Journalist
Choi Song-hee
alfie312@ajunews.com
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Lotte Cinema Unveils February Exclusive “Lottepick” Animation Lineup Lotte Cinema has announced its February lineup for “Lottepick,” a series of exclusive theatrical releases. With animation emerging as a major draw at the box office, the chain said it curated three themed titles aimed at both families on school break and dedicated animation fans. “I Am Star! X Pripara The Movie -Miracle of Encounter!-,” a collaboration marking the 10th anniversary of “I Am Star!” and “Pripara,” will open exclusively on Feb. 4. The two franchises are long-running staples of girls’ animation, and the film brings to theaters a crossover project fans have sought for years. The children’s series “Octonauts” returns with a new season, “Land Creature Rescue Operation,” opening Feb. 12. Lotte Cinema described it as an adventure education animation in which the Octonauts and their agents set out to rescue land animals, expanding their missions beyond the sea to land and sky. “Baby Tyranno Devo: It’s OK to Be a Herbivore!” opens Feb. 25. The coming-of-age adventure follows Devo, a baby carnivorous dinosaur raised among a herd of herbivores, as he navigates mishaps and friendships. Set in the Cretaceous period, the film features Devo, his family and a range of colorful dinosaur characters. Lotte Cinema said, “To match the school vacation season and holidays, we selected three animated films that all generations can enjoy together. We will continue to introduce outstanding content across genres each month through ‘Lottepick.’”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 16:36:21 -
ADOR Says Min Hee Jin’s NewJeans Tampering Claims Should Be Settled in Court ADOR distanced itself from a news conference held by former CEO Min Hee Jin’s side over allegations of “tampering” involving K-pop group NewJeans. After the news conference on Tuesday, ADOR said, “If they have claims, it’s something to be argued in court.” Earlier Tuesday, a news conference titled “The truth about tampering by former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin and the Dabolink stock price manipulation case” was held at the Kyowon Jonggak Building in Seoul’s Jongno district. Kim Sun Woong, an attorney at law firm Jiam representing Min, attended. Min did not. Kim said the event was meant to “set the record straight” on the “NewJeans tampering allegations” raised during ADOR’s damages lawsuit and in contract termination and damages suits involving some NewJeans members. Min’s side argued the tampering allegations were orchestrated by a stock price manipulation group and were unrelated to her. They also raised the possibility of involvement by members’ families and a specific businessman, and claimed there were signs ADOR’s management and its largest shareholder knew of it but sought to use it in legal disputes.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 16:27:00 -
Lee Jun Hyuk Cast in SBS Occult Drama 'Awakening' as an Exorcist Priest Actor Lee Jun Hyuk has confirmed his casting in SBS’ new drama “Awakening.” SBS’ “Awakening,” written by Jang Yoon Mi and directed by Oh Jun Hyuk, is an occult drama set in an exam-driven high school that has become a playground for evil spirits. An exorcist priest fights to save students. SBS, which expanded interest in Korean-style occult dramas with its 2023 series “Revenant,” is developing the new project with a goal of airing it in 2027. Lee will play Antonio, a new head priest assigned to Holy Spirit High School. Though he stirs students’ curiosity and anxiety, Antonio is an exorcist priest ordained by the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. Behind his detached exterior, he is portrayed as perceptive and empathetic. The character has endured terrifying situations alone and repeatedly prevailed in battles with evil spirits. Dispatched to the school to investigate, Antonio confronts a series of strange incidents and vows to risk everything to track down whoever is pulling children into a deadly race. SBS’ “Awakening” is scheduled to air in 2027.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 16:12:00 -
BTS Comeback D-52: Jin's solo run draws renewed spotlight in Mexico SEOUL, January 28 (AJP) - BTS’ Jin has been named “2025 K-POP Artist” in Mexico for the second consecutive year, underscoring his rising solo profile in a country where even the president has publicly appealed for additional BTS concert dates on behalf of young fans. The title was awarded by House Radio, Mexico’s leading digital pop music station, as Jin’s solo work continues to gain momentum ahead of BTS’ full-group comeback. Jin’s global reach has been led by “Don’t Say You Love Me,” which has amassed 795.56 million streams on Spotify, marking the strongest international performance of his solo career and signaling sustained long-term listener engagement rather than a short-lived spike. The song’s impact extended beyond streaming platforms. At the BreakTudo Awards 2025 in São Paulo, it won “International Hit of the Year,” drawing heightened attention from Latin American fans and industry observers. Beyond charts and trophies, “Don’t Say You Love Me” has been widely noted for its emotional depth. International reviews have pointed to its exploration of relationship uncertainty and the difficulty of letting go, with Rolling Stone India highlighting the track’s melancholic tone and K-drama-style narrative in its music video. House Radio’s year-end rankings further reflected Jin’s presence in the Mexican market. He placed three songs on its list of the “50 Most Important Songs of 2025,” led by “Don’t Say You Love Me” at No. 4, followed by “Running Wild” at No. 5 and “I’ll Be There” at No. 19. 2026-01-28 11:55:06 -
