Korea Times Business Reporter
Lee Gyu-lee is a business writer at The Korea Times, focusing primarily on IT & telecommunications, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and KOTRA. Prior to this, she has covered a wide range of cultural news, from film, television and K-pop to lifestyle and fashion.
The dynamic year of 2024 was filled with a roller-coaster of events defined by chaos in politics, society and even in the entertainment industry. Finally, 2025 welcomes the Year of the Snake, a symbol of revival, wise improvements and new beginnings.
K-pop stars have put a pause on their activities to pay tribute to the victims of the deadly Jeju Air plane crash last Sunday, which killed 179 of the 181 passengers on board.
This year has been especially hectic for K-pop artists, with girl groups like aespa releasing two albums and BTS members juggling solo acts to fill the void left by their mandatory military service hiatus.
Disney+’s new original series “Light Shop” might initially appear as a horror mystery. However, beneath the chilling suspense of its ghostly storyline lies a deeper message about the various relationships of loved ones standing at death’s door.
The disbanded K-pop girl group GFriend reunited for a new release after three years and will soon embark on an Asia tour to celebrate its 10th debut anniversary.
Every year, the K-pop scene welcomes new rookies from powerhouses to small labels debuting their trainees. But this year, the K-pop scene has been more special with standout rookie groups, such as ILLIT, TWS and NCT WISH, climbing their way up to instant stardom.
K-pop rookie group BOYNEXTDOOR kicked off its first concert tour, “BOYNEXTDOOR TOUR 'KNOCK ON Vol. 1,” with two-day concerts last weekend.
K-pop girl group 2NE1 will be returning for an end-of-year performance at SBS Gayo Daejeon, a decade since their last appearance at the broadcaster's music festival.
K-pop boy group Stray Kids expressed that it will showcase its own genre with the new album "SKZHOP HIPTAPE 'HOP.'"
From mobile installations made with "hanji" (Korean traditional handmade paper) to gold leaf-imprinted pouches and boxes created by a National Intangible Cultural Heritage-designated artisan, traditional Korean crafts shine at this year's Craft Trend Fair, blending modern designs to prove their relevance.