Lotte Cultureworks Revamps ‘Inside the Play’ With Immersive Show Tied to Yeon Sang-ho’s ‘Gunche’ Lotte Cultureworks is relaunching its immersive, interactive performance brand, INSIDE THE PLAY, starting with a new production created in collaboration with director Yeon Sang-ho's film 'Gunche'. The brand is designed to pull audiences into a story world beyond the screen. Viewers take part directly, interacting with actors in real time and helping complete the narrative, rather than watching from the outside. The project is built around 'Gunche,' which was officiall April 23, 2026

Samsung Card Scales Back Appliance Installment Loans as Subscriptions Grow Samsung Card’s installment financing for home appliances is shrinking quickly as buying patterns change and the burden of purchasing appliances has eased. With subscription services spreading, demand for loan-based appliance purchases is fading further. According to the Financial Supervisory Service’s financial statistics system, Samsung Card’s durable-goods installment financing assets totaled 361.3 billion won at the end of last year, down 1.3% from 365.9 billion won a year earlie April 23, 2026

South Korea Passes Bills to Tighten Oversight of High-Risk Sex Offenders, Aid Illegal Lending Victims South Korea’s National Assembly passed revisions aimed at tightening oversight of high-risk sex offenders and strengthening protections for victims of illegal private lending, the Justice Ministry said. According to the ministry on the 23rd, amendments to the law governing electronic monitoring cleared the Assembly’s plenary session that day. The changes expand the scope of cases eligible for one-on-one supervision by a dedicated probation officer for high-risk sexual violence o April 23, 2026

Kyobo heir Shin Joong-hyun moves to SBI Savings Bank, faces leadership test Kyobo Life Insurance’s third-generation owner family member, Shin Joong-hyun, has moved from Kyobo Lifeplanet to SBI Savings Bank, putting his management credentials under closer scrutiny as the group pursues a shift toward a financial holding company structure. According to the financial industry on Wednesday, Kyobo Lifeplanet has posted a cumulative net loss of 219.2 billion won from its 2013 launch through last year, after piling up annual losses of more than 10 billion won. Kyobo Li April 23, 2026

KOSPI Hits Record High as Bond Yields Jump on Surprise GDP Growth South Korea’s stock and bond markets moved in opposite directions Thursday, with the KOSPI extending its record run while government bond yields surged after a stronger-than-expected first-quarter growth report raised concerns about tighter monetary policy. According to the Korea Exchange, the KOSPI closed up 57.88 points, or 0.90%, at 6,475.81. The index climbed as high as 6,557.76 during the session, setting an intraday record. Investor sentiment was supported after the S&P 500 and April 23, 2026

Samsung Bioepis Q1 Operating Profit Rises 13% to 144 Billion Won Samsung Bioepis said April 23 that it posted first-quarter revenue of 454.9 billion won and operating profit of 144.0 billion won. Revenue rose 14% from a year earlier and operating profit increased 13%. The company said the results meet its early-year sales guidance calling for growth of more than 10% from the previous year. It cited expanded global biosimilar sales and a broader new-product portfolio as key drivers. Samsung Bioepis said sales were supported by existing products includi April 23, 2026

Korea Financial Regulators Stall Insurance Training Institute’s Token, AI Plans South Korea’s Insurance Training Institute, a nonprofit education body, is seeking to expand into new digital-asset-based businesses beyond its core training mission, but financial regulators have not approved the move, effectively putting the plan on hold. The delay is also fueling debate over whether the expansion fits the purpose of an educational institution. According to reporting by Ajunews on the 23rd, the institute submitted an application to the Financial Services Commission on April 23, 2026

South Korea to Speed Arctic Shipping Route Plans as Supply Chain Risks Grow As the prolonged Middle East situation adds to global supply chain uncertainty, the South Korean government said it will accelerate key policies including efforts to expand use of Arctic shipping routes. Officials said major tasks such as port infrastructure expansion will be reflected in the 2027 budget, alongside stronger coordination among relevant ministries. The Office of Planning and Budget and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries on Wednesday inspected operations at the ministry’s B April 23, 2026

Hyundai Rotem Enters Vietnam Rail Market With Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 2 Deal Hyundai Rotem said it signed a contract on April 23 (local time) with Vietnam’s THACO Group for the Ho Chi Minh City Metro Line 2 project, marking its first entry into Vietnam’s rail market. The deal is worth about 491 billion won. Metro Line 2 is a major rail infrastructure project being developed with a target opening in 2030. The line is planned to span 64 kilometers with 36 stations. Construction began in January, and the project is to be built in three phases. THACO Group, one of V April 23, 2026

Korea’s Insurance Industry Cuts Power Use, Limits Driving Amid Energy Supply Concerns The insurance industry has moved into a companywide conservation mode as energy supplies have become less stable due to the prolonged situation in the Middle East. Measures described as emergency steps are spreading across the sector, from limits on vehicle use to tighter controls on office electricity consumption. The Korea Life Insurance Association and the General Insurance Association of Korea said on the 23rd that insurers are actively joining energy-saving efforts in response to the April 23, 2026