BLACKPINK’s Jisoo’s Sister Kim Ji-yoon to Make TV Debut on tvN Survival Show BLACKPINK member Jisoo’s older sister will make her broadcast debut on a survival variety show set to air in May. The official social media account for tvN’s “Kill It: Style Creator War” recently announced that influencer Kim Ji-yoon, Jisoo’s sister, will appear on the program. A teaser video released with the post shows Kim, who has 550,000 followers and is known by the nickname “Gunpo Han Hyo-joo.” Kim’s casting comes as attention has focused on a separate controversy involving Jisoo’s older brother. He has faced allegations including illegal filming of sexual activity, an attempted sexual assault case involving a Gangnam-area BJ, and domestic violence. In the attempted sexual assault case, a court rejected a request for an arrest warrant, citing insufficient grounds to support the allegations. As the controversy grew, attorney Eun Hyun-ho of Kim & Chang, legal representative for Jisoo’s one-person agency Blissoo, said the matter “has absolutely nothing to do with the artist or Blissoo.” He said the artist received only limited advice from family members during preparations to establish the agency, adding that no family member has been paid by Blissoo or taken part in decision-making, and that the company “has since been run completely independently.” Some online commenters have questioned that statement, noting that the older brother’s name appears in the production credits for Netflix’s “Monthly Boyfriend,” in which Jisoo appeared. They also pointed to last year’s “Newtopia,” where his name was listed as “Jisoo manager,” keeping the dispute alive. 2026-04-24 08:39:20

Bitcoin Holds Near $78,000 as Oil Jumps on Renewed U.S.-Iran Tensions Bitcoin held above $78,000 as military tensions between the United States and Iran flared again and global oil prices extended a four-day surge. According to CoinMarketCap, bitcoin was trading at $78,266 as of 8 a.m. on the 24th, down 0.43% from a day earlier. Major altcoins also weakened. Solana fell 1.37% to $86.20, and ether slid 2.72% to $2,333.09. XRP edged up 0.03% to $1.43. Market participants said the standoff around the Strait of Hormuz capped gains. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on the 23rd that he had ordered any vessel laying mines in the strait to be sunk without hesitation. Oil prices jumped 3.1% from the previous day, and the broader geopolitical risk weighed on sentiment, limiting bitcoin’s upside, the report said. Still, bitcoin stayed near the $78,000 level after Strategy, the publicly listed company that holds the most bitcoin, bought about $2.5 billion worth from the 12th to the 19th, local time. In South Korea, bitcoin was trading at about 116.30 million won ($78,395) on Bithumb at the same time, up 0.19% from a day earlier. The so-called kimchi premium, when domestic prices exceed overseas prices, stood at 0.304%. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 08:33:20

KAIST researchers develop high-efficiency carbon capture technology SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) - A research team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has developed a high-efficiency Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology inspired by electric vehicle battery manufacturing processes, placing them among the top four finalists in a global carbon removal competition. The development addresses the high costs and low efficiency currently hindering the commercialization of technologies that remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere, the research institute said Friday. The research team, led by Professor Koh Dong-yeon of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, was selected as one of four finalists in the 2026 Carbon Removal Challenge. The competition is hosted by OpenAir, a global non-profit organization dedicated to advancing carbon removal solutions. Out of approximately 40 teams from 30 universities worldwide, KAIST was chosen alongside the University of Michigan, Rutgers University, and a joint team from Cornell, Princeton, and Columbia. To overcome the limitations of existing DAC methods, the researchers applied a dry fabrication process typically used for battery electrodes. This solvent-free method involves pressing powders into solid films, allowing carbon-absorbing materials to be packed more densely. The process increased the adsorbent content to 97 weight percent, significantly improving the volume of carbon dioxide captured compared to traditional methods that use liquid-based coatings. The team also improved the regeneration process, which involves releasing the captured carbon for storage or use. By implementing Joule heating—a method that generates heat instantly by passing electricity through a conductor—the