Busan city takes special measures ahead of BTS concert after President Lee Jaemyung criticizes 'overcharging'

 

SOURCE: 李대통령 "악질" 퍼붓자…부산시, BTS 공연 앞두고 특단 조치

On the 17th, Busan City announced they would launch 'Overcharging QR Reporting System' to prevent harm to tourists during BTS' concerts scheduled for June 12 to 13. Domestic and international tourists can scan the QR code to report overcharging and the report will be forwarded through the Korea Tourism Organization to the relevant local governments and authorities. 

The city has distributed QR reporting stickers and posters on accommodations and posted informational banners on its official website. In addition, the city plans to form a joint inspection teams with district office and begin on-site inspections on accommodations that receive complaints starting next week. If overcharging or violation of reservation conditions are found, they will be reflected int he hotel's official ratings. 

The city also plans to hold a 'Tourism Readiness Inspection Meeting' with related agencies soon to discuss further measures against overcharging in accommodation rates. 

Once the venue is announced, the city will also provide guidance on areas with high concentrations of accommodations that have good public transport access in order to disperse the surge in booking demand. 

The city appears to be taking a more proactive stance following direct criticism and calls for strict action from President Lee Jaemyung on the pervious day. On the 16th, President Lee shared a report on X stating that accommodation prices skyrocketing up to 10 times the normal rate due to BTS' concert, saying "Malicious exploitation that destroys market order and causes major harm to everyone must be rooted out."

He further emphasized, "If overcharging is detected, measures must be taken so that the losses is far greater than the unfairly gained profit." Previously, President Lee had addressed this issue at a cabinet meeting in September, stating that overcharging undermines domestic tourism and instructed officials to 'move beyond administrative guidance and establish systems of fines and penalties.'

Busan Mayor Park Hyungjoon stated, "We will proactively block accommodations that overcharge through the QR reporting system and on-site inspections. We will mobilize all available administrative resources to support the success of BTS' concert."

1. [+2,352][-12] If local governments only start acting after the President calls them out, then they should just scrap local autonomy altogether.

2. [+2,27][-116] Does the Mayor of Busan seriously not see the problem here? Sigh...

3. [+1,945][-103] What exactly is Park Hyungjoon even doing?

Continue reading Busan city takes special measures ahead of BTS concert after President Lee Jaemyung criticizes 'overcharging'

Top #1 student chose becoming an idol over a Foreign Language High School ... TripleS' Park Sohyun: "If I don't become #1, I'm not gonna do it at all"

SOURCE: 전교 1등 우등생, 외고 대신 아이돌 택했다…트리플에스 박소현 "1등 아니면 안 해" [인터뷰①]

A top student who always ranked first in her school and served as the student council's vice president chose the path of an idol. This is the story of Park Sohyun from the 24-member girl group, tripleS.

Recently, we met Park Sohyun at Modhaus office in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

Although it hasn't been long since her comeback promotions ended, Park Sohyun is spending her days busily, juggling between songwriting and other activities. She was just as diligent during her school years. She shared, "When I was in school, I mainly took on roles like the vice president of student council. In middle school, I ranked first in my entire school."

Because she was such an outstanding student, her parents hoped she would enroll in a Foreign Language High School rather than dreaming of becoming an idol or focusing on dance practice. Park Sohyun shared, "I attended an English academy and prepared to enroll to a foreign language high school, but it just didn't suit me. I didn't feel like it was something that I wanted to do."

Park Sohyun made a quick decision. She said, "I told my parents, 'I don't think I'll be happy even if I go to a foreign language high school. I'm going to do what I want to do.'" She continued, "I'm not the type of person who does things halfway. So, from that point on, I completely let go of my studies." She added, "I had pride. I was stubborn. I thought, 'If I'm gonna do this, I have to be #1. Otherwise, I won't do it at all.' Now that I think of it, I shouldn't have given up on my studies entirely. But I believe that decision is what brought me here today."

