Cha Jun-hwan narrowly misses bronze by less than a point, sets Korean record SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - On the ninth day of competition at the 2026 Milano–Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday, South Korean athletes delivered notable performances in figure skating and snowboarding. South Korea maintained its tally of one gold, one silver and two bronze medals, remaining 13th in the overall medal standings. Figure skating: Cha Jun-hwan just off the podium In men’s figure skating, Cha Jun-hwan delivered a solid free skate at the Milano Ice Skating Arena to finish 4th overall, marking the best Olympic result yet for a Korean male singles skater. Cha’s total score of 273.92 saw him narrowly miss the bronze medalist Shun Sato of Japan, who scored 274.90 by less than one point after a strong performance highlighted by a clean quad Salchow, though a fall on his quad toe loop brought a deduction. Cha, who placed 15th at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics — then the best result by a South Korean man in the singles event — improved to fifth at the 2022 Beijing Games. He climbed one spot higher this time to set a new personal Olympic best. Gold-medal favorite Ilia Malinin of the United States struggled under the pressure of his Olympic debut, delivering an uncharacteristically flawed performance and finishing eighth with 264.49 points. With several medal contenders faltering, Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov capitalized to claim a surprise gold medal with 291.58 points, securing his country’s first gold of the Games. Snowboarding: Lee finishes sixth in halfpipe, Woo competes in cross At Livigno Snow Park, Lee Chae-un competed in the men’s snowboard halfpipe final and finished 6th with 87.50 points. The 19-year-old landed signature tricks including the frontside triple cork 1620 but fell short of the medals against a deep field. His run showcased Korean progression in snowboarding disciplines. Woo Su-bin, in South Korea’s first Olympic appearance in snowboard cross, was unable to advance to the 16-athlete round after a mid-race slip. She completed her heat despite the fall and won applause from the crowd. Curling: Korea improves to 2-1 in round robin South Korea’s women’s curling team defeated Britain 9-3 in its third round-robin match at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo. The team, skipped by Kim Eun-ji, bounced back from an opening 4-8 loss to the United States with consecutive wins over Italy (7-2) and Britain to improve to 2-1. South Korea moved into a tie for third place among the 10 teams in the standings. In the round-robin format, the top four teams advance to the semifinals. Sweden leads at 3-0, followed by Switzerland. South Korea will face Denmark (1-2) and Japan (0-2) in its next two matches on Feb. 15. Skeleton, Biathlon and Cross-Country: Jung posts second straight top-10 finish In men’s skeleton at the Cortina Sliding Center, Jung Seung-gi clocked a combined time of 3:45.90 over four runs to finish 10th. After placing 10th in his Olympic debut at the 2022 Beijing Games, Jung secured another top-10 finish at his second Olympics. Veteran Kim Ji-soo, competing in his first Olympic appearance since the 2018 PyeongChang Games, finished 16th with a four-run total of 3:48.11. In women’s skeleton at the same venue, Hong Su-jung recorded a combined time of 1:57.33 over two runs to place 22nd among 25 competitors. At the Anterselva Biathlon Arena, Choi Du-jin finished last in the men’s 10-kilometer sprint, crossing the line in 28:05.7 after missing three shots in the prone stage. In cross-country skiing, Lee Jun-seo placed 73rd out of 113 athletes in the men’s 10km interval start free at the Tesero Cross-country Skiing Stadium, finishing in 24:25.4. Norway’s Johannes Klæbo won the event in 20:36.2 to claim his third gold medal of the Games and the eighth Olympic gold of his career, tying the all-time Winter Olympic record. 2026-02-14 10:41:43

