Korea JoongAng Daily - Daily News from Korea

Oh Se-jung

The author is a professor emeritus of physics and astronomy and a former president of Seoul National University.

Just over three years have passed since OpenAI released ChatGPT in late November 2022, yet AI is already reshaping daily life and industrial workplaces. Tools such as ChatGPT, Microsoft's Copilot and Google's Gemini now excel at tasks such as document summarization and information retrieval and are widely used in schools and companies.

Universities are struggling to respond as students increasingly rely on AI for essay assignments and even examinations. AI is also beginning to transform the labor market. Law firms are cutting back on hiring junior lawyers who once specialized in researching past cases. As AI systems become capable of writing computer code, many IT companies are reducing recruitment or laying off programmers. In the United States, even graduates from top universities with computer science degrees are reportedly facing difficulties finding jobs.

What makes this challenge more serious is the speed of change. Major U.S. technology firms are investing enormous sums in AI development, effectively staking their corporate futures on it, while Chinese companies are rapidly joining the race. Competition between the United States and China has intensified as both sides believe leadership in AI will determine the fate of companies and nations alike. Against this backdrop, predictions that artificial general intelligence, or AGI, could emerge within the next decade are gaining traction.

Even today's AI systems, which remain limited to specific domains, are already exerting a significant social impact. If AGI were to appear, the scale of change would be difficult to imagine. It is not clear whether human society could adapt. This may well be a turning point in human civilization. At such a critical moment, even a brief lapse could alter a nation's trajectory. Korea has responded by making its goal of becoming one of the world's top three AI powers a key national priority.

Policies pursued under this banner include expanding AI computing infrastructure, developing sovereign AI systems, fostering AI-related industries and training AI specialists. All of these measures are necessary. Yet they share a fundamental limitation: they are supply-side policies. As noted earlier, AI is a technology that affects society as a whole, not only those who develop or deploy it. Every citizen will feel its impact.

The World Economic Forum, which champions an AI-driven Fourth Industrial Revolution, has predicted that two-thirds of children entering elementary school today will work in jobs that do not yet exist. If society is set to change this profoundly, preparation cannot be limited to a small group of AI professionals. All citizens must be equipped to navigate the AI era, and education is the only way to build that capacity.

Can Korea's education system meet this challenge? The greatest obstacle is that it remains trapped in the "catch-up" model of the industrialization era. Memorization still dominates most classrooms. The multiple-choice format of the College Scholastic Ability Test stifles creativity rather than nurturing it. Compounding the problem, education policy moves at a glacial pace. The national curriculum that was revised in 2015 was not fully implemented until 2020, and it took another three years before it was fully reflected in the college entrance exam. Discussions about introducing descriptive questions to foster creative thinking have dragged on for more than a decade and remain unresolved.

Measured against the pace of AI development, five or 10 years is an eternity. Yet that is how long educational reform routinely takes in Korea. This mismatch is untenable.

To adapt to AI technology advancing at near light speed, education must become more agile. The first question should be what schools ought to teach in the AI era. Just as there is little reason to emphasize mental arithmetic in an age of...

Climate, Energy and Environment Minister Kim Sung-hwan has acknowledged the flaws of the nuclear phaseout policy pursued under the Moon Jae-in administration and recognized the need for nuclear power. It is a rare moment of self-reflection from the Lee Jae Myung government's top energy policymaker, who had previously been a leading advocate of denuclearization during the Moon government.

Speaking at the Second Policy Forum on a Desirable Energy Mix on Wednesday, Kim said Korea must operate its power system stably because it hosts key industries such as semiconductors. While he said he would like to rely entirely on renewable energy if possible, he acknowledged that it is not easy given the reality of ensuring a stable power supply. He also noted that Korea's short east-west span limits the amount of sunlight available for solar power generation, adding that he had only recently come to recognize the seriousness of this constraint.

Kim further said it was awkward that Korea refrained from building nuclear plants at home while exporting nuclear technology abroad during the Moon administration. His remarks amounted to an admission that new nuclear power plants are necessary.

Kim had once been one of the ruling camp's most prominent advocates of a nuclear phaseout, declaring that denuclearization was an irreversible global trend. However, after becoming the minister in charge of energy policy, he appears to have confronted the reality that nuclear power is indispensable for meeting the surging electricity demand of the AI era and for compensating for the intermittency of renewable energy.

