Singer Yoonha says she ended contract with agency amid settlement dispute

Singer Yoonha has announced that she ended her exclusive contract with C9 Entertainment, the agency she had been with for 14 years, over unpaid settlement funds. On Monday, Yoonha wrote on her Instagram that she had terminated her exclusive contract with C9 Entertainment in September, adding that remaining issues would be resolved through the procedures established by law. "Although something unwelcome has happened, I will sort things out one by one and come to meet you all," she wrote, and went on to say, "Thank you for waiting, and I will repay you with good music and performances." Yoonha also asked fans to keep in mind that the artists and staff at C9 Entertainment had no part in the matter. She closed her post with the words, "I am fine." Her legal representative, law firm Illo, said Monday that Yoonha's side had demanded corrective action over a long-running failure to pay settlement funds, and after the demand went unmet, notified the agency of contract termination in September. The law firm added that C9 Entertainment had itself acknowledged through an official letter that the termination took effect on Sept. 14. Yoonha's side said it would resolve remaining matters through legal proceedings while continuing her music career. C9 Entertainment has yet to issue an official statement. Yoonha first signed an exclusive contract with C9 Entertainment in 2012 and renewed twice, staying with the agency for 14 years. Yoonha debuted in Japan in 2004 and won a wide following with songs including "Password 486," "Waiting" and "We Broke Up Today." In 2022, "Event Horizon," a B-side from the repackaged edition of her sixth studio album, shot back up the streaming charts and ushered in a second peak in her career.

Oct. 26, 2026

Fencer Oh Sang-uk and chef Kwon Sung-jun turn out to be distant relatives

National fencing team member Oh Sang-uk and chef Kwon Sung-jun have been revealed to be distant relatives. Sunday's episode of JTBC's Please Take Care of My Refrigerator was themed around the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Fencer Oh, judoka Heo Mi-mi and track and field athlete Biwesa Daniel Gasama appeared as guests. Host Kim Sung-ju set the stage by announcing that "someone closely connected to Oh Sang-uk's family is here with us today," before pointing to Kwon as that person — a revelation that left everyone on set stunned. Oh said he had only found out a week earlier. "Chef Kwon apparently visited the Jincheon National Training Center and told another athlete that he was my relative," Oh said. He then laid out an extraordinarily convoluted family tree: Kwon is the son of the older sister of the wife of the son of the younger brother of his paternal grandfather. Kwon offered a simpler explanation: "Put plainly, he is the son of my great-uncle's cousin." He added that the two are roughly eighth-degree relatives — a description that prompted fellow panelist Park Eun-young and others to declare, "You're basically strangers." Kwon said he had known about the connection for five years and felt a little hurt that Oh had only learned of it a week ago. Oh drew laughs by admitting, "I probably would have never found out if it weren't for this show. My father only told me because I mentioned I was going on Please Take Care of My Refrigerator." Kim said he had asked an AI about the relationship, and it had replied, "You can consider them strangers." Kwon fired back to more laughter: "What does a machine know? Can a machine understand the bond between family?" Born in 1996, Oh is the face of South Korean fencing's sabre discipline and has achieved a grand slam by sweeping individual and team titles at the Olympics, the Asian Games and other major international competitions. Chef Kwon rose to prominence as the winner of the Netflix show Culinary Class Wars and has since appeared across a range of television programs.

Oct. 26, 2026

Actor who never married says 90% of husbands cheat

Yoon Mi-ra, 74, shares her unconventional views on men and marriage Actor Yoon Mi-ra, 74, has sparked conversation after claiming that 90 percent of married men are unfaithful. Yoon made the remarks Sunday on SBS's variety program My Little Old Boy, suggesting that staying single has helped her maintain a youthful appearance — in part because she has never had to endure the stress of a husband's infidelity. During the episode, Yoon sat down for a meal with her younger sister and chatted about romance and marriage. Yoon said she often hears that she looks younger than her age. "People ask me why I have no wrinkles at 75," she said, adding that she credited her looks to good genes. "I think I was just born this way, thanks to my parents." She also suggested that never marrying had contributed to her youthful looks. "Don't married people age faster because they're always worrying about their husbands and children?" she said. Yoon then recalled advice from an older acquaintance. "An older woman I know told me that what stresses women out the most is their husbands," she said. "Isn't it common for men to go out and cheat?" When her sister pushed back — "Not all of them do that" — Yoon was unfazed. "I'd say 90 percent do," she said. "Men are always drawn to women they've never met before." She went on to say that avoiding marriage may have helped her preserve her looks. "I think not doing that — not getting married — is part of why I've kept my appearance. There are pros and cons to everything," she added. Yoon also said she had not given up on finding a partner. "I haven't given up either. I'm sure my match is out there," she said. On her ideal type, she said she used to prefer older men. "I always liked older men — I thought he had to be at least a year or two older than me," she said. "But now, four years older is too much. It's different from when I was young." The remark drew laughter. Born in 1952, Yoon made her debut in 1969 with "Saranghago Isseoyo" (I Am in Love) and is considered one of the celebrated beauties of Korean cinema in the 1970s. She won a best actress award from a terrestrial broadcaster for her performances in the 1990s drama series "Seoul-ui Dal" (Moon Over Seoul) and "Jeong Ttaemune" (Because of Love).

