Journalist

Lee Keon-hee
  • Park Ji-hoon sheds ‘cute’ image with darker turn in ‘The Man Who Lives With the King’
    Park Ji-hoon sheds ‘cute’ image with darker turn in ‘The Man Who Lives With the King’ This series looks back at the works that shaped today’s top stars. “Lee Kun-hee’s Fame” highlights signature projects, scenes and lines that marked their careers. <Editor’s note> Singer-actor Park Ji-hoon, known early on for a boyish charm as a member of Wanna One, is drawing attention for a darker, more intense screen presence. He reached a new turning point with the film “The Man Who Lives With the King,” released on Feb. 4, which he used to showcase his acting range. As of the previous day, the film had drawn a cumulative 6,733,443 admissions, according to the Korean Film Council’s integrated ticketing network, raising expectations it could reach 10 million moviegoers. Though his idol image remains strong, Park is a 21-year acting veteran. He debuted as a child actor in the 2006 MBC drama “Jumong” and has since built a steady résumé across television and film. “Saved in my heart” Park became widely known for the line “Saved in my heart.” On Mnet’s national audition show “Produce 101 Season 2” in 2017, he finished second at age 17 and went on to promote with Wanna One, a group that rose to nationwide popularity. His “Saved in my heart” line, delivered with a cute gesture during the competition, became one of the program’s defining moments and helped make him instantly recognizable to the public. “Don’t cross the line.” Park’s breakthrough as an actor came with the webtoon-based Wavve original “Weak Hero Class 1.” He played Yeon Si-eun, a student consumed by studying but capable of striking back when provoked, and drew notice for a performance that shifted from vulnerability to a cold, controlled intensity. In the Netflix release “Weak Hero Class 2,” Yeon continues as a character who misses his friend Ahn Su-ho (played by Choi Hyun-wook) and becomes entangled in new conflicts after a forced transfer, coming to understand what real friendship means. A scene in Season 2 in which Yeon shouts, “Don’t cross the line,” echoing a Season 1 line — “You shouldn’t cross the line,” said by Ahn as he tried to stop Yeon — stood out to viewers for capturing both Yeon’s charisma and his longing for Ahn, who is in a coma. The “Weak Hero” series not only helped establish Park as an actor but also influenced his casting in “The Man Who Lives With the King.” Director Jang Hang-jun said he wanted to cast Park after watching the series. “His eyes were different from those of an ordinary man in his 20s,” Jang said. “I liked that look — the anger and emotions sunk deep down, as if they could burst at any moment.” “Is it not you?” In “The Man Who Lives With the King,” Park plays the ill-fated King Danjong, who is forced to yield the throne to his uncle, King Sejo, after the Gyeyu Coup, then exiled and ultimately meets a tragic end. For the role, Park lost 15 kilograms, a transformation that drew attention because he was reported to have relied on diet control rather than exercise. The reasoning, according to the report, was that Danjong’s portrayal — refusing food and drink and lacking the will to live — could not convincingly show a muscular physique. Early in the film, Park’s gaze conveys a Danjong who has lost everything, making the character’s occasional flashes of royal authority stand out more sharply. Danjong is not written as a character with many memorable lines, but one scene leaves a clear impression: after making a decision, he asks Eom Heung-do (played by Yoo Hae-jin), “Is it not you?” underscoring how deeply he cares for him. In another moment, when Eom’s son Taesan (played by Kim Min) is threatened, Danjong erupts at the villain Han Myeong-hoe (played by Yoo Ji-tae), saying, “You wretch — how dare you insult the royal family?” Park, once best known for a cute image, has increasingly been recognized for intensity and charisma driven largely through his eyes. He is set to return in the first half of this year as Kang Seong-jae, the lead in the TVING original “Becoming a Legend as a Cook Soldier,” based on a webtoon of the same name. Kang is a private newly assigned to the Gangrim outpost who becomes a cook and accepts a “job-change quest” after following an unfamiliar voice. The role is expected to highlight a softer appeal rather than the forceful charisma seen in his recent work. ◇Park Ji-hoon filmography △Debut: 2006 MBC drama “Jumong” △Selected works 2017 Mnet audition program “Produce 101 Season 2” 2019 JTBC drama “Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency” 2020 KakaoTV drama “Love Revolution” 2022 Wavve original “Weak Hero Class 1” 2025 Netflix original “Weak Hero Class 2” 2026 film “The Man Who Lives With the King” 2026-02-27 09:09:27
  • Actor Lee Jong-hyuk’s Son Lee Jun-su Enters Chung-Ang University
