Journalist
Joonha Yoo, and Yoo Na-hyun
joonhayoo94@ajupress.com
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Korea spearheads Asia rebound as crude falls below $90 SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) -South Korean stocks posted the strongest advance in Asia on Tuesday, reversing course after leading the region’s losses a day earlier as oil prices retreated sharply from above $100 a barrel and eased fears of a prolonged energy shock from the Middle East conflict. Korea’s benchmark KOSPI closed up 5.35 percent at 5,532.6, recouping much of Monday’s nearly 6 percent drop triggered by the surge in crude prices. The rally gathered momentum after oil prices slid overnight to below $90 per barrel, reviving investor sentiment and triggering a buy-side sidecar shortly after the opening bell as the main index jumped more than 6 percent. Foreign and institutional investors drove the rebound in Seoul. Foreigners bought a net 1.1 trillion won ($749 million) worth of shares on the KOSPI, while institutions added 847 billion won. Individual investors locked in profits, selling a net 1.8 trillion won. Technology shares led the advance. Samsung Electronics surged 8.3 percent to 187,900 won, while SK hynix jumped 12.2 percent to 938,000 won. Automakers also gained, with Hyundai Motor rising 3.6 percent. The smaller KOSDAQ also climbed 3.21 percent to finish at 1,137.7. Foreign investors purchased 128 billion won worth of shares on the KOSDAQ, while institutions added 72 billion won. Retail investors were heavy sellers, offloading about 200 billion won. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 2.9 percent to close at 54,248.39, while the broader TOPIX gained 2.2 percent. Semiconductor equipment makers supported the rally, with Tokyo Electron advancing 2.9 percent and Advantest climbing 5.3 percent. Taiwan’s TAIEX added 2.1 percent to close at 32,771.9, tracking gains in global semiconductor stocks. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index climbed 1.9 percent to 25,888, while mainland China’s Shanghai Composite rose 0.6 percent. The rebound in regional markets came after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested the conflict with Iran could end soon, easing concerns over prolonged disruption to global energy supplies. “We are going to have a much safer world as soon as it ends, and it's going to finish pretty quickly,” Trump said during a speech at the Republican Members’ Issues Conference in Florida. Brent crude dropped about 8 percent to $90.25 per barrel, while U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate fell nearly 8 percent to $87.24. The Korean won also strengthened as easing oil prices improved investor sentiment, closing at 1,469.3 per dollar compared with 1,467.5 won the previous session. 2026-03-10 17:47:22 -
BTS comeback D-11: Extra tickets to open as Seoul prepares for massive crowds SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) — Organizers of BTS’s comeback concert in central Seoul will release an additional 7,000 tickets this week, expanding the official audience capacity as authorities and nearby institutions brace for crowds that could swell to around 260,000 people in the Gwanghwamun area. BigHit Music said Tuesday that an additional round of tickets for “BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG” will go on sale at 8 p.m. Thursday through the NOL ticket platform. The newly added viewing zone will stretch from Sejong-daero Intersection toward Gwanghwamun Station on Line 5 and City Hall Station on Line 1, where fans will watch the performance on large LED screens installed along the boulevard. The expansion will increase official capacity to about 22,000 spectators, according to the agency. Authorities expect far larger crowds beyond the ticketed audience as fans gather across the Gwanghwamun district, one of Seoul’s busiest civic corridors. Preparations are already altering daily operations across the area. KT Corp. said it will close its Gwanghwamun headquarters on the day of the concert, citing safety concerns as massive crowds are expected to gather near the venue. Employee access will be restricted and commercial facilities inside the building will suspend operations. Several cafés and bakery outlets inside the complex are also expected to close, while nearby businesses are reviewing operating hours ahead of the surge in visitors. Cultural institutions surrounding Gwanghwamun Square are adjusting schedules as well. The National Museum of Korean Contemporary History said it will temporarily close on March 21 for safety reasons. The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts has cancelled or rescheduled several performances scheduled that day due to