Two South Korean shows top Netflix's non-English charts SEOUL, March 27 (AJP) - Two South Korean shows have topped Netflix's latest charts for non-English series. According to the U.S. streaming giant, "When Life Gives You Tangerines" starring singer and actress IU and heartthrob Park Bo-gum took the top spot for TV shows, while director Yeon Sang-ho's thriller "Revelations" ranked atop the film charts, amassing 5.7 million and 5.5 million viewing hours, respectively for the week ending last Friday. Shortly after its release on Netflix early this month, the 16-episode drama, which traces the long-spanning life of a family from the 1950s, became a hit with its heartwarming story that evokes nostalgia among viewers. It is now gaining even more attention as its final episodes become available later this week. Meanwhile, Yeon's latest thriller, which revolves around a pastor and a detective, each driven by their own beliefs to confront their demons, debuted at No. 1, securing a spot in the top 10 in some 39 countries including Argentina, Greece, Indonesia, Japan, Portugal, and Spain. 2025-03-27 18:08:49

Stars rush to donate money for wildfire victims SEOUL, March 27 (AJP) - K-pop stars and other celebrities are extending their support to those affected by a spate of massive wildfires that have continued to devastate the southeastern part of the country since last Friday. Versatile star IU made a generous donation of 200 million won (US$140,000), while singer-turned-actress Suzy gave 100 million won ($69,000). Actresses Han Ji-min and Park Bo-young donated 50 million won ($37,000) each. Other fellow stars like Go Min-si, Go Youn-jung and Hyeri also offered their helping hands. Donations are also pouring in from big businesses to help restore affected areas and support relief efforts with Samsung pledging 3 billion won ($2.1 million), Hyundai, LG, POSCO and SK providing 2 billion ($1.4 million) won each. Meanwhile, firefighters and other rescue officials have been battling to contain the unprecedented wildfires spreading across Gyeongsang provinces for almost a week, killing at least 26 people and displacing tens of thousands as of Thursday. 2025-03-27 15:36:36

Aespa set to captivate global fans with English version of their latest hit song SEOUL, March 27 (AJP) - K-pop girl group Aespa unveiled the English version of their hit song "Whiplash" on major music-streaming sites here on Thursday, in an effort to connect with more global fans. The upbeat song, the lead track of their fifth mini album, gained popularity with its addictive melody and energetic dance moves, selling 1.02 million copies in just three weeks after its release in October last year. In particular, the song's shimmy and shoulder-shaking dance went viral, with chorographical tutorials even circulating online among many K-pop fans. Meanwhile, the quartet will perform the song for global fans as they are set to attend Billboard's annual music awards event scheduled to be held in Los Angeles, California this weekend, according to their agency SM Entertainment. Marking its second year since inception, the nascent Billboard Women in Music honors influential female artists worldwide, and AESPA members – Winter, Karina, Ningning, and Giselle – were named this year's recipients of the "Group of the Year" award, given to a band. In its article last week, the U.S. music magazine praised AESPA, calling them the outfit who "leveraged niche into unprecedented crossover success." 2025-03-27 14:36:09

At least 24 dead as wildfires devastate southern South Korea SEOUL, March 26 (AJP) - Massive wildfires in the southeastern part of the country have killed at least 24 people and injured more than two dozen as of Tuesday, with the death toll expected to rise further as firefighters continue to struggle to contain the blazes that began last week. The fires first broke out in Sancheong, South Gyeongsang Province last Friday, leaving four dead, and have since rapidly spread to nearby areas including Andong, Cheongsong, Uiseong, Yeongyang, and Yeongdeok in North Gyeongsang Province, fanned by strong winds and dry weather amid unseasonal early-summer heat. According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, most of the victims were elderly people in their 60s and 70s and were found either on roads or at their homes. Authorities believe they either could not evacuate in time or died while fleeing from the engulfing flames. The uncontrollable fires forced some 27,000 people to evacuate their homes and have already destroyed some national treasures and historical assets including an ancient temple in Uiseong and a 400-year-old pine tree in Yeongdeok. At one point, the blazes were also threatening to spread to UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Hahoe Village, the well-preserved historic clan village, as well as Byeongsan Seowon, a Confucian academy, both in Andong, which hold significant architectural value. Around 500 inmates at a prison in Cheongsong were also hurriedly transferred to nearby detention facilities, according to the Justice Ministry. With strong winds of up to 25 meters per second worsening the situation, government authorities have been battling to extinguish the fires for almost a week, despite mobilizing thousands of firefighters, along with dozens of helicopters and other emergency equipment. As the number of casualties rises amid the raging fires that have devastated tens of thousands of hectares of land and forest, criticism is growing over the failure to come up with effective safety measures and proper evacuation plans. Meanwhile, a helicopter crashed during firefighting operations around 1 p.m. in Uiseong, killing the pilot, according to the Korea Forest Service. Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash. 2025-03-26 11:12:50

