Journalist
Kang Min seon
mingtung@ajunews.com
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Dr. Soom Launches Family Month 'Thank You' Gift Package Promotion Dentist-developed oral care brand Dr. Soom said it will run a “Thank You Package” gift promotion for May, widely observed in South Korea as Family Month. The promotion will run on the company’s online store from April 28 to May 31. The packages feature a carnation illustration and a “Thank You” message, designed to be given as-is without additional wrapping. The company said the set is intended for a range of recipients, including parents, teachers and co-workers. Pricing is structured to lower the per-set cost as customers buy more. One set costs 17,400 won; two sets, 29,900 won; and four sets, 52,900 won. Based on those prices, the per-set cost falls to 17,400 won, about 14,950 won and about 13,225 won, respectively. Dr. Soom highlighted functional features of its “Dr. Soom Dentish Delight Mouth Candy,” saying it uses an alpha-cyclodextrin structure to physically capture and remove volatile sulfur compounds, or VSC, a major cause of bad breath, rather than masking odor with fragrance. The company also said the product is sugar-free, making it easier for consumers managing blood sugar and for children to take. The company will also expand offline marketing with a pop-up event from April 30 to May 5 at the basement level 1 of Lotte Department Store in Jamsil, offering visitors a chance to try the products and see the packaging in person. Dr. Soom said the campaign combines seasonal gift packaging, volume-based pricing and online-to-offline operations to broaden product experience and attract new customers, while aiming to boost short-term sales. 2026-04-28 14:36:07 -
TY Life, Hyundai Marine & Fire and My Financial Partner sign MOU to expand insurance-linked lifecare TY Life (Taeyang Life), Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance and My Financial Partner have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at expanding insurance-linked lifecare services, the companies said. They described the deal as a structural cooperation model that goes beyond a simple partnership, seeking to combine each firm’s customer touchpoints and product strengths into an integrated service system spanning a customer’s life cycle. The companies said the agreement centers on expanding product portfolios and diversifying sales channels. TY Life, which has broadened beyond funeral-ceremony services into health care, welfare and leisure, is expected to strengthen a “total lifecare” structure by pairing its services with insurance products. The companies said insurance focuses on protection against risks such as accidents and illness, while mutual-aid and lifecare services extend from daily life and old age through funerals, allowing a longer customer relationship when combined. For My Financial Partner and Hyundai Marine & Fire, the companies said the cooperation could help attract new customers and widen distribution. My Financial Partner, a corporate insurance agency organization, said it specializes in tailored insurance planning; adding lifecare services could shift it beyond straightforward policy sales toward a more consultative model. Hyundai Marine & Fire would also gain access to a new customer base in the mutual-aid and lifecare market, the companies said. The companies linked the deal to a broader push across finance and services to build “lifecare platforms” that move beyond single-product sales and address a range of needs over a customer’s lifetime. They cited demographic changes such as population aging, growth in one-person households and rising demand for health management as factors increasing demand for combined insurance and lifecare offerings. They also pointed to the potential for data-driven expansion. By combining insurance usage data with lifecare service data, the companies said they could more precisely analyze customer patterns and risk factors, enabling more customized product design and service recommendations and supporting more personalized services tied to digital transformation. TY Life said it has built a stable customer management system based on 22 years of experience operating mutual-aid services and has recently pursued a platform shift by expanding across lifecare. My Financial Partner is a Hyundai Marine & Fire subsidiary with face-to-face sales strength through a professional planner organization, while Hyundai Marine & Fire brings product development and risk management capabilities built in South Korea’s non-life insurance market, the companies said. The three companies said they may expand cooperation in stages, including joint product development, integrated service packages and joint marketing. Industry observers said that if the model takes hold, it could become an example of broader convergence across insurance, mutual-aid services and health care. The companies said the MOU is intended not only to boost near-term sales but also to build an integrated service structure connecting customers across their life cycle and to lower barriers between industries, signaling potential growth in similar partnerships.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 14:16:23 -
