DONGKIZ has announced they are changing their group name and member lineup amid group's rise in popularity following the BL drama "Semantic Error."
Keep on reading to know more.
DONGKIZ Changes Group Name and Member Lineup Following Rise to Popularity
On March 18 KST, DONGKIZ's label Dongyo Entertainment announced that there has been some changes made to the group's name and member lineup. The group rises in popularity following the success of member Jaechan's appearance on the BL (boys love) drama, "Semantic Error."
According to Dongyo Entertainment, DONGKIZ will now be promoting under the new name, DKZ. Member Munik will enter an indefinite hiatus due to health concerns and he will focus on his rehabilitation. He is still part of the group.
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In addition, Dongyo Entertainment has also announced that member Wondae has decided to part ways with the group officially. This is after also sustaining an injury and listening to the advice of his doctor.
To make up for the loss of active members, Dongyo Entertainment will also be adding three new members to join the remaining members Jaechan, Kyoungyoon, and Jonghyeong.
Despite the name change and added new members, the label emphasizes that DONGKIZ and DKZ are not different. The management asks Fans to not treat them as separate groups.
Read the label's full statement here:
"Hello, this is Dongyo Entertainment.
First of all, we would like to thank fans who have always supported DONGKIZ. We would like to tell you about the future direction of Wondae and munik, who are currently on hiatus, and the group's future activities.
1. The future activities of Wondae and Munik who are currently on hiatus due to injuries.
Wondae took a break following an injury and had in-depth discussions with us regarding his future activities. However, the doctor adviced that he will need constant rehabilitation in the future, and that ultimately led Wondae to decide to withdraw from the team. Munik also went into hiatus to recover his health and had discussed with us for a long time about resuming his activities. Ahead of the group's comeback, the label had suggested resuming his activities and checking his condition, and he was given ample time to think about it himself. However, it was decided that he will not be participating in the comeback as he has not fully recovered yet. Group activities with the two members are important, but their health and wishes are the utmost priority. So, after discussing with all of the members and us, we agreed to respect their decisions.
2. The future activities of DONGKIZ
First, as you can see from the official logo released just before the name change, DONGKIZ will be reintroduced to fans under a new official team name, DKZ, beginning their comeback in April 2022. Second, we will be adding three new members to DKZ to work with Kyoungyoon, Jaechan, and Jonghyeong. DONGKIZ and DKZ are not different groups, instead, please see them as one team that connects the hopes of the past, present, and future, and we ask for your support and love. We understand that fans have been waiting for an update since the sudden news of Wondae and Munik's hiatus last year. Additonally, many wanted the group to resume their activities as five members, but our announcement was delayed as this was something we could not instantly make a decision on. We sincerely apologize to fans who have been frustrated due to not being aware of the [DONGKIZ] situation. Dongyo Entertainment wishes for Wondae and Munik's quick recovery, and we ask fans to show their warm support and love to the members who are preparing to be DKZ.
Thank you."
Meanwhile, DKZ is preparing to make a comeback in April 2022.
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Written by Robyn Joan
