Journalist
by Joonha Yoo
joonhayoo94@ajupress.com
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Netflix, AEG Presents announce plans for 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' concert tour SEOUL, May 18 (AJP) - Streaming giant Netflix and live entertainment company AEG Presents announced on May 15 that they plan to develop a global concert tour based on the animated film "KPop Demon Hunters," though no performers, tour dates or cities have been announced. The two companies said the project would draw on the film's music and fictional K-pop universe to create a live stage experience for audiences worldwide. Neither company disclosed the format of the performances — whether concerts, a theatrical production or a hybrid live production — nor a projected launch timeline. "KPop Demon Hunters," directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans and produced by Sony Pictures Animation in partnership with Netflix, follows HUNTR/X, a fictional K-pop girl group whose members secretly battle supernatural forces while maintaining their image as stadium-filling pop stars. The film and its soundtrack have also gained attention during the awards season. Its song "Golden" won Best Song Written for Visual Media at the Grammy Awards, Best Original Song at both the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards, while the film took Best Animated Feature at both ceremonies. AEG Presents, one of the world's largest live entertainment companies, has previously promoted tours for major K-pop acts including BLACKPINK, ATEEZ, LE SSERAFIM and TOMORROW X TOGETHER, among others. The announcement comes as the film's soundtrack has become one of the year's biggest music releases, expanding the property's reach beyond streaming. 2026-05-18 17:53:06 -
South Korean chipmakers rescue Seoul market despite broad Asia selloff SEOUL, May 18 (AJP) - South Korean stocks ended higher on Monday as heavyweight semiconductor shares helped the benchmark index recover from a sharp early plunge. The market stood out against a broader selloff across Asia triggered by rising global bond yields, renewed oil price pressures and weakness in United States technology shares. The KOSPI rose 0.6 percent to close at 7,516.04, rebounding from an intraday low of 7,142.71 to reach a high of 7,636.20. The recovery occurred despite heavy foreign selling, as overseas investors offloaded 3.65 trillion won, or 2.43 billion dollars, worth of shares. Retail and institutional investors absorbed the selloff, purchasing 2.21 trillion won and 1.39 trillion won respectively. Samsung Electronics drove much of the recovery, climbing 3.9 percent to close at 281,000 won. The gains came even as labor tensions remained in focus ahead of a planned strike by company unions on May 21. A local court partially accepted an injunction request from Samsung against illegal strike activity, recognizing the need to maintain safety operations and wafer protection work at semiconductor facilities. The unions said they would proceed with the planned action, arguing the court ruling did not block the strike itself. Business groups and shareholder organizations stepped up pressure on the union to withdraw the plan, warning of potential damage to the core semiconductor industry of South Korea. Workers are demanding the removal of a performance bonus cap set at 50 percent of their annual salary and want 15 percent of operating profit allocated to a uniform bonus pool. SK hynix gained 1.2 percent to 1,840,000 won, supported by continued optimism over demand for high-bandwidth memory. The advance came despite concerns that rising global bond yields could pressure valuations for artificial intelligence-related technology companies. Other large-cap shares faced steep declines. Hyundai Mobis plunged 9.2 percent to 571,000 won, tracking weakness across Hyundai Motor Group shares after the sharp morning drop triggered a sell-side sidecar for the second consecutive session. LG Electronics dropped 9.8 percent to 217,000 won, while LS Electric fell 2.1 percent to 253,500 won. Doosan Robotics slid 7.5 percent to 117,900 won, while cable manufacturer Daehan Electric Wire fell 3.2 percent to 58,100 won and Gaon Cable jumped 12.3 percent to 380,000 won. The technology-heavy KOSDAQ failed to match the broader market rebound, falling 1.7 percent to close at 1,111.09. The junior index moved between a high of 1,122.57 and a low of 1,071.66, with institutions selling 255.1 billion won and retail investors offloading 7.7 billion won, while foreigners bought 237.2 billion won. Jusung Engineering surged by the daily limit of 30 percent to 182,200 won on the KOSDAQ. The company announced