Journalist

Lee Hugh
  • Samsung strike risk rises as 60 percent of union members cast ballots
    Samsung strike risk rises as 60 percent of union members cast ballots SEOUL, March 11 (AJP) - The likelihood of a strike at Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest memory chipmaker supplying about a quarter of global DRAM, is rising as more than 60 percent of its unionized workers have cast ballots on collective action over disputes about employee bonuses. A joint strike committee representing three Samsung labor unions said Wednesday that over 60 percent of their roughly 90,000 members had participated in the vote since balloting began Monday. Under South Korean law, a strike requires approval from a majority of total union membership. The largest group, the Samsung Group Unified Union, reportedly surpassed the 50 percent participation threshold on the first day alone. The ballot, which runs through March 18, could pave the way for a joint protest next month and potentially a full-scale strike between May 21 and June 7 if the motion passes. The vote follows a breakdown in wage negotiations after the National Labor Relations Commission suspended mediation between Samsung and its three main unions — the Samsung Electronics Labor Union (SELU), the National Samsung Electronics Union and Samsung Electronics Co. Union. Together they represent more than 90,000 employees, roughly 70 percent of Samsung Electronics’ 129,000 workforce, making the potential walkout one of the most consequential labor actions in the company’s history. At the heart of the dispute is Samsung’s Economic Value Added (EVA) bonus system. Unlike local rival SK hynix, which distributes 10 percent of operating profit as bonuses and recently removed its payout cap, Samsung calculates performance rewards after deducting capital costs and taxes from operating profit. Union members argue the formula makes bonuses opaque and unpredictable. “We initially demanded 20 percent of operating profit, but management offered us a choice between maintaining the current 20 percent EVA or shifting to a 10 percent operating profit model, which actually results in a smaller bonus pool,” a union official told AJP. “What matters is that the bonus system must be transparent and predictable. The company needs to fundamentally reform the standard, starting with abolishing the annual salary cap,” the official added. A prolonged strike could disrupt global IT supply chains because about 70 percent of the unionized workforce consists of engineers in Samsung’s critical Device Solutions (DS) division, which oversees semiconductor manufacturing. The union strongly rejected the common industry assumption that highly automated semiconductor fabs could easily withstand a walkout. “Only the wafer transport system is automated,” the official said. “If equipment fails or a safety interlock is triggered and engineers are not there to fix it, the machines simply stop.” “For example, if 10,000 of the 14,000 workers at the Pyeongtaek campus join the strike, the plant would effectively be paralyzed. A two-week general strike would inevitably lead to production disruptions and declining chip quality.” The unions plan to announce the voting results on March 18, hold a mass rally on April 23 and potentially begin a general strike in May unless management presents a revised proposal. The dispute comes less than a year after Samsung experienced its first-ever strike in July 2024, led by the National Samsung Electronics Union. That walkout ended without major production losses, but the current movement poses a greater threat due to the larger number of engineers involved. Samsung Electronics declined to comment on the potential strike or the unions’ demands. Samsung, which enforced a strict “no-union” policy for decades, has seen organized labor expand rapidly since Chairman Jay Y. Lee publicly apologized in 2020 and pledged to end the practice. The growing mobilization of younger engineers demanding transparent compensation is increasingly challenging Samsung’s traditional corporate culture at a time when the company faces fierce competition from global rivals such as TSMC and SK hynix in the race for AI semiconductor dominance. “Some argue Samsung’s no-union culture helped fuel its past growth, but the company can no longer go against the flow of the times,” said Hwang Yong-sik, a business professor at Sejong University. “At a critical moment when Samsung must compete with global rivals, repeating confrontations over an opaque bonus structure is a severe waste of time and resources.” Hwang said management must address the root cause of distrust. “SK hynix is delivering record results while paying top bonuses without internal conflict. Samsung needs to face reality and find a tailored compromise rather than clinging to outdated methods,” he added. The labor dispute comes at a critical moment as Samsung Electronics races to catch up with SK hynix in high-bandwidth memory (HBM), the AI-era chip at the center of multibillion-dollar supply contracts with Nvidia and other big-tech names. 2026-03-11 17:53:34
  • BTS Comeback D-10 South Korea flags 1,800 resale listings for BTS concerts
