Journalist
Kang Min seon
mingtung@ajunews.com
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Online Post Alleges Wine Switch at Seoul Fine-Dining Restaurant MOSU A post alleging a wine switch at a Seoul fine-dining restaurant has spread online, fueling controversy. On the 21st, a user posted on an online cafe under the title, “I was served a swapped Chateau Leoville Barton vintage at MOSU (MOSU Seoul).” The writer, identified only as A, said the account was “based entirely on facts.” A said the issue arose during a meal with acquaintances when a pairing wine was served with one of the main dishes, “wood-fired Korean beef.” A said a sommelier presented and described a “2005” vintage bottle, but after tasting the wine and checking the pairing list, A realized the service was supposed to be a 2000 vintage. A said the aroma and flavor did not match what was expected for the ordered wine, prompting doubts during the meal that grew after checking information about the bottle. A said that when asking the restaurant to confirm whether the served wine matched what was ordered, the sommelier then explained that a 2000 vintage bottle had been ordered by the bottle and was downstairs, and offered to pour the 2000 vintage in a Bordeaux glass to taste. A said the wine that should have been properly served was the 2000 vintage, and that the two wines differed noticeably, “from the color to the aroma.” A also claimed the two vintages differ by 100,000 won in bottle price at the restaurant, and alleged the sommelier may have known from the start. A said that after requesting a photo of the bottle following the 2005 service, the sommelier said “just a moment” and brought out the 2000 vintage bottle instead. While acknowledging mistakes can happen and labels can look similar, A questioned whether such an error was plausible for a sommelier at a Michelin two-star restaurant, and criticized the response, saying there was no apology that day and the handling was disappointing. The post quickly spread through online communities and social media, drawing attention and debate, including speculation by some users that an actual switch may have occurred. The restaurant’s official position and the facts of the claim had not been confirmed as of publication, and some commenters said further verification is needed. 2026-04-23 08:45:17 -
Korea Talent Donation Association Delivers Supplies, Gifts to Seoul Orphanage The Korea Talent Donation Association, led by Chairman Choi Se-gyu, said it visited SOS Children’s Village in Sinwol-dong, Seoul’s Yangcheon District, on the 21st and held a ceremony to deliver daily necessities and gifts for children in need. The event was hosted by announcer Shim So-won. The association said donations and support were provided by Lee Wan-guk, chairman of Shambala CC; Yoon Jong-cheol, CEO of Utrax; Koo Bon-hoon, ESG committee chair at Samgu I&C; Lee Gi-sik, CEO of Hyosung ENG; Song Myeong-ui, chairman of Whale Food; Han Dong-bin, CEO of Winner Technology; Won Mi-hee, head of the Yeowoorak Arts Troupe; Yoo Jeong-yeol, CEO of Hi-Tech Yuil; Kim Dong-oh, CEO of Dongoh Construction; Kim Han-byeol, CEO of Philip Construction; Hwang Cheong-seong, honorary branch manager at Kyobo Life Insurance; Kim Seung-gi, an advisory member of the association; Ko Jeong-yong, CEO of Aizen Pharma Korea; Kim Hye-jeong, CEO of Neokim; Choi Gyu-hyeong, CEO of Daeil E&P; Kang Cheol-su, head of Ace Medical; and singer Jang Hae-ok of Hallyu Star Entertainment. It said Kim Young-gi, chairman of KuuKuu, and Hwang Eun-ju, president of Yonsei University FCEO Alumni Association, donated rice; Jang Jong-cheol, CEO of Imjin Industry, and Myung Jeong-gil, CEO of MG Company/ Tteurak Sangjo, donated ramen; Jung Mi-hwa, CEO of EK Book, donated children’s books; Kim Jeong-an, chairman of People Sharing Hope, donated daily necessities; Hong Seung-soon, CEO of Belcarino, donated wristwatches and wallets; Eo Jeon-gwi, described as the holder of a Guinness record related to one of the world’s three major bicycle categories, donated bicycle helmets; singer Kim Da-hyeon donated a seaweed set; and Ma Seung-hwan of Dalbit donated a kitchen dish set. Choi said, “Everyone is struggling because of high prices, but the warm spirit of giving has not cooled,” adding that “at times like this, it is important to deliver sincere support to places that need help.” He said the association would continue working to establish a sustainable culture of giving. The association said it works to support marginalized groups through volunteer talent donations. Its activities include free weddings for couples with disabilities, performances for military units and prisons, support for multicultural