system can reach required temperatures within one minute. Additionally, by integrating a water-cooling system inspired by electric vehicle thermal management, the team reduced cooling times by approximately 60 percent, increasing overall productivity. "This achievement recognizes both the innovativeness and the practical applicability of our carbon capture technology," Professor Koh Dong-yeon said. "We plan to actively pursue the commercialization and expansion of this technology through global cooperation in the future." The South Korean team has been invited to present their technology to experts and investors at the Carbon Unbound 2026 conference in New York on May 20, 2026. The research was led by doctoral student Park In-jun, with contributions from a team of students and researchers, including Park In-hwan, Lee Min-hyung, and Karoline L. Hebisch. 2026-04-24 08:29:23

Wall Street slips as U.S.-Iran talks stall and oil surges for fourth day U.S. stocks fell as additional talks between the United States and Iran remained stalled, reviving fears of wider military tension around the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices jumped again, and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite, which set record highs a day earlier, turned lower. On April 23 (local time), the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 180.70 points, or 0.37%, at 49,309.33. The S&P 500 fell 29.60 points, or 0.41%, to 7,108.30, and the Nasdaq dropped 219.06 points, or 0.89%, to 24,438.50. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq briefly hit fresh intraday records early in the session, then reversed as Iran-related tensions intensified. Profit-taking after the prior day’s highs combined with renewed geopolitical risk. The Strait of Hormuz was at the center of the market’s unease. The Associated Press reported that U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. military to sink small Iranian boats attempting to lay mines in the strait. The U.S. military also detained another tanker in the Indian Ocean tied to Iranian crude oil. Iran maintained it would not enter talks until the U.S. blockade is lifted. Military pressure also increased. AP reported that the arrival of the George H.W. Bush in the Indian Ocean brought the number of U.S. aircraft carriers deployed in waters near the Middle East to three. Reuters reported that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard on April 22 detained two container ships trying to leave the Strait of Hormuz and was also reported to have fired on those vessels and another ship during the incident. Oil prices extended their rally. Reuters reported U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate rose 3.11% to settle at $95.85 a barrel, while Brent gained 3.10% to $105.07. Reports that Iran’s air defenses were activated over Tehran added to anxiety in the oil market. As investors sought safety, the dollar and Treasury yields rose. The dollar index was up 0.19% at 98.80. The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose 3 basis points to 4.33%, and the 2-year yield climbed 4 basis points to 3.83%. Technology shares led the decline. ServiceNow slid after saying some large contracts were being delayed due to the fallout from the Middle East war, sparking broader selling in software stocks. IBM also fell sharply despite results topping expectations, as investors focused on slower software growth and concerns about its outlook. Microsoft, Palantir and other large tech names also weakened, leaving the Nasdaq with the biggest drop among the major indexes. Still, earnings helped limit losses. Reuters said that among 123 S&P 500 companies that have reported first-quarter results, 82.1% beat market expectations. After the close, Intel jumped in after-hours trading after issuing a second-quarter revenue forecast above expectations, offering some support to tech sentiment.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 08:12:18

South Korea’s Q1 Surprise Growth Faces Q2 Test From High Oil Prices and Weak Won South Korea posted a surprise expansion in the first quarter, but attention is shifting to cost shocks expected from the second quarter as high oil prices and a weak won threaten to squeeze manufacturers and households. The first-quarter gain also underscored the economy’s heavy reliance on semiconductors, while external risks tied to the Middle East war have yet to fully show up in the data. Growth’s shadow behind a semiconductor-led surge 23일 the Bank of Korea said manufacturing GDP rose 3.9%, led by computers, electronics and optical equipment, including semiconductors. Lee Dong-won, director general of the BOK’s Economic Statistics Department 2, said semiconductors accounted for “a little over half,” about 55%, of the contribution. Excluding