Journalist

Kang Sang Heon
  • Son Heung-min records 15th assist of season as LAFC draws San Diego FC 2-2
    Son Heung-min records 15th assist of season as LAFC draws San Diego FC 2-2 Son Heung-min recorded his 15th assist of the season for Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer. LAFC drew San Diego FC 2-2 on the road in a 2026 MLS Round 11 match at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California, on May 3 (Korean time). Son came on in the 60th minute with LAFC down 2-0 and set up Denis Bouanga’s goal in the 82nd minute to start the comeback. It was Son’s eighth assist in league play, moving him into sole possession of the MLS assist lead. Across all official competitions, including the CONCACAF Champions Cup, it was his 15th assist of the season. Son still has not scored his first MLS goal. He has two goals in the Champions Cup but has yet to find the net in league play. LAFC equalized in the 90th minute of stoppage time. On a corner kick, Mathieu Choiniere headed the ball down and Ryan Hollingshead finished from close range to make it 2-2. With the draw, LAFC stayed third in the Western Conference at 6-3-2 with 21 points. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-03 14:18:15
  • Dutch report says South Korea midfielder Hwang In-beom out for season with injury
    Dutch report says South Korea midfielder Hwang In-beom out for season with injury South Korea national team midfielder Hwang In-beom, who plays for Feyenoord in the Dutch Eredivisie, will end his season early because of injury. Dutch outlet 1908.NL reported on May 3 (Korean time), citing sources, that Hwang will not be able to play in the remaining matches. Feyenoord, currently second in the league, has three games left before the season ends. Hwang injured his right ankle in a match against Excelsior on March 16. He was named to Hong Myung-bo’s squad for March international matches but ultimately did not join. He has not played an official match for his club since, focusing on rehabilitation. The injury is also a setback for South Korea as it prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. Hwang has been a key midfielder and a central link in Hong’s lineup. The outlet said Hwang’s World Cup participation is uncertain, while adding there is also an optimistic view that he could recover at an appropriate time.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-03 12:24:14
  • Theme Parks Roll Out Children’s Day Events With Safaris, MapleStory and Fireworks
    Theme Parks Roll Out Children’s Day Events With Safaris, MapleStory and Fireworks Major theme parks in South Korea are stepping up Children’s Day programming on May 5, offering expanded attractions, content tied to popular intellectual property and large-scale fireworks shows. ◆Everland targets families with revamped safari and kids club Everland is promoting an “Ever Kids Club” theme day aimed at children and parents. Across the park — including Panda World and Sky Garden Road — it is running 10 hands-on programs such as “Little Animal Explorers” and “French Little Chef School.” While children take part, parents can leave them with instructors and take a break at nearby cafes. Everland is also offering promotions for three-generation family visits, including special discounts and priority boarding passes for Safari World. Everland said its animal-focused “exploration course” has been upgraded with a newly renovated Safari World after about a year of preparation. The park added natural features such as waterfalls and ponds and focused on improving animal welfare conditions. It also installed high rocks designed to stimulate lions’ instincts and created habitat-based themed areas, including a lions’ “Savanna Grassland” and a tigers’ “Predator Forest,” to help preserve wild traits and allow visitors to observe more dynamic behavior. A “Walking Zoo Stamp Tour,” where visitors seek out animals such as giraffes and elephants while learning about ecology, is also being offered. Everland is also highlighting nighttime entertainment and water attractions. “Wings of Memory,” produced in collaboration with Canada-based circus production company Eloize, features an art circus performance. The multimedia show “Guardians of Light” combines thousands of fireworks with drones and 3D video. Starting May 1, Caribbean Bay is additionally opening “Mega Storm,” described as one of the water park’s signature thrill attractions. Through May 28, Everland visitors can enter Caribbean Bay for free from 1 p.m. under an “Ever to Cabi” event. ◆Lotte World rolls out MapleStory, Cookie Run and Star Wars tie-ins Lotte World is staging parkwide events built around the MapleStory IP. At Magic Island, it has opened a roughly 600-pyeong “Maple Island Zone” as part of the “MapleStory in