Hong Kong extends smart fire alarm scheme to another 6,000 old buildings

South China Morning Post - Oct 14, 2026

Hong Kong’s Fire Services Department has extended a scheme allowing property owners to install smart fire alarm systems rather than traditional safety equipment to another 6,000 old buildings, but conceded that no installations had been completed although the policy was rolled out over five months ago for 3,600 blocks. Lai Kin-mo, acting deputy chief fire officer for building improvement, said on Wednesday that while 300 buildings had expressed interest in installing the system, which can send...

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Korean filmmaker July Jung awarded French cultural honor

Korean filmmaker July Jung awarded French cultural honor

Korean director July Jung, whose works have been invited to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, has received a French cultural order, the French Embassy in Korea said Wednesday. Jung was awarded the Chevalier of France's Order of Arts and Letters in a French Night ceremony held in the southeastern city of Busan last week, according to the embassy. The Chevalier is one of three grades that comprise the Order of Arts and Letters, alongside the Commandeur and the Officier. Jung, who made her directorial feature debut through "A Girl at My Door" (2014), has also helmed "Next Sohee" (2022) and "Dora" (2026). All three features were screened at Cannes. Her latest feature, "Dora," is a film co-produced by Korea, France and Luxembourg. Jung said she was initially unsure whether she was eligible to receive the honor, but she then remembered the support she received from the French audiences she had met across the French cities of Paris, Cannes and Strasbourg. "Thanks to their encouragement, I once again realized the power of cinema, in which the lives portrayed in a film could become our own stor

KATSEYE drops 'Unloveu,' co-written by member Lara

KATSEYE drops 'Unloveu,' co-written by member Lara

Global girl group KATSEYE made headlines Wednesday with the digital release of its new single “Unloveu.” Co-written by group member Lara, the track was previously available exclusively as a hidden bonus track on the physical limited-edition release of their third EP, "WILD." Lyrically, “Unloveu” captures the delicate, quiet moment of finally letting go of someone after a breakup. It traces the gradual emotional shifting when a once-overwhelming connection softly fades into the distance. Musically, the track marks a captivating departure from the high-energy, dance-driven anthems that define the rest of "WILD." Instead, it leans into restrained, intimate vocals and intricately layered harmonies, anchored by a hypnotic title phrase repeated like a soulful chant throughout. Lara crafted the song alongside acclaimed hitmaker Ross Golan — who has written for Maroon 5 and Justin Bieber — and Grammy-winning songwriter Amy Allen, best known for her chart-topping work with Sabrina Carpenter. Accompanying the drop, a sleek black-and-white visualizer was unveiled on the HYBE LABELS YouT

7 years since Sulli's death: From child actor to f(x) and 'Dear Jinri'

7 years since Sulli's death: From child actor to f(x) and 'Dear Jinri'

Seven years have passed since the death of Sulli, an actor and former member of K-pop girl group f(x) whose real name was Choi Jin-ri. Having debuted as a child actor before building a career as both a singer and actor, Sulli was widely loved by the public. Years after her death, she continues to be remembered through her work and records of her life. Sulli was found dead at her home in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, on Oct. 14, 2019. She was 25. Her manager found her and called the police after going to her home when he was unable to reach her following a phone conversation with her the previous day. Police investigated the circumstances of her death, including conducting an autopsy, and found no evidence of foul play. Sulli had reportedly taken part in an advertisement shoot until the day before her death and was scheduled to film a television program on the day she died. The sudden news sent shock waves through the entertainment industry and prompted an outpouring of tributes from the public. Born in 1994, Sulli began her acting career in the 2005 SBS drama "Ballad of Seodong." In 2009

MMA2026 brings 26 K-pop acts to Gocheok Sky Dome for 2-night spectacle

MMA2026 brings 26 K-pop acts to Gocheok Sky Dome for 2-night spectacle

The Melon Music Awards (MMA) is turning up the volume for its 18th edition, bringing 26 K-pop acts to Seoul for a two-night celebration of chart-topping hits, reunions and rising stars in November. MMA2026 will take place Nov. 14 and 15 at Gocheok Sky Dome, with KakaoBank serving as title sponsor, Melon announced Wednesday, completing a lineup that spans established groups and emerging performers. The final 11 additions include I.O.I, aespa, IVE, Dragon Pony, KiiiKiii, CORTIS, IDID, hrtz.wav, AEN, TUIDE and HANA, joining 15 acts announced earlier. The first night, Nov. 14, will feature 14 acts, including I.O.I, returning to the stage after a reunion that comes about nine years after the group's previous activities, alongside aespa and Japanese girl group HANA. Other performers scheduled for the opening night include NCT DREAM, ATEEZ, YENA, RIIZE, TWS, RESCENE, Hearts2Hearts, Dragon Pony, IDID, AEN and TUIDE. The second night, Nov. 15, will feature 12 acts, including IVE, KiiiKiii, CORTIS and hrtz.wav, alongside NCT 127, PLAVE, 82MAJOR, NCT WISH, ILLIT, ALPHA DRIVE ONE, LNGSHOT and AND2BLE