it had shipped the world's first ALG-based transistor full integration manufacturing equipment to a global chipmaker, adding the technology could expand to display and solar applications. Mirae Asset Venture Investment jumped 22.8 percent to 67,400 won, boosted by expectations that SpaceX could accelerate its initial public offering timeline. Mirae Asset Group has reportedly invested about 400 billion won in the aerospace company through funds since 2022. Jeju Semiconductor rose 12.5 percent to 92,600 won after reporting first-quarter revenue surged 273 percent from a year earlier to 180.5 billion won. The company said operating profit jumped 1,713 percent to 67.1 billion won, driven by higher DRAM prices and stronger demand for memory chips used in mobile and automotive applications. Sphere Corporation advanced 14.6 percent to 48,150 won after reporting first-quarter consolidated revenue grew 106 percent year-on-year to 45 billion won. The company attributed nearly all of its revenue to an aerospace special alloy supply business supported by growth in the global space industry. Hanmi Semiconductor plunged 14.1 percent to 317,000 won following an earnings shock. The company posted revenue of 50.9 billion won and operating profit of 8.5 billion won, down 65.5 percent and 87.9 percent respectively, citing a decline in Asian sales and a gap in TC bonder orders. Regional markets ended broadly lower as investors reacted to rising bond yields, higher oil prices and renewed weakness in United States technology shares. Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 0.9 percent to 60,877.5, China's Shanghai Composite declined 0.5 percent to 4,116.9 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index lost 1.5 percent to 25,566.6. Oil prices extended gains as stalled talks between the United States and Iran and continued disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz kept supply concerns elevated. Brent crude rose 2.3 percent to 107.80 dollars a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate climbed 1.9 percent to 111.28 dollars. The VIX volatility index rose 6.8 percent to 18.4, and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index dropped 4 percent to 11,588.5. The South Korean won weakened slightly, trading at 1,500.3 won against the dollar, down 2.3 won, or 0.1 percent, from the previous session. 2026-05-18 16:00:47 -
NOWZ wins ASEA Hot Trend award for second straight year SEOUL, May 18 (AJP) - K-pop boy band NOWZ won the Hot Trend award for the second consecutive year at the 2026 Asia Star Entertainer Awards (ASEN) held Saturday in Japan, the group's agency Cube Entertainment said Monday. The five-member act — Hyunbin, Yoon, Yeonwoo, Jinhyuk and Siyun — received the award during the ceremony at Belluna Dome in Saitama. Formerly known as NOWADAYS, NOWZ debuted in April 2024 as Cube Entertainment's first new boy group in eight years. The group changed its name to NOWZ last year and has since been expanding its activities in Japan and other Asian markets. Accepting the award, NOWZ thanked its fans, known as DayN, and agency staff, saying the group would continue to connect with audiences through future activities. NOWZ opened the ceremony with a medley of songs by senior Cube Entertainment artists — BEAST's "Fiction," BTOB's "I'll Be Your Man," i-dle's "TOMBOY" and Pentagon's "Shine" before performing "EVERGLOW," the title track from its first mini album "IGNITION" released last year, and "AMMO," a lead track from its first Japanese EP "NOWZ" released in March. NOWZ has recently expanded its activities in Japan through appearances on local platforms and broadcasters, including ABEMA and TV Tokyo. The group also released the digital single "Our Beginning," produced by group's leader Hyunbin. 2026-05-18 12:57:11 -
aespa to release second full-length album 'LEMONADE' on May 29 SEOUL, May 18 (AJP) - K-pop girl band aespa will release its second full-length album "LEMONADE" on May 29, SM Entertainment said Monday. The 11-track album, which includes the title track "LEMONADE," the prerelease single "WDA (Whole Different Animal) (Feat. G-DRAGON)" and a featured version of "LEMONADE," will be released at 1 p.m. (0400 GMT) through major streaming platforms and as a physical copy. aespa — consisting of Karina, Giselle, Winter and Ningning — debuted in 2020 with "Black Mamba" and is known for its AI avatar and metaverse-themed concept, as well as hits including "Next Level," "Savage," "Spicy” and "Drama." LEMONADE is an electronic dance track built around a heavy synth bass sound. Its lyrics draw on the phrase “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” using the metaphor to express turning hardship into opportunity. The group previewed the album through music video and concept photo teasers for “WDA,” emphasizing a darker visual direction and hip-hop-based performance style. SM Entertainment said the title track will show a contrasting side of aespa and mark a new chapter in the group’s fictional universe. 2026-05-18 12:56:56 -
