Latest news with #KAIST
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Annual Culture Communication Forum to crown winners of sustainable K-Style contest
International gathering showcases finalists with creative takes on Korean tradition The Corea Image Communication Institute will hold its 16th annual Culture Communication Forum on Thursday at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, wrapping up a monthslong global contest centered on "sustainable K-style." The event will bring together senior diplomatic and business leaders for a ceremony recognizing the competition's finalists and winners. KAIST President Lee Kwang-hyung will deliver opening remarks, with congratulatory messages from Italian Ambassador Emilia Gatto and Japanese Ambassador Koichi Mizushima. EU Ambassador Maria Castillo Fernandez will join around 10 other ambassadors in attendance. Corporate attendees include Seo Jung-ho, chair of the Ambassador Hotel Group; Cho Jung-il, chair of The Hanok Heritage; and Sean Blakeley, chair of the British Chamber of Commerce in Korea and Honorary Ambassador of Foreign Investment Promotion for Korea. Franz Hotten, president of Pernod Ricard Korea, will also attend alongside some 60 guests. The forum's centerpiece will be a live vote to determine the winners among 12 finalists, selected from entries submitted between March 20 and May 30. Participants submitted ideas for reimagining Korean cultural traditions through a sustainability lens, exploring how K-style can evolve for future generations across music, cuisine, film and fashion. Finalists will present their entries, ranging from video clips to spoken presentations in Korean, during Thursday's event. The video competition features long- and short-form categories, each with four finalists. The grand prize winner in the long-form category will receive a prize package worth 3 million won (around $2,213), including 1 million won in cash. The short-form winner will receive a 2 million won package, with 700,000 won in cash. For the Korean speech segment, contestants from the United States, Spain, China, France and Egypt will compete for the grand prize. Each will deliver a three-minute speech on sustainable K-style, with the winners determined by real-time audience voting. The top prize is valued at 3 million won, including 1.5 million won in cash. The forum begins with registration at 4:40 p.m., followed by the main program at 5 p.m. A special pansori performance by French artist Mapo Lor will round out the ceremony. Founded in 2003 and officially registered with the Foreign Ministry, CICI promotes Korea's global image through cultural exchange. Since 2010, its annual CCF has served as a global platform for dialogue among cultural and diplomatic leaders.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Korean Megahit Shampoo, Grabity, Launches in Taiwan "Just wash your hair--and it'll look thicker."
The K-beauty shampoo developed by a world-renowned scientist from MIT has become a hot topic following its launch on Taiwan's Momo Home Shopping channel Clinically proven: one use increases hair thickness by 19.22% and volume by 87.27% 100% vegan formula, Dermatest "Excellent" rating, eco-friendly packaging—epitomizing clean beauty TAIPEI and SEOUL, South Korea, May 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Korean hair loss care brand Grabity, co-developed by world-renowned MIT scientist Professor Haeshin Lee and researchers from KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), officially launched in Taiwan on May 22 through Momo TV Shopping, where it received an explosive response—selling out mostly during its debut broadcast. The live show aired at 8 PM on the 22nd, hosted by Sharon Tsui, a prominent Momo TV Shopping personality. Tsui emphasized the product's scientific backing throughout the segment. The entire stock exhausted shortly in record time, and both Momo's website and customer service center were soon overwhelmed with restock inquiries. Grabity Shampoo features a high concentration of KAIST's patented active ingredient, LiftMax 308™, a polyphenol-based complex that forms a protective barrier on hair strands to reduce damage. Clinical trials have