Representatives from the Lao government and Vietnam’s AMI Renewables Quang Binh Investment Joint Stock Company signed an agreement last week in Vientiane Capital to establish a wind power plant project in Sepone, Savannakhet province.
Spackman Media Group Artist Son Suk-Ku’s Upcoming Highlight Anticipated Netflix Original Drama, D.P. Season 2, Premieres on July 28
- Spackman Media Group artist Son Suk-ku headlines the upcoming original Netflix crime drama series, D.P. Season 2, which premieres on July 28, 2023
- Son Suk-ku presently stars in Korean theatre production, ARMY ON A TREE, which runs till August 5, 2023
- Hailed as one of Korea’s biggest stars, Son Suk-ku achieved the #1 position in the May 2023 movie star brand reputation of actors in Korea and the top spot in the 2023 MALE ACTORS TO WATCH survey conducted by Cine21, a prestigious weekly film magazine in Korea, in February 2023
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 10 July 2023 – Spackman Entertainment Group Limited (the “Group“), one of Korea’s leading entertainment production groups founded in 2011 by global media & technology investor Charles Spackman, wishes to announce that Son Suk-ku of the Group’s associated company, Spackman Media Group Limited (“Spackman Media Group“), stars in the highly anticipated Netflix original crime drama series, D.P. Season 2, which premieres on July 28, 2023.
Son Suk-ku returns to the second season of Netflix’s D.P., which is based on the webcomic D.P. DOG’S DAY written by Kim Bo-Tong. The story relates the experiences of the mandatory military service in South Korea.
D.P. Season 2 comes on the heels of Son Suk-ku’s most recent Disney+ record-breaking Korean drama, BIG BET Season 2, which raked in the highest viewership on the Disney+ platform during its inaugural week in February 2023, surpassing all previous Korean original content on the streaming service.
Directed by Han Jun-hee, Jung Hae-in, Koo Gyo-hwan, Kim Sung-kyun, Ji Jin-hee, Kim Ji-hyun and Choi Hyun-wook star together with Son Suk-ku and form the main cast of D.P. Season 2. The Netflix official trailer of D.P. Season 2 can be viewed at youtu.be/1L9d3NyIt2o and the six main character posters have been released by Netflix, according to NAVER News[1].
Son Suk-ku currently stars in ARMY ON A TREE, a Korean theatre production based on the work of the late Japanese writer Hisashi Inoue. ARMY ON A TREE, which runs till August 5, 2023, tells the true story of a veteran soldier and an army recruit (played by Son Suk-ku). While hidden in a Gajumaru tree from 1945 until March 1947 and unaware of Japan’s defeat in Okinawa, their extraordinary tale of survival is a test of endurance, hope, and the complexities of human nature during times of extreme adversity, which invites audiences to reflect on the implications of war.
Dominating both the big and small screens in Korea, Son Suk-ku of Spackman Media Group garnered unparalleled rankings and viewership in his productions with lead roles in BIG BET Season 2, THE ROUNDUP, which was the top box office performing film of 2022, and MY LIBERATION NOTES, the K-drama that caused a syndrome throughout Korea in 2022.
Son Suk-ku’s exceptional acting talent has gained widespread recognition in mainstream television and film. Last month, Son Suk-ku achieved the top spot in the movie star brand reputation of actors in Korea in May 2023, according to the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute[2]. The result was obtained by a brand analysis of 50 actors from April 29, 2023, to May 29, 2023, which studied big data from consumers’ brand reception and the volume of media and community interest on the actors. Son Suk-ku ranked first among the 50 actors, surpassing other renowned actors including Song Joong-ki, Ma Dong-seok, Jeon Do-yeon and Kim Hye-soo.
In February of this year, he secured the coveted top spot in the 2023 MALE ACTORS TO WATCH survey conducted by Cine21, a prestigious weekly film magazine in Korea. Furthermore, Son Suk-ku achieved the top-ranking in movie star brand reputation, as recognized by the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute in January 2023. In December 2022, he also received the prestigious JTBC Grand Prize at the 2022 TV Drama Acting Awards held by Good Data Corporation, an online competitive analysis agency for K-content in Korea.
Son Suk-ku is planning to headline in Netflix’s Korean drama MURDER DIEARY (2024), which is a crime thriller dark comedy based on a popular webtoon of the same name.
Son Suk-ku is managed by SBD Entertainment Inc. (“SBD Entertainment“), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Spackman Media Group that represents the careers of 12 artists. In addition to Son Suk-ku, SBD Entertainment also represents one of Korea’s rapidly rising young actors, Han Ji-hyun of popular K-drama THE PENTHOUSE 3, who won the Best Rookie Female Actor in the 2021 Brand Customer Loyalty Awards in Korea and endorsed Shiseido in 2022.
