K-pop OST "Golden" wins Grammy, marking first victory for K-pop songwriters SEOUL, February 02 (AJP) -“Golden,” an original soundtrack from Netflix’s animated film K-Pop Demon Hunters, won Best Song Written for Visual Media at the Grammy Awards, marking the first-ever Grammy win for K-pop songwriters and producers. The award was announced during the Premiere Ceremony of the 68th Grammys held in Los Angeles. Unlike performance-based categories, Best Song Written for Visual Media is awarded to songwriters and producers, recognizing excellence in composition for film and television. With the win, all creators involved in “Golden” are officially credited as Grammy Award winners. Riding on the global success of K Pop Demon Hunters, “Golden” also achieved a rare chart milestone, becoming the first K-pop song to top both the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Official Singles Chart, underscoring the genre’s expanding reach in major Western markets. The track was co-written and produced by EJAE (Lee Jae), Teddy, 24, and producer collective IDO, which includes Lee Yu-han, Kwak Jung-kyu and Nam Hee-dong. Additional credited writers include Park Hong-jun, Seo Jung-hoon and Mark Sonnenblick. While Korean engineer Hwang Byung-joon and Korean-American engineer Youngin have previously won Grammys in technical categories, this is the first time K-pop songwriters or music producers have received the award for their creative work — a milestone signaling a shift in how K-pop is recognized within the global music industry. “Golden” led the K-Pop Demon Hunters soundtrack as a self-empowerment anthem performed in character by EJAE as a member of the fictional girl group Huntr/x. The song topped the Hot 100 for eight consecutive weeks in 2025 and received four Grammy nominations this year, including Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. In the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category, where “Golden,” Rosé’s “APT.” and KATSEYE’s “Gabriela” were nominated, the award went to Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande for “Defying Gravity” from Wicked. K-Pop Demon Hunters was one of Netflix’s most-watched films in 2025 and a standout piece of global pop culture. With “Golden’s” Grammy win — along with its Golden Globe victory and an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song — the film has now delivered K-pop its first Grammy triumph. 2026-02-02 09:28:36

Majority of workers use AI to enhance productivity, survey finds SEOUL, February 2 (AJP) - Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly driving workplace productivity in South Korea, with more employees using AI tools to cut repetitive tasks and devote more time to strategic and creative work, according to data released on Monday by workplace solutions company Notion. The findings are based on a survey of 480 office workers and freelancers who have used AI. Some 61.5 percent of respondents said they used AI tools for work, a rate much higher than usage for daily assistance (46.7 percent), learning and self-development (33.5 percent), and leisure activities (33.1 percent). They said AI was most helpful for research (25 percent), followed by summarizing information (15.4 percent), refining phrasing (13.5 percent), writing reports and documents (9.8 percent), and translation (9.8 percent). More than 60 percent of respondents said AI tools reduce time spent on simple, repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on creative and strategic work and improve efficiency. Workers in their late 30s were the most active users of AI tools for work, at 71.7 percent, while those in their late 20s were the most likely to use AI more broadly, across both work and daily life. Among those in their mid-to-late 30s, AI has become a regular part of their day-to-day work, with many using AI tools at least six days a week, making them the most familiar with AI of any age group. Nearly 90 percent of respondents said AI tools will bring positive changes to the way they work, although barriers remain. Many cited lack of reliability (41.6 percent), concerns about data security and privacy (30.1 percent), and inconsistent results (23.7 percent) as reasons AI has not been more widely adopted. Nearly all respondents or 97.5 percent said they verify and revise AI-generated content before using it, indicating that while workers embrace AI as a useful tool, they remain cautious about relying on it entirely. "As AI takes over simple, repetitive tasks, a new work environment is emerging where people can focus on strategy, creativity, and collaboration," said Park Dae-sung, head of Notion's office in Seoul. 2026-02-02 09:25:59

