Journalist

Lee Dong Geon
  • Fashion mogul Park Sun-ho’s rise from poverty to 1 trillion won in sales and 40 billion won in giving
    Fashion mogul Park Sun-ho’s rise from poverty to 1 trillion won in sales and 40 billion won in giving Park Sun-ho, known as South Korea’s “fashion king” for building a major fashion group from nothing, shared his life story on television, including his rise in business and decades of philanthropy. On the April 22 broadcast of EBS’ “Seo Jang-hoon’s Next-Door Millionaire,” the program traced Park’s path from poverty to business success. Born the fourth of seven children in a poor family, he said he struggled even to eat as a child. Unable to attend middle school, he began farm work at 14 to help support his family and took a job at 16 at an underwear wholesaler in Masan. Park recalled working in harsh conditions without a salary, but said he was grateful simply to be fed three meals a day while learning the trade. Two years later, he moved to Busan to pursue his own business. Seeking a shop, he pleaded with a landlord to wait “three to four months” for the deposit, and said the landlord’s decision allowed him to enter Busan’s largest market, Jungang Market, without paying a deposit upfront. He later secured exclusive supply deals with 130 retailers and expanded into the wholesale market, saying he kept his promise. Park said he was called a “kid tycoon” in his 20s and recalled that he “scooped up money in sacks.” After establishing himself in wholesale, Park moved into apparel manufacturing. He said he became the second in South Korea to succeed in producing cotton T-shirts, and that a self-developed “seamless turtleneck” became a major hit. He said the success enabled him to buy a two-story house and marry, marking his peak in his 20s. The momentum did not last. After long-sleeve T-shirts sold well in spring, he produced short-sleeve versions, but the thick fabric failed in the summer market, leaving him with large inventories. Park said unpaid factory bills totaled 38 million won at the time, which he said would be worth “tens of billions of won” today. He said he pushed on, urging the fabric mill owner to invest more so he could repay the debt. After running the factory around the clock, he said he repaid the full amount in four years. His business then rebounded, he said, reaching 10 billion won in sales in 1987, surpassing 100 billion won in 1995, and hitting 1 trillion won in annual sales in 2011. His life also drew attention after being made into the 2005 drama “Fashion 70s,” the program said. The broadcast also highlighted Park’s giving, describing him as a “sharing king.” It said he has donated a cumulative 40 billion won over about 40 years. The program said Forbes Asia named him a “top Asian philanthropist” in 2010, and that he received honors including a presidential commendation for volunteer service and the Order of Civil Merit, Dongbaek Medal. It also said he has helped renovate homes for marginalized people, providing new housing for 300 households to date. When the show revealed he ranks fifth nationwide in the Honor Society, Seo Jang-hoon said, “I’m a member too, but the chairman’s amount is enormous.” Near the end of the program, Park said, “Growing a company and making money are important, but I want to be remembered as someone who does what society truly needs.” He added, “You can’t take money with you when you die. What matters is using the money you earned through sweat and hard work in a meaningful way.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 14:16:12
  • Taiwan Actor Wang Ta-lu Sentenced to 6 Months for Illegal Use of Personal Data
    Taiwan Actor Wang Ta-lu Sentenced to 6 Months for Illegal Use of Personal Data Taiwanese actor Wang Ta-lu, once dubbed an “icon of first love,” was sentenced in a first trial to prison for illegally obtaining and using personal information. Taiwan’s Central News Agency and other outlets reported that the New Taipei District Court on Tuesday sentenced Wang and his girlfriend to six months in prison each. Under Taiwan law, the sentence can be commuted by paying a fine. In the same case, Liu Ju-lung, a police official, was sentenced to one year and four months for charges related to false documents. A friend of Wang, identified only by the surname Yu, and a member of an organized crime group were each sentenced to three months in prison. The case stemmed from a military service issue. Prosecutors searched Wang’s home in February 2025, and he was released on bail the same day after paying 150,000 New Taiwan dollars. Authorities said then that Wang had already passed the age limit for deferring service and was scheduled to enlist on March 13, 