Entertainment
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Big Hit to host festival in Seoul to celebrate BTS' 10th debut anniversary
SEOUL -- BTS' agency will greet fans through "2023 BTS FESTA," a festival that will be held in June to celebrate the group's 10th debut anniversary. The seven-member band debuted on June 13, 2013. Big Hit, the band's agency, uploaded a promotional video of BTS FESTA on Twitter to tell fans about the annual event, which will begin on June 12. Without disclosing specific information, the agency said the 14-day festival will take place at various attractions in t
25 May 2023
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Court dismisses arrest warrant for actor Yoo Ah-in over drug use
SEOUL -- A South Korean court has dismissed an arrest warrant for Yoo Ah-in, a promising actor on charges of drug use. Prosecutors have requested the warrant on suspicion of five illegal drugs including cocaine, propofol, a powerful anesthetic, and zolpidem, a sedative primarily used for the treatment of insomnia. "It is difficult to conclude that there is apprehension for the suspect of destroying evidence or fleeing beyond the scope of his right to defend himself," Lee
25 May 2023
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BTS member J-Hope completes basic training at army boot camp
SEOUL -- BTS' main dancer J-Hope has completed his basic training at an army boot camp located in Wonju some 86.8 kilometers (53.9 miles) east of Seoul. After receiving a military occupational specialty, the 29-year-old will be assigned to his unit where he would spend the rest of his time with fellow soldiers for about 16 months and three weeks. In South Korea, all able-bodied males who are 18 and older must do their military service unless they have a valid reason for exempti
24 May 2023
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Rookie K-pop girl band Fifty Fifty tops Billboard Global Excl. US chart with dance song Cupid
SEOUL -- Rookie girl band Fifty Fifty has topped Billboard's global chart through "Cupid," a disco song released in February 2023. The four-member band is the third South Korean group to top Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart, followed by BTs and BLACKPINK. The single with relaxing vibes showcases the four members' strong feelings toward their crush. As of May 23, the music video of Cupid has garnered more than 65 million views on YouTube. Earlier this month, the g
23 May 2023
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Busan to showcase 31 countries' cultural assets on global citizens' day
SEOUL -- South Korea's southern port city of Busan will host a cultural festival where visitors can enjoy 31 countries' unique cultural assets such as traditional dances. The event will take place on "Together Day," which is a commemorative day on May 20 designed to bridge the gap between domestic and foreign residents in South Korea. Traditional dance performances will be showcased by five nations -- Japan, Kazakhstan, Tanzania, Belarus, and Ecuador. There are so
19 May 2023
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Rookie K-pop girl band Fifty Fifty gains explosive popularity through dance song Cupid
SEOUL -- Fifty Fifty, a rookie girl band, has ranked 17th on Billboard's top 100 popular song chart with "Cupid," a disco song released in February 2023. The rookie girl group has expressed their strong feelings toward their crush through the single featuring a relaxing vibe. The four-member band stepped into the spotlight after releasing the single, which has also entered the UK Singles Chart. As of May 17, its music video has garnered more than 58 million views on Y
17 May 2023
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BTS agency unveils collaboration project with AI voice synthesis tech startup
SEOUL -- BTS agency has released a digital single created by combining the voice of a human artist and artificial intelligence-based voice synthesis technology. The new single titled "Masquerade" is available in six languages -- Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Masquerade, rolled out on May 15, was produced after Lee Hyun, a member of disbanded vocal group 8Eight, sang the song in six languages. Using AI voice synthesis technology by AI startup
15 May 2023
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AI company ESTsoft showcases virtual fitness trainer for Pilates trainees
SEOUL -- South Korean artificial intelligence company ESTsoft has released a virtual fitness trainer for those who want to learn pilates and yoga at home. After analyzing users' movements, the virtual instructor helps trainees to exercise properly and give various advice on Howfit, an AI-based fitness training application. Howfit said in its Instagram post on May 12: "We are showcasing virtual human Kim Yi-so’s pilates class on Howfit!" The virtual trainer crea
12 May 2023
