BTS Jin urges fans not to grab his hand after kiss controversy at BTS Festa
BTS member Jin recently interacted with fans at the Hi-Seokjin event in Seoul on Sunday. While speaking to fans, Jin asked the BTS ARMY not to grab his hands as it hurts. Jin also shared a specific condition when ARMY should avoid taking his photos.The singer said, "So now, we're going to start the Hi-Seokjin event, but my hand is paining. Please avoid holding it, just lightly touch. For the foreigners, please don't grab, touch please. Ah, okay, thank you. Okay, everyone, so now we'll start right away."25.05.18... ...pic.twitter.com/4VmdQ4Rr9L— (@hyungla_JS) May 18, 2025He also mentioned a specific condition when the BTS ARMY should avoid taking his photos. He said, 'Everyone. It's fine when you're taking pictures or videos of me when it's from your seat, but if you're taking pictures or recording when you come like this, I'll come out ugly. I'll get stressed if I see that kind of photo, you know, so when you come here, please put your phone in your pocket.'25.05.18~~pic.twitter.com/8ur6Sw9sni— (@hyungla_JS) May 18, 2025Jin's request to fans to avoid grabbing his hand stems from an incident from last year's BTS Festa, where a person tried to forcibly kiss him.A Japanese woman who kissed BTS's Jin without consent at a fan event in June 2024. The incident is under investigation by South Korean police for sexual harassment in a public space.The incident occurred during Jin's first public event in Seoul after his military discharge, where he hugged 1,000 fans. Instead of a hug, the woman appeared to kiss his face, prompting Jin to turn away. Outraged fans filed a complaint, triggering the ongoing probe. Police have asked the woman, currently in Japan, to come forward for questioning.advertisementThe singer recently released his second solo album, 'Echo,' and has been actively attending events, promoting the new release and connecting with fans.Must Watch
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Indian Express
10 minutes ago
- Indian Express
BTS loses global dominance to rising K-pop stars who just beat Kendrick Lamar and Billie Eilish in album sales
BTS is just days away from their big June reunion, with a full-group music comeback likely dropping next year. While the legendary K-pop force that once ruled the global charts may be on track to snatch back their spotlight, part of which dimmed during their military enlistment, for now, The Hollywood Reporter has crowned SEVENTEEN as the 'the world's most successful K-pop band.' The 13-member boy band, formed in 2015, just cracked the global top 3 in album sales alongside pop stars like Taylor Swift, and beating Grammy history maker Kendrick Lamar. In their recent piece, The Edge of Seventeen, the outlet heaped praises on the group's rising cultural dominance, and how these artists are reinventing themselves, doing stadium tours bigger than Bruce Springsteen's and selling as many albums as Taylor Swift. The HYBE label boy band—also home to BTS—is managed by its subsidiary, Pledis Entertainment. SEVENTEEN consists of members Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, The 8, Mingyu, DK, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino. From giant posters and birthday banners to subway train ads and snack packs with their faces on, Seoul's drowning in SEVENTEEN mania as the group marks 10 years and drops their new album, Happy Burstday. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, in 2024, they were officially the biggest music group in the world in terms of album sales, only Taylor Swift and Drake ranked higher. SEVENTEEN beat out names like The Weeknd, Billie Eilish, and Kendrick Lamar. Big names, some with Academy Awards, others with straight-up Grammy hauls and cult-like followings. Their Asia tour (2023–2024) pulled in a jaw-dropping $98.4 million from just 24 shows, making it the highest-grossing K-pop tour of the year. Also read: Seventeen's Joshua says Jeonghan has 'a lot of worries like him', S Coups is 'straightforward' The HYBE building, currently laser-focused on plotting BTS's post-military comeback, is also soaking in the success of the Shohikigen singers, with a bold message flashing across the HQ: SEVENTEEN will challenge eternity. But that momentum might be heading for a breather, with more members gearing up for enlistment. South Korea requires all men to serve before they hit 30. Jeonghan and Wonwoo have already reported for duty, and others are next in line. Happy Burstday came in swinging, over 2.2 million copies sold on day one. Wild to think back to 2015, when they debuted with 17 Carat and barely moved 1,400 units in the first week. 'We are standing at a new starting line, preparing for a new path ahead and ready to blaze a new trail,' S Coups said during the interview with the HR. 'Most of the members are going to enlist in the military soon. Up until now, we've mostly focused on our group promotions,' Hoshi, the leader of the band, added. 'We would like to show more of our individualities, each of the members' personalities and capabilities, so that when the time comes and we get back together again as a group, we'll be able to showcase ourselves as a better Seventeen.' Also read: BTS mastermind Bang Si Hyuk may face life in prison over suspected $290 million fraud; HYBE shares plunge BTS, on the other hand, dropped their anthology album Proof in 2022. It went on to become the second-highest first-week sales for a BTS album, right behind their 2020 release Map of the Soul: 7. According to The Korea Times, it sold over 2.75 million copies in the first week. Right now, every member of the group is focused on solo projects, with J-Hope on a world tour and Jin simultaneously holding concerts across South Korea. The group is set for a full comeback in June this year, with a possible musical return lined up for 2026.
