INQUIRER.net leads PH news websites in first 9 months of 2026  — Similarweb

Inquirer.net - Oct 26, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — INQUIRER.net remained the most visited Philippine news website in the first nine months of 2026, recording 76.87 million visits from January to September, according to data from web traffic analytics firm Similarweb. The data showed that INQUIRER.net maintained its lead over other major local news websites, including GMA Network, ABS-CBN, Philstar Online

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Korea, US kick off combined air drills this week

Oct 26, 2026

Korea, US kick off combined air drills this week

Korea and the United States kicked off their combined air drills this week, focusing on counter-air and air interdiction missions aimed at enhancing wartime joint operations, the Air Force said Monday. The Freedom Flag exercise began Monday for a two-week run at Kunsan Air Base in Gunsan, about 180 kilometers southwest of Seoul, involving the allies' key aerial assets, including the Korean Air Force's F-15K, KF-16 and F-35A fighter jets, the armed force said in a release. The KC-330 transport aircraft and E-737 Peace Eye early warning and control aircraft will also be deployed for the exercise. The U.S. Air Force's F-16 Fighting Falcon jet, RC-135 reconnaissance plane and its Navy's MH-60S Seahawk helicopter, as well as the F-35B stealth fighter jet and the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned surveillance aircraft of the U.S. Marines Corps will also participate in the drills. The air forces will operate day and nighttime "mission planning cells" to exchange tactics and expertise, while refining wartime operational and mission execution procedures, the Air Force said. The missions are designed to enhance

Presidential special inspector vows political neutrality, independence

Oct 26, 2026

Presidential special inspector vows political neutrality, independence

The new presidential special inspector, Choi Kil-su, on Monday pledged to uphold political neutrality and professional independence as he began his duties inspecting irregularities involving the president's spouse and close relatives. Choi made the remarks to reporters at his office in central Seoul, following President Lee Jae Myung's formal appointment of him Friday to the post tasked with inspecting corruption allegations involving the president's family and close relatives, as well as senior presidential aides. He is the first presidential special inspector appointed since late 2016, following the post's creation in 2014. "I will uphold political neutrality and independence in carrying out my duties to the end," Choi told reporters, adding he feels a heavy responsibility and will work to meet the public's expectations. Choi also pledged rigorous inspections, saying he plans to serve as a "panopticon," a circular prison design that allows inmates to be constantly monitored. "Inspections are not something for which you have to wait, like the filings of complaints or lawsuits, but (basic

Special counsel to inspect 2.5 mil. ballots in local elections shortage probe

Oct 26, 2026

Special counsel to inspect 2.5 mil. ballots in local elections shortage probe

A special counsel team said Monday it plans to examine about 2.5 million ballots at a vote counting center this week as part of its probe into ballot shortages during the June 3 local elections. Special counsel Lee Tae-han's team will carry out the examination Wednesday at the Olympic Park Handball Gymnasium, which served as a vote counting center during the local elections marred by the shortages. The team plans to verify the 2.47 million ballots and other equipment at the site to check for irregularities, such as possible forgery, in the presence of observers chosen by the National Assembly, lawmakers and journalists. The team said the examination will not serve as a recount of the votes, which takes place when there is an objection to election results. "By thoroughly investigating various suspicions in this examination, we will do our best to resolve the public's skepticism on the fairness and management of public elections," the team said. Lee's team was launched last month to investigate the shortages that sparked a major public outcry after some voters were forced to turn back witho

Lee's approval rating falls to 35.3% after rebound: poll

Oct 26, 2026

Lee's approval rating falls to 35.3% after rebound: poll

President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating fell to 35.3 percent after rebounding the previous week, a poll showed Monday. In the poll conducted on 2,517 adults nationwide from last Monday to Friday by Realmeter, positive assessments of Lee's job performance fell 2 percentage points from the previous week. Lee's disapproval rating stood at 62.3 percent, up 1.9 percentage points from the previous week. Realmeter attributed the decline to growing concerns over the housing market and the economy, including the recent stock market plunge. The pollster also cited North Korea's threat to resume loudspeaker broadcasts toward the South and controversy over whether the chief of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency should attend Cabinet meetings. In a separate survey of 1,003 adults conducted between Thursday and Friday, support for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea fell 0.2 percentage point to 36 percent, while that of the main opposition People Power Party rose 1.7 percentage points to 42.6 percent. The survey on the president had a margin of error of 2 percentage points at a 95 percent confide

