News

S. Korea's chip and bio exports drive highest current account surplus; BOK chief and deputy PM meet

2025/08/07 21:34

South Korea has posted its largest monthly current account surplus on record thanks to chips, pharmaceuticals, and dividend income. The news also came as the Deputy Prime Minister for Economy and Finance visited the BOK for the first time. Our Kim Do-yeon reports. South Korea posted a current account surplus of 14-point-27 billion U.S. dollars in June — the country's largest monthly surplus on record. According to the Bank of Korea on Thursday, the figure was fueled by strong semiconductor exports and a surge in dividend income. June also marked a surplus for the 26th consecutive month. Compared to May, the goods account surplus alone rose by 2-point-5 billion dollars, helping push the first-half total to 49-point-37 billion dollars — the third highest H1 figure in history. "This is the result of a sharp increase in the primary income account, driven mainly by dividend income, on top of a wider goods surplus due to a drop in commodity imports following lower oil prices." In June, exports of semi-coductors rose over 11 percent, while pharmaceutical shipments soared more than 50 percent. Much of the chip sales appear to have been front-loaded ahead of the U.S. tariffs taking effect. However, steel and automobile exports slipped, reflecting early pressure from the new tariff regime. Regionally, exports to the U.S. and China declined, while shipments to the EU and Southeast Asia posted solid gains. Despite concerns for other items due to tariffs, the Bank of Korea maintained a positive outlook for the current account in the near term. "As for semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, South Korea secured the most favorable terms under the agreement, so we're not likely to face disadvantages compared to other countries, nor see a significant drop in the competitiveness of our chip industry." The news also came as the Deputy Prime Minister for Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol visited the Governor of the Bank of Korea Lee Chang-yong for the first time. Greeting the Deputy Prime Minister the General touted the government's tariff deal with the U.S saying it eased the burden for the central bank as well. "To be honest, from both my personal view and the Bank of Korea's perspective, the recent tariff agreement was handled well — and it has significantly eased the pressure going into our monetary policy meeting at the end of August." The deputy prime minister also said the decline in potential growth rate is due to a loss in the country's economic capability, adding, "All economic players must work together to strengthen that capability." Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.

PRES. LEE TO MEET WITH TRUMP AT WHITE HOUSE IN AUGUST

2025/08/07 19:34

Welcome to Press Perspective. It's Thursday August 7th here in Seoul. I'm Min Sunhee. President Lee Jae Myung and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump are expected to meet at the White House within this month. That being said today we touch upon the potential issues on their agenda. For this I have Andrew Salmon with The Washington Times. Andrew it's great to have you here. I also have Ruy Valdes with EFE Spain. Ruy welcome back. Andrew, let's begin with the view that South Korea and the U.S. are preparing for their summit with "details of their tariff deal unresolved." To what extent, do you agree, and to what extent, do you not? Ruy, before we delve any deeper into the planned meeting at the White House, what can you tell us about the political significance of this upcoming summit for President Lee Jae Myung? And Andrew, what about for Mr. Trump? How important is this upcoming interaction for the U.S. leader keeping in mind his hopes of containing China and of coming across as a peacemaker, if you will, with regard to tensions on the peninsula? Ruy, some believe the summit between these two leaders may turn into a showdown over defense-cost sharing. How likely is this scenario? Andrew, you recently wrote a piece for The Washington Times about President Lee and his handling of affairs. How is he likely to handle a potential showdown over contentious bilateral matters? Ruy, do you believe the two leaders see eye-to-eye with regard to North Korea-related concerns? Andrew, President Lee is scheduled to play host to his APEC counterparts for the bloc's annual economic meeting later this autumn. What are the broader diplomatic implications of a successful hosting of this multilateral meeting for South Korea? And Ruy, what is the latest with regard to the current ongoing APEC gatherings here in the country ahead of the leaders' meeting starting October first? All right.