Mint
28 minutes ago
- Mint
Nintendo Can't Afford a Slip Up With Switch 2
(Bloomberg) -- Never miss an episode. Follow The Big Take daily podcast today. The Nintendo Switch has generated some $100 billion in sales for the Japanese gaming giant since its launch in 2017, propelling the company's shares to record highs. Now the game-maker is under pressure to do even better with the new Switch 2, out this week. On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, Bloomberg Opinion's Gearoid Reidy joins host K. Oanh Ha to talk about why the Switch 2 is so important to Nintendo's business and whether it can live up to the hype. Listen and follow The Big Take on Apple Podcasts , Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Terminal clients: click here to subscribe. Here is a lightly edited transcript of the conversation: K. Oanh Ha: Gamers, start your engines. Mario: Let's-a-go! Yahoo! Ha: If that sound brings back memories, you're likely one of the hundreds of millions of people who's owned or currently owns a Nintendo gaming device. And this week the company is hoping to add to that number, when it releases the next generation of its most popular console, the Switch 2. Nintendo Ad: Nintendo Switch, two JoyCon, two controllers that attach in a snap… Gearoid Reidy: The Switch has been a massive hit for Nintendo. Ha: Gearoid Reidy is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist based in Tokyo. Reidy: Nintendo have made about a hundred billion dollars in revenue over the lifetime of the Switch. It's sold over 150 million units worldwide. And it has absolutely juiced Nintendo's stock price. Ha: The Switch launched back in 2017 and it's on track to become Nintendo's most successful device ever. Eight years later, the company is hoping to recreate some of that magic by dropping a new, premium product. Ha : Gearoid, what's new about the Switch 2? Reidy: It is everything that you loved about the Switch One powered up. It has a much better and larger screen than the original Switch. I've seen it myself. It looks fantastic. It's gonna have a whole host of new games starting with Mario Kart World. It's only gonna be available on the Switch 2. Ha: To outsiders, it may seem like Nintendo is riding high. But Gearoid says this is actually a risky period for the company. That's because Nintendo's business is almost entirely reliant on this one device, unlike its closest competitors, Sony, who makes the PlayStation and Microsoft, with the Xbox Reidy: Nintendo right now would seem to be at the top of the world. Their stock is just off an all time high. This is also the riskiest time for Nintendo. They really need to make a success out of this, right? If they don't, they don't have something else to fall back on, like Sony or Microsoft. Ha: This is the Big Take Asia from Bloomberg News. I'm Oanh Ha. Every week, we take you inside some of the world's biggest and most powerful economies, and the markets, tycoons and businesses that drive this ever-shifting region. Today on the show — Nintendo's big bet on the Switch 2 and why it can't afford any missteps this time around. Ha: Gearoid, did you grow up playing video games? Do you remember your first video console? Reidy: Absolutely. I've been playing video games almost for as long as I can remember. The first Nintendo console that I remember having was the the NES, Nintendo's first console and the first game that I remember playing on that was the original Super Mario Brothers. Ha: We were actually the first kids on the block who also had the original NES. This was the one that came with the robot. Maybe it was the second edition for the American market. Reidy: Oh, wow you had the robot, R.O.B. the robot. Yeah Ha: It was so cool. All the kids came to our house and I remember we were all dazzled by the robot. Ha: When I first heard about Nintendo in the early '80s, its products were cool and cutting edge. Nintendo ad: Will you be the one to witness the birth of the incredible Nintendo Entertainment System? The one to play with R.O.B, the extraordinary video robot. Batteries not included... Ha: We are talking about Nintendo's launch of the Switch 2 today, and I wonder, as we're talking, how much of its success is really about nostalgia? Reidy: I'm not sure if nostalgia is really the right word so much as connection to those characters. Nintendo, I think, has been uniquely good at being able to create characters and maintain them over the course of so many years. It's almost like a timeless quality to these characters. Just as, you know, Disney has been able to do with Mickey Mouse, Nintendo has been able to do