Meanwhile, tripleS recently promoted as new dimension, msnz. The members were divided into 4 units, Moon, Sun, Neptune, and Zenith, each showing different charms. Their new album 'Beyond Beauty' surpassed 360,000 copies in the first week of release. After finishing their comeback promotions, tripleS is currently expanding their activities to Japan and continues to promote actively there.

Continue reading Top #1 student chose becoming an idol over a Foreign Language High School ... TripleS' Park Sohyun: "If I don't become #1, I'm not gonna do it at all"

Han Sohee: "Removing tattoos is really painful ... It became a disadvantage, removing them for work is the right choice"

SOURCE: 한소희 "타투 지우기 정말 아파…일을 위해선 맞아, 손해같더라"[인터뷰②]

 

Han Sohee shared these thoughts during an interview on the afternoon of the 16th, ahead of the release of her movie, 'Project Y.'

Known for her beauty and unique fashion sense, Han Sohee has also been widely recognized as an actress who enjoyed tattoos. However, she has been consistently removing them as she builds a different image. 

She repeatedly saying, "It's really painful.' She added, "I still have some tattoos left. I only got them in places that wouldn't interfere too much with my projects."

She continued, "Technology has improved so much these days. There are so many options, like tattoo stickers and other things. I just use those instead.I don't feel burdened by the attention on my fashion or tattoos. I've always dressed this way, and I think a lot of people like my personal style. Of course, I should show different sides of myself, but I don't obsess over things like, 'What should I wear tomorrow?'"

Regarding her reason for removing her tattoos, she explained, "As an actress, I can't wear dresses. There needs to be diversity in the roles that I take. As you know, I had tattoos on my arms. Considering the wide variety of outfits I have to wear and the different moods that I need to express, I felt that (the tattoos) were a disadvantage."

She further explained, "I think that's why I decided to remove them. I figured I can always get them again later if I want. So for now, it was right to remove them for the sake of my work."

'Project Y' tells the story of Misun (Han Sohee) and Dokyung (Jeon Jongseo), who live in the heart of a glamorous city while dreaming of different futures. They both end up stealing black money and gold bars when pushed to the edge of their lives.

1. [+203][-19] It's not like henna doesn't exist. I honestly don't get why grown-ups with fully formed brains get tattoos. Seriously, kids, please just do henna. Don't get tattoos. They bring literally zero benefit to your life. If you really want to get one, just use henna instead.

2. [+105][-6] Tattoo is a sign of a cheap life.

3. [+101][-4] I heard tattoos can be addictive. You have such a beautiful skin, don't scribble all over it. If you really want to get one, please just use the sticker ones. As people get older, their actions and words reflect on their faces more than their natural looks do. You have to manage yourself well to maintain a healthy body. You may have come from a difficult background, but since you’ve become an actress like this, I hope you last long not just as a star, but as a truly good actress.

Continue reading Han Sohee: "Removing tattoos is really painful ... It became a disadvantage, removing them for work is the right choice"

Major universities in Seoul reject 99% applicants with school violence records

SOURCE: [단독] 서울 주요 대학들, 학폭 가해자 99% 탈락시켰다

It has been confirmed that 75% of applicants with records of school violence who applied to universities through the early admissions were rejected. Among those who applied to major universities in Seoul, 99% were rejected. 

According to data obtained on the 16th, a total of 3,273 applicants with records of school violence applied to 170 four-year universities nationwide and received point deductions during the admission process. Among them, 2,460 (75%) were ultimately rejected. This means that three out of four applicants with records of school violence failed the application. 

Almost none of the major universities in Seoul accepted applicants with records of school violence. Across 11 major universities in Seoul (Seoul National University, Yonsei University, Korea University, Sogang University, Sungkyunkwan University, Hanyang University, Ewha Womans University, Chung-Ang University, Kyunghee University, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, and the University of Seoul), 151 applicants received point deductions due to records of school violence. Of those, 150 (99%) were ultimately rejected, making it nearly impossible for applicant with records of school violence to enter top university in Seoul. 

