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Hallyu boom triggers bureaucratic turf war

Ministries vie for dominant role as K-pop leaps borders The hallyu, or the Korean wave, its market grew tenfold last year, compared with a decade ago. According to industry experts, the K-pop craze, which is contagious among young people in Asia, Europe and Latin America, is a key driver for…

Korea, Philippines agree to prevent illegally-brokered marriages

The government will offer language and other educational programs to Filipino women tying the knot with Korean men prior to their arrival here, to help them adapt to their new life in Korea. This is part of an agreement between the two countries to stem “problematic” marriages between Korean men…

Business

Japan presence affects agencies’ shares

K-pop entertainment agencies see their fortune greatly affected by the success of their bands in Japan. Clockwise from top left are male band Big Bang, girl group Girls’ Generation and duo TVXQ. K-pop boy band TVXQ is on an 11-city, 26-concert tour in Japan that started February and runs through…

IT-Science

Television becoming interactive

A model watches a smart TV from Samsung Electronics at a product launch ceremony held in New York last Tuesday. The introduction of smart TVs and other devices is making television an increasingly social medium. For a long time, television has been regarded as a one-way medium, with viewers passively…

East Asia

CPPCC Annual Session Concludes

Members of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) sing the national anthem during the closing meeting of the Fifth Session of the 11th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 13, 2012. <Photo: Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng>…

East Asia