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Lee Kyung-min

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Entertainment

Actor Shin Hyun-joon sparks viral buzz at Peru's Wong Supermarket

Actor Shin Hyun-joon’s latest television appearance in Korea has brought an unexpected bit of Peru into the spotlight, as a familiar supermarket bag and local soft drink appeared alongside him during a taping of tvN’s “You Quiz on the Block.” Shin, who recently returned from a fan event in Peru, appeared on the program to share stories from his trip, including his experiences with local fans. During the taping, Shin carried a shopping bag from Wong, one of Peru’s major supermarket brands, creating an unplanned moment of exposure for the retailer. Shin also showed host Yoo Jae-suk a bottle of Inca Kola, a Peruvian soft drink, and encouraged him to try it. Neither Wong nor Inca Kola was presented as part of an advertising or sponsorship arrangement, according to information provided by Shin’s camp. Wong later responded to a promotional post about Shin’s television appearance through its official social media account, tagging the actor and adding a Peruvian flag and heart emojis. The retailer also created an artificial intelligence-generated image depicting Shin visiting a Wong

Sep 22, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Actor Shin Hyun-joon sparks viral buzz at Peru's Wong Supermarket
Companies

Samsung opens Germany showroom to deepen European built-in push

Samsung Electronics is turning a German kitchen industry hub into a year-round showcase for its built-in appliances as it seeks to deepen partnerships and expand its presence in Europe. The company opened a roughly 480-square-meter permanent showroom on the first floor of Kitchen Center Löhne in Löhne, Germany, during Küchenmeile, a major business-to-business event for the European kitchen industry. Küchenmeile runs through Friday, drawing more than 300 brands and 25,000 industry visitors, Samsung said. The company has participated in the event since 2013, using it to introduce built-in appliances and connect with kitchen furniture companies and other industry partners. The new showroom is designed as a venue for product demonstrations, business consultations and training, giving industry visitors year-round access to Samsung’s built-in appliances and connected kitchen technologies. Its displays include Bespoke artificial intelligence(AI)-powered refrigerators, a Bespoke AI dishwasher, an induction cooktop with an integrated extractor and a Bespoke AI oven equipped with AI Pro Cooki

Sep 22, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Samsung opens Germany showroom to deepen European built-in push
Travel & Food

Celebrity guides, feng shui trails lead travelers off beaten path

In a fresh effort to revitalize quiet country towns and rethink domestic travel, Korea is inviting vacationers to explore the countryside not by map, but by specific themes. Under a newly launched autumn initiative, travelers can trek up mist-shrouded peaks with a feng shui master, spot rare birds alongside a celebrity actor or cook seasonal feasts with a prominent chef. The program, dubbed "Five Passions, Five Journeys," is organized by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) as part of its broader Travel Autumn campaign. Applications are open through Sept. 30 for 700 coveted spots across 25 day-trip itineraries, each designed around niche interests rather than traditional sightseeing checklists. The campaign directly addresses a growing challenge in Korea: severe regional depopulation. As younger generations increasingly move to the greater Seoul metropolitan area for work and education, rural counties face shrinking populations and quiet main streets. Government tourism officials hope that connecting urbanites with their specialized hobbies will channel steady foot traffic into under-the

Sep 22, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Celebrity guides, feng shui trails lead travelers off beaten path
People & Events

Korea launches largest-ever K-EXPO in Mexico to drive cultural expansion

Korea will bring food, beauty, entertainment and technology to Mexico City this week as six government ministries join forces for 2026 K-EXPO MEXICO, a four-day event aimed at expanding Korean exports across Latin America. The expo runs Thursday through Sunday, with consumer exhibitions at Mexico City’s World Trade Center from Friday through Sunday, alongside business meetings and a K-pop concert. Organized by Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism with five other ministries and related agencies, the event will feature products from Nongshim, CJ CheilJedang, Binggrae and CheongKwanJang, as well as beauty offerings from Amorepacific and LG Household & Health Care. Netflix will offer Spanish-language dubbing experiences featuring popular Korean content, while displays tied to Stray Kids will include a photo zone and videos. Samsung Electronics, Kia and LG Electronics will also showcase technology linked to Korean content, including artificial intelligence-based recommendations tailored to individual preferences. Korea’s content market in Mexico is valued at $30 billion, accor

Sep 22, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Korea launches largest-ever K-EXPO in Mexico to drive cultural expansion
Companies

KB Kookmin Bank, SAP Korea expand push for next-generation corporate finance

KB Kookmin Bank and SAP Korea are joining forces to weave banking services directly into corporate software, betting that businesses will increasingly handle payments and cash management without leaving their enterprise systems. SAP Korea said Monday that it signed a memorandum of understanding with KB Kookmin Bank on Friday to develop software-as-a-service (SaaS) products and next-generation corporate banking services. The partnership will focus on three areas, including developing new SaaS products based on SAP Business Technology Platform by integrating third-party solutions and offering them under white-label arrangements. The companies also plan to connect enterprise resource planning systems with banking services so corporate customers can access financial services without separate procedures, an approach known as “invisible banking.” They will also pursue joint go-to-market strategies, using their infrastructure and sales networks to identify corporate customers and expand their services. SAP Korea and KB Kookmin Bank said they intend to build an embedded finance ecosystem that

Sep 21, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
KB Kookmin Bank, SAP Korea expand push for next-generation corporate finance
Companies

