We take an in-depth look at trending issues in entertainment, broadcasting, film, OTT, performances, and sports, focusing on the latest verified facts and official schedules and viewing information.
ALPHA DRIVE ONE’s second mini-album, ‘UNBREAKABLE : 少年BEAST,’ ranked first on Hanteo Chart’s weekly album chart for the fourth week of August 2026. The tracking period was August 24–30, with sales of 1,139,747 copies. The album was also reported as the group’s second album to surpass 1 million copies in first-week sales.
The 20th edition of ITE HCMC 2026 was held from August 27 to 29, 2026, at SECC in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Organizers presented more than 520 exhibitors and brands, 260 international buyers from over 40 countries and regions, and more than 21,000 pre-scheduled B2B appointments, but the final visitor count and actual business and transaction results require separate verification.
In a video posted to her YouTube channel NS Yoon-G on August 30, Kim Yoon-ji shared her experiences after four months of living in the United States. Her personal impressions of pediatric care and the pace of handling everyday matters when raising a child, along with Lee Si-an’s reaction calling her “gorgeous in person,” drew attention.
The 2026 tax reform plan includes adjusting the basic deduction for comprehensive real estate tax to KRW 1.4 billion for owner-occupied single-home owners and KRW 900 million for non-owner-occupied single-home owners. However, as of August 31, 2026, this is a government proposal undergoing advance legislation notice and submission to the National Assembly—not an enacted law in force.
CD PROJEKT RED unveiled The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered at gamescom Opening Night Live. The remaster launches on September 29, 2026, and eligible existing owners on supported platforms can receive a free upgrade. The new paid expansion Songs of the Past, set in the new region of Letten, is scheduled for release in 2027.
In a Realmeter poll, President Lee Jae-myung’s job approval rating fell to 38.9%, marking seven consecutive weeks of decline, while his disapproval rating was 58.7%. In a CATI poll by Polling Flower, approval stood at 49.5% and disapproval at 50.0%. However, the two figures cannot be directly compared on an equal basis because the survey periods and methods differed.
The Joint Investigation Headquarters for Church–State Collusion Corruption concluded 237 days of operations, indicting 32 people, including 16 Shincheonji figures such as Lee Man-hee and 16 Unification Church figures such as Han Hak-ja. This article distinguishes the findings on coercing party memberships and tax evasion related to Shincheonji, the seizure of 26 billion won in cash from Han Hak-ja’s personal safe, and the fact that no politicians were indicted. An indictment is not a final guilty verdict.
In a Realmeter poll, President Lee Jae-myung’s approval rating for his job performance was 38.9%, while his disapproval rating was 58.7%. Approval fell 1.3 percentage points from the previous week, marking seven consecutive weeks of decline and entering the 30% range for the first time since his inauguration. However, the figures should not be directly compared with other polls because the survey conditions differ by polling agency.
BLACKPINK’s Jennie released her digital EP ‘Fallen Angel’ on global streaming platforms at 1 p.m. KST on August 28, 2026. The digital edition has three tracks, while the separate physical EP is listed with six tracks, so the tracklists for the two editions should be checked separately.
Noma reopened in Copenhagen on August 5, 2026. Pablo Soto became Executive Head Chef and now leads daily operations, while founder René Redzepi remains owner and Creative Director but has stepped away from day-to-day management. Noma also announced a shift from three seasonal concepts to a “12 Seasons” model featuring a different expression each month. However, the restaurant was not included in the 2026 Michelin Guide at the time of its reopening.
The 83rd Venice International Film Festival will be held from September 2 to 12, 2026, and Danny Boyle’s film ‘Ink’ will have its world premiere as the opening film on September 2. The film dramatizes Rupert Murdoch’s acquisition of the British newspaper The Sun and his appointment of Larry Lamb to run it, with Jack O’Connell and Guy Pearce portraying Lamb and Murdoch, respectively.
Liverpool drew 2-2 with Nottingham Forest at Anfield in the second round of the Premier League on August 29, 2026. Dan Ndoye and Morgan Gibbs-White scored for Forest, while Alexander Isak and Victor Muñoz scored Liverpool’s equalizers. Muñoz’s 82nd-minute goal was reported as his first Premier League goal for Liverpool.
Klay Thompson signed with the Miami Heat on August 23, 2026, two days after being waived by the Dallas Mavericks on August 21. The deal was reported as a two-year contract worth approximately $11.5 million, with a player option for the second season.
As of the August 21, 2026 update, 431 Salmonella Javiana infections and 57 hospitalizations had been reported across 32 U.S. states. The FDA and CDC are investigating and advising recalls involving specific jalapeños from Sinaloa, Mexico, distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors, along with products made using them. The investigation is ongoing.
Noma reopened in Copenhagen on August 5, 2026. René Redzepi has stepped back from daily operations to become creative director, while Pablo Soto, Mette Brink Søberg, and Annika de Las Heras share responsibility for the kitchen, R&D, and management. The menu is shifting from three seasonal concepts to a 12-season system with a different expression each month, and Noma is not included in the 2026 Michelin Guide.
BIGBANG opened its ‘XX : COSMOS’ world tour with shows at Goyang Stadium from August 21 to 23, 2026. All three Goyang performances were marked SOLD OUT on the official tour page, and the final show featured the first live performance of the new song ‘BiiiG.’ The world tour is scheduled to continue with 33 shows in 19 cities, with the next official dates set for Auckland on September 4–5.
Kim Joong-yeon won the final round of SBS LoveFM’s ‘Life Is an Audition,’ broadcast on August 28, 2026, taking home the 50 million won prize. The final TOP5 are Kim Joong-yeon, Park Min-su, Choi Dae-seong, Ji Yeong-il, and Jaeha. Concerts are scheduled to begin with a Seoul performance in the second week of October, but the venue, time, and ticket information have not yet been confirmed.
ENHYPEN’s eighth mini album, ‘THE SIN : BLISS,’ sold 1,774,829 copies on its first day according to the Hanteo Chart. Cumulative sales reached 2,022,369 copies as of August 26, while the final first-week total for August 21–27 was 2,099,048 copies. The three figures cover different counting periods and closing times, and the album was introduced as ENHYPEN’s fifth double-million seller.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and local governments inspected 4,915 restaurants nationwide and found 58 establishments in violation of the Food Sanitation Act. Of 160 prepared-food samples tested, one kimbap sample exceeded the limit for Staphylococcus aureus. Follow-up measures, including administrative action by the relevant authorities, are expected for the cited establishments.
KIA Tigers manager Lee Beom-ho said he intends to have Na Sung-beom continue serving as captain in 2027. However, this is the manager’s publicly stated plan and does not mean the club has officially appointed him or extended the player’s contract.