ALD1 Contract Revealed, LOONA & cignature's Band Project, EXO-CBX Lawsuit Update

Hyunjin (LOONA), Jeewon (cignature), and More Team Up for Band Project "LATENCY"

Semi, Haeun (YeAh), Jeewon (cignature), HyunJin (LOONA/LOOSSEMBLE), and guitarist Fingerstylish have banded together for a new independent project girl band, LATENCY.

The group combines the star power of established idols with live performance energy, making them a standout among upcoming debuts. The group has already sparked excitement ahead of their pre-debut release, planned for 2025.

With a unique lineup and fresh concept, LATENCY is shaping up to be one of next year’s most anticipated acts.

Dispatch Reveals "Boys II Planet" Winner ALD1 Contract Terms & Duration

Dispatch reporters Park Hye-jin and Jeong Tae-yoon have reported that the winners of Boys II Planet, now officially debuting as ALD1, will be bound by what Dispatch calls a “5+1” deal. According to the exclusive contract obtained, members must promote under CJ ENM for five years from their debut album release, followed by an additional one-year “special activity” period, requiring a single album and at least one concert. In effect, the group faces a six-year obligation, only one year short of the industry’s so-called “7-year magic.”

This contract length is unprecedented compared to past project groups: Wanna One’s 1.5 years or ZeroBaseOne’s 2.5 years.

ICYMI:

• HYBE’s chairman, Bang Si Hyuk, has been banned from leaving South Korea amid the stock fraud investigation.

• P1Harmony’s 2025 Live Tour "P1ustage H: MOST WANTED" stop in Toronto has been postponed due to a system outage at the Canada–U.S. border.

• HUNTR/X will make their live performance debut on “The Tonight Show”.

EXO’s December Comeback Faces Uncertainty Amid CBX-SM Entertainment Dispute

EXO-CBX and SM Entertainment’s second mediation attempt has collapsed, leaving fans uncertain over whether CBX will participate in the upcoming comeback.

The dispute between EXO members Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin and SM Entertainment began in June 2023, when the trio accused the agency of imposing excessively long contracts and lacking transparency in payments. 19 days later, both sides reached a settlement that allowed the members to establish their own agency, INB100, for individual careers, while continuing EXO group activities under SM.

The conflict reignited in 2024 after SM claimed CBX had failed to pay 10% of their individual activity revenue, as agreed. CBX countered that SM had not honored its own commitment to a 5.5% distribution fee for albums and digital music, calling the 10% demand unfair.

Unfortunately, both first and second court-led mediations, on September 23 and October 2, respectively, have collapsed, raising speculation about CBX’s absence from EXO’s comeback, especially as SM Entertainment’s album announcement post did not clarify which members will participate.

Upcoming Tours & Performances

• TWICE announces 28 North American dates for their 6th World Tour "THIS IS FOR."

• 1VERSE reveals 8 stops for their U.S. tour "SHATTERED."

• Wonho confirms the North America leg of his World Tour "Stay Awake," with 11 cities and venues.

• HYOLYN unveils 4 European dates for her 2025 tour "HYOLYN Europe Tour 2025."

• SEVENTEEN’s "POWER OF LOVE," "BE THE SUN (Seoul)," and "FOLLOW TO SEOUL" concerts will be livestreamed for free on October 7 via their official YouTube channel.

Favorite New Music This Week

Does an album need layers of sound textures and elaborate production to reach the listener’s heart? EXO’s CHEN proves otherwise with his latest release, “ARCADIA.”

Across its five tracks, the guitar takes center stage, sometimes heavy and sometimes tender, giving the album an intimacy that feels almost unpolished, like stumbling upon a voice memo from an artist in love. Known for his ballads, CHEN leans into rock-inflected balladry here, crafting songs where his vocals remain the undeniable focus.

The record circles one theme: love lost but never forgotten. Memories linger like ashes, cold now but still carrying traces of warmth. The title track, “Arcadia,” sets the tone with lyrics such as “The warmth that faded away / I wanna let go,” evoking a yearning to escape heartbreak by fleeing into a mythical utopia.

“No Gravity” quickly counters, pulling the listener back into reality with the reminder that the past never fully loosens its grip. “Help Me (Somebody 2 Love)” dwells in the paralysis of moving on, time ticking forward while emotions stand still. Softer moments arrive with “In My Life,” where affection slips into pain, before “Deja-Vu” closes the album with smooth R&B flourishes, a bittersweet farewell that feels both final and eternal.

In short, “ARCADIA” is raw, vulnerable, and unmistakably CHEN.

NEXT WEEK’S COMEBACK SCHEDULE

• Sunday, October 5, 2025

  • N/A

• Monday, October 6, 2025

  • HITGS: 1st Mini Album “Things We Love: I”

• Tuesday, October 7, 2025

  • ONEWE: 4th Mini Album “Maze: Ad Astra”

• Wednesday, October 8, 2025

  • ITZY: 2nd Japan Album “Collector”

• Thursday, October 9, 2025

  • N/A

• Friday, October 10, 2025

  • BABYMONSTER: 2nd Mini Album “We Go Up”

  • TWICE: Special Album “TEN: The Story Goes On”

  • BamBam (GOT7): 1st Thai EP “Hometown”

• Saturday, October 11, 2025

  • N/A

— Javeria Yousuf

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