[THE INVESTOR] YG Entertainment has been slow in the second quarter but will recover, said Hyundai Motor Investment and Securities on July 21, lowering the target price to 39,000 won (US$34.87) from 44,000 won.

Its revenue fell 14.5 percent on-year to 66.1 billion won and operating profit 12.3 percent to 5.9 billion won, estimated analyst Yoo Seong-man.

Although its artists were active in Japan the proceeds were not reflected in the quarter, explained the analyst.

Concert revenue from China has dwindled amid THAAD complications but revenue from digital content sales and commercials are increasing, noted Yoo, adding that G-Dragon and Taeyang’s concerts in Japan will boost its H2 earnings.

Meanwhile its subsidiary YG Plus is still struggling and collaboration with Naver will boost it in the latter half. When the earnings begin to improve, its stock price will regain as well, according to the analyst who maintained a “buy” recommendation.

Source: KPopHerald

G-Dragon fans pose for a photo before the concert outside of Toyota Center Wednesday, July 19, 2017, in Houston.

Add the name G-Dragon to that list. The K-pop superstar explored duality, identity and celebrity in front of his kingdom Wednesday night at Toyota Center. Set to a booming dance-pop soundtrack.

His loyal subjects — mostly young women, all feverish with excitement — hung on every word. They filled the venue to all but the upper levels, some in blinking yellow crown headbands, even more waving crown light sticks.

Before the doors opened, lines snaked around the building. Once the lights went down, all he had to do was raise an eyebrow or put a finger to his lip to elicit screams.

For the uninformed, G-Dragon is a South Korean rapper and singer who has found immense success as part of boy band BIGBANG and as a solo artist. His current EP, “Kwon Ji Yong,” has sold more than 1 million copies in China alone and topped iTunes charts in 46 countries. It also entered the U.S. Billboard 200 after selling 4,000 copies in one day.

Source: Chron

Rapper T.O.P. of BIGBANG, real name Choi Seung-hyun, who was investigated by police in April for allegedly smoking marijuana four times last October, was sentenced to two years of probation on Thursday.

At the sentencing held at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul, Choi, who has been charged with violating the Act on the Control of Narcotics and was sentenced to 10 months of imprisonment, two years of probation and a fine of 12,000 won ($10.65).

The punishment is the same as what the prosecution demanded at the first trial held on June 29. The justice department reasoned their decision on Thursday by saying, “Choi has admitted to smoking marijuana four separate times. He has disappointed a host of fans with his crimes. We took into account Choi showing full remorse for his actions, vowing to never commit crimes against and him being a first offender.”

Choi will serve no prison time unless he commits a crime during the two-year probation period, but his official records will state that he received a punishment equal to two years in prison.

The fine of 12,000 won, which has been a point of intrigue by spectators, is the result of the justice department pricing the transaction price of a single dose of marijuana at 3,000 won. As the rapper admitted to smoking marijuana four times, twice in blunt form and twice in liquid form, he has been fined 12,000 won.

T.O.P was subject to a hair follicle test in April after the narcotics unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency was informed in March that the rapper had smoked marijuana. The rapper was indicted after the results proved positive in early June.

During investigations, which began in April, he denied ever smoking marijuana, but later altered his answer to say that he did smoke twice. He still denied smoking it in liquid form at the time. He went back again on his word in the first hearing as he admitted to all charges presented by the prosecution.

As the rapper was indicted while serving his mandatory military service as a conscripted policeman since February, his service had been suspended and he was relieved of duty on June 9 according to police rules. Since the duration of his sentenced imprisonment is below 18 months, he will be able to continue his service, though the whereabouts and the date of his return haven’t been decided as of yesterday, as it takes a week to file for an appeal after sentencing.

A source close to the rapper said the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency will go through a re-examination of his case. He currently has 520 days of mandatory military service remaining.

Source: JoongAng Daily

The breakout K-pop star G-Dragon, of the South Korean boy band BigBang, is a spectacle and a style icon, a chameleon who often makes peak-era Lady Gaga seem staid. Like his visual iconography, G-Dragon’s music — which draws from American hip-hop, R&B and E.D.M. — is like putting ingredients in a blender with no lid. An arena show at Barclays Center on Thursday, July 27, then, provides the perfect large-scale canvas for such a chaotic splatter. And American audiences may not have another chance to engage with one of K-pop’s enduring innovators: G-Dragon is expected to begin his years of compulsory military service soon, a reality reflected in the name of his current international tour: “Act III, M.O.T.T.E.” — or “Moment of Truth the End.”

Source: NY Times

Source: Soompi