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Classic hits, pop anthems find new life as K-pop embraces sampling trend

Listen to Le Sserafim’s latest song, “Boompala,” and it might sound familiar. The lead single from the group’s second album, “Pureflow Pt. 1,” samples elements of Los del Rio’s 1993 global hit “Macarena,” with the song incorporating parts of its iconic melody and the video reinterpreting aspects of its signature choreography. The group's use of sampling as a strategy to appeal to global audiences seems to be paying off, as the album recently debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 chart, while “B

Kospi suffers worst day of year as global chip rout spreads

The South Korean benchmark Kospi suffered the worst day of the year as chip stocks tumbled, mirroring a rout in US semiconductor stocks on Wall Street. Soon after opening 1.38 percent lower at 8,048.09, selling accelerated, pushing the index below the 8,000 mark. The index later recouped some of its losses in afternoon trading but was still down 5.18 percent at 7,737.63 as of 1:30 p.m. A circuit breaker was triggered at 9:03 a.m., halting program trading for 20 minutes. The measure was activated

Jensen Huang's K-pop playlist includes a hit and a surprise

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has revealed three of his favorite K-pop songs, naming global smash hit "Golden" by fictional girl group Huntrix of Netflix's "KPop Demon Hunters" and the unexpected choices of Hwasa's "Good Goodbye" and "So Cute." During an appearance on popular South Korean television program "You Quiz on the Block," set to air Wednesday, Huang was asked about his interest in K-pop and the music he listens to at work. "Who doesn't love 'Golden?'" Huang said in a teaser video released Su

Sunday baking classes open for children from migrant backgrounds

Yangcheon Foreign Resident Center is running Sunday baking classes for children with migrant backgrounds at the Yangcheon Multicultural Family Center. Over four sessions, students will bake sausage bread, s’more cookies, banana bread and gugelhupf. Children who live in Yangcheon-gu will be given priority, but those from other districts may also apply. The program is open to elementary school students, with priority given to fifth- and sixth-graders. Applicants who can attend all four sessions wi

A chance to experience Korean Dano traditions

Are you familiar with "Dano?" If not, this is your chance. The Seoul Foreign Resident Center is inviting 20 foreign residents to the Agricultural Museum in Jung-gu on June 19 to experience Korea’s seasonal Dano traditions. The program will introduce participants to Dano and its customs through traditional games and a hands-on activity making changpo, or sweet flag, soap. In Korean tradition, people washed their hair and faces with changpo water during Dano, believing it would help keep them heal

Foreign residents invited to discover Korea’s traditional sounds

Many visitors to Korea first encounter Korean culture through K-pop, K-drama or palace tours. This month, Seoul offers foreign residents a chance to experience a side of Korea rooted in the country’s musical traditions. The Seoul Foreign Resident Center is recruiting 25 foreign residents for a group visit to the National Gugak Center’s “Saturday Masterpiece” performance, a long-running showcase of traditional Korean performing arts. The program features a mix of royal court music, folk music, tr

George Washington University seeks deeper Korea ties in AI, student exchange

George Washington University plans to deepen ties with South Korean universities as part of efforts to expand its research and degree programs in artificial intelligence, public health and international affairs, the university's president said. Ellen Granberg, who visited Seoul last week with a university delegation, said Korean universities have become increasingly important partners for GW as the Washington, DC-based institution seeks to expand international cooperation in fast-moving academic

Kospi slides 8% on US chip sell-off

The South Korean benchmark Kospi plunged more than 8 percent Monday, mirroring a rout in US semiconductor stocks on Wall Street, which triggered a circuit breaker. The Kospi opened 1.38 percent lower at 8,048.09. Soon after the opening bell, selling accelerated, pushing the index below the 8,000 mark. It stood at 7,477.46, down 8.37 percent, as of 9:12 a.m. A circuit breaker was triggered, halting program trading for 20 minutes after the benchmark index plunged more than 8 percent. Foreign inves

Man sentenced for assaulting 11-year-old son over gaming

A man in his 50s was given a suspended prison term for repeatedly assaulting his 11-year-old son at their home in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, over the child’s gaming and sleeping habits. The Ulsan District Court said Sunday it sentenced the man to one year in prison, suspended for two years, on charges including child abuse under the Child Welfare Act. The judge ordered the man to undergo probation, complete 40 hours each of child abuse prevention and stalking crime prevention programs,

