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EXPLAINER Why golf keeps stirring controversy in Korean politics

Golf has again become a political flashpoint in Korea after an opposition lawmaker’s allegation against first lady Kim Hea Kyung prompted an explicit denial from LPGA star Lydia Ko and a sharp rebuttal from Cheong Wa Dae. This episode drew fresh attention to why the sport remains so politically sensitive in Korea despite becoming more accessible to the public. Rep. Joo Jin-woo of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) claimed that Kim received an exclusive golf lesson from Ko on Oct. 20 and released a video that featured a woman who Joo claimed is the golfer. Ko, a Korean-born New Zealand LPGA Hall of Fame member, denied any involvement, saying she attended an official sponsor event that day. She warned of legal action over false information and defamatory coverage. Cheong Wa Dae also dismissed Joo’s account as false and warned that media outlets could be held responsible for repeating his assertions without verifying the facts. Joo subsequently removed Ko’s photograph from the video and acknowledged “some errors” but offered no apology. Golf and power “The controversy ref

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Fire breaks out at shanty town in southern Seoul; no injuries reported

A fire broke out at a shanty town in Seoul's posh southern district of Gangnam on Tuesday, with no injuries reported, officials said. The fire broke out at about 3:50 p.m. at Guryong Village, according to fire authorities. Fire authorities mobilized 168 personnel and 51 pieces of equipment to fight the blaze after receiving a report of a fire at a garbage dump. The Gangnam Ward office sent a safety text message advising nearby residents to close their windows and for vehicles to avoid the area.

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COVER STORY Korea's economy grows 1% in Q3 on chip exports, beating forecasts

Korea's economy expanded 1 percent in the third quarter from the previous quarter, extending its stronger-than-expected growth on the back of booming semiconductor exports, the Bank of Korea (BOK) said Tuesday. After exceeding expectations in the first and second quarters, the economy continued to outperform forecasts in the third quarter, putting annual growth within reach of 3 percent, with some saying it may even reach up to 4 percent. Preliminary data from the central bank showed that real gross domestic product (GDP) rose 1 percent in the July-September period, significantly exceeding the BOK's own projection of 0.3 percent for the quarter. The country's quarterly growth rebounded sharply to 1.8 percent in the first quarter from a 0.1 percent contraction in the fourth quarter of 2025, before standing at 0.6 percent in the second quarter, also beating expectations. In the third quarter, facilities investment rose 4.1 percent, mainly on increased investment in machinery, including semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Investment in intellectual property products grew 2.3 percent as s

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[COVER STORY] Korea's economy grows 1% in Q3 on chip exports, beating forecasts thumbnail

N. Korean artillery deployed along western border not seen as new weapon system: JCS

North Korean artillery deployed along the western front line appears to be legacy weaponry rather than a new system that Pyongyang recently threatened to forward-deploy, a South Korean military official said Tuesday. What appears to be North Korean self-propelled artillery has been spotted farther south than its usual positions along the western front near the inter-Korean border, close enough to be captured by South Korean media cameras. Photos taken by Yonhap News Agency from an observation deck at a park in Gimpo, west of Seoul, showed what experts say appears to be a 122 millimeter self-propelled howitzer deployed in a coastal border area of Kaepung County, Hwanghae Province. "Our understanding is that North Korea has deployed legacy artillery along coastal areas in plain view," the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) spokesperson Capt. Jang Do-young said in a press briefing when asked for comment on the development. "While North Korea has mentioned new weapons systems in its recent statements, we believe that this cannot be considered as such," he said. Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sist

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Seoul stocks rebound as Anthropic IPO revives AI investment sentiment

Korean stocks rebounded Tuesday, led by gains in the country’s semiconductor heavyweights, as news of U.S. artificial intelligence (AI) company Anthropic’s planned blockbuster initial public offering (IPO) revived investor appetite after a recent pullback. The benchmark KOSPI opened at 5,658.65, up 3.46 percent from the previous close, according to the Korea Exchange. A buy-sidecar was triggered early in the session at 10:13 a.m., temporarily suspending program buy orders for five minutes after the market’s surge breached the volatility threshold. The index remained in positive territory throughout the session, closing at 5,638.34, up 3.09 percent. Foreign investors and institutions were net buyers of 835.9 billion won ($631.05 million) and 418.5 billion won, respectively, while retail investors sold a net 1. 4 trillion won. The rebound followed reports that Anthropic, the developer behind the Claude AI chatbot, had filed a registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed IPO. The AI giant is seeking to raise as much as $100 billion, which woul