with Mario, Zelda and so on across these franchises. Ha: In the fiscal year of 2024, Nintendo sold more than 8 million units of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, a game first released more than a decade ago. And all together, the company has sold more than 75 million units — without giving any discounts. On top of that, the majority of the games sold on the Switch are created by Nintendo and played exclusively on the device. Reidy: Nintendo's secret sauce is the intellectual property that they've built. That's a cold way to describe what is a very warm collection of different franchises and different characters that so many people across different generations love. These are characters that, in this case, something like Mario or Zelda, several generations have now grown up with. And that, I think, is really the thing that separates Nintendo from its competitors, is that they're almost stewards now, of these characters, of these franchises that are so beloved across the world. Ha: Besides the games, Nintendo is also famous for its unique hardware designed to create new experiences – rather than just upgrading existing hardware with flashier graphics – something its competitors like Sony has done with the popular PlayStation. Reidy: With the PlayStation, you know, we went from the PlayStation 1, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3. Each generation is broadly similar to the previous one. Of course, the hardware inside is very different and much improved from one generation to the next. But the main focus of the style of playing doesn't really change that much. The name doesn't really change that much. Nintendo withdrew from that kind of way of doing things quite a long time ago and decided to focus more on play experiences. They have generally gone into each new generation of product trying to do something new. From the Super Nintendo to the Nintendo 64, it has a different way of playing. They go from the Nintendo 64 to the Game Cube. They went from the Game Cube then to the Wii. And yet, with each one of these, you're seeing, the name changes, the philosophy changes, what they want to do with it changes. And oftentimes, they have a hardware innovation that keeps users coming back for a new experience. Ha: That's why Nintendo takes its time with research and development – meaning fans often have to wait years for new products. Reidy: The late president Satoru Iwata talked about the need to surprise gamers and to give them something new. Much to the chagrin of shareholders over the years, they're not focused on extracting as much profit from their business as they possibly can. They're very much focused on the player. Ha: And for the most part, Nintendo's player-focused strategy has paid off. One of its most successful breakthroughs was the Wii console in 2006. It was an instant success and Nintendo's bestselling game system for 15 years. Reidy: It was on every late night talk show. South Park had a whole, had a whole episode around the kids trying to get it. Liane Cartman: There you are Eric, what are you doing here? Eric Cartman: I'm waiting for the new Nintendo Wii to come out. Reidy : The controller did not look like anything that a traditional controller looked at the time. A lot of the games involved, you know, using motion sensing technology, and the idea was that they could bring in people who were intimidated by traditional sort of like game controller, which has lots of buttons and knobs and dials and stuff like that can be quite intimidating to people who don't know what's going on. Ha: I remember having dance parties with the kids using, using the Wii after it launched. It was fun. Reidy: Absolutely. It really broke the mold and it pushed Nintendo back into the mainstream, and for a while it was one of the most desirable products in the world. Ha: The Wii was a hit. But when Nintendo attempted to follow up with the Wii U six years later, it stumbled – big time. Reidy: People didn't actually know it was a new console. People thought that it was maybe just an add-on for the Wii. Nintendo had three straight years of operating losses. Their stock was absolutely tanked basically by this. Ha: After its failure with the Wii U, Nintendo spent five years making the Switch. That combined two different lines of hardware, the home console – the controller that you play while sitting in front of the TV – and the handheld – like the Game Boy – into one device. Reidy: The Switch could do everything, right? If you wanna have it as a home console, if you just wanna have it under your TV, you can do that. If you wanna take