Oct. 26, 2026

K-pop group RESCENE receives honorary citizenship of Geoje

K-pop girl group RESCENE has been named an honorary citizen of Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province. The group received the certificate Saturday at Hanwha Resort Geoje Belvedere, becoming the first celebrity to receive the honor and the 70th honorary citizen of the city, Yonhap said Monday. Geoje city said it selected RESCENE in recognition of the group's consistent efforts to promote the city and its contribution to raising Geoje's profile as an attractive tourism destination. Geoje is the hometown of RESCENE member Woni and the birthplace of the viral catchphrase "Geoje Yahoo!" that helped bring the group to wider public attention. "We are grateful for your consistent promotion of Geoje with such deep affection for the city," Mayor Byeon Gwang-yong said. "Thanks to RESCENE's efforts, we were able to introduce Geoje to people of all generations and draw far greater attention to it." RESCENE's influence linked to rise in Geoje visitors In practice, RESCENE and the "Geoje Yahoo!" catchphrase have had a positive impact on visitor numbers, tourism spending and the city's brand reputation. According to Geoje city, a big data research unit within the Gyeongnam Research Institute analyzed SK Telecom mobile population data and NH NongHyup Card sales figures and found that visitor numbers and tourism spending rose around the time the "Geoje Yahoo!" meme went viral and after RESCENE was appointed the city's tourism ambassador in May. Yonhap reported the findings Oct. 14. During the peak summer holiday period from late July to early August this year, visitors in their teens and 20s from other regions increased 6.6 percent compared with the same period last year. Card sales around Deokpo Beach, which RESCENE visited, also roughly doubled during this year's summer holiday season compared with last year. Geoje city added that online searches related to "Geoje" showed a growing share of tourism- and travel-related terms, while the proportion of shipbuilding- and industry-related terms declined slightly. The city also said Geoje ranked second in the national city brand reputation index released by the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute last August, trailing only Seoul. The "Geoje Yahoo!" phrase originated from a casual remark by RESCENE members Woni and Minami during a conversation, and went on to become a widely shared meme and catchphrase.

Oct. 26, 2026

Ko Young-wook slams singers who 'rehash the past' after Fin.K.L reunion news

Ko Young-wook, a former member of the group Roo'Ra, shared a news article about Fin.K.L's upcoming full-group reunion and posted criticism of singers who revive their careers by trading on past fame. On Sunday, Ko shared an article about Fin.K.L's reunion on his X (formerly Twitter) account and recalled turning down an appearance offer from the MBC variety show "Nol-leo-wa." "Back when I was the only Roo'Ra member still doing broadcast work, I got an offer to appear in a special episode of MBC's 'Nol-leo-wa' featuring popular singers from the '90s," Ko wrote. "My manager told me Clone and R.ef were going to be on it, and I turned it down without a second thought." He said the prospect of watching performers "show off their past popularity on TV, bragging about how big they were — stories about flying to gigs by helicopter, told over and over again" was something he found instinctively off-putting. "The public is the one who decides how popular you were back then," he added. Ko went on to say he preferred performers from that era who "don't get caught up in that kind of thing, leave their best days as a memory, and live their lives in a way that fits the present" — rather than those who "keep rehashing the past and find any excuse to get back out there." He also wrote that whenever he comes across old footage of Roo'Ra performing at events, he feels "genuinely relieved" not to be part of it. Fin.K.L's agency Gemstone E&M announced on Sept. 21 that all four members — Lee Hyo-ri, Ok Ju-hyun, Lee Jin and Sung Yu-ri — were reuniting under the Fin.K.L name to prepare for full-group activities. It will be the first time the group has promoted as a complete unit since the 2005 digital single "Forever Fin.K.L," a gap of 21 years. Ko has been posting frequently on X about celebrity and social issues. This month alone, he claimed broadcaster Yoo Jae-suk had not sent traditional holiday beef to a manager who worked with him for 16 years, and he also criticized Chun Myung-hun, who had been sued over allegations that he presented another composer's work as his own. Ko debuted as a member of Roo'Ra in 1994. In 2013, the Supreme Court upheld a sentence of two years and six months in prison on charges of sexually assaulting and molesting minors. He was also ordered to have his personal information disclosed for five years and to wear an electronic ankle bracelet for three years.