Trump vows 100% tariff on chips; Seoul cites most-favored-nation status

2025/08/07 18:43

The U.S. plans to impose a one-hundred-percent import duty on semiconductor shipments into the American market. The top office here is playing down the potential impact of the pledged tariff. Yoon Jung-min reports. U.S. President Donald Trump continues to ratchet up his tariff pressure, this time, threatening to impose a 100-percent tariff on semiconductors coming into the United States. "We're going to be putting a very large tariff on chips and semiconductors. But the good news for companies like Apple is if you're building in the United States or have committed to build, without question, committed to build in the United States, there will be no charge." He was speaking at a White House event on Wednesday where Apple promised to invest an additional 100-billion dollars in the U.S. on top of the previously announced 500-billion dollars. No specifics were given, though Trump did earlier signal that the levies on chips could come as soon as next week. With semiconductors being South Korea's second-largest item exported to the U.S., Seoul's top office echoed remarks by Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo that the country will not be treated less favorably than other nations. "Whether the levies be 100 percent or 200 percent, we have been promised the most-favored-nation status with regard to semiconductors and pharmaceuticals." Last week, a framework trade deal was reached between Seoul and Washington that lowered the U.S.' so-called reciprocal tariffs on South Korea to 15-percent in exchange for massive investment pledges by Seoul, as well as a promise for the most-favored-nation status on certain sector-specific tariffs. What lies ahead is how to fill in the details of the deal in time for the face-to-face meeting later this month at the top level involving President Lee Jae Myung and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump. Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.

[Weather] Still hot across the country even though today is Ipchu

2025/08/07 18:42

Today is Ipchu on the traditional calendar, which means the beginning of autumn. The extreme heat is starting to go away, but it's still hot when you're out of the shade. With a heat wave advisory in the southern parts of the country, daytime temperatures rose to 32 degrees in Seoul, Chuncheon, and Cheongju today. There will be no heat wave above 35 degrees Celsius like last week, but for the time being, the daytime temperature will continue to exceed 30 degrees Celsius in most regions. The night heat will gradually cool down as well. Seoul will see lows of 23 degrees tomorrow and many areas will see below 25 degrees in the morning. Chuncheon and Gyeongju will start off at 21 degrees, Busan at 25 degrees. Highs will move up to 31 degrees in Seoul, Chuncheon, Daejeon and Busan, Jeju 30 degrees. Tomorrow, there will be showers on the east coast. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

Helicopter crash in Ghana kills eight people including two gov't ministers

2025/08/07 18:42

This is the World Now, bringing you the stories from around the globe. Starting off in Ghana, where the country's defence and environment ministers were among the eight people killed in a helicopter crash. Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment, Science and Technology Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed died in the crash in the Ashanti region on Wednesday. Three other officials and three crew members also died in the crash. The helicopter had departed from the capital, Accra, just after 9 AM local time and was heading to the town of Obuasi for an event addressing illegal mining. Later, Ghana's armed forces reported losing radar contact with the helicopter. The cause of the crash is still unknown. In the U.S. where a suspect is in custody after 5 soldiers were shot and injured at Fort Stewart Army base in Georgia on Wednesday, local time. According to reports, the alleged shooter, identified as 28-year-old U.S. Army Sergeant Quornelius Radford, used a personal handgun in the shooting before being subdued by other soldiers. Officials said they were unclear about a motive and that the suspect opened fire at an area of the base where he is assigned. Fort Stewart, one of the largest Army bases in the U.S., was briefly locked down after the incident. All five victims are said to be in stable condition and expected to recover. The 2025 World Robot Conference is set to open on Friday in Beijing as the industry continues rapid growth across China. The 10th edition of the event will showcase the latest breakthroughs in robotics, from realistic humanoid robots to automatons that look like animals. Over 200 companies from both China and abroad are set to participate, presenting advancements in automation, artificial intelligence, and smart robotics. The conference will run until August 12. To the Czech Republic, where four rare Barbary lion cubs made their first public appearance at Dvůr Králové Safari Park, closely watched by their parents, Khalila and Bart. The three female and one male cubs were born in January, marking an important addition to the small remaining population of the rare species, which is extinct in the wild. The last known photograph of a wild Barbary lion was taken in 1925 and is believed to have disappeared completely by the mid-1960s. Today, fewer than 200 Barbary lions are thought to remain in captivity. Walter Lee, Arirang News.