BTS Comeback D-52: Jimin's 'Who' earns double platinum in Canada SEOUL, January 28 (AJP)-BTS member Jimin’s solo single “Who” received a Double Platinum Single certification on January 19, according to a music chart in Canada. Music Canada, formerly known as the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA), grants certifications based on combined figures from digital downloads, streaming and physical single sales. For singles, Music Canada awards Gold certification at 40,000 units, Platinum at 80,000 units and Double Platinum at 160,000 units. Released on July 19, 2024, “Who” surpassed 80,000 units within approximately six months, earning Platinum certification in January. The track has since exceeded 160,000 units in Canada, qualifying it for Double Platinum status. On the same day, “Set Me Free Pt.2,” a pre-release track from Jimin’s first solo album FACE, received Gold certification. Earlier, on January. 16, “Filter” was certified Platinum, while “Lie” earned Gold certification, further highlighting Jimin’s strength as a solo artist in the Canadian market. Jimin had previously made a history with “Like Crazy,” the title track of his first solo album, "FACE," which became the first Korean-language solo track to receive Platinum certification in Canada since PSY’s “Gangnam Style.” With “Who” also reaching Platinum-level certification, Jimin is the first and only Korean artist to earn multiple Music Canada Platinum certifications with non-collaboration solo tracks. 2026-01-28 10:28:34 -
Park Chan-wook's 'No Other Choice' fails to make BAFTA final nominees SEOUL, January 28 (AJP) - Director Park Chan-wook's film No Other Choice failed to make the final list of five nominees competing for next month's British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards. Among the five final nominees, announced on Tuesday about a month ahead of the annual awards, were Iran's "It Was Just an Accident," Brazilian historical thriller "The Secret Agent," Norway's "Sentimental Value," Spanish-French co-production "Sirât," and Tunisian-French co-production "The Voice of Hind Rajab." Earlier last month, expectations had been building after Park's 139-minute thriller was longlisted, along with nine other films, for the award recognizing the "Best Film Not in the English Language." Previously, "No Other Choice" did not win any awards at the U.S. Golden Globes earlier this month despite earning three nominations, and it also missed out on the final nominees for the prestigious Academy Awards, scheduled to be held in March. But "Bugonia," a remake of director Jang Joon-hwan's 2003 film "Save the Green Planet!" is vying for awards after earning five nominations. The 79th BAFTA ceremony will be held in London on Feb. 22. 2026-01-28 10:17:14 -
BTS world tour triggers global travel surge, boosting Korea tourism SEOUL, January 27 (AJP) - Global excitement is building ahead of BTS’s first full-group world tour in more than four years. Fans are moving quickly to secure flights and accommodation to Korea, helping turn “tour tourism” into a major growth driver for the local travel industry. According to global travel platform Hotels.com on January 21, searches for inbound travel to Korea surged in the 48 hours following the announcement of BTS’s new world tour, BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG’, on January 13. The spike reflects how global fans’ desire to see the group’s comeback in person quickly turned into travel plans. The surge in interest was also seen in ticket sales, with all BTS shows in North America and Europe selling out. Stadium venues in each region saw seats snapped up shortly after ticket sales opened. The world tour will begin on April 9 at Goyang Sports Complex. All presale dates were sold out. The tour will then move to the Tokyo Dome on April 17. The North American tour will start at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on April 25, 26 and 28, before moving on to cities including El Paso, Mexico City, Stanford and Las Vegas. In total, BTS will perform 31 shows across 12 cities. BTS will perform 31 shows in 12 cities, with extra dates added in Tampa, Stanford and Las Vegas due to strong demand. The Europe tour will begin at Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on June 26 and 27. BTS will then perform in cities such as Brussels, London, Munich and Paris, with 10 shows in five cities. The North American tour will be another milestone, with BTS becoming the first Korean artist to hold solo concerts at major U.S. stadiums such as Sun Bowl Stadium, Stanford Stadium, Gillette Stadium, M&T Bank Stadium and AT&T Stadium. The world tour will include 82 shows across 34 cities, marking a record for a single K-pop tour. With more regions yet to open ticket sales and additional dates planned in Japan and the Middle East, the scale of the tour is expected to expand further. Meanwhile, BTS will release their fifth full-length album, ARIRANG, on March 20 at 1 p.m. The 14-track record captures “BTS today,” weaving together themes of identity, love and longing — and marking the start of their long-awaited return. The group's first comeback stage is set for an open urban space at Gwanghwamun in downtown Seoul on March 21, although the details including the time are still being negotiated due to safety issues. 2026-01-27 09:03:33 -
