Park Chan-wook film No Other Choice opens in five US cities ahead of national release

SEOUL, December 26 (AJP) - Director Park Chan-wook's latest feature, "No Other Choice," opened in a limited release in five United States cities on December 25. Neon, the film's U.S. distributor, announced the Christmas Day opening via its website and social media channels. The film is currently screening in Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. According to the distributor, the release will expand nationwide in January. The film stars Lee

December 26, 2025

NYT: K-pop global peak raises questions about what comes next

SEOUL, December 26 (AJP) -K-pop has never been more visible on the global stage, but its very success is now forcing a reckoning over where the genre goes next. A recent New York Times analysis argues that while K-pop has reached a new peak of cultural influence, it is also confronting structural limits that could shape its future trajectory. The paper points to the runaway success of KPop Demon Hunters, a Netflix animated film built around rival idol groups, as a symbol of K-p

December 26, 2025

Ex-Korean president faces closing hearing of insurrection-related trials

SEOUL, December 26 (AJP) -Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will face a closing hearing Friday in a criminal case accusing him of obstructing an arrest and infringing Cabinet members’ constitutional rights in connection with his declaration of martial law. The hearing, scheduled for 10:15 a.m. at the Seoul Central District Court, marks the first time one of four insurrection-related cases involving Yoon has reached the final stage of arguments. Legal observers say

December 26, 2025

OPINION: South Korea's 2026 structural reforms must shift how wealth is built

The mission for next year is structural reform. If 2025 was the year to set the direction and strategy for change, the coming year must be about execution. Structural reform is often misunderstood as synonymous with layoffs or austerity, recalling the trauma of the Asian financial crisis. But its true meaning is different. At its core, structural reform concerns how an economy creates wealth — its mechanism of accumulation. For decades, South Korea’s accumulation m

December 26, 2025

Seoul elevates response to Coupang data breach, puts deputy PM in charge

SEOUL, December 25 (AJP) -South Korea has elevated its response to the massive personal data breach at e-commerce giant Coupang, placing the interagency investigation under the leadership of the deputy prime minister for science as concerns grow over accountability, transparency and regulatory oversight. The Ministry of Science and ICT said Thursday that the government will expand its joint task force probing the breach and have it chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Science Mini

December 25, 2025

BLACKPINK's Rosé's 'APT.' tops TikTok music chart, named Apple Music's song of the year

SEOUL, December 25 (AJP) - Rosé of BLACKPINK has once again demonstrated the global staying power of her hit single "APT.", following a string of major achievements across international charts. According to The Black Label, Rosé and Bruno Mars's duet "APT." was named Song of the Year by Apple Music, while also ranking No. 1 on Billboard's Global 200 and No. 9 on the Hot 100 year-end charts for 2025. The song also performed strongly on Tik

December 25, 2025

Presidential office to raise its phoenix flag at Cheong Wa Dae on Monday

SEOUL, December 25 (AJP) - The presidential office said it will raise its phoenix flag at Cheong Wa Dae on Monday, returning to the site after three years and seven months. It said the flag, featuring South Korea's national flower mugunghwa at the center and two phoenixes facing each other, will be lowered at the Yongsan presidential office at midnight on Dec. 29 and simultaneously raised at Cheong Wa Dae. "The official name of the presidential office will be changed to

December 25, 2025

Korea's Hanwha is readying to join Golden Fleet project in Philadelphia yard

SEOUL, December 25 (AJP) -South Korea's defense and shipyard-strong Hanwha Group has begun preparations at its Philadelphia shipyard to support the production of nuclear-powered submarines and other naval vessels for the United States, as Washington moves forward with an ambitious shipbuilding expansion plan under President Donald Trump’s “Golden Fleet” initiative. Tom Anderson, president of Hanwha Defense USA’s shipbuilding business and a retired U.S. Na

December 25, 2025

Android malware 'Wonderland' steals OTPs, enables real-time financial fraud

SEOUL, December 25 (AJP) - A new Android malware dubbed "Wonderland" is being actively distributed, enabling attackers to steal one-time passwords (OTPs) and remotely control infected devices to carry out real-time financial fraud, according to cybersecurity researchers. An analysis released on Thursday by Group-IB said Wonderland initially infiltrates devices through a "dropper" disguised as a legitimate application, which then installs malicious components.

December 25, 2025

INTERVIEW: Prevention starts with language: forensic scientist warns of growing drug risks in Korea

SEOUL, December 25 (AJP) - When a high school senior in Daejeon fatally stabbed his mother and aunt while under the influence of LSD, the crime in 2016 stunned the nation. For Chung Heesun, a veteran forensic scientist and former head of the National Forensic Service (NFS), it was another signal that South Korea’s long-held belief in being a drug-free society is rapidly eroding. “He didn’t even know he had stabbed his mother,” Chung said, recalling the fo

December 25, 2025