families, concerts to help child-headed households, startup consulting, free moving assistance and rural volunteer work. The association released a list of additional sponsors and attendees after the event: Kim Ju-hyeon; Song Soon-hee, team leader at Samsung Life Insurance’s Mokdong branch; Gong Mi-hwa, a Kyobo Life Insurance consultant; Han Jang-hyeon, CEO of Y&M Construction; Ha Chang-su; Kim Jin-hyeon, head of Lotte Art Planning; Park Myeong-rae, CEO of L&K Pharm; Kim Geum-ju; Choi Jeong-myeong; Jeong Seon-ja, an advisory member of the association; Choi Ji-young of Aranggung; Lee Seok-muk, division head at Builtone; Lee Sang-deok, head of Hanil Trading; Shin Jun-uk, head of Anyang Jungang Hanwoo Gopchang; poet Choi Hae-yeon; Park Ji-hu; Park Sang-jun (Ryu Jeong-a); Lee Sang-yoon, CEO of Hohyeon; Choi Sang-gwi, digital artist; Kim Sang-hyeon of the Incheon New Knowledge Association; Lee Yong-jin, an operations committee member of the association; Kim Ji-yoon, head of Samsung Real Estate; So Chun-seop, CEO of Inszone; Yoon Seung-ho, transportation business; Park Gyeong-seop, chairman of the Korea Festival Culture and Arts Reporters Group; Lee Yeo-jin, a director of the association; singer Geumbit Yerim; singer Han Hyeong-gyo of the Korea Entertainment Arts Federation; Yang Seul-gi, a traditional Korean musician; Jeong Bok-hee, director at DMC Trips; Choi Byeong-yeon, deputy director at Seoul Mideum Dental Clinic; Kim Yong-ik, head of Arichai; Jeong Jin-yeong, senior welfare director at the Yeongjong Civic Coalition; actor Han Ji-il; Han Yun-jin, vice president of the Korea Festival Culture and Arts Reporters Group; Han Ji-yeon, news director of the group; Jeong Eun-gyeong, a freelance broadcaster with the group; Jeong Yeon-ju of the World Women Peace Volunteer Group; Jang Seong-suk; Moon Seong-soon; Han Hye-soon; Choi Cho-young; Kim Young-ju; Park Byeong-gu; Kang Young-soon, a public official; Park Hae-gyeong, a director of the Korea Calligraphy and Painting Association; Oh Du-seong, chairman of the Federation of Small Business Owners; Kim Young-jung, external cooperation chair of the federation; and members of Talent and Creative Golf. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 07:51:19 -
Wolf escaped from Daejeon zoo undergoes surgery to remove fishhook after capture SEOUL, April 17 (AJP) - "Neukgu," a wolf that escaped from a zoo in Daejeon last week and was caught after a nine-day search on Friday, is recovering at a veterinary clinic after undergoing surgery to remove a fishhook found in its stomach. According to Daejeon city officials, an X-ray revealed a 2.6-centimeter fishhook, along with leaves and fish bones. The fishhook, which posed a risk of perforation, was safely removed. The wolf was captured after rescue workers received a report at around 5:30 p.m. the previous day that it had been spotted near an expressway. After searching surrounding areas for several hours, they located the animal at around 11:45 p.m. and captured it with a tranquilizer gun after midnight. Officials said its pulse and body temperature were normal. A video clip released later shows Neukgu being captured after a 30-minute standoff. The two-year-old male wolf, born at Daejeon O-World, escaped last Wednesday after digging under a wire fence there. 2026-04-17 15:29:07 -
Uniwon to Hold ‘Dark Museum’ Tactile Art Exhibit in Yongsan for Disability Day Uniwon, a MICE industry company, is hosting a special exhibition titled “Dark Museum for the Visually Impaired” at the Yongsan Cultural Foundation’s pop-up hall in Seoul’s Yongsan district to mark Disability Day, highlighting exhibition content designed to broaden sensory experience. The show is billed as a “multi-sensory” exhibition that shifts art appreciation away from a primarily visual approach. In a darkened setting, visitors are guided to experience works mainly through touch and sound, offering both visually impaired and non-disabled audiences a different way to perceive and interpret art. A central feature is tactile reproduction technology. The exhibition includes well-known works such as Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa,” Vincent van Gogh’s “Self-Portrait” and “Portrait of Dr. Gachet,” and Pablo Picasso’s “Portrait of Dora Maar.” Uniwon said an AI algorithm analyzed brushwork, texture and light-and-shadow data from the originals and rendered them in 3D form. Visitors can trace outlines and surface textures with their fingertips to better understand structure and technique. Audio is also integrated. Voice-based commentary is provided for each work so visitors can learn background and meaning without relying on sight. Organizers described the touch-and-audio