Journalist
Kim Hee-su, Han Jun-gu
khs@ajupress.com
-
Korea–Japan drama pairings strike universal chord in streaming era SEOUL, October 28 (AJP) - New Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed her liking for Korean food, beauty products, and dramas to brush aside concerns that her hawkish and nationalist posture might sour bilateral ties. Her comment reflects a broader trend in Japan, where audiences increasingly separate politics from cultural consumption as Korean pop culture gains deeper traction through social media and global streaming platforms. Not only have the two neighbors — long distanced by historical grievances — grown more receptive to each other's culture, they are now actively blending talent and IP to create stories that resonate not just with Korean and Japanese viewers but with global audiences. The latest standout collaboration is "Romantic Anonymous," starring Japan's Oguri Shun and Korea's Han Hyo-joo, which ranked No. 6 globally in Netflix's non-English TV category and No. 1 in Japan just a week after release, according to Netflix ranking site Tudum on Tuesday. The series — directed by Japanese filmmaker Sho Tsukikawa, known for "I Want to Eat Your Pancreas," and written by Korean screenwriter Kim Ji-hyun — follows a mysophobic man and a socially anxious genius chocolatier. It was produced by Korea's Yong Film, known for "The Handmaiden," under the supervision of Netflix Japan. Japan has become increasingly eager to recruit Korean talent and storytelling know-how after Korean works like "Parasite" and "Squid Game" demonstrated global impact, creative originality, and strong commercial returns. A generational shift is also powering the trend, with younger viewers in both countries far less constrained by historical sensitivities in admiring each other's culture. One of the clearest examples is Coupang Play's "What Comes After Love," released last September and based on a joint novel by Korea's Gong Ji-young and Japan's Hitonari Tsuji. The series was praised for opening a new chapter in Korean romance storytelling. It held the No. 1 spot on Coupang Play for weeks, with viewership jumping 783 percent in its final week compared with its debut. After launching on Amazon Prime Japan, it immediately took No. 1 in the drama category (No. 3 overall), and within two weeks rose to the top position in 103 countries. Disney+ also contributed early to the cross-border wave with "Connect" (2022), a Korea–Japan collaboration starring Jung Hae-in, produced by Studio Dragon and directed by Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike. The success of such projects marks a shift from simple casting or IP exchanges to full-scale joint productions involving writers, directors, studios, and creative staff from both countries. "Korea and Japan share emotional narratives that both cultures easily relate to," said one OTT insider. "When the two countries merge their creative strengths — from acting talent to production expertise — the result can appeal far beyond Asia." Another industry official noted the strategic value of the partnership: "Japan offers long-lived IPs and strong domestic loyalty, while Korea has proven global appeal. Together, they can capture both local and international audiences." Streaming platforms show no intention of slowing the momentum. Netflix is developing "Soulmate," starring 2PM's Taecyeon and Japanese actor Hayato Isomura. Another highly anticipated project, "Road," based on the Japanese manga Ao no Michi, began production last month as a full Korea–Japan co-production, starring Son Suk-ku and Eita Nagayama as detectives investigating parallel murders in Seoul and Tokyo. As streaming giants widen their global slates, Korea–Japan creative pairings are emerging as one of the most effective formulas for delivering emotionally rich stories with universal appeal. 2025-10-28 17:04:37 -
