Korea’s Longest-Running Art Fair Draws Young Collectors to COEX South Korea’s longest-running art fair is also one of its youngest in feel. While wealthy collectors in their 50s and early 60s often wait for the fall’s Kiaf-Frieze Seoul, newer collectors led by the MZ generation have been turning out for the spring Hwarang Art Fair. Major galleries lowered the entry barrier with more works by midcareer and emerging artists, while bringing in pieces rarely seen by the public. According to the Korea Galleries Association on April 9, about 4,500 people vi April 9, 2026

Comedian Lee Jin-ho Hospitalized in ICU After Brain Hemorrhage, Agency Says Comedian Lee Jin-ho has been hospitalized in an intensive care unit after collapsing from a brain hemorrhage, his agency said. SM C&C said on the 9th that Lee is receiving treatment in the ICU and that his condition is not life-threatening. Lee has suspended activities since last year amid allegations of illegal gambling and drunk driving. He was sent to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office without detention in September last year on allegations he repeatedly gambled usin April 9, 2026

Korea Sports Council Earns Top Ratings in Two 2025 Digital Governance Reviews The Korea Sports Council said Thursday it received “excellent” ratings in two recently released government reviews of its digital and data operations: the 2025 Public Data Provision and Operations Assessment and the 2025 Cultural Informatization Level Assessment. In the public data review led by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, which covered 684 organizations including central government agencies, local governments and public institutions, the council said its score rose sharply fr April 9, 2026

Korean Film Groups Urge Rethink of Holdback Law, Propose 20% Cap on Screen Concentration 영화계 주요 13개 단체가 참여한 영화단체연대회의가 더불어민주당 임오경 의원이 대표 발의한 '영화 및 비디오물 진흥에 관한 법률' 일부 개정안의 철회를 요구하고 나섰다. The coalition said the current downturn cannot be explained only by the pandemic and the spread of global streaming platforms, arguing it reflects accumulated structural problems including an oligopolistic theater market, vertical integration and screen concentration. At a policy proposal news conference held Thursday morning at April 9, 2026

Choi Hwan-hee to Serve as Wedding Host for Sister Choi Jun-hee’s May Ceremony The late actress Choi Jin-sil’s son, Choi Hwan-hee, will serve as the wedding host for his younger sister, Choi Jun-hee, ahead of her upcoming ceremony. On April 8, Choi Jun-hee posted a photo on social media with the caption, “Here to get the wedding host’s suit fitted.” The image shows Choi Hwan-hee having his measurements taken for a suit. Choi Jun-hee is set to marry a non-celebrity man who is 11 years older on May 16 at a location in Seoul, according to the post. In February, she wro April 9, 2026

Jon Rahm Tops Golf Earnings List With $102 Million Over Past Year, Sportico Says Over the past year, Spain’s Jon Rahm led all professional golfers worldwide in earnings, according to a ranking released by U.S. sports business outlet Sportico. Sportico said Thursday that Rahm made $102 million over the period, the most in golf. Much of Rahm’s earnings were tied to his move to LIV Golf. The 2021 U.S. Open and 2023 Masters champion switched tours in December 2023. Sportico reported that he signed a $300 million contract as part of the move and was believed to have rece April 9, 2026

Dongwha Pharm Names Shin Yong-jae Head of Jungseon Pharma’s Ho Chi Minh Office Dongwha Pharm said April 9 it has appointed Executive Director Shin Yong-jae as head of the Ho Chi Minh City office of Jungseon Pharma, a major pharmacy chain in Vietnam. Shin will oversee operations of the Ho Chi Minh City branch and lead the company’s new business efforts in Vietnam, the company said, as it seeks to strengthen its foothold in Southeast Asia. Shin joined Samsung Group through its 2006 open recruitment and worked in Hotel Shilla’s finance and management teams. He later April 9, 2026

JW Pharmaceutical Signs Deal to Bring China’s Biweekly Obesity Drug Candidate to South Korea JW Pharmaceutical said April 9 it signed an exclusive licensing agreement with China’s Gan & Lee Pharmaceuticals to bring in bofanglutide (development code GZR18), a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist drug candidate. Under the deal, JW Pharmaceutical secured exclusive rights in South Korea covering development, regulatory approval, marketing and commercialization. The total contract value is $81.10 million (about 110 billion won), with sales-based royalties to be paid s April 9, 2026

New Book Says Identity Is the One Thing ChatGPT Can’t Copy In an era when generative AI can draft text in seconds, a new book asks where human writing should go next. Maeil Business Newspaper Publishing (Saenggakjeonggeojang) will publish “Writing That Beats ChatGPT” on the 17th for content creators such as marketers, creators and editors. Rather than focusing on “good writing” alone, the book lays out a vision and practical methods for producing copy that prompts an immediate response — writing that gets clicked. ◆ ‘Dopamine writing’ that wins i April 9, 2026

Seoul SK Falls to Anyang Jung Kwan Jang, Finishes Fourth After Late Free-Throw Misses Seoul SK drew anger from fans after a listless performance in its regular-season finale raised questions about whether the team was trying to lose. On April 8, the final game of the sixth round of the 2025-26 LG Electronics Pro Basketball season was played at Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Arena. SK entered the matchup knowing a win would lock up third place in the regular-season standings, while a loss would drop it to fourth. As results came in from other arenas, the playoff picture sharpened April 9, 2026