anticipated congestion around the square, though the art exhibition “The Fourth Wall” by actor and painter Park Shin-yang will remain open. Historic landmarks nearby will also suspend operations. Gyeongbokgung Palace and the National Palace Museum of Korea said they will temporarily close to prevent safety incidents and reduce inconvenience to visitors as crowds gather around the district. Transportation across central Seoul will also be significantly adjusted. City officials said subway stations near the venue — Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5), City Hall Station (Lines 1 and 2), and Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3) — may allow trains to pass through without stopping for several hours during the event to prevent dangerous crowd congestion. Access to certain station exits may also be restricted depending on real-time conditions. Seoul plans to deploy more than 3,400 personnel for on-site safety management, operating a dedicated civil safety headquarters coordinating crowd control, medical support and emergency response. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency will deploy about 4,800 officers, including riot police and counterterror units prepared to respond to potential threats. Organizers are also tightening measures against ticket scalping and fraudulent entry. BigHit Music said it will monitor online resale postings and strengthen identity verification procedures for attendees. Ahead of the concert, BTS will release its fifth studio album “ARIRANG” at 1 p.m. on March 20, one day before the performance. The comeback concert will also be streamed globally on Netflix. 2026-03-10 16:13:12 -
SM executives make Billboard's 2026 Global Power Players list SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) - Three executives from SM Entertainment have been named to "Billboard’s 2026 Global Power Players list," which recognizes influential leaders in the global music industry outside the United States, the company said Tuesday. Included on the list were SM Co-CEOs Jang Cheol-hyuk and Tak Young-jun, along with Choi Jung-min, the company’s chief global officer. Billboard’s Global Power Players list highlights executives who have driven the international music industry outside the United States. Tak has appeared on the list for five consecutive years since 2022, while Jang was selected for the third straight year since 2024, according to the company. Choi was included for the first time, reflecting her role overseeing the company’s global branding and business operations. The recognition comes as SM continues to expand its global presence. In 2025, the company marked its 30th anniversary with projects including concerts, album releases, orchestral performances and pop-up events across Asia, the Americas and Europe. Over the past few years, SM’s operating profit has more than doubled, rising from 74.1 billion won ($50.3 million) in 2021 to 183 billion won in 2025, up 147 percent. In January of 2026, SM also announced its "SM NEXT 3.0" strategy, which focuses on sustainable growth through the development of new intellectual property and expanded global business initiatives. Executives from other major K-pop industries were also included on this year’s list, including HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk and JYP Entertainment founder Park Jin-young, along with other senior executives from the companies. 2026-03-10 11:19:47 -
Asian stocks tumble as oil surge rattles markets; Korea triggers circuit breaker SEOUL, March 09 (AJP) - Asian stock markets fell sharply Monday as surging oil prices and escalating tensions in the Middle East triggered a broad risk selloff across the region, with Korea and Japan among the hardest hit. Korea’s benchmark KOSPI closed at 5,251.9, down 6 percent, after plunging more than 8 percent throughout the trading session and briefly falling to 5,096.2. The sharp drop triggered a Level-1 circuit breaker, temporarily halting trading for 20 minutes. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 5.2 percent to 52,728.72, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index declined 1.84 percent to 25,282.5. China’s Shanghai Composite slipped 0.7 percent to 4,096.02, reflecting broader risk aversion across regional markets. Circuit breaker and sidecar triggered in Korea Market safeguards were activated as selling pressure intensified in Seoul. The Korea Exchange triggered a sell-side sidecar at 9:06 a.m. (0006 GMT) after program-driven selling accelerated in both the KOSPI and KOSDAQ markets. Later at 10:31 a.m., a Level-1 circuit breaker was triggered on the KOSPI, halting all trading for 20 minutes after the index fell more than 8 percent throughout the session for over one minute. It marked the second circuit breaker in just three trading sessions, underscoring the extreme volatility gripping Korean equities. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ closed 4.5 percent lower at 1,102.3, after hitting a low of 1,067.24. Foreign investors lead heavy selling Foreign and institutional investors drove the sell-off in South Korea. Foreign investors sold 3.18 trillion won ($2.3 billion) worth of shares on the KOSPI, as institutions followed by dumping 1.53 trillion won. Retail investors stepped in as bargain hunters, buying 4.62 trillion won, helping the index recover from its session lows. On the KOSDAQ market, foreigners sold 544.1 billion won, while individuals bought 517 billion won and institutions added 49.5 billion won. Market heavyweights tumble Major market heavyweights ended sharply lower. Samsung Electronics fell 7.8 percent to 173,500 won, while SK hynix dropped 9.5 percent to 836,000 won. Automakers also declined, with Hyundai Motor sliding 8.3 percent to 507,000 won. Battery and biotech shares weakened as well. LG Energy Solution fell 4.8 percent to 359,500 won, while Samsung Biologics dropped 4 percent to 1,579,000 won. Oil surge fuels market volatility The market turmoil followed a sharp surge in oil prices amid fears of supply disruptions linked to escalating tensions in the Middle East. West Texas Intermediate crude rose to $103.8 per barrel, up 13.8 percent, while Brent crude climbed to $107.5, gaining 16.1 percent. The spike raised concerns that global inflation pressures could reaccelerate just as central banks were preparing to ease monetary policy. Won weakens and bond yields surge Currency and bond markets also reflected rising risk aversion. The Korean won closed at 1,493.3 per dollar, up 8.3 won from the previous session and approaching the psychologically important 1,500 level. The sell-off extended to the bond market. The three-year Korean government bond yield rose 19.3 basis points to 3.420 percent, while the 10-year yield climbed 12.3 basis points to 3.739 percent. Korea’s market hit harder than regional peers Analysts said Korean equities tend to react more sharply to geopolitical shocks due to the country’s heavy dependence on Middle Eastern energy imports and the semiconductor-heavy structure of its stock market. The surge in oil prices and renewed geopolitical uncertainty have heightened concerns about volatility across global financial markets. 2026-03-09 17:12:18 -
i-dle becomes first K-pop girl band to host solo concert at Taipei Dome SEOUL, March 09 (AJP) - Five-member K-pop girl band i-dle successfully drew more than 36,000 fans on March 7, at a concert held at Taipei Dome as part of its fourth world tour, its agency Cube Entertainment said Monday. The band, comprised of five members -- Miyeon, Minnie, Soyeon, Yuqi and Shuhua -- had their concert tickets sold out immediately after general ticket sales opened on Feb. 1. The upcoming Taipei concert follows the group's three-day concert performance at Taipei Arena during its 2024 world tour. Due to strong demand, limited-view seats for the March concert were also sold out, resulting in four consecutive sold-out shows. Cube Entertainment said the performance marked the first time a K-pop girl act had performed at Taipei Dome. The dome stadium is Taiwan's iconic indoor facility with a maximum capacity of 40,000 seats. Previously, K-pop boy band Super Junior and solo female artist Taeyeon held concerts at Taipei Dome last year. The group kick-started the concert with their latest release "Mono (Feat. skaiwater)." Throughout the concert, i-dle performed songs "Nxde," "LION," "Good Thing," "I Hate Being Sick," and the unreleased track "Crow," along with solo stages for individual members alongside a live band session. For the Taipei audiences, the band also performed "Girlfriend," which had not been included in Seoul concerts, and presented a special cover of "Wu Mian," a song by Taiwanese band Sodagreen. i-dle debuted in 2018 under Cube Entertainment and is known for hit songs such as "Tomboy," "Nxde" and "Queencard." Following the Taipei concert, the band will continue on with its tour at Impact Arena in Bangkok on March 21. 2026-03-09 15:30:29 -