AI visual auxiliary apparatus helps visually impaired people with various services

2025/08/07 18:41

One county office here in Korea is using AI to take on the role of eyes for the visually impaired to help them better address their affairs at the civil service desk. Cha Yun-kyung explains. A visually impaired person enters a public service center to handle civil affairs. As they take a picture of a document through the AI visual auxiliary apparatus, the device summarizes the information and guides them by voice. This equipment, installed in the public service center of Boeun-gun County Office, can summarize documents, guide people to a location, recognize the color of an object, and measure distances from others. Braille panels are also attached to the apparatus, so the visually impaired can select the service that they need and deal with public affairs by themselves. "I can handle public affairs through voice language coming out from the apparatus without anyone's help." "We collaborated with the Welfare Policy Division to improve the public affairs service for visually handicapped people." Boeun-gun County plans to make up for the weaknesses of the apparatus with the cooperation of an association of the visually impaired people using it. Cha Yun-kyung, Arirang News.

S. Korea's unmanned businesses grow while diversifying

2025/08/07 18:40

Unmanned stores are gaining traction here in the country for their convenience and their price tags. Our correspondent Park Jun-han files this report. In South Korea, you can buy fresh fruit anytime — whether it's 4 AM or late at night. This store is a 24/7 fruit shop. What's even more interesting is that there is no one at the counter. You just simply pick up the fruit, bring it to the counter, then scan the barcode. After it's scanned, you can pay for it through a machine and you're good to go. "These two ice creams are exactly the same — same brand, same size, same ingredients. I paid thousand-five-hundred won at a convenience store, but just six-hundred won at an unmanned store. That's less than half the price!" Since a few years ago, South Korea's unmanned store businesses have grown rapidly. Although estimates vary by institution, it is generally assumed that there are over 10-thousand unmanned stores in South Korea. From January 2020 through 2025, the number of unmanned stores grew 314 percent. The number of stores increased more than fourfold from 2020 to 2023, and has remained steady for the last two years. For customers, the main reasons they visit unmanned stores are their accessibility and reasonable prices. While increasing accessibility through operating 24 hours a day, the strategy of reducing fixed costs by building an automated system that does not require additional labor costs was the key know-how in selling products to consumers at lower prices. "It's cheaper than convenience stores, and I like that I can pay on my own without waiting. "Since it's open 24 hours, I can stop by anytime after studying near my academy, which I find really convenient. Another customer said he doesn't feel pressured when buying at an unmanned store, since no one is watching him while he decides which product to choose. "With no staff around, you can shop freely without feeling watched. The prices are reasonable, so you get more for the same money. Started as an emerging trend, unmanned stores have now expanded across the country and become a new mode of consumption. From ice cream to fruit and even pet supplies, the industry continues to diversify — meeting the evolving needs of consumers. Park Jun-han, Arirang News.

Gov't to distribute discount coupons for performances and exhibitions

2025/08/07 18:39

Come Friday the government will begin offering discount coupons for concerts and exhibitions. Seoul's Culture Ministry together with the Korea Arts Management Service and Arts Council Korea will provide five-hundred-thousand coupons that allow for a 10-thousand won reduction in concert tickets and one-point-six million coupons for a three-thousand won discount for tickets to exhibitions. The coupons can be used until September 19th and apply to events held up until November 30th.

