AJU PRESS ASIA FIRST NEWS AGENCY

Journalist

Joonha Yoo
Joonha Yoo유준하
ReporterCOEX Sejong Center for the Performing Arts & Music, Culture, Entertainment, Automotive
Joonha Yoo is a bilingual journalist at AJU Press (AJP), covering music, culture, entertainment and Korea’s automotive industry.
Raised in Fort Collins, Colorado, he often writes from the scene, bringing firsthand detail to stories ranging
from BTS comeback concerts to unique cultural events that catch the world's eye. "I write from the scene, not from the sidelines."
Latest by Joonha Yoo
  • Hyundai, Kia take wearable robot from factory floors to farms and Le Mans
    Hyundai, Kia take wearable robot from factory floors to farms and Le Mans SEOUL, July 06 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor and Kia are expanding the use of their wearable robot beyond auto plants, testing the device in settings ranging from peach farms to one of the world's toughest endurance races. The companies released a video Sunday showing Choi Hye-rang, a young peach farmer in Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province, using the X-ble Shoulder wearable robot during farm work. Choi is the first recipient of the device through a support program run by the NongHyup Young Farmers Support Center. Peach farming involves repeated overhead work, including flower thinning, fruit thinning, bagging and harvesting. These tasks require workers to keep their arms raised for long periods. "It gives support only when I raise my arms," Choi said in the video. "I wear it whenever I work, and sometimes I even forget I have it on." The X-ble Shoulder weighs 1.9 kilograms, including the vest, and does not require a battery or external power supply. It uses a non-powered structure that provides support only when the wearer lifts their arms. Hyundai and Kia said the device was designed to be light enough for long outdoor use and adjustable for different body types. Choi said the range of vest sizes made it easier for smaller users to wear. A study led by the Rural Development Administration found that the X-ble Shoulder reduced shoulder muscle use by an average of 33 percent in five types of fruit-growing work, including peaches, grapes and apples. The device has also been tested in a very different environment: the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the French endurance race in which cars and teams operate for a full day under intense physical and time pressure. At the 94th running of the race, held June 13 and 14 at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Hyundai Motor Group deployed the X-ble Shoulder to support Genesis Magma Racing crews working on the No. 19 GMR-001 hypercar. The vehicle made its Hypercar-class debut at the event. Each tire for the GMR-001 weighs about 13 kilograms, and crews may handle as many as 56 tires per car during the race. Hyundai Motor Group said the wearable robot helped reduce shoulder load by up to 60 percent and muscle fatigue by about 30 percent during loading and unloading work. Hyundai and Kia developed the wearable robot through their Robotics Lab. The companies began deploying wearable robots more actively at their own production sites last year. Kim Kyu-jung, who led development of the X-ble Shoulder, said comfort was central to the design because workers are unlikely to keep using a device that restricts movement. "No matter how advanced the function is, it is difficult for a wearable robot to be used continuously at industrial sites if it is uncomfortable to wear or move in," Kim said. "We focused on making the motion feel natural while reducing the burden on the shoulders." The device's point of maximum torque can be adjusted depending on the user's work posture. Before introducing the product to a worksite, Hyundai and Kia analyze the type of movement required and provide consulting to help set the device for each user. "We don't just supply the product — we support initial consulting so it can be used effectively on-site," said Park Se-heon, a senior researcher at the Robotics Lab. "Inquiries are coming in not only from manufacturers but from agriculture and other industries as well." Hyundai and Kia said they plan to expand the use of wearable robots from manufacturing into agriculture, motorsport and other fields where workers face repeated shoulder and arm strain. 2026-07-06 11:05:04
  • South Koreans must choose their words under new online rules