Wavve Unveils Lunar New Year Holiday Picks, From Originals to Blockbuster Films Wavve has released a Lunar New Year holiday watch list spanning originals, blockbuster films and animation. The lineup includes Wavve originals “Chefs of the Temple Kitchen” and “Reading a Criminal’s Letters,” along with food shows, bingeable dramas and movies. “Chefs of the Temple Kitchen” is a food reality series that follows six masters of Korean Buddhist temple cuisine as they prepare and share offerings, exploring the philosophy and meaning behind the food. The cast includes Sunjae, who made the Top 7 as “White Spoon” on “Black and White Chef Season 2,” and Jeonggwan, known internationally through “Chef’s Table,” along with monks Gyeho, Jeokmun, Daean and Uguan. The six appear together in one program for the first time. The series shows the monks sharing their approaches to cooking, episodes centered on traditional fermented sauces such as gochujang, soy sauce and doenjang, and moments of serving guests who seek out temple cuisine. The four-part series will be released in full on Friday, the 13th. “Reading a Criminal’s Letters” (also titled “Read”) is a crime-psychology commentary series that analyzes handwritten letters from people involved in real-life cases that drew national attention. Producers from “Unanswered Questions” and “The Day the Tail Caught the Tail” participated in the project. Lawyer and TV personality Seo Dong-ju and Park Kyung-sik, a producer from “Unanswered Questions,” appear with guests including profiler Pyo Chang-won, criminal psychology professor Park Ji-seon and attorney Park Jun-young, who specializes in retrials. The show covers letters tied to figures including Lee Yeong-hak, known as “Molar Dad,” Jang Dae-ho, dubbed the “Han River dismemberment killer,” Yoo Jeong-ho, described as a YouTuber with 1 million subscribers who became a fraud suspect involving tens of billions of won, and serial killers Yoo Young-chul and Jeong Nam-gyu. Episodes run about 30 minutes and follow an omnibus format, with a different case each time. The 12-part series is being released one episode at a time every Friday. Wavve also highlighted food programming for the holiday. MBN’s “World’s Best Baking: Bake Your Dream” is billed as South Korea’s first K-bakery survival show, with 72 contestants competing for 100 million won. tvN’s “Chagane” follows a “gangster family” trying to strike it big by developing a new spicy sauce, featuring Cha Seung-won and Choo Sung-hoon, along with Tommy, DinDin and Danny Koo. MBC’s “K-GIM Revolution” is a global documentary on the stability and competitiveness of gim, a major Korean seafood product, hosted by Michelin three-star chef Ahn Sung-jae and tracing the process from production to tables worldwide. MBC’s Lunar New Year special “Discovery of the Table” is a K-food road documentary featuring Jang Keun-suk and top chefs as they explore the taste, wisdom and beauty of everyday meals, including appearances by Yoon Nam-no, Fabri and David Lee. JTBC’s “Please Take Care of My Refrigerator since 2014” is also available on Wavve. For drama viewers, Wavve recommended three current hits. “Judge Lee Han-young” follows Lee Han-young (Ji Sung), a corrupt judge living as a servant to a major law firm, who returns to 10 years earlier and makes new choices to punish a powerful enemy; it has held the No. 1 spot on Wavve’s drama rankings. “Spring Fever” centers on teacher Yoon Bom (Lee Joo-bin) and Sun Jae-gyu (Ahn Bo-hyun), and has been gaining popularity as viewing time rises. The historical romance “Eunaehaneun Doduknim-a” follows Hong Eun-jo (Nam Ji-hyun), who becomes a famed thief, and Prince Yi Yeol (Moon Sang-min) after their souls are swapped. “Spirit Fingers,” starring Park Ji-hu and Jo Jun-young, will be released in full starting Friday, the 13th; it follows a girl who has lived without a distinct identity as she finds her own color. Wavve said several “10 million-ticket” films are also available for family viewing. “A Taxi Driver” (2017), based on events surrounding the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, stars Song Kang-ho, Ryu Jun-yeol, Yoo Hae-jin, Choi Gwi-hwa and Eom Tae-goo. “Extreme Job” (2019) is a comedy about narcotics detectives who open a chicken restaurant as a cover, starring Ryu Seung-ryong, Lee Ha-nee, Jin Sun-kyu, Lee Dong-hwi and Gong Myoung. Other picks include “The Admiral: Roaring Currents” (2014), about Adm. Yi Sun-sin’s Battle of Myeongnyang, and “Masquerade” (2012), about a commoner who becomes king of Joseon overnight. Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” (2019), which won four Academy Awards, is also on the service. Wavve also said it offers works by Japanese animation director Makoto Shinkai exclusively, including “Your Name” (2016), “Suzume” (2022), “Weathering With You” (2019) and “5 Centimeters per Second” (2007). Wavve noted that “5 Centimeters per Second,” about Takaki and Akari’s love and longing as they move forward at different speeds, is set to be released as a live-action film on Feb. 25. Wavve said it will offer a wide range of content for the Lunar New Year holiday, including Wavve originals, films, animation and international series. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-14 10:21:00