40% of American K-pop fans drive strong physical album sales

2025/08/07 18:39

A Billboard survey shows four out of every ten U.S.-based K-pop fans spend over one-hundred U.S. dollars annually on physical copies of K-pop albums. The survey was conducted over a fortnight last August and included one-thousand-four-hundred Billboard readers aged 14 and above. 63 percent of those polled had purchased at least one K-pop CD over the previous year and nearly half said they bought multiple copies of the same album given the diverse packaging and design. But despite the active spending on physical albums only 47 percent had attended a K-pop concert in the past year owing to high ticket costs and long distance.

“I’m here to win” -Son Heung-min officially signs with LAFC

2025/08/07 18:39

In sports news. Football sensation Son Heung-min has a new home that is the Los Angeles Football Club. Our Choi Soo-hyung has more. At Son Heung-min's official Los Angeles FC signing press conference, LAFC supporters welcomed him with loud and powerful cheers. After 10 years with Tottenham Hotspur, Son officially joined LAFC on Wednesday, local time. His new club described the South Korean national team captain as one of the most talented and popular Asian players in football history while Tottenham bid farewell with a front‑page message on its website. Son Heung-min says he came to Los Angeles with one goal, to win. "Obviously I'm here to perform, but also that I want to give some advice to the young players for improvement. I can't wait to see all the teammates and all the players that are working together, so that's why we are here. So let's do it together, win the trophy." It was also revealed that Sonny will wear the number 7 at his new club. Now set to play as LAFC's starting forward, Son said the presence of the world's largest Koreatown in Los Angeles was one reason he chose the team. LAFC said Son Heung-min was signed as a Designated Player exempt from the MLS salary cap through 2027, with an option to extend until June 2029. The club added that he will take up an international roster slot and will be eligible to play once he secures a U.S. work visa and an International Transfer Certificate. According to ESPN, LAFC is paying a transfer fee of around 26 million dollars, setting a new Major League Soccer record and surpassing the previous record of 22 million set by Atlanta United when they signed Emmanuel Latte Lath earlier this year. Son also becomes one of the highest-paid players in the MLS. Son is embracing his new start in the U.S. as another challenge, saying he wants to give back for everything he has received from the team and hopes to leave as a club legend. Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.

Special counsel requests arrest warrant with detention for former first lady

2025/08/07 18:38

The special counsel investigating allegations against former First Lady Kim Keon Hee has requested an arrest warrant with detention against her. The counsel has cited the risk of evidence tampering as reason for the request. Also the request comes one day after an hours-long questioning session of Kim back on Wednesday. Separately a second attempt by the counsel to bring in former President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning was halted earlier today amid his firm refusal.

Pres. Lee to host Vietnamese leader for key cooperation talks

2025/08/07 18:37

President Lee Jae Myung is poised to host his first foreign counterpart next Monday. According to Presidential Office Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung To Lam the General Secretary of Vietnam's ruling Communist Party will arrive in South Korea for a four-day visit that will address a wide array of bilateral interests including nuclear energy high speed railways and smart cites. Kang added the planned summit will offer South Korea the opportunity to bolster its "comprehensive strategic" partnership with Vietnam in a future-oriented and reciprocal manner.

S. Korea, U.S. to hold annual defense exercise from August 18 to 28

2025/08/07 18:37

South Korea and the United States will hold their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise this month. In a joint press conference earlier on this Thursday the two sides announced the joint military exercise will begin on August 18th and end on the 28th. While this year's exercise will be similar in scale to that of last year 20 out of the 40 field drills will be pushed back to September amid the intense heat. Officials also said the drills will include missile threat scenarios and aim to reinforce deterrence against North Korea. The annual exercise involves some 18-thousand South Korean troops and roughly the same number of American soldiers.

U.S. 'reciprocal tariffs' take effect as of Thursday

2025/08/07 18:37

Meanwhile as of ONE P.M. on this Thursday here in South Korea the Trump administration's COUNTRY-specific tariffs went into effect. At present these tariffs affect over 90 nations and range from 10 to 40 percent. South Korea, Japan and the European Union for their parts face 15 percent tariffs on their goods exported to the American market. Tariffs are expected to expand in the near future as the U.S. leader speaks of more SECTOR-specific tariffs including those for semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.