format as an effort to expand, not just improve access to, the way art is experienced. The exhibition is free and does not require reservations, with visitor routes designed for safe movement in the dark. Organizers said the open, no-cost model is intended to reduce both physical and financial barriers for a wide range of visitors, including those with visual impairments. Uniwon said the project also reflects a “co-production” accessibility model. The Korea Federation of the Blind participated directly in the production process to review accessibility from the perspective of users, a step organizers said improved completeness and practical effectiveness. The company added that corporate sponsorship helped enable the technology and physical production, making it an example of public-private cooperation in culture. The exhibition uses a curation built around famous paintings, aiming to help visitors reconstruct familiar images through tactile experience and reinterpret prior encounters with art through different senses. Uniwon said it plans to continue developing sensory-based exhibition content and contribute to creating an environment where anyone can experience art on equal terms.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-17 09:27:18 -
Streamers Gwajuseyeon and BJ K confirm relationship in live broadcast Streamer Gwajuseyeon and BJ K have drawn attention after publicly confirming they are dating. On the 13th, K hosted a live broadcast titled “K’s major announcement” on his SOOP channel. Gwajuseyeon appeared alongside him during the stream. “We’re dating,” K said, making their relationship official. K said they first met at an after-party following an acquaintance’s wedding in July last year. He said they stayed in touch, spent about a month in an early stage of getting to know each other, and began dating in August. Throughout the broadcast, the two held hands and kissed, openly showing affection. Gwajuseyeon, born in 2000, is a popular BJ with about 350,000 YouTube subscribers. In 2024, she drew attention after being spotted with HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk on a street in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles. K, born in 1989, is considered a first-generation BJ who began internet broadcasting in 2012. He has about 690,000 subscribers and has built a sizable fan base over years of activity. Their public announcement has drawn added interest because both have large followings, and because they disclosed the relationship directly on air while showing affection naturally. 2026-04-14 17:42:18 -
StreamMusic Launches Web-Based Service to Settle and Manage Overseas Royalties for K-pop Rights Holders StreamMusic, a tenant company at the Korea Creative Content Agency’s CKL Corporate Support Center, has launched an “overseas royalty settlement and management service” for K-pop copyright holders, aiming to address growing challenges in managing rights as the global music market expands. The company said the service is designed to manage overseas royalty income more systematically and transparently. As K-pop has spread globally, royalties have been generated through overseas streaming, concerts, broadcasting and licensing. But differing national copyright systems and settlement structures have made it difficult for individual rights holders to manage the process themselves. The industry has pointed to complex settlement chains involving intermediaries, limited access to data and delays in settlement as key factors reducing visibility into earnings. StreamMusic said its service is built as a web-based “integrated management platform.” It combines contract management, a settlement dashboard and settlement processing in a single system, allowing rights holders to handle overseas royalty-related tasks in one place. A key feature is expanded data access and transparency. Rights holders can view original settlement data directly, and the dashboard breaks down results by platform (including streaming and broadcasting), region, song and quarter. That allows users to see not only totals but also where revenue was generated, by country and platform. The platform also adopts a “song-by-song contract structure,” rather than broad, bundled agreements. StreamMusic said this lets rights holders sign and manage contracts for individual works, enabling more flexible overseas distribution strategies and rights management for specific songs in an industry shaped by varied collaboration models. Beyond viewing data, the service digitizes the process from contracting through settlement. After signing up, rights holders can complete contract execution, rights registration and settlement checks online, StreamMusic