Daily roundup: Singapore and Changi cannot be complacent, says PM Wong during groundbreaking ceremony of Terminal 5 — and other top stories today
Stay in the know with a recap of our top stories today.
1. Singapore and Changi cannot be complacent, says PM Wong during groundbreaking ceremony of Terminal 5
Singapore and Changi cannot afford to be complacent, and we must "continue to work hard", said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during the groundbreaking ceremony of the mega Terminal 5 (T5) on Wednesday (May 14)... » READ MORE
2. Stray cat in Punggol dies from 'deliberate abuse'; NParks investigating
The National Parks Board (NParks) is investigating a suspected case of animal cruelty in Punggol, following the violent death of a cat last week... » READ MORE
3. BTS' Jin releases teaser clip for new album which proves he shot music video in Singapore
BTS' Jin is due to drop his highly-anticipated second solo album Echo this Friday (May 16), and based on the teaser clip released, his Singapore fans have more reason to be excited... » READ MORE
4. Chicken Supremo owners retiring after 34 years, hawker stall to continue under new owner
Fans of Chicken Supremo were hit with a wave of mixed emotions after recent news that the popular Western hawker stall in Jurong would be closing down... » READ MORE
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Business Times
3 hours ago
- Business Times
Two BTS megastars released from South Korea military
[CHUNCHEON, South Korea] The world's most popular boy band is heading for a reunion: K-pop megastars RM and V from BTS were released on Tuesday after service 18 months of South Korean military service, prompting a fan frenzy. The seven members of BTS, South Korea's most lucrative musical act, have been on a hiatus since 2022 while they separately undertake mandatory military service, required of all South Korean men under the age of 30. Hundreds of fans gathered near two army bases just outside of the capital Seoul where band leader RM - recently named 'Favourite K-pop Artist' at the American Music Awards - and singer V were discharged. 'To be honest, there were many difficult and painful moments. But during my service, I truly felt how so many people were protecting the country in our place,' RM told reporters. V said military service was 'a time for me to reset and rebuild both my body and mind'. 'Now that I've done that, I truly want to run straight to ARMY as soon as possible,' he said, referring to the band's official fandom name. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up When asked by reporters what they wanted to do after discharge, both replied, 'perform'. 'What we want most right now is to perform again,' said RM. 'We're working hard on the new album so we can return to the stage as soon as possible.' In total, four BTS members will complete their service this week. Two were discharged last year, and the final member SUGA - who has been working as a social service agent for alternative non-active-duty service - will be released later this month. HYBE, the band's agency, urged fans not to go to the discharge location, citing safety concerns. 'With the safety of both artists and fans in mind, we strongly urge fans not to go to the location in person,' the agency wrote on Weverse, its superfan platform. Despite the warning, dozens of fans gathered outside V's military base, eagerly awaiting the return of their star. 'Honestly, I came here with such high expectations,' Yang Ho Hee, 28, told AFP outside the base. Fans had hung colourful banners to welcome the 29-year-old back to civilian life. 'Taehyung, let's never be apart again,' one said, referring to V's real name, Kim Tae Hyung. 'I'll follow only you, Taehyung. We are each other's strength,' said another. Reunion tour? Near the bases, on a football field where the newly released BTS members spoke, hundreds of fans from around the world gathered hoping to catch a glimpse of their idols. 'Actually, it's mixed emotions. I feel like I'm crying already,' said Arlene Mendoza, a fan from the Philippines. 'I've been travelling to Korea so many times, but this is actually the first time I'll see V.' In addition to the army releases, Friday is so-called FESTA - a celebration that marks the anniversary of the group's debut and typically draws thousands of global fans to Seoul. Mendoza told AFP she plans to attend fellow member J-Hope's concert on Friday, plus join other BTS FESTA events. All the band members signed new contracts with HYBE in 2023, and once SUGA is released on June 21, analysts expect profit-driving reunion activities. 