Ahead of Xi visit, North Korea signals denuclearization is off the table

Just one day before Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to arrive in Pyongyang for a rare state visit, North Korea on Sunday delivered an unmistakable message: Its nuclear weapons program is not up for negotiation. A strongly worded statement by the North Korean leader's influential sister, Kim Yo-jong, and Kim Jong-un's inspection of nuclear and missile production facilities appear to be an attempt to define the terms of the summit before Xi even lands, making clear that any discussion of denuc

N. Korea's Kim Yo-jong says Pyongyang's nuclear status 'irreversible'

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has said her country's status as a nuclear-armed state is "absolutely irreversible" and vowed not to tolerate any threats against it, the North's state media reported Sunday. Kim Yo-jong made the remarks in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency, in which she reiterated Pyongyang's position that its nuclear weapons program is nonnegotiable while rejecting international efforts aimed at denuclearization. "Our status as a nuclea

Kim Jong-un puts nuclear program front and center ahead of summit with Xi

We are hard-wired to crave connection. Why is it so hard to unite?

Why are communities so fragile? And why, despite that fragility, do we continue to long for connection? Those are the questions at the heart of "Assembly Hall," the latest work by Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite, winner of the 2025 Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production. The work arrives in Seoul this week for performances Friday through Sunday at the LG Arts Center Seoul, presented by Kidd Pivot, the company Pite founded in 2002. One of the most acclaimed choreographers working today,

Mark to perform at World Environment Day opening ceremony in Azerbaijan

Mark is set to take the stage at this year’s World Environment Day opening ceremony in Baku, Azerbaijan, marking his first official public appearance since launching his creative company, Upper Room, and since departing from NCT in April. The event will take place Thursday at 11 a.m., and is expected to bring together global leaders, environmental advocates and artists to commemorate World Environment Day, which is organized annually by the United Nations Environment Program. This year’s officia

DAPA chief pays respects to victims of Hanwha Aerospace explosion

The chief of South Korea's defense procurement agency on Friday paid his respects to the victims of a recent explosion at a Hanwha Aerospace factory in the central city of Daejeon, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration said. DAPA Minister Lee Yong-cheol visited the facility in the city, located about 140 kilometers south of Seoul, to inspect ongoing recovery efforts and discuss prevention measures, according to the agency. The explosion occurred Monday, leaving five people dead and two

Zerobaseone’s Gunwook apologizes for rigging fan event

Gunwook of Zerobaseone said he regretted manipulating a recent lucky draw event through a fan communication platform on Friday. Questions have arisen among fans over an autograph session, where he gave out Polaroid pictures to a select few. The singer appeared to have called out a different number than the one he pulled, which was caught on participants’ cameras, in favor of a certain fan. “I should have exercised greater judgement,” he wrote, adding “I take it seriously that my actions have cau

KRX issues sell-side sidecar for KOSPI on sharp fall

The country's bourse operator on Friday activated a sell-side sidecar for the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index as the index nosedived due to a slump in tech heavyweights. Program trading for the KOSPI was suspended for five minutes at around 9:08 a.m., according to the Korea Exchange. The KOSPI fell sharply as investors took a breather following a recent rally in tech shares amid uncertainty over the US-Iran peace deal. Opening at 3.66 percent lower, the KOSPI fell as low as 8,146.65

Seoul shares open sharply lower on tech slump amid Middle East uncertainty

South Korean stocks opened sharply lower Friday as investors took a breather following a recent rally in tech shares amid uncertainty over the U.S.-Iran peace deal. After opening 3.66 percent lower, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 449.16 points, or 5.2 percent, to 8,190.25 as of 9:15 a.m. The Korea Exchange suspended program trading for the KOSPI for five minutes at around 9:08 a.m., a measure issued when the KOSPI 200 Futures index decreases 5 percent or more for at least o

Program Selling Halted on KOSPI after KOSPI 200 Futures Plunge over 5%

[Economy] : Program selling was halted on the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index(KOSPI) on Friday after the KOSPI 200 Futures index plunged more than five percent. According to the Korea Exchange, the “sidecar” mechanism was activated at around 9:08 a.m. in response to the KOSPI 200 Futures index losing ... [more...]

NK leader inspects new material plant, calls for rapid expansion of arsenal

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected a newly opened nuclear material production facility and called for a faster expansion of the country’s nuclear arsenal, state media said Thursday. The move appeared to be the latest indication of Pyongyang's intention to press ahead with its weapons program despite international pressure. The Korean Central News Agency said Kim visited the facility on Wednesday, accompanied by senior officials from the ruling Workers’ Party’s munitions industry departmen