From BTS to global idol incubator: HYBE's next chapter

Editor's Note: This article is the 38th installment in our series on Asia's top 100 companies, exploring the strategies, challenges, and innovations driving the region's most influential corporations. SEOUL, October 1 (AJP) - HYBE, the Korean entertainment powerhouse behind BTS, has become a defining force in the global music industry. What began as Big Hit Music under founder Bang Si-hyuk has grown into a multi-label empire that not only produces K-pop superstars bu

October 1, 2025

Korean shipbuilders out to defend LNG dominance as orders revive

SEOUL, October 01 (AJP) - Korean shipbuilders have dominated the global orderbook for liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers this year, securing 14 out of 16 new orders and leaving none for Chinese rivals despite an overall market slowdown. The global LNG market has long been split between Korea and China, with Korea’s lead appearing at risk until last year. But Korean yards have pulled ahead again in 2025, buoyed by shifts in demand and trade policies. China

October 1, 2025

Entropy plays to the Korean beat in Seongsu's hip mecca

SEOUL, October 01 (AJP) - Seongsu-dong, the capital of trendiness in Seoul brimming with warehouse galleries, hep cafes, and fashion-forward crowd, has been drawing international brands to pilot their newest products on Korea’s style-savvy consumers. Entropy Makeup was the latest to join the wave, opening its first standalone pop-up store at LECT in Seongsu last weekend. The two-week event spotlights the brand's new Slide Up Dough Cheek blush, a retro slide-phone–ins

October 1, 2025

GM brings Super Cruise hands-free driving system to South Korea

SEOUL, October 01 (AJP) - General Motors on Wednesday introduced its hands-free driver assistance system, Super Cruise, to South Korea, expanding the technology beyond North America and China. The system, which allows hands-free driving under certain conditions, features automatic lane changes and driver monitoring to ensure motorists keep their eyes on the road. In South Korea, it will be available on more than 23,000 kilometers of highways and major roads. To adapt the tech

October 1, 2025

Trade chief urges US to treat South Korea, Japan on separate terms

SEOUL, October 01 (AJP) - South Korea’s trade minister said Wednesday that he is working to persuade Washington to recognize the differences between the South Korean and Japanese economies in tariff talks with the United States. Speaking at a policy forum in Seoul, Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo said that while the U.S. trade deficit with both South Korea and Japan appeared similar last year, the two economies diverge sharply in their industrial structures and foreign exchan

October 1, 2025

Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong's stock wealth surges $2.7 billion

SEOUL, October 01 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong added more than 3.7 trillion won ($2.7 billion) to his stock wealth in the third quarter, cementing his position as South Korea’s richest corporate leader by equity holdings, according to new data released Tuesday. The Korea CXO Institute reported that the market value of Lee’s shares rose 24.4 percent from 15.25 trillion won at the end of June to 18.98 trillion won by the end of September, driven

October 1, 2025

Celltrion secures $300 million in export insurance to bolster global expansion

SEOUL, October 01 (AJP) - Celltrion, one of South Korea’s leading biopharmaceutical companies, has obtained $300 million in short-term export insurance from the Korea Trade Insurance Corporation (K-Sure), a move aimed at strengthening its overseas operations and cash flow. The agreement marks the first time the state-run insurer has extended such support to the overseas branch of a Korean pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, underscoring the government’s effor

October 1, 2025

Battery materials plant opens in Saemangeum complex

SEOUL, October 01 (AJP) - LS-L&F Battery Solution, a joint venture between LS Corp. and battery materials maker L&F, inaugurated a precursor plant on Tuesday in the Saemangeum National Industrial Complex in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province. The 1 trillion won ($730 million) facility, spanning about 40,000 square meters, is expected to employ roughly 1,000 people, underscoring the government’s efforts to strengthen domestic supply chains in the fast-growing battery sec

October 1, 2025

South Korea's Sept exports at 3-year high and Q3 all-time high

SEOUL, October 01 (AJP) - South Korea’s exports surged nearly 13 percent in September from a year earlier, extending growth for the fourth straight month on strong demand for semiconductors and automobiles, despite tariff-related setbacks in the United States. According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, outbound shipments totaled $65.95 billion, up 12.7 percent on-year and the highest monthly tally since March 2022. For the July–September period, export

October 1, 2025

Kakao rolls out 'Kakao Travel Pack' in 16 languages

SEOUL, October 01 (AJP) - Kakao announced on Monday it will run a 'Kakao Travel Pack', mobility services in 16 languages, aiming at foreign visitors. The campaign aims to assist the increasing number of tourists expected due to global content popularity and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. The 'Kakao Travel Pack' includes KakaoTalk, KakaoMap, and K-Ride, services popular among foreigners. KakaoTalk supports 16 languages, including English, Jap

October 1, 2025