Thinkware Launches Caltrwin KX and KR Window Tint Film Lineup Thinkware said March 17 that its automotive tint brand Caltrwin is launching two new window film lines, KX and KR. The new lineup consists of a reflective type and a nonreflective type, aimed at improving both driving visibility and heat-blocking performance. The reflective KR film is a metal-based product made with a high-purity sputtering process, the company said. It is offered in visible light transmission (VLT) grades of 11% and 27%, with infrared rejection (IRR) of up to 85% and t March 17, 2026

RideFlux Releases Video of Fully Hands-Off Autonomous Truck Hauling 11 Tons RideFlux, an autonomous-driving software startup, said Tuesday it has released video showing a heavy-duty self-driving truck carrying 11 tons of cargo completing a long-distance route between Seoul and Jincheon, North Chungcheong province, without any intervention by a safety operator. The footage highlights a key result from RideFlux’s middle-mile autonomous freight transport service, which the company has been piloting since October last year. RideFlux’s autonomous truck regularly runs March 17, 2026

Jin Air Expands Onboarding Training for New Aircraft Mechanics Jin Air said on the 17th it has overhauled its onboarding program for newly hired aircraft mechanics to strengthen their skills. The carrier said the revamped training makes active use of Korean Air’s maintenance training infrastructure and includes joint sessions with Air Busan, focusing on raising maintenance expertise and standardizing quality ahead of integration. Since January, Jin Air has been running the strengthened program for 38 new mechanics. Starting this year, it moved part March 17, 2026

Netflix to Release BTS Comeback Documentary 'BTS: The Return' on March 27 Netflix said it will release a feature-length documentary, “BTS: The Return,” chronicling the group’s comeback journey on March 27. Netflix on the 17th unveiled an official poster and trailer to launch promotion. The documentary follows BTS as the seven members reunite after a 3-year, 9-month hiatus and complete their fifth full-length album, “Arirang (ARIRANG).” The film looks back on the group’s rise since its 2013 debut and focuses on the members’ struggles and growth as they prepar March 17, 2026

KakaoBank Cuts Rates on Real Estate-Backed Loans for Sole Proprietors to Low 2% Range KakaoBank said on 17 it will cut interest rates on its “real estate-backed loans for sole proprietors” by as much as 0.75 percentage points to ease financing burdens for small business owners. The bank said it will lower loan rates by up to 0.60 points and expand its preferential rate discount to 0.30 points a year from 0.15. With both applied, the minimum rate is 2.895% a year. KakaoBank said it is the only financial firm offering rates in the 2% range among banks providing real estate March 17, 2026

Kakao Mobility Launches Late-Night Self-Driving Taxi Service in Seoul’s Gangnam Self-driving late-night taxis have begun service in Seoul’s Gangnam area, widening the rollout of autonomous mobility services beyond buses. As commercialization advances mainly through public transportation, Hyundai Motor Co., which has said it will develop independent autonomous driving technology next year, is increasingly seen as facing a major test this year. According to industry officials on the 16th, Kakao Mobility began operating a self-driving taxi service in parts of Gangn March 17, 2026

Seoul to Boost Public Delivery App Budget as Shinhan’s Ttaenggyeoyo Expands Seoul and other local governments are stepping up support for public food-delivery platforms, with the city planning to expand next year’s related budget to 3.5 billion won. The push comes as concerns grow that domestic demand could weaken amid global wars and rising oil prices, and officials look to public delivery apps as a way to boost small-business sales and local economies. According to the financial sector on March 16, Seoul drafted a 2026 public delivery app budget totaling 3.5 bi March 17, 2026

BTS Comeback Concert Spurs ARMY ‘Pilgrimage’ Tours Across Seoul and Beyond As BTS’ “BTS Comeback Live: Arirang” concert at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square on March 21 approaches, fans from the global ARMY fandom are increasingly traveling to South Korea. Online communities and social media are rapidly sharing “pilgrimage” routes that trace the group’s footsteps, prompting domestic tourism platforms and local governments to roll out fan-focused itineraries. On Reddit, one of the largest English-language online communities, a five-day map titled “ARMY Seoul Guide” has March 17, 2026

Shinhan Bank’s Ddaenggyeoyo delivery app tops 8.5 million users, fueled by low fees Shinhan Bank’s food delivery platform Ddaenggyeoyo, once known as “a delivery app made by a bank,” has grown into a nationwide service, drawing 8.5 million users in four years. Analysts attribute the growth to a “shared-growth” model that pairs low brokerage fees with a no-ad-fee structure, appealing to both customers and small merchants. Shinhan Bank said March 16 that Ddaenggyeoyo surpassed 8.5 million cumulative users as of the end of February, four years after its offici March 17, 2026

BYD Rises From China’s Auto Backwater to Global EV Leader, Expands in South Korea BYD has become a symbol of China’s rapid rise in electric vehicles. The company sold about 4.55 million vehicles globally last year, taking roughly 20% of the overall EV market and ranking No. 1. China, once a minor player in autos through the late 1990s, has moved to the front of the global EV race in about three decades, controlling more than 70% of the global EV market. Dozens of EV brands launch in China each year, and more than 80% eventually disappear. BYD has survived that shake March 16, 2026