Korea Observer

HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk (Instagram) Korean police referred on Sept. 3 HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk and four others to the prosecution for allegedly degrading investors and making illegal profits of 263.1 billion won (about $194 million) ahead of the entertainment company’s initial public offering (IPO) in 2019.  The case was forwarded by the Financial Crimes Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to the prosecution without detention after they finished their investigation which took 20 months.  The five individuals, consisting of Bang Si-hyuk, HYBE executives and private equity fund officials, were referred to the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office on charges of fraudulent trading under Korea’s Capital Market Act. According to the police, they are suspected of obtaining 263.1 billion won in illicit profits by deceiving existing shareholders into believing there were no plans for an IPO, purchasing their shares through a private equity fund, and th...

BY JONATHAN HICAP Prime Video launched its own Weekly Top 10 lists, giving audiences details of what the world is watching on the streaming platform.  Every week, Prime Video will now publish four top 10 charts: Top 10 Prime Original Films (English & Non-English) - Worldwide, Top 10 Prime Original Series (English & Non-English) - Worldwide, Top 10 Non-English Prime Original Films - Worldwide, and Top 10 Non-English Prime Original Series - Worldwide.  Charts are updated weekly and reflect viewership from the prior Monday–Sunday period. "Prime Originals" refers to content exclusively available on Prime Video while "International Originals" refers to non-English-language Prime Originals produced outside the US. The charts reflect actual viewership data from Prime Video's global audience, offering a real-time pulse on the films and series.  Prime Video will publish the charts every Thursday (3 a.m. in the Philippines), corresponding to every Wednesday at 12 ...

South Korea's Supreme Court has upheld the acquittal of "Squid Game" (오징어 게임) actor O Yeong-su, bringing to a close a years-long legal battle over sexual harassment allegations stemming from a 2017 incident. In a ruling issued on June 25, the Supreme Court's Third Division affirmed the Nov. 11, 2025 decision of the Suwon District Court's Criminal Appeals Division, which overturned the actor's earlier conviction and acquitted him of the charges. O Yeong-su in "Squid Game" season 1 (Netflix) Read more at https://mb.com.ph/2026/06/26/court-upholds-squid-game-actors-acquittal-in-sexual-harassment-case  

A Philippine community library initiative was named one of just 10 youth-led projects worldwide selected for expansion under UNESCO and K-pop group Seventeen's Global Youth Grant Scheme, as member Joshua attended a celebration at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on June 25.  Read more at https://mb.com.ph/2026/06/26/ph-project-among-10-chosen-in-unesco-seventeen-youth-initiative

Evan, formerly known as Heeseung of the K-pop group ENHYPEN, has officially launched his solo career with the release of his digital single “Ride or Die,” marking his first project under his new stage name. Read more at Manila Bulletin online at https://mb.com.ph/2026/06/23/ex-enhypen-heeseung-debuts-as-evan-with-ride-or-die

An all-female dance crew will carry the Philippine flag to South Korea after emerging as grand champion of the Philippine leg of the K-Pop Cover Dance Festival (KCDF). Read more at: https://mb.com.ph/2026/06/24/meraki-to-represent-ph-in-k-pop-cover-dance-festival-finals-in-seoul