Chatbot Lee Lu-da. It says ″Hello, this is your first AI friend Lee Lu-da.″ [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Lee Lu-da, a little too chatty

Q. Who or what exactly is Lee Lu-da?

K-pop
Mamamoo's future looks secure as Solar, Moonbyul sign contracts

Solar and Moonbyul of girl group Mamamoo have renewed their contracts while Hwasa and Wheein are in "positive talks," according to the group's agency RBW on Friday. "We are discussing the renewal of their contracts in a positive light, based on ...

Girl group Mamamoo [RBW]
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

Song Soo-woo sings her way to victory in 'Cap-Teen' final

Scenes from the final episode of Mnet's teenage audition program ″Cap-Teen″ that aired on Jan. 21. [MNET]

Television

'Baby Shark's Space Adventure' finds immediate success in the U.S.

″ Pinkfong & Baby Shark's Space Adventure″ on Netflix. [SMARTSTUDY]

Television

Seoul court fines executives behind 'Produce 101' vote rigging

MBK Entertainment

Talk of the Town

HyunA gushes about 'I'm Not Cool'

The teaser image for HyunA's upcoming EP ″I'm Not Cool″ to drop on Jan. 28. [P NATION]

Finance

Data harvesting plus weak credit equals high rate loans

Going-out-of-business signs are displayed in the window of a store at the Euljiro underground shopping center in central Seoul. According to research by the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise, more than eight out of 10 merchants suffered decline in sales due to the coronavirus pandemic. [YONHAP]

Economy

WTO rules in favor of Korea in dispute over U.S. tariffs

World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. [REUTERS]

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