Latest news with #Gangnam
CNA
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
Late actress Kim Sae-ron reportedly left a farewell message five months before her death
The late actress Kim Sae-ron reportedly wrote a farewell message on her private Instagram account five months before her death, according to SBS Entertainment News. On Friday (May 23), the South Korean news outlet reported that Kim's acquaintance told them that, in September last year, the Man From Nowhere star uploaded a cryptic post on her private page where she reflected on her drunk-driving incident and thanked those who had helped her. The full message reads: "When I die, please capture this and post it. These are the people who saved me. "And to those who left me when I was at my lowest, I hope you reflect on what you have taken from me. I did a breathalyser test, but it came out negative, and the blood test showed a high result, but it was from the day before. There was never a blackout. Still, I fully compensated the victims. Anyway, I won't be in pain anymore." View this post on Instagram A post shared by 김새론 (@ron_sae) At the time of her death in February this year at the age of 24, Kim Sae-ron's career had been on a decline as a result of a drink-driving incident in May 2022, which saw her crashing into a transformer and other structures in the Gangnam district of Seoul, South Korea. It was previously reported that her former agency Gold Medalist had initially covered the 700 million won (US$480,000) compensation to affected parties but later demanded that she repay the amount. According to the acquaintance who spoke with SBS Entertainment News, Kim "worked nonstop" in multiple places like cafes, flower shops and bars but was still "under a lot of financial stress and anxiety". Although the list of people who were named in Kim's Instagram message was not mentioned by SBS Entertainment News, the outlet stated that two members of a famous idol group and a singer had each lent Kim about 100 million won. SBS Entertainment News added that an actor and an actor-singer lent Kim an undisclosed sum of money, while another singer lent Kim a total of 20 million won. Kim Sae-ron had also borrowed 50 million won from another acquaintance for her home rental deposit. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 김새론 (@ron_sae) Kim Sae-ron was found dead in her home on Feb 16 – the same day as the birthday of her former boyfriend, actor Kim Soo-hyun. The police later ruled her death a suicide. Kim Soo-hyun has since been facing backlash after it was reported that the two had been in a relationship, which allegedly started when she was 15 and he was 27. Kim Soo-hyun has denied these claims, saying in a press conference: "I did not date the deceased when she was a minor. And it is also not true that the deceased made a tragic choice because of me turning a blind eye."
ABC News
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Aussie chef Joseph Lidgerwood wins second Michelin star Seoul restaurant
Tasmanian chef Joseph Lidgerwood has scored a second Michelin Star with his restaurant Evett in South Korea. But he's not putting his success down to his cooking class at Hobart College. "I think I was the only person out of 20 of us in the class that failed," Mr Lidgerwood told ABC Hobart. "I got 'not competent' on my grade 11 home economics class … I still remember that. It still haunts me to this day." Mr Lidgerwood opened a Korean fine dining restaurant in Seoul's Gangnam district in 2018. The Hobart-trained chef serves Korean food, cooked over a wood fire, using seasonal ingredients including golbaengi (moon snails) and haesam (sea cucumber), foraged on South Korea's east coast. "Most of the time, what we source, especially like a really unique ingredient, we'll probably just try to highlight it in a couple of different [ways]," Mr Lidgerwood said. "So, we do a pickling of it, a roasting of it." His restaurant was awarded a Michelin star for its high-quality cooking 12 months after opening and a second star this year. Mr Lidgerwood said the accolade was "pretty mind-blowing" and meant "more people at the restaurant, for sure". "I kind of worked my whole career at either one, two or three Michelin [star restaurants]," he said. "So, for me, personally, it's a great achievement, but also for the team who's put in so much work, it means a lot." While Mr Lidgerwood failed cooking at high school, Hobart College was also where he discovered his love for it and the joy of being physically engaged in cooking. "But I always found that every time I would do my home economics class or my cooking class, I found it a lot of fun. "And I loved that kind of actually active movement as opposed to sitting down. So, it was more, not like I wanted to cook, it's just I knew I wasn't going to be able to do anything else." Mr Lidgerwood trained at some of Hobart's leading restaurants before leaving the state in 2007, wanting to "to push" himself and "see what was out there". He ran pop-up restaurants in 20 countries, including, the US, UK, Nepal and South Africa, before landing in Seoul in 2018. "Korea surprised me in the best way. I was fascinated by the depth of traditional food culture, especially fermentation," he said. "Before coming to Korea, I thought it would be just barbecue, kimchi and [South Korean boy band] BTS, but actually living here and learning the culture through the food gave me such an appreciation." Mr Lidgerwood lives in South Korea with his wife, Ginny Kim, who is Korean, and he has been learning the language. The process of opening a restaurant as an Australian in South Korea was, however, challenging. "And then there was the language barrier. Now it's easier as I've applied myself and got to a level that I can communicate without barriers, but at the start it was rough, which made even small things more complicated." At the restaurant in Seoul, Mr Lidgerwood leads a team of about 30. He communicates mostly in Korean, and last year was part of Netflix's Korean reality cooking competition show Culinary Class Wars. "I've always enjoyed cooking. I've always loved the energy of a kitchen. I've loved the camaraderie of kitchens. And I love cooking food," Mr Lidgerwood said. "I don't see it as like a clock-watching kind of job. It's something where you're always moving; you're always trying to improve yourself, improve the food and deliver a great experience. For me, it's been life's passion." While Mr Lidgerwood hasn't ruled out a future food venture in Tasmania, he said life in Seoul was good. Mr Lidgerwood said he always contemplated doing something in Tasmania. "Most of my favourite food in Korea is very simple food like soups or the pancakes. So, I'd love to do something more probably simple [there]," he said. "As a chef, I love my life here. It's an incredibly safe city to live in. That [may] sound weird to say, but after you live in London and SF [San Francisco], I really appreciate not having my stuff stolen or having to cross the road late at night. "Additionally, everything is open late. I can finish at midnight, get some food, and have a sauna."
