Latest news with #Hong
Business Insider
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
K-pop giant Hybe scored big with the band Seventeen. Now, an American member is out to conquer the US.
Joshua Hong of Seventeen is one of 13 band members, but he's poised to become one of the K-pop moneymaker's most significant assets stateside yet. On Friday, Hong released his reimagining of "Love is Gone," originally by the US DJ duo Slander, featuring American singer-songwriter Dylan Matthew. The TikTok-famous heartbreak anthem went viral during the COVID-19 pandemic. "This was such a special collaboration and opportunity to work with a group of incredibly talented artists to create a brand new world for this record. The Seventeen version stays true to the emotional core, but breathes new life with fresh vocal melodies and overtones," Slander said in a press release. Hong hasn't released solo music yet, but he released the English track "2 MINUS 1" in 2021 with his Korean-American bandmate, Vernon. The latest release comes as Hong has become one of the more active group members. Two members on Seventeen's roster — Jeonghan and Wonwoo — have enlisted for South Korea's compulsory military service, with dance leader Hoshi and vocalist and producer Woozi set to join them in September. Hong is American and is exempt from serving in the Korean army. And that's just as well, because he's all over the place, from the cover of Allure Korea to releasing a perfume in collaboration with Lola James Harper. He has also inadvertently fueled the Labubu-buying frenzy in South Korea by posting snaps of him kissing the doll and being spotted at the airport with the doll clipped to his Chanel bag. To be sure, Hong isn't the only Seventeen member who's had significant solo activities. The band's leader, recently made his Met Gala debut in a gray Hugo Boss outfit that resembled a traditional Korean hanbok. The band is set to embark on another tour that kicks off on September 13 in Incheon, South Korea. Having an American member of a K-pop band being active stateside is an ongoing strategy for Hybe, the megacompany that owns Pledis, Hong's label. In June, Hybe was marked as a "buy" pick by Goldman Sachs analysts, who said they were "most bullish on HYBE's fundamentals for producing and monetizing Mega IPs." The Grammy-nominated BTS — also under Hybe — is set to return in 2026 with new music and a tour. In the meantime, Seventeen remains one of the most successful investments under Hybe's umbrella. In 2023 Seventeen, per statistics compiled by Goldman, achieved an all-time high of 4.5 million albums sold in week one of release, breaking BTS's record of 3.3 million copies. The US also holds promise for big money for groups from Hybe and beyond. Stray Kids, the mega-band under the label JYP, just wrapped up the US leg of its dominATE tour.
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
Ex-Celltrion veteran to head Daewoong's new biosimilar division
Korean traditional medicine powerhouse seeks new growth engine Daewoong Pharmaceutical said Tuesday that it has decided to launch a biosimilar business as the Korean traditional drug maker looks for new growth engines. Daewoong named Hong Seung-suh -- who led biosimilar R&D and global commercialization at Celltrion between 2002 and 2019, and has nearly 20 years of experience in the field -- as the head of its biosimilar business division. 'It's very meaningful that Daewoong Pharmaceutical, which has contributed to improving the health of Koreans over the last 80 years, is entering the biosimilar market,' said Hong. 'Biosimilar is a sector that can play a very important role in creating a medical environment in which anyone can receive treatment. Based on Daewoong Pharmaceutical's sales network and driving force, we will contribute to offering better accessibility to treatment for all patients in the world.' Biosimilar products, which are biologic medicines very similar to already approved reference biologics, are considered more affordable treatment options that can replace pricier drugs. As biosimilar products usually have shorter development periods and higher chances of approval compared to new drugs, they tend to reduce risk while bolstering cost competitiveness. According to global market analysts at IMARC Group, the global biosimilar market reached $26.5 billion last year and is expected to hit $185.1 billion by 2033. For its biosimilar business, Daewoong plans to not only strengthen its own development capabilities but also actively seek strategic partnerships both in Korea and overseas with other biosimilar players and contract development and manufacturing organizations, or CDMOs, as the drug maker aims to expand its product portfolio and enter major markets such as Europe and the United States in the long term to transform into a global bio company. 'As Daewoong Pharmaceutical boasts experience learned from developing a variety of medicines and commercializing them, and thanks to our global partnership capabilities, we will be able to demonstrate our distinctive ability to take action through not only self-development but also co-development in the biosimilar market,' said Park Seong-soo, CEO of Daewoong Pharmaceutical. 'Instead of being satisfied with short-term achievements, we plan to carry out our mid- to long-term strategies step-by-step with the goal of becoming an impactful player in the global market.'