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Ruling party decides to seek parliamentary probe into Supreme Court chief amid impeachment calls

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) said Tuesday it has decided to seek a parliamentary investigation into Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, with some hardliners calling for his impeachment over allegations of political interference. During a general meeting of its lawmakers, the DPK agreed to push for the probe, aiming to pass a related motion at a parliamentary plenary session scheduled for Thursday next week, DPK floor spokesperson Jeon Eun-su told reporters. The DPK has accused Cho of meddling in last year's presidential election after the Supreme Court overturned a not-guilty verdict in President Lee Jae Myung's election law violation case and sent it back to a lower court for retrial just ahead of the June 3 presidential election. The party also took issue with Cho's refusal to recommend a new candidate for Supreme Court justice as requested by the presidential office, as well as allegations of improper use of official funds. The DPK had previously hinted at seeking Cho's impeachment over the allegations but was also considering seeking a parliamentary investigation i

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Interview Korea's tungsten mine could help US cut reliance on China, Tungco CEO says

As the United States seeks to reduce its reliance on China for tungsten, a critical mineral used in semiconductors and defense systems, producers in allied nations such as Korea could help fill the supply gap, according to a Kentucky-based tungsten recycling executive. Cliff Nance, owner and CEO of Tungco, said “more production from trusted allies” could help the United States reduce its reliance on China, which dominates the global tungsten supply chain. He welcomed the prospect of the U.S. importing tungsten from the Sangdong mine in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, where Almonty Korea Tungsten Corp. (AKTC) completed production facilities in September. “Almonty’s Sangdong mine is a positive development for both Korea and the U.S.,” Nance said in an interview with The Korea Times. "Breaking China’s dominance of tungsten requires more production from trusted allies, and Korea can play an important role." According to the U.S. Geological Survey, China produces 67,000 of the 85,000 metric tons of tungsten mined globally each year. Seeking to reduce reliance on Chinese supplies, Tun

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Lula responds to Lee's congratulations on 4th presidential win

Two former child factory workers who rose to become presidents exchanged warm messages following Brazil’s presidential election. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva thanked President Lee Jae Myung on Monday (local time) for congratulating him on his election victory, saying the two leaders share goals ranging from workers’ rights to environmental protection. “My dear friend President Lee Jae Myung, I sincerely thank you for your message,” Lula wrote in Portuguese on X, formerly Twitter, in response to Lee’s post a day earlier. “We will continue defending dialogue between nations, social justice, workers’ rights and environmental protection,” he wrote. “The future we want to build must offer dignity and opportunities to everyone.” He added, “I know these are goals we share. I hope we meet again soon.” Lee congratulated Lula on Monday after the Brazilian leader won a runoff election Sunday, securing an unprecedented fourth presidential term. “My dear friend and comrade President Lula, I couldn’t be happier to congratulate you on your election victory,”

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S. Korea withdraws 8 diplomatic personnel from Ukraine: FM Cho

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Tuesday that South Korea has withdrawn eight diplomatic personnel from Ukraine amid a dispute over Kyiv's disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs). Cho made the remarks during a parliamentary audit of the foreign ministry, saying that despite the partial withdrawal, he has continued communication with the Ukraine foreign minister to resolve the issue. South Korea recalled its ambassador to Ukraine, Park Ki-chang, earlier this month and decided to withdraw some embassy personnel, citing Kyiv's failure to take steps to resolve the dispute and persistent threats of Russian airstrikes. "Eight have been withdrawn so far," Cho said, adding that the withdrawal had been unavoidable given Ukraine's failure to adequately address the issue. South Korea has demanded an official explanation, an apology and assurances against a recurrence after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly disclosed the transfer of two North Korean soldiers to South Korea during an address to the U.N. General Assembly in September. His office then denied t