Lim Jong-hoon-Oh Jun-sung, Kim Na-young-Yoo Han-na reach WTT Star Contender Chennai finals South Korea’s doubles teams Lim Jong-hoon-Oh Jun-sung (both Korea Exchange) and Kim Na-young-Yoo Han-na (POSCO International) advanced to the finals at WTT Star Contender Chennai 2026, keeping alive the chance of a double title run. Lim and Oh beat India’s Harmeet Desai and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran 3-0 (11-2, 11-3, 12-10) in the men’s doubles semifinals on Feb. 13 local time in Chennai, India. After taking the first two games comfortably, the Koreans were pushed to deuce in the third but closed it out 12-10. The pair, who won last year’s WTT Star Contender events in Muscat and Skopje, will play France’s Thibault Poret and Flavien Coton in the final as they seek another title. In the women’s doubles semifinals, Kim and Yoo defeated India’s Hadi Patel and Laxita Narang 3-0 (11-4, 11-4, 11-6). Ranked No. 4 in the world, Kim and Yoo won three titles last year in Taiyuan, Lagos and Skopje. They will face Japan’s Sakura Yokoi and Sachi Aoki in the final. In singles, five South Koreans reached the round of 16: Oh Jun-sung and Park Kang-hyun (Mirae Asset Securities) in the men’s draw, and Kim Na-young, Joo Cheon-hee (Samsung Life Insurance) and Lee Eun-hye (Korean Air) in the women’s draw. 2026-02-14 09:30:00

TVING Unveils Lunar New Year Holiday Streaming Lineup for Binge-Watching TVING has unveiled a Lunar New Year holiday lineup aimed at viewers looking to binge-watch throughout the break. The slate ranges from easy-to-watch variety shows to buzzed-about series some viewers may have missed, plus TVING-exclusive originals.  Among the scripted titles is "Judge Lee Han-young," starring Ji Sung, Park Hee-soon and Won Jin-a. The series follows a corrupt judge, once a pawn of a major law firm, who returns to 10 years earlier and seeks to punish powerful wrongdoers. The show mixes revenge-driven justice with tension among the three leads, keeping viewers guessing how far the reckoning will go and who will survive to the end. The undercover reality-variety show "Manito Club" centers on secretly delivering gifts to people who need encouragement. Its first lineup features Choo Sung-hoon, Noh Hong-chul, Lee Soo-ji, Dex and Jennie. Later rounds add Jung Hae-in and Go Youn-jung, along with Cha Tae-hyun and Park Bo-young, reuniting on a variety show for the first time since the film "Scandal Makers." "Extreme 84" follows Kian84 in what TVING describes as an ultra-demanding running variety show. Built around marathon running, it pushes beyond 42.195 kilometers and aims to capture the raw emotions people feel when they hit their limits. Retro-themed "Undercover Miss Hong" is set in Yeouido just before the IMF crisis and follows an elite worker who goes undercover to steal a chaebol family’s secret ledger, blending nostalgia with suspense. Romance series "Spring Fever" pairs Ahn Bo-hyun — playing a tough-looking man with a devoted streak — with Lee Joo-bin as a coolheaded teacher, highlighting their contrasting chemistry. TVING said Ahn’s first dialect performance and visual transformation will drive the show’s fast-paced banter. For viewers seeking lighter fare, "Bogum Magical" follows Park Bo-gum, Lee Sang-yi and Kwak Dong-yeon as they provide hair and nail care and a meal to residents visiting a barbershop, leaning on small-town warmth and the trio’s on-screen rapport. Park’s skills are highlighted after he earned a barber’s license during his military service. Also included are "Please Take Care of My Refrigerator since 2014," which returned after 11 years and has been trending in real time on social media and online communities, and "Manager Kim Works at a Conglomerate and Owns a Home in Seoul," about the struggles of the Kim Nak-su family after a major-company department head gives up his status and starts over. TVING said the lineup is designed to keep viewers busy throughout the holiday. TVING also promoted a set of exclusives, including the original "Baseball Oddball Lim Chan-kyu," which follows pitcher Lim Chan-kyu with close-up access to his candid talk and off-field daily life, positioning it as a new kind of "baseball entertainment." For binge-watchers, TVING pointed to all seasons of the dating-reality franchise "EXchange" and "Show Me the Money: Yacha’s World," focused on Korean hip-hop. It also highlighted "Reply 1988 10th Anniversary Special," bringing back the Ssangmun-dong family for a reunion marking the show’s 10th anniversary. More plot-driven options include Hwang Min-hyun’s action series "Study Group" and the mystery thriller "Dear X," featuring what TVING called a bold acting transformation by Kim Yoo-jung. TVING also spotlighted international programming for viewers staying home. In its Apple TV brand section, it is offering a promotion that lets users watch the first episode for free of major titles including "Pachinko," "Severance," "Hijack," "Dr. Brain" and "K-Popd." Other picks include the Japanese adaptation of "Marry My Husband," as well as Chinese romance titles "Yi Xiao Sui Ge" and "Jiao Yang Si A." TVING also pointed to full-season viewing of "Severance," built on a premise that separates memories of work and daily life, and the U.K.