CTV News
16-05-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
South Korean police arrest two people accused of blackmailing Tottenham's Son Heung-min
Son Heung-min during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC at Stamford Bridge in London on April 3, 2025. (/File via CNN Newsource) Seoul, South Korea — South Korean police have arrested two people over the alleged blackmail of Tottenham Hotspur captain and soccer superstar Son Heung-min, according to South Korean's Yonhap news agency, after reports a woman threatened him with a pregnancy claim. Son, 32, had filed a police complaint against a woman and a man for blackmail and threatening to spread 'false information,' his agency, Son & Football Limited, said on Thursday. 'We will take strong legal action without leniency to punish those who have made threats of blackmail with obvious false information,' the agency said in a statement on its website. The Gangnam Police Station in southern Seoul said it was investigating a woman in her 20s and a man in his 40s on charges of attempted extortion after receiving Son's complaint last week, according to Yonhap. The woman allegedly approached Son last June, claiming she was pregnant with his child and demanded money in exchange for her silence, Yonhap reported, citing police. She reportedly sent Son an ultrasound image and received 300 million Korean Won (US$215,180), the news agency said. The man, believed to be an acquaintance of the woman, also allegedly tried to blackmail Son in March, demanding 70 million Korean Won ($50,200), Yonhap reported. He did not reportedly receive any money, Yonhap said. CNN has reached out to the Gangnam Police Station. Police arrested the woman Wednesday evening local time for blackmail and the man for an attempted blackmail. Authorities raided the two individuals' homes and secured their phones for further investigation, according to Yonhap. 'Son Heung Min is an obvious victim of this incident,' the soccer star's agency said. 'We apologize once again for worrying everyone supporting Son Heung-min with such a scandalous issue,' the agency wrote. Son is hugely popular in his home country, South Korea, and has become known as one of the greatest Asian soccer players of all time. Son started playing football as a child in Chuncheon, located about 46 miles northeast of Seoul, under his father's supervision. In 2009, he was chosen to join a prestigious youth training academy in Germany, where he eventually made his professional debut at the age of 18. He joined Tottenham from Bayer Leverkusen in August 2015 and has since been breaking records set by his role models Park Ji-sung, the first Korean to play in the Premier League and only Asian player to win the men's Champions League, and Cha Bum-kun, who played over 300 matches in the Bundesliga for Eintracht Frankfurt and Leverkusen from 1979 to 1989. Son has broken records for the most goals scored by a Korean player in a season in a European league. He also became the first Asian footballer to win the Premier League's Golden Boot with 23 goals in the season – level with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah in 2022. On Sunday, Son returned to play against Crystal Palace after being out for a month with a foot injury. Spurs fans will hope he'll feature in the Europa League final later this month against Manchester United, with Tottenham looking to win its first trophy since 2008. By Gawon Bae, CNN
Times
15-05-2025
- Times
Tottenham captain Son Heung-min ‘blackmailed with fake pregnancy'
Police in South Korea have arrested a woman on suspicion of blackmailing the Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min, after falsely claiming that she was pregnant with his child. The woman, named in South Korean media only as A, and reported to be in her twenties, was charged at the Gangnam police station in Seoul, along with a male accomplice in his forties. 'As the police are currently investigating, we will inform you as soon as the results are available,' the footballer's agency, Son & Football, said in a statement. 'We will take strong legal action against those who have threatened him with clear falsehoods, and we emphasise that Son Heung-min is a clear victim in this incident.' Son, 32, who also captains the South Korea
BBC News
15-05-2025
- BBC News
Son files criminal complaint over alleged blackmail plot
Tottenham captain Son Heung-min has filed a criminal complaint with the South Korean police for being the victim of an alleged blackmail plot after it was reported that a woman threatened him with a false pregnancy claim. Gangnam Police Station in southern Seoul said it had detained a woman in her 20s and a man in his 40s on suspicion of extortion and attempted extortion, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported., externalThe woman is alleged to have approached Son last year, claiming she was carrying his child. She reportedly demanded money to stay man then allegedly followed up with him in March, trying to get agency said in a statement that the South Korea captain is the "clear victim in this case". Tottenham face Manchester United in the Europa League final in Bilbao on Korea forward Son has scored 173 goals in 451 games for Spurs since joining from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015."Son & Football Limited has filed a criminal complaint for blackmail against individuals who threatened the player by claiming they would spread false information," his agency said."The police are currently investigating the matter, and we will provide updates as soon as the investigation concludes."We will take strong legal action against those who engaged in blackmail and intimidation based on clearly false claims."
