SHINee's Key leaves TV shows amid alleged improper medical treatment controversy SEOUL, December 17 (AJP) - K-pop boy band SHINee member Key belatedly admitted to receiving improper medical treatment and issued an apology, announcing his departure from all the shows he had been appearing on. According to a statement released by his agency, SM Entertainment on Wednesday, Key had received treatment at a hospital in Gangnam, southern Seoul after being referred by a circle of his acquaintances and believed the hospital's practitioner, known by her last name Lee, to be a licensed doctor. While continuing to receive treatment from her, he sometimes requested house calls when hospital visits were difficult. The controversy arose after Lee posted photos of Key's pet on social media. Lee is also alleged to have treated comedian Park Na-rae, who recently stepped down from all her shows following multiple allegations involving her former managers including verbal abuse and physical assault. Key, who recently toured U.S. cities for his solo concerts, had remained silent on the allegations, with suspicions growing among fans. SM apologized for the delayed response, citing the need to coordinate with various parties involved in the overseas tour, adding that Key was shocked to learn Lee lacked a medical license. Key regularly appeared on MBC's popular reality show "I Live Alone" and cable channel tvN's "Amazing Saturday." 2025-12-17 17:26:14

G-Dragon included among American fashion magazine's list of influential icons SEOUL, December 17 (AJP) - K-pop singer G-Dragon has been included in American fashion and lifestyle magazine Hypebeast's year-end list of influential figures in a diverse mix of contemporary culture, fashion, music and sports for this year. The annual list of "Hypebeast100" recognizes "leaders in fashion - designers, artists, creative directors and entrepreneurs from all cultural and vocational backgrounds - who have taken up the mantle to challenge and define the future of the art form and its echoes into innovation, artistry and sustainability." Calling him the "king of K-pop" as well as a "cultural trailblazer," the magazine said, "His vast archives of rare fashion collectibles, contemporary art, design objects and memorabilia included his own works and custom apparel and footwear pieces." First included in the list in 2013, the flamboyant star has made it onto the list almost every year. This year's list also features several other South Koreans including Lim Dong-joon, a designer for Post Archive Faction (PAF), one of the most sought-after streetwear labels; K-pop girl band BLACKPINK's Jennie; and multi-talented designer, DJ, and producer Peggy Gou. 2025-12-17 13:46:41

Another BTS song hits 700 million views on YouTube SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - K-pop juggernaut BTS's another music video has racked up over 700 million views on YouTube, their management agency said on Thursday. Released in July 2021, "Permission to Dance" achieved the milestone the previous day, with the septet now having ten such videos under their belt. The upbeat dance-pop track offered comfort during the coronavirus pandemic, encouraging people to find joy and freedom through music. The English-language single debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 at the time of its release and stayed on the chart for seven weeks. It also received a Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over 500,000 copies. All seven BTS members, now reunited after their mandatory military service, are set to return to the stage this spring. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-11 14:19:50

Mystery thriller debuts at No. 2 on Netflix's non-English chart SEOUL, December 10 (AJP) - Netflix's latest South Korean series "The Price of Confession" ranked to No. 2 on the American streaming giant's chart for non-English-language shows, immediately after its release last week. Since its release on Dec. 5, the 12-episode series has racked up 2.2 million views as of Wednesday. It also made the top 10 lists in nine countries including Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand. The mystery thriller starring actresses Jeon Do-yeon and Kim Go-eun revolves around a woman accused of murdering her husband and another mysterious woman, as secrets and confessions and secrets unfold in a gripping pursuit of truth. Meanwhile, rom-com "Dynamite Kiss" starring Jang Ki-yong and Ahn Eun-jin topped the chart with 4.8 million views. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-10 17:23:20