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Shinhan, KB, Toss hesitate to adopt Apple Pay

Shinhan Card, KB Kookmin Card and other Korean financial firms remain hesitant to adopt Apple Pay, delaying the service’s expansion and fueling frustration among iPhone users. Hyundai Card remains the only card issuer offering Apple Pay in Korea, and it is unclear when other providers will join, according to industry officials Tuesday. Card issuers are concerned that fees paid to Apple and the cost of building payment infrastructure could undermine profitability. Questions about the fairness of fees charged for Apple Pay while Samsung Wallet, formerly Samsung Pay, remains free have added to their concerns. Several financial firms have taken steps toward introducing Apple Pay since Hyundai Card launched it in 2023, but some have put their plans on hold despite completing a regulatory review of their terms and conditions. Shinhan Card received approval from the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) in December 2024. However, it has since continued to review the timing and profitability of a launch. Expectations surrounding KB Kookmin Card grew in August 2024, when a recruitment website carr

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Ruling party lawmaker expresses deep regret over US visa delay

Rep. Jung Chung-rae of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea criticized U.S. authorities Tuesday over a visa delay that prevented him from visiting Washington for a parliamentary audit of Seoul's diplomatic missions. Jung had initially planned to join the audit team of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee on its U.S. trip earlier this month, but was forced to switch to the Europe audit team as his visa application remained under review ahead of his planned departure. "I find the U.S. authorities' handling of the matter deeply regrettable," he said during a parliamentary audit, stressing that he had worked hard to promote friendly relations between Seoul and Washington. Jung said he had no choice but to switch to the Europe audit team out of concern that he might not be able to participate in the parliamentary audit at all. He also expressed regret that the main opposition party had turned the visa issue into a controversy about growing strains in the South Korea-U.S. alliance. "This is a matter that both parties should transcend their differences and protest to the U.S. about, rathe

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JYP shares surge on Japanese investment group's proposed stake purchase

JYP Entertainment shares jumped Tuesday after two little-known investors announced a potential tender offer for up to half of the K-pop company, prompting questions about their identities and ability to finance the purchase. NEXROC Group, which describes itself as a Japanese investment group, and SVCV said the previous day that they were considering buying between 25 and 50 percent of JYP’s outstanding shares. The K-pop agency behind major global acts such as Stray Kids and TWICE said it had not received any acquisition proposal from them. JYP shares opened 6.53 percent higher on the Kosdaq market and rose more than 10 percent during the session. They later gave up some of those gains to close 6.81 percent higher. The stock had already climbed in Monday’s after-hours trading on Nextrade following news of the proposed offer, finishing 14.38 percent above its regular-session close. In a Korean-language press release, NEXROC and SVCV said they were considering offering about 30 percent above a reference share price and aiming to launch the tender offer on Nov. 20. The companies cautioned,

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Special counsel searches Seoul handball arena in ballot shortage probe

A special counsel team on Tuesday searched a handball arena that served as a vote counting center earlier this year as part of a probe into an unprecedented shortage of ballots during the June 3 local elections. Special counsel Lee Tae-han sent investigators to execute a search-and-seizure warrant at the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium in southeastern Seoul, to secure election records and surveillance camera footage. It marked the special counsel team's first search and seizure of the arena since its investigation launched last month. Lee's team said it plans to review the secured material to investigate the circumstances surrounding the ballot shortage and allegations of poor election management by the National Election Commission. Multiple polling stations reported ballot shortages during the local elections, and some voters were forced to turn back without casting their votes, sparking major public outcry. The search took place a day before the special counsel team's inspection of voter ballots stored at the gymnasium. The site houses 2.47 million ballot papers cast in Seoul's southeast

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'Doctor X' faces petition to halt airing over Gwangju Uprising depiction