Oct. 26, 2026

Singer Yoonha terminates 14-year agency contract over unpaid royalties

Singer Yoonha has terminated her exclusive contract with agency C9 Entertainment over unpaid royalty settlements. Her legal representative, law firm Illo, said Monday that Yoonha's side had repeatedly demanded C9 correct a long-running failure to pay settlements, but the agency did not comply. "We notified C9 of the contract termination last month," the firm said. Yoonha's side said C9 acknowledged through an official notice that the termination took effect Sept. 14. Yoonha has filed a lawsuit seeking the unpaid amounts, and her team said remaining matters will be handled through legally established procedures. Her representatives said Yoonha would continue her music career and cautioned against reading the dispute more broadly, noting that other artists and staff under C9 are unrelated to the matter. Yoonha first signed an exclusive contract with C9 in 2012 and had been with the agency for 14 years.

Oct. 26, 2026

Kang Dong-won keeps 4-month-old promise, sends wedding flowers to fan

Actor Kang Dong-won has drawn wide attention after honoring a promise he made to a fan at a film event four months earlier — sending a congratulatory flower arrangement to her wedding. On Sunday, a fan posted a video to Instagram with the caption: "A review of the flower arrangement promise that came true four months later. Thanks to Kang Dong-won." The clip showed footage from the June 6 stage greeting for the film "Wild Things," followed by scenes from the wedding venue four months on. At the event, the fan had attended on behalf of a "deokme" (fandom mate) who was about to get married. She held up a sketchbook showing Kang three options: "1. Send flowers 2. Send a cash gift 3. Attend in person." Kang smiled and mouthed the words "I'll send flowers." The post's author wrote that at the time, "we just thought he was picking one for fun." As Kang was leaving after the stage greeting, he approached the soon-to-be-married fan directly, offered his congratulations and took the wedding invitation she handed him. "I'll send something," he promised again. About four months later, a congratulatory flower arrangement bearing Kang's name arrived at the wedding venue. "Honestly, we had passed on the invitation so long ago that we assumed he'd naturally forgotten — we weren't really expecting anything," the author wrote. "But thanks to him, the bride was absolutely beaming. Kang Dong-won is the best." Online commenters reacted with envy and delight, with responses including "I'm literally crying from jealousy" and "She should keep that ribbon forever." Many expressed amazement that Kang had remembered a passing exchange from a brief fan event for more than four months. Kang made his debut in the 2003 MBC drama series "Wifudangdang Geunyeo" and has since appeared in films including "Temptation of Wolves," "Jeon Woo-chi," "The Secret Reunion," "The Priests," "Master" and "Broker." He released "Wild Things" in June and is set to appear in the Netflix Sageuk drama series "Hon: Samgak-ui Sigan" and a new film, "Tobeol," directed by Kwak Kyung-taek.

Oct. 26, 2026

Singer Kim Jang-hoon plans Gyeongnyeolbiyeol Islands concert, but bad weather forces postponement

