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  [K-Pop] YOUNG POSSE's "Freestyle" video tops 10 million views in about three days SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - YOUNG POSSE's music video for "Freestyle" crossed 10 million views on Tuesday, roughly three days after it premiered. The track fronts the group's fourth EP "Growing Pain pt.1 : FREE", released on August 14. "Freestyle" is a punk hip hop track with hints of jazz and metal. The lyrics say they will ignore outside noise and make the music they want. All five members helped write them. The video keeps that idea front and August 19, 2025
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  [K-Tech] Korean game makers bring big bets to Gamescom 2025 SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - When Gamescom, the world’s largest video game convention, opens its doors on Wednesday, the cavernous exhibition halls of Cologne will once again fill with flashing screens, long lines and hundreds of thousands of fans eager for the next big title. This year, South Korea’s biggest gaming companies are arriving in force. Krafton, the publisher behind “PUBG: Battlegrounds,” is mounting one of the flashiest presences at the five-day e August 19, 2025
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  [K-Tech] Vegan meat gains global momentum. In Korea, it's a harder sell. SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - On a narrow street in Itaewon, the Seoul neighborhood known for its antique shops and international dining, a brown-hued restaurant hums with chatter in several languages. The tables are crowded with steaming bowls of shrimp fried rice, jjajangmyeon noodles slicked with black bean sauce, and glossy platters of deep-fried beef — or at least that is how it looks. The restaurant, ALT.a, is entirely vegan. The shrimp, beef and pork are not from animals August 19, 2025
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  Independence hall of Korea chief calls for national unity in liberation day address SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - On August 15 at the Independence Hall of Korea in Cheonan, about 90 kilometers (56 miles) south of Seoul, director Kim Hyung-seok read a Liberation Day statement calling for "national unity" and an end to "history wars." The full text follows. --- Fellow citizens. Distinguished guests present here. Today, on the 80th anniversary of Liberation, we have gathered at the Independence Hall of Korea to once again honor the emotion of th August 19, 2025
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  Zombie-themed comedy tops summer box office with 4.5 million viewers SEOUL, August 18 (AJP) - Actor Jo Jung-suk's latest film has attracted over 4.5 million moviegoers as of Monday, less than three weeks after its release late last month, becoming this year's first South Korean film to achieve the milestone. According to the Korean Film Council, "My Daughter is a Zombie" drew about 762,000 moviegoers over the long holiday weekend marking the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day which began last Friday, dominating the box office here f August 18, 2025
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  Lee's approval rating falls to lowest since taking office SEOUL, August 18 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung's approval rating has slid further to the lowest since he took office in early June. According to a survey of over 2,000 voters conducted by pollster Realmeter last week and released on Monday, some 51.1 percent of respondents said Lee was doing well in his job while 44.5 percent said he wasn't. His approval rating fell 5.4 percentage points from the previous week and 12.2 points compared with two weeks earlier, when it sto August 18, 2025
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  Korean banks accelerate stablecoin preparations ahead of regulatory framework SEOUL, August 18 (AJP) - South Korea’s four largest banks are moving to enter the stablecoin market, accelerating preparations as the government edges closer to introducing a regulatory framework for digital assets. Stablecoins — digital tokens typically pegged to fiat currencies such as the U.S. dollar or euro — have drawn global interest for enabling faster, cheaper transactions while promising greater price stability than traditional cryptocurrencies. Industr August 18, 2025
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  Taiwan likely to top South Korea, Japan in per capita GDP SEOUL, August 18 (AJP) - Taiwan's government raised its 2025 economic growth forecast on Monday, projecting the island will become the first of the original "Four Asian Tigers" to reach a per capita gross domestic product of $40,000. Officials now expect the economy to expand by 4.45 percent next year, a significant jump from the previous estimate of 3.1 percent. The Four Asian Tigers — a term for the high-growth economies of South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, August 18, 2025
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  PHOTOS: Thrills on the water SEOUL, August 18 (AJP) - In the heart of Gangwon Province's mountainous terrain, the Naerincheon Stream in Inje stands as a premier destination for thrill-seeking rafters. Widely regarded as a top spot for the sport in South Korea, the waterway is prized for its lengthy and challenging stretches of rapids. During the sweltering summer months, the stream's combination of intense whitewater and picturesque scenery makes it a popular escape for those seeking to combat the oppressive h August 18, 2025
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  Annual joint military exercise with US kicks off SEOUL, August 18 (AJP) - South Korea's annual joint military exercise with the U.S. began on Monday, involving some 18,000 South Korean troops and a similar number of U.S. personnel. Dubbed Ulchi Freedom Shield, the exercise runs until Aug. 28 and includes computer-simulated drills as well as field training to strengthen the two allies' combined defense posture against North Korean threats and other security challenges. Although the overall scale of the exercise remains u August 18, 2025