2025. He later began a one-year alternative service term as planned. In June that year, the investigation widened to a broader draft-broker ring. Prosecutors indicted 28 people, including Wang, saying he paid 3.6 million New Taiwan dollars to Chen Chih-ming, identified as the ringleader, in an attempt to evade service. Prosecutors also said Wang handed over his ID card and national health insurance card so another person could receive hospital treatment in his place, then arranged to have the documents reissued by making it appear they had been lost. Wang’s draft-evasion trial has proceeded separately from Tuesday’s six-month sentence. In court in November 2025, Wang bowed his head and called it a “mistake committed out of ignorance.” Prosecutors sought a one-year prison term on document-related charges. The personal data case involved two tracks. First, prosecutors said Wang sought to look up Chen’s personal information after losing contact with him. They said Wang, through an acquaintance, approached Liu, then a police official, who accessed the police database under a false pretext, retrieved Chen’s personal data and passed it outside. Liu argued in court it was “sent by mistake,” but the court rejected the claim. Second, prosecutors said Wang’s girlfriend claimed she had been swindled out of more than 4 million New Taiwan dollars by a man identified only by the surname Pan during her earlier live-commerce work. Prosecutors said Wang, his girlfriend and Yu created a WeChat chat room in November 2024 to discuss how to recover the money. Investigators said an organized crime figure became involved and obtained and provided personal information — including addresses and phone numbers — for Pan and people around him. During the trial, Wang and his girlfriend denied the charges, saying they did not directly order anyone to retrieve personal data. The court found both guilty of violating the Personal Data Protection Act and sentenced each to six months in prison. Wang’s side said through his lawyer after the ruling that he plans to appeal. Wang debuted as an advertising model in 2008 and became a star with the 2015 film “Our Times.” He visited South Korea in 2019 to promote the release of the film “Fall in Love at First Kiss.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 10:04:03
  • China Piracy Hits MBC Drama The Grand Prince’s Wife in the 21st Century, Starring IU and Byeon Woo-seok
    China Piracy Hits MBC Drama 'The Grand Prince’s Wife in the 21st Century,' Starring IU and Byeon Woo-seok Illegal distribution of South Korean content continues in China. A page for MBC’s Friday-Saturday drama ‘The Grand Prince’s Wife in the 21st Century’ was recently created on Douban, China’s largest review site. As of April 23, about 10,000 users had already taken part in star ratings, and roughly 4,000 reviews had been posted. Disney+ is not officially available in China, suggesting viewers watched the series through illegal streams before leaving reviews. Seo Kyoung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women’s University, said free streaming sites are easy to find by searching for the drama on Baidu, China’s largest portal. “Illegal viewing has become routine in China,” Seo said, adding that what is “even more shocking” is that people “don’t feel any shame.” Seo said Chinese authorities should step in and “actively inform” the public about the problem of illegal viewing and take steps to prevent a repeat. The drama, starring IU and Byeon Woo-seok, is set in a 21st-century South Korea under a constitutional monarchy. It follows a romance between a wealthy conglomerate heiress frustrated by her commoner status and a king’s son saddened by having nothing, as they try to break through social barriers. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 09:15:16
  • Fashion mogul Park Sun-ho, model for Fashion 70s, reveals rise from poverty to 1 trillion won sales
    Fashion mogul Park Sun-ho, model for 'Fashion 70s,' reveals rise from poverty to 1 trillion won sales The turbulent life of Park Sun-ho — the real-life model for the 2005 TV drama “Fashion 70s” — will be featured on EBS’ “Seo Jang-hoon’s Next-Door Millionaire,” tracing his rise from a penniless boy who did not finish middle school to the head of a fashion business that later posted 1 trillion won in annual sales. The program airing on the 22nd presents Park as a “living witness” to South Korea’s apparel industry, with a success story that began in 1973 as a small wholesale operation at Busan’s Jungang Market. His company grew into a major fashion firm, using top celebrities as advertising models — from Lee Moon-se and Jeon Kwang-ryeol to Jung Woo-sung, Lee Dong-wook and