From bags to shoes, expressing identity through decorating personal items

Personalizing everyday items with accessories has emerged as a major fashion trend. Whether it’s decorating backpacks and purses with doll keyrings and chains or adding charms to shoes, customizing items has become a new way for people to express themselves. The trend has even led to the coining of a new term, “decodentity,” a combination of the words “decoration” and “identity.” The trend began with teenagers and young adults in their 20s, who populariz

Arts & DesignDec. 17, 2024

[Today’s K-pop] BTS’ V enters Billboard’s Hot 100 with Bing Crosby 'collab'

V of BTS made Billboard’s Hot 100 for the third time this year as a solo act. His collaborative remix of Bing Crosby’s winter classic “White Christmas” debuted on the main songs chart at No. 93. He ranked No. 99 on the chart a week earlier with another winter solo single, “Winter Ahead,” featuring Park Hyoshin. In March, the artist placed digital single “Fri(end)s” at No. 65 on the chart and No. 2 on its Digital Song Sales Chart. “White Chris

K-popDec. 17, 2024

In North Korea, divorce could land you in labor camp: report

North Koreans who file for divorce are immediately subject to forced labor, a US-based news outlet recently reported, citing sources from within the communist state. According to a Radio Free Asia report on Monday, an anonymous source living in Yanggang Province, North Korea said that 12 couples saw their divorces finalized in court on Dec. 13. Immediately after the ruling, each person was sent to a military labor camp, the report said. "Last year, only the person who initially filed for

North KoreaDec. 17, 2024

Seoul shares dip over 1% on tech, battery losses

Seoul shares dipped nearly 1.3 percent Tuesday on big losses by tech and battery shares sparked by a media report on the incoming Trump administration's push for roll back tax credits for the electric vehicle industry. The Korean won lost ground against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 32.16 points, or 1.29 percent, to close at 2,456.81. Trade volume was moderate at 547.9 million shares worth 9.03 trillion won ($6.3 billion), with losers surpassing winners

MarketDec. 17, 2024

Innocean partners with Joopiter for Asian expansion

Innocean, a South Korean marketing communications agency under Hyundai Motor Group, announced Tuesday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Joopiter, the digital auction platform founded by musician and designer Pharrell Williams, to pursue new business opportunities and expand their presence in Asia. The signing ceremony, held earlier this month at Joopiter’s New York headquarters, brought together Innocean CEO William Lee and Joopiter CEO John Auerbach. The two leaders ag

IndustryDec. 17, 2024

K-pop stars to broaden spectrum with world tours in 2025

As 2025 approaches, K-pop artists are setting their sights on global stages. SHINee’s Taemin will continue the momentum of his first solo world tour, “Ephemeral Gaze,” which began on Dec. 15 with sold-out shows, into early next year. According to his agency Big Planet Made Entertainment tickets for the US leg of the “Ephemeral Gaze” tour — covering New York, Chicago, Houston, Oakland and Los Angeles — sold out immediately. This follows previous sellouts

PerformanceDec. 17, 2024

Parental leave benefits to increase in January

Starting next year, the upper limit for parental leave benefits in South Korea will increase to 2.5 million won ($1,740) per month, up 1 million won from the current cap, the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced Tuesday. The changes, approved at a Cabinet meeting, will take effect Jan. 1, 2025. Workers will also be able to apply simultaneously for parental leave, used by those raising young children, and maternity leave, used by the parents of newborns. If employers do not approve parental

Social AffairsDec. 17, 2024

Hyundai Mobis to roll out battery cooler material for EV

Hyundai Mobis, the automotive parts maker affiliated with Hyundai Motor Group, said Tuesday that it is ready to commercialize a new battery cell cooler material expected to boost electric vehicle charging efficiency and safety. The material, called “Pulsating Heat Pipe,” consists of aluminum alloy tubes filled with refrigerants. In the battery module assembly, the tubes, located between battery cells, cool down the heat, especially during fast charging. With the breakthrough in batte

MobilityDec. 17, 2024

Political uncertainty weighs on Korea’s credit rating

The political turmoil surrounding President Yoon Suk Yeol has begun to subside since the National Assembly passed the motion to impeach him on Saturday, but the uncertainty in state leadership continues to weigh on the country’s sovereign credit rating. Shortly after the fiasco caused by Yoon’s martial law declaration earlier this month, three major global credit appraisers -- Moody's Ratings, Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings -- warned that prolonged political instabilit

EconomyDec. 17, 2024

Acting president Han holds 1st Cabinet meeting amid opposition pressure

Acting President Han Duck-soo on Tuesday faced mounting pressure from the liberal bloc to approve the six contentious bills introduced by the opposition, as he presided over his first regular Cabinet meeting after assuming the role as acting president. Prime Minister Han immediately assumed the role of acting president following President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment by the National Assembly on Saturday, in accordance with the Constitution. The six bills, which were passed in the opposition-

