sxh2

Gen Z soldiers' plastic surgeries strain Korea's military readiness

Front-line commanders struggle with post-surgery duty exemptions


First Lt. Kim, a platoon leader at a front-line South Korean Army unit in the capital region, faced a unique command challenge early this year. He excluded a corporal from critical cold-weather training because the soldier returned from leave with a swollen, unhealed nose from a rhinoplasty procedure.

"I was flustered because he underwent a nose job without saying a word right before the training," Kim said.

He added that he sidelined the soldier out of fear that the unhealed wound would cause medical complications in the field.

Kim's dilemma is not an isolated incident. A growing trend of elective cosmetic surgery among active duty Korean soldiers, fueled by rising military pay and aggressive clinic marketing, is causing operational disruptions, exposing a critical gap in military regulations.

The trend is also triggering resentment among peers who must cover the workload while recovering soldiers receive special accommodations.

Plastic surgery in the military is not new. Historically, units tolerated the practice when soldiers used long leaves in their final months of service to undergo procedures to prepare for transitioning back to civilian life. However, the demographic has shifted drastically.

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source: The Korea Times
sxh2

BLACKPINK's Jennie receives $16 million from self-founded agency over 2 years

Jennie of BLACKPINK received more than 20 billion won (around $13.6 million) in settlement payments over the past two years through her self-founded one-person agency, OA Entertainment, according to a recent audit report.

According to an audit report filed with the Financial Supervisory Service’s electronic disclosure system on May 9, OA Entertainment paid Jennie around 9.5 billion won last year. Combined with 14.3 billion won paid in 2024, Jennie received roughly 23.8 billion won, or $16 million, in total over the two-year period.

OA Entertainment, short for “Odd Atelier,” which the company describes as a creative space for orginality, was founded by Jennie in November 2023 after her exclusive contract with YG Entertainment expired. The one-person agency is headed by Jennie’s mother, while Jennie owns 100 percent of its shares.

Jennie continues to carry out BLACKPINK group activities under YG Entertainment, while managing her individual activities through OA Entertainment, including advertising deals, solo album promotions and personal performances. Audit reports show that OA Entertainment posted a profit in its first year, logging 18.9 billion won in revenue and 580 million won in operating profit.

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source: The Korea Times
Changkyun

Yoona nabs lead role in Korean remake of 'Unnatural'

K-pop star and actress to reportedly headline Korean adaptation of acclaimed Japanese mystery drama


Lim Yoona of Girls' Generation is reportedly set to lead the Korean remake of the acclaimed Japanese drama "Unnatural."

First broadcast on Japan's TBS in 2018, "Unnatural" is a mystery medical drama that follows forensic pathologists as they uncover the truth behind suspicious deaths. Led by actress Satomi Ishihara, the series was both a ratings and critical success in Japan, winning six major honors at the 96th Television Drama Academy Awards, including best drama, best actress, best supporting actor, best screenplay and best director.

In 2022, Korean production companies Big Wave Entertainment and Neostory announced that they had acquired remake rights from TBS for a Korean adaptation.

In the new Korean remake series, Lim is reportedly expected to play a forensic pathologist at the Unnatural Death Investigation lab, the role originally portrayed by Ishihara in the Japanese series.

The project comes as Lim continues a streak of high-profile drama successes, following the popularity of JTBC’s "King the Land" and the global hit "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty."









source: The Korea Herald