proven that a single use increases hair thickness by 19.22% and volume by 87.27%. Its delivery and sustained-release mechanisms were published in the peer-reviewed international journal Advanced Materials Interfaces, offering strong scientific validation. Grabity is formulated with a 100% vegan blend using EWG Grade 1 ingredients and has earned an Excellent rating from Germany's Dermatest, fully aligning with the rising global demand for clean beauty. The shampoo is also packaged in sustainable containers made from recycled coconut shells. Since its launch in Korea just one year ago, Grabity has become a runaway hit—recording over 1.2 million units sold and KRW20 billion (approx. USD15M) in cumulative sales. It famously sold out in just 39 minutes at Korea's top H&B store Olive Young, with resale prices reaching up to five times retail. Its rapid sellout in Taiwan is seen as a strong signal for further expansion across Asia's premium beauty market. A Momo TV Shopping spokesperson stated, "Grabity is the perfect global partner, offering functionality, a compelling brand story, and a commitment to sustainability. We look forward to bringing more world-class brands to Taiwanese consumers." About Polyphenol FactoryPolyphenol Factory was founded in 2023 as a startup by faculty members of KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology). With a team of world-class scientists and young innovators, the company is commercializing cutting-edge technologies derived from natural polyphenols. With the vision of "innovating everyday life through science," Polyphenol Factory is driving new waves of change in the global market. Press Contact:Anna Leeyimijin@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Polyphenol Factory
Pink Villa
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Why did Jung Hyung Gyu apologize to fellow The Devil's Plan Season 2 player? Winner of Netflix's unscripted show reiterates
Winning a major reality show should be a cause for celebration, but for The Devil's Plan: Death Room Season 2 winner Jung Hyung Gyu, the aftermath has been more complicated. Despite taking home a grand prize of 380 million KRW (approximately USD 273,000), Jung found himself at the center of controversy after comments he made during an episode of the Netflix reality competition show. The episode, aired on May 13, sparked backlash from viewers who felt that Jung Hyung Gyu's attitude toward fellow contestant Choi Hyun Joon came across as dismissive and disrespectful. During a tense strategic moment, Jung Hyung Gyu directed a sarcastic remark at Choi Hyun Joon, asking, 'Can you do arithmetic?' This comment came after Choi Hyun Joon, who was on the same team as Jung Hyung Gyu, made a decision that didn't align with Jung Hyung Gyu's preferred strategy. The comment raised eyebrows, especially considering Choi Hyun Joon is a mathematics major from KAIST, one of South Korea's Known science and engineering universities. The moment quickly gained traction online, with viewers criticizing Jung for what they perceived as arrogance. Some went as far as mocking Jung Hyung Gyu on social media with variations of his own words, while others expressed disappointment in the tone he used throughout the game. In response to the growing criticism, Jung Hyung Gyu acknowledged the controversy. On May 14, just one day after the episode aired, he updated his social media bio to a simple but telling message: 'I'm sorry.' Adding to the disapproval, some viewers also took issue with Jung Hyung Gyu referring to fellow contestant and professional poker player 7high simply as 'Poker.' Still, some fans defended Jung Hyung Gyu, pointing out that The Devil's Plan is a survival-style competition show where strategic intensity and mind games are expected. They argued that his actions were part of the gameplay, not personal attacks. Despite the criticism, Jung ultimately emerged as the winner of the season, edging out a final group that included Choi Hyun Joon, Yoon So Hee, Kyuhyun, Kang Ji Young, 7high, and Son Eun Yoo. As for Jung Hyung Gyu's apology, it is a reminder that even in victory, how players treat others can shape their legacy just as much as the final result.