APEC Week: from RM to hanbok, K-culture competes for global spotlight SEOUL, October 27 (AJP) - Iconic K-pop star G-Dragon has set the tone for this week's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju with a playful 75-second promotional video featuring President Lee Jae Myung as a runway marshaller guiding arriving aircraft. Another K-pop figurehead, BTS leader RM, will carry the cultural baton, delivering a keynote speech at the APEC CEO Summit before executives from 21 member economies, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. K-pop's prominent presence underscores how deeply it has become embedded in Korea's modern identity — now taking center stage on a platform once reserved for politics and trade. Alongside it, other arms of Korean soft power — food, beauty, and arts — are orchestrating a full-scale showcase for visiting global dignitaries. K-Food: from dinner table to global branding A royal feast with a contemporary twist, inspired by the Netflix hit "Bon Appétit, Your Majesty," will be curated by Korean-American chef Edward Lee, famed for his Netflix show "Culinary Class Wars," in partnership with chefs from Lotte Hotel. Beyond the banquet hall, food brands are vying for exposure. CJ CheilJedang will offer Bibigo cup rice, tteokbokki, and seaweed snacks at the APEC media center and delegate lodgings, while Nongshim is supplying 10,000 servings of Shin Ramyun in collaboration with Netflix's animated feature "KPop Demon Hunters," complete with on-site tasting booths. Lotte GRS will serve Angel-in-us Coffee and Krispy Kreme doughnuts in the outdoor K-Food Zone, joined by Lotte Wellfood and Lotte Chilsung with Pepero, Chilsung Cider, and Icis water. OB Beer, exclusive sponsor of the CEO Summit, will pour Cass Fresh, Cass Zero, and Cass Lemon Squeeze from a rooftop booth at the Gyeongju Arts Center. Other local favorites include Whoo Ullim Water by LG H&H, Kyochon fried chicken, hy's Helicobacter Project Will probiotic drink, and Paris Baguette desserts like gotgam pound cake and seoritae castella. Food trucks from Kyochon Chicken, Cheongnyeon Dabang, and Okdongsik will circle the main venues to serve delegates a taste of Korea on the go. K-Beauty: tradition meets technology K-Beauty — a byword for innovation and refinement — will take over a hall at Hwangnyongwon, where LG Household & Health Care will exhibit its royal skincare line The History of Whoo Hwanyu, complemented by a live lacquerware demonstration by artisan Son Dae-hyun. Amorepacific will stage makeup shows and interactive experiences, while APR Corp. provides its Booster Pro device to international delegates. Makeup artist brand Jung Saem Mool introduces AI-powered iris color analysis for personalized beauty, and Gumi University hosts hands-on sessions under its K-Aesthetic program. Olive Young joins in with APEC-themed promotions at its Gyeongju stores, offering discounts and complimentary cleansers. Guests at Lahan Select Gyeongju will receive exclusive sample kits. Local fashion label Matin Kim, chosen as an official APEC partner, will distribute custom wallets and tote bags. The Korea Tourism Organization has also connected its Visit Korea platform to APEC's official site and opened a K-Goods Pop-Up at Gyeongju Station featuring souvenirs such as wine stoppers and "K-gat" ornaments — modern tributes to the traditional Korean hat made famous again through "KPop Demon Hunters." K-Arts: heritage in the global spotlight As night falls, Gyeongju — famed for its ethereal lighting — transforms into a living museum. The Hanbok Fashion Show will light up Woljeong Bridge under the theme "Mystery of a Thousand Years, Fly to Tomorrow." The show will weave together Korea's five heritage pillars — Hanbok, Hansik, Hanok, Hanji, and Hangeul — with AI-enhanced designs and Shilla-inspired royal costumes to show how tradition evolves into innovation. At the National Museum of Gyeongju, the exhibition "Silla Gold Crowns: Power and Prestige" brings together all six royal crowns of Silla for the first time, alongside gold belts and ornaments that reveal the era's artistry and hierarchy. Meanwhile, at Gyeongju Expo Park, the National Jeongdong Theater Troupe will stage "Pure Heart," a digital reinterpretation of the folktale Simcheongjeon, blending classic storytelling with cutting-edge media to celebrate devotion and modern creativity alike. 2025-10-27 16:45:45 -
Rare freshwater fish returns to life in Seoul's Cheonggyecheon Stream SEOUL, October 24 (AJP) - Cheonggyecheon has run through the heart of Seoul for more than six centuries — once a bustling stream in the old market district during the Joseon Dynasty, later entombed beneath concrete as the city modernized. Since its restoration in 2005, the waterway has evolved from a civic project into a living symbol of ecological renewal — proof that nature, when given room and care, can return even to the center of a metropolis. Nearly 20 years on, scientists have confirmed the presence of swiri (Coreoleuciscus splendidus), a rare freshwater fish native only to the Korean Peninsula and known to inhabit clean, fast-flowing streams. Its discovery, announced by the