Actor Yoo Ah-in sentenced to 1 year in prison for drug offenses

SEOUL, Sept. 3 (AJP) - Actor Yoo Ah-in was sentenced to one year in prison for illegal drug use on Monday. The Seoul Central District Cour also imposed a fine of two million Korean won (US$1,492). Yoo was immediately taken into custody following the sentencing. The verdict came out after the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office sought a four-year prison term for Yoo in July. The court said, "Despite warnings from medical professionals, Yoo continued to use sedative

September 3, 2024

SM Entertainment to debut AI-powered virtual artist next week

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (AJP) – SM Entertainment, a major Korean talent agency, will debut its artificial intelligence (AI)-powered virtual artist nævis with a digital single, "Done," on Sept. 10. On Thursday, SM Entertainment signed a memorandum of understanding with LG Uplus, a telecom operator, to produce various types of content, including music videos and short-form videos, for the digital human using LG Uplus' generative AI technology, "ixi-GEN."

September 2, 2024

BTS member Suga's drunk driving case referred to prosecutors

SEOUL, August 30 (AJP) - Suga, a member of K-pop boy band BTS has been referred to prosecutors without detention on charges of drunk driving, police in Yongsan, Seoul, said on Friday. The singer's driver's license was revoked early this month due to a blood alcohol concentration level exceeding 0.2 percent. The 31-year-old, who is currently fulfilling his mandatory military service with a public-sector desk job, was found riding an electric scooter under the in

August 30, 2024

Trailers unveiled for dramas featuring virtual artist Suvi

SEOUL, August 30 (AJP) – Korean tech startup Studio Meta-K teased two dramas featuring its virtual artist Suvi at a content industry fair this week. The two trailers were showcased at Broadcast Worldwide (BCWW) 2024, Asia's largest content industry show, hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Seoul from Tuesday to Thursday. Studio Meta-K said Suvi appears in two generative AI-powered historical dramas, "Competition for the Queen's Throne"

August 30, 2024

Second season of 'Pachinko' off to good start

SEOUL, August 30 (AJP) - The second season of "Pachinko," Apple TV+' Korean series, got off to a good start with its first episode released last week. The drama series, which returned two years after its first season, debuted among the top 10 on this week's chart in over 100 countries, according to FlixPatrol, which tracks streaming rankings worldwide. The positive reception from both viewers and critics sets high expectations for the rest of the season. Based

August 30, 2024

NCT's Taeil leaves group amid sexual crime allegations

SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) - Taeil, a member of K-pop boy band NCT has left the group, after being accused of a sexual crime, his agency SM Entertainment said on Wednesday. Specific details of the alleged offense remain undisclosed, but the 30-year-old is reportedly under investigation by police in southern Seoul. "Given the seriousness of the matter, we have determined that it is no longer possible for him to be with us," the agency wrote in a post on X. Making his deb

August 29, 2024

NewJeans producer claims she was forced to step down

SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - Min Hee-jin, a producer behind the K-pop sensation NewJeans, claimed on Wednesday that she was forced out of her position as CEO of ADOR without her consent. Min's abrupt removal was decided during a board meeting the previous day, where she was replaced by Kim Joo-young, ADOR's internal director, who is also in charge of human resources at HYBE. ADOR, an affiliate of HYBE, has seen rapid success under Min's leadership. In a statement, law

August 28, 2024

'Parasite' star Lee Sun-kyun's posthumous film conjures Korea's political upheaval

SEOUL, August 22 (AJU PRESS) -Director Choo Chang-min's latest film takes a fresh approach to the watershed moments of political upheaval in Korea's modern history. "Land of Happiness," released last week, is set against the backdrop of the assassination of former strongman Park Chung-hee in the late 1970s. The courtroom drama intertwines fiction and history to explore how hegemonic power can distort truth. By examining the assassination through a legal lens, th

August 22, 2024

BTS member Suga to face music for alleged drunk driving

SEOUL, August 20 (AJU PRESS) - Suga, a member of K-pop boy band BTS, is set to be summoned for questioning over allegations of drunk driving, police said Monday. The 31-year-old star was caught driving an electric scooter last week, sparking global debate about his future with the seven-member group. Suga, currently serving his mandatory military service in a public-sector desk job, issued an apology on Aug. 13, admitting that he drove the scooter after having dinner and drinks. T

August 20, 2024

Kim Min-hee wins best performance award at Locarno Film Festival

SEOUL, August 19 (AJU PRESS) - Actress Kim Min-hee won the best performance award at the Locarno International Film Festival which wrapped up over the weekend in Switzerland. She received the award for her role in "By the Stream," also known as "Suyoocheon" in Korean. Directed by Hong Sang-soo, the film deals with the story of a university lecturer asking her unemployed uncle to direct a skit. In her acceptance speech last Saturday, Kim expressed her gratit

August 19, 2024