Lotte World” festival running through June 14, recreating key in-game villages. New attractions including “Stone Express” and “Arcana Ride,” along with a gift shop, have drawn long lines. A daily signature show, “Let’s Play! Lotty’s Adventure Parade,” is held at 2 p.m. on the Adventure 1st-floor parade route and now includes new elements themed on MapleStory’s toy kingdom “Ludibrium.” Characters including Orange Mushroom and Slime lead the procession, with toy-concept dancers such as Pink Tenny and Blockpus. The boss monster “Pink Bean” appears atop a Ludibrium-themed vehicle with special effects including gears and propellers. Lotte World is also running a twice-daily photo time, “Smile with MapleStory,” at 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. around the Adventure 1st-floor meeting plaza. Lotte World Aquarium and Seoul Sky are also hosting collaborations. The aquarium is working with “Cookie Run” through June 7, decorating the venue with an undersea palace concept and offering an augmented reality stamp tour that includes limited-edition photo cards. From May 1 to May 10, aquarists will stage underwater performances twice daily, and an “Aqua Family Camp” overnight program is also being operated. At Seoul Sky, a “Star Wars”-themed experience space is being offered, and a large character parade is planned on May 4 for “Star Wars Day.” ◆Legoland extends hours, adds lights and fireworks for a five-day special Legoland is holding a “Children’s Day Special Day” from May 1 to May 5, extending operating hours to 9 p.m. With night operations, visitors can take in views of Uiam Lake and downtown Chuncheon from the 43-meter Legoland Observatory. At 7:30 p.m., 2,000 Lego LED lights in Miniland will turn on at once. Fireworks — billed as the festival’s highlight — are scheduled for 8:30 p.m. on May 3 and May 4 across the park. The park is also offering participatory events aimed at children. At the Bricktopia Lounge, a “Build Contest” themed “Make Your Own Ninja” will select a daily winner at 4 p.m. and award a special prize. To mark Ninjago’s 15th anniversary, Legoland is running a stamp tour offering limited-edition badges and an SNS event, “Find the Ninja,” across Miniland. Performances are scheduled both indoors and outdoors. The “Whip Around Dance Party,” previously held outside, has moved to the indoor Bricktopia Performance Theater with upgraded staging, lighting and video effects. At 8 p.m. daily, “Ceremony of Ninja” will be held at the Brick Street outdoor stage, ending the day with a pledge ceremony to become a brave ninja. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-05-02 06:03:25
  • LPGA’s Yoon Ina Apologizes for Remarks Blaming Caddie in Past Wrong-Ball Incident
    LPGA’s Yoon Ina Apologizes for Remarks Blaming Caddie in Past Wrong-Ball Incident Yoon Ina has apologized after drawing criticism for comments she made in a local-media interview during the LPGA Tour major Chevron Championship about a past wrong-ball incident. In a statement released Thursday through her management company, Sema Sports Marketing, Yoon said she was not careful enough in how she described the situation in an interview ahead of the final round. “Because I was explaining it in an urgent situation right after the match, I was not careful in my wording during the process,” she said. “I take this seriously and am deeply reflecting.” “Above all, I apologize to everyone who may have been hurt by those remarks,” Yoon said. “I clearly recognize that in any situation, the responsibility lies with the player. I had no intention of shifting that responsibility to anyone else.” The controversy began after an interview with a local outlet following the third round of the Chevron Championship last week. In the interview, conducted through an interpreter, Yoon described the wrong-ball situation by saying her tee shot went into the rough and other players helped look for the ball. She said she did not realize it was not her ball until she was about to hit her next shot. She added that it was her first time in such a situation and she panicked. “My caddie told me to hit it, but I shouldn’t have listened,” she said. She also said she should have reported it immediately but was “too nervous and scared,” and believed it would be OK because she thought she would miss the cut and people around her said it would not become a big issue. The remarks drew scrutiny because they conflicted with what she had previously stated while playing on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association tour. Her apology at the time said she realized the ball had been switched only after reaching the green. After the interview became an issue, Yoon apologized again, saying the episode made her realize her words and actions can have a major impact. She said she would approach every moment with greater care and maturity and work to earn the trust of officials and fans. Yoon received a three-year suspension after she recognized a wrong-ball play during the first round of the 2022 Korea Women’s Open but reported it a month later. The penalty was later reduced to 1 1/2 years. She returned to the KLPGA Tour in 2024, won the season’s top award, and moved to the U.S. the following year.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 18:30:17
