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The hottest thing in Seoul? Jensen Huang’s leather jacket and his new Dior look

It was nearly 30 degrees Celsius in Seoul on the first day of Jensen Huang’s Seoul visit, but he sported his signature black leather jacket despite the sweltering weather. The fashion item quickly drew attention and dominated conversations online. On major South Korean online shopping platforms, products modeled after Huang’s look began appearing under keywords such as “Jensen Huang jacket.” Online posts cataloging the brands and prices of leather jackets Huang has worn over the years also gaine

Tesla Model Y becomes first foreign vehicle to top Korea’s monthly sales

Tesla’s Model Y SUV has become the first foreign vehicle to top Korea’s monthly passenger car sales, overtaking domestic models in a market long dominated by Hyundai Motor Group. According to recent data by the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association, the Model Y sold 8,762 units in May. It secured the top spot ahead of Hyundai and Kia’s bestselling models, including Kia Sorento SUV (7,836 units), Hyundai Grandeur sedan (5,183 units), Kia Sportage SUV (4,760 units) and Kia Carnival

Kospi snaps 3-day rise on profit-taking; won sharply down

South Korean stocks fell Thursday, snapping a three-session winning streak and retreating from record highs as investors locked in profits. The local currency fell sharply against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index dropped 162.08 points, or 1.84 percent, to close at 8,639.41. Trade volume was moderate at 431.77 million shares worth 46.2 trillion won ($30.2 billion), with winners slightly outnumbering losers 446 to 444. Institutions and individuals bought a net 1.81 tr

Could SpaceX, OpenAI IPOs derail Korea's chip rally?

The blockbuster IPOs of SpaceX, OpenAI and Anthropic could trigger a bout of profit-taking in South Korea's soaring chip stocks, as investors rotate capital into some of Wall Street's most anticipated listings. Elon Musk's rocket and satellite maker SpaceX aims to list its shares as early as June 12, in what could become the biggest initial public offering of all time. Anthropic, developer of the Claude AI model, has also recently filed to go public, setting the stage for a closely watched IPO r

NC AI develops welding AI for Hanwha Ocean

NC AI, the artificial intelligence subsidiary of gaming giant NCSoft, said Thursday it has won a project from Hanwha Ocean to develop AI-powered autonomous welding technology for shipbuilding sites. The project involves a vision-based welding model and a collaborative robot system designed to identify welding targets and carry out work with minimal human intervention. NC AI said the technology will be applied to Hanwha Ocean’s commercial and special-purpose vessel production sites, where welding

UN urges world to ready for extreme heat risk from El Nino

The United Nations weather agency forecast on Tuesday a moderate or possibly a strong El Nino that could drive up global temperatures and increase the risk of extreme weather over the coming months. El Nino is a periodic warming of sea surface ‌temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, which typically lasts between nine and 12 months, according to the World Meteorological Organization. The WMO said warm ocean waters were driving El Nino’s development and predicted above-average temp

Earth is likely to break another heat record

The world has an 86 percent chance of experiencing its hottest year on record between 2026 and 2030, according to a new report released by the World Meteorological Organization. The report, known as the Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update 2026-2035, was led by the UK Met Office and incorporated 250 climate model projections from 13 institutions worldwide, including the Korea Meteorological Administration. The WMO projected that the global average near-surface temperature from 2026 to 2030 wi

Seoul shares again end at record high on Samsung's performance

South Korean stocks closed at a fresh high of above the landmark 8,800-point level Tuesday as tech shares continued to advance on optimism over artificial intelligence, led by chip giant Samsung Electronics, offsetting a market-wide profit-taking mode. The local currency fell sharply against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 13.11 points, or 0.15 percent, to close at 8,801.49. The index opened higher and climbed to a record intraday high of 8,933.62 before reve

Seoul shares again end at record high on Samsung's performance

South Korean stocks closed at a fresh high of above the landmark 8,800-point level Tuesday as tech shares continued to advance on optimism over artificial intelligence, led by chip giant Samsung Electronics, offsetting a market-wide profit-taking mode. The local currency fell sharply against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 13.11 points, or 0.15 percent, to close at 8,801.49. The index opened higher and climbed to a record intraday high of 8,933.62 before reve

Who is Heo Nam-jun, the latest heartthrob from 'My Royal Nemesis'?

