Korea Daily News (August 21, 2024)

Entertainment

  • Aespa’s Virtual Character Debut: SM Entertainment plans to officially debut Aespa’s virtual character, ‘Naivis,’ in September.
  • Netflix Denies Prize Money for ‘The Influencer’: Netflix decided not to award prize money to the winner of the variety series ‘The Influencer,’ Oking, due to a breach of confidentiality obligations in the participation contract.
  • Actress Jang Shin-young Shares Her Thoughts: Jang Shin-young broke her silence after 8 months, revealing her feelings about her husband’s infidelity allegations on Instagram.
  • Drama ‘Family X Melo’ Tops Netflix: JTBC’s drama ‘Family X Melo’ ranked first in the non-English series category on Netflix.

 

Economy and Business

  • Pospace Lab’s Global Expansion: Pospace Lab plans to accelerate its global expansion by collaborating with the Singapore-based SaaS company Nimble Technologies.
  • Seoul Apartment Prices Surge: Housing prices in the Banpo area are rising sharply, with some apartments setting new record prices.
  • Nexen Tire’s Application of AI Technology: Nexen Tire is shifting its tire product development paradigm by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and 3D printing technologies.
  • Michelin Brand Pop-up Event: Michelin Korea plans to hold a brand pop-up event at Lotte World Mall.

 

Society

  • MOU for Yoo Il-han Archive: Korea University’s Institute of Korean Culture has signed an MOU with the Yoo Il-han Memorial Research Foundation to establish an archive and research materials related to the independence movement.
  • Hong Kong’s Haunted Property Market: In Hong Kong, ‘haunted properties,’ where deaths have occurred due to suicide or accidents, are popular for being about 30% cheaper than market prices.
  • Woman Arrested for Thumbtack Incident: The Pyeongtaek Police Station in Gyeonggi Province arrested a woman in her 30s on charges of special injury for scattering thumbtacks in front of her neighbor’s door, causing injury.
  • Man Sentenced for Fraudulent Wrist Injury Claims: A man in his 50s was sentenced to prison for deliberately bumping into female drivers and extorting money under the pretext of medical expenses.

 

Technology and Industry

  • Kia Enhances Battery Safety: Kia has introduced a system that sends SMS alerts to vehicle owners in case of abnormal battery signs, strengthening electric vehicle safety.
  • Smart Home Appliance Feature Upgrade: Samsung Electronics has extended the steam spray time for robot vacuums and improved hygiene management without the need for detergents through a software update.
  • SK Innovation’s Robot Deployment in Oil Spill Drills: SK Innovation became the first private company to deploy robots in an oil spill drill near Ulsan.
  • LG Energy Solution’s Battery Safety Diagnostics: LG Energy Solution is expanding its battery safety diagnostic software business and gaining momentum in the market.

 

Culture and Arts

  • Kang Yoo-jin’s Solo Exhibition: The Korean-American artist Kang Yoo-jin is holding a solo exhibition at Sun Gallery in Insa-dong, featuring 38 paintings.
  • Busan Comedy Festival: The 12th Comedy Festival, where various domestic and international comedy performances can be enjoyed, will be held in Busan.
  • ‘2024 Korea Photo Exhibition Invitational Artists’ Exhibition: 120 artists will showcase 120 representative works at the Gachon University Global Campus during the Korea Photo Exhibition.
  • Music Festival ‘Have A Nice Day #10-Chuncheon’: 12 artists have been announced for the music festival ‘Have A Nice Day #10-Chuncheon,’ which will be held on September 14th in Chuncheon.

 

Sports and Events

  • Thailand Wins Bobsleigh Silver with Gangwon Support: Thailand’s Kampel won a silver medal in the 1-man bobsleigh at the 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympic Games, supported by Gangwon Province.
  • SK Rent-a-Car Appoints New CEO: SK Rent-a-Car completed the process of changing its major shareholder from SK Networks to Affinity Equity Partners and appointed Lee Jeong-hwan as the new CEO.
  • Valorant Champions Seoul: The Valorant Champions Seoul finals will be held at the Inspire Arena in Incheon, accompanied by a fan fest to celebrate the event.

 

Education and Policy

  • Concerns Raised Over Kindergarten English Education: In the Gangnam 3 districts of Seoul, concerns were raised about pre-primary education, particularly English specialization programs in kindergartens, and the need for a full-scale investigation.
  • Discussion on Minimum Wage Exemptions for Foreign Workers: A debate was held at a People Power Party forum on whether to apply the legal minimum wage uniformly to foreign workers or allow exceptions.
  • Chungnam Province’s Resettlement Support Plan: Chungnam Province announced a large-scale renovation and support plan for residents of the Cheongyang County Jicheon Dam, a candidate site for the government’s climate response dam.

 

Law and Regulation

  • SK Innovation’s Administrative Integration Discussions: Daegu and Gyeongbuk are continuing discussions on the enactment of a special law for administrative integration.
  • Political Standoff Over Special Prosecutor’s Law: As the political standoff over the ‘Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor’s Law’ continues, the Speaker of the National Assembly urged the ruling and opposition parties to find common ground.
  • Seoul’s Public Redevelopment: Seoul has confirmed a public redevelopment plan to construct a 19-story office building at the site of the Donghwa Building in Seosomun-dong.