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.
In the fourth week of August 2026, Seoul apartment sale prices rose 0.29%, up 0.07 percentage points from the previous week. However, Gangnam and Seocho fell for the third consecutive week, while Nowon·Dobong·Gangbuk and major areas in southern Gyeonggi posted comparatively strong gains.
A lieutenant from the Jeju Western Police Station has been arrested on suspicion of falsely closing two missing-person reports. Evidence that the missing woman’s phone location was queried during the ressearch has also emerged, while reviews of 298 Jeju cases and roughly 310,000 cases nationwide are underway. The suspect’s motive and the exact cause of Ms. Jang Mi-ran’s death have not been determined.
Spot gold rose as high as $4,696.20 intraday on August 25, reaching its highest level in more than three months. Recent gains have been attributed to a weaker dollar and renewed concerns about dollar depreciation following the U.S. Treasury’s expanded buybacks of long-term Treasury bonds. However, the available data cannot confirm a year-end rise above $4,700. Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh’s Jackson Hole remarks scheduled for August 28, along with subsequent expectations for interest rates and the dollar, will be key variables.
Kim Han-gyeol started against SSG on August 12 as a replacement starter before pitching in relief against KIA on August 26. After allowing two runs on August 26, he discussed his pitching and breaking-ball control with manager Kim Tae-hyung, who said the conversation was intended as encouragement rather than reprimand. Park Jeong-min was also reported to have recorded six scoreless appearances in the second half.
In 2026, the Basic Pension selection threshold is ₩2.47 million per month for single-person households and ₩3.952 million for couples. The standard pension amount is ₩349,700 per month. From July 30, the deemed-application system may apply to people who requested eligibility-history management within the past five years and were confirmed as likely eligible.
Beşiktaş lost 0-1 to Kauno Žalgiris in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League playoff, but advanced to the league phase with a 3-1 aggregate victory after winning the first leg 3-0. Head coach Vincenzo Italiano said competing in the Europa League was a goal for the club, the team, and himself, and set finishing in the top 24 as the first target.
Beşiktaş lost 0–1 to Kauno Žalgiris in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League play-off on August 27, 2026, but advanced to the league phase with a 3–1 aggregate victory after winning the first leg 3–0. After the match, Kauno Žalgiris manager Željko Sopić acknowledged the significant difference in quality between the two teams while saying his side had been better on the day.
Beşiktaş lost 0-1 to Kauno Žalgiris in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League playoff, but advanced to the league phase with a 3-1 aggregate victory after winning the first leg 3-0. Kauno Žalgiris’s Renan Oliveira scored the decisive goal in the 64th minute.
According to Counterpoint Research, the Galaxy S26 Ultra was the best-selling Android smartphone worldwide in the second quarter of 2026. However, it ranked fourth among all global smartphone models, and the ranking is based on sell-through rather than shipments. The delayed launch of the Galaxy S26 series compared with its predecessor is being analyzed as a factor behind the concentration of sales in the second quarter.
Aston Martin and official importer Britannia Auto unveiled the DBX S, DB12 S, and Vantage S in Seoul for the first time in Korea. Here is a summary of the three models’ official performance figures and whether Korean pricing and delivery schedules have been announced.
Ferrari Korea unveiled the Ferrari Luce in Korea for the first time at its Cheongdam showroom in Seoul on August 24, 2026. As the brand’s first pure-electric sports car, the Luce features four motors, a 122 kWh battery, and 1,050 cv, with a claimed 0–100 km/h time of 2.5 seconds. It was also introduced as Ferrari’s first four-door, five-seat model.
The direct trigger for the surge in searches related to Gwa Juice Se-yeon was reporting that BJ K, her publicly acknowledged romantic partner, was being investigated by police on suspicion of obtaining sleeping pills and other psychotropic drugs through proxy prescriptions, followed by his confirmation that he was the person referred to. However, there is no confirmation that Gwa Juice Se-yeon is a suspect in the case, and the case has not reached a final disposition or guilty verdict.
Apple has officially announced its “Surprise and shine” special event for September 9, 2026, at 10 a.m. PT. It can be watched on Apple Events, Apple TV, and YouTube Live, but a foldable iPhone and iPhone Ultra remain media predictions and rumors, not officially confirmed Apple announcements.
Google has started selling the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and Pixel 11 Pro Fold. Major launch benefits on the U.S. Google Store are listed as ending at 11:59 PM PT on August 27, 2026. Reports say the Pixel Watch 5 discount and Google Store credit amounts differ between the standard and Pro models, while Amazon benefits apply only to some models.
In Week 2 of the America’s Got Talent Season 21 quarterfinals, Nene Royal advanced directly to the finale after receiving Mel B’s live Golden Buzzer, while Veronika Goroshkova, Come Here, and Geno Ploeger advanced to the semifinals through the viewer vote. The remaining seven acts were eliminated.
The UEFA Champions League league phase draw on August 27, 2026 confirmed eight opponents for each of the 36 teams. Here is a summary of Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray’s opponents, home and away assignments, and Galatasaray president Dursun Aydın Özbek’s comments immediately after the draw, based on official confirmations.
The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games are officially confirmed to take place from September 19 to October 4. However, the original announcement of SPOTV’s coverage and detailed scheduling for events such as football and baseball have not been confirmed. Viewing information should be checked again on SPOTV NOW’s official schedule shortly before publication.
Actress Han Ga-in revealed her stock account on her official YouTube channel, “Free Han Ga-in,” after taking a stock-market lecture from Choi Go-min-su. Her holdings reportedly included 25 SK hynix shares and 100 Samsung Electronics shares. Reports that she would gift 600 million won to Yeon Jung-hoon referred to a hypothetical conversation during a tax-saving explanation, not a confirmed gift.
Xiaomi has launched its first REDMI Note 17 Pro Max 5G globally. Official specifications list a 10,000mAh typical silicon-carbon battery and 100W HyperCharge, but reports say the European model has 9,210mAh, so buyers should check regional differences. The starting price was reported as $499 for the 8GB+128GB model, while the United States is excluded from the sales regions.
Samsung Electronics is scheduled to introduce the latest addition to the Galaxy S26 family at the Galaxy Event on August 27, 2026. Major IT media outlets expect the product to be the Galaxy S26 FE, but its name, detailed specifications, and price have not been officially confirmed.