  • WSJ: Saudi PIF to End LIV Golf Funding After This Year
    WSJ: Saudi PIF to End LIV Golf Funding After This Year Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf is facing its biggest test after reports that the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund plans to stop funding the league, putting its future in doubt. The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg News reported on April 30 (Korean time) that PIF has decided to maintain financial support for LIV Golf only through this year and then end it. The reports said players and staff could be formally notified as soon as April 30 local time. LIV Golf, launched in 2021 with Saudi backing, has poured more than $5 billion (about 7.4 trillion won) into the venture over four years. It drew attention by signing many top-ranked players and breaking with PGA Tour traditions, including 54-hole, three-round events and allowing players to wear shorts. The league has struggled, however, to attract spectators and television viewers. Questions have also emerged about governance. Sports Business Journal, citing an internal source, reported that PIF Gov. Yasir Al-Rumayyan, a central figure in LIV’s creation and a key financial backer, has stepped down as chair of LIV’s board. Signs of disruption have appeared on the schedule. LIV Golf said April 29 it is postponing its Louisiana tournament, originally set for late June in New Orleans, until the fall. The league said its “LIV Golf Korea 2026” event, scheduled to open May 28 at Asiad Country Club in Busan, will proceed as planned.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 17:58:36
  • LIV Golf Korea 2026 Names Paradise Hotel Busan as Official Hotel for May Event
    LIV Golf Korea 2026 Names Paradise Hotel Busan as Official Hotel for May Event Paradise Hotel Busan in the Haeundae area has been named the official hotel for the global golf event "LIV Golf Korea 2026." Paradise Hotel Busan said Wednesday it held a signing ceremony for an official partnership with LIV Golf on Tuesday in the Sicily Room of the hotel’s main building. Attendees included Yoon Jin-sang, general manager of Paradise Hotel Busan; Son Seong-an, chairman of S&M Group; Ross Hallett, LIV Golf executive vice president for events; and Martin Kim, team representative of Korean Golf Club and managing director for Korea and East Asia at LIV Golf. LIV Golf, which staged its first tournament in South Korea last year in Incheon, is a golf league that combines top-level competition with entertainment. This year’s event will be held May 28-31 at Asiad Country Club in Gijang, Busan. The 2026 season will also feature a new South Korean team, Korean GC, made up of An Byeong-hun, Danny Lee, Song Young-han and Kim Min-gyu. LIV Golf star Jon Rahm of Spain and defending South Korea champion Bryson DeChambeau of the United States are also set to contend in Busan. As an official partner, Paradise Hotel Busan will provide lodging for players, their families and event officials during the tournament and support lounge catering at the venue. The hotel also plans to operate a dedicated booth in the fan village at Asiad Country Club with hands-on events for visitors. Organizers expect LIV Golf’s entertainment-focused format to boost local tourism. A concert headlined by South Korean DJ and producer Peggy Gou is scheduled after play ends May 30. LIV Golf previously drew more than 100,000 spectators at events in Adelaide and South Africa, and ticket sales for this year’s South Korea tournament are moving faster than last year, the hotel said. Paradise Hotel said it aims to broaden cultural offerings by extending entertainment beyond traditional sports. On April 2, it also released running content set against the Haeundae coastline in collaboration with premium performance brand Vuori. A Paradise Hotel Busan official said the LIV Golf tournament is expected to draw about 60,000 golf tourists, adding that the company will continue expanding opportunities to enjoy cultural content, including sports, as a leading hospitality business in the region.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 08:03:20
  • UCI MTB World Series Opens May 1 in Pyeongchang, First Asia Stop