Pinkfong signs deal with US entertainment firm to develop family stage shows SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - The Pinkfong Company said on Tuesday it has signed a partnership with U.S.-based live entertainment and touring firm Terrapin Station Entertainment to jointly develop new stage productions for family audiences. Terrapin Station Entertainment has produced and toured live shows based on family-oriented intellectual property, including Disney Junior, Peppa Pig and Gabby’s Magic House, and has operated large-scale tours across North America. Under the agreement, the two companies will plan and develop a K-pop concert-style family show featuring the Pinkfong Company’s intellectual property, including Pinkfong, Baby Shark and Bebefinn. The Pinkfong Company said it has staged performances in more than 200 cities across 16 countries, attracting a cumulative audience of over 1.5 million. It said the partnership is designed to move beyond one-off events toward repeatable, large-scale touring formats and to expand global revenue streams. The new production will target families and adopt a K-pop concert format built around the concept of “a child’s first concert.” The companies said the show will combine music, dance and visual effects with audience-participation segments to recreate the energy of a K-pop performance. Pinkfong and Baby Shark will headline the show, alongside Bebefinn. Jeong Yeon-bin, head of the Pinkfong Company’s U.S. operations, said the partnership provides a “new springboard” for expanding the company’s live entertainment business globally. “We will continue to broaden our engagement with fans worldwide through high-quality performance experiences,” Jeong said in a press release. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-20 10:14:48 -
INTERVIEW: Park Seo-joon: confident "Waiting for Gyeongo" will linger despite low ratings SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - For Park Seo-joon, returning to the romance genre after seven years with, "Waiting for Gyeong-do" was a project that demanded full embracement of character’s life. Following the timeline of protagonist "Lee Gyeong-do," who continues to live with the same feelings even after two relationships at the ages of twenty and twenty-eight, the narrative goes beyond a simple reunion melodrama. Instead, it asks how the emotion of love is endured, accumulated, and carried over time. “Being able to portray Gyeong-do was, a very rewarding experience. I believed that 'Waiting for Gyeong-do' relies heavily on the shared narrative between two protagonists, and the real question was how deeply we could convey the narrative. More over, It was a project that encourages you to think a bit more deeply about the idea of love.” For Park Seo-joon, "Waiting for Gyeong-do" was a project where the process mattered more than the result. Instead of dramatic moments, the focus was on emotional nuance, building meaning through small, gradual changes — a process that demanded great nuance from an actor's standpoint. “I feel like it ended well. This was a project where emotional expression was incredibly important, therefore, I tried to approach it as delicately as possible, and in that process, I think I was able to give it my all. I have no regrets. I feel like this is a work I poured everything I could into.” Waiting for Gyeong-do also marked Park Seo-joon’s return to the romance genre after seven years. Actor addressed, what drew him to the project was not the milestone itself, but the story. The narrative, which spans a long passage of time, offered a fresh creative stimulus for him as an actor. “To be honest, I didn’t really think about how many years it had been since I last participated in a romance project. There are so many different kinds of romance. What grasped my attention the most, was that the story depicts a long period of time. I felt there was something meaningful about the way the narrative lays out the protagonist's life over those years.” After completing the shoot, Park Seo-joon realized the emotional density woven into the project while looking aback at the project. “After watching all 12 episodes, I realized there was far more in it than I had expected,” adding "scenes that you might simply pass over if you look only at the events all had meaning when viewed through the characters’ emotions. In that sense, it was a project that made me think a lot as an actor.” Although Park Seo-joon mentioned, he did not want to speak in terms of numbers, "Waiting for Gyeong-do" opened with a 2.7 percent viewership rating and ended at 4.7 percent. For Park Seo-joon, who sparked a phenomenon with "Itaewon Class," the ratings were admittedly disappointing. Given the high expectations surrounding his first romance drama in seven years, a sense of bitterness was unavoidable. “From the standpoint of those who worked on it, you want more people to watch it. It’s certainly a story that deserves higher viewing. Since there haven’t been many projects recently that deal with such a lengthy narrative, I think it ultimately comes down to viewers taste. If I may carefully wish for something, i personally believe 'Waiting for Gyeong-do' has a lot of potential to be brought up often by people. I don’t think the plot of 'Waiting for Gyeong-do' would be forgotten that easily.” By portraying Lee Gyeong-do, Park Seo-joon took on the challenge of embodying a single character across his twenties and thirties. In a story that moves back and forth in