Why these Korean stars had breast implants — then chose to remove them

The Korea Times - Sep 30, 2026

Three Korean celebrities are drawing renewed attention for candidly discussing their experiences with breast augmentation — and why they ultimately decided to have their implants removed. Actor Hwang Jung-eum, TV personality Hong Jin-kyung and comedian Kim Hye-sun underwent breast augmentation for different reasons, ranging from beauty trends to relationships and personal insecurities. All three later chose to remove their implants, describing physical discomfort or changes in how they viewed their bodies. Hwang, a former member of first-generation K-pop girl group Sugar who later established herself as an actor, recently opened up about her breast surgery on her YouTube channel while discussing a recent incident that drew attention to her going braless. "I don't wear one at home so often that it became a habit," Hwang said. "I can't wear anything with built-in cups because it feels too restrictive." Hwang said she wanted a larger chest when she was younger and underwent breast augmentation in 2010 without telling anyone, including her family. "Breast surgery was popular in 2010," she s

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78-year-old Piston member hospitalized while leading transport strike

Sep 30, 2026

78-year-old Piston member hospitalized while leading transport strike

MANILA, Philippines – Jeepney driver Tatay Elmer was hospitalized on the first day of the two-day nationwide transport strike led by Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston), the group said in a social media post on Sept. 29.  Tatay Elmer is currently confined at the Caloocan City Medical Center and remains

Asian journalists share firsthand accounts of war, loss, division

Sep 30, 2026

Asian journalists share firsthand accounts of war, loss, division

Journalists and other voices from across Asia are drawing attention to stories often overlooked by mainstream coverage, sharing firsthand accounts of war, division and migration at a book talk in Seoul. The event, held Tuesday at the Korea Press Center in Seoul’s Jung District, centered on Korean journalist Lee Sang-ki’s new book, "Why Asia Again? Journalist Lee Sang-ki Asks, Asia Answers." The author began his journalism career in 1988, founded the Asia Journalists Association (AJA) in 2004 and launched the news outlet The AsiaN in 2011 to convey perspectives from across the continent through an Asian lens. In his book, which covers roughly 50 Asian countries, Lee said the COVID-19 pandemic made him feel the existing world order was giving way to a new era, prompting him to take a fresh look at Asia. "Much of the news from Asia is not properly reported and many people are not interested," Lee said, adding that even when it is reported, coverage is often one-sided. The author introduced AJA journalists who are still reporting from the ground across Asia. "One journalist in Lebanon is a

Korean American artist Christine Sun Kim named MacArthur Fellow

Sep 30, 2026

Korean American artist Christine Sun Kim named MacArthur Fellow

Korean American artist Christine Sun Kim, known for her visual and sound works, has been named a recipient of the prestigious MacArthur Fellowships, dubbed the genius grants, the MacArthur Foundation said. Kim was one of the 20 individuals selected to receive the $800,000 no-strings-attached grants given to individuals who have shown exceptional creativity and potential, according to the foundation Tuesday (U.S. time). "She engages with the complexities deaf people experience in a world that prioritizes sound and spoken forms of communication. ... Kim's work powerfully conveys the experiences of deaf people and opens up new ways of understanding sound and hearing," the foundation said. Born in California and currently based in Berlin, Kim has long explored the themes of sound, language and communication through her works across drawings, performances, videos and installations. Last year, she ranked No. 34 on British contemporary art publication ArtReview's "Power 100" list and recently made the Innovators list on U.S. weekly Time's "Time 100 Art" list. Kim's work "Have Many Dumb Fights Ag

Seoul takes Arisu tap water campaign to Han River banks

Sep 30, 2026

Seoul takes Arisu tap water campaign to Han River banks

Arisu, Seoul’s municipal tap water brand, is returning to the banks of the Han River for an autumn pop-up event designed to pair nighttime picnic culture with outdoor games, drinks, and illuminated city vistas. The “Beautiful Arisu” pop-up will begin Friday and run through Oct. 11 at Yeouido Hangang Park’s event plaza, operating from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The second pop-up follows its first edition in June, which drew 7,410 visitors, with 93.4 percent of survey respondents reporting a more positive perception of Arisu, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The new event is organized around an “autumn night picnic” theme and is intended to give office workers, evening walkers and other visitors more ways to spend time along the river after sunset. The pop-up features 10 areas, including game, cafe, healing and photo zones, along with information, video, DIY, promotional and voting areas and a Haechi art balloon. Visitors can play Arisu-themed games, while the cafe will offer coffee, corn silk tea and zero-sugar grapefruit drinks mad

Seoul unveils name display honoring missing US service members of Korean War

Sep 30, 2026

Seoul unveils name display honoring missing US service members of Korean War

A video listing the names of more than 7,400 U.S. service members from the 1950-53 Korean War who are still missing will be shown throughout October at the Garden of Gratitude, a Korean War memorial in Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday. The video will play on a media wall in Freedom Hall, the memorial's underground exhibition space, to mark Armed Forces Day on Oct. 1 and United Nations Day on Oct. 24. The list was provided by a support group for families of missing U.S. troops, which handles the lists received from the U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. A separate space in the hall continues to display the names of those killed in the war. The memorial, which honors the countries that fought for or supported Korea during the war, drew more than 100,000 visitors in August. From Sept. 1 to 27, the above-ground "Light of Gratitude 23" light sculptures and Freedom Hall drew an average of 4,393 visitors a day, according to the city. The sculptures were lit in yellow on Monday to mark the anniversary of the recapture of Seoul, when Korea