K-economy analysis: hot chips, hot stocks — and a narrow growth base SEOUL, February 02 (AJP) -A booming semiconductor cycle and a frothy equity rally have lifted sentiment around the Korean economy, but the apparent strength rests on an increasingly narrow base, leaving broader growth and domestic demand lagging behind. Exports and stock prices are sending powerful bullish signals. Korea’s benchmark equity index surged to record territory in January, while outbound shipments continue with record-setting growth streak, fueling talk of a durable recovery. Yet headline momentum obscures a deeper imbalance: growth is being pulled forward by a handful of capital-intensive industries, while large swaths of manufacturing, domestic demand and employment remain stuck in stagnation. The divergence is most evident in international comparison. Korea’s real GDP growth rounded to 1.0 percent last year, among the weakest in Asia. Taiwan — also heavily exposed to semiconductors — expanded 8.63 percent, while China grew 5 percent, Singapore 4.8 percent, and Hong Kong 3.5 percent. Despite sharing a similar export profile with Taiwan, Korea has captured far less spillover into consumption, jobs and non-IT investment. Exports remain strong. Shipments rose 3.8 percent last year to $709.4 billion, crossing the $700 billion mark for the first time. January exports surged 33.9 percent on year to $65.85 billion, reinforcing expectations of another strong annual performance. But the rebound is highly concentrated. Semiconductor exports jumped 21.9 percent last year to $175.3 billion, riding a global chip supercycle amplified by artificial intelligence investment. Passenger car exports edged up 0.3 percent, while ship exports climbed 24 percent. The chip strength maintained over 20-percent growth in January. Traditional manufacturing tells a different story. Steel exports fell 4.5 percent, petroleum products 9.4 percent, auto parts 6.5 percent, wireless communication devices 6.2 percent, and home appliances 17 percent, reflecting global oversupply, rising trade barriers and weakening downstream demand. As a result, export dependence has deepened. Semiconductors accounted for 25 percent of total exports last year, up sharply from 16 percent in 2023. The top five export items — semiconductors, passenger cars, steel, petroleum products and ships — together made up 52 percent of total shipments, underscoring the growing concentration of Korea’s export engine. Stock-market strength outpaces the real economy Equity markets have amplified the sense of recovery. Chipmakers, shipbuilder and defense-related stocks have driven index gains, buoyed by strong earnings and optimistic forward guidance. But the rally has remained sector-specific, offering limited support to small manufacturers, service firms or regional economies. Domestic demand remains subdued. Retail sales rose just 0.5 percent last year, with spending gains concentrated in automobiles and communication devices. Sales of clothing, cosmetics and other everyday goods declined, highlighting the disconnect between asset prices and household sentiment. Industrial activity reflects the same split. Overall manufacturing output increased 1.6 percent, but total shipments were flat as domestic shipments fell 2.6 percent, offsetting export growth. The recovery is export-led, not consumption-led — a pattern that limits job creation and income growth. A K-shaped economy hardens The imbalance is becoming structural. Production at small and medium-sized manufacturers fell 3.3 percent last year, the steepest decline since records began a decade ago. Large manufacturers posted a 3.0 percent increase, pushing their output index to a record high. Growth accounting underscores the distortion. Without the semiconductor boom, Korea’s growth rate would have fallen to around 0.4 percent. The IT sector contributed roughly 0.6 percentage points to growth, with semiconductors alone accounting for about 0.9 percentage points, offsetting sharp contractions elsewhere. Construction investment dropped nearly 10 percent, shaving 1.4 percentage points off growth. Employment-intensive sectors such as construction, steel and petrochemicals continue to struggle, while job gains have been concentrated in services linked to aging demographics rather than productive investment. Policy constraints come into focus The chip-led surge leaves policymakers with limited tools. Broad monetary easing, the central bank argues, would do little to address sectoral polarization and could worsen asset and income inequality by further inflating stocks and property. Instead, authorities are relying on targeted credit programs and industrial support for vulnerable sectors, while holding interest rates steady. The strategy reflects a growing consensus that Korea’s challenge is not cyclical weakness, but structural imbalance — one that interest rates alone cannot fix. For now, booming chips and soaring stocks provide a powerful narrative of resilience. But the longer growth remains dependent on a narrow set of industries, the greater the risk that today’s recovery hardens into a prolonged K-shaped expansion — one that lifts markets but leaves jobs, incomes and domestic demand behind. As AI and semiconductor investment accelerate, Korea faces a paradox: the industries driving growth are also those least capable of spreading it widely. Without a broader revival in traditional manufacturing and consumption, the gap between headline strength and economic reality is set to widen further. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was edited by AJP. 2026-02-02 07:21:17