    BTS Comeback D-10 South Korea flags 1,800 resale listings for BTS concerts SEOUL, March 11 (AJP) - Korea’s culture ministry said Wednesday it had referred four suspected ticket-scalping cases involving 105 BTS concert tickets to police after identifying more than 1,800 resale listings online. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said it found 1,868 online posts offering BTS concert tickets for resale, including duplicate listings, while monitoring major Korean secondhand trading platforms such as Joonggonara, Ticketbay, Karrot Market and Bunjang. Authorities said the suspected scalping cases involved sellers who allegedly secured multiple tickets for the same show and attempted to resell them at steep premiums. The listings were linked to BTS’s comeback performance scheduled for March 21 at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul and BTS' world tour set to take place in Goyang from April 9 to 12. Officials said resold tickets are unlikely to grant entry because strict identity verification procedures will be enforced at the events. According to organizers, the Gwanghwamun concert will use a mobile QR code system that blocks screenshots and prevents codes from being reused once scanned. Attendees will also undergo identity verification with designated identification and receive non-transferable wristbands upon entry. Random identity checks will continue inside the venue, and anyone found using a transferred ticket will be removed immediately, authorities said. The ministry warned that ticket resale posts and related scams could surge around 8 p.m (1100 GMT). Thursday when an additional round of ticket sales for the Gwanghwamun concert is scheduled to open. Korea has recently tightened regulations to combat ticket scalping. Amendments for the Performance Act and the National Sports Promotion Act, promulgated on Feb. 27 and set to take effect Aug. 28, will prohibit illegal ticket resale regardless of whether automated purchasing programs, or macros, were used. The revised laws will also allow authorities to impose surcharges of up to 50 times the resale amount and introduce reporting reward systems for illegal ticket sales. The ministry launched a public-private task force on March 5 to strengthen cooperation with ticket vendors and online trading platforms in tackling ticket scalping. Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young said scalping disrupts the fair distribution of tickets and exploits fans’ enthusiasm for popular culture. “Starting with this investigation request, we will continue firm and consistent measures until ticket scalping is eradicated and a fair ticketing culture is established,” Choi said. He also warned fans against purchasing resale tickets, noting that strict identity checks make ticket transfers virtually impossible and could expose buyers to fraud if sellers disappear after the transaction. 2026-03-11 17:48:36
  • Korean stocks rise on chip gains as Taiwan leads Asian rally
    Korean stocks rise on chip gains as Taiwan leads Asian rally SEOUL, March 11 (AJP) - Asian stocks were mostly higher Wednesday, with Taiwan leading regional gains as semiconductor shares rallied across the region, while Korean equities advanced on institutional buying and corporate shareholder-return announcements. Taiwan’s benchmark TAIEX surged 4.1 percent to 34,114.2, marking the strongest performance among major Asian markets. The rally was driven by chipmaker TSMC, which climbed 4.86 percent to 1,940 TWD ($ 61.1) in active trading as global semiconductor stocks extended gains following a technology-led rebound on Wall Street. In Seoul, the benchmark KOSPI rose 1.4 percent to 5,609.95, after briefly climbing to an intraday high of 5,746.36 before paring gains late in the session. Institutional investors bought 781.4 billion won ($532 million) worth of shares, while individual investors sold 508.1 billion won and foreign investors offloaded 255.6 billion won. Technology shares supported the market, with Samsung Electronics rising 1.12 percent to 190,000 won and SK hynix gaining 1.81 percent to 955,000 won. Among other heavyweight stocks, Samsung Biologics jumped 4.1 percent to 1,657,000 won, while Hyundai Motor advanced 1 percent to 530,000 won. Battery maker LG Energy Solution added 0.7 percent to 369,500 won, and internet platform giant Naver rose 0.7 percent to 222,000 won. Investor sentiment toward Korean equities was also buoyed by shareholder-return announcements after Samsung Electronics and SK Group unveiled large-scale treasury share cancellations. However, gains faded toward the close as investors grew cautious ahead of the quarterly derivatives expiration known as “quadruple witching day” and the release of the U.S. consumer price index (CPI) later in the day. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ slipped 0.1 percent to close at 1,136.83. Individual investors purchased 254.3 billion won, while foreign investors around 81.2 billion won and institutions offloaded 126.7 billion won. Meanwhile, several telecom equipment makers surged on the secondary board, defying the broader decline in the KOSDAQ market. Shares of Daehan Optical Communication jumped 29.95 percent, while HFR, Solid, Inno Instrument and KMW all hit the daily upper limit. The rally came amid expectations of stronger global investment in telecommunications infrastructure, as demand for high-speed networks grows alongside the expansion of AI and robotics technologies. Moreover, U.S. pressuring to curb the use of Chinese telecom equipment could benefit Korean suppliers with strong export exposure. In other parts of Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.4 percent to 55,025.37, while the broader TOPIX gained 0.9 percent to 3,698.9, supported by technology and auto shares. Automaker Toyota climbed 1.1 percent, while electronics giant Sony added 1.3 percent. Mainland Chinese markets posted modest gains. The Shanghai Composite edged up 0.3 percent to 4,133.71, while the CSI 300 rose 0.6 percent to 4,704.5, as investors remained cautious amid persistent geopolitical uncertainty. Elsewhere in the region, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 advanced 0.6 percent to 8,743.5, while India’s Nifty 50 slipped 1.1 percent in afternoon trading. Global risk sentiment remained fragile despite the regional rebound. Brent crude climbed to $89.56 a barrel, while WTI crude rose to $85.4, reflecting continued concerns over potential supply disruptions tied to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz. In currency markets, the Korean won traded at around 1,469.4 per dollar, slightly firmer on the day. The Japanese yen hovered near 158.1 per dollar, while the Chinese yuan stood at about 6.87 per dollar. Meanwhile, the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield stood at 4.143 percent, while the dollar index slipped slightly to 98.8. Wall Street futures pointed modestly higher during Asian trading, with S&P 500 futures up 0.2 percent and Nasdaq futures gaining 0.1 percent. In Seoul, shipbuilding stocks rallied on expectations that longer energy transport routes could boost demand for LNG carriers and oil tankers amid heightened tensions in the Middle East. Hanwha Ocean surged 7.4 percent, while Samsung Heavy Industries gained about 3 percent and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries also moved higher. 2026-03-11 17:47:34
  • AI reshapes entry-level jobs as Korea nears 20,000 Ph.D. era
    AI reshapes entry-level jobs as Korea nears '20,000 Ph.D. era' SEOUL, March 11 (AJP) - As artificial intelligence reshapes white-collar work, more South Koreans are staying in school longer — and earning Ph.D.s in record numbers. Universities awarded 19,831 doctoral degrees in 2025, according to data released Tuesday by the Korean Educational Development Institute, the highest since records began in 1999 and a 51.6 percent increase over the past decade. The milestone places the country on the brink of what policymakers call the “20,000 Ph.D. era.” The surge reflects a rapidly changing labor market in which AI is increasingly automating entry-level analytical and research tasks — from finance and legal work to data analysis — pushing many young professionals to pursue deeper specialization to remain competitive. Yet the rise also highlights a growing paradox: while more South Koreans are earning the highest academic credential available, many struggle to find jobs that match their qualifications. Among 7,005 doctoral graduates employed last year, 10.4 percent reported earning less than 20 million won annually, roughly $15,000 — up from 6.3 percent in 2011. When the national statistics series began in 1999, only 5,586 people earned doctoral degrees nationwide, and a Ph.D. was widely seen as a rare credential reserved mainly for future academics. The numbers climbed steadily as universities expanded graduate programs and competition in the labor market intensified. By 2010 the annual number of Ph.D. graduates surpassed 10,000, marking the rapid expansion of doctoral education. With nearly 20,000 new doctorates last year, the figure has almost quadrupled over a quarter century. The latest data also highlight a major shift in gender balance. In 2025, 8,629 women received doctoral degrees, the first time the number of female Ph.D. graduates exceeded 8,000 in a single year. Women accounted for 43.5 percent of all doctoral recipients, the highest proportion since records began. The change is striking compared with the late 1990s. In 1999, only 1,144 women earned Ph.D.s, representing 20.5 percent of the total. The motivations behind doctoral study have also evolved. In a survey of 10,498 recent doctoral graduates conducted by the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training, the most common reason for pursuing a Ph.D. was to improve professional expertise, cited by 37.5 percent of respondents. The share slightly exceeded the 35.5 percent who said they aimed to become professors or researchers. That represents a shift from earlier years. When the survey began in 2011, 43.2 percent cited academic careers as their primary goal. Analysts say the shift reflects growing uncertainty about academic career paths as well as broader changes in the labor market. Even as doctoral graduates increase, evidence suggests the labor market has struggled to absorb them. A report by the vocational education institute found that 31 percent of South Korean workers are overeducated for their jobs, significantly higher than the 23 percent average among countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. At