Namgoong Min. In 2011, it reached the long-sought benchmark of 1 trillion won in annual sales. The broadcast also shows four company buildings facing each other across a single street in Busan, underscoring the scale of what it calls his “fashion empire.” Park said his start was harsh. “I never once got to wear clean clothes properly,” he recalled of a childhood when even meals were hard to come by. Unable to enter middle school, he helped with farming from age 14 and, at 16, took a job at an underwear wholesaler in Masan. He said the conditions were so poor he suffered frostbite in winter, and he received no wages — only three meals a day — but learned the trade. Two years later, he headed to Busan’s Jungang Market with hopes of starting his own business and got a chance to open a shop without paying any deposit. He went on to secure exclusive supply deals with 130 retailers and expanded into wholesaling, becoming what the show calls a “young tycoon” in his 20s. “I brought money home in sacks. There was so much I couldn’t tell if it was bills or just paper,” he said. The program says it will reveal how he managed to break into the market with no money. After striking it big in apparel wholesaling, Park moved into manufacturing. He said he studied production closely while visiting factories and eventually succeeded in producing cotton T-shirts, the second such effort in South Korea. A self-developed “seamless turtleneck” became a major hit, he said, with orders surging so much that shops hid inventory to sell it. His rise was interrupted by an unexpected crisis. “Inventory piled up like a mountain. At the time my debt was 38 million won — in today’s value, it would be tens of billions,” he said. “When I talk about it, I cry,” he added. The program says it will detail what drove him to the brink and how he paid off the debt and recovered within four years, in the episode airing at 9:55 p.m. on the 22nd.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 21:21:21
  • China’s ‘Streetlight Escape Challenge’ Sends Woman to Police for Rescue
    China’s ‘Streetlight Escape Challenge’ Sends Woman to Police for Rescue A woman trying a viral “streetlight escape challenge” in China became stuck around a streetlight pole and had to be rescued by police. Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post reported on April 22 that the woman, identified by her surname Song, lives in Jiangsu province in eastern China. She attempted the challenge while out for a walk after dinner, after seeing it online. The stunt involves sitting with a streetlight pole between the legs, crossing the legs around it, then trying to untangle and free oneself. While it can look easy on video, participants can end up tightly locked in place and unable to get out. Song initially tried it casually, but the more she struggled, the more firmly her legs caught on the pole. Unable to free herself, she called police. Officers who responded calmed her and guided her to adjust her posture, then helped her unwind her legs. She suffered only temporary numbness in her legs and was not seriously injured, the report said. Videos of successful attempts have circulated on mainland Chinese social media, with participants slowly rotating around the pole to find an angle to pull one leg free. Failures, however, have led to commotions involving passersby, family members, food delivery workers and, in some cases, police. Police involved in Song’s rescue warned that the challenge carries hidden safety risks. They said people without sufficient knee flexibility, or who cannot support their body weight, could suffer joint injuries. Prolonged pressure on leg blood vessels can also cause tingling and swelling and, in severe cases, damage to lower-limb tissue. “Just because it’s popular online doesn’t mean you should try it blindly,” police said, urging people to avoid actions that put themselves in danger. The incident sparked debate on Chinese social media. One user wrote that most viral challenges are simply meant to attract attention and questioned why people follow them without thinking. Others said they wanted to try it. Another user said the belief that one can do better than the people in videos appears to encourage such attempts. China has repeatedly seen waves of unusual online challenges. Past trends have included tying ankles with cable ties and trying to escape, climbing into deep buckets, and wrapping the body in multiple layers of winter blankets.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 17:06:24
  • Korean Air First-Class Seat Complaint Highlights Gap Between Price and Comfort
