'Mission: Impossible' final installment draws over 1 million viewers in less than a week

SEOUL, May 21 (AJP) - "Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning" attracted over 1 million moviegoers less than a week after its release here last week, distributor Lotte Entertainment said on Wednesday. The eighth and final installment in the action-packed franchise, released last Saturday, swept the box office by drawing about 424,000 viewers on its opening day alone. The Hollywood blockbuster starring its perennial star Tom Cruise achieved the feat in just five days si

May 21, 2025

Seoul records season's hottest morning temperature

SEOUL, May 21 (AJP) - Seoul recorded its hottest morning temperature for May in more than a century on Wednesday, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). The morning low soared to 23 degrees Celsius, the highest early summer temperature since weather observations began in 1907, breaking the previous record of 21.8 degrees set in May 2018. Partly due to humid southerly winds, the unusually warm conditions came, coinciding with "Soman," the eighth of t

May 21, 2025

Kazakhstan promotes business opportunities at investment blitz in Seoul

SEOUL, May 21 (AJP) - An investment blitz promoting business opportunities in Kazakhstan was held in central Seoul on Wednesday. Hosted by the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), the event brought together diplomats, business experts, and representatives from around 50 companies here seeking to strengthen bilateral ties with the Central Asian country. Through panel discussions and presentations, the event highlighted how the AIFC helps and supports them in making inroad

May 21, 2025

K-beauty festival draws crowds to Seoul's Nodeul Island

SEOUL, May 21 (AJP) - South Korea’s largest celebration of K-beauty opened Wednesday at Nodeul Island in Seoul, as CJ Olive Young launched its annual Olive Young Festa, showcasing 108 brands across 84 booths in a sprawling five-day outdoor festival. Now in its latest iteration, the 2025 Olive Young Festa represents a significant expansion of the event, which has traditionally been held indoors. "This is more than a beauty exhibition — it’s a space for con

May 21, 2025

PHOTOS: Exhibition traces Joseon envoys' cultural legacy in Japan

SEOUL, May 21 (AJP) - To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Japan, the Seoul Museum of History is presenting a special exhibition on Joseon Tongsinsa, which will continue until June 29. The Joseon Tongsinsa, or diplomatic envoys, trace their origins to the 15th century, but their role dramatically expanded after Japan’s invasion of Korea in 1592. Seeking to mend ties, the Edo Shogunate in Japan initiated d

May 21, 2025

Can conservative candidates unite to end stalemate in voter support?

SEOUL, May 21 (AJP) - With just less than two weeks left until next month's presidential election, urgency is rising among conservatives to unite behind a single candidate. While Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) maintains his huge lead in recent polls, with around 50-percent support, Kim Moon-soo of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) who has been struggling to catch up with him is hoping to join hands with Lee Jun-seok of th

May 21, 2025

CJ CheilJedang showcases Korean cuisine at National Restaurant Association Show

SEOUL, May 21 (AJP) - CJ CheilJedang, one of South Korea’s leading food manufacturers, showcased its signature Korean culinary products at the 2025 National Restaurant Association Show, held May 17–20. The 106th iteration of the world’s largest foodservice exhibition drew approximately 50,000 attendees and featured 2,225 companies across 900 product categories, serving as a global stage for emerging trends and innovations in the food industry. CJ CheilJedang ope

May 21, 2025

FDA conducts inspection of Samsung Biologics production facilities

SEOUL, May 21 (AJP) - Inspectors from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have begun a formal inspection of Samsung Biologics’ production facilities in Songdo, Incheon, according to industry sources, Wednesday. The inspection, which commenced on Monday and is scheduled to run through May 27, is focused on evaluating the company’s manufacturing processes. FDA officials visited Plants 3 and 4 on Tuesday, conducting what sources described as an "unusually detailed

May 21, 2025

Massive fire at Kumho Tire factory fully contained at last

SEOUL, May 20 (AJP) - A massive fire at a tire-manufacturing plant in southwestern South Korea was fully extinguished on Tuesday, nearly three days after it first broke out over the weekend. According to fire authorities, the blaze started early Saturday morning at Kumho Tire's factory in Gwangju, forcing about 400 workers to evacuate and leaving three people injured including two firefighters. Some 1,236 cases of damage have been reported so far by residents near the factory

May 20, 2025

Amorepacific's Hera expands custom makeup service as international demand soars

SEOUL, May 20 (AJP) - Hera, a contemporary beauty brand under South Korea’s Amorepacific, is expanding its personalized cosmetics offering as international demand for bespoke makeup continues to surge. The brand’s popular Custom Match program will now include its flagship Black Cushion foundation, offering hundreds of shade variations tailored to individual skin tones. Launched as a reservation-based service for custom lipsticks and foundation, Custom Match has seen a

May 20, 2025