the same time, 49 percent of college graduates work in jobs unrelated to their majors, compared with the OECD average of 38 percent. “The high level of overeducation indicates a strong inflow of highly educated workers into relatively simple positions,” the report said. Researcher Lee Soo-hyun, who led the study, warned that such mismatches could have long-term economic costs. “A double mismatch — being both overeducated and working outside one’s field — can prevent individuals from fully utilizing their capabilities,” she said. Economists say the surge in doctoral degrees ultimately reflects structural pressures in South Korea’s labor market. “The high level of overeducation in Korea is largely due to insufficient demand for high-quality jobs,” said Kwon Sang-uk, a professor at Kyungpook National University. “When there are far more job seekers than desirable positions, workers naturally try to differentiate themselves by accumulating more qualifications.” He contrasted the situation with the United States, where academic credentials more closely align with labor market segmentation. “In Korea, a university diploma no longer guarantees employment,” Kwon said. “That pushes people to build increasingly stronger credentials.” External factors may also be contributing to the rise in domestic Ph.D. programs. A weaker Korean won has made studying abroad more expensive, while stricter immigration policies in the United States have discouraged some Korean students from pursuing doctoral programs overseas. Those shifts may be pushing more students to remain in Korea for graduate education or for some to stay competitive against AI competition. “The Ph.D. represents deep expertise in a specific field,” Kwon said. “While artificial intelligence makes general knowledge widely accessible, understanding complex systems and applying advanced research methods still requires intensive training.” Demand for such expertise is likely to grow in sectors such as robotics, advanced manufacturing and cutting-edge technologies, he added — even as competition intensifies in traditional academic careers. 2026-03-11 17:46:19
  • Activists rally in Seoul to mark 15th anniversary of Fukushima disaster
    Activists rally in Seoul to mark 15th anniversary of Fukushima disaster SEOUL, March 11 (AJP) - Activists held a rally in central Seoul on Wednesday to mark the 15th anniversary of Japan's Fukushima disaster in 2011. The protesters, wearing boards shaped like nuclear reactors, were members of an anti-nuclear civic group. They gathered in front of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Gwanghwamun, reading a declaration to urge remembrance of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, oppose the construction of additional nuclear power plants, and advocate for nuclear phase-out policies. 2026-03-11 17:45:38
  • South Korea moves to build its own AI backbone
    South Korea moves to build its own AI backbone SEOUL, March 11 (AJP) - South Korea is moving to build its own AI backbone — an "AI Highway" of massive data centers, specialized semiconductors and autonomous software — as it seeks to avoid falling behind the United States and China in the global artificial intelligence race. Government officials and industry executives outlined the strategy at a briefing at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club on Wednesday, describing an effort to link large-scale computing infrastructure with next-generation chip development and industrial AI systems. The initiative, led by the administration of President Lee Jae Myung, combines state investment in computing capacity with private-sector advances in semiconductor design and AI applications. The government has allocated 10.1 trillion won ($6.8 billion) in the 2026 budget to strengthen the country's AI infrastructure. A core goal is securing 50,000 high-performance computing units — specialized processors needed to run advanced AI models. Ha Jung-woo, presidential secretary for AI and future strategy, framed the push as a matter of national survival. "Advanced technology like AI is both economic power and the force that determines national security," Ha said. While the United States and China dominate global AI infrastructure, Seoul is attempting to build what officials describe as a "Silicon Shield" — a network of large domestic data centers powered by carbon-free energy. One flagship hub is planned in Haenam, a coastal county selected for its potential to host large-scale solar and nuclear power facilities needed to run energy-intensive AI computing. The government is also moving to integrate AI more rapidly into military operations. Ha said the defense system — traditionally structured and procedural — is being redesigned for faster adoption of AI technologies. A new deputy minister-level position has been created within the Ministry of National Defense to oversee AI strategy, while the Defense Acquisition Program Administration is preparing to incorporate AI tools into procurement and operational planning. "South Korea aims to become one of the world's top four defense powers, and AI will be at the center of that," Ha said. Shift toward specialized silicon At the hardware level, the AI boom is