said, simplifying procedures that have often been handled offline. The company said the system can also help rights holders recognize income faster. While overseas royalties have often taken significant time to appear as confirmed earnings, users can track settlement flows on an ongoing basis through the data-driven dashboard, which can also support financial planning. Industry observers have described the launch as an example of the digital shift in global copyright management, as the scale and complexity of royalty income rise alongside the growth of the K-pop market. Ryu Jihoon, CEO of StreamMusic, said, “Recovering overseas royalties is an important task to ensure K-pop copyright holders receive their rightful rights and income.” He added, “We will continue working to build an environment where rights holders can check and manage their royalties under more reasonable contract terms and a transparent settlement structure.” The Korea Creative Content Agency said it supports the growth of content startups such as StreamMusic through the CKL Corporate Support Center, including tenant support and production support facilities.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-14 16:42:37 -
Kiss of Life dance challenge for new song draws sexualization backlash Girl group Kiss of Life has come under criticism over a dance challenge for its new song, with some viewers calling the choreography sexually suggestive. The group recently posted a choreography challenge video for its new track, ‘Who is she,’ on its official YouTube channel. In the clip, members face each other and perform a move that appears to mimic choking. The routine also includes both members thrusting their hips at the same time, drawing surprise and complaints online. Some internet users said the scene evokes a specific sexual image and said they were uncomfortable. Comments included: “A producer who fits the team is important,” “It’s unpleasant,” “This is a bit much,” “I don’t know what concept this is,” and “The songs are always good, but the choreography is disappointing.” Despite the controversy, the ‘Who is she’ music video has surpassed 30 million views and continues to gain traction. 2026-04-13 17:06:38 -
Online Posts Revive Claims About Comedian Lee Hwi-jae’s Time in Vancouver Online posts about broadcaster Lee Hwi-jae’s time in Canada have resurfaced, drawing renewed attention. On April 12, an online community re-shared a post that had appeared last month on “I Love Vancouver,” a Korean Canadian community site. The post asked whether anyone had actually seen Lee, after hearing he lived in Vancouver. A Korean Canadian commenter, identified as A, replied that Lee was said to have lived in North Vancouver and claimed an acquaintance once ran into him on the street. When the acquaintance asked, “Aren’t you Lee Hwi-jae?” Lee “just ignored him and walked past,” A wrote. A added that the acquaintance remembered the moment because Lee’s look seemed to convey, “Who is this guy acting like he knows me?” and that it left him feeling upset. Another commenter wrote that Lee had “not a single” positive story circulating even after coming to Canada, adding that the accounts they had heard through acquaintances were only of a similar kind. More comments followed, including claims that Lee was seen at times around West Vancouver and that some people had spotted him at shopping malls or grocery stores. Some users also criticized him while referring to past controversies and his return to television. Lee appeared on the March 28 broadcast of KBS2’s “Immortal Songs” for a “2026 Entertainment King of Kings” special. After performing Choi Ho-seop’s “As Time Goes By,” Lee spoke about his recent life. Asked whether his two sons knew he was appearing on TV, Lee said they were now old enough to understand what he does. He said they did not really know when they were younger and thought he was a father who kept going to work out. He said that over four years, as he ended up taking time off because of “my mistake,” they came to understand more clearly. He became tearful, saying they did not say it directly but expressed it in a letter, adding that they wanted him to work. After the episode aired, many online commenters reacted coolly, leaving remarks such as, “Why does it have to be broadcasting — why not do manual labor?” and “He’s not a criminal, but it’s rare to be this disliked.” 2026-04-13 14:45:05 -