"I want to share the value of our country's islands with more people" Singer Kim Jang-hoon's planned concert on the Gyeongnyeolbiyeol Islands in the West Sea — billed as the first pop music performance on the remote islets — was postponed Monday due to deteriorating weather conditions. His agency, FX Solution, said Kim had planned to perform near the lighthouse on Bukgyeongnyeolbido, the northernmost of the islets, in Taean-gun, South Chungcheong Province, but worsening weather and maritime conditions made it impossible to land on the island. Kim organized the concert to mark Dokdo Day on Sunday and to raise awareness of South Korea's western maritime territory. He had planned to perform live on Bukgyeongnyeolbido with the band Hanguksaram, with the show to be streamed live on South Chungcheong Province's YouTube channel and his own official channel. Kim plans to reschedule the concert for next month. "Just as I have worked to share the importance of Dokdo, I now want to let more people know about the value of the Gyeongnyeolbiyeol Islands and other islands of our country," he said. Seogyeongnyeolbido dubbed 'Dokdo of the West Sea' The Gyeongnyeolbiyeol Islands lie 55 kilometers west of Anheung Port in Taean and cover a total area of 514,603 square meters. The island group consists of three islets: Bukgyeongnyeolbido, Donggyeongnyeolbido and Seogyeongnyeolbido. Seogyeongnyeolbido serves as a baseline point for South Korea's western territorial waters, and its strategic and geographic significance has earned it the nickname "Dokdo of the West Sea." Bukgyeongnyeolbido is currently state-owned, while Donggyeongnyeolbido and Seogyeongnyeolbido remain in private hands. South Chungcheong Province Governor Park Soo-hyun visited the Gyeongnyeolbiyeol Islands on Oct. 10 and called for the government to purchase the two privately held islets. Park said at the time that the private ownership of the two islets had once alarmed the public when a Chinese national attempted to buy them, and that he had recommended their state purchase to the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries last July. South Chungcheong Province is conducting a basic and detailed design study for the development of a nationally managed coastal port on the Gyeongnyeolbiyeol Islands, with plans to complete the harbor development by 2030. Meanwhile, Kim — long known for his support of Dokdo — recently collaborated with Sungshin Women's University Professor Seo Gyeong-deok to produce a video documenting the stories of people who have worked to protect Dokdo. Dokdo Day commemorates Oct. 25, 1900, when Emperor Gojong explicitly designated Dokdo as a dependency of Ulleungdo in Imperial Edict No. 41 of the Korean Empire. The observance was first proposed in 2000 by Dokdosuhogdae, a civic organization dedicated to protecting Dokdo.

Oct. 26, 2026

Singer Kang Min-kyung reveals she was followed home after road splash incident

Singer Kang Min-kyung of the duo Davichi has opened up about a road rage incident from her past that left her with lasting anxiety behind the wheel. A video titled "The day she got her license a week ago, Kang Min-kyung came to me with a Porsche" was posted Sunday to the YouTube channel "Yojeong Jaehyeong." In the video, Kang helped singer Jeong Jae-hyeong, who had recently obtained his driver's license, practice driving in her Porsche, and the two discussed tense situations that can arise on the road. When Jeong pointed out a car ahead of them straddling a lane, Kang said she never gets angry while driving and never honks. "You never know when you might run into a really dangerous person," she said. "Retaliatory driving terrifies me." Her remarks stemmed from an incident she experienced around the age of 20. Kang said she had been driving through heavy rain at roughly the same speed as a car beside her when she passed over a large puddle, sending water splashing onto the other vehicle. She felt bad, thinking the other driver must have been startled, but with rain pouring down she found it difficult to apologize and continued driving. "I didn't even know there was a puddle there," she said. "I couldn't say sorry, and the person got so angry they followed me all the way to my house." She recalled circling the block repeatedly after arriving home, too afraid to get out of the car in case she was harmed. "I was 20 years old and I was so, so scared," she said. "I just kept going around and around in front of my house until they finally left." Jeong said the story was a reminder to stay cautious on the road. "You really have to be careful. Not everyone is the same," he said, adding that minor road conflicts can escalate into unexpected threats. Retaliatory driving — using a vehicle to threaten or harm another driver — can result in charges ranging from aggravated intimidation and aggravated assault to aggravated injury and aggravated property destruction, depending on the specific circumstances. Under the criminal code, aggravated intimidation carries up to seven years in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won ($7,550), while aggravated injury is punishable by one to 10 years in prison.

Oct. 26, 2026

Woman who accompanied rapper Yang Hong-won to motel liked video of his daughter

Woman says whistleblower extorted her, files criminal complaint Agency denies any intimate conduct in motel room Amid infidelity allegations surrounding rapper Yang Hong-won, an account believed to belong to the woman who accompanied him to a motel has been found to have liked a video featuring his daughter. On Sunday, screenshots circulating across multiple online communities showed a specific account liking a video of Yang's daughter, Rua Yang, drawing wide attention. The video was an approximately 19-second clip of Rua edited from an August upload on the YouTube channel "Yang Hong-won's Parenting Diary" and shared on a fan account dedicated to the Yang family. Among the accounts that liked the video was one believed to belong to Woman A, who is said to have accompanied Yang to the motel. That account has since been deactivated. Earlier, on Saturday, Woman A acknowledged accompanying Yang to the motel but denied any infidelity. "The claims made by whistleblower B differ greatly from what I experienced and remember," she said. "B demanded money and threatened me, and when I refused to pay, B went public. I have filed a criminal complaint." She said she went to the motel at B's request, following Yang, and insisted that nothing happened. "He slept on the bed and I slept on the floor — nothing happened at all," she said. She also said she had come to realize she "was used as part of a scheme planned to extort money," expressing a sense of injustice. Screenshots of a conversation with B that Woman A made public showed B saying, "Pay me 500,000 won ($377) and we're done. I'll delete all your information." When A indicated she would report the matter, B said, "I was going to keep squeezing you for 100,000 to 300,000 won at a time." B, who claimed to be an acquaintance of Yang, posted on personal social media on Friday alleging infidelity, writing: "A newlywed groom just went to a motel with a woman. Is that not wrong?" B also released footage of Yang entering a motel with another woman, along with phone call recordings and messages sent to Won Hyun-ju. Yang's agency, AP Alchemy, acknowledged the motel visit but rebuffed the infidelity claim. The agency said Yang had been drinking at B's home after a performance, and that after B asked him to leave, he was heavily intoxicated and ended up at a motel while looking for a place to sleep. "There was absolutely no intimate conduct inside the room," the agency said. "The whistleblower threatened our artist and the woman involved in an attempt to extort money, and when that failed, made a public disclosure based on false information." Yang has filed complaints against B on charges of blackmail, violation of the Stalking Punishment Act, and defamation through false statements. Yang and Won Hyun-ju registered their marriage in 2023, becoming a legally married couple, and welcomed a daughter in November 2024. The couple has run the YouTube channel "Yang Hong-won's Parenting Diary" since May, sharing their daily life with their daughter. They held a wedding ceremony on Oct. 18.