As an environmentalist, Kim may also have concluded that clinging to the nuclear phaseout debate would make the more urgent goal of carbon reduction unattainable. At the first forum, he said it was regrettable that five years were lost under the Moon government amid prolonged disputes over nuclear power, during which coal could not be phased out more quickly.

Though belated, this shift in perception is welcome. The challenge is translating recognition into action. The central issue of the current forum is whether to build two new nuclear reactors. These reactors were already included in the 11th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand, agreed upon by both ruling and opposition parties early last year.

The ministry has reopened the issue for public discussion and plans to finalize the decision in the 12th plan, scheduled for the second half of this year.

While prospects for new nuclear construction have improved, the timeline remains unhurried. With the government pledging to shut down coal-fired power plants by 2040 to address the climate crisis, nuclear power remains the only realistic alternative. As the global race for AI leadership intensifies, countries are fiercely competing to secure affordable and reliable energy.

The United States and Europe are expanding nuclear capacity and even Japan, despite the Fukushima disaster, has resumed reactor operations. There is neither reason nor time to delay a project that has already been agreed upon. Having taken a forward-looking stance, the government should promptly finalize its plans and reduce the uncertainty facing the industry.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

This article is by Lee Jae-lim and read by an artificial voice.

Samsung Electronics' estimated operating profit more than tripled to 20 trillion won ($14 billion) for the September-December 2025 period compared to the year before, beating even heightened market expectations amid a semiconductor supercycle driven by the AI boom.

The estimate blew past the market consensus of 18.5 trillion won provided by market tracker FnGuide, marking a whopping 208.17 percent surge from the same quarter a year earlier. Projected revenue provided by the chipmaker stood at 93 trillion won, also surpassing the market forecast of 91.47 trillion won and an increase of 22.71 percent on year.

Detailed figures per business division were not given during the preliminary guidance. The company is scheduled to release full earnings later this month.

Analysts expect the chip segment to post a record operating profit of more than 16 trillion won, the highest quarterly result in the unit's history. The previous peak was 13.65 trillion won in the third quarter of 2018 during the last chip upcycle.

A golden age for memory semiconductors... and foundries?

By division, memory's operating profit is expected to come to 17.7 trillion won, with 15.5 trillion won from dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) and 2.2 trillion won from NAND flash chips, driven by memory price increases from supply shortages, according to an SK Securities report. However, the report forecast chip manufacturing and chip design divisions, combined, to log 1.1 trillion won in operating loss.

Supply constraints are not limited to high bandwidth memory (HBM) chips used in AI accelerators. As global chipmakers prioritize HBM production, supplies of conventional DRAM and NAND chips are also tightening, benefiting Samsung across its broader memory portfolio.

"Major server customers are planning for faster server build-outs to meet surging token demand, prioritizing supply chain stability over pricing," Daishin Securities analyst Ryu Hyung-keun said. "As a result, server DRAM prices in the first quarter of 2026 are projected to rise 40 to 50 percent quarter-on-quarter."

Analysts note that memory manufacturers are becoming more cautious in capacity planning amid the AI boom, increasing the risk of supply shortages as demand shifts from predictable consumer electronics to hyperscale AI data centers capable of driving sudden demand spikes.

"With supply prepared cautiously and AI-driven demand rising in stepwise bursts, the industry is increasingly exposed to severe shortages in 2026 and 2027," Meritz Securities analyst Kim Sun-woo said. "Chip price momentum is expected to persist throughout the year, reinforced by the seasonality of conventional demand, with memory makers' share prices likely to move in tandem."

Although Samsung's foundry business is still projected to post losses for now, industry observers expect it to swing back to black later this year following new deals with U.S. Big Tech companies, including Qualcomm.

Qualcomm is reportedly in talks with Samsung over the contract manufacturing of two-nanometer chips for mobile processors, according to an exclusive report by the Korea Economic Daily. The report cited recent comments from Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon at CES 2026. If confirmed, the deal would mark Qualcomm's return to Samsung as a key customer after five years, following its shift to TSMC in 2022 due to Samsung's manufacturing challenges.

Jun Young-hyun, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics and head of its chip business, said the foundry division is "at the threshold of its next leap forward" in his New Year's address on Jan. 2, following a major $16.5 billion deal with Tesla signed in July 2025.