Woman Accused of Drugging Men She Met Through Matchmaking, Stealing $48,000 A woman in her 20s is accused of drugging men she met through a matchmaking service and other introductions, knocking them unconscious and stealing tens of millions of won. Uijeongbu police in Gyeonggi Province said Monday they arrested and detained the woman, identified only as A, on suspicion of robbery causing injury and violating the Narcotics Control Act. Police said A is suspected of drugging four men in the Seoul metropolitan area from December last year through April and stealing about 48 million won. Investigators said she approached victims she met through a matchmaking company or acquaintances, lived with them to build trust, then gave them food or drinks laced with sleeping pills. Police said that after the victims fell asleep, she used their phones to transfer money to her own account or to buy items worth several million won. Sleeping-pill ingredients believed to be benzodiazepines were detected in the urine of one victim, identified as B, according to reports. Benzodiazepines are psychoactive prescription drugs used to treat insomnia and are the same type of drug used by Gangbuk District motel serial killer Kim So-young, 20, when she killed two men. A told police she was prescribed sleeping pills for panic disorder symptoms and claimed the men took the pills on their own, denying the allegations. Police also said they do not believe A committed the crimes by copying Kim's case. 2026-04-27 17:44:35 -
South Korea: Elementary Student Faints After Neck Caught on Illegal Banner Cord An elementary school student in Pocheon, South Korea, fainted after his neck became caught on a banner cord while crossing a crosswalk, according to a local report. Gyeonggi Ilbo reported on April 27 that the incident happened about 4 p.m. on April 25 near the Jungang Intersection in Songu-ri, Soheul-eup, Pocheon. The 11-year-old boy, identified only as A, was crossing with friends when a thin banner string that was hard to see snagged his neck, knocking him to the ground. The sudden pressure caused him to lose consciousness. Pocheon City Council member Kim Hyeon-gyu, who witnessed the scene, called 119, the report said. The boy was taken to a nearby hospital and is being treated, the report said. A Pocheon Fire Station official told Gyeonggi Ilbo that the boy had injuries including abrasions to his neck and showed temporary loss of consciousness. The official said the hospital was conducting tests to determine his condition. 2026-04-27 16:45:15 -
Koyote’s Shinji Fiancé Moonwon Draws Backlash Over Comments on Taking Manual Jobs Comments by Moonwon, who is set to marry Koyote member Shinji in May, have again sparked criticism online. Moonwon and Shinji appeared on the KBS2 program “New Release Pyeonstorang,” aired on April 24, and talked about the backlash that followed their marriage announcement. Moonwon said he was “very surprised” by online opposition, adding that it was “the first time” he had experienced something like it. Shinji said Moonwon had previously done a lot of singing-related work, including performances and wedding songs, but that after the controversy “all the work was cut off.” Moonwon said he started working at a logistics center and cleaning stairwells while looking for what he could do, adding that he “wanted to be of help.” Some online commenters reacted negatively to the remarks, calling them disrespectful to people who make a living in those jobs and questioning why the couple framed the work that way. One commenter wrote, “Are you looking down on certain jobs? Saying ‘all the work was cut off’ and then mentioning logistics and cleaning like that feels off,” adding, “Most people live off that kind of work.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 09:39:59 -
Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe Breaks 2-Hour Marathon Barrier in London, Sets World Record Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe crossed the line at the London Marathon in 1:59:30, becoming the first runner to officially break two hours for the full marathon distance in a sanctioned race. The 2026 London Marathon was held on the 26th (local time) in London. Sawe maintained an average pace of 2:50 per kilometer over the two hours and finished in 1:59:50. The time shattered the previous world record of 2:00:35 set by Kelvin Kiptum by more than a minute. Eliud Kipchoge previously ran under two hours in an unsanctioned event, but this was the first time the barrier was broken in an official race. Sawe was not the only sub-2 finisher. Runner-up Yomif Kejelcha also went under two hours, clocking 1:59:41, making it the first race to produce two sub-2 marathoners. As the news spread, users on South Korean online communities also focused on the shoes Sawe wore during the race, the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3. Some users said the retail price was 900,000 won, while expressing surprise at what they described as the shoe’s philosophy and technology. In an interview with The Guardian, Sawe said, “I feel so good. I’m really happy,” adding, “Today is a day to remember. I proved that nothing is impossible.” 2026-04-27 08:24:49 -