Forest trails at 9 Joseon Dynasty royal tombs open for autumn walks

Sep 30, 2026

Forest trails at 9 Joseon Dynasty royal tombs open for autumn walks

Forest trails at nine royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty will open to the public beginning Thursday, giving visitors a chance to walk among autumn foliage at the UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Korea Heritage Service said Wednesday. The Joseon Dynasty ruled Korea from 1392 to 1910. Forty of its royal tombs, located in Seoul and nearby areas, were collectively inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2009. Much of the woodland surrounding the tombs is normally closed to visitors to protect the sites. The nine trails cover a combined 19.04 kilometers (11.8 miles). They are located at Donggureung in Guri; Gwangneung and Sareung in Namyangju; Taereung and Gangneung, and Uireung, in Seoul; Yungneung and Geolleung in Hwaseong; Jangneung and Samneung in Paju; and Yeongneung and Nyeongneung in Yeoju. Apart from the two Seoul sites, all are in Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds the capital. The longest route, at about 3.7 kilometers, links the Yungneung and Geolleung tombs in Hwaseong. Other highlights include a 2.7-kilometer route at Donggureung, the largest cluster of Joseon royal tombs,

BTS' RM donates $70,000 to National Museum of Korea for artifact acquisition

Sep 30, 2026

BTS' RM donates $70,000 to National Museum of Korea for artifact acquisition

BTS leader RM has donated 100 million won ($70,000) to support acquisitions at the National Museum of Korea, extending his long-standing patronage of Korean art and culture. The museum said Wednesday that RM, whose legal name is Kim Nam-joon, made the contribution on Tuesday through the National Museum of Korea Foundation. The funds will be used to acquire objects for the museum’s collection. Appointed as the museum’s global ambassador in June, RM said he was pleased to offer support in the role. “I am happy to be able to support the museum as its global ambassador,” RM said. “I will continue to work with the museum to promote it and our culture.” The museum said it expects RM’s continued support of the arts and culture to draw greater public interest in Korea’s cultural heritage and museums, adding that it will respond with stronger exhibitions and programs. Known as an avid art lover and collector, RM has supported cultural institutions and built a collection focused largely on Korean modern and contemporary art. His collection will take center stage in San Francisco this

BTS' RM to feature personal art collection at SFMOMA

Sep 30, 2026

BTS' RM to feature personal art collection at SFMOMA

K-pop boy band BTS' leader RM will share about 140 works from his personal art collection at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) in an exhibition opening Oct. 3. “RM x SFMOMA: Between You and Me,” which will run through Feb. 7, 2027, marks the first museum exhibition of RM’s personal collection and SFMOMA’s first collaboration with a K-pop artist. The exhibition will bring together approximately 180 works selected by RM and the museum, including pieces from his collection and SFMOMA’s holdings. Most of the works collected by RM will be shown in the United States for the first time. “This is the first time I am sharing my collection under my own name. I think few things reveal a person as honestly as a collection they have built over a long period. In that sense, this exhibition will be quite a long self-introduction,” RM said through his agency, BigHit Music. “My collection includes many works by modern and contemporary Korean artists. Some of their names may still be unfamiliar outside Korea. I have collected with the hope of contributing a slightly better pe

Seoul's autumn garden festival bring 51 new displays to Maeheon Citizens' Forest

Sep 30, 2026

Seoul's autumn garden festival bring 51 new displays to Maeheon Citizens' Forest

Seoul’s international garden festival is moving deeper into the city this fall, bringing 51 new gardens, outdoor performances and wellness programs to Maeheon Citizens' Forest in southern Seoul. The 2026 Seoul International Garden Festival, which began at Seoul Forest in May, will expand to Maeheon Citizens' Forest in Seocho District from Thursday through Oct. 27, while the Seoul Forest exhibition continues. The festival marks the 40th anniversary of Maeheon Citizens' Forest with gardens created by 367 local gardeners, along with competition entries and gardens sponsored by companies and institutions. The 51 gardens include 14 competition gardens — four by professional designers, five by local citizens and five by students — as well as 31 gardens involving local hobby gardeners and six company gardens. An opening ceremony will be held Thursday at 5 p.m. at the Forest Stage, with performances and awards for garden competition participants. Visitors can join docent-led tours three times daily, with gardeners sharing stories behind their designs. The festival will also offer 128 activit

Seoul to hold AI robot show highlights utility, entertainment possibilities

Sep 30, 2026

Seoul to hold AI robot show highlights utility, entertainment possibilities

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will hold the 2026 Seoul AI Robot Show at COEX in southern Seoul from Tuesday to Oct. 8, featuring humanoid robots, robot sports and wearable robots visitors can try on. The show, now in its second year and themed around "Robots in everyday life," is part of Smart Life Week 2026, the city's annual smart city exhibition held during the same period. A total of 51 companies will take part, including Hyundai Motor and Kia's Robotics LAB, LG CNS and Doosan Robotics, along with startups specializing in physical artificial intelligence (AI), which refers to AI that can operate in the physical world through machines such as robots. The exhibition hall will be divided into four zones. In the corporate zone, Hyundai Motor and Kia's Robotics LAB will showcase MobED, a small mobility platform, and X-ble Shoulder, a wearable a wearable robot that assists humans in lifting heavy objects. Doosan Robotics will present robots for food and beverage services. Another 26 startups will show robots ranging from four-legged models and medical robots. A second zone will featur

Supreme Court junks petitions vs adjusted impeachment voting threshold

Sep 30, 2026

Supreme Court junks petitions vs adjusted impeachment voting threshold

The High Court dismisses the petitions due to technicalities

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