The Korean medical drama “Doctor X: Mafia in White” has become the latest target of political controversy over how fictional works portray history, after a National Assembly petition demanded a halt to its airing over its depiction of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising. The petition, posted Saturday on the National Assembly’s petition website, calls for a review of the drama’s production and a halt to its broadcast. It has gathered the 100 supporters required to be made public. The petitioner said Episode 6, which aired Saturday, depicted the 1980 pro-democracy movement in Gwangju despite its having no connection to the plot. “The uprising remains a political issue, with the ruling and opposition parties and the left and right divided on some aspects,” the petitioner said. “Broadly, no one would dispute that it is a painful chapter of history, but it is hard to accept a drama abruptly using the uprising, which is still politically contested in its details.” The episode featured a character suffering the effects of a gunshot wound to the head sustained during the uprising, along w

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Investigation body chief attends Cabinet meeting for 2nd time amid controversy

Kim Ji-yong, the inaugural chief of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency (SCIA), once again attended a Cabinet meeting presided over by President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday, despite opposition criticism that his presence could undermine the agency's neutrality and independence. Kim's attendance marked the second time he had joined the weekly Cabinet meeting since heading the SCIA, which was launched Oct. 2 as part of a criminal justice overhaul stripping prosecutors of their independent investigative powers. Kim Jong-chul, acting commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, and acting Prosecutor General Lee Jeong-hyun also showed up at the Cabinet meeting. During a recent parliamentary audit of the Lee administration, a heated debate erupted over whether it is appropriate for heads of investigative and prosecutorial agencies to attend Cabinet meetings. Opposition lawmakers argued that their attendance could compromise their agencies' neutrality and independence, while ruling party lawmakers countered that their presence was necessary to coordinate on state affairs and ensur

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President Lee says Korea should learn from European protests to sustain growth

President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday that Korea should learn from growing public protests in Europe, citing low growth as a potential reason for the unrest and stressing the importance of ensuring sustained growth at home. The president made the remarks at a Cabinet meeting, as a wave of protests and mass demonstrations over rising living costs and economic inequality has swept across European nations, including France, Spain and Italy. "As large-scale protests have occurred recently in many European countries, social confusion and conflict have ensued," Lee said. "We should take the European situation as an example of what not to do." Lee said many experts pointed to high energy and living costs, a stagnant economy and accumulated inequality as factors gripping Europe, adding, "The biggest and most fundamental reason might be low growth." "Prolonged low growth has worsened youth unemployment and (economic) polarization and weakened fiscal status, shaking social stability from the root," the president said of the European situation. Despite recent "impressive results" in Korea's economic

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Hyundai Motor's slide accelerates in Europe, China

Hyundai Motor Group is losing ground in key overseas markets amid declining sales in Europe and a renewed slump in China, raising concerns about its global strategy beyond the United States. Hyundai Motor and Kia sold around 770,000 vehicles in Europe from January to September, down 3.4 percent from a year earlier, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association. The decline contrasted with a 6.3 percent rise in the overall European market, dragging the group’s combined market share down 0.7 percentage point to 7.3 percent during the same period. The weakness largely stemmed from Hyundai Motor, which saw European sales fell 13.2 percent to around 349,000 vehicles. Kia’s sales rose 6.6 percent to around 421,900, allowing the affiliate to overtake Hyundai as the group’s bigger seller in the region. The latest data indicates growing pressure on Hyundai Motor Group, as established European brands and Chinese manufacturers compete more aggressively on electric vehicles (EVs), pricing and model selection. The group’s position in Europe’s EV market has also

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Seoul garden festival draws record 14 million visitors in 6-month run

Seoul’s biggest garden festival has drawn 14 million visitors over six months, setting a record for attendance and giving a boost to nearby businesses as the city seeks to make green spaces a larger part of urban life. The 2026 Seoul International Garden Show concluded Tuesday after running for 180 days, the longest edition yet, with attendance up 34.1 percent from 10.44 million visitors last year, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said. The festival, held from May 1 through Tuesday under the theme “Seoul, Green Culture,” expanded beyond Seoul Forest into nearby Seongsu-dong, the Konkuk University area and the Han River waterfront, with an autumn garden festival also held at Maeheon Citizens’ Forest. Organizers created 225 gardens and offered 170 programs involving guided tours, exhibitions, hands-on activities and academic events, drawing about 210,000 participants to the programs. In a city survey of 2,358 respondents conducted from Oct. 19-25, about 91 percent said they were satisfied with the event, while 82.8 percent said they intended to attend next year. About 71 percent sa

