Author: Seoul Reporter

Woman group BLACKPINK / Courtesy of YG LeisureOkay-pop lady group BLACKPINK has earned a gold certification from the Recording Business Affiliation of America (RIAA) for its 2025 digital single “Soar.”The RIAA mentioned on its web site on Thursday (U.S. time) that “Soar” has surpassed 500,000 models, the edge required for gold certification, as of Dec. 11.The affiliation awards gold for 500,000 models, platinum for 1 million, multi-platinum for two million and diamond for 10 million models. Licensed models are counted primarily based on bodily and digital album gross sales, downloads, and audio and video streams.The monitor has additionally been licensed…

Hwacheon Mayor Choi Moon-soon, heart, poses with overseas envoys and household in the course of the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Competition in Hwacheon, Gangwon Province, Jan. 13. Courtesy of Hwacheon County Authorities International diplomats stationed in Korea visited the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Competition, experiencing one of many nation’s signature winter celebrations mixing collectively ice fishing, regional delicacies and cultural exchanges.In response to Hwacheon County, a 32-member diplomatic delegation from 11 international locations traveled from Seoul to the northeastern county on Jan. 13. The group included ambassadors from Malaysia, Tajikistan, Kenya and Iraq, in addition to diplomats representing america, Bangladesh, Laos, Honduras,…

The Volvo EX90 (Photograph courtesy of Volvo Vehicles Korea) Volvo Vehicles Korea introduced on Jan. 15 that it plans to launch its next-generation pure electrical flagship lineup, the EX90 and ES90, within the first half and second half of this yr, respectively. Volvo Vehicles Korea maintained its 4th place within the imported automotive market by promoting a complete of 14,903 items final yr. This yr, the corporate plans to proceed attaining steady efficiency by constantly innovating all through all the possession course of along with increasing its lineup. The EX90 and ES90 are…

English poster for Korean director Chung Ji-young’s “My Identify” / Courtesy of Let’s Movies and Aura Photos “My Identify,” the newest movie from director Chung Ji-young, has been invited to display on the Berlin Worldwide Movie Competition, the movie’s manufacturing studios stated Friday,Starring Yeom Hye-ran of the hit Netflix sequence “When Life Provides You Tangerines,” the thriller drama is about to obtain its world premiere within the Discussion board part, a strand specializing in socially engaged and adventurous cinema, Let’s Movies and Aura Photos stated. Jang Jae-hyun’s supernatural thriller “Exhuma” was additionally invited to the identical class in 2024.The pageant…

From second from left, Kang Jae-ho, Avikus CEO, Choi Gained-hyuk, HMM CEO, Kim Hyung-gwan, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering CEO, and Lim Do-hyung, Avikus CEO, pose for a commemorative photograph after signing a contract on AI-based autonomous navigation answer introduction at HD Hyundai’s Pangyo World R&D Heart on Jan. 15. (Photograph courtesy of HMM) HMM will set up HD Hyundai’s autonomous navigation answer, “HiNAS Management,” on 40 ships in its fleet, the corporate introduced on Jan. 16. The 2 firms signed a contract on Jan. 15 at HD Hyundai’s World R&D Heart (GRC) in Pangyo, Gyeonggi Province,…

Containers are stacked at a port in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. YonhapThe federal government will work to foster 500 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with an annual export capability of over $10 million by 2030 as a part of efforts to advertise exports of smaller corporations, the trade ministry mentioned Friday.Final 12 months, Korea’s exports exceeded $700 billion for the primary time, however the prime 1 % of export corporations, or these with over $50 million in annual export quantity, accounted for some 84 % of the nation’s complete exports.SMEs solely accounted for 8 % of the entire.By way of…

A buyer browses albums at a report store in Seoul, Dec. 19, 2023. YonhapKorea’s exports of Ok-pop albums exceeded $300 million for the primary time final yr, customs knowledge confirmed Friday, underscoring the style’s continued power abroad regardless of weakening home gross sales.Based on the Korea Customs Service, abroad shipments of Ok-pop albums reached a report excessive of $301.7 million in 2025, up 3.4 p.c from a yr earlier.Japan remained the largest market with $80.6 million, adopted by China with $69.7 million and the USA with $64 million.Whereas exports to Japan fell 10.2 p.c from the earlier yr, shipments to…

Hwacheon Mayor Choi Moon-soon, center, poses with foreign envoys and family during the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival in Hwacheon, Gangwon Province, Jan. 13. Courtesy of Hwacheon County Government Foreign diplomats stationed in Korea visited the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival, experiencing one of the country’s signature winter celebrations blending together ice fishing, regional cuisine and cultural exchanges.According to Hwacheon County, a 32-member diplomatic delegation from 11 countries traveled from Seoul to the northeastern county on Jan. 13. The group included ambassadors from Malaysia, Tajikistan, Kenya and Iraq, as well as diplomats representing the United States, Bangladesh, Laos, Honduras, Argentina, Zambia and…

Chef Choi Kang-rok, left, and chef Music Jong-won / Courtesy of JTBC, XportsnewsNetflix’s hit cooking present ‘Culinary Class Wars’ Season 2 has an surprising twist: its champion has nowhere for followers to line up, whilst one other contestant is having fun with a celebrity-fueled reservation frenzy.The season finale aired on Jan. 13, ending with an intense showdown between underdog “Cooking Monster” and elite chef Choi Kang-rok. Choi, who was eradicated from the competitors in Season 1 earlier than making a dramatic comeback in Season 2, claimed the championship in a storyline many viewers referred to as some of the emotional…

Homeplus co-CEO Joh Joo-yun takes an oath throughout a plenary session of the Nationwide Meeting in Seoul, March 18, 2025. Korea Instances picture by Ko Younger-kwonAn injection of emergency working funds would assist revive financially troubled low cost retailer chain Homeplus, an organization government has mentioned, dismissing any probability of liquidation.Homeplus submitted its rehabilitation plan to the Seoul Chapter Court docket final month, with collectors elevating no objections to the proposal.This system focuses on enterprise reorganization and a merger and acquisition (M&A) course of to discover a new proprietor after court docket approval of the plan.It additionally contains measures to…