Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts, and his wife, Jill Biden, holds the Bible in the inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington Wednesday. [UPI/YONHAP]

Moon congratulates Biden, says 'America is back'

President Moon Jae-in sent a congratulatory message to newly inaugurated U.S. President Joe Biden, stressing Korea’s commitment to “unwavering coordination” with the United States, said the Blue House Thursday.

K-pop
Rapper Cheetah and actor and director Nam Yeon-woo reportedly part ways

Rapper Cheetah and actor and director Nam Yeon-woo have broken up, according to local reports on Thursday.
The couple made their relationship public in 2018. They are known to have gotten close while working on director Nam’s film...

Actor and director Nam Yeon-woo, left, and rapper Cheetah appear together as a couple on MBC reality show ″Don't Be Jealous″ last year. [MBC]
Life & Style
From pointers to purifiers — we look at the products born from the pandemic

In a time when sanitizing and masking up is essential, a plethora of new Covid-related products have hit the market. Insiders say such innovative items are especially diverse in range, large in number and seeing popularity in Korea compared to ...

Illustration by Byun Ju-yeon

Music&Performance

National Theater Company of Korea hopes to restore public trust

The play "Sweat," which had been canceled last year due to the coronavirus, will be staged at the Myeongdong Theater in central Seoul, in May. [NTCK]

Television

Main roles cast for ‘Disqualified as a Human'

Actors Jeon Do-yeon, left, and Ryu Joon-yeol will portray lead roles in upcoming JTBC series ″Disqualified as a Human.″ [MANAGEMENT SOOP, C-JES ENTERTAINMENT]

K-pop

Boy band Treasure to make its Japanese debut with full-length album

Boy band Treasure [YG ENTERTAINMENT]

Music & Performance

Traditional Korean arts get younger, fresher makeover

Music director Lim Yong-ju's "Resonating" (translated), which introduces a unique traditional Korean instrument called pyeongyeong, will premier on Feb. 26 at the Daehakro Arts Theater in central Seoul. [ARKO]

Talk of the Town

Boy band Tomorrow X Together tops Japan’s Oricon music chart with latest album

Boy band TXT [BIG HIT ENTERTAINMENT]

Finance

Record breaking

A digital screen at Hana Bank's dealing room in central Seoul shows the Kospi hit a record high Thursday closing at 3,160.84, up 46.29 points, or 1.49 percent, from the previous trading day. The index broke the previous record high it set nine trading days ago. [YONHAP]

Industry

Ready to vacation at Emart

An Emart employee shows off Shinsegae Department Store gift certificates issued in exchange for foreign currency at Emart’s Seongsu branch in eastern Seoul on Thursday. Emart installed kiosks capable of exchanging paper money from 16 countries and coins from 11 countries into Shinsegae gift certificates at six of its branches including the Seongsu branch and Yongsan branch in central Seoul. [YONHAP]

Social Affairs

Late mayor's victim tries to pin down the leakers

Members of a civic group advocating for the protection of women and their rights hold a press conference in front of the office of Democratic Party Rep. Nam In-soon in southern Seoul on Thursday, demanding her resignation. Nam has been identified as one of several women who were instrumental in informing the former mayor of Seoul that his former secretary may be filing a sexual harassment complaint against him. [NEWS1]

More

Pink Spiders super squad could break V-League wins record

Kim Yeon-koung, center, celebrates with her teammates after scoring a point during the Heungkuk Life Insurance Pink Spiders' game against Suwon Hyundai Engineering & Construction Hillstate at Gyeyang Gymnasium in Incheon on Jan. 8. [YONHAP]

Today's Photo

Bon voyage

Harry Harris, outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Korea, arrives at Incheon International Airport to take a flight back to the United States on Thursday. [NEWS1]

Opinion