Potential meeting between Putin, Trump as early as next week

2025/08/07 18:37

The leaders of the U.S. and Russia may meet in person as early as next week to address the Kremlin's aggression against Ukraine. Ahn Sung-jin has the latest. U.S. President Donald Trump could hold in-person talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin as soon as next week. Trump told European leaders during a call on Wednesday that he intends to meet with Putin and then follow up with a three-way talk also involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "But we had some very good talks with President Putin today. And there's a very good chance that we could be ending the round, ending the end to that road. That road was long and continues to be long but there's a good chance that there will be a meeting very soon." This follows Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff's trip to Moscow for talks with Putin. Though no readouts of the 3-hour-long meeting have been released, the White House said that the meeting had gone well, and Trump added that it was "highly productive" resulting in "major progress." U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio added that Putin outlined "concrete examples of the kinds of things that Russia would ask for", further stating that it may be the first time doing so since this administration began. The Kremlin later said that Putin had "sent a signal" to the U.S. regarding Ukraine to which the U.S. allegedly "responded." Through a post on Truth Social, Trump also confirmed that he spoke with Zelenskyy as well, adding that "everyone agrees this war must end." Zelenskyy later addressed the call through a social-media message, saying that they talked about what was discussed in Moscow and acknowledged that Russia does seem more inclined to agree to a ceasefire. He also thanked his European allies for their support. This comes just days before a deadline set by Trump for Russia to agree to peace in Ukraine or face tougher sanctions measures including secondary sanctions on countries that do business with Russia. When and where the meeting would take place is unclear, but if this meeting does take place, it would be the first face-to-face meeting between a sitting U.S. and Russian president since 2021 when former President Biden met with Putin in Geneva. Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.

Better consumption signs in Korea; gov't to push for growth through innovation

2025/08/07 18:35

And Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol says domestic demand is picking up pace amid related efforts including the government's recent provision of consumption coupons. Our correspondent Park Kun-woo reports. Steady signs of recovery in domestic consumption are becoming a reality in South Korea. That's according to the first economic ministerial meeting under the new Lee Jae Myung administration on Thursday. "After a long slump, consumption is starting to recover. Domestic demand is revitalizing thanks to efforts such as the livelihood recovery consumption coupons. Retail sales have turned upward for the first time in four months, and consumer sentiment is at its highest in over four years." Koo also pledged to hold a series of large-scale consumption-boosting events each month until the end of the year, aiming to sustain the momentum. And to help non-capital regions, struggling with challenges such as shrinking populations, the government plans to match them with entities, including central ministries, under a sisterhood program to promote tourism and local specialties. On Thursday, the state-run Korea Development Institute also echoed the positive signs in consumption in its August economic trends report. It showed that consumption is partially improving, backed by declining interest rates, despite ongoing sluggishness in production, particularly in the construction sector. KDI also projected a more positive outlook thanks to consumption coupons distributed last month. However, the think tank also raised concerns of trade uncertainties linked to U.S. tariffs. While July's exports increased year-on-year, the state-run think tank attributed the rise to front-loaded shipments from markets including Taiwan and ASEAN ahead of new U.S. tariffs. Also on Thursday, Finance Minister Koo said the government will focus on a strategic transition toward a "hyper-innovation" economy driven by rapidly evolving technologies. He said key sectors, including AI, will receive concentrated support to produce visible results in a short time. More specific strategies are set to be unveiled later this month. Park Kun-woo, Arirang News.