National Science Museum, underscores how far Cheonggyecheon's ecosystem has come since its rebirth. "It was both surprising and delightful to find swiri in Cheonggyecheon," said Dr. Hong Yang-ki of the National Science Museum. "This fish survives only in pristine, swiftly moving waters — so its presence shows that the stream's water quality has been consistently well maintained." The museum's survey covered six sites along the stream, from Cheonggye Plaza to its confluence with the Jungnangcheon River, revisiting the exact locations studied two decades ago. Earlier monitoring ended in 2019, but this year's findings revealed striking biodiversity gains — from bitterling and chub to endemic Korean species such as Rhodeus uyekii and Zacco koreanus. Before restoration began in 2003, Cheonggyecheon supported only a handful of pollution-tolerant fish like carp and mudfish. Today, its clear waters sustain a balanced ecosystem of species adapted to varying flow speeds and habitats. This year's findings marked a milestone: "We discovered newly hatched juvenile swiri for the first time since restoration," Dr. Hong said. "It means they're not just surviving, but breeding naturally within Cheonggyecheon itself." Researchers plan to conduct seasonal follow-up surveys and share results with Seoul City to shape long-term conservation strategies. Once buried beneath a highway overpass, Cheonggyecheon now hums again with the quiet pulse of life — a reminder that even in a city of ten million, nature can still find its way home. 2025-10-24 16:54:10 -
Korean drugmakers race to enter booming weight-loss drug market SEOUL, October 23 (AJP) - South Korea's major pharmaceutical companies are racing to enter the global weight-loss drug market, upgrading drug delivery formats and formulations to tap a segment projected to grow more than 15 percent over the next five years. A recent survey by Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy, cited by Yuanta Securities, showed that 62.2 percent of 4,400 respondents across 21 countries preferred oral weight-loss drugs — far ahead of injectables (16.3 percent) and dermal patches (7.8 percent). Convenience and ease of adherence were cited as key factors. "Oral formulations will create new demand by improving convenience and coverage potential," said one industry analyst. "As adherence improves, weight-loss drugs could evolve beyond single-use therapies into full-scale management tools for metabolic diseases." At present, GLP-1-based injectables such as Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro dominate the market. Despite their explosive success, their injectable form remains a hurdle for long-term use. Concerns also persist over rebound weight gain after discontinuation and gastrointestinal side effects. Korean drugmakers are targeting this gap by developing oral and patch-based alternatives. Global frontrunners are also pivoting to oral formulations. Novo Nordisk's oral semaglutide — a pill version of Wegovy — is in Phase III trials and expected to receive FDA approval for weight management in late 2025, reaching the market in 2026. Lilly's oral candidate Orforglipron is also in Phase III. Among Korean firms, Il-Dong Pharmaceutical has reported promising results for its oral candidate ID110521156, which also demonstrated glucose-lowering effects. In multiple ascending-dose trials, the 200-milligram group achieved an average 9.9 percent weight reduction — and up to 13.8 percent in some cases — with no serious adverse events or dropouts. The company plans to begin Phase II trials next year. Hanmi Pharmaceutical has filed an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the U.S. FDA for its compound HM17321 (LA-UCN2), designed to increase muscle mass while selectively reducing fat — addressing one of the key drawbacks of GLP-1 therapies, which often cause muscle loss. "Our goal is to enable healthy weight management, even for elderly or sarcopenic patients," said Choi In-young, head of Hanmi's R&D center. The company aims for commercialization by 2031. Daewoong Pharmaceutical and its subsidiary Daewoong Therapeutics have also entered the race, recently receiving Korean regulatory approval for a semaglutide microneedle patch. Using the company's Clopam platform, the patch delivers more than 80 percent bioavailability — outperforming existing microneedle systems — and offers a painless, once-a-week option. According to Goldman Sachs, the global anti-obesity drug market is expected to exceed $120 billion by 2035, with more than 170 drug candidates currently under development worldwide. Korean drugmakers, armed with formulation technology and competitive manufacturing capability, are moving fast to capture the next wave of innovation — reshaping the country's pharmaceutical footprint in one of the world's most lucrative therapeutic frontiers. 2025-10-23 17:04:03 -