Oct. 26, 2026

Ko Young-wook asks if Koreans have the right to criticize Chinese after sharing Airbnb checkout photos

Ko Young-wook, a former member of the group Rula, has weighed in on a viral comparison of Airbnb rooms after Korean and Japanese group guests checked out, sharing a news article about the photos along with pointed commentary. On Monday, Ko posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account: "And yet when people leave comments online, everyone turns into a moralist. Do Koreans even have the right to criticize Chinese people?" The article he shared included side-by-side photos of two rooms — one left strewn with food scraps and liquor bottles, the other neatly tidied. The photos were originally posted Friday on the social media platform Threads by a user identified only as A, who said they had been running an Airbnb for 10 years. A shared two photos described as a comparison of rooms after Korean and Japanese group guests had stayed. One showed leftover cake, pizza, lettuce, peppers, coffee cups and drink bottles left behind; the other showed a room with everything in order. "I won't say which side is the Korean guests," A wrote, adding: "My one small wish is that guests use the bathroom — not the bed — for their bodily needs." It was not confirmed, however, whether the experience of a soiled bed was related to the guests shown in the photos. Reactions online were mixed. Some users wrote, "Why do I feel embarrassed when no nationality was even named?" and "The shame is mine to carry," while others pushed back, saying, "Not all Koreans are like that" and "This is a hasty generalization." The debate over how much cleaning guests should do before checkout has also drawn attention abroad. According to CNN and Euronews, Airbnb updated its rules Wednesday (local time) to bar hosts from requiring guests to strip bedding, wash dishes, do laundry or take out the trash before leaving. The new policy applies to bookings made after Nov. 20. Guests are still required to leave the property in a reasonable condition, however, and may be held responsible if they damage the space or leave it so messy that excessive cleaning is needed. Ko debuted as a member of Rula in 1994. In 2013, the Supreme Court handed down a final sentence of two years and six months in prison on charges of sexually assaulting and molesting minors. He was also ordered to have his personal information made public for five years and to wear an electronic monitoring anklet for three years.

Oct. 26, 2026

Rapper Yang Hong-won hit with infidelity allegations five days after wedding; family YouTube channel disables comments