KOSPI shatters records in historic January rally SEOUL, February 01 (AJP) -South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI delivered one of the most explosive monthly rallies in the history of the local stock market in January, with virtually every major indicator posting record or near-record figures. According to the Korea Exchange (KRX), the KOSPI closed January at 5,224.36 last Friday, up 1,010.19 points from the previous month-end. The index gained 23.97 percent over the month, marking its strongest monthly performance since October 1998. Since the early 2000s, the KOSPI has recorded a monthly gain exceeding 20 percent only twice, including this January. The rally was accompanied by extreme intramonth volatility. The index climbed as high as 5,321.68 during the month, repeatedly setting new highs, while the January low stood at 4,216.68 — a swing of more than 1,100 points within a single month. The sharp rise translated directly into a surge in market capitalization. Total KOSPI market value stretched to 4,319 trillion won at the end of January from about 3,478 trillion won at the end of last year, adding roughly 840 trillion won in just one month. Heavy liquidity inflows underscored the market’s momentum. January trading turnover on the KOSPI reached 568 trillion won, the highest monthly total on record, nearly double the 302 trillion won recorded in the previous month. Trading volume also jumped sharply to 11.55 billion shares from 8.4 billion shares, signaling a clear increase in investor participation. Investor interest intensified further as sidelines cash flowed back into equities. As of Jan. 29, investor deposits stood at 103.7 trillion won, having surpassed the 100 trillion-won mark earlier in the week. Margin trading also hit an all-time high, with outstanding credit loans exceeding 30 trillion won for the first time. The number of active stock trading accounts reached 100.2 million as of Jan. 29, up about 1.73 million from the end of last year. Active accounts refer to those holding at least 100,000 won in assets and having traded at least once in the past six months. Given South Korea’s population of roughly 50 million, the figure implies that each citizen holds, on average, more than two active trading accounts. Despite mounting concerns over valuation and leverage, securities firms remain broadly constructive on the medium- to long-term outlook, citing earnings improvement and favorable liquidity conditions. “Leadership centered on artificial intelligence-related stocks is likely to persist,” said Na Jung-hwan, an analyst at NH Investment and Securities Co.. “From a return enhancement perspective, gradually increasing exposure to cyclical sectors as economic indicators improve remains a valid strategy.” 2026-02-01 18:39:47

'Bedford Park' Wins Sundance Special Jury Award for Debut Feature SEOUL, February 01 (AJP) -"Bedford Park", a romance starring Korean actors Son Suk-ku and Moon Choi, won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Debut Feature at the Sundance Film Festival on Friday, marking a strong showing for Korean-led storytelling at the world’s leading showcase for independent cinema. The award, which recognizes a first-time feature director, was presented during the festival’s closing ceremony in Park City, where the film had its world premiere last week. The jury cited the film “for inviting us into a world we’ve never seen depicted on film, and daring to share the very personal,” adding that the filmmaker “upended all of our assumptions of a story told with depth and skill.” Written and directed by Korean American filmmaker Stephanie Ahn, Bedford Park follows Audrey (Moon), a Korean American woman in her 30s haunted by childhood abuse. After her mother is injured in a car accident, Audrey returns to her parents’ home in New Jersey, where she meets Eli (Son), the man responsible for the crash. As the two confront their pasts as children of immigrants, a fragile romance takes shape. The film was produced by Gary Foster, Chris S. Lee, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Theresa Kang and Son, and features a supporting cast that includes Won Mi-kyung, Kim Eung-soo and Jefferson White. The title screened at Sundance as part of the U.S. Dramatic Competition and is available online to festival audiences. Moon, known in Korea as Choi Hee-seo, has built a career across film and television, with credits including "Dongju: The Portrait of a Poet", "Mistress