Koreans get serious about park golf, launching the first pro qualifying test SEOUL, October 22 (AJP) - Korea's love for golf is no secret, but the craze over its miniature, cheaper cousin turned serious this week as the nation hosted the world's first Professional Park Golf Pro Qualifying Test. The three-day competition began on Wednesday at Hanyeoul Park Golf Course in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, drawing 380 participants. Until just a few years ago, park golf — a hybrid between golf and croquet — was largely seen as a leisurely pastime for seniors. That perception has changed dramatically. It is now embraced across generations as an affordable, family-friendly sport enjoyed by both grandparents and grandchildren. Of the participants in the inaugural qualifying test, about 76 percent were in their 50s, while players in their 20s and 30s accounted for roughly 20 percent. According to the Korea Park Golf Association, registered membership has surged from 64,001 in 2021 to 183,788 in 2024, nearly tripling in three years. This year, the total topped 250,000, and when including unregistered players, the number is estimated to exceed half a million. "Park golf already had potential before COVID-19, but the pandemic made it explode in popularity," said Jeon Young-chang, executive vice president of the Korea Professional Park Golf Association, who opened Korea's first park golf course at Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul. "Many golfers returning from overseas — and even regular golfers here — turned to park golf because of its lower cost and easier access. At first, people didn't take it seriously, but once they tried it, they found it incredibly fun." Originating in Hokkaido, Japan, in 1983 as part of a local park revitalization project, the sport was introduced to Korea in 2004 by Jeon. The rules are almost identical to regular golf, except players use a single mallet-like club on a shorter nine-hole course. Each hole measures up to 150 meters, compared to about 500 meters in standard golf, and a full round can be completed in about an hour. The sport's accessibility and low cost — often free or around 10,000 won ($7) for a three-hour round — have helped it expand beyond its senior base. Courses typically require no reservations and have flexible hours, making them easy for casual or spontaneous play. Younger players are also joining in. The Miss Korea Park Golf Team was launched last month to promote the sport among women and youth. "We played so well today — almost all holes-in-one," shrieked Kim Mi-sook, winner of the 38th Miss Korea title. "Many of us love outdoor activities like hiking or horseback riding, and park golf has become such a national trend that we decided to form a team." Lee Jae-won, a 27-year-old Miss Korea awardee and physical education graduate from Yonsei University, said she enjoyed the game's simplicity. "It's easy to start but has surprising depth — you really need precision and control," she said. For many, park golf has become both a hobby and a second career. Hyun Chang-min, 60, who traveled from Jeju Island to compete, said he started playing after seeing seniors on television. "It's so much fun — people say it's easier than golf, but using just one club actually makes it more challenging," he said with a laugh. Lee Jin-bok, 63, a KPGA-certified coach with three decades of experience training young golfers, also joined the qualifying test. "A friend introduced me to park golf five months ago, and I was instantly drawn to it," he said. "To establish it as a real professional sport, tournaments need to meet higher standards than amateur events. Prize money, sponsorships, and proper organization are key." Japan may have invented park golf, but Jeon believes Korea is now taking the lead. "Japan's scene has stagnated because it never produced star players — and without stars, a sport struggles to grow," he said. The inaugural Professional Park Golf Pro Qualifying Test runs through October 24. Of the 380 participants, the top 30 percent will earn professional certification and join Korea's first Professional Park Golf League, set to launch next April and run through November. 2025-10-22 19:06:46 -