-made aviation action thriller "Hijack," framing the package as a way to sample series from around the world on one platform.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-14 09:21:00

Netflix Unveils Lunar New Year Holiday Lineup With New Series and Reality Spinoffs Netflix has rolled out a varied slate of new releases for the Lunar New Year holiday, mixing mystery, reality TV and documentaries. Can you call it fake if it’s indistinguishable from the real thing? ... "Lady Dua" Netflix’s series “Lady Dua” follows Sarah Kim, a woman who wants to become a luxury brand even if she is a counterfeit, and Mu-gyeong, a detective who tracks her ambitions. In Seoul’s upscale Cheongdam-dong shopping district, a body is found frozen in a storm drain with the face badly damaged. Mu-gyeong, assigned to the case, uses an ankle tattoo and a luxury handbag left at the scene to identify the victim as Sarah Kim, the Asia branch head of the luxury brand “Budoir.” But the more he investigates, the more confused he becomes as new details about Sarah Kim emerge. Shin Hye-sun plays the enigmatic Sarah Kim, and Lee Jun-hyuk stars as Mu-gyeong, the detective who relentlessly follows her trail. Directed by Kim Jin-min, known for Netflix series “Extracurricular” and “My Name,” and written by newcomer Chu Song-yeon, the show promises an unpredictable plot and a tightly woven mystery. Released on the 13th. Behind the flirting war that crosses the line ... "Single’s Inferno Reunion" Netflix will release “Single’s Inferno Reunion,” a spinoff featuring behind-the-scenes stories from “Single’s Inferno” Season 5, the streamer’s longest-running variety show. Season 5 follows singles on a remote island called “Inferno,” where they can leave only if they become a couple. The season has drawn attention for bold flirting and constantly shifting pairings, and it reached No. 2 on Netflix’s Top 10 list for non-English shows after its release, the best performance in the franchise. The cast reunites to share candid production stories and what happened after the show, including emotional turns not captured in the main series and where relationships went after filming. Set for release on the 14th. Revisiting the glamour — and the controversy — of a supermodel reality show ... "Reality Check: America’s Next Top Model and the Dark Side" “Reality Check: America’s Next Top Model and the Dark Side” is a documentary that examines the lesser-known side of the survival competition “America’s Next Top Model,” which selected a top supermodel from aspiring contestants. Participants and key figures, including judge and host Tyra Banks, look back on the show’s most glamorous moments and its controversies. Once seen as a high-profile gateway for would-be models, the series became a pop-culture force even as it was marked by conflict, emotional blowups and disputes that are still discussed today. The documentary asks how far people should go in the name of entertainment. Released on the 16th. An old friend’s death arrives by email after 20 years ... "How to Get to Heaven From Belfast" “How to Get to Heaven From Belfast” follows three lifelong best friends as they dig into the mystery behind the suspicious death of a childhood friend. The trio includes Siersha, a smart, free-spirited drama writer; Robin, who looks glamorous but is worn down raising three children; and Dara, a dependable, introverted caregiver. Now in their late 30s, they remain close. After receiving an email saying their childhood friend Greta has died, they attend a memorial service. Strange events there pull them into unpredictable incidents that span across Ireland. The series comes from the team behind Netflix’s comedy “Derry Girls,” shifting the focus to adult friendships and the lives built around them. A survival story in top kitchens ... "The Korean Chef" “The Korean Chef” is a documentary series about the intense daily pressure faced by six owner-chefs, including chefs at restaurants that have earned Michelin stars. Behind the elegance, the kitchen is portrayed as a place where even a one-second, one-millimeter or 0.1-gram mistake is not tolerated. The series features Kang Min-goo, owner-chef of Mingles, Korea’s only Michelin three-star restaurant; Atomix co-CEOs Park Jeong-eun and Park Jeong-hyeon, whose restaurant ranked No. 1 in North America on World’s Best Restaurants; Shin Chang-ho, owner-chef of Michelin two-star Joo Ok; Lee Yong-woo, owner-chef of French restaurant Harris; Lee Ha-seong, owner-chef of Oyat and known as a “cooking monster” who drew attention as a “black spoon” contestant on Netflix’s variety show “Culinary Class Wars 2”; and Lim Gi-hak, owner-chef of Lespwa, described as an icon of classic French cuisine. The series follows them as artists and business owners making decisions where their survival is on the line.