DP's presidential candidate maintains lead in polls after campaign kicks off

SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - With less than a month remaining until next month's presidential election, Lee Jae-myung, the presidential nominee of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), maintained a big lead in the latest poll released Tuesday. Pollster Hangil Research conducted a survey of over 1,500 voters nationwide shortly after last Sunday's deadline for candidate registration and found that Lee led the race with 49.5 percent of support, more than 10 percentage points ahea

May 13, 2025

Kang Ha-neul's crime thriller draws over 3 million viewers

SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - Filmmaker Hwang Byeong-guk's latest crime thriller has attracted over 3 million moviegoers in about a month since its release in mid-April, according to its distributor, Plus M Entertainment. "YADANG: The Snitch," starring Kang Ha-neul and Yoo Hae-jin, became the first R-rated South Korean film to reach the milestone in about six years, following the 2019 action thriller "The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil," which was released shortly befo

May 13, 2025

PHOTOS: Candidates court TK voters in crucial campaign stop

SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - As the presidential race intensifies ahead of the June 3 election, candidates from major parties took their campaigns to the conservative heartland of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province (known as the TK area), Tuesday, the second day of official campaigning. Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party candidate, began a series of rallies in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, before proceeding to Daegu, Pohang, and Ulsan. Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party camp

May 13, 2025

Kim Sae-ron's posthumous film set for release later this month

SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - The late actress Kim Sae-ron's posthumous film is set for release later this month. Directed by Lee Seong-jong, "Guitar Man" deals with the story of a once-promising but now aimless guitarist struggling to navigate a rapidly changing world. Isolated and cynical, he begins to rediscover hope after joining a live-club band where he meets a female keyboardist. Currently serving as the CEO of dental-care provider Sungwon Pharmaceutical, the versati

May 13, 2025

PHOTOS: Rice transplanting season brings life to countryside

SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - By mid-May, the South Korean countryside awakens to the intensive rhythm of "monaegi," the season of rice transplanting. This labor-intensive process, where young rice seedlings are carefully transferred to prepared paddies, unfolds across the rural landscape from mid-May through mid-June. These transplanted shoots, nurtured in the flooded fields, will eventually yield the autumn harvest, beginning in October.

May 13, 2025

Samsung's AI-powered vacuum draws praise from global reviewers

SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics’ latest foray into the premium home appliance market — the Bespoke AI Jet 400W cordless vacuum cleaner — is garnering positive attention from international technology reviewers, many of whom have highlighted the device’s powerful suction, adaptive AI cleaning features, and versatile accessories. Positioned as Samsung’s flagship cordless vacuum model, the Bespoke AI Jet 400W aims to appeal to consumers seeking

May 13, 2025

Hybe chairman Bang summoned to testify in Kakao founder's stock manipulation trial

SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - A South Korean court has summoned Bang Si-hyuk, the chairman of Hybe and the creator behind K-pop wonder BTS, to testify as a witness in the ongoing trial of Kakao founder Kim Beom-su over alleged stock manipulation tied to Kakao’s 2023 acquisition of SM Entertainment. According to legal sources on Tuesday, the Seoul Southern District Court issued a subpoena to Bang on May 8. Unless he provides a valid reason for absence, Bang is required to appear in c

May 13, 2025

South Korea's AI-generated games face regulatory hurdles

SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - South Korea’s game industry is bracing for heightened regulatory oversight as lawmakers confirm that video games utilizing artificial intelligence will fall under the country’s new Artificial Intelligence Basic Law, set to take effect in January 2026. According to a report released Tuesday by the National Assembly Research Service, games that employ generative AI models are likely to be classified as “AI products,” placing them under a r

May 13, 2025

Samsung Display unveils next-generation screens at Display Week 2025

SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - Samsung Display is showcasing a suite of advanced display technologies that reflect the company's growing ambitions in next-generation screen innovation at the annual Display Week 2025 exhibition. The event, which continues from Tuesday through Thursday, features several never-before-seen prototypes and refinements to existing display technologies. Display Week, organized by the Society for Information Display, remains a key showcase for cutting-edge visu

May 13, 2025

Renowned conductor Chung Myung-whun named music director of Italy's La Scala

SEOUL, May 13 (AJP) - Renowned South Korean conductor Chung Myung-whun has been appointed as the next music director of Italy’s prestigious Teatro alla Scala in Milan, marking the first time an Asian musician will hold the position in the opera house’s 247-year history. La Scala announced the appointment on its official website on May 12 (local time), stating that Chung will succeed current music director Riccardo Chailly and begin his term in 2027, serving until Febru

May 13, 2025