Journalist

LEE KEONHEE
  • Jeon Mi-do Reacts as The King and the Man Who Lives Tops 10 Million Moviegoers
    Jeon Mi-do Reacts as 'The King and the Man Who Lives' Tops 10 Million Moviegoers Actor Jeon Mi-do shared her thoughts after the film 'The King and the Man Who Lives' ("Wangsanam") surpassed 10 million admissions.  Jeon wrote on social media on Friday, "I thought there was no happier moment than resting under the eaves with a cool breeze, away from the sun — but 10 million?" She added that she felt "truly happy and fulfilled" that the movie had made so many people feel "refreshed and warm," and said she was "sincerely grateful."  The film is set against the Gyeyu Coup, which shook the Joseon Dynasty, and follows the deposed King Danjong, Yi Hong-wi (Park Ji-hoon), and Eom Heung-do (Yoo Hae-jin), the village chief of Gwangcheongol, as they spend time together in exile and form a bond. Jeon plays Maehwa, a court maid serving Danjong. The movie became the 34th Korean film to reach 10 million admissions on Thursday. It is the fourth historical film to do so, following 'The King and the Clown' (2005), 'Masquerade' (2012) and 'The Admiral: Roaring Currents' (2014).  2026-03-07 20:57:15
  • Jung Suk-won Says Daughter Was Born After Two Miscarriages With Baek Ji-young
    Jung Suk-won Says Daughter Was Born After Two Miscarriages With Baek Ji-young Singer Baek Ji-young and actor Jung Suk-won said they experienced the pain of two miscarriages before having their daughter. On the 7th, Baek’s YouTube channel, “Baek Ji-young,” posted a video titled, “First reveal: The pregnancy story of Baek Ji-young♥Jung Suk-won’s daughter that came suddenly.” In the video, the couple congratulated a staff member on a pregnancy and looked back on when they were expecting their daughter, Jung Ha-im. Jung said he was filming “Kingdom” and “Bad Guys” at the time. He recalled that Baek woke him up one morning and told him, “We’re screwed.” Baek said she was on tour then and had been prescribed medication for throat problems. She said she told the doctor there was no chance she was pregnant, but a blood test that day showed she was. She added that she canceled concerts because of the pregnancy. Jung said the couple had “two miscarriages” and did not allow themselves to hope too much. “We thought, ‘Let’s just live well together,’” he said. “But when (Ha-im) was born, she was so beautiful.” He added that he cared for the baby when his wife went to perform, and called the time with his child “a gift.” Baek and Jung married in 2013 and welcomed their daughter in 2017. 2026-03-07 18:48:15
  • Actor Lee Jae-ryong Arrested After Alleged Drunk-Driving Crash and Leaving Scene
    Actor Lee Jae-ryong Arrested After Alleged Drunk-Driving Crash and Leaving Scene Actor Lee Jae-ryong was arrested after allegedly causing a drunk-driving crash and leaving the scene, police said. The case has also drawn renewed attention to his recent appearance on the YouTube channel “Soolhanhyung Shin Dong-yup,” and has cast a shadow over the return of his wife, actor Yoo Ho-jung.  According to Seoul’s Gangnam Police Station, Lee drove while intoxicated and struck a median near Samseong Jungang Station at about 2 a.m. on March 7. Police said he then left the scene, parked the vehicle at his home and stayed at an acquaintance’s residence before being arrested.  He is being investigated on suspicion of violating the Road Traffic Act, including failing to take required measures after an accident. His blood-alcohol level at the time of arrest was high enough to warrant a license suspension, police said.  Lee previously had his license revoked in 2003 after refusing a breath test following a drunk-driving accident. In 2019, he received a deferred indictment after damaging a signboard while intoxicated, on suspicion of property damage.  Online commenters have since revisited an episode from last month in which Lee appeared with fellow actors. In the program, actor Ahn Jae-wook said Lee had the highest alcohol tolerance among actors he knows, adding, “I’ve never beaten him, and I’ve never seen him drunk.”  Ahn also recalled thinking when he was younger, “How can someone drink like that?” and said Lee stayed composed even after multiple rounds of drinking.  Because Ahn has also faced controversy in the past over two drunk-driving incidents, some viewers criticized the show, saying a program centered on drinking should not feature people with drunk-driving histories. Some have called for the video to be removed, but the production team has not taken action, according to the report.  “Soolhanhyung Shin Dong-yup” is a channel in which broadcaster Shin Dong-yup drinks with guests while sharing candid conversations. It has about 2.07 million subscribers.  Lee’s case has also affected Yoo, who is appearing in the KBS2 weekend drama “I Prescribe Love.” Yoo returned to television after 11 years, but the report said she now faces negative fallout from her husband’s incident. Lee and Yoo married in 1995 and have a son and a daughter.  2026-03-07 18:21:17