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-14 09:18:00

Cha Jun-hwan finishes fourth in Olympic men’s figure skating, best-ever for South Korea South Korea’s Cha Jun-hwan (Seoul City Hall) finished fourth in men’s singles figure skating, closing out his third Olympics with the best result ever by a Korean man. Cha scored 181.20 points in the free skate at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics at the Milan Ice Skating Arena, earning 95.16 in technical elements and 87.04 in program components, with a one-point deduction. He had scored 92.72 in the short program on Feb. 12, finishing with a total of 273.92 points for fourth place. Cha placed 15th at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, then improved to fifth in 2022. He moved up another spot this time. Skating 19th among 24 competitors, Cha performed his free-skate program, “Ballade for a Madman.” He opened with a clean quadruple salchow, but fell hard on his next jump, a quadruple toe loop, drawing a deduction. He recovered to land a triple lutz-triple loop combination and a triple axel to complete his first four jumping passes. He continued with a level-four step sequence and stayed composed in the second half, where elements receive a 10% bonus. Cha landed a triple flip-single Euler-triple salchow combination and a triple axel-double axel sequence. His change-foot combination spin was graded level three, and he finished his final jump, a triple flip, cleanly. He then completed the choreographic sequence, a level-four flying camel spin and a level-four flying change-foot combination spin. Afterward, he sat on the ice, showing disappointment. Cha’s 273.92 total left him behind gold medalist Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan (291.58), Yuma Kagiyama (280.06) and Shun Sato (274.90), both of Japan. Cha missed the bronze by 0.98 points. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-14 07:24:00

Skeleton racer Jeong Seung-gi finishes 10th again at Milan-Cortina Olympics; Kim Ji-su 16th South Korea’s Jeong Seung-gi (Gangwon Provincial Office) placed 10th in men’s skeleton for the second straight Olympics.  Jeong finished 10th at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Saturday in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, posting a four-run total of 3 minutes, 45.90 seconds at the Cortina Sliding Center. He also finished 10th at the 2022 Beijing Games.  Jeong was tied for eighth after the first two runs on Feb. 12. He clocked 56.19 seconds in the third run Saturday but slipped to 56.49 in the fourth, leaving him unable to close the gap to the leaders.  The result was disappointing, but Jeong competed after overcoming a serious back injury. He badly hurt his back during weight training in October 2024 and said he even felt symptoms of paralysis in his lower body, putting his career in jeopardy.  After rehabilitation, he returned with a fifth-place finish at the first World Cup event of the 2025-2026 season on the Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympic track. His start slowed after the injury, but he made up time on the run and again finished in the top 10 at the Olympics. Kim Ji-su (Gangwon Provincial Office), competing at the Olympics for the first time in eight years since the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, finished 16th in 3:48.11. He posted 57.03 in the third run and 56.93 in the fourth, his first time breaking into the 56-second range.  Britain’s Matt Weston won gold in his Olympic debut, setting a track record in each of the four runs. Axel Jungk, the 2022 Beijing silver medalist, took silver in 3:44.21, 0.88 seconds back. Christopher Grotheer, the 2022 Beijing champion, won bronze in 3:44.40.  * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-14 06:48:00