Borneo Post
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Borneo Post
Pickleball closed tourney for novice players taking place Aug 2-3 in Senadin
Victor (third right) with members of the organising committee. MIRI (July 17): Pickleball enthusiasts are invited to take part in the upcoming Santoh Miri Closed Novice Pickleball Tournament, taking place from Aug 2-3 at the Paragon Pickleball Centre in Senadin here. Organising committee spokesperson Victor Hong said the tournament is open to players aged 14 and above who have never finished in the top four of any previous tournament. 'The tournament features the Open Men's Doubles, Open Women's Doubles, and Open Mixed Doubles categories,' he said in a statement yesterday. Hong said the registration fee for those participating in a single category is RM80 per person, while the fee to join a second category is RM50 per person. Each category offers a cash prize of RM800 to the champion, and RM400 and RM200 to the first and second runners-up, respectively. 'The tournament is part of Santoh Pickleball Club's broader initiative to grow the sport at the grassroots level and provide a positive entry point for new players across Miri and beyond,' he added. Those interested in participating can contact Hong on 012-8771012 or Fabian Goh (016-8582088). lead Santoh Miri Closed Novice Pickleball Tournament Senadin
Newsweek
17-07-2025
- Newsweek
San Francisco Store Manager Faces Up To A Year For Assaulting Shoplifter
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A former San Francisco-based Walgreens manager faces up to one year in prison and a $10,000 fine after being convicted this week of assaulting a suspected shoplifter. The Context The former manager, 46-year-old Guang Hong, was working at Walgreens when he attacked the alleged shoplifter on March 19. Hong is no longer an employee at Walgreens and hasn't been "for months," a source close to the case told Newsweek. What To Know A jury convicted Hong of assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury this week, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced. Assault is a "wobbler" offense in California, meaning prosecutors can elect to charge it as a felony or misdemeanor. Hong was convicted of a misdemeanor, the DA's office confirmed to Newsweek. According to California's penal code, any person convicted of assault as a felony "shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for two, three, or four years" and those convicted of misdemeanor assault can be sentenced to "county jail for not exceeding one year, or by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both the fine and imprisonment." Street camera footage shows Guang Hong approaching a suspected shoplifter outside a Walgreens where Hong worked as a store manager. Street camera footage shows Guang Hong approaching a suspected shoplifter outside a Walgreens where Hong worked as a store manager. Screenshot via YouTube/San Francisco Bay Times Castro Street Cam The suspected shoplifter, 30-year-old Larry Whitlock, entered the Walgreens where Hong worked before 5 a.m. on March 19 and took a bottle of shampoo, prosecutors said in court filings. They said that as Whitlock was leaving the store, "the security guard alerted Mr. Hong, the Walgreens manager, of the theft." Hong got the shampoo bottle back from Whitlock after a confrontation and Whitlock then left the store. "After approximately one minute, Mr. Hong noticed that the victim was still outside the store," Jenkins' office said in its statement announcing Hong's conviction. "He confronted the victim again, shouting and pointing with his keys." He "then charged at the victim and punched him in the face with a key protruding from his knuckles. Mr. Hong then punched the victim two more times with his keys in his hand and kicked the victim as he fell to the ground." What People Are Saying Jenkins said in a statement after Hong's conviction: "I would like to thank the jury for their service in this trial. Although I understand the frustration and anger in the community, violence is unacceptable and only makes matters worse. My office takes all crime seriously and is working in partnership with law enforcement to ensure those who engage in criminal behavior are held accountable and face consequences to protect the safety of the public and to restore the public's faith in the criminal justice system and the rule of law." Assistant District Attorney Max Draskovich said: "Store theft is an important issue, but it does not justify an assault that goes beyond self-defense. Mr. Hong's response went far beyond self-defense, and we are thankful that the jury rightly held him accountable. Justice means upholding the law for everyone, on both sides of the incident." Hong's attorney, deputy public defender Megan Votaw, said in a statement: "Mr. Hong was a longtime and extremely hardworking Walgreens employee who was working the graveyard shift on the night in question, and he fought in self-defense after attempting to recover stolen items from the alleged victim. "During the interactions that Mr. Hong and the alleged victim had that night, the alleged victim threw a bottle at Mr. Hong, repeatedly hurled offensive insults – that Mr. Hong interpreted as threats – and came toward him with a fighting posture. Mr. Hong was not holding his keys between his fingers when he punched the alleged victim." What Happens Next Hong is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15. Whitlock is also facing charges of petty theft and battery.