Shares skyrocket

Investment firms have unanimously maintained buy ratings on the stock. Daishin Securities set the highest six-month target price at 180,000 won, matching targets from Korea Investment & Securities and KB Securities. DB Securities set a target of 174,000 won, while Eu...

This article is by Lee Jae-lim and read by an artificial voice.

Samsung Electronics' estimated operating profit more than tripled to 20 trillion won ($14 billion) for the September-December 2025 period compared to the year before, beating even heightened market expectations amid a semiconductor supercycle driven by the AI boom.

The estimate blew past the market consensus of 18.5 trillion won provided by market tracker FnGuide, marking a whopping 208.17 percent surge from the same quarter a year earlier. Projected revenue provided by the chipmaker stood at 93 trillion won, also surpassing the market forecast of 91.47 trillion won and an increase of 22.71 percent on year.

Detailed figures per business division were not given during the preliminary guidance. The company is scheduled to release full earnings later this month.

Analysts expect the chip segment to post a record operating profit of more than 16 trillion won, the highest quarterly result in the unit's history. The previous peak was 13.65 trillion won in the third quarter of 2018 during the last chip upcycle.

A golden age for memory semiconductors... and foundries?

By division, memory's operating profit is expected to come to 17.7 trillion won, with 15.5 trillion won from dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) and 2.2 trillion won from NAND flash chips, driven by memory price increases from supply shortages, according to an SK Securities report. However, the report forecast chip manufacturing and chip design divisions, combined, to log 1.1 trillion won in operating loss.

Supply constraints are not limited to high bandwidth memory (HBM) chips used in AI accelerators. As global chipmakers prioritize HBM production, supplies of conventional DRAM and NAND chips are also tightening, benefiting Samsung across its broader memory portfolio.

"Major server customers are planning for faster server build-outs to meet surging token demand, prioritizing supply chain stability over pricing," Daishin Securities analyst Ryu Hyung-keun said. "As a result, server DRAM prices in the first quarter of 2026 are projected to rise 40 to 50 percent quarter-on-quarter."

Analysts note that memory manufacturers are becoming more cautious in capacity planning amid the AI boom, increasing the risk of supply shortages as demand shifts from predictable consumer electronics to hyperscale AI data centers capable of driving sudden demand spikes.

"With supply prepared cautiously and AI-driven demand rising in stepwise bursts, the industry is increasingly exposed to severe shortages in 2026 and 2027," Meritz Securities analyst Kim Sun-woo said. "Chip price momentum is expected to persist throughout the year, reinforced by the seasonality of conventional demand, with memory makers' share prices likely to move in tandem."

Although Samsung's foundry business is still projected to post losses for now, industry observers expect it to swing back to black later this year following new deals with U.S. Big Tech companies, including Qualcomm.

Qualcomm is reportedly in talks with Samsung over the contract manufacturing of two-nanometer chips for mobile processors, according to an exclusive report by the Korea Economic Daily. The report cited recent comments from Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon at CES 2026. If confirmed, the deal would mark Qualcomm's return to Samsung as a key customer after five years, following its shift to TSMC in 2022 due to Samsung's manufacturing challenges.

Jun Young-hyun, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics and head of its chip business, said the foundry division is "at the threshold of its next leap forward" in his New Year's address on Jan. 2, following a major $16.5 billion deal with Tesla signed in July 2025.

Shares skyrocket

Investment firms have unanimously maintained buy ratings on the stock. Daishin Securities set the highest six-month target price at 180,000 won, matching targets from Korea Investment & Securities and KB Securities. DB Securities set a target of 174,000 won, while Eu...

This article is by Sarah Chea and read by an artificial voice.

[INTERVIEW]

LAS VEGAS — Zachary Jackowski, head of humanoid development at Boston Dynamics, highlighted the technological edge of their robots over Chinese counterparts that focus on flashy "kung fu" moves, dismissing such displays as lacking practical and economic value.

His remarks directly rebut market skepticism over the delayed launch of its Atlas humanoid compared to Chinese rivals amid a surge of robot unveilings by Chinese front-runners such as Unitree Robotics and UBTech Robotics at this year's CES in Las Vegas.