Tutor Accused in Alleged Molestation of 13-Year-Old Posts Blog Denial, Sparking Backlash A case involving a 13-year-old who was allegedly sexually abused by a private tutor in his 20s has drawn renewed controversy after the man identified as the home-camera tutoring suspect posted a rebuttal online. On April 24, a post titled “I am home-cam tutor Park (surname withheld)” appeared on a Naver blog. Park wrote that he had tried to respond only through the courts, but said the level of private retaliation had escalated. He claimed that staying silent in the face of what he called one-sided falsehoods and criticism was harming him, his family and acquaintances, and the reputation of his school. He also said he recently learned the victim’s mother had opened a personal donation account. Park alleged that “false information” was being used to solicit money and said that was why he was writing the post himself. Park said the mother’s public claims were “full of falsehoods,” and denied the sexual assault allegations. He asserted that, contrary to the victim’s account, there was not forced molestation but “physical contact by mutual consent.” He also claimed home-camera footage had been edited and spread in a way that led to misinterpretations. Park further alleged the victim’s family had previously attempted financial settlements in a similar way, and again pointed to the opening of a donation account after the incident. He said online posts and some media coverage had led to excessive criticism, doxxing and other secondary harm. Park claimed that personal information and addresses for his family were exposed, and that his girlfriend and her family were also identified, leading to stalking. He also alleged he was followed and threatened by broadcasting staff, was fired from a part-time job, and that his parents’ store was being attacked. Park said he had avoided responding out of concern it could affect the trial, but said it had become difficult to endure. The blog post reflects only Park’s claims and has not been confirmed by investigators or the courts. The facts of the case require separate verification through publicly disclosed evidence and trial outcomes. The post triggered heated debate in the blog’s comments. As of 7 a.m. on April 27, it had 334 likes and 286 comments. Some commenters said the information released by the victim’s side alone made it hard to understand the full context and urged caution, noting that only parts of the home-camera video had been made public. Others said video evidence and a first-trial ruling already exist, arguing Park’s claims were unconvincing. They also said that in a case involving a minor, describing the conduct as “consensual” was itself inappropriate, and warned that criticizing the victim’s side could amount to secondary victimization. 2026-04-27 07:51:18 -
Statement Defending Streamer “Gwagjuice Seyeon” Spreads Amid Cosmetics Collaboration Backlash A natural-ingredient dermocosmetics brand has come under fire over a collaboration with streamer Gwagjuice Seyeon, as a statement defending her spread online and fueled further debate. On the 24th, online communities and social media widely shared a statement from the Korea Cyber Sexual Violence Response Center, known as Hansa-seong. Titled “We Reject the Divide Between ‘Mainstream’ and ‘Underground,’” it criticizes attacks on women who work as internet broadcast “BJ” streamers and the broader social stigma surrounding them. The group said similar controversies keep recurring, citing cases in which criticism surged after a female BJ partnered with a cosmetics brand and the company later issued an apology. It also pointed to past instances in which TV appearances or brand collaborations were canceled after complaints, arguing that certain content creators are subject to social labeling and exclusion. Hansa-seong said there is a perception that women who earn money using sexual expression should “remain underground,” calling it a discriminatory standard that divides what is considered normal from what is not. “Judging women by ‘rank’ based on their sexuality is a problem,” it said, adding that such attitudes can lead to secondary harm against victims of sexual violence. The statement also