semiconductor manufacturing, the first-quarter growth rate could have fallen by more than half from 1.7%, he said. Demand for high value-added products fueled by the artificial intelligence boom helped semiconductors stay resilient even as the Middle East war pushed up global oil prices. Domestic chipmakers posted record results. Samsung Electronics’ first-quarter operating profit was 57.2 trillion won, exceeding its operating profit for all of last year, 43.6011 trillion won. SK hynix posted 37.6103 trillion won in first-quarter operating profit, nearing its full-year profit of 47.2063 trillion won in a single quarter. Outside semiconductors, other manufacturers and domestic demand remain exposed to external variables. With South Korea heavily dependent on energy imports, rising oil prices and the exchange rate could start to compress margins across manufacturing, limiting how far semiconductors alone can carry growth. From the second quarter, the fallout from the Middle East war is expected to be reflected more clearly. Citi has estimated that if Brent crude stays in the $82-a-barrel range, South Korea’s GDP growth this year could fall by 0.45 percentage points. Higher energy prices raise import costs for raw materials, which can feed into corporate cost pressures and consumer inflation. The won’s weakness — near 1,500 per U.S. dollar — adds to import-price burdens and could also curb corporate investment. The second-quarter outlook, analysts say, will hinge on whether strong exports can offset higher energy and currency costs — and how widely those costs spread from manufacturing to domestic demand. Consumer sentiment turns pessimistic Income conditions have improved in the data, but it remains unclear whether gains tied to better terms of trade will translate into stronger domestic demand. Improved corporate earnings could lift wages and household income, but higher oil prices could erode margins and weaken wage momentum. Private consumption, which accounts for about half of the economy, held up, but weakening sentiment is raising concern. Consumer sentiment turned “pessimistic” for the first time in a year amid the Middle East war. The April Consumer Sentiment Index (CCSI) fell 7.8 points from the previous month to 99.2. It was the first reading below 100 since April last year, when it was 93.6. The drop was the steepest since December 2024, when the index fell 12.7 points during an emergency martial law incident. The government and the central bank said the war’s spillover effects are likely to intensify from the second quarter. Lee said, “No one can know” the impact of the war, adding that credit card monitoring shows private consumption has not yet been hit, “but it is clear that the negative impact has grown because of the war.” A Finance Ministry official said second-quarter quarter-on-quarter growth is likely to be revised down as base effects from the strong first quarter combine with construction material supply difficulties and the war-driven rise in oil prices. The official said a strong semiconductor cycle and government policies may provide some cushioning, but uncertainty remains high.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 07:53:35

KOSPI Rally Lifts ‘Million-Won’ Shares to Nine; ESG AGM Concerns and Key Filings ◆Aju Economy Top News ▷‘Million-won’ shares jump from four to nine as stock rally accelerates -Amid a KOSPI rally, the number of so-called “emperor stocks” priced at 1 million won or more surged from four to nine in five months. -The KOSPI closed at 6,475.81, extending its record run to three straight sessions, and briefly topped 6,500 intraday. -Buying focused on sectors expected to benefit from the postwar period, including semiconductors and defense, helped drive gains. -Shares and target prices for major high-priced stocks, including Hyosung Heavy Industries, rose together, boosting market expectations. -Some analysts cautioned about the so-called “emperor stock curse,” saying the next move will depend on earnings and order momentum. ◆Key Report ▷ESG Snapshot: What we saw at annual shareholder meetings -The 2026 March annual general meeting season again highlighted limits on participation by minority shareholders as meetings clustered in a short period. -Despite mandatory cumulative voting, many proposals to amend corporate bylaws were voted down, leaving adoption sluggish. -The report attributed this in part to low direct participation and limited proxy submissions, which weakened the exercise of voting rights. -It also cited a structural problem: packed schedules make it difficult for shareholders to review agenda items thoroughly. -Experts urged stronger education on using electronic voting and proxy systems to expand minority shareholders’ ability to exercise their rights. ◆Major