Boston Dynamics, which is 90 percent owned by Hyundai Motor Group, unveiled Atlas for the first time at CES 2026 and announced plans to deploy it at a Hyundai factory in 2028.

"When you think about value, it's one thing to have a robot that can walk around or do kung fu moves. It's an entirely different thing to have a robot capable of complex manipulation tasks that actually bring value to customers," Jackowski said.

"That's where Boston Dynamics is already leading, and we will continue to double down on bringing the most value with the highest capabilities in real applications for humanoids," he added. "We're very focused on leading the market not only in robot performance but also on delivering a robot that provides the most value to customers.

Oh Se-uk, head of the Robotics Business Innovation Group at Hyundai Mobis, agreed with Jackowski, pinpointing the lack of technical prowess of Chinese firms.

"Chinese companies focus more on imitating human behavior," Oh said. "Boston Dynamics is designed to outperform humans on actual production lines. That gap is what you need to understand."

Hyundai Mobis, a parts affiliate of Hyundai, has been selected as the major supplier of actuators for Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot production, making it one of the biggest beneficiaries of Hyundai's expanded robot strategies. Actuators, which turn energy into physical force, account for about 50 to 60 percent of a robot's cost.

Hyundai Motor is planning a U.S. factory with an annual capacity of 30,000 units, targeting mass production by 2028.

"We believe our experience developing core automotive parts gives us a competitive edge since many components are similar to those used in robots," Oh said.

"The electric power steering we currently mass-produce has a similar structure. We are developing ultracompact, high-density actuators for robots based on that technology, including motors and reducers," he added. "We are also hiring specialists because Boston Dynamics' products require high-performance, high-spec parts."

Oh hinted that Mobis could enter the gripper market after actuators.

"We also consider sensors such as batteries, radar and LiDAR — which we already secure for autonomous driving — as core components for robots," Oh said.

Prototype production of the actuators is scheduled for midyear at Hyundai Mobis's R&D center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi. Mass production is expected to focus near Boston Dynamics' factory, likely in Georgia, where Hyundai has a massive EV plant.

This article is by Sarah Chea and read by an artificial voice.

LAS VEGAS — At this year's CES, Chinese electronics makers wowed visitors with massive booths and oversized products — yet some exhibits featured designs strikingly similar to Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.

At the TCL booth in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center — a spot historically secured by Samsung for years — the company showcased its "NXT HOME" concept, displaying a range of TVs including the A300 series. This time, TCL removed the "NXT FRAME" name from its products after losing a lawsuit against Samsung.

Samsung originally launched The Frame concept in 2017, debuting a TV designed to double as a gallery for artwork or personal photos, even when it is powered off.

TCL launched a similar concept, the "NXT FRAME," at IFA 2024, Europe's largest electronics show.

Samsung sued TCL, accusing the Chinese manufacturer of copying its design and concept. In February last year, TCL's German subsidiary lost the case, with a German court ruling that "NXT FRAME" violated Samsung's trademark.

Hisense also styled its booth around its "Canvas TV" and "Deco TV" lines, featuring models enhanced with interior design elements.

Among the displays was a portable screen named "FollowMe," which bore a strong resemblance in design and color to LG Electronics' megahit "StanbyME."

Chinese brand Dreame, best known for its robot vacuum cleaners, unveiled a pet-focused air purifier, the Dreame Purcatch Air Purifier FP10, highlighting its ability to efficiently capture pet hair and dander while hygienically disposing of dust via a sealed antibacterial dust box.

The device's design, however, closely mirrored LG's PuriCare AeroCat Tower, with both units incorporating a seating platform atop the purifier. LG's product was first unveiled a year ago at CES 2025.

The oddly familiar products notwithstanding, the presence of Chinese companies at CES 2026 — and their innovations — was impossible to ignore.

TCL showcased a 163-inch Micro LED TV, surpassing Samsung's 130-inch Micro RGB TV — also revealed at the show — by 33 inches.

It also showcased its SQD Mini LED, branded the "Super Quantum Dot," positioned to compete with Samsung's premium Neo QNED line.

Hisense introduced a 116-inch RGB Mini LED TV, promoted as the world's longest RGB Mini LED TV, alongside a 150-inch laser TV displayed in a dedicated space.