Samsung, LG claim top spots in AI-generated appliance ratings

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics captured the top billing across half of eight home appliance categories in a new analysis of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated product recommendations, while specialized niche brands claimed the lead in the remaining four segments. AIBIX lab said Monday that it analyzed responses from ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Claude to measure the AI Brand Competitiveness Index (AIBIX) across 182 brands. Samsung and LG led categories including washing machines, dryers, air purifiers and cordless vacuum cleaners, while Coway, Roborock, Sony and Minix topped rental water purifiers, robot vacuum cleaners, wireless earphones and headphones, and food waste processors, respectively. LG scored 82.6 points in washing machines, 14 points ahead of Samsung, and 74.5 points in dryers, 6.4 points ahead of Samsung. Samsung narrowly led LG in air purifiers, 72.3 points to 70.8, while the two companies tied at 69.5 points in cordless vacuum cleaners. Coway scored 82.2 points in rental water purifiers, while Roborock scored 79.2 points in robot vacuum cleaners, leading Ec

Sep 21, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Samsung, LG claim top spots in AI-generated appliance ratings
Companies

RLWRLD, CJ Logistics expand partnership to build smarter warehouse robots

Tech firm RLWRLD and supply chain giant CJ Logistics are joining forces to build smarter warehouse robots capable of handling the messy realities of modern logistics, with plans to eventually export their physical artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to overseas markets. RLWRLD said Monday that it signed a memorandum of understanding with CJ Logistics to jointly develop logistics-focused Robotics Foundation Model (RFM) technology and pursue commercialization from Korean operations to global markets. Under the agreement, the companies will select logistics processes for initial RFM deployment and conduct proof-of-concept tests to verify core robotic movements in real working environments. They plan to expand the range of applications and improve technical performance based on those tests, with a longer-term goal of commercializing Logistics as a Service, or LaaS. CJ Logistics has been expanding the use of physical AI in logistics operations, including deploying AI humanoid robots in actual workflows, according to RLWRLD. Logistics facilities present a particularly demanding environmen

Sep 21, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
RLWRLD, CJ Logistics expand partnership to build smarter warehouse robots
South Korea

Over 1,300 overseas Koreans to gather in Songdo for World Korean Week

More than 1,300 members of the Korean diaspora are set to converge in Incheon’s Songdo district next week for a five-day program bringing together political, business, cultural and community events. The Overseas Koreans Agency said Monday that World Korean Week will begin Sunday and run through Oct. 1 at Songdo Convensia, ahead of Oct. 5 World Korean Day. The program links the World Korean Association Leaders Conference, World Korean Business Convention, Future Leaders’ Conference and Korean Festival in one week. Participants include Korean community leaders and professionals working in business, culture, science and education, with organizers seeking to connect generations and industries while creating opportunities for dialogue with residents in Korea. The World Korean Association Leaders Conference will open Sunday and run through Tuesday, bringing community leaders from around the world together to discuss regional issues and share operating practices. For the first time, a private-sector steering committee representing the overseas Korean community will oversee planning and opera

Sep 21, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Over 1,300 overseas Koreans to gather in Songdo for World Korean Week
Shows & Dramas

Favorite K-drama scenes become real-life vacation spots

Long after the final credits roll, the emotional pull of a beloved television show can leave viewers yearning to step into its world. A new exhibition in the heart of Seoul is turning that impulse into a blueprint for exploration, inviting fans to translate their screen time into real-world adventures across Korea. The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has partnered with production studio Studio Dragon to host an interactive showcase called Scenes to Destinations. Open through Nov. 19 at HiKR Ground — the KTO's multistory tourism innovation hall in downtown Seoul known for its immersive tech and K-content zones — the exhibition aims to convert international fandom into actual foot traffic by mapping famous television moments directly onto physical geography. The event features iconic dialogue, original soundtracks, props and location guides from over 40 hit series, including global phenomena like "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God," "Crash Landing on You," "Mr. Sunshine," "Hotel Del Luna," "Vincenzo," "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha," "Queen of Tears" and "The Tyrant’s Chef." Rather than se

Sep 21, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Favorite K-drama scenes become real-life vacation spots
K-pop

NMIXX rides grand prize triumph into dynamic new era with 'Strange Muse'

Coming off their first-ever grand prize at a major music awards ceremony, K-pop girl group NMIXX is poised to turn the global music stage into its personal canvas with the release of its sixth EP, “Strange Muse,” arriving Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. The six-member group enters this next chapter backed by undeniable momentum, capitalizing on the career milestone with an atmospheric, dreamy comeback tailored for the autumn season. JYP Entertainment said Monday that the six-track mini album marks an artistic leap forward for the ensemble. Beyond its anticipated lead single, “Birthday Wish” and energetic group tracks like “Kerosene” and “RudE TaLK,” the project represents a milestone for NMIXX: its first album to feature dedicated subunit songs. Vocal standouts Lily and Haewon team up for the haunting “Sing to the Moon,” Sullyoon and Bae join forces on “Hot ’n Unbothered,” while Jiwoo and Kyujin deliver the high-octane track “WHIP.” More than just a showcase of dynamic pairing, “Strange Muse” places creative authority directly into the hands of the performers themselv

Sep 21, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
NMIXX rides grand prize triumph into dynamic new era with 'Strange Muse'
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