Journalist

Choi Song-hui
  • Swedish royals tour SM Entertainment to explore K-pops global reach
    Swedish royals tour SM Entertainment to explore K-pop's global reach SEOUL, October 17 (AJP) - Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel visited SM Entertainment on Thursday, highlighting the growing cultural ties between Sweden and South Korea and the global influence of the K-pop industry, the company said Friday. The royal couple’s visit to the Seoul-based entertainment powerhouse was part of their official trip to South Korea, which focuses on fostering exchange in the cultural and creative sectors. At SM Entertainment’s headquarters, the couple was greeted by co-chief executives Jang Cheol-hyuk and Tak Young-jun, along with Chief A&R Officer Lee Sung-soo and Chief Global Officer Choi Jung-min. They toured key creative spaces, including recording and artist studios, and were briefed on SM’s global production system and digital technology infrastructure. Prince Daniel described SM Entertainment as a “true music company,” expressing particular interest in the collaboration between Swedish composers and K-pop producers — a partnership that has shaped the sound of many global hits. He praised the “creative synergy” between the two countries’ music industries. During the visit, the royals met with members of Hearts2Hearts, a rookie girl group under SM, to discuss their musical activities and training process. The artists presented the couple with signed albums and merchandise, gifts the royals called “unforgettable.” In a meeting with company executives, discussions centered on K-pop’s international influence and the sustainability of its creative ecosystem. Co-CEO Jang Cheol-hyuk underscored the long-standing collaboration between SM and Sweden’s music scene, expressing hope for continued partnership and innovation. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-17 09:51:17
  • K pop to drum up APEC celebration on Oct. 10
    K pop to drum up APEC celebration on Oct. 10 SEOUL, September 30 (AJP) - South Korea, home to K-pop, is hosting APEC Music Festival on Oct. 10 to drum up celebratory mood toward the 2025 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) held in Gyeongju. The event to stage on Gyeongju Civic Stadium is co-hosted by North Gyeongsang Province and Gyeongju governments with support from the APEC Summit Organizing Committee. KBSN, the main broadcaster. Performers include Billie, NCT Wish, Choi Yena, ONF, ONEUS, WEi, Youth Fear, Izna, Jung Daehyun, Kickflip, Ha Sungwoon, H1-KEY, and HATSUHATSU, showcasing a wide range of K-pop genres. The concert will be livestreamed on the KBS K-pop YouTube channel, which has 9.91 million subscribers, and broadcast globally starting Oct. 21 on KBS2, KBSN, and KBS World channels. Fans worldwide can also watch via KBS World YouTube, which has 20.3 million subscribers. A special program, 'Woman On Music' (WOM), will take place on Oct. 24 at Bomun Lake, featuring female artists from South Korea, China, Japan, Russia, and Vietnam. The 90-minute show will deliver messages of hope for future generations. An event official stated, "The 2025 APEC Music Festival is more than a concert; it's a platform to showcase Korean culture's strength globally. It will express the APEC Summit's core themes of 'connectivity, innovation, and prosperity' through cultural language." Tickets will be available for free via NOL Interpark starting at 5 p.m. on Sept. 30. Meanwhile, the Silla Cultural Festival will also take place in Gyeongju from Oct. 10 to 12, featuring traditional and modern performances, street art, and the Silk Road Festival. Together, these events will transform Gyeongju into a celebration of history and popular culture. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-30 14:58:00
  • Pop-up stores for popular South Korean time-slip series set to open across Asia
    Pop-up stores for popular South Korean time-slip series set to open across Asia SEOUL, September 30 (AJP) - Following the huge success of cable channel tvN's period drama "Bon Appétit, Your Majesty," pop-up stores selling merchandise and other goods in three Asian countries are expected to keep captivating fans. The drama's production company, Studio Dragon, said on Tuesday it will open pop-up stores in South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, with the one in Seoul running from Thursday through next week. In Japan, these stores will be available from Wednesday to Oct. 10 in Tokyo, before touring several Japanese cities including Fukuoka, Nagoya, and Osaka. The drama's script featuring memorable lines and scenes will also be available for pre-order starting Thursday, along with photobooks and other merchandise. "Thanks to the drama's overwhelming popularity, we've prepared a variety of merchandise including posters, postcards, stickers, embroidery, key rings, and utensils," said a Studio Dragon staffer, expressing hopes to delight fans. The 12-part time-slip series, along with a special episode, which concluded early this week, topped Netflix's global chart for non-English TV shows for two consecutive weeks and remained in the global top 10 for five weeks, amassing 32.4 million views and 265.8 million viewing hours within a month, making it one of this year's top dramas. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-30 14:53:50
  • Rookie boy bands debut album ranks 15th on Billboard 200
    Rookie boy band's debut album ranks 15th on Billboard 200 SEOUL, September 24 (AJP) - K-pop boy band CORTIS's debut album has made it onto the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart for this week. According to Billboard's latest chart released Tuesday, the quintet's "Color Outside The Lines" ranked 15th, just a few weeks after its release earlier this month, an impressive feat for a rookie K-pop act. The album contains five tracks including "What You Want," a song about pursuing dreams with confidence. CORTIS also ranked 24th on the American music chart's "Artist 100," which evaluate the "most popular artists across all genres" based on weekly album and track sales. The five-member group debuted with the album on Sept. 8, becoming the first new boy band in about six years from K-pop behemoth Big Hit Music, after Tomorrow X Together (TXT) in 2019. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-24 10:10:39