pushing the industry toward specialized chips designed specifically for AI workloads. Graphics processing units, or GPUs, remain the dominant technology for training large AI models, but their heavy electricity demand has become a growing constraint for data centers. South Korean startup FuriosaAI is targeting this bottleneck with its second-generation neural processing unit, RNGD — pronounced "Renegade" — which has recently entered mass production. Unlike GPUs, NPUs are designed specifically for AI inference, the stage where trained models process new data and generate responses. Kang Jee-hoon, chief research officer at FuriosaAI, said the industry is entering what he described as a "power crisis," where computing capacity is increasingly limited by electricity availability. "The challenge for the industry is to enable more work to be processed with the same power consumption," Kang said. The RNGD chip uses a proprietary Tensor Contraction Processor architecture that manages on-chip memory more efficiently than conventional chip layouts. According to the company, its PCIe server card operates at around 180 watts while delivering roughly 2.8 times higher throughput than comparable hardware within a standard 15-kilowatt server rack. "Our goal is to generate more tokens with the same power," Kang said. "Just as computing once shifted from CPUs to GPUs, we want developers to easily adopt our Renegade and next-generation products." At the software level, the next frontier is "agentic AI" — systems that can independently plan and execute tasks rather than simply respond to user prompts. LG AI Research is advancing this trend through its EXAONE model. Stanly Jung-kyu Choi, vice president and head of the institute's agentic AI research group, described the system as an "expert AI" designed for specialized industrial applications. In manufacturing, the system is already being used to optimize naphtha scheduling — the complex logistical planning required for petrochemical feedstocks. In life sciences, the EXAONE Discovery platform has reduced the time required to identify new material compounds from about 22 months to a single day by autonomously analyzing research papers and molecular structures. Because of the high autonomy involved, LG has established a dedicated AI ethics unit to monitor potential risks associated with the technology. "We are moving beyond general-purpose models to expert systems that maximize productivity in specialized industries," Choi said. The institute is also developing K-EXAONE, a national flagship model tailored to the Korean language and local context, which is expected to be deployed across public services by late 2026. As artificial intelligence evolves into a system of specialized hardware and increasingly autonomous software, South Korea is attempting to build a fully integrated ecosystem. Officials say the success of that strategy will depend on coordination between government policy, semiconductor innovation and advanced research — an effort aimed at securing the country's place in the rapidly shifting global AI supply chain. 2026-03-11 17:37:02
  • South Korea, Ghana agree to cooperate on climate change, maritime security
    South Korea, Ghana agree to cooperate on climate change, maritime security SEOUL, March 11 (AJP) - South Korea and Ghana have agreed to strengthen cooperation on climate change, maritime security and digital development, Cheong Wa Dae said on Wednesday. President Lee Jae Myung met with Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama in Seoul, and the two leaders signed a series of agreements including three memorandums of understanding (MOUs) on climate cooperation, maritime safety and security, and collaboration in technology, digital development, and innovation, following their summit. Among the key agreements, the two countries pledged to work together on climate change initiatives and related technology development, and plan to set up a joint committee to coordinate their efforts. This includes the use of Article 6 of the Paris climate accord, which allows countries to trade internationally recognized carbon reduction credits through voluntary cooperation. South Korean officials said the mechanism could help both countries meet their nationally determined contributions for greenhouse gas reductions. South Korea's Coast Guard and Ghana's Navy also agreed to cooperate on maritime safety and security through expanded personnel exchanges including educational training programs and seminars, as well as information sharing on maritime crimes such as piracy, arms trafficking, and drug smuggling. The two sides also agreed to collaborate on search and rescue operations for ships, aircraft, and people in distress at sea. Officials said the cooperation could help improve safety in the Gulf of Guinea region while strengthening protection for South Korean citizens and vessels operating in the area. The two leaders also agreed to deepen collaboration in technology, digital development and innovation with plans to support vocational training for young people, expand education in artificial intelligence (AI) and STEM fields — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — and improve digital accessibility. Mahama's visit marks the first visit by an African head of state since Lee took office in June last year. It is also the first visit by a Ghanaian president to South Korea in about two years, following the Korea-Africa Summit in 2024. Ahead of the visit, Cheong Wa Dae said it had placed specially produced "Ghana chocolate" as a gesture of warm welcome. The chocolate was made using cocoa beans sourced primarily from Ghana. Presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung said the packaging featured both countries' national flags and Mahama's name. Kang recalled that Lee once drew encouragement from a bar of the same chocolate brand given to him by a child during a hunger strike in September 2023, when he was serving as leader of the opposition party. 2026-03-11 17:28:25