PoliticsDec. 17, 2024

Character actor Ra Mi-ran receives Women in Film honor

Actor Ra Mi-ran was awarded the Film Artist of the Year honor at the Women in Film Korea festival on Monday, in recognition of her achievements as one of the industry’s most versatile and reliable performers. Known for her seamless transition between comedy and drama, Ra has built a reputation for portraying characters with authenticity and depth, often stealing scenes with her nuanced performances. Ra’s rise has been anything but overnight. After years in theater, she spent nearly a

FilmDec. 17, 2024

Yoon impeachment trial’s presiding justice under spotlight

With South Korea’s Constitutional Court prioritizing President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment proceedings, concerns surfaced over the role and potential influence of Justice Jeong Hyeong-sik, the chief justice in Yoon’s trial. Jeong, 63, was directly appointed by Yoon in December last year for a six-year term. Though the president seems to have no direct ties with the justice, they are connected through Park Sun-young, chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Park was app

Social AffairsDec. 17, 2024

Celltrion launches CDMO subsidiary to drive growth beyond biosimilars

Celltrion Group has launched a new contract development and manufacturing organization, Celltrion BioSolutions, signaling its strategic ambition to position CDMO services as the group’s next growth engine beyond its core biosimilar business. "We will start contract research and development services from 2025, with the facility construction set to start by the first half. By 2030, we aim to record 1.5 trillion won ($1.04 billion) in CDMO business," Chairman Seo Jung-jin said durin

IndustryDec. 17, 2024

Yoon to appear in court, lawyer decries investigation 'frenzy'

  President Yoon Suk Yeol will head to the Constitutional Court to deliver his stance on the impeachment resolution, his lawyer told reporters on Tuesday, calling the ongoing investigations into the alleged insurrection a "frenzy." Seok Dong-hyun, a known confidant of Yoon who was appointed as his lawyer, said that Yoon will “convey his stance in court confidently and with conviction,” stating that the insurrection charges cannot be established. Though the date for pub

Social AffairsDec. 17, 2024

Looking for Korean friends? Check out Karrot

Karrot, the go-to app for buying and selling secondhand items, is increasingly becoming a hub for forging friendships, particularly among foreigners seeking language exchange opportunities in South Korea. In Seoul's Yongsan-gu on Tuesday, a search for “Korean friends” revealed several postings reflecting a growing trend of cross-cultural connections on the app, which is South Korea's largest community marketplace platform. One user, identified as "chamhug," wrot

TechnologyDec. 17, 2024

Hanmi Semiconductor heir promoted to chairman

Hanmi Semiconductor Vice Chair Kwak Dong-shin has been promoted to take the helm of the chip packaging equipment maker, after leading the development and launch of a flagship product used in producing next-generation artificial intelligence DRAM chips. Kwak joined the company in 1998, eight years after his late father Kwak Noh-kwon founded the company in 1980. Kwak Dong-shin has been the effective leader of the chip equipment firm since 2007, when his father stepped back from front-line manageme

IndustryDec. 17, 2024

LG hires Capitol Counsel to strengthen Washington ties

South Korean electronics giant LG Electronics's Washington office has hired a new lobbying firm in the US to bolster its negotiating leverage with Washington, amid rising concerns over US President-elect Donald Trump’s tariff threats. According to a US disclosure report Tuesday, LG Electronics USA, the company’s US arm, has recently hired Capitol Counsel, a government relations firm in Washington, to lobby on trade and supply chain issues. Lisa Whisler, a lobbyist at the Capitol

IndustryDec. 17, 2024

Ministry unveils workplace safety pictograms for foreign workers

The Ministry of Employment and Labor, in collaboration with the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, announced Tuesday the rollout of 20 safety signs, or pictograms, designed to help foreign national workers easily identify workplace hazards and precautions, regardless of proficiency in the Korean language. These pictograms will be distributed to workplaces employing foreign workers particularly in manufacturing industries. Those pictograms were created based on feedback collected from m

Social AffairsDec. 17, 2024

Economy's biggest fear is uncertainty, says SK chief

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, who also heads the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, on Tuesday urged policymakers to ensure consistent economic policies to support businesses amid growing uncertainty following the National Assembly’s impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched martial law decree. During a meeting with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, Chey relayed the business community’s concerns regarding stalled economic bills and the challenge of navigati

IndustryDec. 17, 2024

Cold snap to hit S. Korea from Wednesday

The prolonged cold temperatures are set to intensify nationwide starting Wednesday, with temperatures feeling as low as minus 10 degrees Celsius set to continue until the end of December. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, morning lows on Wednesday will range between minus 12 C and 1 C nationwide, with temperatures in some parts of the Greater Seoul area feeling as low as minus 14 C. Daytime temperatures will hover between minus 1 C and 7 C -- but such temperatures are expecte

Social AffairsDec. 17, 2024