Massive wildfires continue to ravage southeastern areas SEOUL, March 25 (AJP) - A spate of wildfires gripping the southeastern part of the country since last week has burned about 15,000 hectares of land and forest, displacing more than 3,300 people, with four dead and several injured as of Tuesday. Firefighters and other rescue officials are still battling wildfires in parts of Sancheong, South Gyeongsang Province, Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, which have been raging since last Friday. Fanned by strong gusts and dry weather, with even a small lingering ember igniting further flames, the fires continue to spread to nearby areas such as Andong and Ulsan. These affected provincial areas were designated as special disaster zones to assist victims with loans and other relief subsidies. "We deployed all available resources including over 6,700 personnel and 110 helicopters in an all-out effort to contain the blaze and prevent further spread," said Ko Ki-dong, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters. Despite firefighting efforts, authorities have struggled to contain the wildfires as strong winds fuel their spread, exacerbated by unseasonal heat, with daytime highs reaching around 25 degrees Celsius, similar to early summer temperatures. Although rainfall is expected nationwide on Thursday, a trickle of about 5 mm may not be enough to provide much-needed relief in dousing the wildfires and alleviating the dry conditions. Meanwhile, authorities say that forest fires often occur during the spring season, as people flock to the mountains to see flowers or visit ancestral graves, which seems to have caused more fires. Arsonists and others responsible for fires can face up to three years in prison or fines of up to 30 million won ($22,600). 2025-03-25 16:42:14

Controversy continues to brew over Actor Kim Soo-hyun's relationship with late actress SEOUL, March 24 (AJP) - A sordid saga involving the late actress Kim Sae-ron deepens as fresh evidence surfaces one after another, met with repeated denials and conflicting accounts. The story began to unfold shortly after the 24-year-old actress, who had been in a relationship with actor Kim Soo-hyun, was found dead in an apparent suicide at her home in eastern Seoul last month, reportedly struggling with financial difficulties. With the rumor mill grinding even more over what led to her tragic death, along with other trivial details of her private life, the actress' bereaved family sued a YouTuber earlier this month for making false and groundless claims about her. They also revealed that the actor, 12 years her senior, had been in a long-term relationship with her, claiming that it began when she was a still minor. As the dating controversy led to a flurry of advertisers terminating their endorsement deals, the actor, who initially denied any romantic involvement with her, admitted to the relationship but insisted they had only been seeing each other for some time after she had come of age. The family then disclosed intimate photos of the two on a YouTube channel, urging him to come forward with the truth and apologize. That soon led to mudslinging with the actor's agency filing a complaint against the channel last week. It warned that revealing such provocative photos and private messages exchanged between the two Kims would only make things worse, adding that Kim has already been enduring "immeasurable harm." Under mounting scrutiny, the actor at the same time expressed his willingness to meet with the actress' family as an amicable gesture to clear up any misunderstandings and resolve the issue. But they remain adamant, saying, "We are very disappointed by his continued denials. All we want is a sincere apology from him." Once seen as one of the most promising starlets after her appearance in the 2010 hit action thriller "The Man from Nowhere," she crashed while driving under influence, which coincided just ahead of the release of Netflix's hit drama series "Bloodhounds" in 2022, eventually dealing a huge blow to her acting career. The producer of the series filed a compensation claim for damages caused by her DUI scandal, but the actress was unable to pay due to financial hardship from being repeatedly denied roles amid persistent public criticism. After her contract with talent agency Gold Medalist expired last year, it demanded that the actress repay about 700 million won (about US$525,000) including legal fees and other expenses it had covered on her behalf. The two Kims seemed to have parted ways at some point for some reasons, but she suddenly turned to her ex-boyfriend, a co-founder of the agency, to beg for a delay in the repayment. However, unable to get a hold of him, she posted a photo of the two together on Instagram, hoping to grab his attention, only to delete it almost immediately. That could have been her last, desperate attempt to seek help before her suicide, as those who take their own lives often send clear warning signals, though many fail to recognize them. It has only recently come to light that she had previously made multiple attempts to end her life. The actor vehemently denies any involvement in his ex's debt troubles, stressing that it was entirely a matter between her and her agency. But the fallout has already begun, with his upcoming Netflix series and other projects either canceled or put on hold. Additionally, he has lost endorsement deals with several domestic and international brands, which could lead to lawsuits for damages or penalties due to breach of contract. As accusations and denials continue to fly from both sides, coupled with leaks of controversial and petty tidbits, their battle shows no signs of ending. 2025-03-24 17:30:03

