Even on the last day of 2025, the entertainment industry had no quiet day. JYP Entertainment moved to take strong legal action over false information and malicious slander targeting its group Stray Kids. A debate also surfaced over the SBS drama "Starting Today, I’m Human, But" ahead of its broadcast. This year saw a string of incidents involving Kim Soo-hyun, Jo Jin-woong, Park Na-rae and NewJeans across acting, variety and music, setting the industry alight.

• 'Strong response' Stray Kids, no leniency for malicious commenters..."Please actively report"

JYP Entertainment posted a notice titled "Update on legal action regarding infringement of artists’ rights" on its official channel. "As we have announced several times, the company is taking strong legal action against acts that infringe basic rights, including spreading false information and malicious slander, to protect the rights and interests of our artist Stray Kids," it said.

The agency said it continuously monitors online communities and social media platforms at home and abroad through a specialised monitoring company. It said it collects material on the spreading of false information, defamation and mockery aimed at its artists and continues to file complaints against authors of malicious posts.

• Kim Hye-yoon, Lomon's 'Oh Human', CG dispute ahead of premiere..."Feels like the 2000s" • 'Unprecedented nuisance' Kim Soo-hyun → Park Na-rae...Entertainment seen through 'controversy'

A fantasy romance starring actors Kim Hye-yoon and Lomon has been unveiled, with another element of the work drawing attention.

Online reactions were mixed to a second teaser video released by the producers of SBS's new Friday-Saturday drama "Starting Today, I’m Human, But". Some raised criticism, saying, "There should have been enough time for post-production, but the CG quality is disappointing", "It looks like early 2000s-style CG", and "Since scheduling was pushed back by a year, they should have paid more attention to completion". Positive reactions also followed, including "The spoon scene is so cute", "There really isn’t much time left until it airs" and "The two actors look good together", leaving sharply divided assessments coexisting.

The entertainment industry saw incidents from the start of the year. Actor Kim Soo-hyun was embroiled in controversy over allegations he dated the late Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor, and Disney+’s highly anticipated title of the year, "Knock-Off", faced an unprecedented situation in which filming was halted indefinitely.

Jo Jin-woong announced his retirement after it became known he had concealed a criminal record as a juvenile offender, disappointing the public. Legal and institutional disputes over one-person agencies involving Seol Kyung-gu, Ock Joo-hyun and Sung Si-kyung followed, setting off warning signs across the industry. As cases repeatedly surfaced of operations without registration as a popular culture and arts planning business, or of not recognising related systems and becoming embroiled in allegations of legal violations, the issue is being cited as a structural problem across the industry.

Controversy is also spreading across the industry after multiple celebrities, starting with comedian Park Na-rae, were caught up in allegations they received illegal medical procedures from a so-called "injection aunt" who does not hold a medical licence. Those named include SHINee's Key and the mukbang YouTuber Ipjjaltteunhatnim.

· NewJeans no longer intact...Ador "terminates exclusive contract with Danielle"

A knot between girl group NewJeans and Ador that seemed likely to be tied up is not being untangled easily. That is because member Danielle was notified by agency Ador that her exclusive contract would be terminated.

Ador said, "In Danielle’s case, we determined it would be difficult to continue together as a NewJeans member and an artist under Ador, so the company notified her of the termination of the exclusive contract. Also, we plan to hold legally responsible 1 member of Danielle’s family and former CEO Min Hee-jin, who bear significant responsibility for causing this dispute situation and for NewJeans’ departure and delayed return."

On Hanni, it said, "Hanni visited Korea with her family and had an in-depth conversation with Ador over a long period of time. In the process, she looked back on past events and took time to view the matter objectively. After sincere talks, Hanni decided to be with Ador, respecting the court’s ruling," it said. On Minji, it said, "Minji is also in talks with Ador, and we are continuously continuing discussions to broaden mutual understanding."

■ This week's major K-snapp news?

· K-idol dating rumours dopamine boom!...K-pop keeps the global 'honmun' · [OTT ranking] 'Kigwen' ends on a high note...Despite harsh reviews, 'The Great Flood' still No. 1

In K-pop this year, Netflix animation "K-Pop Demon Hunters" and Rosé’s hit song "Apartment" were loved around the world. New rookie groups with standout talent also poured in like meteors, including Cortis, All Day Project, Hearts2Hearts, Kiki and AlphaDriveOne.

K-pop male idols including The Boyz' Sangyeon and Seventeen’s Wonwoo, Hoshi and Woozi, Astro’s Cha Eun-woo, and NCT 127’s Doyoung and Jungwoo enlisted in the military. News of BTS and former Nu’est member Hwang Min-hyun being discharged made fans laugh and cry, while dating rumours involving Hyeri and Woote, and Jungkook and Winter gave the public an overflow of "dopamine".

Singer and actor Lee Junho, who starred in the Netflix series "Cash Hero", captivated viewers.

FlixPatrol, an OTT content ranking aggregation site, said on the 30th that as of the previous day, the 29th, "Cash Hero" ranked fourth in the global TOP10 TV shows category.

"Cash Hero" vividly portrayed the story of Kang Sang-woong, a relatable hero who gets things done with his own money and his own strength, played by Lee Junho. Kang is a character at a crossroads, choosing what to protect between the peace of the world and personal peace. The series unpacked his complex emotions in detail and heightened immersion with fast-paced action.

SBS's Wednesday-Thursday drama "Kiss Was Unnecessary!", which ended on the 25th, ranked sixth on the global TOP10 TV shows chart. The final episode posted a personal best viewership rating of 6.9 percent nationwide, according to Nielsen Korea, and finished on a high note. That was the top rating in its time slot and ranked first among all weekday dramas for 7 consecutive weeks.

In the film category, "The Great Flood", which had previously received harsh reviews, ranked first worldwide. The film, released on the 19th, received low ratings and cold assessments on online communities and portal sites, but it is in an ironic situation of maintaining its position in the rankings on Netflix.

In the first week of the new year, artists will keep releasing new songs. Several original soundtracks for films and dramas are being released this week in particular, raising listeners’ expectations.

Group Say My Name, under the agency of former TVXQ member Kim Jae-joong, returns with a mini album, while Heize and Big Naughty make a comeback with new groove-filled songs. Bagna and virtual group Plave offered fresh charm through remakes, and OSTs for works such as the film "Heartman" and the drama "Annoying Love" will also be available. In the exciting new year, which singers will return with new sides?

· [New Song Hot Clip] 'Annoying Love → Heartman' OSTs pour out...A 'bountiful' new year

Snapp It First. Feel It K. This is an online article published by K-snapp (K-snapp), which provides the fastest and most entertaining entertainment news.