  • Actress Ku Hye-sun Defends Price of Patented ‘KOOROLL’ Hair Roller
    Actress Ku Hye-sun Defends Price of Patented ‘KOOROLL’ Hair Roller Actress Ku Hye-sun has addressed criticism over the price of her patented hair roller, ‘KOOROLL.’ Ku wrote on her social media on the 5th that KOOROLL “removes more than 80% of the plastic” used in conventional round hair rollers. She said that unlike round rollers, which can tangle with hair and become dirty, KOOROLL can be unfolded to remove hair easily and then returns to its original shape. She added that the product is durable and “can be used permanently.” Ku said the initial production run was small, raising costs, and that “for that reason the price is currently on the high side,” but she plans to offer discounts and other promotions so consumers are not burdened. She also promoted the product, saying, “If you consider the environment, choose ‘KOOROLL.’” Debate flared online after Ku shared a link to the official sales website along with pricing information. Typical hair rollers generally cost about 400 to 500 won, and even some higher-priced products are often in the 4,000 to 5,000 won range. Ku recently received a master’s degree in engineering from the Graduate School of Science Journalism at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, known as KAIST. KOOROLL was selected as a recipient of South Korea’s Excellent Patent Award in 2025. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-05 15:54:15
  • YouTuber Kim Seon-tae Says Impostor X Account Is Using His Name
    YouTuber Kim Seon-tae Says Impostor X Account Is Using His Name Kim Seon-tae, who was known as “Chungju Man,” said he has been targeted by an impersonator on X.  Kim wrote on his social media on March 5, “This is an impersonation X account. Please report it,” and posted a photo showing the account. The impersonating account had 4,526 followers.  Online commenters reacted with posts such as “What happened?” “An impersonation account is a sign of success,” and “How far does his influence reach?”  Kim opened his YouTube channel, “Kim Seon-tae,” on March 2. As of March 5, it had about 962,000 subscribers. A video he posted March 3 titled “I’m Kim Seon-tae” had 5.63 million views.  The surge in attention has raised expectations that he will reach 1 million subscribers through his personal channel, a milestone he had hoped to achieve while working as a Chungju city government employee. The report said companies have also been flooding him with advertising inquiries. 2026-03-05 13:48:16
  • Internet Press Ethics Panel Launches Fair Election Coverage Support Ahead of June 3 Local Vote
    Internet Press Ethics Panel Launches Fair Election Coverage Support Ahead of June 3 Local Vote The Internet Newspaper Ethics Commission and the Internet Election News Deliberation Commission said Thursday they will jointly launch the “2026 9th Nationwide Local Elections Fair Election Coverage Support Project” to help online news outlets provide fair and responsible coverage ahead of the June 3 vote. Marking 90 days before election day, the two bodies began distributing the first installment of a “Fair Election Coverage Practice Guide,” providing training on fair election reporting for employees of outlets that have pledged to participate in the ethics panel, and opening a special online bulletin board for election-coverage consultations. With more reporting expected on opinion polls, allegations and quoted claims during the campaign, the project aims to build a prevention-focused support system that can be used in newsrooms. It will center on standards for publishing election poll results and precautions in reporting, practical guidance for election newsgathering and writing, and considerations for coverage involving deepfakes and AI tools. The two organizations plan to jointly distribute the guide four times, timed to D-90, D-60, D-40 and D-20. The ethics commission will produce and distribute practice-oriented materials by adding examples from actual deliberation decisions, while the election news deliberation commission will provide standards-focused content, including revised review rules, major types of violations and time-specific precautions. Also Thursday, the ethics commission will hold an online video lecture for employees of participating outlets. The session will cover standards for reporting election polls, practical election reporting and major deliberation cases, focusing on points