Kang Minhyuk of CNBlue wrote a book of essays that was published Friday, according to agency FNC Entertainment. In the book, the musician shares his thoughts on his everyday life. “I hope you can find words or perspectives that can comfort you through this book as I did to myself,” he said in an interview that was uploaded on the publisher’s website. He will meet readers in person at an e...

Even though a few performances were canceled and last-minute changes were made up until the opening day, this year’s TIMF will feature more than 20 unique programs during over nine days under the theme of “Vision in Diversity,” which the director said will be the underlying motif that she will continue to keep in her mind. “Music is a communication tool that goes beyond the boundaries of everyth...

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol said Friday that the government should think carefully before enacting tougher rules than needed on those who own multiple homes, a group that has seen a dramatic hike in their taxes imposed by the Moon Jae-in government. Moon focused on heavier taxes and tighter mortgage curbs. “Some say we should carry on with crackdown on owners of multiple homes while others cal...

“Based on CAA’s global network, the actor will be more active on the global stage,” Lee’s agency Artist Company said in a statement at the time. By Lee Si-jin ( sj_lee@heraldcorp.com )

South Korea is looking to bring in alternative therapies amid a shortage of Paxlovid, the COVID-19 antiviral pill from Pfizer. The only antibody drug on the market here, Celltrion’s Regkirona, was suspended from use a month ago after evidence emerged that it was ineffective against omicron. Being distributed from Saturday is Merck’s antiviral pill Lagebrio, whose approval here was delayed until...

Efforts by KB Financial Group union members to get an outside director recommended by them fell through for the fifth time on Friday, with the majority of the banking group’s shareholders voting against the plan. The proposal by the union members and KB’s group of employee shareholders – which owns a combined 1.73 percent stake in the firm – to push former Export-Import Bank of Korea Vice Presid...

South Korean hair care brand Moda Moda said Friday it is considering relocating its core business to the US in the face of a sales ban of its popular hair coloring shampoo by the nation’s drug agency. “If the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety sticks to sales ban on our coloring shampoos, we have no choice but to moving our business to the US,” a Moda Moda official said. The official added the co...

The South Korean government on Friday lifted an overseas travel ban on GM Korea CEO Kaher Kazem, almost 16 months after the Australian GM executive was barred from leaving the country on charges of illegally outsourcing labor. Kazen is currently standing trial for violating labor laws after the carmaker was found to have hired some 1,719 workers from 24 subcontractors to work at its local plants...

North Korea confirmed Friday that it test-fired a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile the previous day under the order of leader Kim Jong-un, who vowed to boost its nuclear deterrent and prepare for a “long-standing confrontation” with the US. Thursday’s test was the first full ICBM test by the reclusive regime since 2017, marking the end to the regime’s self-imposed moratorium on tes...

South Korean stocks closed almost flat Friday despite North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch and the Ukraine-Russia war. The Korean won closed unchanged against the US dollar. After choppy trading, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index advanced 0.32 point, or 0.01 percent, to close at 2,729.98 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 590 million shares wort...

Shareholders of Hana Financial Group have officially elected Vice Chairman and sole chairman-nominee Ham Young-joo to lead the company for the next three years, the firm said Friday. Ham’s nomination was supported by the majority of the shareholders at Hana including its largest shareholder the National Pension Service, which owns 9.19 percent in the banking group. Foreign stakeholders, owning a...

Pinkfong, the company behind the hit YouTube “Baby Shark Dance,” is collaborating with American rap superstar Cardi B. The rapper is scheduled to guest-star in “Baby Shark’s Big Show!”, a television program jointly produced by Pinkfong and children’s entertainment network Nickelodeon, according to a press release from The Pinkfong Company on Friday. “Inspired by the rapper, a new character Shar...

State-run broadcaster KBS’ legendary music program “Gayo Top 10” is set to return for the first time in 25 years on both YouTube and TV, bringing performances from some of the hottest acts in K-pop to the virtual world. “Virtual Gayo Top 10” will carry on the tradition of “Gayo Top 10,” which ended its 17-year run in February 1998. Applying the format of giving the “Golden Cup” to artists when t...