BABYMONSTER to return with slow-tempo single 'DESERVE'

BABYMONSTER to return with slow-tempo single 'DESERVE'

K-pop powerhouse BABYMONSTER is back to capture hearts once again. The sensational girl group is set to drop a brand-new digital single, “DESERVE,” on Oct. 23, making a swift comeback just four months after their last release, agency YG Entertainment officially said Wednesday. “DESERVE” marks the group’s fifth heavily promoted track of an exceptionally busy and successful year. BABYMONSTER has dominated the airwaves throughout 2026, starting with its third EP, "CHOOM" — the Korean word for dance — alongside popular releases like “SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA” (released June 8), “I LIKE IT” and “MOON.” To kick off the countdown, YG unveiled an intriguing teaser poster across its official social media channels. Drenched in a moody black-and-white aesthetic, the image features the title “DESERVE” rendered in soft, blurred typography against a textured background resembling torn paper. This distinctly vintage, raw visual direction offers a dramatic contrast to the dreamy, ethereal tone of their earlier teasers, instantly sparking fan speculation about the new concept. Ad

BTS' 'ARIRANG' hits 5 bil. Spotify streams, topping 2026 releases

BTS' 'ARIRANG' hits 5 bil. Spotify streams, topping 2026 releases

K-pop supergroup BTS' fifth studio album, "ARIRANG," has surpassed 5 billion streams on Spotify, the group's label, BigHit Music, said Wednesday. This marks the most streams among albums released this year, registering 2 billion more than the runner-up, Olivia Rodrigo's third studio album, "You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love." The streaming figures for "ARIRANG" outpaced the latest albums from global pop stars Bruno Mars and Harry Styles, which collected about 1 billion and 2 billion streams, respectively. "Swim," the lead track off "ARIRANG," is approaching 1 billion streams, while all 14 tracks on the album have surpassed 200 million streams. Notably, "No. 29," which features only the mysterious tolling of the Sacred Bell of King Seongdeok of the ancient Korean kingdom of Silla (57 B.C.-A.D. 935), has also reached 200 million streams. "ARIRANG" has attracted major attention for being the first full-group project from the global K-pop sensation in nearly four years, released after all its members completed their mandatory military service and reunited. It surpassed 110 million st

Chungnam National University students donate merchandise sales proceeds to university fund

Chungnam National University students donate merchandise sales proceeds to university fund

Students from the Department of Smart City Architectural Engineering at Chungnam National University donated all proceeds from the sale of locally themed merchandise at a regional festival to the university’s development fund. The university said five students met with university president Kim Jeong-kyoum on Tuesday and donated 728,000 won ($544) to the fund. The students — Shim Byeol, Park Ji-bin, Oh Yun-seo, Lee Yeon and Jang Seo-hee — were accompanied by their faculty advisers Kim Gyu-young and Lim Seung-cheol. As part of the Living Lab Capstone course, the students designed and sold merchandise at a regional festival as members of a team called “Oncheon Osungi.” Their products combined the appeal of Yuseong Hot Springs with Daejeon’s identity as a science city. The students ran an interactive booth at the 2026 Midsummer Night’s Yuseong Music Festa, held Aug. 7-9. They showcased keycaps inspired by Yuseong Hot Springs and the local specialty Pongdang Bread, as well as merchandise featuring the university mascot, Chacha. The university said the students designed and produce

S. Korea, US agree to hold key defense talks after midterm elections: sources

S. Korea, US agree to hold key defense talks after midterm elections: sources

South Korea and the United States are in talks to set the date for their high-level defense dialogue after the U.S. midterms, informed sources said Wednesday, a move that would mark a delay of the annual talks typically held in early November. According to the sources, the allies have reached a mutual "understanding" to push back the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) largely due to the U.S. midterm elections slated for Nov. 3. Washington is due to host this year's SCM. The apparent delay, however, comes amid a perceived gap between Seoul and Washington over the timing of the U.S.' handover of wartime operational control (OPCON) to South Korea. Seoul seeks to retake wartime OPCON from Washington before the Lee Jae Myung administration's five-year term ends in 2030, or even as early as next year. Washington has expressed reservations about rushing the transition out of political considerations. "The U.S. side has raised the need for rescheduling considering the midterm elections and other factors," a source said. Another source said that both sides "are aligned on delaying the schedule." T