Reunification becomes a distant dream as living divided feels like the norm for South Koreans SEOUL, October 21 (AJP) - "Our wish is reunification. Even in our dreams, we wish for reunification." For South Koreans who attended elementary school in the 1970s and 1980s, these lyrics are etched in memory — a childhood chorus once sung with conviction. But eight decades after the peninsula was divided in 1945 following liberation from Japanese rule, that wish has all but faded. A growing majority of South Koreans now regard reunification with the North as unnecessary. According to the 2025 Unification Survey released this week by the state-run Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU), 51 percent of respondents said unification is "not necessary," compared with nearly 70 percent expressing similar skepticism in 2014. Support for reunification remains weakest among those born between 1991 and 2000, at just 38 percent. Even among those who experienced the Korean War firsthand, the sentiment has declined — with 70 percent now skeptical of unification, compared with 62.1 percent a decade ago. The data reflect a generational and emotional divide. "We are too different now," said 57-year-old Lee Chun-mi. "The cost and time it would take to unify and integrate both sides would be enormous, and I’m not sure the outcome would be worth it." Others, however, continue to hold on to the hope of peaceful reconciliation. "I wish to see it before I die — but only through a peaceful process, not absorption," said another 57-year-old, Son Chun-ae. Younger South Koreans express similar divisions, oscillating between empathy and indifference. "Yes, unification could help North Koreans find better jobs and create a larger, more talented nation. I want them to live better," said Kim Gi-ri, 27. But Park Sun-min, 25, disagreed: "South Korea is doing well already. We're walking entirely different paths — I don't feel reunification is necessary." Another respondent, Kim Jae-hyun, also in his 20s, added, "Too much time has passed. The economic, political, and social disconnect is now too deep to bridge without major sacrifices." According to Min Tae-eun, a senior research fellow at KINU, the shift in perception is part of a natural evolution. "For many, division has become a normalized reality," she said. "It's not natural — but it's something people have lived with for nearly 80 years, and that familiarity has made it feel normal." For younger South Koreans, daily concerns such as jobs, housing, and economic stability now take precedence over questions of national unity. In the latest survey, 63.2 percent — the highest figure yet — responded that "if South and North can coexist peacefully without war, unification is not necessary." 2025-10-21 17:53:20 -
Once Asia's creative powerhouse, Korean cinema faces its reckoning SEOUL, October 20 (AJP) - Korea's once-vibrant movie scene is struggling to bring audiences back to theaters, and without serious soul-searching, it may follow the same decline once seen in Japanese and Hong Kong cinema. Multiplex chains are shuttering nationwide, often blaming global streaming platforms for their decline, but insiders argue the problem runs deeper — a shortage of compelling, diverse stories worth watching on the big screen. "The audience isn't gone — they just haven't been given enough movies worth going out for," said Kim Chi-ho, professor of Culture Contents at Hanyang University ERICA. "When the year's biggest hit barely surpasses five million viewers, it's not just about competition with OTT platforms. It's about what stories we're offering." The numbers tell the story. This year's top-grossing films — "My Daughter Is a Zombie" (5.62 million admissions) and "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle" (5.42 million) — fell well short of the 10-million-viewer milestone that once defined a Korean blockbuster. At the same time, ticket prices of 14,000–15,000 won now rival a month of streaming-service access, giving moviegoers little reason to leave home. According to the Korean Film Council, Korea's annual movie attendance has halved since the pandemic, plunging from 200 million to around 100 million. In the first half of 2025 alone, box-office revenue dropped 33.2 percent year-on-year, while admissions slid 32.5 percent to 42.5 million. The decline is hitting multiplexes hard. CGV has already closed 12 branches this year, including its beloved Myeong-dong Cine Library — a hub for