Itaewon's Lit Lounge shines beacon through dark times over 4 years

Oct 26, 2026

Itaewon's Lit Lounge shines beacon through dark times over 4 years

Lit Lounge opened the doors of its Itaewon location just about four years ago in late October 2022. Following a soft opening on Oct. 27 and 28, its grand opening was held on Saturday, Oct. 29, a day that would go down in infamy, after 159 people died in a crowd disaster in a narrow alley a little less than 400 meters away. "Lit Lounge's early existence was shaped by one of the most devastating tragedies in recent Korean history: The Itaewon Halloween crowd crush," said Jason Waller, owner of Lit Lounge. "For many of us operating businesses in Itaewon, the aftermath of this tragedy was even more devastating than the COVID-19 pandemic." It would have been understandable, maybe even advisable, if he just quit. But Waller, also known as Pinnacle TheHustler, decided to keep going. "I think the biggest reason I refused to close Lit Lounge was because I didn't want to look in the mirror and see someone who had given up. But for me, as long as I still believed in what I was building and I could still see a path forward, I wasn't ready to quit," he said. "And now, Lit Lounge, which started in 202

Yun Dong-ju, Kim Nam-jo receive Korea's highest cultural honor

Oct 26, 2026

Yun Dong-ju, Kim Nam-jo receive Korea's highest cultural honor

Two of Korea’s most celebrated poets received the country’s highest cultural honor on Monday, as the government recognized 36 artists and cultural figures for their contributions to literature, the performing arts and other creative fields. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said earlier in the day that poets Yun Dong-ju and Kim Nam-jo would be posthumously awarded the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit, the highest grade of the government’s cultural honors. An awards ceremony was held at Modu Art Theater in Seoul’s Seodaemun District, with 17 people receiving Cultural Merit Orders, six receiving the Korea Culture and Arts Award, eight receiving the Young Artist of Today Award and five receiving the Distinguished Parents of Artists Award. Yun, a leading Korean poet during the Japanese colonial rule, left behind works that expressed national suffering and resistance through lyrical language and personal reflection. Kim devoted more than seven decades to writing poetry and essays, producing more than 1,000 poems and contributing to the development of modern Korean literature

Seoul's 25 districts to showcase local culture at Gwanghwamun Square expo

Oct 26, 2026

Seoul's 25 districts to showcase local culture at Gwanghwamun Square expo

Local cultural centers from all of Seoul’s 25 districts will gather in Gwanghwamun Square on Wednesday to showcase their traditions and community arts, the city government said. The 2026 Seoul Cultural Center Expo, now in its 10th year, will run from noon to 5:30 p.m. under the theme “Seoul, United Through Culture.” It is organized by the Seoul association of local cultural centers and sponsored by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Korea’s local cultural centers are community institutions in each district that research and preserve local history and culture and run arts programs for residents. The expo will feature a performance stage, exhibition and hands-on booths, and a traditional games zone. On the main stage, each center will present a signature performance, ranging from gugak, or traditional Korean music, and Korean dance to pungmul, a folk percussion genre, as well as choirs, saxophone and acoustic guitar. Two grand prize winners from this year’s citywide dance and gugak competition will give special performances. The Eunpyeong Cultural Center will perform a gyobang gu

Seoul to light up Han River with 2,000-drone Marvel show on Halloween

Oct 26, 2026

Seoul to light up Han River with 2,000-drone Marvel show on Halloween

Seoul will hold its final drone light show of the year over the Han River on Saturday with a Marvel theme. A record 2,000 drones will be used, the city government said. The 15-minute show, titled “Marvel Special,” will begin at 8:30 p.m. at Ttukseom Hangang Park in eastern Seoul. Drones will recreate Iron Man and other Marvel characters, as well as iconic scenes from the films, set to music. The city launched the drone shows in 2023 as part of its push to make the Han River a nighttime attraction. The effort supports its tourism goals of drawing 30 million foreign visitors a year, raising per-person spending to 3 million won ($2,100), extending average stays to seven days and achieving a 70 percent revisit rate. The seven shows held so far this year through Oct. 9 drew about 197,000 people. That is an average of about 28,000 per show, more than 2.5 times the 2023 average of 11,000. Foreign nationals made up 34.6 percent of the 125,358 viewers at the five shows in the first half. On show days, card spending at nearby businesses rose 39 percent, while spending by foreign nationals jum

What kind of rice cake makes people wait 3 hours — and a Korean singer apologize?