AI sparks a creative rebirth in Korean short films SEOUL, December 10 (AJP) - South Korea’s short drama market is undergoing a rapid transformation as artificial intelligence moves from an experimental tool to a full-scale production engine, slashing costs and widening the boundaries of what can be created. At the center of the shift is Vigloo, operated by Spoon Labs, which will release a slate of AI-driven short dramas in 2025, including "My Savior from Hell" and "Seoul: 2053." The projects were developed with AI integrated into every stage of the pipeline — from concept and script development to visual effects and post-production — cutting location and VFX costs by more than 90 percent and reducing overall production time by half. "My Savior from Hell", a romantic drama centered on a contract relationship with a chaebol heir, uses image-to-video technology optimized for vertical formats, an increasingly dominant mode for mobile-first viewers. "Seoul: 2053", a dystopian sci-fi collaboration with Johnny Bros, deployed AI to render traditionally resource-intensive elements such as humanoids and sandstorms. The project allowed Vigloo to refine its AI production-support model, proving that cinematic world-building can be reimagined within the constraints of short-form storytelling. Beyond production, Vigloo is applying AI across translation, dubbing, content classification, and personalized recommendations, aiming to fuse production, distribution, and marketing into a single streamlined workflow — a model that could redefine how short dramas are monetized and localized for global audiences. Other players are moving quickly. EOContents Group, known for hits like "My Perfect Secretary", is producing two AI-driven series, "Soon, It’s Night" and "Soon, It’s Work," using AI-generated humans capable of natural emotional expression. The company plans to release 127 episodes across its “Soon” franchise, betting that AI-guided performance and efficient micro-production cycles will accelerate global exports. Westworld Story is also experimenting at scale. Through a project supported by the Korea Creative Content Agency, the company produced short-form dramas such as "Single Hell" and "The Uninvited Guest at My Wedding", using AI to craft unconventional narrative elements that would have been costly or complex to film manually. These projects have already initiated discussions for global co-productions, highlighting how AI is helping Korean creators pitch more ambitious storytelling to international partners. The remaining challenge is cultural, not technological. K-dramas have built their global audience on emotional specificity — subtle eye movements, pauses, and tonal shifts that convey a uniquely Korean style of intimacy and tension. As AI-generated short dramas expand into romance, sci-fi, thriller, and hybrid genres, the industry is watching closely to see whether technology can enhance narrative richness without flattening the emotional depth that defines K-content. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-10 11:20:49

BTS' Jungkook makes cover of Rolling Stone magazine SEOUL, December 9 (AJP) - Jungkook, a member of K-pop juggernaut BTS, has been featured on the cover of monthly magazine Rolling Stone. Jungkook became the first South Korean artist to appear on the cover of the British edition of the influential music industry trade magazine, with online versions also featuring him in China, France, India, the Philippines and the U.S. "This is a time where I can evaluate whether I can take another leap forward," he told the magazine. "Rather than doing the same kind of performances or similar songs repeatedly, I'm trying new things and continuing to evolve so I can show different sides of myself." He added, "I want to be an artist who doesn't get dragged by the flow, but creates the flow." Recently, his solo tracks surpassed a combined total of 10 billion streams on Spotify as of the end of November, making him the first K-pop solo artist to reach the milestone. His single "Seven" has also accumulated 2.6 billion streams since its release in July 2023. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-09 13:49:30

Latest song by SM founder's rookie girl band makes US radio chart SEOUL, December 9 (AJP) -Multinational girl band A20 MAY's latest song has been included in this week's top 40 chart compiled by U.S. Mediabase. Their song "PAPARAZZI ARRIVE" reached No. 39 on the chart released on Sunday, which is calculated based on the most played songs on radio stations in North America. The quintet with Mandarin-speaking and Chinese-American members, groomed by Lee Soo-man, the founder of SM Entertainment who later left his namesake company amid allegations including tax evasion and unfair business practices, have already made multiple entries on the chart with their debut single "Under My Skin" in April and their follow-up song "BOSS" in June and July. The girls are set to perform at iHeartRadio Z100's annual holiday concert Jingle Ball in New York slated for Dec. 12, along with big names like Ed Sheeran, MONSTA X, and Nelly. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-09 11:06:55

Park Chan-wook's film earns multiple Golden Globe nominations SEOUL, December 9 (AJP) - Award-winning director Park Chan-wook's latest film "No Other Choice" has been nominated for the annual Golden Globe Awards. According to nominations for the prestigious awards unveiled on Monday with winners to be revealed next month, Park's 12th feature will compete against "Blue Moon," "Bugonia," "Marty Supreme," "Nouvelle Vague," and "One Battle After Another" in the category of "Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy." The film is also up for an award given to the best non-English language film, while lead actor Lee Byung-hoon is vying for "Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy." Lee will compete with Ethan Hawke ("Blue Moon"), George Clooney ("Jay Kelly"), Jesse Plemons ("Bugonia"), Leonardo DiCaprio ("One Battle After Another"), and Timothée Chalamet ("Marty Supreme"). Netflix's hit anime "KPop Demon Hunters" also earned three nominations – "Best Motion Picture – Animated," "Best Original Song -Motion Picture," and "Cinematic and Box Office Achievement." The Hollywood remake "Bugonia," based on the 2003 South Korean film "Save the Green Planet!," received nominations for "Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy," "Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy" (Jesse Plemons) and "Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy" (Emma Stone). The 83rd Golden Globe Awards will take place in Los Angeles on Jan. 11 next year. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-09 09:11:22