it out, play it in the park, bring it on a plane, you can do that as well. You're not really compromising on either one of those things. It's the same games, it's the same data, it's exactly the same device. And no one had really, to the best of my knowledge, thought of trying that. There's no device in the world basically that functions like a Switch does. Ha: The Switch generated some $100 billion in sales and propelled Nintendo's shares to record highs. It's one of the highest selling consoles of all time, coming in a close second to the PlayStation 2. With the runaway success of the Switch, Nintendo has been feeling the pressure to come up with an even better console with the Switch 2. And this time, Gearoid says the company's trying to learn from its past mistakes: It's deviating from its traditional approach of delivering something completely new. Reidy: This is the first time they've just basically taken the same concept and souped it up, put a '2' at the end of it and said, it's everything that you love about the original device, but more. Ha: After the break: The Switch 2 comes to market – will the change in strategy work? Ha: Nintendo's Switch 2 officially hits stores on June 5. But preorders for the console have already sold out, despite the jaw-dropping price tag. At $450, the Switch 2 lands on the expensive end of what most analysts expected. But the real jolt is the price of the games: It'll cost $70 to get Donkey Kong Bananza and $80 for Mario Kart World – That's a hike of as much as 30%. And gamers are up in arms. Gamer: Nooo!Gamer: Price dropped 450. That is not good. No, not Charging $80 for a video game isn't just ridiculous, it's That's too expensive 400 and 49 dollars is more… Ha: Adding to the challenge on pricing is President Trump's tariffs. Hours after Nintendo revealed the price for the new Switch, Trump announced sweeping tariffs on countries around the world – including China and Vietnam, where Nintendo produces most of their devices . Ha: Gearoid, the US is the biggest market for Nintendo. How's that going to impact Switch 2 sales? Reidy: It is impossible to tell right now what that actual impact is going to be. China and Vietnam obviously both of those countries are potentially in the line for tariffs or potentially not. However, I think it's very hard to believe that they would be able to sell the Switch 2 for much more than it's going to retail for, at $450, in the US. It's hard to see how they would, you know, be able to have a device. As much as I am looking forward to the Switch 2, I don't think it's a $600 device, which some estimates say that it would cost if, if the tariffs go in the worst case scenario Ha: What's for sure is that Nintendo needs to sell its latest console…and LOTS of it – because.. it has no plan B. Reidy: In a typical year, anything from 93 to 95% of their revenue is coming directly from their video game business. They've had other successes over the past couple of years. They had the the Mario movie They have Nintendo stores in an increasing number of cities. They have theme parks these days in collaboration with Universal Studios. They really need this to be a success and that primes them for success going forward. Ha: That's a big reason why Nintendo is shifting its strategy this time around – building on what's worked so well with the Switch and avoiding a repeat of what happened with the follow up to the Wii. Reidy: I think they definitely learned the lesson of the marketing of the Wii U. The Wii U was a very confusing proposition. So I think that's why they've gone this time with quite a conservative, by their approach, take on the Switch 2. It started with the name, you know, there was a lot of speculation over, you know, what were they gonna call it? What was it going to look like? They've decided to keep the same, basic form factor of the Switch. It has the monitor, it has the two controllers. Now this time, instead of clipping on, they go on via magnets, but you can look at it and you just immediately know that is a Switch. And I think they are banking on that to avoid the confusion that they had with the Wii U Ha: Gearoid, it seems like there really isn't another hybrid machine on the market that can really compete with the Switch. Is that going to change anytime soon? Reidy: There are rumors that both Microsoft and Sony are looking at doing some sort of portable device. I wouldn't be surprised to see one or either of those companies come out with a device that was a portable. However, what I would say there is that Nintendo has a moat that is very hard for any competitor to copy. It's