  • Global EV Deliveries Excluding China Rise 21.2% in January; Hyundai Motor Group Ranks No. 4
    Global EV Deliveries Excluding China Rise 21.2% in January; Hyundai Motor Group Ranks No. 4 Global electric-vehicle deliveries excluding China rose in January despite weakness in North America, according to SNE Research. The firm attributed the increase to stronger demand in Europe and other Asian markets as electrification gains momentum. SNE Research said Tuesday that 572,000 EVs were newly delivered worldwide outside China in January, up 21.2% from a year earlier. The tally includes plug-in hybrid electric vehicles as well as battery-electric models. Europe posted 19.5% growth, maintaining a steady trend. SNE Research cited the broader rollout of new EV models and continued carbon-emissions regulations, even as some governments discuss scaling back subsidies or adjusting policies. Asia outside China roughly doubled from the same month last year. North America, however, fell 30.2%. SNE Research said consumer preferences have shifted toward internal-combustion and hybrid vehicles, while demand has cooled quickly after EV tax credits ended. By group, Volkswagen remained No. 1, delivering 88,000 vehicles, up 8.1%. China’s BYD ranked second after deliveries surged 118.6% to 67,000. Tesla was third, up 8.4% to 53,000. Hyundai Motor Group delivered 38,000 vehicles, up 4.9%, but slipped to fourth from third a year earlier as BYD climbed the rankings. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-11 17:27:18
  • SHINee’s Taemin Signs Exclusive Contract With Galaxy Corporation
    SHINee’s Taemin Signs Exclusive Contract With Galaxy Corporation Taemin, a member of the K-pop group SHINee and a solo singer, has signed with Galaxy Corporation. Galaxy Corporation said on the 11th that it has signed an exclusive contract with Taemin, adding that it will provide full support so his “unrivaled artistic capabilities” can create synergy with the company’s cutting-edge technology. Galaxy Corporation, which describes itself as South Korea’s first AI entertainment-technology company, develops “entertech” businesses that combine entertainment content with technologies such as AI and robotics. The company said the signing reflects a strategy to create added value by merging artists’ intellectual property with digital technology. With the move, Taemin joins a roster that includes singer G-DRAGON, actor Song Kang-ho and broadcaster Kim Jong-kook. Taemin debuted in 2008 as a member of SHINee, releasing hits including “Replay,” “Ring Ding Dong” and “View.” After making his solo debut in 2014, he released songs such as “Danger,” “Move” and “Want,” establishing himself as a solo artist known for performance. In August 2024, he launched his first solo world tour, “Ephemeral Gaze,” starting at Inspire Arena in Incheon, and held 37 shows across 20 countries in Asia, the United States and Europe. He is set to perform April 11 and 18 at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, becoming the first South Korean male solo singer to take the stage at the festival.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-11 17:21:19
  • J-pop Singer Vaundy to Hold First Solo Concerts in South Korea in September
    J-pop Singer Vaundy to Hold First Solo Concerts in South Korea in September Japanese singer Vaundy will visit South Korea for the first time since his debut.  Type Communication Co., the organizer, said on the 11th that Vaundy will hold two solo concerts on Sept. 19 and 20 at Inspire Arena in Incheon, titled "Vaundy ASIA ARENA TOUR 2026 'HORO' IN SEOUL." The shows will mark his first official meeting with Korean fans who have long awaited a Korea concert, the organizer said. Vaundy is known as a multi-talented artist who oversees songwriting, composition and arrangement, as well as design, video direction and self-producing. Backed by polished sound, messages that resonate across generations and strong live performances, he has built a following across Asia beyond Japan. The Seoul concerts are expected to feature hit songs including "怪獣の花唄 (Kaiju no Hanauta)" and "踊り子 (Odoriko)," along with a special set list prepared for the Asia tour. The concerts will be held at Inspire Arena, described by the organizer as South Korea’s first multipurpose arena. Tickets for Vaundy’s first solo Korea concerts will be sold exclusively through online seller NOL Ticket starting at 8 p.m. on the 11th.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-11 17:09:24