    South Koreans must choose their words under new online rules SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) - South Koreans are being forced to watch their language and behave online as amendments to the Information and Communications Network Act take effect on July 7. The mock tests are already underway. Rather than making direct assertions, some users now recommend softer wording — phrases such as "it is said," "some claim" or "I heard" — reflecting growing uncertainty over where the legal boundaries of online speech may lie. Whether those linguistic workarounds would provide any legal protection remains unclear. Simply adding qualifying language does not automatically shield users from liability. Yet the advice continues to circulate, suggesting that public perceptions of the law are already influencing how some internet users choose to express themselves online, days before the amendments take effect. The amendments prohibit the deliberate distribution of false or manipulated information intended to cause harm or obtain an improper benefit. Courts may award punitive damages of up to five times the recognized amount of harm against certain professional publishers that meet thresholds for subscribers, publication volume or viewership to be specified by presidential decree. Large online platforms will face new reporting, transparency and appeals obligations, while repeated redistribution of information already found by a final court judgment to be illegal, false or manipulated could trigger administrative fines of up to 1 billion won ($650,000). Supporters say the amendments are intended to curb increasingly sophisticated misinformation while strengthening legal remedies for victims. They also note that the law explicitly exempts satire and parody, includes protections against abusive lawsuits intended to silence public-interest criticism, and provides exemptions for whistleblowing and other public-interest reporting. Critics, however, argue that uncertainty over how courts and platforms will interpret concepts such as "false" or "manipulated" information may make users more cautious long before those legal boundaries are ever tested. An online petition opposing the amendments had drawn more than 140,000 signatures as of late June, while the U.S. State Department has separately expressed concern that the law could create barriers to free expression and online trade. "It's not that people suddenly understand the law," said Frank Hur, 31, an office worker in Seoul. "It's that people aren't sure where the line is, so they'd rather just be careful." Hur said nearly all of his conversations — personal and professional alike — now take place through messaging apps and social media. Even workplace documents are routinely shared over KakaoTalk, he said. "If there's a team out there reviewing that kind of thing, doesn't that just mean someone's listening in on private conversations?" he said. "Honestly, it's a little frightening." Hur said he and many people around him regularly use satire to cope with everyday frustrations and politics — the very kind of expression the amended law explicitly excludes from its definition of prohibited false or manipulated information. That safeguard has done little to ease his concerns, he said, because what worries him is less the wording of the law than how it may ultimately be enforced. Kim Su-jeong, 46, another office worker in Seoul, said she understands why governments want stronger tools to combat misinformation, given the real harm malicious online content can cause. What she questions is whether legal uncertainty may end up affecting far more people than those intentionally spreading falsehoods. "A handful of people keep doing what they do, and everyone else — people just trying to live their lives — ends up getting blamed along with them," Kim said. She added that sensational headlines and unverified information have already made it difficult for many people to distinguish fact from opinion, making the uncertainty surrounding the new law feel even more unsettling. Both said they have become more cautious about what they post online — not because they expect immediate enforcement, but because they remain unsure how the new rules will ultimately be interpreted. In practice, the amendments are narrower than much of the online discussion surrounding them suggests. The enhanced damages provision applies only to publishers that distribute information professionally and meet thresholds to be defined by presidential decree. Courts must also find that the publisher knew the information was false or manipulated, intended to cause harm or obtain an improper benefit, and actually caused legally recognized harm. Ordinary social media users generally fall outside that enhanced liability framework. Satire, parody and certain forms of public-interest reporting are explicitly excluded from the law's prohibition, while separate anti-SLAPP provisions seek to prevent powerful individuals from using punitive-damages lawsuits to suppress legitimate public-interest criticism. Large online platforms will be required to establish reporting systems, publish transparency reports and provide appeals procedures. News organizations, internet news services and internet broadcasters, however, are exempt from several of the law's strongest