K-Pop Album Exports Hit Record $257M in H1 2026 — BTS "Arirang" Drives 125% Surge, Setting Up HYBE's July 28 Earnings Test
South Korea's K-pop album exports hit a record USD 257.48M in H1 2026 (+125% YoY). BTS's 'Arirang' topped the Billboard 200 for three consecutive weeks; HYBE reported record Q1 revenue of ₩698.3B (+39.5% YoY). HYBE reports Q2 2026 earnings July 28.
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Samsung Galaxy Glasses Meet Meta Head-On With $379–$499 Bet on AI Fashion — Gentle Monster Puts Korea at the Heart of the Wearable Race
Samsung is set to unveil Galaxy Glasses at Unpacked on July 22, 2026. Leaked pricing at $379–$499 matches Meta's Ray-Ban Gen 2. Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster co-designs one frame line, adding Korean design credentials to Samsung's DX growth push.
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SKIET (361610.KS) Q1 2026: Revenue Dives 38%, ₩1.1T Due This Year
SKIET (361610.KS) Q1 2026: Revenue Dives 38%, ₩1.1T Due This Year
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Korea's Power Grid Trio Locks In ₩1.43T in Contracts as AI Data Centers Trigger a Transformer Supercycle
HD Hyundai Electric, Hyosung Heavy Industries, and LS Electric announced a combined ₩1.43 trillion in power infrastructure contracts on July 2, 2026, driven by AI data center construction and aging US grid replacement. The trio's combined 2026 operating profit is forecast to approach ₩3 trillion, up 38% year-on-year.
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Samsung Q2 2026 Full Results Due July 30: Three Figures Behind the ₩89.4T Headline
Samsung posted ₩89.4T operating profit in Q2 2026 (preliminary, July 7). Full segment breakdown — DS, MX, foundry — releases July 30. Three numbers that will move 005930.KS.
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Apple Enters DOJ Settlement Talks — Samsung Korea Subpoenaed as Case's 'Most Relevant Third Party'
Apple entered early settlement talks with the U.S. DOJ over its 2024 antitrust case. Samsung Korea is at the center — subpoenaed for discovery, named as Apple's closest competitor.
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SKHY ADR Premium Drops 28 Points From 51% to 23% in Two Sessions: Constitution Day, Options Expiry
SKHY ADR premium compressed from a same-session peak of 51% on July 14 to ~23% on July 16 in two sessions. KRX closed today for Korea's reinstated Constitution Day.
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Meritz Financial Approves ₩200 Billion DIP Loan for Homeplus as MBK Chair Stakes Personal Guarantee Before July 20 Court Deadline
Meritz Financial Group approved a ₩200 billion debtor-in-possession loan for Homeplus on July 16, with MBK Partners Chairman Michael Kim providing a personal guarantee for the full amount. The deal enables Homeplus to appeal Seoul Bankruptcy Court's rehabilitation termination before the July 20 deadline. Korean bank creditors hold an estimated ₩1 trillion in combined exposure.
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SK REIT (395400.KS) Q1 2026: 0% Vacancy Intact but ₩33.9B Interest Devours 63% of Operating Profit
SK REIT (395400.KS) Q1 2026: 0% Vacancy Intact but ₩33.9B Interest Devours 63% of Operating Profit
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Kia Partners With Kakao Mobility to Build Purpose-Built Robotaxis as Seoul Sets October Level-4 Debut
Kia and Kakao Mobility ink a PBV robotaxi co-development MOU, with Kia supplying PV5 DevKit vans for Seoul's 2026 pilot as both partners target Korea's first unmanned Level-4 commercial service in October.
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Micron Locks In Hyundai Mobis and Samsung's Harman on 3-5 Year AI Vehicle Chip Deals
Micron Technology secured 3-5 year strategic supply agreements with Hyundai Mobis and Samsung's Harman for AI-enabled vehicle memory. What it means for Korea's three-way automotive chip race.
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KAI Completes T-50i Deliveries to Indonesia, Opening KRW 2.5T KF-21 Revenue Window
KAI delivered its final T-50i batch to Indonesia on July 16, completing 22 total units and cementing a relationship that anchors a KRW 2.5 trillion KF-21 fighter revenue stream beginning Q1 2026. With Q1 revenue forecast up 53.4% YoY and 94+ FA-50 aircraft in global negotiation, analysts maintain a Buy consensus with a 37% upside target.
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Shift Up (462870.KS) Q1 2026: Op Profit Slides 18%, FX and Funds Drive Net Income Up 41%
Shift Up (462870.KS) Q1 2026: Op Profit Slides 18%, FX and Funds Drive Net Income Up 41%
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EU Forces Android Open: Samsung (005930.KS) Gemini at Risk
The European Commission (the EU's executive arm and top antitrust enforcer) on July 16, 2026 issued two binding orders requiring Alphabet's Google to open its Android operating system to rival artificial-intelligence assistants and to share Google Search data with competing search providers.
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SK Group Chair Chey Tae-won: 'AI Memory Demand Will Rise 20x by 2030 — Just Hold SK Hynix'
SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won told a KCCI summer forum to stop trading SK Hynix and hold long-term, citing AI memory demand expanding roughly 20x from 2026 to 2030 and SK Hynix 56.4% global HBM market share.
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Bank of Korea's First Rate Hike in 3.5 Years: 2.75%, October Next, 3% by Year-End
Bank of Korea hikes 25bp to 2.75% (7-0 vote): first rate rise in 3.5 years. CPI at 3.2%, October hike expected, year-end consensus 3%. Won firms; bank stocks jump.
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