disclosures after the close (23rd) ▷BF Labs to be delisted after auditors refuse to issue an opinion; trading to be suspended for liquidation from the 27th ▷Hansol Iones: Q1 operating profit 7.1 billion won, down 40.2% from a year earlier ▷Multicampus: Q1 operating profit 600 million won, down 86.4% from a year earlier ▷Organic Cosmetic: largest shareholder changed from Im Guk-gang to SUN YANE ▷Haesung Industrial fined 49 billion won by the Fair Trade Commission ▷East Asia Holdings changes company name to ‘Deep Commerce’ ◆Fund flows (as of the 22nd, excluding ETFs) ▷Domestic equity funds: -1.0 billion won ▷Overseas equity funds: -2.4 billion won ◆Key events today (24th) ▷Japan: Consumer Price Index (March) ▷U.K.: Retail sales (March) ▷Germany: Ifo business climate index ▷U.S.: Consumer sentiment index (April, final)* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 07:52:21

2PM’s Ok Taec-yeon Marries Non-Celebrity Partner; Hwang Chan-sung to Host 2PM member Ok Taec-yeon is getting married today. According to the entertainment industry on the 23rd, Ok will hold a wedding ceremony at a location in Seoul with his non-celebrity girlfriend, who is four years younger. The wedding will be private. Fellow 2PM member Hwang Chan-sung is expected to serve as host, and the group’s members are reported to sing the congratulatory song. Ok previously announced his marriage plans in a handwritten letter in November last year. At the time, he said, “I promised to spend my life with someone who has understood and believed in me for a long time,” adding, “We will be a steady support for each other as we walk through life together.” In December last year, after winning the Excellence Award for Actor in a Miniseries at the KBS Drama Awards for “I Took the Male Lead’s First Night,” Ok drew attention when he mentioned a name believed to be his bride’s, saying, “I love you, Jihye.” Ok debuted with 2PM in 2008 and began acting in 2010 with the KBS2 drama “Cinderella’s Sister.” He later appeared in “Dream High” and “Vincenzo,” among other works. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 07:51:19

OPINION: What goes up must pay - a warning on Korea's chip windfall A profit windfall is taking shape in South Korea’s chip sector. Samsung Electronics is projected to post 320 trillion won in operating profit this year, while SK hynix could reach 230 trillion won — a combined 550 trillion won. On that estimate, the two Korean chipmakers would edge past Microsoft and Google to rank among the world’s four most profitable tech companies. The temptation is to read this as a triumph of strategy and execution. It is not — at least not entirely. As one industry observer bluntly put it, the surge is “70 percent luck and 30 percent skill.” Over the past year, South Korea has not dramatically expanded capacity or unveiled game-changing technologies. Instead, the rally has been propelled by forces largely beyond its control: Washington’s restrictions on China’s semiconductor sector, the memory-intensive architecture of Nvidia’s AI chips, China’s workaround using large volumes of lower-performance chips, and supply disruptions tied to the industry’s shift from DDR4 to DDR5. Prices for commodity memory have soared as much as 120 percent. In other words, this is less a story of newfound dominance than of favorable winds. And windfalls, by nature, are fleeting. As the column’s metaphor suggests, a strong gust can lift even a pig — but when it dies down, gravity returns. Talk of a prolonged semiconductor “supercycle” lasting through 2028 is gaining traction. History advises caution. Booms invite competition, and competition erodes margins. Already, expansion plans are accelerating. Global players — from Micron to Chinese memory firms — are moving to build new fabs, compressing timelines as profits swell. At the same time, technological responses are emerging: Google’s “TurboQuant,” designed to reduce memory usage, could cut demand by as much as 30 to 40 percent. Policy risks also loom. A potential easing of U.S.-China tensions could unleash a wave of Chinese DDR4 supply into global markets. New entrants and new architectures are also taking shape. From Intel and SoftBank-backed initiatives to Taiwan’s push into memory foundry services, the competitive landscape is broadening. Even Tesla has entered the fray with its Terafab concept. The current shortage, then, is “fragile as glass.” Just a year ago, the narrative centered on crisis and decline. The swing from despair to boom took less than 12 months — a reminder that reversals can be just as swift. The more important question is not how much South Korea earns in this cycle, but what it does with it. The real prize lies not in 550 trillion won, but in building the foundations for ten times that value. That requires a