Parliamentary speaker Cho calls for stronger defense, economic cooperation with Greece

Parliamentary speaker Cho calls for stronger defense, economic cooperation with Greece

National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik has met with Greek lawmakers in Athens to discuss ways to step up bilateral cooperation in defense and high-tech industries, his office said Wednesday. Cho made the remarks during a luncheon meeting Tuesday (local time), outlining the Korean government's economic strategy on artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, culture, defense, energy and manufacturing. "We firmly believe that South Korea and Greece can cooperate closely in these areas and achieve mutually beneficial development through deeper cooperation," he said. Cho expressed hope that Korean companies could help strengthen Greece's naval capabilities through closer cooperation in shipbuilding and defense. Ioannis Plakiotakis, first vice speaker of the Greek parliament, said the two countries have maintained strong economic cooperation in shipping and shipbuilding, noting that their bilateral ties have expanded into other areas, including tourism and culture. He also stressed the importance of establishing direct flights between Seoul and Athens to boost tourism. Representatives from Kor

Min Hee-jin referred to prosecutors over Illit plagiarism claims

Min Hee-jin referred to prosecutors over Illit plagiarism claims

Min Hee-jin, former CEO of HYBE subsidiary Ador, has been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of defamation and obstruction of business over her claims that HYBE girl group Illit copied NewJeans, a girl group she had nurtured. The Yongsan Police Station in Seoul confirmed Tuesday that it had sent the case to prosecutors on Oct. 1, believing Min spread false plagiarism claims to disparage HYBE and Illit's label, Belift Lab. Two former Ador vice presidents were also referred on the same allegations. Min first raised the allegations in April 2024, claiming Illit had copied NewJeans' debut strategy, choreography and visual concept. Belift Lab filed a criminal complaint against her the following month. Courts evaluating the disputes have so far declined to recognize the plagiarism claims. In March 2025, ruling on Ador's injunction request to confirm its status as NewJeans' agency, a court said it was difficult to view Illit's concept as a copy of NewJeans. In October 2025, a court upholding NewJeans' exclusive contracts with Ador found some similarities in the groups' internal documents and p

'Dracula' featuring Jennie rebounds to No. 6 on Hot 100

'Dracula' featuring Jennie rebounds to No. 6 on Hot 100

"Dracula," a collaboration single between Australian act Tame Impala and BLACKPINK's Jennie, has rebounded to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 main singles chart. The track climbed six spots from the previous week, extending its run in the top 10 to 20 consecutive weeks, according to the latest chart released Tuesday (U.S. time). Originally released as a solo track by Tame Impala in October last year, "Dracula" gained renewed traction after a remix featuring Jennie was released in February, going viral on short-form video platforms and climbing up the rankings. The song peaked at No. 5 on the Hot 100. Elsewhere on the Hot 100, K-pop girl group Katseye's "Animal" ranked No. 32, down two spots from the previous week. On the Billboard 200, the main albums chart, boy group Stray Kids' "This & That" ranked No. 29. The original soundtrack for the Netflix hit animation "KPop Demon Hunters" and Katseye's "Wild" placed No. 37 and No. 39, respectively. K-pop supergroup BTS' fifth full-length album, "ARIRANG," ranked 43th, staying on the chart for a 29th consecutive week. Boy group Enhypen's "The Sin:

Hebron's 'House of Green' makes it out of his family group chat

Hebron's 'House of Green' makes it out of his family group chat

Singer-songwriter Hebron, the solo folk project of MGFF vocalist Byun Ha-eun, has opened the doors to “House of Green,” his first full-length album released Sept. 15. A collection of songs written over the course of a decade, the 13-track album traces the artist’s experiences of the world after “stepping out of his house” — comprising stories of love, separation and longing. It features the 2024 single “Anchor,” alongside long-unreleased fan favorites such as “Greeting” and “Honestly.” He also released a physical edition Oct. 6, featuring additional tracks including “Window” and “Home,” bringing the total to 20 songs. “The overarching themes of this record simply couldn’t be captured in anything less than a full-length format,” he told The Korea Times. “I believe these tracks could only truly become the ‘House of Green’ when gathered together.” “House of Green,” a theme that Hebron had been eager to explore for a long time, “is actually the name of our family’s group chat.” It was taken from a scene in a film his mother watched when

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