    Korean Air First-Class Seat Complaint Highlights Gap Between Price and Comfort Comedian-turned-dentist Kim Young-sam’s complaint about a first-class seat has renewed attention on how passengers judge premium airline products — and how expectations can differ from what travelers feel in the cabin. Kim wrote on social media on the 21st, posting a photo from a flight to the United States: “How am I supposed to go all the way to the U.S. in a place this cramped? Even my high school study room was bigger.” He added, “Korean Air first class!” and “Burning miles!” Passengers can voice dissatisfaction with a service they used, regardless of ticket price or cabin class. On long-haul routes, first class is marketed as more than a seat, with customers expecting rest and a more private space. A traveler’s sense of tightness — or a gap between expectation and reality — can be a personal experience. According to Korean Air’s website, the Boeing 777-300ER Kosmo Suites 2.0 first-class seat has a pitch of 211 centimeters, a bed length of 203 centimeters and a width of 61 centimeters. The A380-800 first-class seat is listed with a 211-centimeter pitch, a 201-centimeter bed length and a 67-centimeter width. On paper, those measurements are far larger than economy seating. Some criticism of certain Korean Air first-class products has surfaced in reviews. One Mile at a Time, an airline review outlet, said Korean Air’s A380 first class “feels dated,” citing shortcomings such as the entertainment system. The review said the A380 product is less competitive compared with newer global first-class offerings. Another review of Korean Air’s 747-8 Kosmo Suites 2.0 described the seat as “spacious and private” overall, while noting a width of about 24 inches. That is wide compared with standard seating, but suggests limits when measured against the newest first-class suites offered by major airlines. In user comments, complaints often focused less on absolute size than on how the space feels. One Reddit user wrote that Korean Air’s first-class seat was only slightly larger than business class, was not as comfortable as expected, and had a noticeable step in “bed mode.” By specifications alone, Kim’s description of “cramped” appears exaggerated. Still, on long-haul flights, perceived comfort can be shaped by storage space, openness, aisle access, privacy, window-side layout and cabin fixture placement. First-class customers often expect a self-contained space for many hours, not simply a larger chair — and disappointment can follow when the experience falls short. The aircraft type and seat configuration Kim used cannot be confirmed from his post alone. His remarks appear to reflect a clash between premium-service expectations and what a customer feels in practice, rather than a verified defect in a specific seat. Premium cabins are sold as high-value products, differentiated by larger seats, meals, lounges and dedicated service. As a result, customer evaluations can directly affect competitiveness. At the same time, travelers who pay more — or redeem miles for a top-tier seat — often apply stricter standards.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 11:04:36
  • Comedian Kim Mi-ryeo Shares Candid Details of 13-Year Marriage to Jung Sung-yoon
    Comedian Kim Mi-ryeo Shares Candid Details of 13-Year Marriage to Jung Sung-yoon Comedian Kim Mi-ryeo has shared details of her 13-year marriage to actor Jung Sung-yoon. On the 21st, the YouTube channel “Rolling Thunder” posted an episode of “New Woman” titled “Spicy talk from strong women who failed to keep it PG.” In the video, Kim described her husband as “still full of energy,” adding, “I’ve cooled off a bit, but he still seems to like it. Even if I just touch him, he reacts.” She said they sleep in separate rooms but added that intimacy is not limited to the bed, saying he “usually aims for the kitchen,” prompting a startled reaction from Lee Sun-min. Kim also recalled how the couple first met. She said they greeted each other by chance at a radio show retreat and then spent about six months in an undefined stage of getting to know each other. “At some point, his eyes changed,” she said, adding that they had no physical contact during that period. She said there was a gathering on Dec. 23 when Jung offered to take her home and kissed her in front of her house, which she described as the moment they effectively began dating. She added that they met again the next day, Christmas Eve, for a party at her home, and joked that “everything we’d held back for six months” came out that night. Kim and Jung married in 2013 after about two years of dating. They had their first daughter a year later and their second child, a son, in 2018, and live as a family of four. The article said Jung, who had been active as an actor in commercials, dramas and films before marriage, later reduced his work to focus on childcare and housework, while Kim expanded her broadcasting activities. When Lee Kyung-sil asked whether Jung feels stressed about Kim being the family’s main earner, Kim said she regularly reassures him: “You’re the man I love, and because you’re here, I can work this hard and raise our kids healthy.” She said he understands their situation, trusts her and is considerate. “Even if I were born again, I’d want to marry this man,” she said. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 10:10:58
  • ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Faces Backlash in China Over Chinese Character Portrayal
    ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Faces Backlash in China Over Chinese Character Portrayal The Hollywood film 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' has been swept into a racial discrimination controversy.  Chinese media outlets including Zhonghua.com reported on the 21st that criticism has spread online over a video released ahead of the film’s opening, with viewers alleging it contains elements that belittle Chinese people. At the center of the dispute is Qinzhou, a supporting character played by Chinese actor Sun Yutian. Online in China, some viewers said the character’s name sounds like the slur "Ching Chong," a term historically used in the West to mock Chinese people. Critics also pointed to the character’s glasses and checkered shirt, exaggerated facial expressions and bumbling behavior, as well as scenes in which the character openly criticizes a boss or boasts about himself. They said the portrayal repeats a stereotype that Asians are good at studying but lack social skills. The backlash goes beyond whether one character is drawn as ridiculous. Films can include awkward, exaggerated or abrasive figures, and in comedy and satire such characters can help drive a story. But when a character from a specific racial background is given a name, appearance and mannerisms that overlap with long-standing prejudices, audiences may find it difficult to view it as merely a character choice.   That is where much of the reaction from Chinese audiences is rooted. If a global commercial film aimed at the China market includes a Chinese character but uses that person mainly as a caricatured side role rather than giving an independent storyline or depth, the sense of offense can grow. With concerns lingering that Hollywood has long used Asian characters as the "smart nerd," the "socially awkward helper" or an "exotic decoration," the debate is expanding beyond individual scenes to broader questions about representation. At the same time, the article noted it is difficult to label the filmmakers’ intent as racist based only on limited footage released so far. It said the character’s full arc and function in the film still need to be seen. But for a major global release, how audiences receive a portrayal matters as much as intent, and filmmakers have a basic responsibility to consider historical context and how expressions may be read across cultures. The issue, it added, is not that films must avoid any character who could spark controversy. The key is building fuller characters so they are not consumed as symbols of a race or background, and ensuring traits are formed convincingly within the story rather than leaning on racial clichés. Ultimately, the controversy facing 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' also touches on how Hollywood approaches the China market. The debate has moved beyond one film’s commercial pressure in China to a wider question of how the global film industry should view and portray race and culture. 2026-04-22 08:36:59
  • Naver News Tops South Korea’s Online News Traffic Rankings, Ahead of FMKorea and DongA Ilbo
    Naver News Tops South Korea’s Online News Traffic Rankings, Ahead of FMKorea and DongA Ilbo South Korea’s online news market remains heavily shaped by portals and online communities, according to traffic data and audience surveys. Similarweb, a web-traffic analytics firm, said its March 2026 rankings for domestic “News & Media Publisher” websites put Naver News (news.naver.com) at No. 1. It was followed by FMKorea (fmkorea.com), DongA Ilbo (donga.com), Nate News (news.nate.com) and Chosun Ilbo (chosun.com). The rankings were updated April 1. The list shows that the top tier is not dominated solely by traditional news outlets. Naver News and Nate News are portal news services rather than individual publishers, and FMKorea functions largely as an online community. Among publisher-run sites, DongA Ilbo and Chosun Ilbo ranked in the top five, but the broader