist were in a romantic relationship and worked together.

Han So Hee's social media account Hyeri troll suspicion:
Actress Han So Hee used a secondary social media account to troll actress Hyeri by leaving malicious comments on Hyeri's account regarding the Ryu Jun Yeol transit controversy.

HYBE Internal 'Defamation Document' Exposure Controversy:
This incident involves the leak of internal documents from HYBE entertainment company containing defamatory content regarding other girl groups.

HYBE's Music Chart Manipulation Suspicion:

HYBE was accused of using a chart manipulation agency for BTS.

Yulhee's Exposure of F.T. Island's Choi Min Hwan's Visit to Adult Entertainment Establishments:
Yulhee made a shocking revelation that her ex-husband Choi Choi Min Hwan had habitually visited adult entertainment establishments and exposed an audio recording of the singer asking about "hostesses" and "motels".

The Late Kim Soo Mi's Passing
Actress Kim Soo Mi passed away at 75 due to cardiac arrest.

'Culinary Class Wars' Triple Star Privacy Controversy
'Culinary Class Wars' Triple Star's private life was exposed by his ex-wife. He was accused of dating two women at the same time and allegedly using his ex-wife's connections to advance his career.

November

'Culinary Class Wars' contestant Yoo Bi Bim Admits to Past Criminal Record:
Yoo Bi Bim publicly disclosed on social media that he had previously operated an unlicensed restaurant, which led to his arrest. Starting in 2003, he ran a restaurant without proper permits, resulting in a suspended sentence.

Ryu Hwayoung's T-ara Bullying Incident Revelation and Re-examination:
Ryu Hwa-young, a former T-ara member, refuted claims by former CEO Kim Kwang Soo that she wasn't bullied. She stated that she was indeed bullied by original T-ara members, facing violence and verbal abuse. Ryu Hwa-young revealed she had evidence of bullying but remained silent for 12 years due to a deal to terminate her sister's contract in exchange for her silence.

The Late Song Jae Rim's Passing
Actor Song Jae Rim was found dead at his home in Seoul on November 12, 2024. A two-page suicide note was discovered at the scene. Reports suggest he had been harassed by a Japanese stalker who leaked his personal information and sent threatening messages on social media.

Choi Hyun Wook's Accidental Posting of Nude Photo on Social Media:
Actor Choi Hyun Wook accidentally posted a reflection of his naked body on social media. He posted a photo of a Bearbrick figure on his Instagram story when fans noticed that the reflection on the shiny figure showed the actor's naked body.

Junsu's Extortion and Blackmail Lawsuit Against Female Streamer
Xia Junsu filed a lawsuit against a female streamer for allegedly extorting 840 million KRW (~601,437 USD) through multiple instances of blackmail from September 2020 to October 2023. The streamer threatened the singer that she would release their private conversations on social media.

143 Entertainment CEO's Alleged Sexual Harassment of Idol Group Member:
A member of a newly debuted multinational girl group accused the CEO of sexual harassment. The agency, 143 Entertainment, denied all allegations, stating that there was no sexual contact between the CEO and the member. The incident reportedly involved threats related to the member inviting a male acquaintance to a hotel.

Jung Woo Sung's Extramarital Child and Privacy Controversy:

Jung Woo Sung admitted to fathering a child with model Moon Ga Bi out of wedlock. The actor faced additional controversy when alleged private messages to another woman were leaked online.

NewJeans-ADOR Contract Termination Notice

NewJeans announced their intention to terminate their exclusive contracts with ADOR, citing breaches of contract and the agency's inability to protect them. The group held a press conference on November 28, 2024, stating that their contracts would be terminated at midnight on November 29.

December 

December 3 Martial Law Declaration

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol brought shock to the nation when he made an emergency Martial Law declaration which lasted only 3 hours. 

IST-One Hundred Trademark Dispute over The Boyz:
One Hundred, The Boyz's new agency, stated they couldn't accept IST Entertainment's "unreasonable demands" regarding The Boyz's trademark rights. The group members tried to maintain their rights for fans but couldn't reach a favorable outcome

Lim Young Woong's DM Reply Controversy:
Lim Young Woong faced criticism for his alleged insensitive direct messages during a political crisis. When a fan criticized him for posting about his dog's birthday amid the presidential impeachment, Im reportedly responded dismissively, questioning why he should speak out as a non-politician.

LUCY member Choi Sang Yeop's Bubble Comment Controversy and Apology:

Choi Sang Yeop, during a Bubble (paid communication) session with fans, responded to a fan who mentioned "my Polaroid camera" by saying, "Paper popper (종이싸개; Jong Yi Ssa Gae)." When the fan asked, "What’s a paper popper?" he explained, "When you take a Polaroid, paper pops out." Many fans criticized the use of this word, noting its similarity to "Blood Popper" (피싸개, Pi Ssa Gae), a derogatory term used in male-dominated online communities to refer to women during their menstrual periods. He subsequently issued an apology stating that that was not what he intended.

WINNER Song Min Ho's Negligent Alternative Service Controversy
Song Min Ho was booked as a suspect for allegedly neglecting his duties during alternative military service. The Military Manpower Administration requested a police investigation, which may result in Song having to re-serve the problematic period if found guilty

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