    Actor Lee Jong-hyuk’s Son Lee Jun-su Enters Chung-Ang University Actor Lee Jong-hyuk’s second son, Lee Jun-su, has entered Chung-Ang University. Lee posted photos on social media on the 24th from the “2026 academic year Chung-Ang University College of Arts freshman entrance ceremony,” along with an image of the campus. He previously was accepted through early admissions to several programs, including the acting major in the Department of Performing Arts at Seoul Institute of the Arts — Lee Jong-hyuk’s alma mater — as well as the theater (acting) major in Chung-Ang University’s School of Performing Arts and Film and the acting arts major in Sejong University’s College of Film and Arts, in both the first and second rounds. Lee chose Chung-Ang over Seoul Institute of the Arts. With that decision, all three in the family will have studied theater: Lee Jong-hyuk graduated from the theater department at Seoul Institute of the Arts, and his eldest son, Lee Tak-su, is studying theater at Dongguk University’s College of Arts. 2026-02-24 14:48:15
  • Internet News Ethics Committee Signs MOU With National Disability Rights Center
    Internet News Ethics Committee Signs MOU With National Disability Rights Center The Internet Newspaper Ethics Committee said Feb. 24 it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Health and Welfare Ministry-commissioned National Center for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on Feb. 23 at the center’s meeting room. The committee said it is the first media-related organization to sign an agreement with a disability rights advocacy body. The MOU aims to improve and prevent coverage involving abuse of people with disabilities and to foster a more responsible reporting environment among online news outlets. Planned cooperation includes joint monitoring and review work related to abuse coverage, collaborative research to improve reporting, related training and publicity, and joint seminars and campaigns. Lee Jae-jin, the committee’s chair, said, “With this agreement as a turning point, we will take a closer look at disability-related coverage, which has received relatively limited attention, and work to expand advocacy for the rights of people with disabilities.” Park Jeong-sik, director of the national center, said a 2023 revision to the Welfare of Persons with Disabilities Act provided a legal basis for establishing and ensuring compliance with recommended standards for reporting on abuse. He said the need for cooperation with media organizations and related institutions has grown since the standards were distributed in the second half of last year. “This agreement with the Internet Newspaper Ethics Committee will be an important opportunity to ensure the standards are implemented effectively,” Park said. The National Center for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is a specialized agency commissioned by the Health and Welfare Ministry and established under the Welfare of Persons with Disabilities Act in 2017 to respond to abuse. Working with 19 regional centers nationwide, it carries out advocacy efforts including abuse prevention and support for victims with disabilities. 2026-02-24 10:39:16
  • Hanwha’s Noh Si-hwan Signs 11-Year, 30.7 Billion Won Deal, Tops SSG’s Choi Jeong Total
    Hanwha’s Noh Si-hwan Signs 11-Year, 30.7 Billion Won Deal, Tops SSG’s Choi Jeong Total Hanwha Eagles infielder Noh Si-hwan has landed a record-setting payday. The question now is whether he can deliver the kind of long-term value associated with SSG Landers star Choi Jeong. Hanwha announced on the 23rd that it signed Noh to a multiyear contract before he reaches free agency. The deal runs 11 years and is worth 30.7 billion won ($30.7 billion won) including incentives, the longest and largest contract in KBO League history across both free-agent and non-free-agent agreements. The contract also includes a clause allowing Noh to move to Major League Baseball via posting after this season. The size and length of the agreement surprised many. A long-term deal had been widely discussed, but the 11-year term and a total in the 30 billion won range exceeded expectations. Noh’s single contract also surpasses the combined value of Choi’s three free-agent deals, which totaled 30.2 billion won (4 years, 8.6 billion won; 6 years, 10.6 billion won; 4 years, 11.0 billion won). A Hanwha official said the total carried symbolic meaning, reflecting the club’s hope that Noh will become a player who surpasses Choi. Noh’s average annual value is also higher: 2.79 billion won compared with Choi’s roughly 2.16 billion won. The two players share several traits: both are third basemen, right-handed power hitters, and players who reached the first-team roster quickly after receiving military-service benefits and later earned free-agent eligibility. One difference is age. Noh will be 26 for the 2027 season, while Choi was 28 in 2015, his first season after his initial free-agent deal. With age