Oct 26, 2026

What kind of rice cake makes people wait 3 hours — and a Korean singer apologize?

AKMU's Lee Su-hyun has apologized after her candid take on a viral Korean rice cake — one people reportedly wait as long as three hours to buy — sparked an unexpected online debate. Lee revisited the controversy in a video uploaded Saturday to the YouTube channel Meong Coach, explaining that she never meant to say the much-hyped Hanjungsun rice cake tasted bad. "Hanjungsun was delicious," Lee said. "My fans all know this, but I don't really like sweet foods to begin with. I don't particularly like rice cakes either, but I was so curious that I tried it." The dessert had caught Lee's attention amid its recent online popularity and the long lines surrounding it. "When I actually tried it, it was good, but it wasn't some incredible, completely new flavor that had never existed before," she said. "That's why I said what I did. The staff members I shared it with all thought it was really delicious." Lee then offered an apology to Hanjungsun, saying her earlier comments had been misunderstood. "I'm sorry, Hanjungsun," she said. "That's absolutely not what I meant." The controversy began with

Seoul's Daehangno theater district to host 3-day car-free street festival

Oct 26, 2026

Seoul's Daehangno theater district to host 3-day car-free street festival

Jongno District in central Seoul will hold a three-day cultural festival from Thursday to Saturday in Daehangno, the city’s main performing arts district, part of which will be closed to cars. Daehangno is home to more than 100 small theaters. The district office said it is working with local artists, merchants and students to fill Marronnier Park and the main road between Exits 1 and 2 of Hyehwa Station with performances, exhibitions, hands-on activities and markets. The park’s outdoor stage will host events on all three days. A fashion show featuring foreign and senior models, a singing contest and a musical gala concert will open the festival on Thursday. A Zumba dance festival will follow on Friday. Saturday’s lineup includes a dance contest and a K-pop “random play dance,” in which participants jump in to dance whenever a song they know is played. The lineup also features a stage play. An opening parade on Friday at 2 p.m. will feature a marching band from the elementary school affiliated with Seoul National University’s College of Education. The band will march from Hye

Seoul to host first pet culture festival at Oil Tank Culture Park

Oct 26, 2026

Seoul to host first pet culture festival at Oil Tank Culture Park

Seoul will hold its first festival celebrating life with companion animals on Saturday at Oil Tank Culture Park, a former oil depot in western Seoul converted into a cultural space, the city government said Monday. The festival, 2026 Seoul Daengnyang Days, is subtitled “A Day with Companions.” It is open to both pet owners and non-pet owners. “Daengnyang” is Korean slang combining words for dogs and cats. The main stage will open with a “dog dance” performance, in which people and dogs move together to music. It will be followed by a fashion show in which owners and their pets, selected through an open call, walk the runway as a team. Short videos from the Seoul Animal Love 60-Second Film Festival, a citizen contest of one-minute clips about life with animals, will be shown on a large screen. Entertainer HaHa and Kim Na-young will join other singer-songwriters for a concert. At 5 p.m., popera group Victoria will present a concert combining music and film. From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., the 2023 Korean film “My Heart Puppy” will be screened outdoors. Beforehand, organizers will sh

Expanding horizons of K-culture through live performances

Oct 26, 2026

Expanding horizons of K-culture through live performances

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) is implementing a promotional campaign, “Korea In Motion,” to position domestic stage performances as a primary attraction for overseas visitors. Organized in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Performing Arts and Tourism Association, the initiative runs through Nov. 30. KTO aims to diversify Korea’s tourism appeal beyond traditional shopping and historic sightseeing by integrating live theater, smart translation technology and interactive audience programs. Throughout the campaign period, the KTO is collaborating with leading online travel agencies across key target markets, including China, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and the United States, to offer tailored showcase packages. The featured lineup highlights world-renowned nonverbal productions that cross language boundaries through rhythm, sound and movement. For narrative-driven plays and musicals, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered smart subtitle glasses are available to help overseas visitors follow complex storylines without missing a beat.

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