DAY6 to hold three KSPO Dome concerts for 10th anniversary tour finale SEOUL, May 18 (AJP) - K-pop band DAY6 will hold three concerts at KSPO Dome in July as the finale of its 10th anniversary tour, JYP Entertainment said Monday. The four-member group — Sungjin, Young K, Wonpil and Dowoon — will stage "DAY6 10th Anniversary Tour FINALE in SEOUL" from July 3 to 5 at KSPO Dome in Olympic Park in Seoul's Songpa District. The concerts will close out the group's 10th anniversary tour, which launched at Goyang Stadium in Gyeonggi Province in August 2025 and spanned 27 shows across 16 cities in South Korea and abroad. The domestic leg of the tour, which ran from February through May, included stops in Daegu, Gwangju, Daejeon and Busan. DAY6 debuted under JYP Entertainment in 2015 and has built a strong following with self-written pop-rock songs built around band performance and emotionally direct lyrics. The group has steadily expanded its concert footprint in South Korea, selling out venues including Jamsil Indoor Stadium, Inspire Arena and Gocheok Sky Dome — which the group became the first K-pop band to headline — before drawing 80,000 fans across two sold-out shows at Goyang Stadium last August as part of the current tour. The upcoming finale concerts will mark DAY6's third appearance at KSPO Dome in a little over a year. The band previously performed at the venue in May 2025 for the finale of its third world tour and returned in December for its special concert "The Present." The group is scheduled to continue the tour in Kobe, Japan, on June 20 and 21 before returning to Seoul for the finale. Further details on ticket sales will be announced through the group's official social media channels at a later date. 2026-05-18 12:56:25 -
KOSPI sinks more than 6%, erasing weekly gains in violent foreign selloff SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) — South Korean stocks suffered a brutal reversal Friday as the benchmark KOSPI plunged more than 6 percent, wiping out all gains made earlier this week after foreign and institutional investors rushed to lock in profits once the index briefly crossed the 8,000 mark. The KOSPI closed down 6.12 percent at 7,493.18 after swinging wildly between an intraday high of 8,046.78 and a low of 7,371.68. The selloff marked the first intraday drop of more than 6 percent since March 23 and highlighted how quickly sentiment deteriorated as concerns mounted over rising Japanese interest rates, surging oil prices and a broader global bond-yield repricing. The index had initially extended its AI-driven rally in early trading, supported by continued gains in robotics and semiconductor-related shares, before foreign investors abruptly turned into aggressive sellers. Retail investors rushed in to buy the dip, purchasing a net 7.22 trillion won ($5.50 billion) worth of KOSPI shares. Foreign investors dumped 5.6 trillion won, while institutions sold 1.73 trillion won. Volatility intensified in the afternoon, prompting the Korea Exchange to activate a sell-side sidecar at 1:28 p.m. after KOSPI200 futures plunged more than 5 percent. The sharp reversal came despite relatively firm semiconductor sentiment overnight in the United States, where the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rose 0.5 percent amid continued optimism surrounding AI demand and NVIDIA-linked supply chains. Investors instead shifted focus toward mounting macroeconomic risks tied to global interest rates and energy markets. Brent crude futures climbed above $107 per barrel while West Texas Intermediate crude traded above $103 as tensions surrounding Iran and the Strait of Hormuz escalated further. Concerns deepened after reports indicated severe disruptions to oil flows through the strategic shipping route, fueling fears of prolonged supply shortages and renewed global inflation pressure. The Korean won also weakened sharply alongside the equity rout, ending at 1,500.3 per dollar, up 0.5 percent from the previous session, as investors sought safe-haven assets. Semiconductor heavyweights led the decline as foreign investors concentrated selling on large-cap AI beneficiaries that had powered the recent rally. Samsung Electronics fell 8.6 percent to 270,500 won, while SK hynix dropped 7.7 percent to 1,819,000 won. Foreign investors sold more than 1.17 