Rapper Yang Hong-won has been swept up in infidelity allegations just five days after his wedding, prompting the production team behind his family YouTube channel, "Yang Hong-won's Parenting Diary," to disable comments. On Monday, the channel's production team pinned a notice on the video of Yang and his wife Won Hyeon-ju's Oct. 18 wedding ceremony, saying it was "currently verifying the facts related to the matter" and would "temporarily restrict comments to protect those appearing in the channel while the verification is ongoing." Comments have since been disabled on all videos on the channel, including short-form clips. The channel, which has 540,000 subscribers, has featured Yang, his wife — model Won Hyeon-ju — and their daughter since May, documenting their romance, family counseling sessions and daily life raising a child. Hours before his agency released a statement on Friday, when the allegations first surfaced, Yang unfollowed Won's Instagram account. After the statement was released, Won also unfollowed Yang, and as of Sunday the two were no longer following each other. Won has not made any separate public statement about the matter. Remarks Yang made on his YouTube channel in the past have also resurfaced. While recounting a date with his wife, Yang said he disliked infidelity and described walking out of a film with her when a character was about to commit adultery, saying he told her, "Let's leave." The allegations began Friday when a person identifying themselves as an acquaintance of Yang posted on Instagram: "A newlywed groom went to a motel with a woman. Is that not wrong?" The person, identified only as A, also released a video of Yang entering a motel with another woman, along with a phone call recording and messages Yang had sent to Won. Yang's agency, AP Alchemy, acknowledged that Yang had gone to the motel with the woman but rebuffed the infidelity allegations. The agency said Yang had been drinking at the person's home after a performance, and after being asked to leave, went to the motel while heavily intoxicated to find a place to sleep. The agency said "there was absolutely no romantic conduct inside the room" and claimed the person who made the allegations had attempted to extort money by threatening Yang and the woman involved, and when that failed, made the disclosure based on false information. The woman who accompanied Yang also posted on Instagram, saying the two had been strangers before that night and that Yang had slept in the bed while she slept on the floor, with no physical contact or inappropriate conduct. Yang has filed complaints against the person who made the allegations on charges of blackmail, violation of the stalking punishment law and defamation through false statements. Yang and Won registered their marriage in 2023 and welcomed a daughter in November 2024. Yang drew criticism shortly after the wedding ceremony when he posted on Instagram: "Hyeon-ju, I love you — I still feel like I'm walking into a motel in Cheonho-dong."

Oct. 26, 2026

Lee Su-hyun apologizes after honest dessert review sparks backlash

Lee Su-hyun of K-pop duo Akdong Musician found herself apologizing after an unfair controversy erupted over comments she made about Hanjeong-seon, a dessert brand that has recently surged in popularity. Lee shared a video on her YouTube channel in which she tried Hanjeong-seon's offerings. After tasting the dessert, she gave an honest assessment: "It's good, but I'm not sure it's worth a three-hour wait. It wasn't that special." She also mentioned that she does not usually eat desserts. Some viewers characterized her remarks as a harsh pan, and a controversy followed. In response, Lee addressed the backlash Saturday in a video titled "Surprise vlog: making the princess who ate Hanjeong-seon go running," published on the YouTube channel "Meong Coach." "Everyone, Hanjeong-seon was delicious. Our fans all know I'm not really into sweets. I don't really like tteok either," she said. "Even so, it was something I wanted to try at least once." She added, "When I tried it, it was good — it just wasn't an entirely new flavor or anything like that. The staff I shared it with all really enjoyed it." She then said, "I'm upset that it came across that way. I'm sorry, Hanjeong-seon. That's not what I meant." Hanjeong-seon had drawn a similar reaction Friday, when broadcaster Joo Woo-jae featured the brand on his YouTube channel "Today's Joo Woo-jae." In the video, Joo and Jang Won-young tried Hanjeong-seon together, after which Joo said, "It's good, but I'm not sure I'd go stand in line for it. 'Delicious' and 'special' are two different things." Jang agreed, saying, "If I'm being honest, I'd have to say I agree." When the production crew revealed they had arrived early in the morning and waited three hours to buy the product, Joo quipped, "You waited three hours? I could wait three minutes." Hanjeong-seon is a brand at the center of a recent tteok craze sweeping the dessert market, with fruit-filled glutinous rice cakes as its signature item. It began selling in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, in 2023 and has since become widely known, even collaborating with convenience stores to release its own products.

Oct. 25, 2026

Actor Jin Tae-hyun speaks out amid marathon accident surge: 'Don't run sick — that's not courage'

As marathon events have proliferated across the country and accident reports have mounted, actor Jin Tae-hyun, 45, has spoken out with a pointed message for fellow runners. Jin said Sunday on his Instagram that he had withdrawn from the Gyeongju International Marathon, held Wednesday. "My throat was swollen, my nose was congested, and I was dehydrated from antibiotic side effects — my body was not in normal condition," he wrote, adding that he finished the course at a jogging pace on the half-marathon route alongside coach Yeom of Runstay, who competed with him. He said he was disappointed that four months of thorough preparation and hard training had come to nothing, but that he would get ready for the next race. He urged runners not to push through illness. "If you're sick, don't run — that's not courage," he said. "I used to think finishing a race was admirable, that giving everything to the end was the right thing to do. But marathon running is already grueling enough. Don't abuse your body on top of that." He went on to say that more important than motivation or finding meaning in a race is "a healthy body and mind that can run again next time," and closed with words of encouragement: "To all the true runners training somewhere out there today — keep it up." Jin's post has drawn wide attention because it comes amid a string of recent marathon-related accidents. At the "Seoul Run" half-marathon on Oct. 11, a woman in her 20s who was a running influencer collapsed about 500 meters from the finish line and died. Then on Wednesday, a woman in her 20s collapsed with a high fever and other symptoms at the Gyeongju International Marathon and was taken to hospital. Last August, a man in his 40s died after collapsing at the GO Daegwallyeong Trail Run, and in September 2024 another man in his 40s died after collapsing at the Chuncheon Sky Race. Also Sunday, in Chuncheon, a woman in her 40s who had just completed a full marathon drove her car onto a sidewalk and struck three pedestrians.