platform-enforcement measures, including mandatory content removal and account suspension. South Korea is not alone in struggling to balance efforts to curb harmful online content with protecting freedom of expression. Germany's 2018 Network Enforcement Act, or NetzDG, similarly expanded platform responsibility for removing illegal content, prompting years of debate over whether companies were incentivized to remove lawful speech to avoid liability. In one widely cited case, the satirical magazine Titanic had content removed despite its apparent satirical intent. The European Union's Digital Services Act, which some Korean lawmakers cited as a model during the legislative process, likewise expanded transparency and risk-management obligations for major platforms, although it relies primarily on platform compliance rather than direct government review of individual content. Singapore's Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act has drawn the sharpest criticism among comparable laws. It allows individual government ministers to declare an online statement false and order its correction or removal. Rights groups say the law has disproportionately targeted opposition politicians and government critics. In March, a government critic became the first person criminally charged under the law after repeatedly ignoring correction orders. Whether South Korea's amendments ultimately reshape online discourse will depend on how courts, regulators and platforms apply them after they take effect. For now, what appears to be changing is not necessarily the law itself, but public perceptions of it — and those perceptions are already influencing how some users choose their words online, even before the amendments come into force. 2026-07-03 17:31:05
  • BOYNEXTDOORs VIRAL enters Melon monthly chart as Busan shows sell out
    BOYNEXTDOOR's 'VIRAL' enters Melon monthly chart as Busan shows sell out SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) - K-pop boy group BOYNEXTDOOR's latest single "VIRAL" entered Melon's monthly chart for June, while tickets for the group's upcoming Busan concerts sold out, the group's agency KOZ Entertainment said Friday. VIRAL, the lead track from BOYNEXTDOOR's first full-length album "HOME," ranked No. 80 on Melon's June monthly chart released Tuesday. According to the agency, it was the only song released in June to enter the monthly chart. Two other BOYNEXTDOOR songs also appeared on the chart. Pre-release track "Knock Knock" ranked No. 94, while the group's digital single "I LOVE YOU Just for Today," released in January last year, ranked No. 58. VIRAL was released on June 8. Members Myung Jaehyun and Woonhak took part in writing the song, which expresses the group's wish for its music to spread to more listeners. The song has also gained attention beyond music charts. It was recently adopted as an official cheer song by the LG Twins, a professional baseball team in Seoul. VIRAL has continued to place on several weekly charts. It ranked No. 23 on Circle Chart's digital chart, No. 27 on its streaming chart and No. 21 on its download chart for the week of June 14 to 20. It also placed No. 24 on Spotify Korea's Weekly Top Songs chart for June 19 to 25 and No. 41 on Melon's weekly chart for June 22 to 28. The chart results come as BOYNEXTDOOR prepares to begin its first world tour. The group will open "BOYNEXTDOOR TOUR KNOCK ON Vol.2" with three concerts at KSPO Dome in Seoul from July 17 to 19. It will then hold two concerts at Sajik Indoor Gymnasium in Busan on Aug. 1 and 2 — the group's first-ever solo shows in the city. Tickets for both Busan shows sold out during general sales Tuesday, following the earlier sellout of all three Seoul concerts during presales. After South Korea, the tour will move to six cities in Japan — Kanagawa, Saga, Osaka, Miyagi, Nagano and Chiba — followed by 10 stops in North America, including Dallas, Pompano Beach, Chicago, New York, Toronto and Vancouver. It will then continue to six cities in Asia: Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei and Hong Kong, among others. The tour marks an expansion from the group's debut solo tour last year, which ran 23 shows across 13 cities. BOYNEXTDOOR's album "HOME" has also performed strongly. The album became the group's fourth consecutive million-selling release on Hanteo Chart and debuted at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 dated June 27 — up from No. 40 for its previous release and a career high for the group. BOYNEXTDOOR consists of Sungho, Riwoo, Myung Jaehyun, Taesan, Leehan and Woonhak. 2026-07-03 14:10:26
  • G-Dragon named ambassador for UNESCO World Heritage Committee