K-pop girl band ITZY's Yuna to roll out solo debut album 'Ice Cream' SEOUL, March 09 (AJP) - Yuna, the youngest member of the five-member K-pop girl band ITZY, will make her solo debut with album "Ice Cream," her agency JYP Entertainment said Monday. Ice Cream will consist of four tracks, including the title track of the same name. The album will be released at 6 p.m. (0900 GMT) on March 23 across major music streaming platforms. According to the tracklist released through the official social media accounts, the album will contain four songs: the title track Ice Cream, along with "B-Boy," "Blue Maze" and "Hyper Dream." The 22-year-old will be the second member of ITZY to launch a solo project following leader Yeji. She is the youngest member, widely known for her stage presence and performance skills since the group’s debut in 2019. A trailer for Yuna's upcoming album is ranked No. 2 on YouTube’s "worldwide music video trending chart," reflecting strong anticipation from fans ahead of the release. ITZY debuted in 2019 under JYP Entertainment with hit songs such as "Dalla Dalla," "Wannabe" and "Not Shy." The group drew attention early in its career after earning the nickname super rookies upon debut. The release of Ice Cream will mark Yuna’s first official solo project since her debut with the group. 2026-03-09 14:46:13 -
BTS Comeback D-12: Seoul goes hard on lodging and scalping SEOUL, March 09 (AJP) - South Korea and its capital city authorities have intensified inspections of accommodations and launched a massive crackdown on ticket scalping as the K-pop legend is preparing for its comeback with a free public concert in central Seoul on March 21. The multi-agency enforcement effort follows the discovery of widespread lodging violations and reports of tickets for the free event being resold for hundreds of thousands of won. The Seoul City said Sunday that 18 lodging facilities near the concert site were caught violating regulations during a campaign aimed at preventing price gouging. Lodging inspections ahead of BTS concert The Special Police Bureau for Citizens' Livelihood and Safety, an investigative unit within the Seoul city government, conducted surprise inspections from February 25 to March 4 at 83 hotels and tourist accommodations around Gwanghwamun Square. The square will serve as the venue for the group's comeback performance on March 21. The inspections were carried out jointly with district authorities in Jongno-gu and Jung-gu, as well as the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. The city began monitoring facilities in January after the Korea Heritage Service granted conditional approval for the use of the historic site. Investigators found that 18 establishments failed to post lodging rates or business registration certificates, which are required under the Public Health Control Act. Under the law, accommodation providers must display their business registration certificate inside the premises and clearly post room rates at reception desks, charging customers according to the listed prices. Authorities reported violations including unmanned lodging facilities operating without rate displays and businesses that had never posted rate tables since opening. Operators of the establishments will be referred for investigation. Violations can carry up to six months in prison or fines of up to 5 million won, along with administrative penalties such as business suspension. Whistleblower rewards for lodging violations The city government has established a public reporting system to identify further violations, including unauthorized rentals in officetels and failure to follow posted rates. Reports can be submitted through the Seoul Smart Complaint Reporting app or the city’s civic portal until the day of the concert. Whistleblowers who provide significant evidence of lodging violations may receive rewards of up to 200 million won after a formal review. Byun Kyung-ok, head of the Special Police Bureau for Citizens’ Livelihood and Safety, said the inspections are intended to protect the city's reputation during the high-profile event. "We will continue strong inspections and investigations into illegal lodging operations until the concert to ensure that foreign visitors attending the BTS event do not experience inconvenience during their stay in Seoul," Byun said. Government mobilizes crowd safety measures The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has launched a nationwide crowd-management effort to handle the influx of fans. Interior Minister Yoon Ho-jung is scheduled to chair a multi-agency safety meeting on Wednesday involving central government ministries, the Seoul city government, police, fire authorities, and Seoul Metro. A joint government safety inspection team will conduct on-site checks from March 19 to March 20, reviewing potential bottleneck areas and emergency response systems. On the day of the event, the minister is expected to personally inspect high-risk areas including subway stations and narrow pedestrian corridors. Citywide fan festival The concert also marks the centerpiece of "BTS THE CITY ARIRANG SEOUL," a citywide fan experience project running from March 20 to April 12. The initiative is part of HYBE’s "THE CITY" model, which