Pianist Paik Kun-woo and violinist Paik Jin-hi denied claims that the two have been negligent in the care of pianist Paik’s wife, actor Yun Jung-Hee, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. Pianist Paik’s agency Vincero issued a statement Thursday, written by Paik Jin-hi, the couple’s daughter, and her attorney in Paris, along with a representative from the Association Sociale et Tutelaire, which shares joint legal guardianship over Yun. The statement, written in Engli

Hyundai Motor Group’s honorary chairman Chung Mong-koo will donate 10 billion won ($8.63 million) to build a vaccine research center in South Korea, the company announced Tuesday. “I decided to donate the money to build a vaccine research center as a means to give back to everyone who supported Hyundai Motor Group,” Chung was quoted as saying in the group’s statement.  “I’d like to contribute to helping people overcome infectious diseases as well as i

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won filed a defamation lawsuit against a YouTube channel, saying the channel has spread false information about his private life. According to local media reports Tuesday, Chey filed a criminal complaint with the Yongsan Police Station, accusing the channel of violating slander laws. He claimed that the channel, which mainly covers the private lives of celebrities and high-profile businesspeople, aired false information about his past, relatives and his romantic r

Soprano Sumi Jo’s mother passed away Sunday, after a lengthy hospitalization. Kim Mal-sun, the mother of the celebrated soprano, had been suffering from Alzheimer’s for years, according to Jo‘s agency SMI Entertainment, which announced her passing. She was 85. Jo mentioned in multiple interviews that it was her mother who made her become a celebrated soprano. Kim -- who had once dreamt of becoming a soprano herself -- was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and T

Poppin’ dancer Nam Hyun-joon, gugak singer Park Ae-ri prove how work and life can harmonize with love

Korean actor Ahn Sung-ki was announced as the winner of the Brand Laureate Awards at Hotel Shilla in Seoul on Tuesday. Ahn is the first Korean to win the award, which is organized by Australia-based The World Brands Foundation. It recognizes individuals, organizations and corporations that hold high international brand value. Founded in 2005, TWBF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing brands in diverse fields. (The Brand Laureate)

German auto parts maker Bosch announced Tuesday it had appointed Alex Drljaca as the chief of its business operations here. Drljaca will assume the role as president of Robert Bosch Korea to supervise all business branches representing the Bosch Group in the country, the company said in a press release. The 51-year-old executive has served as the regional president of Bosch Powertrain Solutions Korea since 2018 and will continue to hold that position as well, it added. Drljaca joined Bosc

Seo Min-jeong, the eldest daughter of Amorepacific Chairman Seo Kyung-bae, and Hong Jeong-hwan, the eldest son of Bokwang Investment Chairman Hong Seok-joon, have agreed to divorce after eight months of marriage, industry sources said Friday. The news followed Amorepacific’s regulatory filing on Friday, in which the company made a change to Hong’s holdings in the firm. Previously, Suh Kyung-bae, chairman of Amorepacific Group, gifted 100,000 shares in South Korea’s major b

Participants of “Self-PR Era, SNS Marketing: Taking pictures with smartphones,” a lecture led by keith Studio CEO Keith Park, pose for a photo at the Grand Hyatt Seoul on Tuesday.  New Zealand Ambassador Philip Turner, spouse of New Zealand Ambassador Hiroshi Ikeda, Mexican Ambassador Bruno Figueroa, spouse of Mexican Ambassador Veronica Gonzalez Laport, InterContinental Seoul Parnas Hotel General Manager Brian Harris, Ewha Womans University Professor Sohn Jie-ae, President of

Singer J. Yoon of M.C the Max was found dead Thursday. According to the Seoul Mapo Police Station, J. Yoon, 39, whose legal name is Yoon Jae-woong, was found dead at his home in Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. His agency, 325 E&C, called the police as it had been unable to reach Yoon. “J. Yoon left us on Thursday,” the agency said in an official statement. “Members of M.C the Max and the staff of 325 E&C are mourning his death with great grief,” the statement

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has suspended Kim Jong-whee, president of the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture -- a Seoul City-funded nonprofit -- after he was embroiled in allegations of abuse of power. According to the SMG, Kim was suspended Tuesday, following an investigation of allegations that he had abused his authority and drank during work hours. The SMG began its investigation as reports concerning Kim were filed in December on multiple occasions. An audit committee will also

Pope Francis has sent a message of condolence on the death of South Korean Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, the Holy See said Thursday. "I was saddened to learn of the death of Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, Archbishop Emeritus of Seoul," Pope Francis said in a telegram sent to Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, incumbent Archbishop of Seoul. "I offer to you and to the clergy, religious and lay faithful of the Archdiocese my heartfelt condolences and the assurance of my prayers,

Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk was born into a Catholic household in Seoul on Dec. 2, 1931, although his registered birthday is Dec. 7. He was baptized four days after he was born and received the baptismal name Nicholas. While Cheong’s mother was pregnant with him, she dreamt of a young man calling her mother and telling her that he has become a bishop. Cheong was born and raised in his wealthy maternal grandfather’s house. His mother’s side of the family had been devout Ca

Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, former Roman Catholic archbishop of Seoul, died at the age of 89 on Tuesday at 10:15 p.m., the office of the Seoul Archdiocese said. A requiem Mass for the cardinal took place at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul on Wednesday in the early morning hours, celebrated by Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, the incumbent archbishop. “If Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan was our father, Cardinal Cheong Jin-suk was our mother,” Yeom said during the requiem Mass. Cheong cur

After Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk died Tuesday night at the age of 89, Roman Catholics gathered at the Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul on Wednesday to pay their respects to South Korea’s second cardinal. There was a long line of people waiting. The late cardinal was in a glass coffin before the altar in the cathedral, where attendance at a requiem Mass held in Wednesday’s early morning hours was limited to 80 people out of concern about COVID-19. The crowd was much sma