    G-Dragon named ambassador for UNESCO World Heritage Committee SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) - G-Dragon of K-pop boy band BIGBANG has been named promotional ambassador for the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, set to open in Busan on July 19, Korea Heritage Service said Friday. It will be the first time Korea has hosted a session of the UNESCO body, which reviews the conservation of World Heritage sites and decides on additions to the World Heritage List. Ahead of the session, the JUSPEACE Foundation, founded by G-Dragon, will launch a public campaign called "Heritage in Peace" on July 10 in partnership with UNESCO. The campaign is aimed at raising awareness of World Heritage protection and encouraging voluntary donations to the UNESCO World Heritage Fund. The agency said it is meant to build a model linking citizens, companies and host cities in heritage conservation efforts, with proceeds going toward protecting sites threatened by war, climate change and natural disasters. The Korea Heritage Service said G-Dragon was chosen for his global profile and for his charitable work through JUSPEACE, which he established in 2024 through copyright donations. He serves as the foundation's honorary chair. The foundation runs programs built around the ideas of justice and peace, including recovery support for firefighters, mental health initiatives and efforts to nurture creative talent among younger generations. The agency said the work reflects UNESCO's broader mission of promoting international cooperation for peace. As ambassador, G-Dragon will appear in campaign videos and take part in on-site events during the committee session, delivering what organizers describe as a message of peace through culture and public participation. "World Heritage sites are shared assets that belong to all humanity," a representative for G-Dragon said, adding that the artist hopes to share a message of peace that people can understand and act on. The Korea Heritage Service said it expects G-Dragon and the JUSPEACE Foundation to draw wider attention to the Busan session and expand public participation in World Heritage protection. 2026-07-03 11:36:35
  • NCTs Jaehyun to release solo ballad 99 Degrees on July 10
    NCT's Jaehyun to release solo ballad "99 Degrees" on July 10 SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) - NCT's Jaehyun will release his new solo single "99 Degrees" on July 10, SM Entertainment said Friday. The single will be released at 6 p.m. KST across major platforms including Spotify, Apple Music and Melon. Jaehyun co-wrote and composed the track. "99 Degrees" is a piano-led ballad that builds from a delicate opening into a fuller arrangement before settling back into Jaehyun's vocals for a quiet, intimate close. The title refers to 99 degrees, one degree short of boiling point, as a metaphor for an incomplete state that becomes whole through love. The release marks Jaehyun's latest solo output following his debut album "J" and tracks including "Unconditional," "Horizon" and "Forever Only." Jaehyun is scheduled to hold his "JAEHYUN FAN-CON TOUR " in Taipei from July 4 to 5, just days ahead of the new single's release. 2026-07-03 11:04:40
  • i-dle to return with new EP We made
    i-dle to return with new EP 'We made' SEOUL, July 02 (AJP) - K-pop girl group i-dle will release its ninth EP, "We made," on July 6, led by the summer single "Gimme Dat Love," the group's agency Cube Entertainment said Thursday. The five-track EP will arrive on major streaming platforms at 6 p.m. Monday. It includes the title track, pre-release single "Crow," "Mono" featuring British artist skaiwater, "Morning" and "Love Is Pain." "Gimme Dat Love" is a pop track built around a whistle melody and tropical beat. The song deals with instinctive attraction and the rush of falling for someone, according to the agency. The track was produced with contributions from Daramola and Samantha Cámara, producers active in the global Latin music scene. Cube released the second music video teaser for "Gimme Dat Love" on Thursday through i-dle's official social media channels. The teaser follows an earlier video that offered the first look at the song's choreography. The agency also released a second set of concept photos Wednesday, showing the five members in a gold-toned sunset setting as part of the album's summer theme. The first teaser for "Gimme Dat Love" ranked fifth on QQ Music's Korean music video chart and 18th on its overall music video chart after its release, according to Cube. "We made" continues i-dle's new album series following the group's rebranding last year. Cube said the EP will show a more pop-oriented side of the group. i-dle recently held two concerts at Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong on June 27 and 28 as part of its 2026 world tour, "Syncopation," exceeding 80,000 people over two days. The group also announced an additional concert in Macao for Aug. 29. 2026-07-02 16:40:53
  • TWICE-themed pop-up store opens ahead of world tour finale concerts in Seoul