By university, Yonsei University and Korea University deducted points from 5 and 12 applicants respectively during the admission process, and rejected al of them. Sogang University and Sungkyunkwan University (3 each), Hanyang University (7), Ewha Womans University (1), Chung-Ang University (32), Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (14), and the University of Seoul (12) also rejected every single applicant who received point deductions for having school violence records. Kyunghee University rejected 61 out of 62 applicants with such records. Meanwhile, Seoul National University reported zero applicants with school violence records in this early admissions process. 

Following Ministry of Education guidelines, universities are now required to reflect school violence records as a penalty factor in all early admissions process. While the degree of deduction varies by university, the higher the disciplinary action level means the greater the point deductions. Many universities have outright banned students with such records from applying. For students with multiple disciplinary actions, most universities apply the penalty based on the highest level of offense. 

University officials explain that because admission is often decided by a margin of only one or two points, it is extremely difficult for applicants with school violence records to gain admission to their desired universities, regardless of the disciplinary level. 

With the regular admission process currently underway, the number of rejected applicants with school violence records is expected to rise. As with the early admission process, regular admission process also required to apply point deductions for such records.

1. [+100][-2] That's called karma. Please do screenings on workplaces too. 

2. [+111][-1] Well done. 

3. [+97][-1] Which university accepted the remaining 1%?... That university has no reason to exist. 

Continue reading Major universities in Seoul reject 99% applicants with school violence records

Actress who married despite an affair rumor ... "7 months married, still living in tents instead of newlywed home"

SOURCE: 불륜설 딛고 결혼한 여배우 "7개월째 신혼집 없이 텐트 생활중"

Actress Choi Yeojin revealed that she has been living without a permanent newlywed home even 7 months into her marriage, as their house is still under construction. 

On the episode of KBS1' 'AM Plaza' that aired on the 16th, Choi Yeojin made a guest appearance alongside Jo Hyeryun. She shared an update, saying, "The only thing missing from my filmography is theater. So, I'm taking on the challenge. I wanted to do something with strong artistic value, so I chose 'Educating Rita.'"

Choi Yeojin is a newlywed who married Kim Jaewook, a sports businessman 7 years older than her, last June. 

As romanting photos of her wedding on a boat were revealed, she said, "We held our wedding on a boat on the Bukhan River. It was unusual in South Korea. That was the first wedding in the country to be held on an electric boat. Jo Hyeryun even sang 'Anakana' as the congratulatory song."

Regarding her married life, she said, "I'm happy because we're newlyweds. It feels like we're always traveling. Since our house is under construction right now, I often joke and say that we're 'homeless.' We live in a caravan and tent, but we enjoy it. It feels like we're going on a trip every day."

Previously, Choi Yeojin was under fire over rumors of affair after announcing her marriage to her husband, who was a divorcee. This was because back in 2020, when she guested on tvN's 'On & Off,' her now-husband appeared with his ex-wife as part of Choi Yeojin's so-called 'Gapyeong family.' Later, she addressed the allegations on SBS' 'Same Bed, Different Dreams 2.'

Choi Yeojin explained, "We met after he got divorced. We didn't do anything that could cause a misunderstanding. I expected people to say things like this. I thought I'd be able to handle misunderstandings, but hearing it in person was actually upsetting. I feel most sorry to him and his ex-wife."

The husband's ex-wife even stepped forward at the time to clarify, "They met after we got divorced. Why are people talking so much? I'm the witness. I'm rooting for them. Honestly, she suits him better than I do. Let me know once you set the wedding date."

Choi Yeojin debuted in 2001 through the SBS Supermodel Contest and expanded her career as an actress with the 2004 drama 'I'm Sorry, I Love You.' After marrying Kim Jaewook, she gained attention by revealing the details of their journey on 'Same Bed, Different Dreams 2.'

1. [+366][-26] When you two wore matching couple items on TV, your husband was still legally married.

2. [+328][-4] She chose this upon herself.

3. [+268][-6] Yes, please just live quietly and happily for a long, long time. You've received more than enough attention at your wedding.

Continue reading Actress who married despite an affair rumor ... "7 months married, still living in tents instead of newlywed home"

Police rule Nana's actions as 'self-defense,' decide not to forward charges against her during home invasion

SOURCE: 경찰, 나나 자택 침입 강도 '정당방위' 불송치

Police have recognized Nana as having acted in legitimate self-defense and decided not to forward the case for prosecution. 