Euronews
17-04-2025
- Science
- Euronews
New breakthrough in quantum mechanics could make electronics more efficient
ADVERTISEMENT Physicists have discovered that a quantum mechanical phenomenon previously understood to only occur at extremely low temperatures can happen at room temperature. Even better, the currents they generated were 10 times stronger than before. The breakthrough means that we may have taken a step closer to low-power, high-performance electronics at a time when demand for artificial intelligence (AI) is soaring. The new study, published by researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and Sogang University in South Korea, has found a new way to generate spin currents at room temperature using a method called longitudinal spin pumping, The team said the observation was "highly unexpected". Related Most Europeans know about quantum without knowing specifically what it is, new survey finds "Spin pumping is a method that generates spin currents through magnetisation dynamics. Previous studies have relied on classical magnetisation dynamics, which produce relatively small spin currents," Kyung-Jin Lee, a researcher at the Department of Physics at KAIST, told Euronews NEXT. "In our research, we discovered that spin pumping currents generated from quantum magnetisation dynamics are an order of magnitude larger than those from classical magnetisation dynamics," Lee added. Experts say this could mean we are a step closer to more efficient memory and computing devices that consume less power. A team at KAIST conducted a 'challenging' experiment to detect spin pumping currents on the nanosecond timescale, using a new material made of iron rhodium Kab-Jin Kim/ KAIST "A mechanism that can boost a spin current 10 times [more] than earlier… is very promising and exciting," Aamir Ali, a quantum technology research specialist at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, told Euronews Next. Lee adds that with so many mobile devices today, energy efficiency is important, especially as the growing demand for AI requires more computing power. What is spintronics and how can it help our lives? Most electronics we use today rely on electronic circuits. In these small chips, electrons move to process and store information. One downside of this mechanism is that energy is lost and generates heat while electrons move through a circuit. Spintronics has gained in popularity as a potential solution. Related Scientists develop record cold refrigerator that could unlock full potential of quantum computers Spintronics researchers around the world have been trying to generate enough currents using an electron's spin rather than its charge as in traditional electronics. "Spintronics also offers mechanisms that give much more sensitivity in detecting spin than traditional charge-based electronics," said Ali. ADVERTISEMENT Ali said it means that hard disk drives can be read faster. In 2007, Albert Fert and Peter Grünberg were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their discovery of Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR), a spintronics phenomenon that enabled ultra-sensitive magnetic read heads in hard disk drives. Spintronics devices are already being developed and used at room temperature by semiconductor manufacturers around the world, but they rely on relatively weaker spin-based effects. A mechanism that can boost a spin current 10 times [more] than earlier… is very promising and exciting. Aamir Ali Quantum technology research specialist, Chalmers University of Technology Experts say generating spin currents is challenging. ADVERTISEMENT The research team believes their new findings could directly impact a type of memory called Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory (MRAM), which is a spintronics component with a wide range of applications from software and medical devices to aerospace. "MRAM devices rely on spin currents to record data, and our findings – demonstrating that quantum magnetisation dynamics at room temperature can generate significantly larger spin currents – could lead to lower power consumption in MRAM. This advancement may further accelerate MRAM adoption by enhancing its energy efficiency and scalability," said Lee. Semiconductor giants like Samsung are exploring whether MRAM could become the next-generation memory for AI computing. Researchers of the study at a KAIST lab Kab-Jin Kim /KAIST Experimental-theoretical approach Researchers say the combined experimental-theoretical approach was crucial in establishing the findings, as quantum science involves particles that can't be seen by humans. ADVERTISEMENT First, a team at Sogang University made a new material made of iron rhodium. After, a team at KAIST conducted a "challenging" experiment to detect spin pumping currents on the nanosecond timescale, which required advanced ultrafast measurement techniques, according to the research team. Related What is the quantum threat and what has simple maths got to do with protecting global security? Then a theory group analysed the experimental data. Researchers say they now aim to turn these findings into real-world designs that could change the way our electronics work. ADVERTISEMENT "Looking ahead, we plan to explore new materials and mechanisms to further enhance spin current generation," Lee said. "Additionally, we aim to develop novel spintronic device architectures that leverage quantum effects for ultra-low-power and high-performance memory and logic applications". For more on this story, watch the video in the media player above.