    TWICE-themed pop-up store opens ahead of world tour finale concerts in Seoul SEOUL, July 2 (AJP) - A pop-up store featuring merchandise related to K-pop girl group TWICE opened in Seoul on Thursday. According to their agency, JYP Entertainment, the store will remain open until July 12 at Plat1399 Studio in Gangdong, eastern Seoul, coinciding with the finale of their world tour scheduled for next weekend. The nine-member girl group will wrap up their "This Is For" world tour with sold-out encore concerts in Seoul from July 10 to 12 at KSPO Dome in Songpa, southeastern Seoul. Decorated with characters dubbed "TWICE LOVELYS," the pop-up store offers various merchandise with summer-themed designs on the first floor, while fans can browse concert-related promotional materials and other exhibits on the second floor. They are also invited to take part in various activities including quiz sessions on TWICE's songs to win postcards as well as other raffles. Among other activities, fans are encouraged to decorate characters and complete stamp missions to receive scratch tickets for prizes, while all visitors will receive at least a portable fan featuring TWICE characters. TWICE began their sixth world tour with a concert in Incheon in July last year before touring more than 40 cities around the world with over 80 shows, marking the largest world tour of their career. 2026-07-02 16:35:03
  • aespa to release first Japanese EP KISS N TELL in July
    aespa to release first Japanese EP 'KISS N TELL' in July SEOUL, July 02 (AJP) - K-pop girl group aespa will return to the Japanese music scene after about two years with its debut Japanese EP, "KISS N TELL," set for release on July 24, the group's agency SM Entertainment said Thursday. The group — Karina, Giselle, Winter and Ningning — will offer six new original Japanese tracks on the EP, led by the title song of the same name. It follows aespa's Japanese debut single "Hot Mess." SM also released teaser images for "KISS N TELL" through aespa's official social media channels. The images show the members in retro-futuristic styling built around pink tones, matching the mysterious mood of the title track. Ahead of the EP's release, aespa will hold a three-day fan meeting, titled "MY-J presents aespa JAPAN FANMEETING 2026 MY CLASSMaeTE," from July 18 to 20 at Keio Arena Tokyo. The Japanese EP follows aespa's second Korean full-length album, "LEMONADE," released in May. 2026-07-02 15:41:22
  • KOSDAQ celebrates 30 with little fanfare and KOSPI lower
    KOSDAQ celebrates 30 with little fanfare and KOSPI lower SEOUL, July 01 (AJP) - South Korean stocks closed the first trading day of the second half in sharply divided fashion Wednesday, with heavyweight chipmakers pulling the KOSPI lower while power-equipment, cable and policy-linked growth stocks rallied on expectations for the Lee Jae Myung administration's mega investment agenda. The session also marked the 30th anniversary of the KOSDAQ market. Financial Services Commission Chairman Lee Eok-won said at a KOSDAQ anniversary event that authorities would push reforms to help the junior market become a stronger destination for growth-stock investment. The benchmark KOSPI fell 2.0 percent to close at 8,303.40, after moving between an intraday high of 8,620.15 and a low of 8,143.33. Retail investors bought 1.74 trillion won ($1.12 billion) worth of KOSPI shares, while foreign investors sold 1.70 trillion won and institutions offloaded 70.2 billion won. Samsung Electronics dropped 5.8 percent to close at 314,500 won, while SK hynix lost 3.4 percent to close at 2,560,000 won. The declines came as investors took profits from recent gains in chip shares following weakness in U.S. technology stocks. Other large-cap KOSPI names also retreated, with LG Innotek falling 7.5 percent to 907,000 won and Samsung C&T losing 7.4 percent to 434,000 won. The pressure on semiconductors contrasted with a powerful rally in electric-equipment and cable shares, a KOSPI sector that jumped 9.1 percent. Daewon Cable hit the daily upper limit with a 30 percent gain to close at 13,400 won, while LS ELECTRIC rose 10.7 percent to 263,500 won and Gaon Cable surged 28.7 percent to 300,500 won. Investors continued to bet that the government's planned push into semiconductors, artificial intelligence data centers and physical AI will drive demand for power grids, transformers and transmission equipment. Samsung Group has pledged 2,655 trillion won for chip clusters in Pyeongtaek and Yongin and other regions, while SK Group has unveiled a 2,100 trillion won investment plan for AI data centers and expanded chip capacity. Kumho Construction also hit the daily limit, rising 30 percent to close at 14,540 won, as investors bet on infrastructure spending tied to the government's investment push. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ gained 1.4 percent to close at 929.40, after touching as high as 955.45 and as low as 905.87. Foreign investors were heavy buyers of 247.0 billion won on the KOSDAQ, while retail investors sold 108.8 billion won and institutions sold 125.0 billion won. On the KOSDAQ, Jusung Engineering jumped 20.4 percent to close at 242,000 won, while Ecopro dropped 12.8 percent to close at 93,000 won. An internet and catalog retail sector on the KOSDAQ rose 7.4 percent, led by Silicon2, which climbed 12.3 percent after NH Investment & Securities forecast record second-quarter earnings on strong demand in Europe and North America, even as the brokerage trimmed its price target on margin concerns tied to the company's expanding roster of overseas retail partners. Gradient rose 2.8 percent after announcing a special dividend and a share buyback-and-cancellation plan funded by proceeds from its sale of a stake in Nol Universe. Wemade, Minatek and Eugene Corp. each rose by the daily limit of 30 percent on the KOSDAQ, closing at 25,100 won, 107,700 won and 4,275 won, respectively. Defense and aerospace shares advanced across both markets, with the sector up 8.2 percent. Sphere, listed on the KOSDAQ, rose 20.1 percent, while KOSPI-listed MNC Solution gained 14.6 percent. A cable theme spanning both markets jumped 17.5 percent, with Daewon Cable up 30 percent and KOSDAQ-listed KBI Metal rising 29.9 percent. Small-cap builders also rallied, with the construction theme up 13.1 percent as KOSDAQ-listed Namhwa Construction and Dongshin Construction both hit their daily upper limits. Meanwhile, the National Pension Service resumed rebalancing to trim its domestic equity holdings, though the move fell short of the heavy institutional selling some investors had feared. Pension fund Chairman Kim Sung-joo said on social media that a rebalancing-driven "sell bomb" was not a realistic risk. The won weakened, with the dollar trading at 1,556.60 won, up 0.6 percent from the previous session and marking a third straight day of gains. Bond yields rose in tandem, with the 10-year Treasury yield climbing to 4.205 percent and the 30-year yield rising to 4.437 percent, as traders said the currency and rates markets could see further volatility heading into the third quarter ahead of this week's U.S. jobs report and signals on Federal Reserve policy. Across Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.6 percent to close at 70,475, even as Kawasaki Heavy Industries fell more than 7 percent on a Reuters report that the company was finalizing a roughly 200 billion yen ($1.23 billion) fundraising plan combining new shares and convertible bonds. China's Shanghai Composite added 0.4 percent to 4,112.50. Hong Kong markets were closed for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day holiday. Oil prices were little changed, with Brent crude holding above $73 a barrel following its steepest quarterly decline since 2020. Traders were awaiting updates from U.S.-Iran talks in Doha aimed at easing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, as tanker traffic continued to recover and concerns grew over a potential supply glut amid rebounding Iranian and Russian exports. West Texas Intermediate traded at $69.50 a barrel. The CBOE Volatility Index fell 6.8 percent to 16.5. 2026-07-01 17:10:22
  • Teach You a Lesson Holds No. 1 on Netflixs Non-English Chart for 4th week
    'Teach You a Lesson' Holds No. 1 on Netflix's Non-English Chart for 4th week SEOUL, July 01 (AJP) - "Teach You a Lesson" remained the No. 1 non-English TV show on Netflix's global charts this week, marking its fourth consecutive week atop the ranking as Korean titles continued to dominate the platform's non-English lists. The series, which follows a fictional agency that intervenes in schools to protect teachers' rights and restore order, made the Top 10 in 75 countries, including markets in Asia and Europe. Several other Korean titles also gained ground on Netflix this week. Suspense drama series "Notes from the Last Row" entered the non-English TV chart at No. 8 just three days after its release. The series stars Choi Min-sik and Choi Hyun-wook and centers on a failed writer and Korean literature professor who becomes obsessed with the writing talent of a student sitting in the back row of his classroom. Action comedy "Husbands" rose to No. 1 on Netflix's non-English film chart in its second week. The film follows a woman's ex-husband and current husband as they reluctantly team up to rescue her after she is kidnapped by a criminal organization. Two Korean dramas that also stream on Netflix ranked in the non-English TV Top 10. "Agent Kim Reactivated" debuted at No. 3. The revenge action drama follows an ordinary father who becomes a dangerous man as he fights to get his only daughter back. "My Royal Nemesis," a romantic comedy starring Lim Ji-yeon and Heo Nam-jun, ranked No. 7 after ending its run. 2026-07-01 15:16:39