Los Angeles Times
16-07-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
A former Smorgasburg vendor brings Korean-inspired burgers to USC Village
Josh Kim and Sam Hong had successful careers in tech — but in 2022, they decided to start making burgers, bought a few portable griddles and did their first pop-up at Thank You Coffee in Chinatown. About a year and a half later, the pair earned a vendor spot at Smorgasburg, where they served 450 burgers on their first day of service inspired by their Korean American childhoods — think pork belly sandwiches with sesame mayo and kimchi jam, and a smashburger patty topped with a tempura-fried enoki mushroom, yuzu mayonnaise and pickled red onions. 'I say it's like exploring cultural confusion,' Kim said of Softies' menu. 'Sam and I are both Korean American, so we grew up at home eating Korean dishes. But whenever we're out, we wanted to eat burgers and pizza and whatnot. So it's kind of trying to figure out what that looks like.' Kim and Hong soft opened their bricks-and-mortar location of Softies Burger in the USC Village on July 6, where they formerly worked at Cafe Dulce. Owner James Choi put in a good word for them to the landlord who, after going to Smorgasburg to try their food, offered them a spot at the campus-adjacent shopping center. The newly-opened burger joint has a few new items on the menu, including a classic New York-style chopped cheese sandwich, a chicken Caesar salad with spicy panko breadcrumbs and shrimp paste and a selection of sodas, along with drip coffee and cold brew. Desserts pull from childhood nostalgia, including a diner-inspired lime pie with yuzu and a miso-caramel banoffee pie. Leading up to the opening, Kim and Hong started a GoFundMe that raised over $18,000 for restaurant equipment, furniture and other inventory. Neither of the pair are chefs, though Kim sees his time working in tech for OpenTable and DoorDash as 'data gathering' for what he didn't realize at the time would become his own restaurant. The three burgers on the menu hail from Kim and Hong's Smorgasburg days: the Cali, their take on a classic In-N-Out burger, doctored up with roasted garlic and caramelized onions (a nod to Korean barbecue toppings); the Japanese Peruvian-inspired Aji burger, a smashburger patty topped with pickled jalapenos and a cilantro, garlic and lime mayonnaise; and a rotating third option, which is currently the Crispy Shroom burger. 'We are very specific about the fact that we're not chefs,' Kim said. 'The kind of restaurant we want to build, it's not too stuffy … We just want this space, especially for the USC students, to feel like their restaurant.' Kim and Hong designed the 2,600-square-foot space to look like an old-school diner with modern Korean and Japanese influences, pairing retro barstools with spherical chandeliers, sleek white tables and wooden booths and chairs. Softies Burger is currently open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. 835 W. Jefferson Blvd. Unit 1710, Los Angeles, The hit FX series 'The Bear' has given the iconic Chicago beef sandwich renewed time under the national spotlight. On the heels of the show's fourth season, the dish, which features tender slices of roast beef dripping with au jus on a crusty roll, is back at the forefront of diners' minds — and Angelenos are about to get a taste. The Beverly Grove location of Uncle Paulie's Deli will host Mr. Beef — the Chicago deli that inspired the Berzatto family's restaurant on the award-winning drama-comedy — for a pop-up on July 19 and 20. 'Last year was such a success we had to run it back,' Uncle Paulie's wrote in an Instagram post of its former collaboration with Mr. Beef. Mr. Beef's signature Italian beef sandwich, topped with giardiniera and dipped in au jus, will be offered at Uncle Paulie's on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. A new destination for fried chicken has arrived in the Arts District. Chef Joshua Skenes, who formerly led the two Michelin-starred Saison in San Francisco and now-closed, one Michelin-starred Angler in the Beverly Center, opened Happies Hand Made on June 6. Skenes throws his fried chicken on the grill before serving it a la carte, in sandwiches or on top of a crispy waffle alongside tallow fries. The concept is centered around high-quality comfort food, with limited drops and an evolving menu. Happies Hand Made also offers soft serve, with flavors such as wild strawberry, passion fruit and butterscotch, alongside cold brew, tea drinks and house-made sodas, including the Yuzu-Up and Kumquat Cream Top. Happies Hand Made is open on Wednesday through Sunday from 12 to 8 p.m. 427 S. Hewitt St., Los Angeles, After wowing customers with its 14-hour-smoked brisket at Culver City's Citizen Public Market for the last nine months, Smokey Chance BBQ will begin a permanent residence at the food hall beginning July 17. 'Before, we literally took over a corner, which was a seating area at the market,' said chef Derrell Smith. 'Now we'll have the opportunity to actually have a full, built-out kitchen [where] we can expand our menu and be able to experiment how we wanted to before.' Smith, pitmaster Jeff Chen and Darren Wong, who Smith described as the 'brain' of Smokey Chance, will serve sliders and other new dishes next week, alongside mainstays that include a brisket Cuban sandwich, brisket cheesesteak, and cornbread made with beef tallow and topped with Calabrian chile honey butter. 'Our barbecue sauce is made with gochujang and jerk — Jeff and Darren are both Taiwanese and Chinese, and my grandma taught me to cook, and she was from North Carolina,' Smith said. '[We're] taking all of these regional ingredients and turning them into something that's just fun and whimsical.' Jikoni, a summer pop-up from 'AfriCali' cookbook author Kiano Moju, has been extended at Citizen Public Market for the rest of the summer. Moju puts a California twist on the Kenyan and Nigerian food she grew up eating in Oakland, offering a rotating menu with dishes like Swahili biriyani and saucy coconut butter beans with chapati, along with mishkaki, skewers popular in Tanzania and Kenya. 'When I was on the book tour, people kept asking, 'Where can I try food like this?' ... I thought it could be fun to do a pop-up where we bring the book to life with some of the recipes,' Moju said. After a successful pop-up at Melody wine bar this spring, Moju said that Smith told her about a temporary spot opening up at Citizen Public. Her initial two-week residency was extended to a month and just last week, the food hall announced that the Jikoni pop-up would remain through August. 'It's really fun, but it's also still incredibly crazy because I thought I'd just be writing recipes and telling people how to cook, and here I am running a restaurant,' Moju said. Smokey Chance BBQ is open Friday and Saturday from 12 to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 12 to 7 p.m, and will begin Thursday service on July 17. Jikoni is open on Wednesday through Saturday from 12 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 12 to 8 p.m.