art-house screenings and film talks — while Megabox Seongsu, opened only six years ago, shut down earlier this month. "It's not just a temporary slump," said Lee Eun, CEO of Myung Films. "We're seeing the fallout of an industry that expanded too quickly, focused too narrowly on blockbusters, and left independent and mid-sized studios behind." Lee contrasted Korea's downturn with other post-pandemic markets. "Multiplexes that once earned 100 are now making 50 — but their costs remain the same," he said. "The closures we're seeing today may continue until a healthier balance returns." To keep the K-content wave alive, Lee urged a long-term vision that values artistry as much as profit. He called for policies that nurture independent and small-studio productions and treat cinema "as more than a commercial product." Independent and art-house filmmakers, he added, still struggle to find screens. "Over the past 20 years, multiplex chains have made efforts to show independent works. But now it's time for local governments, the Korean Film Council, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to expand funding for dedicated art-house theaters." Film critics warn that the halo surrounding Korean cinema — once seen as Asia's creative powerhouse — could fade just as it did for Japanese, Hong Kong, and Chinese films in earlier decades. The answer, they say, lies not in chasing blockbusters but in supporting diversity and creativity at every level of the industry. 2025-10-20 17:06:20 -
Seoul mulls expanding organ donor criteria amid dire shortage SEOUL, October 17 (AJP) - Korea is considering expanding its organ donor eligibility to include patients who experience cardiac arrest after withdrawing life-sustaining treatment, joining a small group of countries that permit organ donation beyond brain-dead cases. The move comes amid an acute shortage of transplantable organs, with patients waiting an average of four years for a transplant. Whether the policy change can meaningfully ease the growing backlog remains uncertain, given Korea’s traditionally conservative views on organ donation. The Ministry of Health and Welfare on Thursday unveiled its first Comprehensive Plan for Organ Donation and Transplantation (2026–2030), which includes allowing donations from patients who have given prior consent for both the discontinuation of life-sustaining treatment and organ donation. Under the proposal, organ donation would be permitted after cardiac death—once life-support systems are removed and death is confirmed. Similar frameworks have long been implemented in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Spain. “I’ve already registered as an organ donor,” said Kim Eun-jeong, a 58-year-old travel specialist who has signed documents for both treatment withdrawal and organ donation. “But I worry that if any of my family members object when the time comes, my wish may not be honored.” In Korea, even if a patient chooses to withdraw life-sustaining treatment, the process cannot proceed if any family member opposes it. The restriction often prevents individuals from making their own end-of-life choices, fueling debate over whether family consent should outweigh personal autonomy. The government aims to raise the national organ donation registration rate from 3.6 percent in 2023 to 6 percent by 2030, and increase the number of brain-dead donors per million people from 7.8 to 11 during the same period. Yet demand continues to outpace supply. The number of patients on transplant waiting lists has surged from 43,182 in 2020 to 54,789 in 2025, while the number of donors fell from 478 to 397. On average, candidates wait four years, and as long as seven years and nine months for kidney transplants. Roughly 8.5 people die each day while waiting for an organ. 2025-10-17 17:09:27 -
In Myeong-dong streets, anti-Chinese sentiment is nowhere SEOUL, October 16 (AJP) - The return of Chinese group tourists to Korea has been met with a mix of concern over disorderly crowds and optimism for an economic boost. Three weeks into the visa-waiver program, the outcome appears largely positive. Myeong-dong, Seoul's central shopping district, has regained its pre-pandemic bustle as Chinese tour groups return in force. Once stigmatized as noisy and unruly, Chinese budget travelers are leaving a more favorable impression this time. "We're seeing many Chinese tourists coming to see our performances these days, which was rare before. They were orderly and genuinely enjoyed the show," said Park