Korea Herald
14-04-2025
- Science
- Korea Herald
H.eco Festa calls for empathy, innovation to address climate change
With the effects of global warming accelerating and intensifying, scientists, entrepreneurs, professors and students at Festa called for greater empathy across generations toward the climate crisis, along with innovative scientific solutions to address it. Festa, the revamped name of the annual Forum, took place at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology's Lyu Keun-chul Sports Complex in Daejeon on April 9. During a panel talk focused on discussing the potential impacts of climate change in the next 10 years moderated by broadcaster Ahn Hyun-mo, professor Kim Hyung-jun from KAIST's Graduate School of Future Strategy discussed about the Meta Earth initiative and how it can be used to 'determine the future of Earth.' Meta Earth is a research initiative that examines how human life alters the Earth's climate and how climate change can conversely impact human societies. According to Kim, this includes 'developing numerical models that represent human activities across sectors like water, agriculture and energy and later assessing their impacts on a global scale, exploring renewable energy developments and their climactic consequences.' 'The Meta Earth model can be used to determine who's at fault behind disasters such as droughts and floods,' Kim added. 'There is a question about whether the direct cause of disasters is solely human-caused or whether there are other natural or climatic causes. We are trying to answer this question with the Meta Earth model.' Kim also mentioned that the Meta Earth model can be used by different countries to examine the kinds of impact countries' actions can have on each other. 'Carbon emissions in the US or China, for example, can play a key part in accelerating effects of climate change in developing countries. Out of the 190-something countries in the world, the countries placed in the top 10 percent (based on their standards of living) can be said to be responsible for the increase in temperature for at least 80 percent of the countries on Earth,' Kim explained. 'This is where Meta Earth comes into play. (Meta Earth) can help form simulations that help developed countries, such as the US for example, understand how actions that boost carbon emissions can stir natural disaster occurrences in other parts of the world such as the Amazon Rainforest.' After Kim's presentation, Park Sung-bin, an undergraduate student from KAIST's Nuclear and Quantum Engineering, one of the panel discussants, called for older generations to empathize with younger generations about the seriousness of climate change. 'As someone a part of the climate generation, I can say for sure that I have felt the impacts of climate change throughout my life, but there will always be someone who says otherwise,' said Park. 'Though not everyone may say that climate change should seriously be dealt with, I'm sure it'll only get worse for the next generations of people if nothing is done from here. Park added that older generations, especially those who are policymakers, 'must learn to listen into the younger generations and empathize' with them on their concerns about climate change, 'to take actions countering global warming from here for the future generation.' Following the 20-minute discussion on the potential impacts of climate change in the future, a second panel talk themed 'Can Going Green Be Profitable?' featured four entrepreneurs who launched their businesses in various fields based on eco-friendly technologies and materials. Ghim Se-hoon, CEO of aweXome Ray, discussed his company's products focused on air sterilization and purification solutions, while CEO Kim Jeung-bin of SuperBin discussed his business model which uses waste generated in cities to create alternative materials that can replace textiles – the first of its kind globally. The idea behind eco-friendly menstrual pads was also introduced by Kim Hyo-yi, CEO of Inertia and a KAIST alum, while Jeon Gun-ha, CEO of Holidaybus, talked about his company's idea of creating clothes using recycled plastic waste. The moderator of the second panel talk, CEO Lee Soon-youl from Korea Social Investment Foundation, called for 'an increase in capital from the private sector' to 'actively conduct bold business investments' in eco-friendly startup companies. 'Compared to other developed countries, the scale of investments being made in eco-friendly, climate-conscious companies are four times less,' said Lee. SuperBin, according to CEO Kim Jeung-bin, had received up to 100 billion won ($70.1 million) in investments when it was first launched. It could have received close to 400 billion won in other developed countries, according to Lee. 'Climate tech, which requires significant time and capital for technology development and commercialization, is taking a direct hit from the evident hesitance in wanting to invest into eco-friendly companies. As a result, many of such eco-friendly companies are actively considering relocating overseas,' Lee stated. 'In this situation, an increase in private capital to make further investments, are more necessary than ever.' Beside thought-provoking talks on climate change, Festa also saw performances by singer-songwriter Ha Hyun-woo, who is also the lead vocal of the rock band Guckkasten. During the event, Ha performed some hit songs including 'Diamond,' from the soundtrack of popular 2020 drama series 'Itaewon Class' and 'Lazenca, Save Us,' a remake of the 1997 music track by late rock legend Shin Hae-chul. The Festa is an annual event designed to raise environmental awareness and to provide a platform that encourages a friendlier approach toward climate change and environmental issues that may otherwise seem daunting and difficult. The forum is hosted and organized by Herald Media Group, which publishes The Korea Herald and Herald Business.