heavily weighed in the market and the value of money declining over time, Noh’s larger figure is easier to explain. Still, unlike Choi, who signed three separate free-agent contracts, Noh’s ultra-long deal could be more sensitive to injury risk. That is why Hanwha fans may measure the contract against Choi’s track record. Choi’s first free-agent deal was widely viewed as team-friendly, and he later signed his second and third deals with the same club. According to the statistics site STATIZ, Choi posted a combined WAR of 53.99 from the 2015 season through the 2025 season, an average of 4.91 per year. That works out to about 560 million won spent per 1 WAR. Noh recorded a WAR of 4.88 this season, and in his career-best 2023 season he posted a WAR of 6.74. Noh has effectively committed his prime years to Hanwha. The key question is whether, from the 2027 season through the 2037 season when the non-free-agent multiyear deal applies, he can exceed Choi’s level of production. If Noh produces consistently at a similar level, criticism that the deal is an overpay could shift to praise as one of the league’s best-value contracts. 2026-02-24 09:57:00
  • KBO Suspends Four Lotte Giants Players Over Gambling During Taiwan Training Trip
    KBO Suspends Four Lotte Giants Players Over Gambling During Taiwan Training Trip Four Lotte Giants players embroiled in a gambling controversy have been handed heavy discipline by the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). The KBO said it held a disciplinary committee meeting on Feb. 23 in its conference room for Kim Dong-hyeok, Ko Seung-min, Na Seung-yeop and Kim Se-min. The league confirmed that on Feb. 12, the players visited a gambling-style arcade near their hotel in Tainan, Taiwan, where Lotte was holding its first spring training camp, and used electronic betting games. Lotte reported the matter to the Clean Baseball Center on Feb. 14 after learning of it. Citing Article 151 of its rules on conduct unbecoming, the committee suspended Kim for 50 games and suspended the other three players for 30 games each. Kim was punished more severely because he was reported to have visited the venue three times, while the others visited once, according to the report. The KBO said a police investigation is underway, but it imposed sanctions in advance given the seriousness of the incident, the public backlash and damage to the league’s image. It said additional discipline could follow depending on the outcome of the police investigation. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-23 17:06:00
  • Entertainer Nam Chang-hee Marries Former Actress Yoon Young-kyung, Now an Office Worker
    Entertainer Nam Chang-hee Marries Former Actress Yoon Young-kyung, Now an Office Worker Entertainer Nam Chang-hee’s wife has been identified as Yoon Young-kyung, a former actress who now works an office job.  T&N Entertainment, Nam’s agency, said on the 23rd, “Nam Chang-hee’s wife is Yoon Young-kyung, who previously worked as an actress,” adding, “She is currently an office worker.” Earlier that day, a media outlet reported that Nam’s wife is Yoon. Yoon graduated from Dongduk Women’s University’s Department of Broadcasting and Entertainment and was named a runner-up in the 2013 Miss Chunhyang pageant. She debuted in the 2014 film “Ode to My Father” and appeared in the dramas “Hwajeong” and “Ms. Temper & Nam Jung-gi.” In 2014, she appeared on MBC’s variety show “Infinite Challenge” in a special titled “Hongcheol, Get Married,” and was nicknamed “Han River IU.”  Nam and Yoon held their wedding on the 22nd at the Dynasty Hall of the Shilla Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. Nam was born in 1982 and Yoon in 1991, a nine-year age gap.  2026-02-23 14:00:05
  • Auto Repair Franchise Partners With Poen to Launch EV Total Repair Service
    Auto Repair Franchise Partners With Poen to Launch EV Total Repair Service The auto repair franchise Everything About Cars said Monday it has partnered with Poen, a company specializing in remanufacturing EV batteries, to launch an “EV Total Repair Service” that allows partial repairs up to the high-voltage battery. High-voltage EV batteries have typically been treated as a single finished component, leaving replacement with a new unit as the main option when failures occur — and the cost can be steep. As of February, Hyundai Mobis lists the new battery system assembly for the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 at about 25 million won, while the Kia EV9 exceeds 30 million won. Under the new service, the companies said costs can be reduced by repairing modules and internal parts based on the battery’s condition, with some repairs possible for about 3 million won. Customers can receive light EV maintenance and battery diagnostics at Everything About Cars locations nationwide, while Poen handles the battery repair work under a two-track system the companies said is designed to ensure quality, safety and access. Kim Seon-woo, CEO of Everything About Cars, said, “We wanted to offer a realistic alternative for customers who feel stuck when facing EV battery problems,” adding, “Through this collaboration, we will set a new standard for EV maintenance.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-23 09:04:53