shift from passive beneficiary to active architect — across technology, capacity, policy and business models. First, capacity. Market control in semiconductors ultimately hinges on supply. Expanding DRAM market share from roughly 70 percent to 85 percent by 2030 would consolidate dominance. In a market defined by cyclical scarcity, having more to sell is itself a strategic advantage. Second, technology. The next battleground is already visible: HBM5, HBM6 and CXL-based memory systems. The gap here will determine pricing power. Rivals face constraints — capital shortages in the U.S., technological gaps in China — but those advantages are perishable. Third, policy. For companies generating tens of trillions of won per quarter, subsidies are no longer the binding constraint. Infrastructure is. Faster permitting, dedicated energy supply such as small modular reactors, and national-scale ultrapure water systems matter more than tax breaks. Semiconductors must be treated as strategic infrastructure, not merely a revenue source. Fourth, market structure. The idea of an “OPEC for memory” — a consultative body among South Korea, Japan and Taiwan — may sound ambitious, but it reflects a deeper truth: price-setting power defines hegemony. Establishing a global memory futures exchange in Seoul would be a step toward that goal. Finally, business models. Selling chips alone will not deliver exponential gains. The future lies in packaging memory as part of AI systems — potentially through subscription-based models. If memory firms evolve into platform companies, valuation multiples could expand dramatically, transforming not just profits but market capitalization. South Korea stands at a rare inflection point — one that echoes how resource-rich nations built enduring wealth from temporary booms. Yet the domestic debate risks missing the moment. Political instincts lean toward redistributing gains through taxation, while labor tensions threaten disruptions in an industry that runs continuously, where even a single day of stoppage can cost hundreds of billions of won. The lesson of cycles is simple: good times do not last. The current boom offers a narrow window to design the next one. There is no time to get drunk on 550 trillion won. The difference between a windfall and a legacy — between 550 trillion and 5,500 trillion — will be determined by decisions made now. *The author is the head of the China Economy and Finance Research Institute About the author ​▷Master’s degree from Tsinghua University; doctorate from Fudan University ▷Senior research fellow at Daewoo Economic Research Institute ▷Semiconductor and IT analyst ▷Adjunct professor at Sungkyunkwan University Graduate School of China ▷Head of the China Economy and Finance Research Institute 2026-04-24 07:32:58

Musinsa Opens Seongsu Mega Store With First Permanent Beauty Shop, Taking On Olive Young In Seoul’s Seongsu-dong neighborhood, where CJ Olive Young stores are clustered, fashion platform Musinsa has opened a supersized complex anchored by its first permanent offline beauty shop. The new Musinsa Mega Store Seongsu is a seven-minute walk from Olive Young N Seongsu, billed as the chain’s largest store nationwide. Musinsa is bundling beauty, food and hands-on experiences as it seeks a bigger presence in the offline beauty market. The store, shown during a media tour on April 23, a day before its opening, spans five levels from basement 1 to the fourth floor. Each floor is organized by concept — including Musinsa Girls, Musinsa Young and Musinsa Work & Formal — with separate zones for the shoe specialty area Musinsa KICKS and the bags-and-hats section Musinsa Bag & Cap Club. The layout is designed so shoppers can outfit themselves head to toe within the store. The basement includes a coin karaoke area branded “Musingsa,” built as a large glass capsule that can fit four adults at once. A camera inside allows visitors to record themselves singing. Musinsa applied for the “Musingsa” trademark in July last year and has now brought it into a physical space. The unusual addition reflects Seongsu-dong’s experience-driven retail scene. The most prominent addition is the second-floor beauty zone, a 483-square-meter (about 146-pyeong) space that serves as Musinsa’s first permanent offline beauty store. About 700 beauty brands are carried. Shelves are packed with skin care and hair products, and a dedicated mask-pack display fills an entire section. The merchandising appears to reflect rising foreign tourism in Seongsu-dong and demand for Korean mask packs among visitors. With three Olive Young stores nearby, Musinsa is also emphasizing differentiation. A section called the “Only Musinsa Beauty Zone” groups products sold exclusively through Musinsa Beauty. A Musinsa official said shoppers can find brands