and Now", "We Are Breaking Up". Her breakout role came in the 2017 historical drama "Anarchist From Colony", for which she won both best actress and best new actress at the Grand Bell Awards. Son has emerged as a fan favorite through television dramas such as "My Liberation Notes" and "D.P.", as well as the 2022 action hit "The Roundup," which drew more than 12 million admissions in Korea. Bedford Park marks the first U.S. production for both actors, who previously worked together in Korean projects including "Unframed" and "Night Fishing." Widely regarded as the most important launchpad for independent American cinema, Sundance has a growing history of spotlighting Korean and Korean American stories. Recent titles include "Past Lives" by Celine Song and "Minari" by Lee Isaac Chung, both of which went on to gain major awards recognition. Many of these films, like Bedford Park, explore themes of identity, generational tension and the immigrant experience. Separately, the Sundance Institute announced this week that the festival will relocate to Boulder, Colorado, beginning in 2027, ending its long run in Utah after the 2026 edition. According to industry publication Variety, Sony Pictures Classics has acquired worldwide distribution rights to Bedford Park. A release date has not yet been announced. 2026-02-01 15:56:57

Grammy night nears, Korean artists await the anticipated call SEOUL, February 01 (AJP) -As Grammy night nears in Los Angeles, anticipation is building around high-profile Korean artists and Korean-led content that could set historic records at the world’s most prestigious music awards. The 68th Grammy Awards will be held at the Crypto.com Arena, hosted by the Recording Academy. In South Korea, the ceremony will be broadcast live and exclusively on Mnet, with streaming available via Mnet Plus. Rosé, who entered the ceremony nominated in three categories for her collaboration APT. with Bruno Mars, will take the stage as the first K-pop solo act appeared in a live Grammy performance. Previous Korean appearances were limited to group stages, most notably by BTS between 2020 and 2022. The track is competing in Song of the Year and Record of the Year—the Grammys’ most prestigious general-field awards—along with Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, placing Rosé within reach of becoming the first K-pop solo artist to win a Grammy in a top category. Another strong Korea-associated contender is Netflix’s animated series K-pop Demon Hunters. Its original soundtrack track Golden is nominated in multiple categories, including Song of the Year, placing a Korean-created animated project in direct competition with the biggest global pop releases of the year. Music industry analysts say the nomination itself represents a structural shift, as Korean creators are now being recognized not only through idol acts but also through cross-platform storytelling that blends music, animation and global streaming distribution. A win for Golden would mark a first for a Korean-origin animated soundtrack at the Grammys. Even without a trophy, its presence in the general field is widely seen as confirmation that K-content is no longer confined to genre labels. The Korean footprint at this year’s Grammys also includes rising global girl group KATSEYE, nominated for Best New Artist, further broadening Korea’s presence across the ceremony’s core categories. Competition remains intense, with artists such as Kendrick Lamar and Bad Bunny seen as strong contenders across multiple races. 2026-02-01 12:41:08

Korea's Jan exports up 34% on doubled chip shipments, trade surplus streak for 1-year SEOUL, February 01 (AJP) -South Korea’s exports jumped more than 30 percent in January from a year earlier, extending their on-year growth streak to eight consecutive months, driven by steamy semiconductor shipments. Exports totaled $65.85 billion, up 33.9 percent from a year earlier, marking the highest January figure on record, according to data released Sunday by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Semiconductor exports, the country’s top export item, more than doubled from a year earlier to $20.54 billion, surpassing the $20 billion mark for a second straight month. The 102.7 percent on-year jump reflected surging demand for AI server chips and sustained gains in memory prices. January chip exports ranked as the second-highest monthly total on record, following December’s $20.8 billion, and extended a streak of 10 consecutive monthly record highs for the period. Average daily exports rose 14.0 percent to $2.8 billion, also the highest ever for January. The ministry attributed the strong performance to robust semiconductor demand and an increase in working days, as the Lunar New Year holiday fell in February this year, compared with January a year earlier. Monthly exports have remained on an upward trajectory since June last year. In January, exports increased