    UCI MTB World Series Opens May 1 in Pyeongchang, First Asia Stop The 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike (MTB) World Series — Mona Yongpyong opens May 1. The event runs May 1-3 at Mona Yongpyong in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, as the official opening round of the 2026 season under the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports (WBD) framework. It is the first time the MTB World Series, long centered on Europe and North America, has been held in Asia. The organizing committee said delegations and officials from about 40 countries, including the United States, Canada, France, Britain and Switzerland, totaling about 1,000 people, have entered South Korea so far. Among the arrivals are U.S. cross-country (XCO) standout Christopher Blevins and Austrian downhill (DHI) contender Valentina Höll. Riders are setting up equipment in team areas and completing official training ahead of the season’s first races. South Korea’s 14-member team has been finalized. The Korea Cycling Federation selected seven riders each for XCO and DHI through national team trials. The XCO lineup is Heo Seung-su (Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps), Cheon Seong-hun (Gyeongbuk Sports Council), Na Deok-jin (Eumseong County Office, elite), Kang Dong-hyeon (Jeonju City Hall), Hwang Ui-chan (Catholic Kwandong University), Song Myeong-gwan (Changwon National University) and Je Hwan-jun (Korea Land and Geospatial Informatix Corp., under-23). The DHI team includes Park Jong-yoon (Maru MTB Racing), Bae Jun-ho and Lee Jin-hyeong (both Dirt Yami, elite), along with junior riders Kang Ha-jun, Seok Min-jae, Song Yeon-ho and Ahn Seung-ha. Organizers said the main venue courses on Mount Balwang have been readied. The 1.86-kilometer DHI course was built to international standards with steep grades and rocky terrain, with hazardous sections addressed after test rides. The XCO course, featuring climbs, technical descents and artificial obstacles, has also been finalized. Broadcast and media preparations are in final checks. Coverage is to be carried worldwide on platforms including Eurosport, TNT Sports and HBO Max, and in South Korea on KBSN Sports. The committee said it is also conducting full rehearsals and emergency response drills ahead of an expected crowd of about 15,000. "Everything is moving smoothly as planned, from team arrivals to venues, broadcasting, transportation and safety operations," an organizing committee official said. "We will prepare thoroughly to the very end so this Pyeongchang event can be a top stage for athletes and a memorable festival for fans."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 17:54:44
  • Kumho Resort Upgrades Asiana CC Course and Facilities to Boost Premium Rounds
    Kumho Resort Upgrades Asiana CC Course and Facilities to Boost Premium Rounds Kumho Resort said its members-only Asiana Country Club has completed course and facility maintenance and will offer an upgraded premium-round environment. Located in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Asiana CC said it has improved overall operations with priority on course competitiveness, on-course convenience and member satisfaction. In line with the lifestyle trend known as “quiet luxury,” the club said it is emphasizing course management that highlights natural scenery and strengthening core golf-club value, including the clubhouse, rather than flashy additions. The club consists of a dramatic East Course and a more delicate West Course, and is known for scenery that blends with nature and closely maintained playing conditions. This year, Asiana CC said it is focusing on improving course quality. To respond proactively to climate change, it plans to complete by May the replacement of greens with “Pure Distinction,” a new turf variety that was introduced on a trial basis last year, across nine holes on the East Course. The club said Pure Distinction offers better disease resistance and maintenance efficiency than the existing Dominant variety, while keeping more consistent color and density year-round. Asiana CC said it plans to replace greens across the entire course with the variety by 2028 to improve summer green speed and reinforce a high-end image. The club also said it has finished infrastructure work aimed at member convenience. In March, it repaved 7.6 kilometers (4.7 miles) of cart paths on the West Course and updated guidance lines between holes to improve driving stability. It also renovated five banquet rooms on the first floor of the clubhouse, creating private rest areas with open garden views. “Asiana CC is strengthening premium value that members can feel by raising the overall completeness of the course, including green quality,” a Kumho Resort official said. “We will continue to enhance competitiveness as a leading golf club through differentiated course-quality management and member-focused operations.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 17:43:59
