Journalist

Choi Song-hui
  • New year to bring box-office hope for domestic films
    New year to bring box-office hope for domestic films SEOUL, December 31 (AJP) - As the Year of the Snake draws to a close, a slew of domestic films stands ready to usher in the new year, after Hollywood blockbusters dominated the year-end box office. With no single standout hit seen among domestic films, "Zootopia 2," Disney's sequel to the 2016 hit animated film, and "Fire and Ash," the third installment in director James Cameron's epic "Avatar" franchise, have dominated the holiday season, drawing cumulative attendances of 7 million and 4 million respectively since their releases in late November and mid-December. But expectations are building for the new year, as a slate of domestic films such as "Once We Were Us," "Heartman," and "Project Y" awaits moviegoers. Released on the eve of the Year of the Horse, "Once We Were Us" starring Koo Kyo-hwan and Moon Ga-young, tells a nostalgic love story of a couple who reunite by chance after 10 years, retracing their past memories. Set for release on Jan. 14, Romantic comedy "Heartman" starring Kwon Sang-woo and Moon Chae-won revolves around a man who bumps into his first love and tries to win her back until a life-altering secret throws him into unexpected chaos. Following their releases, heist flick "Project Y" is set to arrive on Jan. 21 to keep the momentum. Much anticipation has been building for the female buddy movie starring Han So-hee and Jeon Jong-seo, which was invited to the Toronto International Film Festival and the Busan International Film Festival last fall, and also won the top prize at the London Asian Film Festival last month. 2025-12-31 10:31:06
  • SHINees Key leaves TV shows amid alleged improper medical treatment controversy
    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 magazines list of influential icons
    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
    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 Netflixs non-English chart
    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
    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
    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 founders rookie girl band makes US radio chart
    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-wooks film earns multiple Golden Globe nominations
    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 Varietys Global Hitmaker of the Year for her viral song
    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