Oct. 25, 2026

Netflix show 'Doraibeo' to end with season 6, erasing Jo Se-ho's last regular variety gig

Netflix variety show Doraibeo will wrap up next month after its sixth season. Production company Studio++ announced Sunday on social media that the show would conclude with the 16th showing of its currently airing sixth season. "This program has been with us for five years, and the cast and crew have built up a unique story and bond together, so everyone finished the final shoot with a deep sense of regret," the company added. Studio++ said that while the show had fallen short in many ways, it had made it this far thanks to the steady support of its fans — a rare feat for a long-running variety show in today's entertainment landscape. "As always, with heartfelt gratitude, we will give our all in producing the final episode, which airs Nov. 21," it said. Doraibeo is a successor to Honggimdonjeon, a variety show that aired on KBS 2TV from 2022 to 2024 before being canceled, and relaunched on Netflix. The show has featured Kim Sook, Hong Jin-kyung, Jo Se-ho, Joo Woo-jae and Jang Woo-young. Doraibeo was also Jo's last remaining regular program. Jo announced a suspension of his broadcasting activities late last year after allegations surfaced about his ties to organized crime, and subsequently left tvN's You Quiz on the Block and KBS 2TV's 2 Days & 1 Night.

Oct. 25, 2026

tvN says nothing confirmed on 'Signal 2' amid reports of December premiere

tvN has said nothing has been confirmed about the broadcast schedule for "Signal 2," a drama series starring actor Cho Jin-woong (real name Cho Won-jun, 50), who retired after his juvenile criminal record became public. A tvN official told multiple outlets Sunday that "nothing has been confirmed regarding the scheduling of 'Signal 2' or related matters." Earlier that day, entertainment outlet My Daily reported that "Signal 2" had been slotted into tvN's Monday-Tuesday drama lineup and was set to premiere Dec. 7. The series is a sequel to "Signal," which aired in 2016 to wide acclaim. It had originally been scheduled for release in the first half of this year but was postponed indefinitely after the controversy surrounding Cho surfaced. The production team had considered editing out Cho's scenes entirely or using AI to address his involvement, but ultimately decided to keep all of his footage because the volume was too large to cut, My Daily reported. The team had also considered releasing the series without any promotion in light of the controversy, and was now weighing whether to hold a pre-recorded press showcase featuring cast members other than Cho, the report said. tvN's denial left the broadcast schedule still uncertain. The controversy began when entertainment outlet Dispatch reported on Dec. 5 last year that Cho had faced trial for robbery and rape as a high school student in 1994 and had been sent to a juvenile detention facility. Additional allegations emerged that Cho, after becoming an adult and while still an unknown actor, had been fined on assault charges for beating a fellow theater troupe member, and that his driver's license had been revoked for drunk driving during the filming of "Once Upon a Time in High School." Following the uproar, Cho announced his retirement, saying "there were things I did wrong during my time as a minor" and that he would "humbly accept all criticism and, effective today, cease all activities and put a period at the end of my path as an actor."

Oct. 25, 2026

YouTuber Kagwang denies abuse allegations, says female cast member signed contract

Kagwang, a YouTuber with about 470,000 subscribers, has denied allegations that he abused a female cast member. Claims have spread recently across online communities and social media that Kagwang and some associates subjected a vulnerable woman to humiliation and mistreatment over several months under the guise of producing content. A person identified only as A, who said they were acting as the woman's attorney, said the woman had been recovering from artificial hip replacement surgery when her crutches were broken during filming in Thailand. The attorney said she was also subjected to restricted meals, sleep deprivation and forced drinking, allegedly tied to viewer donations. A said the woman was prevented from leaving even after expressing a wish to go home, and alleged financial exploitation — including the taking of more than 10 million won ($7,550) under the pretense of broadcast appearances and viewer donations. A said they had requested emergency protection from the South Korean Embassy in Thailand to remove the woman from the situation, and planned to file complaints against those involved on charges including abuse, coercion, unlawful confinement and assault upon her return to South Korea. However, the embassy's actions and whether any complaint has been formally filed have not been independently confirmed through official investigative channels. Kagwang posted a lengthy statement Saturday saying he was "fully rebutting the current controversy," then released a video Sunday titled "A clarification regarding the controversy over the woman with an intellectual disability." He said the woman had participated in the broadcasts voluntarily, had signed a contract beforehand and had agreed to the penalty rules and revenue-sharing arrangement. He also said the woman had no history of being diagnosed with an intellectual disability, and said that he and other cast members had themselves been harmed during filming. Kagwang apologized for not being more careful about the provocative nature of the content and promised to improve, but denied the abuse allegations.