Snowboarder Lee Chae-woon Finishes Sixth in Olympic Halfpipe Final South Korea’s top men’s snowboard halfpipe rider, Lee Chae-woon of Kyung Hee University, finished sixth in the Olympic final and said he will work harder “to stand on the highest spot on the podium.” Lee scored 87.5 points in the men’s snowboard halfpipe final at Livigno Snow Park in Italy at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics, held Saturday in Korea. The 2023 world champion was aiming for a medal in his second Olympics but came up short. He made consecutive mistakes in his first and second runs and could not complete his routines. In his third run, he landed the triple cork 1620 he had prepared for the Olympics and delivered a clean, high-quality performance. The triple cork 1620 — a four-and-a-half-rotation trick — was reported to be the first time Lee has landed it in competition. Lee said he expected a higher score. “I thought it would be around 92 or 92.5,” he told reporters. “I think I came up short.” He added, “I’m proud of myself just for landing the first triple cork 1620. It’s disappointing, but I feel relieved,” and said that after the landing, “I first thought I had overcome the pressure and done it.” Lee said he had felt pressure after reaching World Cup finals throughout the season but failing to land a full run. “Just overcoming it and doing everything I could (at these Olympics) makes me proud,” he said. At the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Lee placed 18th in qualifying and did not reach the final. This time, he became the first South Korean man to advance to an Olympic snowboard halfpipe final. Born in April 2006, Lee said he will prepare for the next Olympics with even more training. “I worked really hard for this Olympics, but maybe it was only enough for me,” he said. “If tears of blood aren’t enough, I’ll shed blood, sweat and tears. For the next Olympics, I need to train more, as if I’m ready to die. I’ll work harder so I can stand on the highest spot on the podium.” Yuto Totsuka of Japan won gold, Scotty James of Australia took silver, and Ryusei Yamada of Japan won bronze. All three scored above 90 points.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-14 06:33:00

New Books: 'Planet of Ants,' 'A Cultural History of Form' and 'Why Innovation Fails' Planet of Ants=By Susanne Foitzik and others, translated by Nam Gi-cheol, Bookshill. The author, a biology professor at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in Germany, is widely regarded as a leading ant researcher. Drawing on expeditions around the world, the book recounts encounters with ants and explains how colonies divide labor among queens, workers and scouts. It also describes survival strategies such as raiding other colonies like slave hunters, enslaved ants that eventually rebel, and ants that raise mites like livestock. The society can look familiar at first glance, but the closer view shows how different it is from human life. “Ants take John F. Kennedy’s famous line to an extreme: ‘Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.’ A Malaysian ant’s answer is: ‘I can even blow myself up!’ Ants do not explode their bodies because they are too stupid and doing it for fun. It is a last resort chosen in a fierce struggle for survival.” (p. 310) A Cultural History of Form=By Seo Gyeong-uk, Hangilsa. The author, a professor at Northumbria University in the U.K., argues that human-made forms carry traces of the human body and senses. Starting with hands and feet, the book traces the origins of shapes found in homes and roads, as well as knockoffs and vintage goods. It concludes that civilization is an extension of the body — and that those extensions, in turn, standardize our bodies and senses. Using the shapes of coins and banknotes, the author says circles and rectangles are optimal forms chosen by human hands. He also describes how wheel width can set road width, which then limits wheel size, showing how human-made forms can end up shaping human behavior. The book even raises the possibility that, in the distant future, human hands could lose fine control and become organs optimized for only the simplest tasks. “Many products, not just banknotes, are made in rectangular shapes for spatial efficiency. From small items to buildings and cities, our world works by fitting smaller things into larger frames. Rectangles and box shapes are better than other forms at using space because they can be packed together without gaps. That is also why the blocks in the game Tetris combine into rectangles: It delivers the satisfaction of filling the screen tightly, without empty spaces.” (p. 183) Why Innovation Fails=By Park Jong-seong, Sejong Books. A business consultant, the author argues that innovation often collapses because of a structural illusion that almost anyone