Red Velvet to roll out 'Surfin' Boy' at Seoul fan concert SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - Red Velvet will perform its new title track "Surfin' Boy" for the first time during a three-day fan concert in Seoul this week, SM Entertainment said Wednesday. The performance comes ahead of the release of the group's new summer EP, its first full-group release in over two years. The group will unveil the song at "2026 Red Velvet FAN-CON ," which runs from July 31 to Aug. 2 at Korea University's Hwajeong Gymnasium. The fan July 29, 2026

South Korea's birthrate rises for 23rd straight month SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - South Korea's birthrate continued to show signs of recovery in May, with the number of newborns increasing for the 23rd straight month, according to data released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics on Wednesday. Some 23,160 babies were born in May, up 13.6 percent from a year earlier. The country’s total fertility rate, which measures the average number of children a woman is expected to have over her lifetime, also rose to 0.85 from 0.75 a year July 29, 2026

SK hynix is today's chip profit king, But what next? SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - SK hynix achieved something no major semiconductor company has done before: it became the world's most profitable chipmaker – albeit with little fanfare. Its record-breaking 76.1 percent operating margin in the second quarter surpassed those of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) and Micron Technology, demonstrating how an early bet on artificial intelligence memory has turned the South Korean company into the industry's earnings powe July 29, 2026

Moon Geun-young ties knot with stage actor Jeong Pyeong SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - South Korean actress Moon Geun-young has married musical actor Jeong Pyeong after years of dating largely out of the public eye, her agency said Wednesday. Cré Company confirmed the marriage but did not disclose when or where the couple tied the knot. Instead of holding a formal wedding ceremony, the couple celebrated with a private gathering attended only by their families. Moon shared the news in a handwritten letter posted on social media, writing July 29, 2026

Heatwave warning expanded across most of Seoul as scorching heat persists SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - Another heatwave warning was issued in Seoul on Wednesday as scorching temperatures continued to grip the capital following the end of the monsoon season last week. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said the warning covers most of the capital, affecting 19 of the city's 25 districts, while an existing lower-level advisory remains in effect in northwestern Seoul. A heatwave advisory is issued when the daily maximum temperature is expected to July 29, 2026

Illegal Chinese fishing boat seizures drop to five-year low in first half SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - The number of Chinese fishing boats seized for illegal fishing in South Korean waters fell sharply in the first half of this year, as the Korea Coast Guard stepped up enforcement with tougher penalties and special crackdowns. The Korea Coast Guard said Wednesday it seized 21 Chinese fishing boats from January to June, down 43.2 percent from 37 vessels a year earlier. The figure marked the lowest first-half level in five years. Annual seizures of illegal Chi July 29, 2026

SK hynix dismisses AI slowdown concerns with massive capacity expansion plan SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - SK hynix brushed aside growing concerns over a slowdown in artificial intelligence (AI)-related investment on Wednesday, saying demand from major cloud providers would remain strong beyond next year as it reported record quarterly earnings and unveiled plans to spend nearly 50 trillion won (US$35 billion) on capacity expansion. The world's second-largest memory chipmaker reported a record operating profit of 60.54 trillion won for the April-June quarter, July 29, 2026

ADOR faces police complaint over alleged leak of NewJeans member Hanni's visa information SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - K-pop girl group NewJeans' agency ADOR has been reported to police over allegations that it disclosed private visa information belonging to member Hanni to the media during its contract dispute with the K-pop group. Pop culture critic Kim Sung-soo filed a criminal complaint against ADOR and several of its employees with Yongsan Police Station in Seoul on Tuesday, accusing them of violating South Korea's Personal Information Protection Act. Kim all July 29, 2026

Genesis backs Marilyn Monroe short film ahead of Venice premiere SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - South Korean carmaker Hyundai's luxury brand Genesis is backing a 17-minute short film marking the 100th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe's birth. The project will make its world premiere at the 2026 Venice International Film Festival in September. Genesis said Wednesday that the company played a vital role in the production of "Flesh Impact," by collaborating with Authentic Brands Group, which owns and manages the Marilyn Monroe estate. The f July 29, 2026

Annual women's film festival in Seoul to return with record lineup next month SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - The annual Seoul International Women's Film Festival (SIWFF) will open next month, organizers said Wednesday. Now in its 28th year, the weeklong festival will run from Aug. 20 to 26. It received a record number of submissions this year, with 4,115 films from 125 countries across competitive and noncompetitive sections. In the festival's main competition section for international features, eight films from China, Germany, Japan, Kenya, Kosovo, Mexi July 29, 2026