
Aespa's Karina performed with eye injury
In a livestream she hosted with Gisele on Thursday, Karina of aespa shared that she had torn her cornea.
Gisele told fans about the injury and Karina admitted that she has been wearing a protective lens for a while. She was told to wear an eye patch but skipped it when performing at the Billboard Women in Music Awards last week in Los Angeles.
She confessed that she had even worn a cosmetic lens over the protective barrier when on stage, and 'frankly (felt) a bit dizzy,' before adding that thankfully it was okay.
At at the music awards, the group of four picked up the group of the year trophy and performed the English-language version of smash hit 'Whiplash' for the first time.
Last month, aespa wrapped up its second world tour with a two-day show in Seoul.

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Korea Herald
6 hours ago
- Korea Herald
[김대균의 영어산책] "Flex" – 뽐내기와 자신감의 영어 표현
Flex란? 요즘 젊은 세대 사이에서 'flex'는 하나의 문화가 되었다. 'Flex'란 원래 '근육을 구부리다(자랑하듯 보여주다)'**는 뜻이지만, 요즘에는 비싼 물건, 능력, 라이프스타일 등을 자랑하다는 의미로 자주 사용된다. Flex (v.): to show off, to boast confidently or playfully 예: "He's flexing his new iPhone." 그 사람 새 아이폰 자랑 중이야. Flex 표현이 쓰이는 상황들 명품을 자랑할 때: 'She was flexing her Louis Vuitton bag at the party.' (파티에서 루이비통 가방 뽐냈어.) 운동 후 근육을 보여줄 때: 'Time to flex these gains!' (운동 성과 좀 보여줄까?) 재능이나 능력을 드러낼 때: 'He flexed his piano skills at the talent show.' (그 친구 재능쇼에서 피아노 실력 뽐냈지.) Flex 관련 재미있는 명언/유머 표현 센스 있는 영어 문장들 I don't mean to flex, but I just finished a 100-question TOEIC test in 20 minutes. 자랑하려는 건 아닌데, 토익 100문제 20분 만에 끝냈어요. Flexing isn't just about money—it's about confidence. Flex는 돈 자랑이 아니라 자신감의 표현이기도 하다! 'Not to flex, but I've memorized all TOEIC Part 5 vocabulary.' 자랑은 아니지만 토익 파트 5 단어는 다 외웠어요. (자랑 맞음 ) 유머 섞인 "Flex" 상황들 Friend: 'Did you just buy another pair of sneakers?' You: 'Yeah, just a little weekend flex.' 친구: 또 운동화 샀어? 나: 주말 기분 전환용 flex야~ "He posted his lunch on Instagram again. That's his daily flex." 또 점심 인스타 올렸네. 걔의 데일리 플렉스야. "Your English is so good!" "Oh, thanks! Just a little TOEIC flex." 영어 너무 잘하시네요! 아, 감사합니다. 그냥 토익 실력 좀 뽐낸 거예요~ Flex로 끝나는 명언 패러디 'To flex or not to flex, that is the question.'(To be or not to be , that is the question) 윌리엄 셰익스피어가 '사느냐 죽느냐 그것이 문제로다'를 빗대어 '자랑하느냐 마느냐, 그것이 문제로다' 'With great flex comes great responsibility.' 능력자라면 겸손도 필요합니다! 'I flex, therefore I am.'( I think, therefore I am.) 데카르트의 '나는 생각한다. 고로 나는 존재한다' 를 빗대어 '나는 자랑한다. 고로 나는 존재한다.'