time, the decision for one actor to play different stages of protagonist's life risked appearing contrived. Actor addressed that he decided early on that he would portray both young and old version of the characters himself. “I felt it was important that I portray those differences myself,” adding “Because the timeline moves back and forth, I suggested that I should be the one acting in two different era and the director shared the same view. I was grateful for the opportunity, and I felt confident because those were years I’ve actually lived. While I did wonder whether I could convincingly convey my twenties externally, the difference between who I was then and who I am now is clear. I wanted to express that difference to show the passage of time, while preserving one consistent core in Gyeong-do.” Moving between the character’s twenties and thirties, Park Seo-joon focused consistency instead of changes. Actor explained that he wanted to convey the passage of time through emotion and attitude, rather than through physical transformation. “I felt it was important not to make drastic changes to my appearance, even down to details like hairstyles,” adding “Consistency also comes through externally. At his core, Gyeong-do is a character whose love for Ji-woo never changes, and that emotional stance was what mattered most. For the role I prepared physically and mentally, however the most important factor was to keep the emotion steady. .” Having spent years watching reporters up close, Park Seo-joon said the role of the deputy editor of entertainment division felt unfamiliar, however not entirely foreign. He added that the sense conveyed by the office environment itself played an important role in the project. “Even down to details like the computer, I thought about what felt appropriate for the role,” adding “It was my first time acting in an office setting, although I haven’t spent much time in offices myself, I felt the atmosphere of the space was important. The moment I sat down, I had a clear sense of being a reporter. There’s a brief scene where I watch a drama on a monitor, and I imagined that reporters might do something like that while working on articles. Through the interview process, the role didn’t feel far removed from my own experience. I’ve attended many production presentations, and early in my career I even visited newspaper companies directly for interviews, so approaching the role didn’t feel particularly difficult.” When asked about whether his perspective on reporters had changed, Park Seo-joon responded with a smile, candidly reflecting that what had once been curiosity had now turned into understanding. “I used to be very curious, I wondered how the same words could be presented so differently. But now, I understand it. I think it’s something that can happen, and I don’t have any bad feelings about it at all anymore." When asked about how he chooses his projects and his future direction, Park Seo-joon responded with “Instead of expanding the field I tend to focus on stories that I can portray now.” Rather than aiming to broaden his spectrum, he appeared more focused on prioritizing stories that align with his current age and emotional state. “Saying ‘expanding my spectrum’ sounds a bit grand to me. What mattered most was what I could do at this point in my life. After finishing this project, I found myself wanting to tell another story. Instead of planning things too far ahead, I want to go with whatever genuinely interests me at the moment. Spending about two years on 'Gyeongseong Creature' also made me naturally gravitate toward stories that feel more grounded in reality than that kind of genre.” When asked whether there was a role or moment he is waiting for, Park Seo-joon offered a candid reflection on age, revealing a clear sense of expectation about his forties. “My forties,” adding “People often say men truly begin at 40, but for now, it still feels like I’m preparing. Personally, I think that feeling will come somewhere between 40 and 43. One reason I haven’t gravitated toward noir is that I felt I looked too young for it — that it wouldn’t suit me. But at that age, I think it might. The range of choices could change: the projects I can challenge and the stories I can appear in may be different from now. And romance at that stage will likely be completely different as well.” 2026-01-19 17:01:32 -
Japanese teenage actor to visit Seoul next month as film becomes sleeper hit SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - Japanese actor Soya Kurokawa will visit Seoul next month as his latest film "National Treasure," also known as "Kokuho became a sleeper hit in South Korea, the film’s distributer said on Monday. Directed by Japanese filmmaker and screenwriter of Zainichi Korean descent Lee Sang-il, the film has attracted over 200,000 moviegoers in about eight weeks since its release in mid-November last year, an impressive feat for an indie film here. Kurokawa is scheduled to arrive in Seoul on Feb. 1 and meet fans at a theater in Yongsan and other venues. This is not his first visit, as the teenager previously came to Seoul in 2023 to promote his hit film "Monster" and also attended the Busan International Film Festival last fall. The lengthy film running 175 minutes, an adaptation of a novel by Shuichi Yoshida that chronicles the passionate lives of men devoted to art over half a century, was an instant hit in Japan, remaining at the top of the box office for 31 consecutive weeks since its release in June last year. 2026-01-19 15:20:41