This article is by Ko Suk-hyun, Lee Su-jeong and read by an artificial voice.

Korean shipbuilders regained a 20 percent share of the global shipbuilding market in 2025, with the nation's shipyards now focusing on liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers and naval ships to sustain profitability this year, even as the global ship market continues to shrink.

Global ship orders in 2025 totaled 76.78 million compensated gross tons (CGT) — equivalent to 3,235 vessels — down 27 percent from the previous year, based on data released Wednesday by British maritime industry tracker Clarkson Research. Of that, Korea accounted for 21 percent, or 11.6 million CGT across 247 vessels, placing second after China, which took 61 percent, or 35.37 million CGT from 1,421 vessels.

Korea's market share had dropped to 17 percent in 2024 but rebounded to the 20 percent range last year, driven by an 8 percent increase in order volume. China's orders, by contrast, declined 35 percent over the same period.

The global shipbuilding outlook, however, continues to worsen, while Chinese shipbuilders are escalating their price-based competition. The Export-Import Bank of Korea's Overseas Economic Research Institute expects global ship orders to fall 14.6 percent by volume and 15.2 percent by value this year.

"As new ship prices show a gradual decline, shipowners are increasingly taking a wait-and-see approach," said Yang Jong-seo, a visiting professor of naval architecture and ocean engineering at Seoul National University.

Korean shipbuilders are turning to high-value and specialized vessels such as LNG carriers and naval ships to compete. While China now dominates the container ship and bulk carrier markets, Korea retains a technological edge in LNG shipbuilding.

The so-called Big Three — HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE), Hanwha Ocean and Samsung Heavy Industries — are expected to secure $46.7 billion in new orders this year, a 28.65 percent increase from the $36.3 billion recorded in 2025, according to shipbuilding and securities industry forecasts.

HD Hyundai, which includes KSOE, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and HD Hyundai Samho, has set a 2026 order target of $23.31 billion — up 29.14 percent from the $18.05 billion it achieved last year. While Hanwha Ocean and Samsung Heavy Industries have not disclosed their goals, Daol Investment & Securities estimates $12.3 billion for Hanwha Ocean and $11.1 billion for Samsung Heavy Industries. Financial data firm FnGuide projects the combined operating profit of the three shipbuilders at 7.62 trillion won ($5.26 billion).

Additional momentum is coming from the Make American Shipbuilding Great Again project, or MASGA, a Korea-U.S. initiative to rebuild American shipbuilding. The U.S. legislative ban on the construction or sourcing of U.S. military vessels and components from overseas may also be eased.

"If the [legal ban] is amended, it could pave the way for Korean shipbuilders to supply blocks and bare hulls to the United States," said Choi Kwang-sik, a researcher at Daol Investment & Securities. "That would be a key opportunity for HD Hyundai and Hanwha Ocean. While Samsung Heavy Industries does not have a portfolio in warships, it is expected to benefit from its partnership [with U.S.-based shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO and Korean engineering firm DSEC] to bid for the U.S. Navy's next-generation logistics support ship program, the NGLS."

Korean shipbuilders have also started the new year with fresh wins. KSOE signed a 1.5 trillion won contract with a North American shipping company to build four LNG carriers. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries secured a contract to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul services for the 41,000-ton U.S. Navy cargo ship USNS Cesar Chavez.

"LNG carrier orders have risen since the second half of last year due to the emergence of new gas fields," Yang said. "Korean shipbuilders will continue to compete in high-value ship orders. And while they already have about ...

This article is by Sarah Chea and read by an artificial voice.

LAS VEGAS — An aching lower back, a chronically stiff neck — does a trip to a clinic or hospital have to be the only answer? What if care could be easily delivered from the comfort of your own home?

Ceragem may have an answer at CES 2026, where it is showcasing a broad portfolio of products from circulation-enhancing chairs designed to improve blood flow to a "brain booth" that analyzes children's stress levels and boosts concentration.

Ceragem does not see itself as a luxury furniture or interior design company, but as one rooted fundamentally in medical technology — at least, that is how Ceragem CEO Lee Kyung-soo defines the company's core distinction from Korean electronics giants such as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.

"Our starting point is medical devices. Even when it comes to beauty devices, we ask ourselves how we can deliver treatments at a dermatology-clinic level," Lee said in an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily at CES 2026 on Jan. 7.