Rosé named Variety's 'Global Hitmaker of the Year' for her viral song SEOUL, December 8 (AJP) - K-pop girl band BLACKPINK's member Rosé has been included among American weekly magazine Variety's annual "Hitmakers" list, her agency said on Monday. She was awarded "Global Hitmaker of the Year" at the magazine's ninth annual "Hitmakers" gathering in Los Angeles last Saturday, which recognizes the "artists and collaborators behind the year's 25 most popular songs." "Rising star Rosé, who fielded a big hit with 'Apt.' in tandem with Bruno Mars, also reflected on how quickly success can strike. The collaboration with the veteran hitmaker led to 'an absolute explosion of surprises and an overwhelming amount of love.' And she admitted that gaining international recognition has been 'a tiny bit of a mindfuck,'" the magazine said. In her acceptance speech, Rosé called the past year a "whirlwind of unimaginable events," adding that watching the song's popularity soar was a "real joy." Since its release in October last year, the catchy song has gone viral worldwide, becoming the longest-running K-pop song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-08 10:43:00

BTS's RM confesses thinking of disbanding group "thousands of times" SEOUL, December 07 (AJP) - BTS leader RM confessed he had repeatedly questioned whether the K-pop superstar group should disband or suspend its activities altogether, despite the seven members all having finished their military service by June this year, implying deep internal pressure and a series of undisclosed circumstances that prevented the group from returning sooner. During a Weverse live session on Saturday, RM directly addressed fans wondering about the group’s long silence. “Many people ask, ‘Why did you waste the second half of 2025?’ or ‘Why didn’t you do anything?’” he said. “I also wanted to pursue various activities after being discharged, but there were circumstances I can’t talk about. I don’t have the right to explain everything, so I can’t disclose it all.” Rapper Suga was the last of the bandmates to be released in June, following RM, V, Jimin, and Jung Kook earlier in the year and Jin, the eldest who was discharged in June 2024, and j-hope in October in the same year. BTS has not held a concert since October 2022, marking the longest hiatus of the group’s career. After concluding the “Permission to Dance” tour and releasing a series of solo projects, all seven members entered South Korea’s mandatory military service between late 2022 and 2024. Their enlistments halted group activities at a time when BTS was at the height of global influence, driving billions of dollars in cultural exports, tourism and global attention to South Korea. For years, BTS’s military service had been the subject of national debate over whether cultural contributions could warrant exemption. HYBE ultimately confirmed in October 2022 that the members would serve without exception. Their staggered schedules ensured a full-group comeback would not occur until all had been discharged in 2025. With all seven now having completed their service, fans widely expected a swift reactivation of BTS as a full group. RM, however, indicated the path has not been simple. “I couldn’t sleep. The pressure is huge.” RM described the emotional weight of preparing for a return on such a massive scale. “I want to perform right away, but preparing for it requires so much, and the personal pressure is huge,” he said. “Since last month, I haven’t even been able to sleep. I was thinking about whether I should get a prescription for sleeping pills." He apologized for the extended wait. “I’m truly sorry for making you wait so long. But we have our reasons, and we can’t come back easily until we can present something you’ll be satisfied with,” he said. “Considering the scale and all the circumstances involved, this may sound like an excuse, but I ask for your understanding. We will return. There may be times when it’s not exactly what you hoped for, but I will do my best.” RM confirmed that the group’s new album—planned for release next spring—is nearly complete, with the members practicing daily and filming content throughout December. “Our comeback is soon,” he said. “We will be practicing and filming this month.” The livestream took a more vulnerable turn when RM revealed he had repeatedly questioned the future of the group. “I’ve wondered thousands of times, ‘Would it be better for the team to disband or go on hiatus?’” he said. “But the reason we’re still together is because of the love between the members and the respect we have for our fans.” His remarks offered a rare glimpse into the strain of managing expectations of a global fanbase while navigating military obligations, creative direction and personal well-being. “I love you in my own way.” RM ended the livestream with a message to ARMY. “I love you all. I hope you really know that,” he said. “Even if that love doesn’t come back to me in the same way, I’ll keep loving you in my own way.” With the full group reunited and their comeback preparations underway, BTS’s return next spring is poised to be one of the most closely watched events in the global music industry—marking the end of a three-year military hiatus and the beginning of the group’s next chapter. 2025-12-07 16:56:31