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Everland's baby panda Shu Bao to make public debut this week

Shu Bao, the youngest member of Everland's giant panda family, will venture outside her indoor enclosure for the first time on Friday, at the age of five months. Everland, operated by Samsung C&T Resort Group, announced Monday that Shu Bao, born on June 3, will begin making regular outings at Panda World starting Thursday. A female giant panda born naturally to parents Ai Bao and Le Bao, Shu Bao is the fourth giant panda cub born in Korea, following her older sisters Fu Bao and twin pandas Rui Bao and Hui Bao. Weighing just 171 grams at birth, Shu Bao now weighs more than 9 kilograms and is growing steadily under the care of her mother Ai Bao, zookeepers and veterinarians. She began taking her first wobbly steps at around 120 days old. More recently, she has been moving around on her own near her mother and actively exploring her surroundings. Ahead of her public debut, Shu Bao has been undergoing a gradual acclimation process to help her adjust to new spaces and environments. She has been expanding her range of activities little by little, following her mother from the indoor enclosure

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Korea prepares real life space sweeper to hunt orbiting junk

Science fiction is quietly becoming an engineering reality in Korea. Long a staple of science fiction and brought to life in the 2021 Korean blockbuster film "Space Sweepers," the concept of orbital sanitation vessels is becoming a reality as Korea’s space agency prepares a mission to clean up the increasingly crowded skies. The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) announced a milestone step, Tuesday, in its effort to tackle orbital debris. Meeting at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology's (KAIST) Satellite Technology Research Center in Daejeon, officials completed the System Integration Readiness Review for the Active Debris Removal Satellite (ADR-SAT). Having cleared technical evaluations from an independent panel of experts, engineers will begin final assembly of the flight model next month, setting the stage for a launch aboard Korea's homegrown Nuri rocket in 2027. The initiative comes at a critical juncture for low Earth orbit. As commercial megaconstellations and national satellite programs proliferate, space junk — defunct satellites, spent rocket boosters and

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Editor's Pick

[COVER STORY] Coupang issue becomes bellwether for Korea's treatment of US firms: ex-AMCHAM chief

COVER STORY Coupang issue becomes bellwether for Korea's treatment of US firms: ex-AMCHAM chief

Korea risks damaging its economic ties with the United States, as perceived discrimination against American companies, most prominently Coupang, fuels a growing backlash in Washington that U.S. firms are being unfairly targeted, said Tami Overby, a former president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM). “Many American observers increasingly see Korea's treatment of Coupang as a bellwether for how it treats successful American firms operating in its market,” Overby said Monday in a written interview with The Korea Times. After nearly four decades of observing Korea-U.S. economic ties, Overby said Washington is increasingly doubting whether Seoul remains committed to the principle of nondiscriminatory treatment for American businesses. She cautioned that mounting regulatory disputes could erode the trust underpinning bilateral economic cooperation at a critical time when the two countries are negotiating major investment commitments and U.S. tariffs. “Credibility depends not on statements but on outcomes,” she said, arguing that Korean authorities must demonstrate t

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Life in Korea

Seoul to light up Han River with 2,000-drone Marvel show on Halloween

Seoul to light up Han River with 2,000-drone Marvel show on Halloween

Seoul will hold its final drone light show of the year over the Han River on Saturday with a Marvel theme. A record 2,000 drones will be used, the city government said. The 15-minute show, titled “Marvel Special,” will begin at 8:30 p.m. at Ttukseom Hangang Park in eastern Seoul. Drones will recreate Iron Man and other Marvel characters, as well as iconic scenes from the films, set to music. The city launched the drone shows in 2023 as part of its push to make the Han River a nighttime attraction. The effort supports its tourism goals of drawing 30 million foreign visitors a year, raising per-person spending to 3 million won ($2,100), extending average stays to seven days and achieving a 70 percent revisit rate. The seven shows held so far this year through Oct. 9 drew about 197,000 people. That is an average of about 28,000 per show, more than 2.5 times the 2023 average of 11,000. Foreign nationals made up 34.6 percent of the 125,358 viewers at the five shows in the first half. On show days, card spending at nearby businesses rose 39 percent, while spending by foreign nationals jum