can fall into — what he calls a “meta illusion.” The book tracks five recurring “meta illusions” over more than a century, from the electrical revolution of the 1900s to generative AI in the 2020s. It cites 25 cases of failed innovation by global companies, including GM’s $9 billion robot factory, the BBC’s 170 billion won digital project, and data behind Microsoft’s AI chatbot once touted as a world-changer. The author says recognizing and preventing these illusions can help companies pursue genuine innovation. “During the Ocado fire, the fact that reporting was delayed by as much as an hour even amid loud alarms strongly suggests that automation bias was at work — the complacent belief that ‘Could there really be an error in this perfect system?’ Excessive trust in the system paralyzed critical thinking and stripped away instinctive crisis-response judgment.” (p. 256)* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-14 06:15:00

Korean Banks Split Lunar New Year Pay, With Bonuses Varying by Lender Ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, many South Korean bank employees will see a temporary bump in take-home pay, though the money is not always a true bonus. Some banks pay extra holiday allowances, while others simply split contracted base pay into additional installments. Bankers may call it a shell game, but many still welcome the lump-sum payment. According to the financial industry on the 14th, banks have paid holiday allowances ahead of the Lunar New Year break. Practices vary by bank. Some include holiday pay within base salary and pay part of annual compensation around Lunar New Year and Chuseok. Others provide an additional holiday payment on top of base pay. KB Kookmin Bank pays a separate holiday allowance in addition to base salary. It provides a payment equal to about 50% of monthly base pay for Lunar New Year and again for Chuseok. Shinhan Bank divides 90% of annual salary into 14 parts, paying 12 parts monthly and the remaining two parts as one additional payment each around Lunar New Year and Chuseok. For example, an employee with an annual base salary of 56 million won would receive 8 million won in the months that include Lunar New Year and Chuseok, double the usual amount. Hana Bank pays 12 monthly salaries and adds holiday payments for Lunar New Year and Chuseok. Early in the year, a performance-based payment is added, bringing the total to 15 installments, though amounts vary. Woori Bank divides annual salary into 13 parts, paying 12 parts monthly. The remaining one part is split in half and paid at Lunar New Year and Chuseok. With an annual salary of 52 million won, an employee would receive 4 million won per month, plus an extra 2 million won at each holiday. NH NongHyup Bank gives employees 500,000 won worth of Rural Love Gift Certificates ahead of the holidays. Performance pay is also typically paid before major holidays. By contrast, policy banks such as Korea Development Bank, the Export-Import Bank of Korea and IBK Industrial Bank of Korea do not provide separate holiday bonuses, paying only performance pay tied to annual public-institution evaluation grades. A financial industry official said that because some banks are simply dividing base pay already included in contracted annual compensation, it is hard to call it a bonus. The official added that while it may feel like a shell game, KB Kookmin Bank and NH NongHyup Bank employees receive what amounts to a genuine additional payment, leading to mixed reactions. Industry officials also say the days of collecting holiday pay equal to twice a month’s salary are long gone, and that differences in holiday payments now carry little practical meaning because true bonuses have largely disappeared from banking. Before the financial crisis, some large banks paid separate holiday bonuses of about 500,000 to 1 million won, but those payments largely vanished around the 2008 financial crisis. Many bank employees now focus more on special performance pay paid early in the year when banks post excess profits. A financial industry official said that while manufacturing still has a bonus-paying tradition, banks often do not have enough room to justify calling these payments bonuses. A separate survey found that more than half of companies in general pay Lunar New Year bonuses. The Korea Employers Federation surveyed 447 companies nationwide with at least five employees and found 58.7% planned to pay holiday bonuses. Among large companies with 300 or more employees, 71.1% paid bonuses, compared with 57.3% among companies with fewer than 300 employees. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-14 06:03:47