S. Korea's chip and bio exports drive highest current account surplus; BOK chief and deputy PM meet

2025/08/07 18:34

South Korea saw a record current account surplus of over 14 billion U.S. dollars in June its highest monthly gain since relevant data collection began. Our economic correspondent Kim Do-yeon covers these findings and more. South Korea posted a current account surplus of 14-point-27 billion U.S. dollars in June — the country's largest monthly surplus on record. According to the Bank of Korea on Thursday, the figure was fueled by strong semiconductor exports and a surge in dividend income. June also marked a surplus for the 26th consecutive month. Compared to May, the goods account surplus alone rose by 2-point-5 billion dollars, helping push the first-half total to 49-point-37 billion dollars — the third highest H1 figure in history. "This is the result of a sharp increase in the primary income account, driven mainly by dividend income, on top of a wider goods surplus due to a drop in commodity imports following lower oil prices." In June, exports of IT products — including semiconductors — rose over 11 percent, while pharmaceutical shipments soared more than 50 percent. Much of the chip sales appear to have been front-loaded ahead of the U.S. tariffs taking effect. However, steel and automobile exports slipped, reflecting early pressure from the new tariff regime. Regionally, exports to the U.S. and China declined, while shipments to the EU and Southeast Asia posted solid gains. Despite concerns for other items due to tariffs, the Bank of Korea maintained a positive outlook for the current account in the near term. "As for semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, South Korea secured the most favorable terms under the agreement, so we’re not likely to face disadvantages compared to other countries, nor see a significant drop in the competitiveness of our chip industry." The news also came as the Deputy Prime Minister for Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol visited the Governor of the Bank of Korea Lee Chang-yong for the first time. Greeting the Deputy Prime Minister the General touted the government's tariff deal with the U.S saying it eased the burden for the central bank as well. "To be honest, from both my personal view and the Bank of Korea’s perspective, the recent tariff agreement was handled well — and it has significantly eased the pressure going into our monetary policy meeting at the end of August." The deputy prime minister also said the decline in potential growth rate is due to a loss in the country's economic capability, adding, “All economic players must work together to strengthen that capability.” Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.

[Kulture Issue] Song camps become common practice in creating hit K-pop songs

2025/08/07 16:34

All for one, one for all or all for one K-pop song. BLACKPINK Rosé's hit song APT. feat. Bruno Mars took the world by storm back in October last year. Did you know that eleven people contributed to writing and composing this hit song and four producers took part? In the K-pop industry it has become common that a whole group of people collaborate on one single song. Let’s talk about this interesting trend with our K-pop expert Jeff Benjamin, who is now connected with us. Welcome back Jeff! Jeff, before we delve into today’s main topic, could you give us a rundown of the latest K-pop trends based on your recent contribution to Billboard’s 'The 25 Best K-Pop Songs of 2025 (So Far): Critic’s Picks'. What are some notable K-pop groups or songs so far this year? Now, let’s talk about an interesting way of creating super hits like the ones you just mentioned. It’s become the norm for a group of artists, songwriters, composers and producers to get together for a so-called “song camp” to make a great song. Please, tell us about this process. Major Korean entertainment agencies such as HYBE, SM, JYP, YG and STARSHIP regularly hold song camps. Why is that? What are the benefits? I heard that these song camps create a positive environment for rookie songwriters or composers making their debut. What are your thoughts on this? Can plagiarism be avoided when multiple people are involved in producing a song? It's noticeable that the nationalities of those involved in K-pop production have also become more diverse. Recent efforts have included song makers from the U.S., UK, Japan, Sweden, Norway, and many other countries. Right, but Jeff, do you think that songs created in this way still have enough of a “K-pop feel” to them? What makes K-pop sound like K-pop, even when it’s not entirely made by Koreans? What about K-pop artists who themselves get involved in making the songs, like Rosé for APT.? Is this becoming more common than in the past and what significance does it hold? As the number of songwriters increases, doesn’t it become more difficult to earn income from royalties? There will also be more and more cases where AI is used in songwriting. Based on this, how do you see the future of collaborations in making songs and the future of song camps? Thank you Jeff for your insights and have a great rest of the week. Thank you Bella, we'll see again soon.