MBC’s ‘The Grand Princess of the 21st Century’ draws debate online after premiere MBC’s Friday-Saturday drama series ‘The Grand Princess of the 21st Century’ has sparked mixed reactions online since its first broadcast. On April 12, posts about the drama flooded an online community, with viewers trading opinions on its premise, the cast’s performances and a well-known streamer’s review. Some viewers said the show’s world-building is hard to accept. One commenter wrote that it makes little sense for the female lead — described as a second-generation conglomerate heir — to be called “lowborn” and looked down on as a commoner and illegitimate child. “Rather than feeling sorry for her, I first think, ‘So what?’” the commenter said. The same post also questioned other character setups, including a second male lead portrayed as a hereditary prime minister who collects supercars, and a male lead who is the king’s son but “has nothing.” Others alleged the series borrows heavily from Japan. Another commenter said it looks like Japan’s imperial system and political structure were “Koreanized,” pointing to similarities in the military system, the constitutional monarchy setting and the class structure. The commenter also criticized the idea of a specific family inheriting the prime minister’s post, saying it resembles Japanese political culture and feels out of place in a drama set in Korea. Assessments of the acting were also divided. On X, some viewers praised Gong Seung-yeon, who plays the queen dowager, saying her delivery and tone fit a historical drama and that her performance draws viewers into the character. But some criticized Byeon Woo-seok, who plays the male lead, saying his voice and expressions feel monotonous and that his emotions do not come through strongly. A review by content commentator “Dangun,” an esports caster, also drew attention. In a live broadcast, he lowered the drama’s grade from B to C before adjusting it back to B. “The world-building is interesting, but the characters aren’t convincing,” he said, adding that the conflict structure among key figures and the plot development need more explanation. Ratings, however, started strong. Nielsen Korea said Episode 2, aired April 11, posted 9.5% nationwide and 10.1% in the Seoul metropolitan area, ranking No. 1 in its time slot. Its 20-49 rating was 5.3%, the highest among all Saturday programs, and its peak minute reached 11.1%. The series has opened with solid viewership, but debate over its premise and performances is expected to continue as the story unfolds.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-13 10:54:14 -
YouTuber Kwak Tube Addresses Postpartum Care Center Sponsorship Involving Civil Servant Wife Travel YouTuber and TV personality Kwak Jun-bin, known as Kwak Tube, said his wife received a sponsored room upgrade and some services at a postpartum care center despite her status as a civil servant, prompting debate over whether it could violate South Korea’s anti-graft law. Kwak posted a lengthy statement on his YouTube channel on April 10. “As a public official’s family member, I deeply realize I should have acted more cautiously,” he wrote, acknowledging that after his wife gave birth, the facility provided a room upgrade and some services. He said he disclosed the sponsorship on social media at the time but later edited the post after realizing the details could be misunderstood. After the controversy emerged, he said he sought legal advice and was told the sponsorship was a private contract between him and the facility and was unrelated to his wife’s official duties. Kwak said he would cooperate if any procedural steps are required. He also said he plans to donate 30 million won to support single mothers, an issue he said he has long wanted to help address. He added that he has already paid the postpartum care center the full price difference for the sponsored benefits. “I will think more deeply about social responsibility, not only legal standards, and put it into practice,” he wrote. After his statement, online debate continued over whether there was any connection to official duties. Some commenters criticized the arrangement as a “loophole” and questioned whether such benefits are allowed if there is no job-related link. Others said the matter was settled because he paid the difference and legal advice found no issue, calling the criticism excessive. Kwak previously posted several photos on April 1 showing his wife staying at a postpartum care center, with the post labeled “sponsored.” The facility is known to charge about 25 million won for two weeks in its top-tier Presidential Suite and about 45 million won for four weeks. Some observers raised questions about a possible violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, commonly known as the Kim Young-ran Act, because his wife is a civil servant. His agency said it was not a full sponsorship and that only a room upgrade was provided. 2026-04-10 14:18:16