expands major concerts into urban-scale festivals by linking performances with exhibitions, themed attractions and tourism programs across the host city. The concept was first introduced in Las Vegas in 2022 during "BTS PERMISSION TO DANCE THE CITY – LAS VEGAS," when the entire city hosted BTS-themed attractions. These included a special Bellagio fountain show set to BTS music, photo exhibitions documenting the group’s concerts and rehearsals, and large-scale pop-up stores. HYBE also partnered with MGM Resorts International to operate BTS-themed hotel rooms across 11 MGM properties, offering fans welcome cards written by members and exclusive merchandise. Restaurants joined the program as well, offering a themed dining event called "Cafe in the City," where Korean dishes favored by BTS, including bibim noodles, tteokbokki, kimbap and fried chicken, were served as a curated tasting course. In Seoul, the upcoming edition will be held under the official title BTS THE CITY ARIRANG SEOUL. The citywide project is expected to be officially unveiled on March 20 through BTS’ official social media channels and HYBE’s fan platform Weverse. Scheduled to run from March 20 to April 12, the program will transform parts of Seoul into a large-scale fan experience zone linked to BTS' comeback. It will feature media-facade installations at landmarks such as Sungnyemun Gate and N Seoul Tower, along with fan lounge programs at Yeouido Hangang Park and urban media-art displays inspired by BTS song lyrics. Byun Kyung-ok, head of the Special Police Bureau for Citizens’ Livelihood and Safety, said inspections would continue until the day of the concert. "We will continue strong inspections and investigations into illegal lodging operations until the concert to ensure that foreign visitors attending the BTS event do not experience inconvenience during their stay in Seoul," Byun said. Authorities said inspections and monitoring efforts will remain in place as Seoul prepares for an influx of domestic and international visitors ahead of the concert. Nationwide crackdown on ticket scalping The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has designated the upcoming BTS performance as a model case for a new public-private crackdown on ticket scalping. Although the Gwanghwamun Square concert is a free event, authorities have detected cases of tickets being resold for up to 1.5 million won on secondhand trading platforms. Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young announced the launch of a public-private consultative body on March 5 to eradicate illegal ticket resales. The body includes the Fair Trade Commission, the National Police Agency, and major ticketing and secondhand platforms. Under recently passed amendments to the Public Performance Act, those found using automated "macro" programs to purchase tickets or reselling tickets at prices exceeding face value can face fines of up to 50 times the transaction amount. While the full weight of the new law takes effect in August, Minister Chae said the government would use all available tools to disrupt illegal sales immediately. Authorities are currently monitoring platforms for suspected proxy-booking and ID transfer schemes. The government has warned fans that any ticket identified as a scalped transaction will be canceled, and attendees may be denied entry following on-site identity verification. 2026-03-09 13:47:16 -
World AI Film Festival Seoul highlights how AI can expand filmmaking SEOUL, March 07 (AJP) - From scripts written with algorithms to films rendered entirely with digital tools, the World AI Film Festival in Seoul offered a glimpse of cinema’s next frontier — one where artificial intelligence works alongside human storytellers rather than replacing them. The festival, founded in Nice, France last year, brought its third edition to Seoul, a city widely seen as a global hub of high technology and the Korean cultural wave. The finale event on Friday at Lotte Concert Hall gathered filmmakers, technology companies, creators and audiences to explore how AI tools are reshaping storytelling and film production. More than 2,000 entries were submitted to this year’s competition, up from 1,500 for the inaugural festival in Nice, reflecting rapidly growing global interest in AI-assisted filmmaking. The concert hall was filled with attendees eager to witness the emerging field of AI cinema. The evening featured a purple-carpet reception, an awards ceremony and live performances, including a celebratory stage by Korean singer Insooni that drew enthusiastic applause from the audience. Several cultural figures also attended the event. Actress Hwang Seok-jeong highlighted how new technologies are opening creative opportunities for