trillion won worth of Samsung Electronics shares and 639.9 billion won worth of SK hynix during the session. The broad market weakness contrasted with continued speculative strength in selected robotics and physical AI-related stocks. LG Electronics surged 10.8 percent to 240,500 won, extending its recent rerating rally after stronger-than-expected earnings and expanding cooperation with global AI firms including NVIDIA and Google DeepMind. Investors increasingly viewed the company as a potential hardware-platform beneficiary in the emerging physical AI ecosystem. Doosan Robotics also jumped 19.3 percent to 127,400 won as investors rotated into humanoid robotics and automation-related plays. The stock has recently attracted strong inflows on expectations that tightening U.S. restrictions on Chinese robotics technologies could benefit Korean suppliers. Transportation-related redevelopment plays also remained resilient despite the broader market collapse. Dongyang Express rose 17.1 percent while Chunil Express gained 12 percent as investors continued betting on redevelopment value tied to Seoul Express Bus Terminal assets ahead of local election-related policy discussions. In contrast, construction and infrastructure shares came under heavy pressure as risk appetite deteriorated rapidly. Daewoo E&C plunged 12.6 percent to 28,500 won, while Doosan Enerbility fell 5.4 percent and Korea Electric Cable dropped 7.1 percent. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ also slumped sharply, falling 5.14 percent to 1,129.82 after moving between 1,197.23 and 1,110.16 during the session. Foreign investors bought a net 398.2 billion won worth of KOSDAQ shares, while retail investors sold 144.9 billion won and institutions offloaded 13.7 billion won. Robotics-related names that had surged earlier in the week reversed sharply. Cosmo Robotics plunged 16.3 percent after recent speculative gains, while broader secondary battery and semiconductor equipment shares also weakened significantly. Elsewhere in Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 2.2 percent to 61,268.90 as AI-related shares came under pressure following disappointing earnings guidance from Fujikura, raising concerns over stretched semiconductor and data-center valuations. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell 1.9 percent to 25,898.8, while China’s Shanghai Composite dropped 1.2 percent to 4,218.4. 2026-05-15 16:43:34 -
From K-Pop to K-Ink: Korea prepares to bring tattooing into the open SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) - Since a 1992 Supreme Court ruling effectively restricted tattoo procedures to medical professionals, South Korea’s tattoo industry has operated in a legal gray zone. Under the newly passed Tattooist Act, the country is now building its first national licensing and safety framework for non-medical tattoo practitioners. The law, overseen by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, passed the National Assembly on Sept. 25, 2025 and is scheduled to take effect two years after promulgation, with enforcement expected around September or October 2027. Despite the legal restrictions, tattoo culture and cosmetic tattoo procedures have expanded rapidly in South Korea alongside the rise of K-beauty and Korean cultural exports. Industry estimates suggest that around 350,000 people were engaged in tattoo-related work in Korea as of 2021, while the Korea Tattoo Association estimates the domestic tattoo market at roughly 1 trillion won, ($667 million). An anonymous tattoo artist said one of the biggest changes under the new system would be the ability to work more openly without fear of legal uncertainty. “For many tattoo artists, being able to work in our own studios without constantly worrying about legal risks is probably the biggest change,” the artist said. Under the new law, non-medical tattoo practitioners who pass a national licensing examination and obtain government certification will be permitted to legally perform tattoo procedures. The framework also introduces hygiene and safety requirements including sterilization standards, single-use needles, infectious waste disposal rules, mandatory safety education and liability insurance requirements for tattoo businesses. Tattoo studios will be required to register with local governments, while tattoo artists must maintain records related to procedures, pigments and side effects. Tattooing minors without parental consent and performing tattoo procedures outside registered workplaces will also be prohibited. The Ministry of Health and Welfare and tattoo-related organizations participated in a consultation meeting attended by more than 40 