Jennie’s ‘Fallen Angel’ music video draws mixed reactions

Jennie’s music video for her latest single has sparked debate online, with some viewers criticizing the imagery used while others argue that the scenes are symbolic of the song’s themes. The Blackpink member released “Fallen Angel” and its music video on Aug. 28. The minimalist track is built around a lyrical guitar melody and restrained vocals. Much of the discussion has centered on scenes toward the end of the video. Children dressed in white robes and red veils appear holding candles, followe

Sept. 2, 2026

Lee says focus on growth does not sideline welfare

President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday dismissed the argument that his government was prioritizing economic growth at the expense of welfare and efforts to ease inequality, saying South Korea first needs to expand the overall economic pie. Lee made the remarks on social media after sharing an editorial that criticized the government's 820.9 trillion won ($599 billion) budget proposal for 2027 for placing too much emphasis on growth and called for stronger measures to reduce economic polarization.

Sept. 2, 2026

'Running Man' star Ji Ye-eun to marry dancer Vata in December

"Running Man," "SNL Korea" star Ji Ye-eun is set to marry dancer and choreographer Vata in December after roughly a year of dating. An official from Ji's agency, CP Entertainment, confirmed the news to The Korea Herald on Wednesday. “The two have promised to spend their lives together, based on their deep faith in each other,” the agency said. “We ask for your warm congratulations and support as they prepare to embark on a new chapter together.” Ji graduated from Korea National University of Art

Sept. 2, 2026

Two Koreans kidnapped in Haiti released safely

Two South Korean nationals who were kidnapped by a gang in Haiti in late July have been released, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. The two employees of a South Korean company were abducted in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, on July 31 while staying in the country on business. One of the two was released on Aug. 18, while the second was freed on the afternoon of Sept. 1, local time, according to the ministry. Both are safe and in good health. Following a report of the kidnappin

Sept. 2, 2026

Jeon Do-yeon, Park Hae-soo's 'Cherry Orchard' heads to New York

South Korean actors Jeon Do-yeon and Park Hae-soo will wrap up their international tour of "The Cherry Orchard" with a New York run this month. Produced by LG Arts Center Seoul and helmed by acclaimed Australian director Simon Stone, the production will make its North American premiere at the Park Avenue Armory from Sept. 16 to 26, LG Arts Center Seoul said Tuesday. The production premiered in Seoul in June 2024 and has since toured Busan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Adelaide, Australia. The New Yo

Sept. 2, 2026

US Army acquisition chief inspects Hanwha’s K9 production

A senior US Army acquisition official inspected Hanwha Aerospace’s artillery production facilities in South Korea shortly after the company secured a contract to deliver prototype howitzers for an Army modernization program. Hanwha said Wednesday that Brent G. Ingraham, assistant secretary of the US Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, visited its Changwon facilities in South Gyeongsang Province on Aug. 26 with a US delegation. Ingraham is the US Army acquisition executive, who overse

Sept. 2, 2026

LIG D&A targets Nordic market with uncrewed vessels

LIG Defense & Aerospace is targeting the Nordic defense market with uncrewed maritime systems designed for surveillance, mine detection and infrastructure protection, the company said Wednesday. At DALO Industry Days 2026, held Aug. 19-20 in Herning, Denmark, the company showcased its Sea Sword unmanned surface vessel, Harbor Underwater Surveillance System and autonomous underwater vehicle for mine detection. It also displayed the AT-1K Raybolt antitank guided missile. The head of the Danish Min

Sept. 2, 2026

BBQ chief bets on AI for global expansion

Genesis BBQ Group is turning to AI, data and robotics to streamline store operations and maintain consistent product quality as the fried chicken franchise accelerates its global expansion. The company unveiled three growth strategies — “AX Transformation,” “Globalization 2.0” and “Sustainable Platform” — at its 31st anniversary ceremony held Tuesday at Chicken University in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province. Under its AX Transformation strategy, BBQ plans to integrate data from store management, custom

Sept. 2, 2026

Gaon Cable targets AI data centers with low-friction cables

Gaon Cable is targeting the AI data-center power infrastructure market with low-friction distribution cables designed to cut installation time and costs, the company said Wednesday. The cables feature an improved outer sheath that reduces friction during installation by about 30 percent compared to conventional products. Gaon Cable said this can extend the cable-pulling distance by up to 45 percent while lowering labor requirements and construction costs. Distribution cables are used in certain

Sept. 2, 2026

'Made in Korea' Season 2: Inside one of the most expensive K-dramas ever made

Expectations — and comparisons to a spate of South Korean historical blockbusters tackling the nation's most volatile political eras — hung heavy over the press conference for Season 2 of "Made in Korea," a project trade media dubbed "one of the most expensive K-drama productions in history." Launched in late 2025, the show paired two of the industry’s most bankable stars, Hyun Bin ("Crash Landing on You") and Jung Woo-sung ("12.12: The Day"), in a narrative of systemic power and greed set again

Sept. 2, 2026

Finance chief nominee puts growth first

Finance Minister nominee Lee Hyung-il on Wednesday laid out a growth-focused policy agenda that also emphasizes capital market reform and stronger economic policy coordination. Lee, currently first vice finance minister, met with reporters in Sejong for the first time since his ministerial nomination Sunday. At the briefing, he identified lifting Korea's potential growth rate and reducing polarization as his two top economic priorities. "We need to accelerate the economy's growth momentum and fi

Sept. 2, 2026

S. Korea, US, Japan to hold joint military drill despite N. Korean warning

South Korea, the United States and Japan will proceed with their annual multidomain military exercise next week despite North Korea's warning of a "hard-line" response, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Wednesday. The three countries are scheduled to conduct Freedom Edge from Sept. 7-11 in waters southeast of Jeju Island, according to the South Korean military. Jang Do-young, a Navy captain and spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said there had been no change to the exercise plan despit

Sept. 2, 2026

Prominent Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong pleads guilty in second national security case

Prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security under a Beijing-imposed law that has effectively stifled the city's once-thriving pro-democracy movement. It was the second prosecution of Wong, a former student leader in the pro-democracy movement and one of its most recognizable faces, under the national security law introduced in Hong Kong in 2020 to quell massive anti-government protests

Sept. 2, 2026

Korean response team arrives in Nepal, set to join search and rescue efforts

The 44-member Korea Disaster Relief Team arrived in Nepal on Wednesday to support search-and-rescue operations following devastating floods that have left more than 1,000 people dead and thousands missing across Nepal and neighboring Tibet. A South Korean Air Force KC-330 Cygnus multirole aerial tanker carrying the team landed at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu at about 6:27 a.m. local time. Led by Lee Kyoo-ho, director-general for development cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign

Sept. 2, 2026

China's Xi lands in Egypt as Iran war reshapes Middle East alliances

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in ‌Egypt Tuesday, his first visit to the Arab world's most populous nation in a decade, as countries across the Middle East reassess security and economic ties amid the fallout of the Iran war. The conflict has disrupted global energy markets and raised questions about whether regional countries ‌can count on the United States as a long-term security partner. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi welcomed Xi at Cairo International Airport, where they walk

Sept. 2, 2026