K-Pop Keep-Up: the latest from Ladies Code to ZE:A, and more

Greetings and salutations! I am Popo of MisterPopoTV on YouTube. You may have seen me in this interview on Fusion before:

September is over and several major events have rocked the K-pop world to its core. In this column I’ll highlight the basics you need to know, for both established K-pop fans and newcomers to the scene.

Ladies’ Code members Rise and EunB tragically pass in a car accident.

September started off with terrible news when we lost two angels in Rise and EunB of rookie girl group Ladies’ Code. The group’s rental car malfunctioned on the road, leading to an accident that killed the two members and their manager. Fellow member Sojung suffered serious injuries, while Ashley and Zunny sustained minor injuries.

The tragedy occurred just as Ladies’ Code was gaining popularity for their unique concepts and upbeat personalities; the ladies were in the middle of promoting their latest song, “Kiss Kiss.”

After the accident, EunB’s solo song, “I’m Fine, Thank You,” earned what is called an “all-kill,” which means the number-one slot on all the major music stream sites in South Korea. Polaris Entertainment has released a posthumous music video for EunB’s song as well.

ZE:A’s Leader Junyoung is fed up with management and explodes on Twitter!

Here was a social media situation for the ages. Junyoung, the leader of ZE:A, a boy group signed to Star Empire, published a series of tweets accusing the company’s CEOs of various atrocities. The allegations ranged from abuse to lack of payment for the group’s hard work.

Whatever happened behind the scenes, though, the mess soon somewhat smoothed over in the public eye. ZE:A reportedly met with the heads of Star Empire, and Junyoung posted follow-up tweets that the group’s contract had improved.

Check out the major comebacks and debuts from September.

September brought us many comebacks—the K-pop term for new singles—including some from the most popular artist in the industry. Below, I’ve picked out a selection of comebacks and debuts to pique your interest. Hopefully you enjoy these music videos and I’ll catch you all next time to drop some more in depth knowledge about k-pop!

Girls’ Generation-TTS: “Holler” (Comeback)