not the unique design of the Switch, which, you know, at this stage is nearly a decade since it was first announced. It is their incredible range of intellectual property. And I think any competitor who tried to go against Nintendo, even with something similar, does not have that range of games and experience to fall back on. Ha: And that's what investors and diehard Nintendo fans are banking on… Linus Tech Tip: Nintendo spends a shocking amount of time and energy antagonizing the gaming community. And yet I bought a Wii. I bought a Wii U, I bought a Switch. I bought an OLED Switch, and I'm gonna buy a Switch 2. Why? Because nobody does what Nintendo. More stories like this are available on
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Time of India
The Summer Hikaru Died: New horror anime premieres July 5
A creepy companionship goes horribly wrong in this new Japanese tale of terror. If you like puzzle mystery thrillers, small towns with dark secrets, or dark coming-of-age stories, the latest anime to hit this summer might just be the one for you. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Tentatively named The Summer Hikaru Died, this new series is billed as a supernatural horror drama, blending coming-of-age emotion with chilling suspense, and will premiere on anime's biggest stage on July 5, 2025. What is 'The Summer Hikaru Died' about? Adapted from Mokumokuren's hit manga, this horror anime centers around two teenage boys—Yoshiki and Hikaru—who've been best friends since childhood. Once Hikaru goes missing in the local mountains and mysteriously returns a week later, something feels… wrong. Then one summer day, as they eat lunch together, Yoshiki nervously ushers into the room what will become the heart of the story when he quietly asks, 'You're not Hikaru, right? What remains, after all that noise and clatter, is a haunting, poignant tale of seeking one's true identity, losing all that is familiar and beloved, and fearing the unknown. Now, as Yoshiki gets to know this new 'Hikaru' under his family's roof and within the tapestry of their everyday lives—not to mention under the watchful eyes of village lore—cloaked in secret and confusion, bizarre happenings start to plague their peaceful hamlet. Coming-of-age meets japanese horror This anime is unlike any other ghost tale you've ever seen. Compared to The Other Side of Lost, The Summer Hikaru Died has a more adventurous tone, a blend of the joys and angst of teen friendship with emotional confusion and psychological horror, making it a story that fans of Stranger Things, The Outsider, or Dark would likely appreciate. It's less about jump scares and more about quiet dread, and it foregrounds how grief and guilt can warp perception of reality itself. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Anime directed by Jujutsu Kaisen's Ryohei Takeshita The series is directed by Ryohei Takeshita, who previously worked on the smash hit series Jujutsu Kaisen. Animation is being directed by CygamesPictures, the studio responsible for the recent movie adaptation of Blade Runner: Image courtesy of Black Out 2022. Takeshita was thrilled, stating: 'Reading the original manga was thrilling, and we worked hard to express its quiet tension in animation. We focused on the emotions of Yoshiki and Hikaru, and the manga's beautiful and creative structure.' Voice cast for 'The Summer Hikaru Died' The anime brings along a jewel-toned cast of mostly Japanese, acclaimed voice actors, including: Chiaki Kobayashi Yoshiki Tsujinaka Shuichiro Umeda as Hikaru . Yumiri Hanamori as Asako Yamagishi Wakana Kowaka as Rie Kurebayashi, anime voice actor Chikahiro Kobayashi as Tanaka, Production I.G Input of the doge Yoshiki Nakajima as Yuta Maki ⓒ2023 A24 Shion Wakayama as Yuki Tadokoro Every unique character introduced serves to deepen the larger mystery at play in the village. Where to watch The Summer Hikaru Died will make its world premiere on July 5, 2025. Whether you're a veteran anime-lover or just taking your first steps into this vibrant world, this one has award-worthy emotional depth and slow-burning horror that everyone can connect with. Here's why fans are understandably so hyped: Adapted from a cult-hit manga, with a powerful emotional core Strange unique horror tone that mixes sci-fi and teen drama Wonderful hand-drawn art and nails-the-tapestry style spooky moody atmosphere International streaming release, open to audiences worldwide If you're seeking a new anime that's as beautiful, eerie, and intellectually stimulating as July is hot, The Summer Hikaru Died might just be your summer obsession.
