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Jhoo Dong-chan

Korea Times AI content 2 team Reporter

Do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light, though wise men at their end know dark is right, because their words had forked no lightning they, do not go gentle into that good night.

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Companies

Samsung Wallet launches paperless train ticket service with KORAIL

Samsung Electronics launched a paperless ticket service in partnership with KORAIL, the Korea Railroad Corp., starting Monday, allowing users to register mobile train tickets in Samsung Wallet instead of receiving physical tickets. The feature is the first of its kind, supported by a domestic mobile boarding pass service, the company said. Users can activate the function inside their Samsung Wallet app. Once a customer has agreed to the terms of service for Samsung Wallet, paying for a KORAIL ticket at a station ticket window automatically adds the mobile ticket to their Wallet app. Tickets purchased through KORAIL Plus — an integrated app launched Aug. 3 that lets users book both KORAIL and SR Corp. train tickets, including the SRT high-speed line — can also be added to Samsung Wallet using its "Add to Wallet" feature. The SRT service will be renamed KTX-Sancheon starting Sept. 1 as it integrates with KTX high speed rail, and tickets for SRT/KTX-Sancheon services can also be added to Samsung Wallet from September, the company said. Samsung Electronics said it has also enabled refunds

Aug 10, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Samsung Wallet launches paperless train ticket service with KORAIL
Music

'Maybe Happy Ending' wraps Taiwan run with 97.5% paid attendance

In a quiet theater in New Taipei City, two decommissioned helper robots — designed to care for humans but left behind in an isolated apartment complex — fall softly, unexpectedly in love. It is an intimate, gentle story that has captivated audiences in Seoul and New York. Now, it appears the charm of "Maybe Happy Ending" translated just as effortlessly across the Taiwan Strait. The acclaimed Korean musical concluded a 12-performance engagement in Taiwan Sunday, drawing a paid attendance rate of 97.5 percent — a near-total sellout that underscores the growing global appetite for Asian stage productions. Staged from July 31 through Aug. 9 at the New Taipei City Art Center, the run marked another milestone for the production’s international reach, according to ticketing and operations provider NHN Link. Set in a retro-futuristic version of Seoul, the show centers on Oliver and Claire, two aging "Helperbots" facing obsolescence. As they navigate their finite lifespans, they discover companionship, heartbreak and romance. Since its 2016 debut in Korea, the musical has maintained a ra

Aug 10, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
'Maybe Happy Ending' wraps Taiwan run with 97.5% paid attendance
Health

Seoul's baby boom district offers multicultural parents custom guide to parenthood

In a country wrestling with one of the world’s lowest total fertility rates, Songpa District in southeastern Seoul stands out as an exception: it boasts the highest number of newborns among all districts in Korea’s capital. To sustain this momentum, local officials are looking beyond standard subsidies, focusing instead on a growing yet often overlooked demographic — multicultural and immigrant families. Songpa District Office announced Monday a specialized, hands-on parenting program designed specifically for marriage immigrants and foreign-born expectant parents. Scheduled for Aug. 27 at the Songpa Maternal and Child Health Promotion Center, the two-hour intensive workshop aims to bridge language and cultural divides that frequently leave foreign parents feeling isolated during pregnancy and childbirth. The initiative comes at a critical time. While Korea’s national demographic crisis dominates headlines, urban centers are seeing an increasingly diverse population. Yet, foreign-born mothers often encounter steep hurdles in navigating Korea’s highly specific postnatal care cu

Aug 10, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Seoul's baby boom district offers multicultural parents custom guide to parenthood
K-pop

EVAN's debut EP 'Death of Me' arrives Sept. 7

Solo artist EVAN, formerly known as Heeseung of the boy group ENHYPEN, is set to release his first extended play, "DEATH OF ME," Sept. 7, his agency Belift Lab said Monday. The upcoming EP marks his first return since debuting his solo digital single, "Ride or Die," just two months ago. Belift Lab, a subsidiary under HYBE that continues to manage ENHYPEN, confirmed that EVAN once again took a hands-on role in producing the album from start to finish. Building on the creative autonomy of his debut single, the new project channels candid reflections on his inner self alongside a firm resolve for his future, translating those personal themes into a rich, multifaceted sound. EVAN parted ways with ENHYPEN in March to forge an independent artistic path while remaining under Belift Lab. Rebranding under his childhood moniker rather than his birth name, Lee Hee-seung, the singer allowed ENHYPEN to transition into a six-member line-up while he established a distinct solo identity. His initial solo offering, "Ride or Die," proved his global appeal by topping iTunes Top Songs charts in nine countr

Aug 10, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
EVAN's debut EP 'Death of Me' arrives Sept. 7
K-pop

K-pop's rising quintet KiiiKiii delivers ultimate Gen Z summer soundtrack

In the hyper-curated, highly theatrical machinery of modern K-pop, the mandatory summer anthem often risks devolving into predictable tropical house beats and sun-drenched cliches. Enter KiiiKiii, the dynamic five-member group — comprising Jiyu, Isol, Sui, Haeum and Kiiya — who are systematically dismantling those expectations with their sharp, irreverent Gen Z sensibility. Released Monday via Starship Entertainment, the group's third mini-album, "WhyKiiiKiii," poses a cheeky, rhetorical question: "Why KiiiKiii?" Their answer is an explosive, six-track sonic dive that gleefully ignores rigid pop boundaries in favor of eclectic, boundary-pushing experimentation. At the center of this release stands the track "Pop Off Pop Off." Grounded in a pulsating electronic synth-pop beat, the song immediately hooks the listener with a relentless rhythm and an unforgettably sticky chorus. Instead of playing it safe, KiiiKiii infuses the track with chaotic wit and summery imagery — evoking burning heat and whimsical sandcastles — delivering a track that feels tailor-made for viral TikTok danc