storytellers. “Anyone can now express their ideas and stories through visual media,” she said. “Events like this show how storytelling will evolve in the AI era.” The program began with a purple-carpet reception, followed by opening remarks, panel presentations and the awards ceremony. Festival founder Marko Landi said artificial intelligence is helping democratize filmmaking by lowering barriers to entry. “AI gives young creators the opportunity to make films faster and at lower cost,” he said. “One of the major objectives of this festival is to discover new talent, protect their rights and reward their creativity.” During a panel discussion, the Cheif AI Officer at the Blue House Ha Jung-woo emphasized that artificial intelligence should be seen as a creative partner rather than a replacement for filmmakers. “AI is not here to replace human creativity,” he said. “It is a tool that expands what creators can imagine and produce. The future of cinema will come from collaboration between human storytelling and intelligent technology.” Screenwriter David Bendi, who presented the screenplay award, also underscored the enduring importance of storytelling in filmmaking. “A story is the beginning of everything,” he said. “You can have all the tools in the world, but without a powerful story nothing truly happens.” Several awards recognizing AI-assisted filmmaking were presented during the ceremony. Director Kim Won-kyung won the grand prize in the AI short film category for “Known or Unknown.” The excellence award went to director Lim Da-young for “Losing,” a film that explores the emotional tension before saying goodbye to a loved one through the perspective of a mother. The encouragement award was presented to “The Dog, the Octopus and Me,” produced by AI content studio AI Revolution. The whimsical film depicts the unusual coexistence of a human, a dog and an octopus after the sea creature escapes being cooked. Jessie Yang of MiniMax, who announced the Youth Film Award, praised the creativity of emerging filmmakers. “The works submitted by young creators exceeded our expectations and showed remarkable individuality and potential,” she said. Another standout entry, “We Looked Away,” centers on a mysterious door on a mountainside that a village community silently agrees to ignore. Through the villagers’ shared silence, the story explores themes of moral responsibility, collective denial and the choices people make when confronted with uncomfortable truths. Accepting the award, filmmaker WK Kim said he had not expected the recognition. “I flew in from Seogwipo in Jeju this morning hoping to attend the festival,” he said. “I had only used AI as a work tool before, and this was the first time I tried creating content with it.” He added that the experience felt like “the beginning of a second chapter” in his life as a creator. Organizers said the festival illustrates how AI technology is rapidly transforming the filmmaking landscape, opening new opportunities for independent creators while redefining the boundaries of cinematic storytelling. 2026-03-07 11:31:16 -
The King's Warden breaks Korean film drought with 10-mln crossing SEOUL, March 07 (AJP) - In the arithmetic of the Korean film industry, there are hits — and then there are “ten-million films.” Crossing the 10-million-admissions threshold in a country of roughly 52 million people bears significance beyond a commercial milestone. It means a film has escaped the gravity of niche audiences and become something closer to a shared national experience. With more than 10 million moviegoers now through theater doors, The King’s Warden has quietly joined that club — becoming the first Korean film to reach the milestone in about two years, after a prolonged blockbuster drought in local cinemas. For director Jang Hang-jun, it marks a breakthrough that took 24 years to arrive. For star Yoo Hae-jin, it represents a different kind of achievement — the fifth time he has been part of a ten-million blockbuster. In an industry increasingly fragmented by streaming platforms and shortened attention cycles, that double milestone says something larger about how Korean audiences still choose their cinema heroes. For much of his career, Jang Hang-jun was known less as a box-office director than as one of Korean television’s most versatile storytellers. He entered the industry in the early 1990s and made his directorial debut with the comedy “Break Out the Lighter” in 2002. The film drew notice for its quirky humor and sharp dialogue but never hinted at blockbuster credentials. The projects that followed — including romantic comedy “Spring Breeze” and sports drama “Battlefield Heroes” — struggled to find audiences. For years afterward, Jang’s filmography