NewJeans members announce hiatus after court ruling SEOUL, March 24 (AJP) - K-pop girl group NewJeans, now renamed as NJZ, will halt their activities following last Friday's court ruling, which banned them from engaging in independent activities amid a legal dispute with their agency. "We won't be able to perform for a while, as we have been suspended from our own activities," the quintet said during their concert in Hong Kong last Sunday where they revealed their new song "Pit Stop." Despite the court's ban, the concert went ahead, as it was arranged prior to the ruling. Their agency ADOR on Monday expressed regrets over the concert and their "unilateral" announcement of halting their activities indefinitely. Nevertheless, the agency vowed to remain committed to the girls "under the legally valid contract," adding that it wants to "meet with them as soon as possible to resolve misunderstandings and discuss the way forward." The court earlier ruled in favor of ADOR, banning NewJeans from engaging in independent activities, including signing endorsement deals. The court explained that the agency did not violate key contractual obligations and that the trust between them was not deemed to be "irreconcilably broken." NewJeans' five members are expected to appeal the court's decision, seeking to annul their contract with ADOR. In November 2023, NewJeans unilaterally announced their decision to terminate their contract with ADOR, citing the agency's breach of obligations and negligence. 2025-03-24 15:32:31

Reality show featuring kids faces uncertainty over airing amid growing controversy SEOUL, March 24 (AJP) - Cable channel MBN's upcoming reality show featuring young K-pop wannabes encountered an unexpected stumbling block over its airing, shortly after its racy teaser was revealed earlier this month. "Under Fifteen," which is supposed to air on March 31, now faces uncertainty about whether it will be postponed or canceled altogether as MBN gave in to mounting controversy over whether it is appropriate for young kids to appear on the show. "We are fully aware of the concerns raised about the show and will thoroughly review whether to proceed with its airing," it said in a statement last week. The show featuring some 59 contestants under the age of 15 from over 70 countries was about to showcase their battle for a chance to become K-pop's next big stars. 2025-03-24 11:29:18

Constitutional Court to deliver verdict on PM's impeachment SEOUL, March 20 (AJP) - The Constitutional Court of Korea will deliver its ruling on the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo next week. In a notice on Thursday, the court said the verdict will be made at 10 a.m. on Monday, about three months after he was impeached by the National Assembly on Dec. 27 over his refusal to appoint justices and several other allegations related to President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law debacle late last year. While serving as acting president shortly after Yoon's Dec. 3 declaration of martial law, Han refused to appoint three nominees to fill vacancies at the highest court, insisting on a parliamentary agreement to do so. He also denied any involvement in the debacle. If upheld, Han, who has been suspended from his duties, will be stripped of his post. Otherwise, he will immediately return to his job, which is currently being filled by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok. All eyes are expected to be on Han's ruling, as it comes just ahead of Yoon's impending verdict in his impeachment trial, which is anticipated later in the week. 2025-03-20 17:53:19

Marriages surge to over 200,000 for first time since pandemic SEOUL, March 20 (AJP) - The number of marriages sharply increased last year, seeing the largest jump in almost three decades, Statistics Korea said on Thursday. About 222,000 couples tied the knot, up 14.8 percent or 29,000 couples from the previous year, seeing the largest increase since 1996 when the number of marriages grew by 36,000. The surge comes as the number of people born in the 1990s reaches their early to mid-30s, which is often considered the prime age for getting married in South Korea. Postponed weddings due to the coronavirus pandemic also contributed to the spike, pushing the total number of marriages past 200,000 for the first time since dropping to 193,000 in 2021. Among first-time married couples, 63.4 percent had an older husband, 19.9 percent had an older wife, and 16.6 percent were of the same age. The number of marriages involving a foreign spouse reached 21,000, up 5.3 percent or 1,000 couples compared to the previous year. As for foreign wives, Vietnamese accounted for the largest proportion at 32.1 percent, followed by Chinese at 16.7 percent and Thai at 13.7 percent. Among foreign husbands, Americans made up the largest proportion at 28.8 percent, followed by Chinese at 17.6 percent and Vietnamese at 15 percent. "The increase attributed to multiple factors including the growing population of people in their early 30s," said a spokesperson from Statistics Korea. "Government policies aimed at encouraging marriage may have played a part as well." Meanwhile, the number of divorces decreased for the fifth consecutive year, continuing its downward trend since 2020. The country has long struggled with a super-low birth rate amid an aging population, prompting policymakers to come up with various measures to support marriage and childrearing. The latest surge in marriages brings some relief, but it remains to be seen whether this trend will continue. 2025-03-20 16:15:22