across 13 of the country’s 15 major product categories. Automobile exports climbed 21.7 percent on year to $6.07 billion, the second-highest January figure on record, supported by strong sales of hybrid and electric vehicles and the longer factory schedule. Other sectors posting solid gains included wireless communication devices ($2.03 billion, up 66.9 percent), displays ($1.38 billion, up 26.1 percent), petroleum products ($3.74 billion, up 8.5 percent) and bio-health products ($1.35 billion, up 18.3 percent). By contrast, exports of petrochemicals ($3.52 billion, down 1.5 percent) and ships ($2.47 billion, down 0.4 percent) edged lower. By destination, shipments to the United States rose 29.5 percent on year to $12.02 billion, setting a new January record despite ongoing tariff concerns. Exports to China also rebounded sharply, jumping 46.7 percent to $13.5 billion. Imports increased 11.7 percent from a year earlier to $57.11 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $8.74 billion for the month. South Korea has now posted a monthly trade surplus for 12 consecutive months, starting in February last year. 2026-02-01 11:01:03

Seoul's industry minister takes baton for Washington talks to head off U.S. tariff hikes SEOUL, February 01 (AJP) -South Korea has stepped up last-minute diplomacy in Washington to head off a threatened hike in U.S. reciprocal tariffs, with Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo widening outreach across the Trump administration, Congress and U.S. industry just days after Seoul’s industry minister returned home with limited tangible progress. Yeo Han-koo, who arrived in Washington early Friday, has continued meetings through the weekend with U.S. administration officials, lawmakers and business leaders, according to officials familiar with the schedule. His visit is set to run into early next week, underscoring Seoul’s urgency as it seeks to prevent tariffs from reverting to 25 percent. Yeo’s trip follows President Donald Trump’s warning on Jan. 26 that the United States could raise reciprocal and sector-specific tariffs on South Korean automobiles, lumber and pharmaceuticals, citing delays in South Korea’s National Assembly in passing a special law tied to U.S.-bound investment commitments. The move would roll back last year’s agreement that kept the rate at 15 percent and comes as Seoul has pledged up to $350 billion in long-term investments in the United States. Speaking before his departure, Yeo said he would focus on dispelling what he described as “misunderstandings” in Washington over South Korea’s legislative process. "There appears to to have been an impression that agreements were not being implemented because of legislative delays. I intend to explain the political context and procedural differences," he said. Officials said Yeo will also meet his U.S. counterpart, Jamison Greer, to discuss tariff issues and broader trade cooperation. Yeo’s expanded outreach comes on the heels of Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Kim Jung-kwan’s Washington visit, during which Kim met senior Trump administration officials including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Energy Secretary Chris Wright. Upon returning to Seoul on Friday, Kim acknowledged that the U.S. side had expressed disappointment over the pending investment-related legislation but said Seoul had made clear there was “absolutely no reason” to delay implementation of bilateral trade commitments. Kim also pushed back against speculation that U.S. concerns over South Korea’s proposed Online Platform Fairness Act or regulatory scrutiny of Coupang had influenced Trump’s tariff threat. He said the issues never came up, suggesting they do not pose as material to the tariff framework. During his trip, Kim and Wright agreed to open a working-level consultation channel on energy and resources, with discussions also touching on broader nuclear cooperation, though Kim declined to provide details. 2026-02-01 09:59:12

Seoul confident but cautious as Canada submarine bid turns into Korea–Germany contest SEOUL, February 01 (AJP) -South Korea has mounted a full-court, government-led push to win Canada’s next-generation submarine program, but Germany’s entrenched role within NATO and its long-standing engineering ties with Ottawa remain formidable obstacles, said a senior presidential official. Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik said Saturday that Seoul remains confident in its technological edge, even as it competes against Germany for what is widely regarded as one of the world’s largest defense procurement projects. “Our submarine technology is significantly better, and we believe any remaining issues can be addressed through long-term industrial cooperation with Canada,” Kang told reporters at Incheon International Airport upon returning from back-to-back visits to Canada and Norway, where he led a senior “Team Korea” delegation. The delegation included officials and executives from a South Korean consortium led by Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, alongside representatives from Hyundai Motor and Korean Air. Seoul is pitching the bid as a broad industrial package rather than a stand-alone weapons sale. Canada’s Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP) is estimated at up to 60 trillion won ($41.4 billion), including decades of maintenance, repair and overhaul. The Korean consortium was recently shortlisted as one of two final contenders, alongside Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. While South Korea has emphasized its shipbuilding capacity, missile integration and faster delivery timelines, Kang acknowledged that Germany enjoys structural advantages. Canada and Germany maintain close security cooperation under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and German technology underpins parts of South Korea’s own submarine development. Competing against Germany — which provided original technology for Korea’s submarine capabilities and shares NATO membership with Canada — "will not be easy to crack,” Kang said. The stakes are high because Canada has made clear that submarine performance alone will not decide the winner. According to bidding instructions issued late last year, only 20 percent of the evaluation is based on platform capability. Half of the score is tied to long-term sustainment, with the remainder split between financial capacity and economic benefits to Canada. That weighting has transformed the competition into what officials describe as a de facto industrial partnership contest. Seoul has positioned the submarine bid as a national strategic export project, promising investment across defense manufacturing, shipbuilding, automotive supply chains, energy and critical minerals — sectors that could generate tens of thousands of Canadian jobs over several decades. Kang said Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed strong interest in South Korea during meetings that included corporate leaders, though he cautioned against reading too much into diplomatic signals at this stage. Asked about the timeline, Kang said a final decision could come “as soon as six months” or take “up to a year,” adding that Canadian officials are expected to visit South Korea as part of the evaluation process. Kang’s trip yielded more tangible results in Norway, where South Korea signed a 1.3 trillion won contract to export its Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher system. He said Norway’s decision could encourage neighboring countries such as Sweden and Denmark to consider South Korean defense systems, potentially expanding Seoul’s footprint in Northern Europe. 2026-02-01 09:11:43

Foreign workers missing after deadly factory fire in South Korea SEOUL, January 31 (AJP) - A massive fire at a household goods factory in South Korea left at least one foreign worker dead and another missing, authorities said on Saturday, highlighting ongoing safety concerns involving migrant labor in the country’s manufacturing sector. The blaze broke out at around 2:55 p.m. on Friday at a factory in Eumseong County, North Chungcheong Province, which produces sanitary products such as wet wipes and diapers. Firefighters declared the fire fully extinguished after more than 21 hours of operation, battling structural collapses and intense heat fueled by highly flammable materials inside the facility. Of the 83 workers on site at the time, 81 managed to evacuate. However, two foreign nationals — a Nepali man in his 20s and a Kazakh man in his 50s — were initially unaccounted for. One body, believed to be one of the missing workers, was discovered early Friday near a stairwell on the second floor of the building. Authorities have transferred the remains to a local funeral home and requested forensic identification. The second worker remained missing as of Friday afternoon, with rescue teams continuing searches using heavy equipment and urban detection devices amid unstable debris. Investigators said both missing workers were subcontracted employees responsible for waste processing inside the production building, working on the ground floor where the fire is believed to have originated. Fire officials said the factory’s sandwich-panel structure and large volumes of combustible pulp materials caused the flames to spread rapidly, complicating rescue efforts and forcing overnight suspensions due to collapse risks. Police have launched a serious industrial accident investigation and plan to examine whether safety management protocols were properly followed once on-site recovery is completed. The incident has renewed scrutiny over working conditions faced by foreign laborers in South Korea’s industrial sector, where migrant workers are often employed through subcontractors in high-risk environments. 2026-01-31 17:44:31