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https://spackmanentertainmentgroup.com/
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Spackman Entertainment Group Limited
Spackman Entertainment Group Limited (“SEGL” or the “Company“), and together with its subsidiaries, (the “Group“), is one of Korea’s leading entertainment production groups. SEGL is primarily engaged in the independent development, production, presentation, and financing of theatrical motion pictures in Korea.
The Company was founded in 2011 by renowned media and technology investor Charles Spackman who served as the Company’s Executive Chairman until 2017. For the past two decades, Mr. Charles Spackman has been a powerhouse in the Korean entertainment industry starting in the early 2000’s with the pioneering success of Sidus Pictures, the largest movie production company at the time and the first to be listed in Korea. Mr. Spackman is also the Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the global investment firm, Spackman Group. For more information, please visit charlesspackman.com and spackman-group.com/charles-spackman.
Since its founding, SEGL had produced more than 30 major motion pictures including a number of the highest grossing and award-winning films in Korea, namely #ALIVE (2020), CRAZY ROMANCE (2019), DEFAULT (2018), MASTER (2016), THE PRIESTS (2015), SNOWPIERCER (2013), COLD EYES (2013) and ALL ABOUT MY WIFE (2012).
Our films are theatrically distributed and released in Korea and overseas markets, as well as for subsequent post-theatrical worldwide release in other forms of media, including online streaming, cable TV, broadcast TV, IPTV, video-on-demand, and home video/DVD, etc. Generally, we release our motion pictures into wide-theatrical exhibition initially in Korea, and then in overseas and ancillary markets.
The Group also invests into and produces Korean television dramas. In addition to our content business, we also own equity stakes in entertainment-related companies and film funds that can financially and strategically complement our existing core operations. SEGL is listed on the Catalist of the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited under the ticker 40E.
Production Labels
SEGL owns a 100% equity interest in Studio Take Co., Ltd. (“Studio Take“) which produced STONE SKIPPING (2020) and THE BOX (2021). Its latest film, A MAN OF REASON, premiered in the US at the 42nd Hawaii International Film Festival. The film was also invited to the 47th Toronto International Film Festival, the largest film festival in North America, and the 55th Sitges Film Festival, one of the world’s top three genre film festivals. A MAN OF REASON is expected to be released in the third quarter of 2023. Studio Take shall also release an upcoming film, THE GUEST, which is at the post-production stage and scheduled to be released in the second half of this year.
SEGL owns Novus Mediacorp Co., Ltd. (“Novus Mediacorp“), an investor, presenter, and/or post-theatrical distributor for a total of 80 films (59 Korean and 21 foreign) including OKAY MADAM (2020), LONG LIVE THE KING (2019), MY FIRST CLIENT (2019), ROSE OF BETRAYAL (2018), THE OUTLAWS (2017) and SECRETLY, GREATLY (2013), which was one of the biggest box office hits of 2013 starring Kim Soo-hyun of MY LOVE FROM THE STARS (2013), as well as FRIEND 2: THE GREAT LEGACY (2013). In 2012, Novus Mediacorp was also the post-theatrical rights distributor of ALL ABOUT MY WIFE (2012), a top-grossing romantic comedy produced by Zip Cinema. In 2018, THE OUTLAWS, co-presented by Novus Mediacorp broke the all-time highest Video On Demand (“VOD“) sales records in Korea. For more information, please visit novusmediacorp.com.
The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Greenlight Content Limited (“Greenlight Content“) which is mainly involved in the business of investing into dramas and movies, as well as providing consulting services for the production of Korean content. Through the acquisition of Greenlight Content, the Group’s first co-produced drama, MY SECRET TERRIUS, starring top Korean star, So Ji Sub, achieved #1 in drama viewership ratings for its time slot and recorded double digits for its highest viewership ratings. Greenlight Content was one of the main investors of MY SECRET TERRIUS.
The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Simplex Films Limited (“Simplex Films“) which is an early stage film production firm. The maiden film of Simplex Films, JESTERS: THE GAME CHANGERS (2019), was released in Korea on 21 August 2019. Simplex Films has several line-up of films including HURRICANE BROTHERS (working title).
The Company owns a 20% equity interest in The Makers Studio Co. Ltd., which plans to produce and release four upcoming films, the first of which will be THE ISLAND OF THE GHOST’S WAIL, a comedy horror film.