For K-drama fans, "My Royal Nemesis" is the clear watercooler show of the season. The unlikely courtship between a woman from 300 years ago and a modern-day chaebol has pulled off a rare dual triumph, topping both domestic linear broadcast ratings and Netflix's viewership charts. But the drama's most notable success story may be the emergence of its leading man, Heo Nam-jun. A relative newcomer who has morphed into one of the market's hotly sought-after talents, Heo's rapid rise may suggest a bo

Moderna and other groups get $60 million to develop Ebola vaccine

Global health organization CEPI will give roughly $60 million to Moderna and two other groups to ‌accelerate the development of shots against Ebola Bundibugyo, the deadly virus that has swept through eastern Congo. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations was one of the early investors that helped to develop a vaccine at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Richard Hatchett, head of CEPI, told Reuters on Monday it was ‌possible to get Ebola Bundibugyo (BDBV) vaccines ready for trials

[Editorial] Korea is a model US ally on defense. It’s time it regains wartime OPCON.

Will K-dramas get more seasons?

The multiseason model has historically struggled to gain traction in the K-drama industry outside of global streaming anomalies like "Squid Game." Typically, skyrocketing talent fees for returning stars and unpredictable, live-shoot schedules derail potential sequels, forcing producers to recast or abandon projects altogether. Yet, despite these financial and logistical hurdles, domestic broadcasters are increasingly chasing the lucrative long-tail revenue and premium ad rates of franchise-style

Architect Lee Jang-hwan named curator of Korean Pavilion at 2027 Venice Biennale

The Arts Council Korea (Arko) has appointed Architect Lee Jang-hwan as the artistic director of the Korean Pavilion at the 2027 Venice Biennale. Centered on the theme of hyper-shrinkage, the planned exhibition combines research on contemporary regional cities with proposals for future architectural and urban models. According to Arko, commissioner of the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, Lee focuses on abandoned spaces and aging residential structures left in the wake of rapid population d

NC AI, Posco DX join hands in robot AI model development

NC AI said Sunday it signed a strategic business agreement with Posco DX on the joint development of a robot foundation model and for broader technical cooperation. The signing ceremony was attended by Kim Min-jae, chief technology officer at NC AI, and Yoon Suk-june, head of the robot automation center of Posco DX, along with senior officials from both companies. The two sides discussed long-term cooperation plans to enhance competitiveness in robot intelligence technologies and industrial AI.

Korea should join frontier AI race dominated by US, China: Science minister

South Korea should now try to build frontier artificial intelligence models on par with those of the US and China, Deputy Prime Minister and ICT Minister Bae Kyung-hoon said Friday, calling for a broader AI strategy that goes beyond industrial applications. “We have reached a point where Korea, too, should take on the challenge of building frontier AI models at a level comparable to those of the US and China,” Bae said at a press conference in Seoul marking the government’s first year in office.

Dog treks, steak dinners and pet suites: Pets are now hospitality VIPs in Korea

HONGCHEON, Gangwon Province — In the lobby of Sono Pet Club & Resort at Vivaldi Park, families wait at check-in with their dogs. A standard poodle stands quietly at the counter next to her human. "This is already our second visit here," said the guest, traveling with the poodle and a young child. "The off-leash field is great. There's a place right here to wash her, we can eat together, and the rooms are clean and modern. I especially booked this trip because we're participating in the Dangdang

Hanbok gets dressier for modern celebrations

The term hanbok, literally meaning "Korean clothing," emerged to distinguish it from clothing that entered Korea in the 19th century: "yangbok," meaning "western clothing." Korea's traditional attire has been around for centuries, but is no longer considered everyday clothing. Instead, hanbok tends to be reserved for special occasions and ceremonies such as weddings, first birthdays, and lunar new year and Chuseok celebrations. "Today's common perception of traditional hanbok is largely based on

Keum Suk Gendry-Kim receives France's Order of Arts and Letters

The Jeju 4.3 Massacre in "Jiseul," wartime sexual slavery under the Japanese military in "Grass," families separated by the Korean War in "Waiting," and North Korea in "My Friend Kim Jong Un" — graphic novelist Keum Suk Gendry-Kim has spent years bringing the wounds, pain and resilience of Korea's turbulent modern history to light through deeply human stories. On Thursday, Gendry-Kim became the first Korean comics or graphic novel artist to receive France's Order of Arts and Letters at the rank

Why did TikTok launch soccer talk show in Korea?

TikTok has launched its first original long-form entertainment program in Korea, marking a notable strategic shift as the company looks to move beyond the limitations of a short-form-only model in an increasingly saturated media landscape. The program, an hour-long sports talk show titled “Tikitiki Takataka Talktalkshow,” premiered Monday and centers on soccer fandom, match predictions and broader sports culture. Former Korean football star Ahn Jung-hwan hosts the show alongside television perso