"What kind of wallpaper should go into a child's room? What materials make a home healthier for children? Ceragem exists to answer those questions."

Ceragem's booth at CES was divided into three zones, each tailored to different age groups: teenagers and young adults, middle-aged consumers and seniors in their '70s and '80s. Every tour began in a zone where visitors can measure their stress levels, depression markers and other mental health signals, along with blood pressure, blood glucose and body composition.

The zone designed for teenagers features an AI-powered bed that learns a child's sleep patterns, study hours, and emotional state to understand the rhythm of their day, allowing focus, rest and recovery to flow more naturally.

During periods that require deep concentration, the "Brain Booth with AI Coach" transforms into a personalized learning space. By analyzing brain waves and biometric signals, it calibrates study and focus time based on fatigue and attention levels, while automatically controlling lighting, sound and oxygen levels to sustain immersion.

For middle-aged users, Ceragem introduced the "Home Therapy Booth," which allows users to enjoy a sauna-like experience at home, equipped with an internal display for content consumption and an optional opaque mode for privacy.

The "Balance AI Shower System," reminiscent of a shower filter, was also displayed, with a front-mounted 3-D scanning sensor that optimizes water temperature, while fingerprint recognition loads individual user profiles, enabling family members to personalize their shower experience.

For senior users, the "Master V9" provides a thermal massage calibrated to body temperature, designed to help alleviate symptoms associated with herniated discs.

The "Home Medicare Bed," featuring motion-bed functionality, analyzes users' health conditions through embedded sensors as they lie on it. An aroma diffuser integrated into the headboard promotes deeper, more restful sleep.

Looking five years ahead, Ceragem aims to move beyond providing wellness-focused interiors to delivering entire wellness residential spaces. As a step toward that goal, the company is preparing to open a nursing care facility in northern Seoul.

"Our ultimate goal is to offer silver towns or short-term residential spaces under names such as Ceragem Wellstown or Wellstay," Lee said. "Ceragem will be a brand like Starbucks or McDonald's, while simultaneously becoming a data-driven company like Baedal Minjok."

Lee also hinted that he is targeting an initial public offering (IPO) in 2028, with plans to pursue pre-IPO investment beginning this year.

Ceragem currently operates around 2,500 stores globally. Of those, 1,200 are in China, each serving an average of 1,500 customers.

It is also looking to expand into Europe. It is set to participate in the Milan furniture fair with its circulation chair, a seated device designed to improve blood circulation and relieve mus...

This article is by Shin Ha-nee and read by an artificial voice.

At the intersection of the new and the familiar — where Y2K retro nostalgia meets the AI surge — sits singer Chuu's first full-length album "XO, My Cyberlove." The milestone is also the point at which her tumultuous journey, now nearing a decade, gives way to a new one.

As Chuu enters her 10th year in the industry, the 26-year old says the timing feels right to fully show who she is as an artist with a full-length album, an increasingly rare format in the K-pop industry, where many artists instead opt for EPs or singles.

"This felt like the right timing," said Chuu during a roundtable interview on Wednesday in southern Seoul, the day of the latest album's release. "Not because I saw it as the destination of my story, but as a new starting point for stories I wish to tell, which have now become clearer."

Chuu, whose real name is Kim Ji-woo, debuted as a member of girl group Loona in 2017, but left the group in 2022 amid a legal dispute with BlockBerry Entertainment over the validity of her exclusive contract and unfair profit distribution. She ultimately won her case in 2024.

Chuu launched her solo career under ATRP in 2023 with her first EP "Howl."

Her first full-length album "XO, My Cyberlove," comes about eight months after her third EP, "Only cry in the rain" (2025), and consists of nine songs: the title track, along with B-sides "Canary," "Cocktail Dress," "Limoncello," "Teeny Tiny Heart," "Love Potion," "Heart Tea Bag," "Hide & Seek" and "Loving You!"

The title track, "XO, My Cyberlove," leans into a dreamy pop sound with its lyrics centered on the "emotional resonance between a human and an AI connected through a virtual messenger," according to ATRP.

"Cyber love" was a 1990s buzzword in Korea, referring to online dating, which was a novel phenomenon at the time. The music video, which portrays Chuu as an AI personification falling in love with a human, also amplifies the song's nostalgic, dreamy atmosphere through retro-inspired visuals.