industry groups on Tuesday, officials discussed licensing examinations, hygiene standards, temporary business registration measures and safety management rules for tattoo facilities. “The purpose of the Tattooist Act is to allow non-medical tattoo practices while ensuring public health and hygiene management,” Vice Health Minister Kim Han-sook said during the meeting, according to the ministry. As the government prepares subordinate regulations for the new framework, industry groups are also moving to establish formal educational standards for tattoo practitioners. On Friday, the Korea Tattoo Association held a publication event in Seoul for three standardized tattoo textbooks covering advanced tattoo techniques, cosmetic tattoo procedures, hygiene management and safety practices. The association said it had officially submitted the books a day earlier to the health ministry, the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety as reference materials for future licensing, regulatory and safety policies. The association described the publication effort as part of a broader push to move the industry away from informal apprenticeship-style training practices that had long dominated the sector amid the absence of official standards. “For a long time, the industry remained outside institutional systems,” Chairman of Korea Tattoo Association, Song Kang-seop said in a statement. “Submitting standards created by the industry itself to government authorities is, in a sense, the first step toward standing before the government with confidence.” 2026-05-15 15:34:37 -
KOSPI closes at record high, approaches 8,000 on AI rally SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - South Korea's main KOSPI extended its record-setting climb to outshine regional and global peers as it moved closer to a new four-digit milestone. The benchmark index touched a high of 7,991.04 before settling at 7,981.41 Thursday, up 137.40 points, or 1.75 percent from the previous session. Retail investors bought 1.84 trillion won ($1.26 billion) worth of shares and institutions added 190.6 billion won, while foreign investors sold 2.14 trillion won. Samsung Electronics rose 4.23 percent to 296,000 won and briefly touched 299,500 won during the session, approaching the closely watched 300,000-won threshold. The rally followed a JP Morgan note reaffirming its buy rating on the stock despite ongoing labor disputes at Samsung’s chip operations. The bank said stronger memory pricing and the broader AI-driven semiconductor upcycle would likely outweigh near-term operational risks. SK hynix slipped 0.30 percent to 1,970,000 won after briefly hitting a record high of 1,994,000 won. The divergence between Samsung and SK hynix reflected a broader rotation within semiconductor shares, as investors shifted toward Samsung after SK hynix’s recent AI-driven rally. AI-related software and infrastructure shares also gained sharply. LG CNS surged 17.1 percent to 86,100 won after unveiling a new enterprise AI platform and a Korean-language large language model developed with Cohere. The company said internal testing showed competitive performance against leading global AI models. Elsewhere, LG Display gained 8.3 percent to 15,340 won on expectations of stronger demand for advanced display panels tied to AI devices, while Jeju Semiconductor jumped 28.4 percent to 75,600 won as speculative buying continued in smaller chip-related stocks. Airline shares also advanced. Korean Air rose 6.02 percent to 27,300 won as investors focused on the planned integration of Hanjin Group’s three low-cost carriers, Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul, which analysts expect could reduce competition and improve profitability in Korea’s budget airline market. Construction shares moved higher on renewed momentum in Seoul’s redevelopment market. Daewoo E&C climbed 12.6 percent to 32,600 won after strong subscription demand and rising apartment prices in Seoul’s Seocho district boosted sentiment toward builders with major residential exposure. On the downside, shipbuilding and power equipment shares pulled back following recent gains. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries fell 8.5 percent to 671,000 won, while Doosan Enerbility slipped 2.4 percent to 117,100 won and Samsung Heavy Industries dropped 2.9 percent to 30,150 won as investors locked in profits after a sharp rally tied to defense and energy infrastructure themes. The junior KOSDAQ rose 1.20 percent to close at 1,191.09 after moving between 1,162.20 and 1,194.03 during the session. Retail investors bought 91.3 billion won worth of shares and institutions added 58.9 billion won, while foreign investors sold 135.4 billion won. Alteogen surged 8.76 percent to become the KOSDAQ market’s largest stock by capitalization, while EcoPro BM and EcoPro gained 6.04 percent and 5.41 percent, respectively. Elsewhere in Asia, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 0.2 percent to 26,439.80, Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.0 percent to 62,654.10, and China’s Shanghai Composite slipped 0.9 percent to 4,205.40. The rally in Seoul followed another strong session on Wall Street, where the S&P 500 rose 0.58 percent to a record 7,444.25 and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 1.20 percent to 26,402.34 as investors continued to bet that AI-driven earnings growth would offset inflation concerns. NVIDIA rose 2.3 percent overnight, while Micron Technology climbed 4.8 percent. The Korean won closed little changed at 1,491.00 per dollar, up 0.40 won from the previous session. 2026-05-14 17:53:16 -
Seven Korean eateries join the NYT list of New York's 100 best restaurants for 2026 SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - Seven Korean restaurants were included in The New York Times’ latest list of “The 100 Best Restaurants in New York City in 2026,” underscoring the growing influence of K-food and cuisine across New York’s cosmopolitan dining scene. The highest-ranked Korean restaurant was Meju, which placed fourth on the list. The restaurant, led by chef Hooni Kim, was praised for its fermentation-focused tasting menu hidden behind a banchan shop in Long Island City. The newspaper described fermentation as Kim’s central theme, calling it “the manipulations of time and how a dance with decay can change our understanding of what food can be.” It added that the chef “buildan arc with genuine suspense, which he does with a true believer’s fervor.” Coming in seventh was Atomix, the two-Michelin-star Korean fine dining restaurant run by chef Junghyun Park. The NYT described the restaurant’s tasting menu as “a series of meditations,” noting that each course is accompanied by an illustrated card explaining the chef’s thinking behind the dish. At No. 30 was Sunn’s, a restaurant known for elevating Korean banchan into the centerpiece of the dining experience. The paper noted that chef Sunny Lee’s small plates remain “stubbornly original,” blending Korean traditions with occasional French and Italian influences. Jungsik ranked 41st. The restaurant is widely credited with pioneering “New Korean” fine dining in New York and last year became the first Korean restaurant in the city to earn three Michelin stars. The NYT said the restaurant helped introduce New Yorkers to “a rarefied modern elaboration” of Korean cuisine. Korean barbecue restaurant Yoon Haeundae Galbi placed 46th, while tofu specialty restaurant Cho Dang Gol ranked 51st. Also included was Kisa at No. 79, a restaurant inspired by Korea’s working-class diner concept. The NYT described the establishment as a “gleefully un-sleek restaurant styled as a Korean blue-collar cabby spot.” 2026-05-13 13:21:36 -
NCT's Jaehyun sells out for his first fan concert after military discharge SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - K-pop boy band NCT's Jaehyun sold out within minutes for both dates of his upcoming Seoul fan concert, which would be his first major solo event since completing mandatory military service, SM Entertainment said Wednesday. “JAEHYUN FAN-CON TOUR in SEOUL” will take place on June 6 and 7 at Jamsil Indoor Stadium. Tickets released through Melon Ticket on Monday and Tuesday were immediately snapped up after sales opened, according to SM Entertainment. The concerts will be Jaehyun’s first fan concert in about one year and eight months. His previous solo fan event, “2024 JAEHYUN FAN-CON,” held in October 2024 at Seoul’s Ticket Link Live Arena — also known as the Handball Gymnasium — likewise sold out all seats. This year’s concerts were upgraded to the larger Jamsil Indoor Stadium, underscoring rising demand as Jaehyun resumes entertainment activities following his military discharge. SM Entertainment said the new concert continues the storyline established in its predecessor, with “Mono” exploring themes of rediscovery and artistic identity following “Mute.” The performances are expected to include Jaehyun’s solo tracks, live stages and fan interaction segments. Jaehyun debuted with NCT in 2016 and later expanded into solo music activities while building a reputation as one of the group’s prominent vocalists. NCT is currently carrying out the large-scale anniversary project “NCT 10TH ANNIVERSARY ” to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the group’s debut. 2026-05-13 11:44:55