argued that demanding certain people be pushed out of society and kept out of sight amounts to hatred, and said women of diverse backgrounds should be able to participate equally in society. The statement drew substantial criticism online as well. Some users said it goes too far to label all criticism of profiting from sexual content as hatred, while others argued it is a logical leap to frame issues of free expression and market choice solely as discrimination. Other commenters said it is inappropriate to place debates over social acceptance on the same level as issues involving sexual violence victims, and questioned interpreting corporate marketing decisions and consumer reactions as “exclusion.” Founded in 2017, the Korea Cyber Sexual Violence Response Center presents itself as a women’s rights group. Its main activities include opposing illegal filming and requesting takedowns. It is not known to be a government agency, and it has previously defended Megalia and Womad. 2026-04-24 11:24:26 -
Mosuseoul Apologizes After Customer Alleges Wine Vintage Switch; Online Backlash Follows A wine service dispute at Mosu, the Michelin three-star fine-dining restaurant run by chef Ahn Sung-jae, has drawn attention online after the restaurant posted an apology and commenters criticized its wording. Earlier, a customer identified as A wrote on a Naver cafe that during a visit to Mosuseoul, they ordered an expensive wine but believed a different wine was served. A said the sommelier held up a bottle described as a “2005” vintage and explained it as 2005, but after tasting the wine and checking the pairing list, the customer realized a 2000 vintage was supposed to be served. Mosuseoul posted an apology on its official social media account on the 23rd, saying it “bows its head in apology” over the matter that became known through an online community. The restaurant said that on the 19th, during wine pairing service, “accurate guidance was not provided,” causing confusion. It also apologized for not giving a sufficient explanation during follow-up communication, saying it caused “great disappointment.” Mosuseoul added that it separately apologized to the customer afterward and that the customer “generously accepted” it, but said the restaurant takes seriously that the process still fell short of expectations. “Chef Ahn Sung-jae and the entire Mosu team are taking this matter very seriously,” the statement said, adding that it would review overall service and prevent a recurrence. It said it would not stop at a “showy apology” and would work to rebuild trust with sincerity. Many online commenters reacted negatively to the apology, saying it avoided stating exactly what happened and lacked specific steps to prevent a repeat. Some also criticized the line that the customer “generously accepted” the apology, saying it sounded dismissive. One commenter wrote that the statement did not say what was done wrong, offered no prevention plan and did not mention any disciplinary action for the employee involved. Another said the issue appeared to be about trust, not simply a guidance problem, arguing the customer seemed disappointed by what they viewed as an attempt to gloss over the matter. 2026-04-24 09:39:48 -
BLACKPINK’s Jisoo’s Sister Kim Ji-yoon to Make TV Debut on tvN Survival Show BLACKPINK member Jisoo’s older sister will make her broadcast debut on a survival variety show set to air in May. The official social media account for tvN’s “Kill It: Style Creator War” recently announced that influencer Kim Ji-yoon, Jisoo’s sister, will appear on the program. A teaser video released with the post shows Kim, who has 550,000 followers and is known by the nickname “Gunpo Han Hyo-joo.” Kim’s casting comes as attention has focused on a separate controversy involving Jisoo’s older brother. He has faced allegations including illegal filming of sexual activity, an attempted sexual assault case involving a Gangnam-area BJ, and domestic violence. In the attempted sexual assault case, a court rejected a request for an arrest warrant, citing insufficient grounds to support the allegations. As the controversy grew, attorney Eun Hyun-ho of Kim & Chang, legal representative for Jisoo’s one-person agency Blissoo, said the matter “has absolutely nothing to do with the artist or Blissoo.” He said the artist received only limited advice from family members during preparations to establish the agency, adding that no family member has been paid by Blissoo or taken part in decision-making, and that the company “has since been run completely independently.” Some online commenters have questioned that statement, noting that the older brother’s name appears in the production credits for Netflix’s “Monthly Boyfriend,” in which Jisoo appeared. They also pointed to last year’s “Newtopia,” where his name was listed as “Jisoo manager,” keeping the dispute alive. 2026-04-24 08:39:20