Cover Find out the latest news in the Korean entertainment industry (Photo: @BBCRadio1PR/Twitter)

Want to know the latest news in the Korean entertainment scene? Read our roundup to find out more

Thinking of what to be excited about for the next half of the year? The Korean entertainment industry is gearing up—whether it's group comebacks or a slew of K-drama castings. This week, Kingdom's Ju Ji-hoon and Nevertheless' Han So-hee are teaming up for a new movie, Netflix's Hometown Cha-cha-cha announces its release date and Song Hye-kyo may be reuniting with Descendants of the Sun director, Lee Eung-bok.

Over at the music scene, aespa just signed with a US creative agency, TXT will be releasing a repackaged album and BTS' Permission to Dance debuts at number one on the Billboard charts alongside an upcoming special episode at BBC. Find out all the details of that and more on this week's Korean entertainment roundup.

In case you missed last week's news, read it here.

See also: Exclusive: "Kingdom: Ashin Of The North" Cast And Crew Talk About The Netflix Special Episode

Ju Ji-hoon and Han So-hee will be leading a new movie

It was previously reported that Ju Ji-hoon and Han So-hee were in talks to star in a new movie together. It's now been confirmed that they will be leading Gentleman, a story about private investigator Ji Hyun-soo (Ju) who gets framed for murder. To clear up the accusation, he works together with prosecutor Kim Hwa-jin (Han So-hee).

The movie will be directed by Kim Kyung-won and is slated for a May 2022 premiere.

See also: Han So-Hee's Style Evolution In Her Korean Dramas

Krystal and Jinyoung's "Police University" releases new teaser

Krystal and B1A4's Jinyoung are starring in the new drama, Police University which follows a professor at an elite university who teams up with his students for a chaotic investigation. Both Krystal and Jinyoung will play university students while Cha Tae-hyun is taking on the role of detective and professor, Yoo Dong-man.

In the newly released teaser, we follow Kang Sun-ho (Jinyoung) in high school who tells his teacher that he doesn't have a dream. But things change when he meets Oh Kang-hee, his polar opposite. And soon gains a new dream: to become a police officer.

See also: 30 Best New Korean Dramas To Binge-Watch In 2021

Kim Seon Ho and Shin Min-ah's "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" announces release date

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha is a cute and healing rom-com starring Shin Min-a and Kim Seon-ho. It's been confirmed for an August 28 release date on Netflix. The new K-drama will depict lives and romantic stories at the seaside when a woman from the city and a man who's good at everything meets.

Yoon Hye-jin (Shin), opens up a dental clinic in the seaside village of Gongjin. Dong Du-sik (Kim) is unemployed but he's good at everything so he helps everyone out in the village. The two will cross paths in the seaside village and a romance blossoms despite their contrasting personalities and career.

The series will be directed by Yu Je-won who previously worked with Shin in Tomorrow With You and penned by Shin Ha-eun who worked on The Crowned Clown.

See also: 10 New Netflix Shows And Movies To Watch In July 2021

Got7's Jinyoung joins Kim Go-eun and Ahn Do-hyun in new drama

Got7's Jinyoung, who's currently starring in The Devil Judge, is joining the cast of Yumi's Cells alongside Kim Go-eun and Ahn Bo-yun. The upcoming drama is based on a hit webtoon that centres around an ordinary office worker, Yumi (Kim). Jinyoung will be playing Yoo Babi, Yumi's colleague who's sweet, handsome and smart.

Yumi's Cells will be directed by Lee Sang-yeob, who worked on Seo In-guk's Shopping King Louis and co-written by Kim Yoon-joo who helmed Find Me In Your Memory and newcomer Kim Kyung-ran.

See also: Kim Go-Eun: 10 Stylish Outfits That Prove She's A Style Icon

Song Hye-kyo reported to reunite with DOTS director for new movie

Her highly-anticipated drama, Now We Are Breaking Up hasn't even aired yet, but Song Hye-kyo is reported to already be in talks to reunite with Descendants of the Sun writer, Lee Eung-bok for a new drama.

