Court orders HYBE to pay Min Hee Jin 25.5 Billion Won in put option dispute SEOUL, February 12 (AJP) - A Seoul court has ruled that HYBE must pay roughly 25.5 billion won ($19 million) to Min Hee-jin, former CEO of ADOR and current head of OK Records, in connection with a put option dispute. The Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Division 31, presided over by senior judge Nam In-soo, partially ruled in favor of Min in her lawsuit seeking payment under a shareholder agreement. The court ordered HYBE to pay Min roughly 25.5 billion won. It also dism February 12, 2026

BTS Comeback D-37: Built different, the Suga equation *Editor’s Note — As BTS prepares to return as a full seven-member act with a new album set for March 20 and an open-stage performance at Gwanghwamun on March 21, following a near four-year hiatus for rotational military service, AJP revisits the group’s 13-year trajectory. This series reexamines BTS’s history, music, performance identity and enduring appeal. The Third installment traces the BTS member SUGA's roots and growth. SEOUL, February 12 (AJP) - February 12, 2026

Winter Olympics '26: Korean snowboarders advance halfpipe finals as Asian nations add medals SEOUL, February 12 (AJP) - Korea made Olympic history in snowboard halfpipe as Choi Ga-on and Lee Chae-un both advanced to the finals in the qualification rounds at the XXV Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Competing at the Livigno Snow Park in Italy, Choi placed sixth overall in the women’s qualification among 24 riders, earning 82.25 points in her opening run to rank third at one stage. The 17-year-old executed a 4.2-meter aerial during her routine. The event was t February 12, 2026

BTS Comeback D-38: "Royalty" built by a different kind of fan army SEOUL, February 11 (AJP) - BTS’s global influence owes much to ARMY, a fan community that has shaped its identity around promoting dignity, civility, and mutual respect — and translating those values into coordinated digital action. From the beginning, ARMY’s devotion centered on music and performance. Over time, however, it evolved into something more durable: a digitally organized, transnational community capable of mobilizing across languages, platforms, and February 11, 2026

BTS Comeback D-39: The secret behind sellout in BTS tours  SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - The lightning sellout at the latest ticket opening for BTS’ two shows at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has become a familiar pattern across the global ticket window for the group’s first full seven-member world tour in nearly four years. Both nights vanished within 30 minutes, filling a venue that holds roughly 62,000 people per concert almost instantly. Over two evenings, close to 120,000 fans are expected to pass through the gate February 10, 2026

BTS Comeback D-39: Affordable flight tips to arrive on time for the Gwanghwamun show *Editor’s Note: AJP will provide up-to-date travel information leading up to BTS’s Gwanghwamun live show on March 21, including flights, lodging, and where to go, see and eat to make the most of the Seoul experience. SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) — It is still not too late to book those tickets to fly into Seoul, for those who cannot wait for BTS’s tour stop in their home turf and arrive for the March 21 once-in-a-lifetime open-space comeback show in Gwanghwamun February 10, 2026

18-year-old wins S. Korea's first female snowboard Olympic bronze SEOUL, February 10 (AJP) - High school student Yu Seung-eun has made history on Monday (local time) as the first South Korean woman to stand on an Olympic snowboarding podium, capturing a bronze medal in the big air event during her debut at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The 18-year-old recorded a combined score of 171.00 points at Livigno Snow Park, finishing behind gold medalist Japan's Murase Kokomo and silver medalist Zoi Sadowski-Synnott from New Zealand. Her p February 10, 2026

BTS Comeback D-40: More than a pretty face — Jin *Editor’s Note — As BTS prepares to return as a full seven-member act with a new album set for March 20 and an open-stage performance at Gwanghwamun on March 21, following a near four-year hiatus for rotational military service, AJP revisits the group’s 13-year trajectory. This series reexamines BTS’s history, music, performance identity and enduring appeal. The second installment traces the BTS member Jin's roots and growth. SEOUL, February 09 (AJP) - February 9, 2026

BTS Comeback D-40: Police to deploy task force as Seoul concert expected to draw 260,000 SEOUL, February 09 (AJP) - Seoul police are bracing for a massive influx of up to 260,000 people next month as K-pop band BTS returns to the stage for a high-profile comeback performance in the heart of the capital. Park Jeong-bo, commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, announced Monday that a dedicated task force led by the deputy commissioner for public safety has been established to manage the event. During a regular press briefing, the commissioner said every dep February 9, 2026

Krafton posts record Q4 revenue on mobile game growth SEOUL, February 09 (AJP) - South Korean game developer Krafton reported a 49 percent growth in fourth-quarter revenue a year earlier, driven by strong performance from its mobile titles and cross-platform collaborations. Revenue for the final quarter of 2025 reached 919.7 billion won ($628.5 million), up from 617.6 billion won a year earlier, according to a regulatory filing released Monday. Operating profit plunged to 2.4 billion won from 215.5 billion won as the company set aside February 9, 2026