There is little doubt that the past year has been very difficult for Kim Hanbin. The former leader of iKON was accused of drug use, leading to his expulsion for the idol group as YG Entertainment decided to terminate his contract.
However, it looks like B.I. is finally ready to get his career back on track now that he has been cleared of all the drug charges. There are speculations that Kim Hanbin is already preparing for his solo comeback soon after being appointed Executive Director of IOK Company.
Kim Hanbin's story has been a real tragedy in KPop. The iKON leader was accused of using drugs which immediately had people talking. Although B.I. admitted his mistake and apologized for it, this didn't stop YG Entertainment from terminating his contract and forcing him to leave the idol group. Since then, Kim Hanbin has been cleared of the drug charges and is finally ready for a fresh start.
Earlier in September, IOK Company announced in a press release that they would hold their 21st extraordinary shareholders meeting where Kim Hanbin's official position will be confirmed. It was suggested that the former iKON leader would be appointed as an executive director of the company.
Amazingly, this is exactly what happened at the meeting on September 28. In addition to that, it was revealed that B.I. is listed as an artist under a company called 131 Label.
Fans were understandably excited to learn about the new label's name. After all, Kim Hanbin has been releasing new music on his personal Soundcloud account which also makes a reference to "131." With that in mind, people believe that B.I. may have established the label on his own and could soon be announcing his solo comeback.
The idea of Kim Hanbin making a solo debut is a welcome one for fans who have missed his music. However, it is important to point out that this has not yet been confirmed and is only based on speculations. Nevertheless, fans are hoping that B.I. will make an official announcement about his solo effort before the end of the year.
Kim Hanbin isn't the only idol who is finding success after controversy. Like B.I., Wonho was also accused of drug use and the controversy forced him to leave his idol group MONSTA X. However, like Kim Hanbin, Lee Hoseok was cleared of all drug charges and has successfully launched his solo career with the debut mini-album Love Synonym #1: Right For Me.