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Lifestyle

Pharmacies emerge as new K-beauty stops for foreign tourists

In Seoul's bustling Namdaemun Market, a group of American tourists stepped out of a pharmacy and opened their shopping bags to show their haul: a box of Bacchus energy drinks and three packages of polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) skin care products. Inside, other foreign shoppers queued at the counters with acne treatments, scar gels and cosmetics in hand. Pharmacists in white coats scanned their purchases at the registers. Scenes like this are becoming increasingly common as Korean pharmacies emerge as a new stop on the K-beauty tourism route. Foreign visitors are seeking both over-the-counter (OTC) dermatological drugs available only at pharmacies and pharmacy-sold cosmetics promoted through social media. “Foreign tourists now account for 40 to 50 percent of our sales,” Park Jun-sun, who runs one of the pharmacies in Namdaemun Market, told The Korea Times. “There weren’t that many when I opened two years ago, but the number suddenly started rising about a year ago.” Even at larger pharmacies that cater mainly to Korean customers, foreign shoppers have become more visible. Staff

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Pharmacies emerge as new K-beauty stops for foreign tourists

K-Culture

ILLIT does math on one-sided love in 5th EP 'BREAK EVEN'

After years of singing about charging toward a crush, ILLIT has finally run the numbers and found that the feelings were never reciprocated. The HYBE girl group turns that realization into a playful "arrest warrant" on its fifth EP, "BREAK EVEN," released Monday. The EP follows the group as it comes to terms with how one-sided its devotion had been. It likens the frustration of getting back far less than it gave to a "break-even point," and the lead track, "You're Under Arrest," puts that frustration on trial. Four of the group's five members, Wonhee, Yunah, Minju and Iroha, talked about making the album at a media showcase held the same day at Blue Square's Woori WON Banking Hall in Yongsan District, Seoul. Moka, who has been on hiatus since June due to health issues, is sitting out promotions for this EP as well. "Since we're coming back after 'It's Me' did so well, we wanted to show an even better side of ourselves," Wonhee said. "I worked on this album with so much conviction that I can call it my all-time favorite." "Because the song has such a distinct concept, we paid attention to

3 MIN READ
ILLIT does math on one-sided love in 5th EP 'BREAK EVEN'

Celebrities

ATEEZ's San opens up about how he built up muscular physique

ATEEZ member San, now known powerful stage presence, opened up about how he built up his muscular physique. The K-pop star shared the story behind his physical transformation on Saturday's episode of MBC's variety show "The Manager," which offered a glimpse into ATEEZ's daily life. San's physique has drawn particular attention this year following the release of ATEEZ's "BAD" in June. A choreography sequence performed by San near the end of the song, nicknamed the "chest dance," generated buzz among fans. During the episode, San headed to the gym, where his manager said working out has become an almost daily routine. "San is really serious about taking care of his body, so he works out almost every day," the manager said. "He even works out every day when we're staying at hotels." But San said his muscular build did not come naturally, recalling his slender frame around the time of his debut in 2018. Fellow ATEEZ member Hongjoong said San had been self-conscious about his body when he was younger. "San had a complex about it when he was young," Hongjoong said. "That's why he worked out incre

2 MIN READ
ATEEZ's San opens up about how he built up muscular physique

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Opinion

Top 10 Stories

  1. 'Doctor X' faces petition to halt airing over Gwangju Uprising depiction

  2. Lydia Ko denies giving golf lessons to first lady amid political controversy

  3. COVER STORY Korea's economy grows 1% in Q3 on chip exports, beating forecasts

  4. President Lee says Korea should learn from European protests to sustain growth

  5. N. Korean artillery deployed along western border not seen as new weapon system: JCS

  6. Lee Jae-yong's 4-year bet on chips pays off as Samsung profit surges

  7. Football fan reportedly shouts racist remark at Son Heung-min after MLS match

  8. Interview Korea's tungsten mine could help US cut reliance on China, Tungco CEO says

  9. 1 in 10 Korean adults used obesity drugs in 2025: report

  10. First lady's attendance at adoptees' gathering offers comfort, visibility, but will it bring real change?

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