According to Newsen, Song Hye-kyo has agreed to star in the new drama verbally. It will be a mystery thriller that will "reveal a new side" of the actress.

After filming her upcoming drama wraps up, Song is reported to be busy with The Glory, a new drama with Descendants of the Sun and The King: Eternal Monarch writer, Kim Eun-sook—whom she's reuniting with.

See also: BTS, IU And Song Hye-Kyo: 9 Korean Stars And Their Expensive Properties

Lee Sung-kyung and Kim Young-dae may be starring in a new drama

It seems Kim Young-dae will not be starring in School 2021 anymore as previously reported. Instead, he's reportedly in talks to star alongside Lee Sung-kyung in a new drama, Shooting Star. His agency, Outer Korea said that the actor received an offer and is reviewing it.

The drama will tell the stories of people working behind the scenes in the entertainment industry. In April, it was reported that Lee Sung-kyung received an offer to play Oh Han-byul, the female lead. Meanwhile, Kim's offered role is that of Gong Tae-sung, a top star. Underneath his glamourous celebrity life, he hides a dark personality.

See also: 10 Most Expensive Korean Dramas To Make

BTS makes their BBC Radio 1 Live debut and "Permission To Dance" debuts at #1

It's been quite a week (or year) for BTS. After Butter's seven weeks streak at number one on the Billboard Hot100 charts, their latest hit Permission to Dance takes over at number one and Butter remains at number seven. The song also premiered at number one on the Global 200 chart, making it the most consumed song in the world.

With this feat, BTS now has five Hot100 number one hits in just 10 and a half months—the fastest accumulation by an artist in over three decades.

Other than that, a TV special about BTS will air exclusively on BBC One on July 28 that tells the group's meteoric rise as the best-selling group today. They will also make their debut at the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge where they will perform Dynamite, Permission to Dance and a cover of I'll Be Missing You by Puff Daddy and Faith Evans.

See also: BTS Graces Louis Vuitton Men's FW21 Show In Seoul As House Ambassadors

TXT announces new repackage album "The Chaos Chapter: Fight of Escape"

Tomorrow X Together (TXT) will be releasing a repackage album, The Chaos Chapter: Fight of Escape. It's set to come in multiple formats with different memorabilia such as a photobook, CD, lyric poster, photo card and more. It will be released on August 17 and pre-orders open on July 19, 11 am KST.

The five-member group just released their second full album, The Chaos Chapter: Freeze in May. It reached number one on Billboard's Top Album Sales and World Album charts and peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 chart.

aespa signs with Creative Artists Agency in the US

Girl group aespa signed with US agency, Creative Artists Agency (CAA). SM Entertainment executive, Jeremy Lopez confirmed the news on his Instagram Stories. SM will continue to manage the group but the new partnership will allow aespa to venture into new opportunities overseas.

SM artists, SuperM and NCT 127 also partnered with the agency in the past to manage the two groups' global activities.

See also: K-Pop Girl Group Aespa Is The New Face Of Givenchy

Ateez's Mingi returns from hiatus

Ateez's agency, KQ Entertainment confirms that Mingi would be returning from his hiatus and the group would be active again as eight members. Mingi took a break in November 2020 following "psychological anxiety" and while he didn't participate in the comeback promotions in March 2021, he was involved in the album recording process.

KQ Entertainment's statement is as follows: "Through counselling therapy, taking a long period of rest, and his own efforts, Mingi has regained his health. In order to check his mental and physical health, he participated in several work activities in the first half of 2021 prior to his official return to the team.

After checking his health status and having several discussions with Mingi, his parents, and his psychological counsellor, we received the final verdict from his counsellor that he could return to work without difficulties.

From this point on, Ateez will be active as a full group of eight members, and we will keep you informed of any changes that might be made to the existing schedule."

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