thinned. He wrote television dramas such as Sign and The King of Dramas, became a familiar face on talk shows and variety programs, and developed a reputation for quick wit and effortless storytelling. For much of the public, he was better known as the genial television personality — and as the husband of star screenwriter Kim Eun-hee, creator of hit series Signal and Kingdom. The success of The King’s Warden changes that narrative almost overnight. What once looked like a career of diversions now resembles a long apprenticeship in storytelling. Jang’s television instincts — dialogue timing, character warmth and narrative rhythm — became the film’s quiet engine. Critics note that his biggest strength lies not in spectacle but in orchestrating performances. The film’s ensemble — from Yoo Hae-jin’s grounded humor to Yoo Ji-tae’s unexpectedly imposing interpretation of historical power broker Han Myeong-hoe — feels calibrated rather than imposed. In Korean cinema terms, the industry sometimes calls this stage “the director just before becoming a master.” If Jang’s success arrives as a breakthrough, Yoo Hae-jin’s milestone feels more like confirmation. The veteran actor has now appeared in five films that surpassed 10 million admissions, joining a small group of performers who have repeatedly anchored major hits, including The King and the Clown (2005), Veteran (2015), A Taxi Driver (2017), and Exhuma (2024). Few Korean actors have navigated so seamlessly between supporting roles, comic relief and leading performances. He has brought the texture of everyday life into historical epics and genre films alike. In The King’s Warden, Yoo plays village chief Eom Heung-do, the man tasked with guarding the exiled teenage king Danjong. The character is neither hero nor villain — simply a pragmatic villager trying to survive the politics of the Joseon court. Yoo’s performance moves easily between humor and melancholy, embodying the film’s central tone: ordinary humanity in the shadow of history. The film’s success carries broader significance for the industry. In recent years, Korean theaters have struggled to reproduce the blockbuster momentum that once defined the market. Streaming services have fragmented audiences, and mid-budget films often disappear quickly from screens. Against that backdrop, The King’s Warden represents something increasingly rare: a word-of-mouth blockbuster built on emotional trust rather than spectacle. Instead of palace intrigue, the film focuses on a dethroned boy-king living among villagers — a shift that reframes tragedy through intimacy rather than grandeur. The result is a historical drama that families can watch together, bridging generations in a way few modern releases manage. It reminds of the rule of thumb: even in an era dominated by algorithms and streaming platforms, a well-told story can still draw an entire nation to the big screen. 2026-03-07 08:31:18 -
Day 7 Middle East War: Why shockwaves hit Seoul markets hardest As the war triggered by U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran enters its first week, AJP examines how the conflict began and evolved, the emerging power vacuum in Tehran and its implications for Iran and the Gulf states, and the broader impact on global energy routes, financial markets and the international order. SEOUL, March 06 (AJP) - South Korea’s stock market entered 2026 in a euphoric rally. The benchmark KOSPI surged nearly 50 percent in the first two months of the year, pushing past the 6,300 level after an extraordinary 76 percent gain in 2025, making it one of the world’s strongest equity markets. The mood reversed abruptly when investors returned from a long holiday weekend to the shocking news of U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran that killed the country’s supreme leader and senior military officials. Within days, the Korean equity market experienced one of the most dramatic swings in its history. The first week of the Middle East war triggered a historic whipsaw in Seoul, sending the KOSPI plunging 12 percent in a single session — the worst crash on record — before rebounding nearly 10 percent the next day as oil prices, the Korean won and foreign investor positioning repriced simultaneously. By the end of the first week of March, the market was still roughly 10 percent lower than before the war began. On Wednesday — the second trading day after the weekend strikes — the KOSPI collapsed 12 percent. The index then surged back the following day in a near mirror-image rebound. The tug-of-war continued through Friday as retail investors and foreign funds battled for control of the market, producing one of the most volatile trading weeks in decades. “This market is not for the faint