Early voting rate, BTS, surveillance aircraft, and Cha Eun-woo's recent news

Bring Her Back

The new film 'Bring Her Back' by Australian director Filipou Brothers will be released in the United States on May 30, 2025. This movie deals with the strange events that occur when siblings Andy, who have lost their parents, and their visually impaired sister Piper are adopted by their new stepmother Laura. Sally Hawkins, in the role of Laura, chillingly portrays an unstable and obsessive character, heightening the film's tension. Elements such as water-related symbolism, VHS tapes, and rituals amplify the horror, leaving a deep impression on the audience. Currently, it holds a 90% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 73 on Metacritic.

Stranger Things

Netflix's popular series "Stranger Things" is returning for its fifth and final season in 2025. This season is set in the fall of 1987 and focuses on the protagonists' ultimate showdown with Vecna. In addition to the existing main cast, Linda Hamilton is joining as a new character, generating excitement. The season will consist of a total of 8 episodes, with the title of the first episode being "The Crawl." Season 5 will be released in three parts, scheduled to premiere sequentially in October and November 2025, and early 2026.

The Punisher

Marvel's popular character Frank Castle, also known as 'The Punisher', will return in a standalone special episode on Disney+ in 2026. Jon Bernthal will reprise his role, and it is set to air alongside 'Daredevil: Born Again' season 2. In addition, Marvel Comics will launch a new five-issue series titled 'Punisher: Red Band' on September 10, 2025. This series will once again feature Frank Castle's iconic skull logo and is expected to contain the most violent content in Marvel history.

BTS reunion

BTS is continuing active solo activities as the members complete their military service ahead of their reunification in the second half of 2025. Jin released his first solo album 'Happy' after finishing his military service in June 2024, followed by the release of his second album 'Echo' in May 2025. He is scheduled to hold the 'Run Seokjin Ep.' world tour from June 28 to August 10. J-Hope will hold his 'Hope on the Stage' world tour from February to June 2025, after being discharged in October 2024, and he released the single 'Sweet Dreams' in March, in collaboration with Miguel. RM solidified his position as a solo artist by winning the 'Favorite K-Pop Artist' award at the American Music Awards held on May 26, 2025. Jungkook is maintaining communication with fans as he approaches the end of his military service, and his songs '3D' and 'Standing Next to You' were selected as 'Most Performed Songs of the Year' at the 2025 BMI Pop Awards. HYBE stated that sufficient preparation time is needed for BTS to resume their group activities, and new music and world tour plans are expected to be announced in the second half of 2025.

Fifth Harmony reunion

Fifth Harmony is generating excitement among fans as some members reunite for the first time in seven years since their hiatus in 2018. On May 25, 2025, three members, Lauren, Dinah, and Ally, were seen together at an LA Sparks basketball game, suggesting the possibility of a reunion. According to recent reports, the four members—Lauren, Dinah, Ally, and Normani—are planning to celebrate the 10th anniversary of "Work From Home" in 2026 with a documentary and a tour, while Camila Cabello is reportedly not participating in this reunion.

Pohang Navy Patrol Aircraft Incident

On May 29, 2025, at around 1:49 PM, a P-3CK maritime patrol aircraft belonging to the Naval Aviation Command crashed into a hillside in Sinjeong-ri, Donghae-myeon, Nam-gu, Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, resulting in the tragic deaths of 2 out of the 4 crew members on board. The deceased were part of the crew made up of officers and non-commissioned officers, and their exact identities have not yet been confirmed. The status of the other 2 individuals remains unknown. The accident occurred just 6 minutes after the patrol aircraft took off from Pohang base for training purposes at 1:43 PM. The crash site was engulfed in a loud noise accompanied by a massive column of fire and black smoke, and nearby forests were temporarily caught in the flames, although they have since been extinguished. The aircraft in question is a P-3 model manufactured by the American company Lockheed Martin, specifically the Korean modified version known as P-3CK. This model has been in operation since 2010 for maritime surveillance and anti-submarine operations. A total of 16 aircraft are in operation, capable of carrying four engines and various armaments, earning the nickname 'submarine killer.' The Navy has immediately established an accident response headquarters and initiated an investigation into the cause of the accident, along with a suspension of flights for all P-3CK aircraft of the same model. As of now, there have been no confirmed civilian casualties. Recent similar incidents reported in Japan and Taiwan have highlighted the need for inspections regarding the aging of military aircraft and safety management practices.

Beenzino controversy and activities

In May 2025, rapper Beenzino posted a photo of himself wearing a red outfit on his Instagram along with the phrase "World Red Day." This post coincided with the early voting date for the 21st presidential election in South Korea and was interpreted as having a political intent, sparking controversy. Some netizens pointed out that the color red symbolizes a specific political party and raised criticisms. In response, Beenzino deleted the post after two hours and issued a public apology. Despite the controversy, Beenzino continued with his scheduled university festival performances. He performed at Hongik University on May 14, Korea University on May 21, and Dongguk University on May 28. Notably, at the Seongtap Daedong Festival at Korea University, he showcased popular songs such as "Aqua Man," "Boogie On & On," and "Always Awake," receiving positive reactions from the audience. After welcoming his first son in November 2024, Beenzino has been sharing his daily life with his family on social media, connecting with his fans. This incident serves as a reminder of the potential for everyday posts to be interpreted politically, highlighting the importance of public figures' social media usage.

Cha Eun-woo enlistment news

Cha Eun-woo, a member of the group ASTRO and an actor, is set to enlist in the Army Band on July 28. His agency announced on May 29 that he has recently applied to the Army Band and received final acceptance notification from the Military Manpower Administration. After enlisting, he plans to complete basic military training and serve in the band, with an expected discharge in January 2027. To prevent safety accidents due to congestion on the day of enlistment, the location and time of enlistment will be kept private, and no separate events are planned. Until his enlistment, Cha Eun-woo continues various activities. He is currently filming the Netflix original series "The Wonderfulls" and is also preparing for a return to the screen as the lead in the movie "First Ride." Additionally, he is scheduled to perform at ASTRO's fourth solo concert, "Stargraphy," on June 7 and 8, which will be the first solo concert in about three years since 2022, providing a valuable time with fans. Recently, he participated in the international trail running competition "2025 TNF 100" held in Gangneung, Gangwon-do, completing an 11km course and engaging in active activities. Following the news of his enlistment, fans have been sending messages of support and wishing him a healthy military life through social media.

Status of Early Voting for the 21st Presidential Election

The total early voting rate (as of 5 PM) is recorded at 17.51%. The number of voters is 7,771,218, while the total number of registered voters is 44,391,871. The hourly voting rate trends are as follows: 7 AM 1.21%, 8 AM 2.24%, 9 AM 3.55%, 10 AM 5.24%, 11 AM 7.00%, 12 PM 8.70%, 1 PM 10.51%, 2 PM 12.34%, 3 PM 14.05%, 4 PM 15.72%, 5 PM 17.51%. Compared to past elections, it is as follows: 2025 21st presidential election 17.51%, 2022 20th presidential election 17.57%, 2024 22nd general election 15.61%. Overall, it shows a higher participation rate than in the past, suggesting that interest in the election continues. As of the first day, more than 7.7 million people have already participated in voting.