The Myeong-dong retail district in central Seoul is empty on Tuesday. According to the Bank of Korea on Tuesday, private consumption declined by 5 percent last year, the biggest decline since the Asian financial crisis in 1998, leading to minus growth for the country's gross domestic product last year. [YONHAP]

GDP growth goes negative for only the third time

Korea's gross domestic product (GDP) fell 1 percent last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Bank of Korea said Tuesday, marking the lowest growth rate in 22 years.

K-pop
Blackpink to appear for second time on the Late Late Show

Prior its first-ever livestream concert "The Show," Blackpink will appear on "The Late Late Show with James Corden," which airs on Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. Korea time, and give a preview of its livestream concert...

K-pop girl group Blackpink will appear on ″The Late Late Show with James Corden″ to give a preview of its livestream concert, ″The Show.″ [YG ENTERTAINMENT]
K-Culture
K-pop fans question the importance of the K

As K-pop gains worldwide popularity, there’s one important question that Korean fans must agree on but struggle to: Do they want to keep K-pop strictly Korean, or do they want to let it evolve with overseas influence? From members of a group to ...

A captured image from the music video of girl group (G)I-DLE's new track ″Hwaa,″ which was criticized by Korean fans for its usage of Japanese and Chinese images in its traditional theme for the song, instead of sticking to something strictly Korean. [CUBE ENTERTAINMENT]

Music & Performance

Small concert venues implore the government for help as they reach the end of the line

The Hanatour V-hall in Hongdae, western Seoul [HANATOUR V-HALL]

Movies

American Film Institute selects 'Minari' as one of top 10 AFI Movies of the Year

The poster image for″Minari," which is set to arrive in local theaters this March. [PAN CINEMA]

Ticket

2021. Jan. 26 Ticket

"The Student and Mr. Henri" is currently being staged at the Yes 24 Stage in central Seoul. [ILGAN SPORTS]

K-pop

YG Entertainment officially renews contract with sibling duo AKMU

Sibling duo AKMU, comprised of brother Lee Chan-hyuk, left, and Lee So-hyun. [YG ENTERTAINMENT]

Talk of the Town

81 cinemas closed their doors across the nation last year

A cinema in Seoul stays relatively empty on Dec. 7, a day before the government raised the social distancing guidelines to Level 2.5. [YONHAP]

Tech

$11 billion-plus of food ordered via apps in 2020

$11 billion-plus of food ordered via apps in 2020

Cars

BMW Korea to spend ￦60 billion expanding logistics center

BMW Korea's logistics center in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi. [BMW KOREA]

Diplomacy

Biden gov't 'doubtful' about North's denuclearization: Former White House adviser

Evan Medeiros, a former senior Asia director at the National Security Council during the Barack Obama administration. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Baseball

Emart bought Wyverns for $122 million, name not confirmed

An SK Wyverns cheerleader reacts while holding an Emart sign during a game on July 13, 2019. Long before buying the club, Emart collaborated with the Wyverns on a number of promotional events. [SK WYVERNS]

Today's Photo

Final check-in

Several flight passengers stand by to take their Covid-19 test at a testing center at Incheon International Airport on Tuesday. From Tuesday, all people traveling to the United States, including U.S. citizens, have to submit a negative Covid-19 test result before boarding their planes. [YONHAP]

Opinion