Moon-kyung, manager at Myeongdong Nanta Theater. Chinese visitors also say they feel welcomed. "It's my first time visiting Korea, and I think it's the best city in Asia," said Xing Li, a 40-year-old traveler from a Chinese tour group under the banner 'Total Korea.' "I'm impressed that most Koreans can speak two or three languages." A female tour guide, who asked not to be named, said, "We've definitely seen more inquiries since the visa waiver began. I haven't noticed any anti-China protests, and our guests don't seem concerned. There's been no negative impact." Merchants in Myeong-dong echo similar views. "These days, we have customers from across Asia — Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Japan," said a manager at the popular noodle chain Myeongdong Kyoja. "How orderly someone behaves depends on the individual, not the nationality." The visa waiver has clearly boosted Chinese arrivals. According to the Ministry of Justice, 525,396 Chinese nationals entered Korea last month, up 16.4 percent from a year earlier. Data from the Korea Tourism Organization shows that one in three foreign tourists who visited Korea in August was Chinese, totaling 605,000 visitors — surpassing the pre-pandemic level of August 2019 at 578,000. 2025-10-16 17:05:16 -
Weight-loss injections turn diet fad in Korea, raising abuse concerns SEOUL, October 15 (AJP) - Easier access and a wider range of options are fueling misuse of foreign-made weight-loss injections in diet-obsessed Korea amid lax regulations and aggressive marketing by clinics and drugstores. Originally designed strictly for obesity treatment, the costly injections have become easier and cheaper to obtain since Eli Lilly's Mounjaro entered the Korean market in August as a lower-priced alternative to Novo Nordisk's Wegovy. Interest in Wegovy skyrocketed earlier this year after Bang Si-hyuk, the chubby chairman of HYBE, appeared to have shed a significant amount of weight within months, reportedly with the help of the injection. But the fad has since shifted from treating obesity to serving as a quick diet tool. "I wasn't questioned for my intention or any health problem. The doctor just wrote away the prescription," said Oh Eun-ji, a 50-year-old woman who easily received a prescription for two monthly kits of 1.0-mg doses from a local clinic, despite not being overweight. Social media and telemedicine platforms have further accelerated demand. DoctorNow, a telemedicine and prescription app, connects users to hospitals with Wegovy and Mounjaro in stock and provides real-time consultations. Prices vary widely — while clinics often charge 500,000 to 600,000 won ($422) for a monthly kit of Wegovy, it can be found for nearly half the price elsewhere. Competition has also fueled explosive market growth. According to this year's Drug Utilization Review (DUR) data, prescriptions for Mounjaro reached 70,383 cases, closing in on Wegovy's 85,519. Within just ten days of its August debut, Mounjaro logged 18,579 DUR checks, surpassing Wegovy's first-month record. The drug, Korea's first dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist, quickly gained traction after clinical results suggested stronger weight-loss efficacy than Wegovy. Prescriptions are also coming from medical departments unrelated to obesity treatment — including psychiatry (2,453 cases), obstetrics and gynecology (2,247), urology (1,010), ophthalmology (864), dentistry (586), and radiology (104), according to data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA). The surge in use has been accompanied by growing reports of side effects. A total of 151 Wegovy users developed acute pancreatitis, while 961 others experienced complications such as cholelithiasis (560 cases), cholecystitis (143), and acute renal failure (63). More alarmingly, Wegovy has reportedly been prescribed to children and pregnant women, groups for which the drug is strictly contraindicated. Between October 2024 and August 2025, there were 69 prescriptions for children under 12 and 194 for pregnant women, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare and HIRA. The phenomenon has drawn a public warning from the Korean Diabetes Association (KDA). "It is deeply concerning that many young adults are misusing obesity drugs for cosmetic purposes despite having no obesity or metabolic disorders. All medications carry risks of side effects. We urge patients to consult certified obesity or diabetes specialists for safe and appropriate treatment," it said. 2025-10-15 17:46:37