On the 16th, the Guri Police Station in Gyeonggi Province announced that they had concluded the investigation into Nana, who was booked on charges of attempted murder and aggravated injury, finding her innocent. The police determined that Nana's actions were considered as self-defense to protect herself and her family. 

The case began when A, a man in his 30s who had already been arrested and sent to prosecutors on charges of robbery, filed a complaint from a detention center last December. He claimed that he had been injured by Nana with a weapon. As part of standard procedure for filed complaints, police booked Nana as a suspect and conducted an investigation. 

The incident occurred on November 15 last year at 6 AM (KST). A allegedly used a ladder to break into the balcony of Nana's home in Acheon-dong, Guri. He then discovered Nana's mother in the living room, assaulted by strangling her, and demanded money. 

Nana, awakened by her mother's screams, engaged in a physical struggle with A to protect her mother. During this process, A sustained an injury to his jaw. Police had already viewed Nana's actions as self-defense when they previously arrested and sent A to the prosecution on charges of robbery resulting in injury. 

A police official explained, "After questioning Nana on the 8th, we reviewed the circumstances of the incident and related materials. It was clear that her actions were meant to protect her family in an dangerous situation. Therefore, we have notified the decision not to forward the case."

1. [+514][-7] A guys gets beaten up by a woman while committing theft, and then he sues her? Isn't that just incredibly pathetic?

2. [+421][-2] It's obvious that it was a self-defense. Is this something we even need to be grateful for?

3. [+354][-2] If the police had actually allowed this guy's complaint to go through, it would've sparked revision for self-defense laws, just like the Goo Hara Law. It's disgusting enough as it is, and now the perpetrator is playing victim while yapping about human rights.

Continue reading Police rule Nana's actions as 'self-defense,' decide not to forward charges against her during home invasion

Jang Hyunseung apologizes for attitude controversy ... 'I was possessed by an evil spirit ... I've been exorcised now"

SOURCE: 장현승, 태도 논란 직접 사과 "악귀 들렸던 과거, 이제 퇴마됐다" ('문명특급')

On the 15th, a video titled 'Jang Hyunseung's life update after exorcising an evil spirit (ft. Exorcist Jaejae)' was posted to the Youtube channel MMTG.

Jang Hyunseung has recently been actively communicating with fans through a fan platform. When Jaejae revealed photos of him from the time of his past attitude controversy, he expressed disgust at himself, saying, "I was so immature back then. Did I really post that with my own hands? Why did I post that?" Jaejae responded, "I think that could happen to anyone," to which Jang Hyunseung firmly replied, "No, it couldn't."

After leaving BEAST due to attitude controversy and then enlisting in the military, Jang Hyunseung surprised everyone with his recent clearer-eyed look, having shed of his perviously gloomy image. Jaejae asked, "Your eyes look so clear now. What happened in the military that got you exorcised?" Jang Hyunseung explained, "Once you go there, you naturally become a good person. Since I enlisted late, even if I couldn't be the best, I didn't want to be a burden to anyone."

Jaejae said, "People said you didn't just change 180 degrees, but 720 degrees. Do you think your current self is closer to your true self than when you were possessed? Would you say you’re fully exorcised now?" Jang Hyunseung agreed, saying, "I think so."

The preview then showed Jang Hyunseung personally apologizing for eyewitness accounts from his possessed days. He expressed shame over footage of himself at a fan-signing event where he replied 'Yes' bluntly when asked if he was tired and 'My head hurts' when asked if he was sick. Jang Hyunseung apologized belatedly, saying, "I was rude," and "I caused pain to people."

1. [+561][-11] Does everyone get exorcised after breaking up with Hyuna?

2. [+538][-16] It should’ve been him, not Seungri.

3. [+308][-7] This is freaking hilariousㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Continue reading Jang Hyunseung apologizes for attitude controversy ... 'I was possessed by an evil spirit ... I've been exorcised now"