December saw major K-pop events, including SHINee's Key's hiatus, PSY's police investigation, and Kim Woo-bin's wedding.
December/31/2025 17:58
In December, various events occurred, from popular idols' activity suspensions, love rumors, to star couples' weddings. What was the most read article on Kstyle? We reflect on the Korean entertainment industry through the 'December Article Rankings'. [1st Place] SHINee's Key announces activity suspension #December 17, 2025. Comments on relationship with 'Injection Aunt'. SHINee's Key has announced a suspension of activities. Previously, allegations arose that Park Na-rae received illegal medical treatment from a person known as 'Injection Aunt', causing controversy. After it was reported that this person also had connections with Key, his agency SM Entertainment released a statement saying, 'We learned for the first time that A is not a doctor, and we are very confused and deeply regret our ignorance.' They also stated, 'Recognizing the seriousness of the matter, we have decided to withdraw from scheduled activities and ongoing programs.' [Related Articles] SHINee's Key to suspend activities... SM comments on the 'Injection Aunt' relationship. [2nd Place] PSY, police search his agency and vehicle #December 11, 2025. Directed manager to receive psychiatric drugs. The Korean police searched PSY's agency P NATION and his vehicle. They obtained materials related to the allegations through digital forensics from PSY's phone and are considering future summons investigations. Diagnosed with chronic sleep disorders, PSY had been receiving prescriptions for psychiatric drugs without in-person consultations since 2022, and it was revealed he directed his manager to receive them. The agency acknowledged part of the allegations, stating, 'There was no proxy prescription, but a third party received psychiatric drugs on behalf of him.' [Related Articles] 'Gangnam Style' PSY, police search agency and vehicle... suspected medical law violations. [3rd Place] BTS's Jungkook and aespa's Winter dating rumors arise #December 5, 2025. Attention on arm tattoos. Dating rumors have surfaced between BTS's Jungkook and aespa's Winter. Photos of the two with similar designs of three puppies tattooed on their arms spread through online communities. Additionally, their previous instances of wearing similar items and Jungkook attending aespa's performance during his military leave have drawn renewed attention. Regarding this, Winter's agency SM Entertainment briefly stated, 'We have no comment.' [Related Articles] BTS's Jungkook and aespa's Winter, similar puppy tattoos? Dating rumors reignite... agency comments. [4th Place] Kim Woo-bin and Shin Mina finally marry #December 20, 2025. Wedding photos like a movie scene released. Kim Woo-bin and Shin Mina have finally tied the knot after 10 years of public dating. The wedding took place at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul, with many stars, including EXO's D.O., BTS's V, and Lee Byung-hun, congratulating them. It was reported that on their wedding day, they donated a total of 300 million won (about 3 million dollars) to several institutions, including hospitals in Seoul. Additionally, monochrome wedding photos reminiscent of a movie scene were released, attracting attention. [Related Articles] Kim Woo-bin and Shin Mina marry today (12/20)! Donated about 3 million dollars before the ceremony. [5th Place] NewJeans announces Daniel's contract termination and Hani's return #December 29, 2025. Minji is under discussion. ADOR announced the termination of Daniel's contract with NewJeans, explaining, 'Violations occurred, such as engaging in solo activities and damaging the group's reputation.' They also announced plans to file a lawsuit against Daniel on the same day. Meanwhile, Hani has returned to the group, and discussions regarding Minji are ongoing. Prior to this, in November, Hae-rin and Hae-in announced they would continue activities with ADOR. Following that, the remaining three members expressed their intention to return, but ADOR stated, 'We are confirming the true intentions' and will continue discussions through individual meetings.
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Ahead of their comeback, BTS members Jimin and J-Hope shared a playful exchange on Instagram. J-Hope reminded Jimin to upload a song, to which Jimin apologized. Their 5th album 'ARIRANG' releases on March 20, featuring 14 tracks that explore universal emotions. They are also promoting the 'WHAT IS YOUR LOVE SONG?' challenge and will hold a live comeback event at Gwanghwamun Square on March 21, marking a first for solo performances there.
BTS's V expressed confusion regarding the use of his private KakaoTalk conversation with ADOR's former representative, Min Hee-jin, as court evidence without his consent. He clarified that the chat was a personal exchange and he does not intend to take sides. HYBE also confirmed V's dissatisfaction with the situation.
BTS has revealed ticket details for their Gwanghwamun concert, with entry limited to Weverse global buyers and pre-reserved ticket holders. Safety measures may restrict access to certain areas. The concert will be available online and offline, with tickets available for free on NOL Ticket starting March 23. BTS will release their 5th album 'ARIRANG' on March 20, featuring 14 tracks that reflect their identity and emotions, rooted in Korean folk music.
KARINA from aespa recently shared memories from her Okinawa trip on social media, posting several photos with ITZY's Ryujin and actress Han Soa. The pictures capture cute moments, including a sleepy breakfast scene and a striking blue swimsuit that highlights her beauty. aespa is set to continue their world tour across Asia in March and April.
On the afternoon of the 19th, aespa participated in a pop-up event for the hair care brand 'Mise en scene' held in Songdong, Seoul. This article is based on local media coverage. Please note that there may be variations in the photos provided. Additionally, there are links to photos of Girl's Day's Hyeri and aespa's Karina at the Netflix event and aespa's arrival in Korea after the SMTOWN LIVE concert in Bangkok.
WINTER from aespa shared multiple vacation photos on Instagram, taken in Hawaii. The images show her enjoying leisure time by the sea, highlighting her slim figure. aespa recently held a successful concert in Hong Kong and will continue their tour in Macau and Jakarta in the coming months.
Space Oddity's K-POP Radar released its 2025 global K-POP consumption report, highlighting trends and rankings. Korea, Japan, and Indonesia remain the top three consumers, while the U.S. rises to fourth. The report shows significant shifts in artist popularity and market dynamics, indicating a growing global diversification of K-POP consumption.
At the press event for Netflix's 'Agent of Mystery 2', actor Kim Do-hoon shared his intense experience filming the show, revealing he prepared by facing fears and training for horror scenarios. He expressed that the second season is even more thrilling than the first, which left a strong impression on him. The show, set to release on February 27, 2024, follows strange, unexplainable events.
On the morning of the 19th, a press conference for Netflix's variety show 'Agent of Mystery' Season 2 was held in Seoul, attended by cast members including Lee Yong-jin, Jung Park, Girl's Day's Hyeri, Kim Do-hun, and aespa's Karina, along with producers. The show, premiering globally on February 27, follows strange, scientifically unexplainable events.
RM of BTS recently released a driving video, highlighting his nervousness as a new driver. He had previously revealed his new driver's license during a live stream in December. This news coincided with a surge in popularity for his song 'Nuts,' which features lyrics about being a pro rider. The song unexpectedly charted high on Billboard and iTunes. BTS is set to return with a new album 'ARIRANG' on March 20.