[K-enter] "Golden" Tops Apple Music U.S. Daily Top 100

2025/08/07 15:37

And, today's first K-enter story is in fact on a new record, related to the "KPop Demon Hunters" soundtrack? “Golden” claimed the No.1 spot on Apple Music’s U.S. Daily Top 100 chart, the highest ranking ever for a K-pop song on this chart. Unlike Billboard, which accounts for radio, physical sales, and digital downloads, this chart is purely based on streaming data from the U.S. listeners, making it a tough milestone for K-pop artists. Along with “Golden,” two other songs from “KPop Demon Hunters” made it into the top 10 -“Your Idol” at No.8 and “Soda Pop” at No.9. Beyond the U.S., “Golden” also topped Apple Music charts in many countries, including Korea, Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, and the Netherlands. “Golden” is still my go-to song. Let’s continue with K-pop and records. Which artist are we talking about next? BTS Jimin has set a major record on the U.S. Spotify chart. According to the latest update from Spotify, Jimin’s second album “MUSE” has surpassed 400 million streams on the U.S. Spotify chart. “Who,” a single released back in July 2024, has also spent 33 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. Jimin was discharged from his military service in June and is set to make a full BTS comeback next spring. Can’t wait for that! And we will now move onto a Netflix series that Bella you recently enjoyed. I'm actually in the middle of it. So, no spoilers! Korean Netflix series “Trigger: Limited Series” is gaining immense popularity in its second week of release. According to Netflix, the series recorded 5 million views last week, ranking 2nd in the Global Top 10 Non-English Shows. It also proved its popularity by securing a spot on the Top 10 lists in 45 countries worldwide, including France, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore. “Trigger: Limited Series” is an action thriller set around the appearance of illegal firearms of unknown origin and constant gun incidents in Korea. The series stars Kim Nam-gil and Kim Young-kwang. And we will end today’s K-enter with an unfortunate loss of a Korean artist. Lee Min, a member of the female R&B duo, As One, has died unexpectedly at the age of 46. According to a representative from her agency, Brand New Music, on Wednesday, Lee was found dead at her home on Tuesday afternoon. The agency added that the police are currently investigating on the exact circumstances. Lee Min was a Korean-American who debuted in 1999 with As One’s first album “Day By Day.” The duo gained popularity with their hit songs such as “Desire and Hope,” “I’m Fine” and “Wish You Wouldn’t Know.” Our hearts are with her family and friends. Thank you Bella for today’s stories.

K-wave AI News

2025/08/07 15:36

Hello and welcome to your AI guide to the latest cultural updates from Korea. Here's our top story. Global interest in Korean literature has surged following author Han Kang's Nobel Prize win last year. According to the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, sales of Korean books translated or supported by the institute reached roughly 1.2 million copies last year, marking a 130% jump from 2023. The average number of copies sold per title surpassed 1,270, the highest since the institute began tracking data. Other Korean authors are also gaining steady international traction, with "Cursed Bunny" by Chung Bo-ra and "Kim jiyoung, born 1982" by Cho Nam-joo both selling over 4,000 copies annually for three consecutive years. The government will begin distributing 2.1 million discount vouchers for performances and exhibitions this Friday as part of efforts to boost Korean citizens' cultural engagement and consumption. The program includes performance coupons offering a 10,000-won discount and exhibition coupons with a 3,000-won discount. The vouchers will be available on a first-come, first-served basis through five online platforms: NOL Interpark, Melon Ticket, Time Ticket, Ticket Link, and YES24. They must be used by September 19 and apply only to performances and exhibitions scheduled before November 30. World-renowned pianist Paik Kun-woo will perform in Korea's southwestern city of Gwangju this fall to mark the release of his first Mozart album. The concert, set to take place at the National Asia Culture Center on October 23, will feature some of Mozart's most beloved works, including Piano Sonatas Nos. 10 and 12, as well as popular pieces such as "Rondo" and "Fantasia." Paik, who marks the 69th anniversary of his debut this year, remains one of Korea's most celebrated pianists, with a distinguished international career and multiple accolades from prestigious global competitions. That's all from me. Stay tuned to the Kulture Wave.