[Today’s K-pop] Treasure loses 2 members

Two members of Treasure decided to quit and the band will reorganize into a 10-piece act, YG Entertainment announced Tuesday.

Bang Yedam and Mashiho terminated their contracts with the company after a long discussion, the label said via a fan community platform, asking for understanding and continued support for the two.

Mashiho reportedly needs more time for health reasons, while Bang wants to focus on his capabilities as a producer.

The two have put on hold all group activities since late May. YG Entertainment said in July that status would remain until the end of the year.

Treasure debuted in 2020 with the single “The First Step: Chapter One.” It released its second EP, “The Second Step: Chapter Two,” last month and will hold a second standalone concert in Seoul next week, before touring Japan from Nov. 26.

SHINee’s Minho to release 1st solo album

Minho of SHINee is preparing his first solo album to be released in December, SM Entertainment said on Tuesday.

He will be the last member of the band to roll out a solo album, 14 years since his debut. He has dropped a few solo singles already, such as “I’m Home” in 2019 and “Heartbreak” in December last year. He also put out “Falling Free” and “Romeo and Juliet” in Japan.

On Dec. 7-8, Minho will greet fans on his own at fan meeting events in Seoul, a year after the previous such event.

Separately, he will star in the Netflix original series “The Fabulous.” It was set to start airing this week, but the release was put off as the country mourned the Itaewon Halloween disaster. The singer and actor will also appear on a reality show alongside actors Ha Jungwoo, Ju Jihoon and Yeo Jingoo, which is set to premiere early next year.

Stray Kids to become 2nd K-pop boy band to put on stadium show

Stray Kids will host encore concerts in Japan and the US from Feb. 11, JYP Entertainment said on Tuesday.

The band will host live shows in Tokyo on Feb. 11 and 12 and in Osaka on Feb. 25 and 26, before returning to Los Angeles on March 31 to perform at Banc of California Stadium. The eight-member group will become the second K-pop boy band -- after BTS -- to perform at a stadium in North America with over 20,000 seats.

The plan expands its ongoing tour that kicked off in Seoul in April to 17 cities around the world. They are set to perform in Jakarta, Indonesia this weekend. After hitting Bangkok and Singapore next, they fly over to Australia.

Meanwhile, the group's most recent album, EP “Maxident,” marked a third week on the Billboard 200, after debuting on the chart at No. 11.

Itzy to return with 6th EP

Itzy returns with the group's sixth EP on Nov. 30, according to label JYP Entertainment on Tuesday.

“Cheshire” comes about four months after its previous EP, “Checkmate,” which entered the Billboard 200 at No. 8.

The quintet is currently in the US for its first international tour that started in Los Angeles on Oct. 26. It dropped English-language single “Boys Like You” on Oct. 21 and performed the song for the first time during the tour.

After visiting two more cities this week, it will resume the tour in Asia in January, going live in Philippine capital Manila, Singapore, Jakarta in Indonesia and Bangkok.

On the day of the EP’s release, Itzy will join the lineup for the 2022 MAMA Awards in Osaka, Japan, along with Enhypen, Treasure and Ive.

By Hwang You-mee
(glamazon@heraldcorp.com)