Girl group Izna set off on an ambitious journey exuding confidence and pride with the release of its debut mini album "N/a." Izna is a seven-member group formed through the Mnet audition program "I-Land 2: N/a," which concluded in July. Even before its official debut, the group impressed audiences with polished performances at KCON Germany 2024 in Frankfurt in September and at the 2024 Mnet Asian Music Awards on Friday. The group's debut album "N/a" comprises f

A mobile map that locates vendors of the fish-shaped bun bungeoppang has returned, making it easier for locals to find Korea’s beloved winter treat. Karrot Market, South Korea’s largest community marketplace platform, announced Tuesday the return of its seasonal map for winter snacks, rebranded as the “Bungeoppang Map” this year. Originally launched in 2020, the service allows users to share the locations of food stalls selling winter snacks. While previous maps included

CJ ENM is launching the global boy group project “Boys II Planet,” the world’s first-ever K-pop global audition program produced in two countries simultaneously. The production team behind Mnet's renowned audition programs “I-Land,” “Girls Planet 999: The Girls Saga” and “Boys Planet” will work on this new project. CJ ENM announced Tuesday that it is accepting applications worldwide for the program. “Boys II Planet” will be p

Irene of Red Velvet makes her official debut as a solo artist with her first solo album, “Like A Flower,” at 6 p.m., Tuesday. Her solo debut comes 10 years after her debut as a member of the K-pop girl group Red Velvet. "This album is the result of deeply thinking about what I wanted to express through my music, so I’m eager for it to be released into the world. I do feel like I could have done a better job with it, but I’ve put my best effort into preparing it,&rdqu

Seoul’s iconic yet aging Apgujeong Hyundai Apartments, located in the heart of Gangnam, look likely to be replaced by a towering residential complex, rising up to 70 floors, under an urban planning plan approved by the city government. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Tuesday, the city’s Urban Planning Committee approved an eased maximum floor ratio of 300 percent for residential complexes aged over 50 years in the southern Seoul districts, including Apgujeong Hyun

South Korean online lender Kakao Bank has committed to enhancing its corporate value and increasing shareholder returns as it strives to become a leading, comprehensive financial platform within the next three years. In a meeting with analysts on Tuesday, CEO Yun Ho-young presented a detailed three-year plan centered on two main goals: "sustainable growth" and "innovative expansion." The plan sets ambitious targets, including 30 million customers, 100 trillion won ($71.6 bill

Korean steelmaker Hyundai Steel introduced its new mascot Yonggangi on Tuesday. Yonggangi, named after “yonggang,” which means purified molten iron in Korean, symbolizes the value of the steel industry and embodies a dynamic corporate culture, the company said. The mascot is portrayed as a people-loving guardian of the company’s facilities and processes who was born in the steel mill and grows alongside the employees. Known for its friendly personality, the character eagerly pa

South Korean bakery giant SPC Group said Tuesday it has opened its first Paris Baguette franchise store in the UK, marking its debut in franchising within the European market. Paris Baguette had previously operated company-owned stores in Europe, including France and the UK. The first franchise store, which is Paris Baguette’s third outlet in the UK, is located in Canary Wharf, a financial business district in east London. The Canary Wharf store occupies a 50-seat space on the first floor

South Korean automotive and car parts manufacturers are bracing for potential disruptions in their Mexican operations as US President-elect Donald Trump vows to enforce stricter tariffs and cut back on preferential treatment for goods produced in the region. According to industry sources on Tuesday, the Industry of Trade, Industry and Energy recently met with six companies – namely Kia, Hyundai Mobis and LG Innotek – to discuss the impact of Trump’s proposed tariffs. “Mex

A man in his 50s has been fined for assaulting a woman who was smoking in the street. Judge Jang Min-ju, presiding over Daejeon District Court’s 11th criminal chamber, fined the man of 700,000 ($498), local media reports on Monday. The man hit the 22-year-old woman on her back at midnight on April 29 while she was smoking in front of a shop in Daeduk-gu, Daejeon. During the police investigation, he reportedly said “How could a girl smoke?” and that he was angry about smoking ne