"In today's highly digital-driven era, expressions of love take the form of text messages, emojis and photos sent to each other," Chuu said. "I wanted that to be the core premise of the song's storytelling."

Yet the song and its music video feel less like a commentary about human-machine dynamics or the digital age and more like an exploration of the idea of affection and yearning — the deeply human desire to love and be loved — which also serves as a central theme that runs throughout the album.

"Diverse forms of love, depicted in many different perspectives, appear throughout the album," Chuu said, adding that her goal was to have her genuine emotions resonate with listeners through the music.

"I believe love is not something that can be forced — it's something that exists among us in daily lives, floating in the air," she said. "The power of love, for me, lies in noticing it in small, everyday details and embracing it as a driving force going forward."

Admitting that the idea of being in the 10th year of her career still feels awkward and unreal, Chuu said that she hopes to become a singer who continues to improve and ultimately establishes a distinct musical identity of her own.

"Someday, I want to become a singer who can fill an entire concert only with songs, and someone audiences can trust and look forward to seeing."

This article is by Lee Jian and read by an artificial voice.

"No going shirtless."

Displayed on a sign, the warning is aimed at runners in Yeouido Park in western Seoul — one of the many public outdoor spaces where running crews and solo joggers have come to dominate the paths in recent years.

Running didn't used to be this big in Korea. But over the past few years, it has ballooned into a mainstream lifestyle. Industry experts estimate that about 10 million people, roughly one in every five Koreans, now run regularly.

Seoul, in particular, is a great city to run in, with dozens of long, mostly uninterrupted riverside paths along the Han River and routes around major landmarks and parks that keep runners largely away from traffic. People in flashy shoes and polyester clothes are now a familiar part of Seoul's landscape, striding along scenic riverside paths, tracing palace walls and filling neighborhood parks.

The boom, however, has also sparked a wave of complaints from those who say public spaces are being treated like private training grounds, citing revealing outfits, shouted chants and other inconsiderate behavior. As increasingly hostile signs pop up around the city, can Seoul stay runner-friendly?

Running took off as a mainstream sport in Korea with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, which shut down sports facilities and made team activities seem riskier to participate in. Running surged as the rare workout that was cheap, solo-friendly and outdoors. As the pandemic waned, the practical workaround turned into a culture as social media filled with after-work "running crew" meetups and post-run selfies.

The domestic running market was valued at about 4 trillion won ($2.77 billion) in 2024, according to the most recent data from Euromonitor International. It is up from roughly 2.77 trillion won in 2021 and 3.41 trillion won in 2023. The running shoe market alone is now widely described as an over 1 trillion won category, as sneaker consumption shifts from lifestyle fashion to performance and function.

But along with the wellness frenzy has arisen unexpected cultural pushback.

"I don't want to see shirtless runners during my walks. It is unpleasant," read a Naver community post in October. "They shout at me to move to make way for like a group of eight runners," read another post. Others argue that the problem is taken too seriously. "People are too critical," read a comment on the same community thread.

As the issue continued to mount for a year, local governments began to take action to promote a set of guidelines for runners in public spaces.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government launched a campaign in September, promoting "etiquette" for outdoor runners, including running in single file and the use of headphones instead of speakers and "neat" clothing.

Running shirtless is not illegal in Korea, though it was punishable by law under the Act on the Punishment of Minor Offenses, until the Constitutional Court of Korea ruled it unconstitutional in 2016.

Individual districts have also taken action to advocate similar runner guidelines. Major paths for runners around the city are now lined with new signs — some rather bluntly — reminding runners to be more mindful of the regular pedestrians in the city.

The Seocho District Office in southern Seoul restricts runners in groups bigger than five people at Banpo Sports Complex. Songpa District, also in southern Seoul, advises that runners run in groups of fewer than three at the Seokchon Lake Park. Jongno District in central Seoul also set up large signs by the pedestrian way along the Gyeongbok Palace's outer walls, reminding runners to be quiet and keep to a single line.

Seoul city claims that it is not its intention to make the city hostile to runners, but rather to "create an atmosphere where all Seoul citizens can enjoy themselves," said an official from the city's sports tourism desk, "and we will continue to support the mindful behavior of the runners."