of heart,” veteran investor Jim Bianco wrote on X. Part of the turbulence reflected timing. Korea’s market had been closed for a three-day holiday from Feb. 28 to March 2, compressing the geopolitical shock into the first two trading sessions of March. But the magnitude of the swings also revealed how quickly risk premiums can be repriced in Korea — a market where oil prices, the currency and foreign investor flows often move together. Hormuz shock ripples across Asia The war’s financial shock spread quickly across Asia, a region heavily dependent on Middle Eastern energy shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Although the strait was not formally closed, Iranian threats against vessels and heightened military tensions effectively slowed shipping traffic and increased the perceived risk of disruption. For global markets, the mere possibility of disruption was enough. Even without a full blockade, the risk feeds into energy costs through multiple channels: higher war-risk insurance premiums, tanker rerouting, delivery delays and rising freight rates. Those costs ultimately raise the landed price of oil and industrial inputs. For Korea, those risks translate directly into market volatility. The country imports about 70.7 percent of its crude oil and roughly 20.4 percent of its liquefied natural gas from the Middle East, leaving it unusually exposed to geopolitical disruptions in the Gulf. When global investors move into risk-off mode, those structural vulnerabilities quickly become an equity story. Energy is priced in dollars. When oil rises while the Korean won weakens, the import bill increases twice — lifting inflation risks and squeezing corporate margins. That dynamic was visible throughout the week. The dollar-won exchange rate climbed from 1,439.8 before the war to 1,480.6 by Thursday, briefly touching 1,506.7, a level widely seen by investors as a psychological stress threshold. Meanwhile Brent crude jumped from $72.48 to $84.31, reaching an intraday high of $86.27. For Korea, oil and foreign exchange tend to reinforce each other. When both move at once, the market typically reprices risk more aggressively than peers with lower energy exposure or weaker FX sensitivity. Foreign selling amplifies the drop Foreign investor flows amplified the volatility. Korea’s equity market has one of the highest foreign participation rates among major markets, meaning global portfolio shifts can move the index rapidly. Foreign investors had already been trimming positions after Korea’s extraordinary rally. Data from the Korea Exchange show foreign investors sold 26.1 trillion won worth of shares in the benchmark market this year as of March 3. The selling was concentrated in the large-cap stocks that had led the rally — particularly Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, the backbone of the KOSPI. Foreign investors sold 22 trillion won worth of Samsung Electronics shares and 10.5 trillion won of SK Hynix, while also trimming positions in Hyundai Motor and Hyundai Mobis. Retail investors moved aggressively in the opposite direction. Individuals bought 12.8 trillion won of Samsung Electronics and 6.7 trillion won of SK Hynix, absorbing much of the foreign selling pressure. According to Noh Dong-gil, a researcher at Shinhan Securities, foreign investors were not abandoning Korea entirely but were rebalancing their portfolios. “They reduced exposure to semiconductors — the key driver of KOSPI volatility — while adding defensive or policy-related stocks,” he said. “The problem was the scale and speed of the selling, which amplified the market’s decline.” Base case vs. Stress case For strategists, the week’s violent swings reflected a rapid shift between base-case and stress-case geopolitical scenarios. Kim Do-un, a senior analyst at Hana Securities, described the whipsaw as a market briefly pricing in an extreme energy shock. Historically, he said, Middle East crises often create buying opportunities — provided the conflict does not escalate into a prolonged oil shock. “If the conflict doesn’t escalate into an all-out regional war and oil does not move into the $100 to $120 range, then the pullback at these levels can be interpreted as a healthy correction,” Kim said. “What we saw was the market’s center of gravity shifting — at least temporarily — from the base scenario toward the worst-case scenario.” Kim mapped those scenarios into index levels. “If the conflict remains contained within roughly two months and the currency stabilizes, the KOSPI’s lower bound would likely be around 5,600,” he said. “But if Hormuz disruption intensifies, the won breaks above 1,500 again and oil approaches $120, then a move toward 5,000 becomes plausible.” 2026-03-06 16:02:53