recently added to Musinsa Beauty, including the Chinese color cosmetics brand Flower Knows. The area is also designed in red, contrasting with Olive Young’s signature green. The top floor is a new food-and-beverage area called “Food Garden.” Past the entrance, visitors pass Norway’s coffee brand Fuglen, then find a lineup that includes a garaetteok tteokbokki specialty shop, pizza and dessert brands. The setup resembles food halls in large malls or department stores, aimed at keeping shoppers on site longer after they finish shopping. Musinsa’s mega store opening is expected to accelerate its beauty expansion and intensify competition with Olive Young in the Seongsu area. Musinsa created a beauty purchasing organization in the first quarter of this year and hired specialized staff. A Musinsa official said the company plans to continue hiring in the second quarter and expand the beauty team, adding that it aims to “cement its position as an unprecedented fashion-and-beauty hub in Seongsu.” * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 06:06:31

Gwangjang Market Overcharging Dispute Raises Concerns About Korea’s Image Traditional markets popular with foreign visitors are often a condensed view of South Korea — its food, people, atmosphere and prices. Against that backdrop, the overcharging dispute at Seoul’s Gwangjang Market has become more than a complaint about cost, raising questions about how the country is seen by tourists. A Myanmar-born YouTuber who has lived in South Korea for 13 years recently said he visited Gwangjang Market with a Russian friend and was asked to pay 2,000 won for a bottle of water at a street stall. The vendor first replied, “Because there are a lot of foreigners,” then changed course after being told, “We’re Korean, too,” saying, “I sell it like that to Koreans, too.” The price — higher than at convenience stores — and the response drew criticism, especially since restaurants in South Korea do not commonly charge separately for water. The issue has resurfaced repeatedly. Past controversies have included cases in which vendors raised the price of soondae without notice and demanded extra payment, and behavior that pressured customers who did not order more. Each time, explanations followed that it was “a deviation by some merchants,” but repeated incidents point to a structural problem and a broader loss of trust in the market. With Gwangjang Market widely seen as a must-visit stop for foreign tourists, the impact can be amplified. Travel experiences are quickly shared on YouTube and social media and consumed as content. Videos by travel creators describing overcharging in places such as Egypt have helped spread negative impressions of entire countries, and South Korea is not immune. A single unpleasant encounter can overshadow positive experiences tied to K-culture, K-pop and K-dramas. Government and local authorities have acknowledged the problem. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Jongno District have carried out joint inspections and provided merchant training and guidance when disputes flare. But the pattern has persisted: conditions improve briefly during crackdowns, then slide back. The problem, the column argues, is not the direction of policy but a lack of sustained enforcement. The column calls for a more fundamental approach, including institutionalizing full price transparency by clearly posting all menu items and prices and requiring advance notice of any additional charges. It also urges mandatory multilingual guidance so foreign visitors can easily understand pricing. It also calls for stronger self-policing led by merchant associations. While associations may have helped internal cohesion, the column says they have fallen short in protecting public trust. It argues that a system should allow meaningful penalties — including real limits on business operations — for merchants who repeatedly cause problems, describing such steps as a minimum safeguard to keep the market viable. The column adds that merchants need to view traditional markets as a tourism asset. Inflating prices for short-term gain can lead to long-term losses, it says, because disappointed visitors do not return. By contrast, tourists who experience reasonable prices and warm service can become informal promoters. The priority, it argues, is not more sales but a better experience. A market that loses trust will eventually be avoided, and the damage will fall on the many merchants who do business honestly. The Gwangjang Market dispute, the column concludes, is not a minor episode but a test of what path South Korea’s traditional markets will choose — and that basic fairness remains the strongest competitive advantage for bringing visitors back.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 06:04:02