Korea Herald
a day ago
- Korea Herald
Korean cinema's political dramas
From campaign machinations to besieged kingdom's final hour, three films explore the messy realities of power South Korea just wrapped up a snap presidential election that saw opposition candidate Lee Jae-myung claim victory after months of political turmoil sparked by his predecessor's botched martial law gambit. Which makes this the perfect moment to dive into Korean cinema's rich catalog of films about political ambition, the seductive allure of power, and the moral compromises that define public life. From smoke-filled campaign war rooms to ancient royal courts, These three standout dramas offer engrossing takes on the nature of politics. While spanning different eras, each shares a fascination with how principles collide with reality when everything hangs in the balance. "Kingmaker" (2022) Political strategist Seo Chang-dae meets idealistic politician Kim Woon-bum in 1961, and their partnership transforms a string of electoral defeats into a march toward power. Director Byun Sung-hyun crafts this character study around the relationship between the late Lee Sun-kyun's Machiavellian campaign mastermind and Sol Kyung-gu's principled presidential candidate, exploring how far good intentions can bend before they break entirely. The film shines in its refusal to romanticize either man. Chang-dae's dirty tricks prove devastatingly effective — vote buying, character assassination, and stoking the regional divisions that still plague Korean politics today all get deployed with ruthless efficiency. But Byun never lets us forget the human cost of these tactics, particularly as the two men's friendship fractures over the question of means and ends. The late Lee Sun-kyun brings measured calculation to the role that portrays depths of ambition beneath the surface, while Sol delivers one of his finest performances as a politician wrestling with his own complicity. Based loosely on the real-life relationship between future president Kim Dae-jung and his strategist Eom Chang-rok, "Kingmaker" asks whether winning at all costs in the name of democracy can ultimately betray the very ideals it claims to uphold. The answer it offers feels uncomfortably relevant to today's politics worldwide. Available on Google Play and Amazon Prime with English subtitles. "The Man Standing Next" (2020) Days before President Park Chung-hee's assassination in 1979, Korean CIA director Kim Gyu-pyeong finds himself caught between loyalty to an increasingly paranoid dictator and his own moral compass. The regime's inner circle becomes a nest of competing ambitions, with Kim facing off against the president's warmongering security chief (Lee Hee-jun) as he grapples with growing popular unrest and pressure from Washington. Director Woo Min-ho ("Inside Men," "Harbin") transforms this historical thriller into a masterclass in political paranoia where every conversation carries the weight of life and death. His direction maintains a carefully calibrated pace that allows tension to build organically, which explodes in a brutal finale that strips away any romanticism about political violence. As Korean cinema's most dependable leading man, Lee Byung-hun anchors the film with a performance of remarkable restraint and ambiguity, portraying Kim as a man whose stoic exterior barely contains his growing horror at the regime's excesses. "The Man Standing Next" succeeds as both compelling period drama and a timeless warning about the corrupting nature of unchecked power. Its exploration of how conflicts and pressure build up under authoritarian systems resonates far beyond the era it portrays. Available on Disney Plus, Amazon Prime, Google Play, and Apple TV with English subtitles. "The Fortress" (2017) Winter of 1636 finds Korea's Joseon dynasty trapped in a mountain fortress, besieged by Qing forces demanding submission to their new Chinese empire. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk (of "Squid Game" fame) uses this crucible of crisis to examine how high-stakes political maneuvering unfolds when a nation's survival hangs in the balance. The film centers on the philosophical divide between two royal advisors: Lee Byung-hun's pragmatic minister Choi, who advocates for immediately surrender to save lives, and Kim Yun-seok's idealistic minister Kim, who insists on fighting till the end to preserve honor. Park Hae-il's young king becomes the fulcrum between these opposing forces, ultimately responsible for decisions that will determine not just his own fate but that of his entire kingdom. Hwang's direction emphasizes the physical and psychological toll of the siege alongside the intricate ideological debates unfolding within the fortress walls, with stunning cinematography that captures both the fortress's imposing beauty and its gradual transformation into a frozen prison. The film's deliberate pacing mirrors the dizzying complexity of the moral arguments themselves, though this methodical approach may occasionally tests the viewer's patience. What elevates "The Fortress" beyond spectacle is the profound sincerity with which these arguments are delivered — each side rooted in genuine devotion to the country and its people. Both ministers present their cases with riveting conviction, and the film suggests that in extreme circumstances, there may be no purely moral choices — only different forms of compromise with an unforgiving reality.


Korea Herald
a day ago
- Korea Herald
aespa announces comeback
K-pop power girl group to release first new track in 8 months Kpop girl group aespa is making a comeback with new music. At midnight on Wednesday, the group announced its return by unveiling a logo motion clip via official social media channels. The video shows molten metal pouring down and forming the title of the new track, 'Dirty Work.' The single will be released on June 27 at 1 p.m. KST and will include three tracks: the original version, an English version and an instrumental. It will be aespa's first release since the group's mega-hit mini album "Whiplash" eight months ago. With a string of hits like 'Supernova,' 'Armageddon' and 'Whiplash,' the group has continued to solidify its signature futuristic and urban sound — that fans have nicknamed it the 'iron taste' of aespa. With "Whiplash," the group became five-time million sellers. From June 2024 through March 2025, the group embarked on its second world tour, "SYNK: Parallel Line," performing 43 shows across 18 countries. Riding an unstoppable wave of momentum, anticipation is high for what aespa will deliver next. Pre-orders for the upcoming album began Thursday both online and in stores.