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  BTS’ 'ARIRANG' Tops Billboard 200 for Second Straight Week, a K-pop First BTS’ fifth album, “ARIRANG,” has topped Billboard’s main albums chart, the Billboard 200, for a second consecutive week — the first time a K-pop act has held the No. 1 spot for two straight weeks. Billboard said in a chart preview article on April 5 (local time) that the album remained at No. 1 after finishing ahead of hip-hop star Kanye West (Ye)’s new release “BULLY” at No. 2 and Melanie Martinez’s “HADES” at No. 3. It is the first time a K-pop artist’s album has led the Billboard 200 f April 6, 2026
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  Oral Obesity Drug Race Intensifies as Efficacy and Convenience Shape Choices Novo Nordisk’s move into oral obesity drugs is now being matched by Eli Lilly, widening competition in a market long dominated by injections. As pills gain ground, analysts expect patients and prescribers to weigh results against ease of use more sharply. Industry officials said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on April 1 approved Lilly’s oral glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1, obesity drug Foundayo (active ingredient: orforglipron). The agency’s decision came 50 days a April 5, 2026
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  Ko Ji-won Wins Inaugural The Siena Open for Third KLPGA Title Ko Ji-won captured the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour’s 2026 domestic season opener on Saturday. Ko shot a 1-over 73 in the final round of the The Siena Open at The Siena Belluto Country Club (par 72) in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, with two birdies and three bogeys. She finished at 13-under 275, edging runner-up Seo Gyo-rim, last year’s rookie of the year, by one stroke (12-under 276). Ko became the inaugural champion of the newly created event and earned 180 million w April 5, 2026
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  Ko Ji-won wins inaugural The Siena Open for third KLPGA Tour title Ko Ji-won won the KLPGA Tour’s 2026 domestic season opener, capturing the inaugural The Siena Open title for her third career victory. Ko shot a 1-over 73 on April 5 in the final round at The Siena Belluto Country Club (par 72) in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, with two birdies and three bogeys. She finished at 13-under 275 to edge runner-up Seo Gyo-rim, last year’s rookie of the year, by one stroke (12-under 276). The newly created event carried a total purse of 1 billion won, and Ko earned 1 April 5, 2026
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  GS Caltex beats Korea Expressway Corp. to win fourth V-League women’s title, first in five years GS Caltex won its fourth women’s V-League championship title on Saturday, beating Korea Expressway Corp. in the best-of-five finals. GS Caltex defeated Korea Expressway Corp. 3-1 (25-15, 19-25, 25-20, 25-20) in Game 3 of the 2025-2026 V-League women’s championship series at Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul. After winning Games 1 and 2 at Gimcheon Gymnasium, GS Caltex clinched the title in its first home match of the series, completing a three-game sweep over the regular-season champion. It w April 5, 2026
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  Plan to Cut Fintech Fees on Savings Bank Loan Referrals Stalls Amid Dispute The government’s push to lower referral fees that fintech platforms charge savings banks for arranging loans is running into resistance. The plan is aimed at easing borrowers’ interest burdens, but fintech firms say higher fee caps are unavoidable given the risk profile of their customers, many of whom have credit scores of 700 or below. As of April 5, the financial sector said the Financial Services Commission had planned to pursue fee cuts in the first half of this year, but has slowed i April 5, 2026
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  Mideast Tensions Stoke Korea’s Strong Dollar, Inflation Fears, Pressuring Banks Rising geopolitical risk tied to the Middle East is increasingly hitting South Korea’s financial markets with a double shock: a weaker won and higher inflation. With oil prices and the exchange rate climbing at the same time, pressure on consumer prices is building, raising concerns the path of the policy rate could shift and adding to strain across the financial sector. According to the Korea Center for International Finance on Saturday, the average 2026 consumer inflation forecast from April 5, 2026
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  Oh Soo-min Takes Third at Augusta National Women’s Amateur, Best Finish by a South Korean Oh Soo-min of Shinseong High School finished third at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, the best result by a South Korean player in the event’s history. Oh shot a 4-under 68 with four birdies in the final round on April 5 (Korea time) at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, a par-72 course. She ended the tournament at 9-under 207 to take sole possession of third place. The previous best finish by a South Korean player was a tie for fifth by Lim Ji-yu in 2023. April 5, 2026
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  Korea Bio, Health Exports Top $4.16B in Q1 Despite War-Driven Uncertainty South Korea’s bio and health exports topped 6 trillion won in the first quarter, extending growth despite external uncertainty including war in the Middle East. The Korea Biopharmaceutical Association said Sunday that exports from January through March totaled $4.16 billion (about 6.3 trillion won). March exports rose 6.3% from a year earlier to $1.5 billion (about 2.3 trillion won). February increased 7.1% to $1.31 billion (about 2 trillion won), and January climbed 18.3% to $1.35 bill April 5, 2026
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  SBS "Inkigayo" Announces Lineup Featuring IRENE, Kep1er, Park Jae-jung and OWIS SBS has announced a packed lineup for its music show "Inkigayo," airing the afternoon of the 5th. The episode will feature Kang Min, DIGNITY, Min Ji-woon, Park Jae-jung, Baby DONT Cry, V01D, Seo EVE, SLAY, IRENE, AtHeart, S2IT, OWIS, ALL(H)OURS, Yuna (ITZY), Jang Han-eum, CSR and Kep1er. Several artists will stage comebacks, including IRENE, Kep1er, Park Jae-jung, Jang Han-eum and Seo EVE. SLAY will deliver a solo "hot debut" stage, while virtual girl group OWIS will also present a "ho April 5, 2026