  • Hanwha Eagles Lock Up Noh Si-hwan in Record 11-Year Deal, Build Corner Infield Core
    Hanwha Eagles Lock Up Noh Si-hwan in Record 11-Year Deal, Build Corner Infield Core 497 billion won combined. The Hanwha Eagles said Sunday they signed infielder Noh Si-hwan to a non-free-agent, multi-year contract a day earlier. The 11-year deal is worth 30.7 billion won ($307 million) including incentives, the longest and richest contract in KBO League history across both free-agent and non-free-agent agreements. The club also included a clause allowing Noh to pursue a move to Major League Baseball via the posting system after the 2026 season, as an added motivator. While a long-term deal for Noh had been widely expected, the size exceeded projections, effectively tying him to Hanwha for the long haul. Hanwha cited Noh’s value as a rare young right-handed power hitter. General manager Son Hyuk said, “Noh Si-hwan is an exemplary player who aims to play all 144 games, and he has grown into a right-handed power hitter who represents not only our team but the league,” explaining the rationale for the deal. Noh’s production has ranked among the league’s best. Last season he played all 144 games and hit 32 home runs, anchoring Hanwha’s power-heavy lineup. Hanwha moved quickly to secure him before he could reach free agency. Hanwha also strengthened its lineup by signing Kang Baek-ho in free agency to a four-year, 10 billion won deal. Pairing the right-handed slugger Noh with left-handed power from Kang gives Hanwha more punch. Kang’s defense has raised questions about his best position, but Hanwha emphasized his bat and plans to use him at designated hitter and first base. If Kang is used at DH, Chae Eun-seong can play first base. Chae is another key bat, having signed with Hanwha after the 2022 season on a six-year, 9 billion won contract. With Noh at third and Kang and Chae sharing first base, Hanwha now has what it believes is one of the KBO’s top corner-infield groups. The club expects the arrangement to maximize offense while leaning on Noh’s proven defense and durability. Attention now turns to whether Hanwha can rebound from last season’s runner-up finish and win its first title in 27 years with this corner-infield core leading the lineup. 2026-02-23 08:51:00
  • Hanwha Eagles’ Noh Si-hwan signs record 11-year, 30.7 billion won non-FA deal
    Hanwha Eagles’ Noh Si-hwan signs record 11-year, 30.7 billion won non-FA deal Hanwha Eagles infielder Noh Si-hwan has agreed to a record-setting long-term deal with the club.  Hanwha said on Feb. 23 that it signed Noh to a non-free agent, multi-year contract on Feb. 22. The deal runs 11 years and is worth 30.7 billion won, including incentives. The club said it is the longest and largest contract in KBO League history, including both free-agent and non-free agent multi-year deals. The agreement also includes a clause allowing Noh to pursue a move to Major League Baseball via posting after the 2026 season, when he becomes eligible for free agency.  General manager Son Hyuk said Noh is a model player who aims to appear in all 144 games and has developed into a right-handed power hitter representing both the team and the league. Son said the club considered multiple options to respect the player’s goals and treat him as a franchise star, leading to the agreement. He added that he hopes Noh will follow in the footsteps of Jang Jong-hoon and Kim Tae-kyun as a hitter who symbolizes Hanwha.  Noh thanked the club for what he called a historic contract, saying it valued him highly. He also credited fans for their support, saying it played a major role in the deal and in his career so far. He said he will take on greater responsibility as a franchise player and do his best to help Hanwha establish itself as a top club. Looking ahead to 2026, he said he will work with the manager, coaches and teammates toward the goal of winning the Korean Series.  2026-02-23 08:15:00
  • Trot Singers Eun Ga-eun and Park Hyun-ho Welcome Baby Girl 10 Months After Wedding
    Trot Singers Eun Ga-eun and Park Hyun-ho Welcome Baby Girl 10 Months After Wedding Trot singers Eun Ga-eun and Park Hyun-ho have welcomed a daughter. An official at MOM Entertainment said Feb. 20 that Eun gave birth at about 3 p.m. and that she is in stable condition and resting. Her agency previously announced in October last year that she was 22 weeks pregnant. Eun, born in 1987, is five years older than Park, who was born in 1992. The couple held their wedding ceremony in April last year.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-20 17:48:15