journalists should watch for in the reporting process. To respond quickly to newsroom-level questions that arise during election coverage, the ethics commission opened a “Fair Election Coverage Consultation” bulletin board on its website, which the two bodies will jointly operate through election day. The two organizations have continued joint efforts to foster a fair election reporting environment for online media since signing a cooperation agreement in 2018. The ethics commission said it has used accumulated deliberation cases and operating experience as the only self-regulatory body for internet newspapers to help check and prevent potential fairness and objectivity issues in election coverage. They said they plan to strengthen cooperation through the joint project to raise the voluntary accountability of online media and help establish a culture of fair election reporting.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-05 10:36:17
  • Director Jang Hang-jun Walks Back 10 Million-Viewer Pledge for ‘A Man Living With the King’
    Director Jang Hang-jun Walks Back 10 Million-Viewer Pledge for ‘A Man Living With the King’ Film director Jang Hang-jun has scrapped the pledge he made if his movie ‘A Man Living With the King’ reaches 10 million viewers.  Jang appeared as a guest on ‘Bae Seong-jae’s Ten Wednesday Live,’ released March 4 on the YouTube channel ‘SBS Radio Erao.’ The appearance drew attention because it marked his return after making the pledge in January. In January, Jang said, “If it somehow becomes a 10 million-viewer film, I’ll change my phone number, change my name, and get plastic surgery so no one can recognize me.” He also said he was “considering naturalization,” adding that he did not want people looking for him and that he would have to throw a party on a boat.  The remarks were made as a joke at the time, as he hoped the film would at least break even. But the movie has surpassed 9 million viewers, putting 10 million within reach.  Jang reversed course, saying, “I’m grateful for the attention, but I didn’t think this would become news.” He added that he never expected the film to hit 10 million and that he made the comments while worrying whether it could even pass the break-even point.  Looking back, he said he was relieved he had not pledged to give away half his assets, and asked, “How can you live while keeping every pledge?” Instead, he said he would hold a coffee-truck event in about two weeks. 2026-03-05 08:00:38
  • Kim Seon-tae’s New YouTube Channel Ties Chungju City’s Official ChungTV in Subscribers
    Kim Seon-tae’s New YouTube Channel Ties Chungju City’s Official ChungTV in Subscribers Kim Seon-tae, known as the original “Chungju Man,” has seen his new YouTube channel reach parity with Chungju City’s official YouTube channel, “ChungTV,” in subscriber count. As of 4:50 p.m. on March 4, the channel “Kim Seon-tae,” created by Kim, had 775,000 subscribers. Kim opened the channel on March 2. After news of it spread more widely on March 3, subscriptions rose sharply. Attention has focused on whether Kim’s channel will overtake ChungTV. ChungTV also stood at 775,000 subscribers. Kim, who had built up ChungTV since 2019, matched its subscriber total just two days after launching his own channel. ChungTV’s subscriber count fell sharply after news spread that Kim had retired. Kim posted a video on March 3 titled “I’m Kim Seon-tae.” A ChungTV administrator drew notice by commenting, “Seon-tae, my Seon-tae.” * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-04 16:57:23
  • Actress Nam Bo-ra Asks Fans About Her Pregnancy Bump in SNS Post
    Actress Nam Bo-ra Asks Fans About Her Pregnancy Bump in SNS Post Actress Nam Bo-ra asked followers for advice about her pregnancy bump.  Nam posted a photo on her social media on the 4th with the caption, "How far out does your belly go?"  In the photo, she wears leggings and shows her baby bump.   Nam held a wedding ceremony last May with a businessman her age. She is due to give birth to a son in June. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-04 16:39:14
  • Singer Navi Shares Maternity Photos as She Nears Due Date
    Singer Navi Shares Maternity Photos as She Nears Due Date Singer Navi, whose real name is Ahn Ji-ho, has shared maternity photos as she nears the end of her pregnancy. On Tuesday, she posted photos on social media with the caption, "3+1=4." In the images, she highlights her baby bump. Online commenters responded with messages including, "So beautiful," and, "Wishing you a safe delivery." Navi married Cho Sung-hwan, a retired soccer player, in 2019. She gave birth to a son in 2021 and is currently pregnant with a daughter, due in April. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-04 16:18:15