Aug 10, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
K-pop's rising quintet KiiiKiii delivers ultimate Gen Z summer soundtrack
South Korea

Jongno District's new strategy: Legalizing unpermitted homes to save hanok

In Jongno District, the historical heart of Korea’s capital, centuries-old heritage lives alongside the messy realities of modern urban living. High-rise office towers share narrow alleyways with sprawling neighborhoods of hanok — traditional Korean houses. Reconciling urban regulation with the preservation of these architectural treasures has long presented a challenge for municipal authorities. Jongno District took a decisive step recently to balance safety with historical preservation. District Mayor Yoo Chan-jong announced a landmark partnership with the Jongno Association of Architects to streamline the legalization of structures that violate building codes while actively protecting and expanding the district’s cherished hanok footprint. The initiative centers on the creation of a specialized "Unsanctioned Building Support Center" at the Jongno District Office. Operating ahead of a national special law set to take effect on Dec. 17, the center will pair professional architects directly with property owners. The goal is two-fold: helping residents safely bring unpermitted stru

Aug 9, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Jongno District's new strategy: Legalizing unpermitted homes to save hanok
Defense

American son's quest to find 'Kim,' local child saved in shadow of Korean War

In the winter of 1951, amid the frozen, battered hills of Changdori, a young Korean boy found refuge alongside an American combat correspondent. The boy was known simply as “Kim.” He was roughly 15 years old, displaced by relentless bombings and navigating a war-ravaged nation with the quiet resilience of a generation forced to grow up overnight. For nearly two years, Kim walked alongside the American journalist, serving as an assistant, a guide and a living testament to humanity surviving in the crosshairs of history. Now, seven decades after they were separated by the troop withdrawals of July 1952, a son is picking up the thread of a memory his father carried for a lifetime. Robert P. Mosier has turned to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs in Korea to locate the Korean boy who once shared food, shelter and hardship with his late father, Robert H. Mosier. The elder Mosier, born in 1923, served as a U.S. Marine Corps combat correspondent during the Korean War from 1951 to 1952. His searing firsthand accounts and poignant photography brought the human toll of the conflic

Aug 8, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
American son's quest to find 'Kim,' local child saved in shadow of Korean War
People & Events

From busking to water parks, Seoul Facilities Corp. launches summer festivities

The Seoul Facilities Corp. said Friday it will run a series of summer events for residents from Aug. 8-23, ranging from underground busking performances to a movie night at Gocheok Sky Dome and free water play for children. At the Jamsil underground shopping center, artists from independent label Fever Lab will perform Aug. 8 starting at 1 p.m., with another lineup taking the stage from 4 p.m. Performance spaces at the Jamsil and Hoehyeon underground shopping centers can be booked free of charge on the second Saturday of each month through the city's public reservation site. Nearby, two gallery spaces near Euljiro will also host public-interest exhibitions, including one featuring art therapy works by dementia patients from Seoul Seobuk Hospital. On Aug. 14, the corporation will hold its fourth annual outdoor movie night at Gocheok Sky Dome, Korea's first domed baseball stadium, themed "Dome on a Summer Night." Held in partnership with the Seoul Art Book Repository, the free event runs from 6 to 10 p.m. and will open up the stadium's field and locker rooms to visitors, along with a pop-up

Aug 7, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
From busking to water parks, Seoul Facilities Corp. launches summer festivities
Environment & Animals

Frozen meat, live fish: Zoo animals in Korea feast to beat heat wave

As a relentless summer heat wave transforms Korea’s urban areas into open-air saunas, human residents typically retreat toward air-conditioned cafes and iced Americanos. But for the roughly 100 species residing at Seoul Grand Park, surviving August requires a vastly different culinary strategy: frozen beef leg bones, whole watermelons and the high-stakes thrill of hunting live catfish. Zoo officials at the park dispatched a staggering 920 kilograms of specialized seasonal treats across 15 animal enclosures Friday, launching an annual summer welfare campaign designed to combat heat-induced lethargy, dehydration and thermal stress. For the park's apex predators, cooling down is a deeply carnivorous affair. Siberian tigers, whose natural habitat leans more toward frigid taigas, received electrolyte-rich ice cakes packed with raw chicken and calcium-dense beef leg bones. The frozen blocks double as thermal regulation and behavioral enrichment, requiring the big cats to lick, chew and claw their way to a protein-rich payoff. Across the grounds, aquatic and semi-aquatic residents faced their

Aug 7, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Frozen meat, live fish: Zoo animals in Korea feast to beat heat wave
Society

40 C in Seoul, 15 C in Taebaek: Mountain town defying Korea's heat wave

As asphalt softens under a relentless heat wave in Seoul, forcing residents into air-conditioned subterranean malls, a small former coal-mining town perched high in the Taebaek Mountains is quietly offering something almost mythical in August: a breeze that actually feels cold. Welcome to Taebaek, Korea’s undisputed summer sanctuary. Sitting nearly 700 meters above sea level in Gangwon Province of eastern Korea, this mountain enclave operates on a seasonal logic that feels entirely detached from the sweltering areas below. While the capital grapples with oppressive tropical nights that rarely dip below 28 degrees, twilight in Taebaek brings an almost shocking drop in temperature. Here, daily lows routinely fall to a crisp 15 degrees Celsius — a climate so distinct that locals routinely swap T-shirts for light jackets after sundown, and open-window sleeping requires a light quilt rather than an electric fan. Yet the realities of modern climate volatility are catching up with municipal administration. Under local safety protocols, city hall is mandated to establish climate-controlled sh

Aug 7, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
40 C in Seoul, 15 C in Taebaek: Mountain town defying Korea's heat wave
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