  • How ‘Super Shoes’ Helped Break the 2-Hour Marathon Barrier in Official Racing
    How ‘Super Shoes’ Helped Break the 2-Hour Marathon Barrier in Official Racing The men’s marathon “two-hour barrier,” long treated as a limit of human endurance over 42.195 kilometers (26.2 miles), has been broken in an official race. The milestone has renewed attention on the rapid evolution of “super shoes,” a showcase of sports science designed to maximize performance. For decades, marathon running was seen as a test of the body with minimal help from equipment. A defining example was the late Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia, who won the 1960 Rome Olympics marathon in a world record after running barefoot rather than in new shoes that did not fit. Running shoes later became standard, but for years their role was largely limited to protecting the foot and cushioning impact. Elite runners wanted lighter shoes, yet manufacturing constraints forced trade-offs between shock absorption and weight. That changed in the late 2010s, when major brands introduced shoes combining lightweight carbon-fiber plates with specialized foam, ushering in the super-shoe era. By returning energy like a spring with each stride, the technology has sharply reduced times. Reuters and other foreign media reported that since the super-shoe era began, the pace of world-record improvement has shifted from seconds to minutes over the past nine years. The gains also fueled accusations of “technology doping.” The debate intensified in 2019 when Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge broke two hours in an unofficial event while wearing Nike shoes with three carbon-fiber plates in the sole. After criticism that the shoes went beyond an athlete’s natural ability, World Athletics in 2020 limited elite racing shoes to a maximum sole thickness of 40 millimeters and restricted carbon-fiber plates to one. Even under those tighter rules, super shoes kept advancing — and produced a historic result at the 2026 London Marathon in London on April 26 (Korean time). Sebastian Sawe of Kenya crossed the line in 1 hour, 59 minutes, 30 seconds to become the first person to run an official sub-2 marathon. Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia also broke the barrier, finishing in 1:59:41. As the once-unthinkable times arrived back-to-back, questions about reliance on shoe technology resurfaced. Sawe rejected the suggestion. “It’s true the shoes are very light and you feel like they push you forward, but it’s not (doping) at all. I ran in fully approved shoes that comply with the rules,” he said, according to Reuters on April 28. Sawe’s coach told Britain’s The Guardian that Sawe’s ability, along with the shoes and proper nutrition, had helped push the marathon into a new era. Sawe and other top finishers, including women’s world-record setter Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia (2:15:41), wore Adidas’ Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3. The shoe weighs 97 grams in a 270-millimeter size — about the weight of two eggs — and is designed with carbon materials and a customized build to reduce energy use and maximize rebound, according to the report. With the two-hour barrier now broken, competition among global brands is expected to continue. Reuters reported that shoe performance can improve running efficiency by 2% to 4% — a small figure on paper but a major difference over 42.195 kilometers. It added that while World Athletics limits sole thickness and the number of carbon plates, it still allows innovation, making comparisons of records across generations increasingly difficult.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 15:14:00
  • LIV Golf Postpones New Orleans Event From June to Fall Amid Funding Questions
    LIV Golf Postpones New Orleans Event From June to Fall Amid Funding Questions 최근 재정 위기설에 휩싸인 LIV 골프가 오는 6월 미국 루이지애나주 뉴올리언스 대회를 가을로 연기한다. LIV 골프는 29일(한국시간) AP 통신에 보낸 보도자료에서 "루이지애나주 정부와 협력해 새로운 일정으로 대회를 옮기는 결정을 내렸다"며 "이는 한여름의 극심한 더위를 피하고 글로벌 스포츠 일정(FIFA 북중미 월드컵)과 충돌하지 않기 위한 것"이라고 밝혔다. LIV 골프는 "가을에 대회를 할 수 있도록 노력하고 있다"며 "가까운 시일 내에 확정된 날짜를 공유하기를 기대한다"고 덧붙였다. 뉴올리언스 대회가 미뤄지면서 LIV 골프는 6월 4일 개막하는 스페인 안달루시아 대회 이후 7월 23일 영국 대회까지 약 2개월간 공백이 생기게 됐다. 이번 결정은 사우디아라비아 국부펀드(PIF)가 LIV 골프에 대한 자금 지원 중단을 검토하고 있다는 현지 보도 직후 나와 관심을 모았다. 최근 4년간 약 50억 달러(약 7조 3680억원)를 투입해 온 PIF가 더는 지원에 나서지 않을 수 있다는 관측이 나오며 LIV 골프는 존폐 위기설에 휩싸였다. LIV 골프는 위기설을 부인했다. 스콧 오닐 LIV 골프 최고경영자(CEO)는 지난 28일 부산 아시아드 컨트리클럽에서 열린 국내 기자회견에서 "우리는 2026년 시즌을 운영할 자금을 이미 충분히 확보한 상태"라며 "주요 파트너들의 후원 규모도 약 5억 달러 수준으로 커졌다. 사업성과 경기력 양면에서 드라마틱한 성장을 이뤘다"고 말했다.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 09:42:05