Newspapers Must Ask ‘Good Questions’ to Create Fresh Perspectives, Korea Newspaper Association Chief Says "Asking good questions and creating new perspectives through public debate is both the duty and the right of newspapers." Park Jang-hee, chairman of the Korea Newspaper Association, made the remarks on 7일 at the Korea Press Center during the 70th Newspaper Day ceremony. He said machines cannot raise doubts on their own or empathize with the values of the times and the pain of neighbors. The ceremony was co-hosted by the Korea Newspaper Association, the Korea Newspaper and Broa April 7, 2026

LG Arts Center Stages ‘Uncle Vanya’ as Rival National Theater Company Mounts Its Own LG Arts Center and the National Theater Company of Korea will both stage Anton Chekhov’s ‘Uncle Vanya’ in the first half of this year, setting up another close-timed matchup after last year’s dueling productions of ‘Hedda Gabler.’ Director Son Sang-gyu, who is leading LG Arts Center’s version, said at a production news conference on April 7 in Seoul that he welcomed the overlap. “I think it’s a good thing that we interpret the same work differently,” he said. Son said he watched last ye April 7, 2026

U.S. Leads Global Biotech for 15 Years as China Gains; South Korea Expands CDMO Footprint The number of publicly listed biotech companies and biotech patent filings has continued to rise worldwide, with the United States holding the top spot for 15 years. With expectations that Asia led by China will expand, South Korean biotech companies are accelerating efforts to secure global production hubs, led by contract development and manufacturing (CDMO). Data released Tuesday by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI) showed the number of biotech compa April 7, 2026

Korean Biotech CDMOs Expand From Manufacturing to Integrated Services Korean biotech companies are tightening their grip on the contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) market, reinforcing South Korea’s standing as an Asian bio hub. As global drugmakers expand outsourcing, Korean firms are moving beyond basic production into higher-value work that includes process development and regulatory support. BioPlan, a biopharmaceutical market research firm, said on the 7th that Samsung Biologics’ Songdo Bio Campus in Incheon was selected as the world’s largest April 7, 2026

Chef Park Eun-young of JTBC’s ‘Please Take Care of My Refrigerator’ Shares Wedding Photos Wedding photos of chef Park Eun-young, who appears on JTBC’s “Please Take Care of My Refrigerator,” have been released following news of her upcoming marriage. Park recently shared her engagement news and additional wedding photos during the program. The newly released images show Park in a wedding dress and white veil. One photo includes a partial view of her husband-to-be, who is a doctor, drawing attention. Park is set to marry this spring at the Shilla Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. Beyon April 7, 2026

Seoul Design Award 2026 Accepting Entries Through June 30; New designboom Prize Added The Seoul Design Foundation said Monday it is accepting entries for the Seoul Design Award 2026 through June 30. Now in its seventh year, the Seoul Design Award is a public global award focused on sustainable design aimed at addressing social problems. The foundation said the competition has expanded from 75 entries at its first event in 2019 to 941 projects from 74 countries in 2025, a 1,100% increase over six years. The foundation said it has broadened the award this year by adding ne April 7, 2026

KPGA Union Alleges Retaliatory Isolation of Reinstated Workers After Unfair Dismissal Ruling The Korea Professional Golfers' Association, or KPGA, and its labor union are clashing over the return to work of three employees after a provincial labor panel ruled their dismissals were unfair. In a statement Monday, the union said two of the three employees were assigned not to their previous office on the building’s ninth floor but to a separate area set up in a vacant space on the second floor, calling it a “retaliatory isolation placement.” “Reinstatement is not merely a formal a April 7, 2026

South Korea launches Global Sports Leadership program to train senior sports diplomacy talent The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said it will work with the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation to train a small annual cohort of senior-level talent in international sports, aiming to strengthen South Korea’s sports diplomacy. The ministry said on the 7th it has created a “Global Sports Leadership Program” and will recruit its first class of trainees from the 8th through the 30th. The initiative was designed to expand South Korea’s influence in international sports in line with April 7, 2026

Korean Film Directors Lee Joon-ik, Lee Byung-hun Move Into Short-Form Dramas Korean film directors are increasingly turning to short-form dramas, a format once seen largely as a proving ground for newcomers. After director Lee Byung-hun joined Lezhin Snack’s original series “The Baby’s Dad Is My Guy Friend” as planner and director, director Lee Joon-ik has also stepped into the space with “A Father’s Home-Cooked Meal.” Lezhin Snack said “A Father’s Home-Cooked Meal” wrapped filming March 24 and has moved into postproduction. Based on a webtoon of the same name by April 7, 2026

Ryanghyun Ryangha’s Kim Ryangha Confirms Relationship With Model Kim Hee Kim Ryangha of the group Ryanghyun Ryangha has confirmed he is dating Kim Hee, a racing model and influencer. A video titled “Nago-mab: Did you blow the 2 billion won you made as Ryanghyun Ryangha?!” was posted Sunday on the YouTube channel “Byeongjin-ihyeong.” In the video, Kim said he and Kim Hee, who had been friends for a long time, recently became a couple. He said he works in online marketing and hosted a party for influencers and business people, where he ran into her again after April 7, 2026