Oct. 25, 2026

Rapper Yang Hong-won sings wife's name onstage amid infidelity allegations

Rapper Yang Hong-won, embroiled in infidelity allegations shortly after his wedding, drew attention after singing a song containing his wife Won Hyun-ju's name onstage. Yang performed before a live audience Saturday at the Ska Festival at KBS Arena in Seoul. During the performance, he sang the lyrics "Come back to me, Hyun-ju" from his song "Rose," drawing attention amid the ongoing controversy over his private life. A video clip of the moment spread widely after being shared online. The allegations emerged after a claim that Yang had visited a motel with another woman just five days after his wedding ceremony. On Friday, a person identified only as A, who claimed to be an acquaintance of Yang, posted on social media alleging that Yang had gone to a motel with another woman — just five days after he married Won Hyun-ju. In response, his agency AP Alchemy acknowledged that Yang had accompanied the woman to the motel but denied the infidelity allegations. The agency said Yang had gone to the motel to sleep off heavy intoxication and that no sexual activity had taken place between him and the woman in the room. It also said the person who made the allegations had demanded money and issued threats, and that legal action had been taken. Yang and the woman he was with each filed complaints against the person who made the allegations, on charges including blackmail, violation of the Stalking Punishment Act, and defamation through false statements. As of Saturday, Won Hyun-ju's social media posts and profile photo had been deleted, and the two were no longer following each other's accounts. No confirmation has been made regarding any actual change in their relationship. Yang Hong-won and Won Hyun-ju married Oct. 18 after a long courtship. The couple welcomed a daughter in 2024 and had been sharing glimpses of their family life through their YouTube channel "Yang Hong-won's Parenting Diary."

Oct. 25, 2026

Big Mama's Lee Young-hyun turns heads with new look after 33 kg weight loss

Lee Young-hyun of the group Big Mama has shared a striking update on her appearance following a 33-kilogram weight loss. On Saturday, HO Entertainment, Lee's agency, posted several photos on its official social media account with the caption: "2026 Boeun Jujube Festival. Autumn festivals are always a joy. See you again." In the photos, Lee is dressed in an autumn-toned suit and beaming with a bright smile. Her noticeably slimmer figure drew considerable attention, with fans taking note of how much her appearance has changed since the weight loss. Lee had previously made headlines after revealing she had shed 33 kilograms. In March, she appeared on actor Song Ji-hyo's YouTube channel and spoke about the transformation herself, saying, "It's like an entire elementary school student walked out of me." She also opened up about the struggles of dieting at the time. "That damn diet was messing with my singing, and it drove me crazy," Lee said. "It's not like I'm losing weight to become an actor." She then drew laughs by revealing she had stopped dieting because the physical toll was becoming too much ahead of a performance. Meanwhile, Lee debuted with Big Mama in 2003. The group won wide affection with hit songs including "Break Away," "Geoboo" and "Yeoja," and Lee further cemented her reputation as a powerhouse vocalist through solo tracks such as "Chenyeom" and "Chenyeom Hu." Lee married in 2013 and has two daughters.

Oct. 25, 2026

'Signal 2' set for Dec. 7 premiere as Jo Jin-woong's final work

tvN drama series "Signal 2" will begin airing Dec. 7, according to reports. The show, also titled "The Second Signal," has been confirmed for a Monday-Tuesday time slot starting Dec. 7, a week later than its originally planned Nov. 30 premiere. The first two episodes will air together as a special double broadcast on Dec. 7, with one episode per week from Dec. 8 onward. "The Second Signal" had been one of the most anticipated titles marking tvN's 20th anniversary. Filming wrapped in August last year, but the broadcast was canceled in December of the same year after Jo Jin-woong's past juvenile criminal record became public. A release was briefly discussed in June but did not materialize. "Signal" is a mystery thriller in which detectives in the present and the past connect through a walkie-talkie to unravel long-unsolved cold cases. The series stars Lee Je-hoon, Kim Hye-soo and Jo Jin-woong, with a script by Kim Eun-hee and direction by Ahn Tae-jin.

Oct. 25, 2026