Ha-young denies allegations of great-grandfather’s pro-Japanese ties

Actor Ha-young on Monday denied claims that her great-grandfather was a pro-Japanese collaborator during Japan's colonial rule of Korea. After allegations surfaced online that her great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, had engaged in pro-Japanese activities, her agency dismissed the claims as "groundless." Ahn was a pioneer of modern medicine in Korea, becoming the first Korean to obtain a Japanese medical license and open one of Seoul’s earliest Western-style clinics, The controversy arose after Ha ap

2026-08-10 19:33:42:00

Twice’s Jeongyeon leaves JYP after 11 years, joins Varo Entertainment

Jeongyeon of Twice on Monday announced her departure from JYP Entertainment after 11 years, but will continue her activities with the group. In a handwritten note uploaded to her Instagram, she said her members' support and Twice's fans, known as Once, gave her the courage to take the next step. "I am leaving JYP, which I have spent much of my life in since my teenage years. I am deeply grateful to my fellow members and Once in ways I can't fully express, as well as to everyone at JYP who helped

2026-08-10 19:15:27:00

Turtle with wishes, addresses written on shell found on Busan coast

A large turtle believed to be an invasive species was found on the Busan coast with wishes, names and addresses written across its shell, local media reported. The 30-centimeter turtle was spotted by a 70-year-old local resident surnamed Kim in Gijang-gun, northeastern Busan, at around 7 a.m. on Sunday, according to Yonhap News Agency. An animal rights activist said the turtle appears to have been used as part of a wish-making ritual. Sim In-seop, head of the animal welfare group Live in Freedom

2026-08-10 13:24:47:00

Korean grandpa pays for Thai tourists’ meal, saying they reminded him of his granddaughters

A video of an elderly Korean man paying for two Thai tourists’ meal because they reminded him of his granddaughters has touched hearts online. The Thai tourist recently posted the video on TikTok, sharing a moment from a previous trip to Korea when she and her friend were dining at a local restaurant. In the clip, an elderly man at a nearby table begins chatting with the women as they eat. “Enjoy your meal. Order more if you need anything,” the man said as he checked whether they had enough food

2026-08-07 12:05:42:00

[팟캐스트] (813) 갈데까지 간 연프, 이번엔 시한부?

진행자: 박준희, Chelsea Proctor Korea's dating show for the terminally ill sparks debate ahead of premiere 기사 요약: 연애 프로그램 “내 남은 연애”는 오는 8월 첫 방송을 앞두고 시한부 소재로 시청자들의 갑론을박을 불러일으키고 있다. 해당 프로그램은 시한부 선고를 받았거나 죽음의 문턱까지 갔던 투병 경험이 있는 2030 청춘들이 다시 삶과 사랑을 마주하는 연애 리얼리티다. [1] SBS' new reality dating show "Love Against Time," featuring contestants in their 20s and 30s who have received terminal diagnoses in the past or experienced life-threatening illnesses, is drawing scrutiny over the ethics of turning such deeply

2026-08-06 06:00:00:00

KBO postpones all games for two days amid record heat wave

The Korea Baseball Organization said Wednesday it would cancel all games scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday as it prepares to overhaul safety measures, amid a record heat wave that has taken a growing toll on players and spectators. The league will convene an emergency meeting Thursday with the general managers of all 10 clubs and representatives of the Korea Professional Baseball Players Association. Officials will review how games are conducted in extreme heat and draw up new safety guidelin

2026-08-05 12:30:23:00

A rookie model at 40, Heo Yong-jin eyes Milan, Paris Fashion Week

For some, 40 might seem too late to start a modeling career. But for Heo Yong-jin, it was perfect timing. Last July, the 40-year-old walked in an invitation-only, exclusive Louis Vuitton trunk show in Bangkok, where the French luxury house presented a collection created by its Men’s creative director Pharrell Williams in collaboration with Japanese designer Nigo. “I was in awe. Like, how did that happen to me? I thought,” Heo said in an interview with The Korea Herald on July 22. The opportunit

2026-08-04 13:25:05:00

Police team honored for W12.8b meth bust

A police team that busted an international drug ring and seized 16 kilograms of methamphetamine following a multiday stakeout was honored at a ceremony Tuesday. The team was among those distinguished at the Korean National Police Agency's seventh Special Performance Award Committee meeting on Tuesday, which recognized outstanding police work in 14 cases. The KNPA said it awarded the three-member Narcotics Crime Investigation Team at Ansan Danwon Police Station in Gyeonggi Province for identifyin

2026-08-04 11:45:49:00

Korean YouTuber accused of spreading false information says he will renounce citizenship

A South Korean YouTuber who has been referred to prosecution for spreading false domestic news to Japanese viewers said he would renounce his Korean citizenship and become a Japanese citizen. The 33-year-old YouTuber named Debo-chan, with more than 950,000 subscribers, uploaded a video to his channel Sunday in which he said he had wanted to become a Japanese citizen seven years ago. “The decision wasn’t made lightly because renouncing my Korean citizenship would also mean having my name removed

2026-08-03 17:31:10:00

McDonald's Korea pulls Chungju corn burger early after customers report finding stones

McDonald's Korea ended sales of its new burger featuring locally produced corn after multiple customers reported biting into what they claimed to be small stones. The global hamburger chain said on Sunday that it stopped selling the Chungju corn cheese croquette burger nationwide as of Thursday at 8 p.m. Launched on July 9, the burger featuring a deep-fried cheese croquette filled with glutinous corn kernels from Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, was originally scheduled to remain on sale thr

2026-08-02 11:39:29:00