'In the case of HYBE share prices, the current market consensus is seen as not fully reflecting BTS's impact,' Lim Soo-jin, an analyst at Daishin Securities, told AFP. Despite an ongoing police investigation into the company chairman for suspected insider trading and a recent raid by authorities, analysts say HYBE's shares are up, rising by 10 per cent over the past week through June 9. GDP impact Prior to their mandatory military service, the boy band generated more than 5.5 trillion won (S$5.14 billion) in yearly economic impact, according to the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute. That accounts for roughly 0.2 per cent of South Korea's total GDP, according to official data. HYBE has hinted at a BTS comeback this year, but has also said the members 'need time for reflection and preparation'. 'Normally, the process goes from song production to album release, then a tour,' Lee Jae Sang, CEO of HYBE, told a shareholder meeting in March. 'But since BTS have already become global top-tier artists, we are continuing discussions about their vision and what's next,' Lee added. Outside HYBE headquarters in Seoul, banners from fans read: 'Thank you for making even the waiting feel joyful.' The building was wrapped with the slogan 'WE ARE BACK', the official logo for the upcoming BTS FESTA. HYBE shares opened nearly three percent higher Tuesday morning, reaching their highest level in two years. AFP
AsiaOne
3 hours ago
- AsiaOne
RM and V discharged from military service, Hybe headquarters decorated for BTS' return , Entertainment News
June is an exciting month for K-pop boy band BTS — evident from the fanfare around RM and V's return as well as the decor on Hybe's headquarters. The two members, who enlisted in December 2023, were officially discharged from their mandatory military service today (June 10). RM, 30, served in the military band and a livestream captured him showing off his saxophone as he was discharged. V, 29, was assigned to a special mission unit under the military police. On V's Instagram Story last night, he shared some of his final moments in military with 31-year-old actor Song Kang. The two posed for a photo strip together and had a gym session, taking a mirror selfie thereafter. Jimin, 29, and Jungkook, 27, are scheduled to complete their duties tomorrow with 32-year-old Suga on June 21. The band will officially reunite this month to continue group activities. Having completed their service in 2024, Jin and J-Hope have been active as solo artists ever since. The earliest to finish his duties, Jin, also 32, will embark on his first solo concert RunSeokjin EP Tour which starts June 28 in South Korea. J-Hope, 31, has been on his first global tour Hope on the Stage, which concludes on June 14 in South Korea and will be livestreamed via Weverse. He performed in Singapore on April 26 and 27 at the Indoor Stadium. Posts uploaded to social media yesterday showed the exterior wall of Hybe Headquarters in Seoul covered with BTS and Army (the group's fanbase) logos forming the slogan "We are back". This Friday marks the group's 12th anniversary since their 2013 debut under BigHit Music, whose parent company is Hybe. The annual event BTS Festa kicked off on June 1 to celebrate the group's anniversary, with this year's theme Twelve O'Clock inspired by their 2020 song Zero O'Clock, interpreted to be about new beginnings and resilience. BTS Festa will see digital content and offline activities occurring through this month. The main offline events will take place on June 13 and 14 in Goyang, South Korea. [[nid:718885]] No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.
CNA
5 hours ago
- CNA
BTS members RM, V discharged from South Korea military, looking forward to reunion
K-pop supergroup BTS members RM and V were discharged from the South Korean military on Tuesday (Jun 10) after mandatory service, as fans are counting down to the band's comeback with more members finishing their military duty later this month. Cheered by dozens of fans near the military base, the two members in their army uniforms saluted the crowd and said they will soon be returning to perform. "To all the ARMYs who have waited for us in the military, I want to say I am truly, truly grateful. Please wait just a little longer and we will return with a really cool performance," V said in front of fans and media. Known as ARMY, BTS has a global fan club with millions of loyal followers. Two other bandmates, Jin and J-Hope, were discharged from the military earlier and have been performing solo and appearing on variety shows. Jimin, Jung Kook and Suga are set to wrap their military service as late as Jun 21, media reports say. The globally recognised K-pop icon BTS has not released a group project since 2022 and its members are hoping for the reunion. 'After pursuing our own little ventures, we are now coming back together, and I love that for us,' J-Hope told a magazine in December. Entertainment group HYBE that manages BTS is planning a huge event called BTS FESTA this week for fans to celebrate the band's 12th anniversary. It is not clear whether the members will show up, but Jin attended last year. Holding a flower bouquet for their discharge from the army, RM said he wanted to perform the most.
