Tobias

South Korea’s minimum hourly wage will rise to ₩10,320 ($7.80 USD) in 2026, a 2.9% increase. The minimum monthly wage will be ₩2,156,880 ($1,630 USD). Despite this, high living costs, especially for food items like watermelons (averaging $25 USD) and napa cabbage (up 68% monthly), significantly impact purchasing power. Many low-income Seoul residents struggle to save, and the middle class faces similar challenges compared to some Chinese workers. This illustrates the tension between wage growth and rising expenses.

Emerging comedian Fang Zhuren’s “Headline Show” tour faces high scalper activity due to massive ticket demand. Originally priced at 80 yuan, tickets are being resold for over 1000 yuan. Fang Zhuren emotionally appealed to fans on social media, urging them not to buy overpriced tickets and promising to add more shows. She emphasizes accessibility and discourages fans from financial strain to see her perform, highlighting her relatable comedic style developed since “Comedy King: Stand-up.”

Gree’s Chairwoman Dong Mingzhu described the home appliance industry as relentlessly “cutthroat,” driven by price competition rather than technological advancement. She stressed the importance of genuine dedication and quality, advising manufacturers to focus on creating energy-efficient, comfortable, and health-conscious products. Dong emphasized that manufacturers should avoid deceiving consumers with cheap, low-quality goods, as this ultimately erodes customer trust and respect. She believes maintaining high quality standards will ultimately be recognized by consumers.

The Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) warned about 上纬新材 (688585.SS) stock volatility, echoing the company’s own risk advisories. The SSE suspended some investor accounts for “abnormal trading.” 上纬新材’s stock surged 1300% in a month, prompting concerns. The company might request a trading halt, citing no material business changes despite the price surge. They acknowledge declining profits and a high P/E ratio, advising investor caution as the stock price deviates from its intrinsic value.

Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun showcased the rapid charging of the upcoming Xiaomi YU7 EV in a one-take video. The YU7 charged from 10% to 80% in just 13 minutes, demonstrating the power of its 800V high-voltage SiC platform and HyperCharge system. During the demonstration, the car maintained a stable voltage of 786V and a peak charging power of 446kW. While charging, Lei Jun interacted with followers on Douyin, highlighting his approachable personality.

The 2025 AI New Life Image Creation Competition culminated with ASUS showcasing its ProArt Pro OLED display. Chen Cheng-Sheng emphasized hardware’s role in AI content creation, highlighting the display’s visual fidelity with 4K Ultra HD resolution and wide color gamut (99% DCI-P3, 100% sRGB). Features like hardware calibration, Dolby Vision support, and seamless Mac compatibility, enhanced AI workflows. Its TÜV Rheinland certification for eye comfort positions the display as an important asset for AI-driven creative professionals.

OpenAI has secured $8.3 billion in funding, pushing its valuation past $300 billion. Dragoneer Investment Group led the round with a $2.8 billion investment. OpenAI’s annual recurring revenue (ARR) has surged to $13 billion and is projected to exceed $20 billion by year-end, with paying users reaching 5 million. This funding round occurs as OpenAI seeks to transition to a for-profit entity while negotiating with Microsoft. The investment solidifies OpenAI’s position and supports its future expansion, and a potential IPO.

Professor Wang Yousheng, a prominent figure in power electronics and control equipment at Zhejiang University and a founding father of China’s power electronics discipline, passed away at 97. Elected to the Chinese Academy of Engineering in 1994, Wang co-developed dual water internal cooling technology for electric motors and pioneered core technologies for high-power induction heating power supplies. He established China’s first power electronics program and received numerous national awards for his substantial contributions to electrical engineering and industrial development.

Canon will begin operations at its expanded lithography equipment factory in Utsunomiya, Japan, this September, its first expansion in 21 years. Aimed at capturing AI-driven semiconductor demand and challenging ASML, Canon invested $345M in the facility and it will use both UV and nanoimprint lithography (NIL). NIL offers cost and energy savings. Production is projected to reach full capacity by 2027, increasing Canon’s total annual output by 30%. Canon hopes NIL will give it a foothold amidst rapid growth in the AI infrastructure market.

At the 2025 Litui Speech, AAC Technologies showcased its “Physical AI” strategy, aiming to redefine human-machine interaction. AAC’s approach focuses on sensory solutions that prioritize human experience, translating reality with “Physical AI” and establishing a “Perception Haute Couture” trust label. This involves integrating sensory devices with AI to enable machines to understand and respond to their surroundings, as demonstrated by applications in mobile concert halls, in-car ecosystems, and robot dexterity. AAC envisions a future where senses have algorithms and space can be decoded, expanding human perception through technology.