pattern suggests that portals and communities still serve as key gateways for news discovery and sharing. That structure aligns with long-standing patterns in South Korea’s digital news habits. In “Digital News Report 2025 Korea,” the Korea Press Foundation said users rely heavily on portals and news aggregation services, while direct access to publishers’ websites or apps remains limited. Only 6% of respondents said news websites or apps were their main route to news, the lowest among 48 countries surveyed. The average across the 48 countries was 23%. The foundation’s “2025 Media Audience Survey” suggests portal news use is easing from earlier highs. It found 66.5% of respondents said they used internet portal news in the previous week in 2025, down 1.2 percentage points from a year earlier. The figure has fallen since peaking at 79.2% in 2021. At the same time, video-based news consumption is rising quickly. The survey found news use via online video platforms climbed to 30.0% in 2025 from 18.4% in 2024, an increase of 11.6 percentage points. YouTube accounted for 92.2% of that use. Short-form news use also rose, to 22.9% in 2025 from 11.1% in 2024. In mobile apps, the boundaries of “news” are also widening. Similarweb’s Android “News & Magazines” app rankings, as of April 18, 2026, listed X at No. 1, the investment information app SAVE at No. 2 and Google News at No. 3. Publisher and news-service apps including Chosun Ilbo, Maeil Business Newspaper, Newneek, Mobile Hankyung and Yonhap News Agency also appeared near the top. In iPhone news app rankings, X, Blind, Daum, Reddit, Newneek, The Korea Economic Daily, Maeil Business Newspaper and JoongAng Ilbo were among the leading apps. Shifts in online rankings are closely tied to advertising. For publishers, traffic influences ad rates and revenue, but heavier reliance on portals, communities and social media can make it harder to build direct relationships with readers. The Korea Press Foundation said that even as dependence on portal news declines, users are not necessarily moving to publishers’ sites or apps, but instead shifting to other intermediaries such as social media. The rankings, in that sense, reflect more than which outlet is read most. They point to a market where where news is found, shared and consumed can matter more than where it is produced. As portals’ dominance softens and YouTube, short-form video and communities gain influence, publishers face pressure to strengthen their own platforms and build loyal audiences beyond a simple race for clicks.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-21 16:04:24
  • The Cross Singer Kim Hyeok-geon Says He Had Articles Deleted After Paralysis Diagnosis
    The Cross Singer Kim Hyeok-geon Says He Had Articles Deleted After Paralysis Diagnosis The turbulent life story of The Cross vocalist Kim Hyeok-geon has been revealed. A video titled, “From a promising genius vocalist to becoming vegetative, Kim Hyeok-geon — what happened that day?” was posted Sunday on the YouTube channel “Special Report World - The Person From Back Then.” Kim, who was diagnosed with full-body paralysis after an unexpected traffic accident in 2012, shared an update on his life, saying he now relies on an AI system for assistance. He said he teaches social welfare courses at a university and works as a lecturer. Kim said he was preparing a comeback album after completing military service when he was in a traffic accident while traveling by motorcycle after practice. The crash damaged his cervical spine and left him paralyzed from the shoulders down. “Nothing moved, so I thought I’d become a vegetative person,” Kim said. “I was conscious, but I thought I’d have to live with my eyes open and unfocused, and I kept thinking, ‘Why did I wake up?’ I cried inside endlessly.” Kim said he hated the term “quadriplegia.” “I kept rejecting (my condition). I couldn’t accept it, and I called each newspaper and had all the articles deleted,” he said. “I tried everything I could. I even tried stem cell treatment six times. After trying everything, I came to accept it.” Kim said his father, who was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer, devised a machine to help his son sing again by pressing the abdomen to support diaphragmatic breathing. The device was built with help from a university research team, and Kim said he was able to sing again. He said the strong pressure from the machine also caused pain, including broken ribs and blood appearing in his urinary catheter. “I’m a rocker, so if I don’t sing, I don’t know what kind of person I am,” Kim said, describing his commitment to music.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-21 14:45:06