Actor Gong Yoo returns to the Netflix original series with a mystery melodrama “The Trunk,” set for release Friday. His last Netflix series was the 2021 thriller “The Silent Sea.” Gong Yoo plays Jung-won, a music producer who marries In-ji (Seo Hyun-jin), an employee at a wedding company called NM, on a fixed-term contract basis. The drama is helmed by Kim Kyu-tae behind the hit series “It’s Okay, That’s Love” (2014) and “Our Blues” (20

Skiiers and snowboarders can get their adrenalin rush starting this weekend as the recent drop in temperature has many of the ski resorts in South Korea ready to open their slopes. Phoenix Snow Park, a popular ski resort in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, announced that its slopes will open Friday, almost a week later than last year. Six of its slopes were used for freestyle skiing and snowboarding in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and snowboarders will appreciate the Olympic-standard half-

BTS members Jimin and Jungkook received nominations for the 2024 Billboard Music Awards, which will take place on Dec. 12. The two artists are competing in the categories of Top Global K-Pop Artist and Top Global K-Pop Song, according to the BBMAs on Monday. Jimin’s track "Who" from his second solo album "Muse" earned him the Top Global K-Pop Song nomination. "Who" debuted at No. 14 on Billboard's main Hot 100 chart, becoming his sixth solo song to enter

When someone you personally know passes away, how do you mourn? For some, posting about it on social media, particularly Instagram, has become a part of the mourning process. Following the death of actor Song Jae-rim on Nov. 12, the platform was flooded with tributes. Friends and colleagues posted memories and heartfelt messages. For instance, broadcaster Hong Seok-cheon shared his sorrow on Instagram. “I am heartbroken that I will never see your wonderful smile again... I failed to care

President-elect Donald Trump threatened on Monday to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China as soon as he takes office as part of his effort to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from Mexico as one of his first executive orders. The tariffs, if implemented, could dramatically raise prices for American consumers on everything from gas to a

Cancer was a journey Kang Min-ji never thought she would take during her early 30s. She was physically active, a non-smoker and didn't drink that often. But her world shattered in July 2022 after she was found to have thyroid cancer and a brain tumor when she underwent a health checkup. "Little did I know that I would have cancer because I was young and had a relatively healthy lifestyle, although I did have an exhausting work pattern where I stayed up until late at night and early mor

South Korea will continue to make efforts to develop its alliance with the United States in the best way possible under the incoming second Donald Trump administration, its top envoy said Monday. Ambassador Cho Hyun-dong made the remarks amid concerns that Trump's reelection could lead to significant changes in policies related to the alliance, security and other shared issues, given his unconventional and transactional approach to running state affairs. "We put the top priority on con

The Cabinet on Tuesday demanded the National Assembly reconsider a bill calling for a special counsel investigation into corruption allegations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee, the third time the government has sought a veto of the opposition-led bill. A motion demanding reconsideration was approved during a Cabinet meeting held 12 days after the bill passed through the opposition-controlled National Assembly. President Yoon Suk Yeol is widely expected to endorse the motion. "The right to

Min Hee-jin, the former CEO of K-pop label ADOR, has filed a criminal complaint against its parent company's public relations executives, alleging misconduct related to their duties in promoting the label's girl group NewJeans, Min's representatives said Tuesday. Min filed the complaint with Seoul's Yongsan Police Station on Monday, accusing Hybe's Chief Communication Officer Park Tae-hee and a PR director identified only as Cho of breach of duty. The two executives belo

Actor Jung Woo-sung, who was recently revealed to have fathered a child out of wedlock, has decided to forgo his attendance at the Blue Dragon Film Awards on Friday, according to the entertainment industry. The 51-year-old actor, who is under intense public scrutiny over his private life, is said to have discussed on the matter with his team, local media reported. Jung has been nominated for best actor for his role in “12.12: The Day,” a box-office hit that attracted over 13 millio