Talent Representation
The Company holds an effective shareholding interest of 43.88% in Spackman Media Group Limited (“SMGL“). SMGL, a company incorporated in Hong Kong, together with its subsidiaries, is collectively one of the largest entertainment talent agencies in Korea in terms of the number of artists under management, including some of the top names in the Korean entertainment industry. SMGL operates its talent management business through renowned agencies such as SBD Entertainment Inc. (Son Suk-ku, Han Ji-hyun, Park Keun-rok), MSteam Entertainment Co., Ltd. (Son Ye-jin, Wi Ha-jun, Lee Min-jung, Ko Sung-hee, Lee Cho-hee), UAA&CO Inc. (Kim Sang-kyung) and Play Content Co., Ltd. (Hwang-hwi). Through these full-service talent agencies in Korea, SMGL represents and guides the professional careers of a leading roster of award-winning actors/actresses in the practice areas of motion pictures, television, commercial endorsements, and branded entertainment. SMGL leverages its unparalleled portfolio of artists as a platform to develop, produce, finance and own the highest quality of entertainment content projects, including theatrical motion pictures, variety shows and TV dramas. This platform also creates and derives opportunities for SMGL to make strategic investments in development stage businesses that can collaborate with SMGL artists. SMGL is an associated company of the Company. For more information, please visit spackmanmediagroup.com.
The Company owns a 100% equity interest in Constellation Agency Pte. Ltd. (“Constellation Agency“). Constellation Agency, which owns The P Factory Co., Ltd. (“The P Factory“) and Platform Media Group Co., Ltd. (“PMG“), is primarily involved in the business of overseas agency for Korean artists venturing into the overseas market. The P Factory is an innovative marketing solutions provider specializing in event and branded content production. PMG is a talent management agency, which represents and manages the careers of major artists in film, television, commercial endorsements and branded entertainment.
Strategic Businesses
The Company also operates a café-restaurant, Upper West, in the Gangnam district of Seoul and own a professional photography studio, noon pictures Co., Ltd.
For more details, please visit spackmanentertainmentgroup.com.
Lao Minister of Finance Proposes New Draft Law on Land Tax

The Minister of Finance, Santiphap Phomvihane, proposed a new draft law on land tax during the ongoing 5th Ordinary Session of the 9th National Assembly on 6 July.
Laos to Release 62 Million Aquatic Animals and Wildlife on 26th Anniversary of Conservation Day
The country plans to release 62 million aquatic animals and wildlife in the upcoming Wildlife and Aquatic Animal Conservation Day to raise awareness about conservation work in Laos.
Results of the “Asia Smart App Awards 2022/2023” Announced
Hong Kong teams encompass three awards with one Gold, one Silvers and one Bronze
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 10 July 2023 – The “Asia Smart App Awards 2022/2023” (ASA), organised by the Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association (WTIA), was held at Cyberport on June 29. This brought together experts and leaders from the fields of smart applications, creativity, and information technology in Hong Kong and 16 Asian countries and regions, to celebrate shared triumphs in innovation.

Hong Kong’s contestants demonstrated their prowess in this competition once again, as four out of the nine finalist teams hailed from the city. They contended for the “Public Sector and Social Innovation Category”, “Lifestyle & Entertainment Category “and “Business and Commercial Category “along with 5 competitors from Israel, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The new “Best Augmented & Virtual Reality App” (Special Mention Award on VR/AR – Best Augmented & Virtual Reality App) which was introduced in this edition, was also won by a Hong Kong company.
This highly-regarded event, which marks its ninth occurrence this year, was sponsored by the “Create Hong Kong” (“CreateHK”) initiative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. “ASA” stands as a major event in the Asia smart app industry, boasting partnerships from Hong Kong and 16 other Asian regions this year, including the Mainland, Israel, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, India, Cambodia and Bangladesh. This initiative offers an unparalleled platform for exchange within the Asia smart app industry and also marks the first competition and award presentation to occur in-person after the pandemic.
At this year’s award ceremony, The Hon. Duncan Chiu, Legislative Council Member for Technology and Innovation, was invited as a distinguished guest and speaker. He extended his gratitude to the WTIA and other partners for successfully organising this year’s awards and congratulated all the triumphant teams. Mrs. Lowell Cho, Assistant Head of CreateHK of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, was invited to officiate and reveal the winners.
Keith Li, Chairman of the WTIA, expressed at the award ceremony, “It brings me great pleasure that we can host this event successfully in the Asian region again and convene experts from 16 Asian countries/ regions after pandemic. This year, participants demonstrated great enthusiasm. Following several rigorous selection stages, representatives from Hong Kong and professional judges from other Asian regions whittled down over 140 shortlisted entries to the top nine. The competition amongst these selected works was intense. These finalist teams underwent a final round of selection this morning in Hong Kong, with 16 industry experts from across Asia countries/ regions jointly assessing to ultimately decide the gold, silver, and bronze awards for each category. One of the gold winners also received the Grand Award to acknowledge their innovative skills and their efforts in smart app development.”
The “Asia Smart App Awards 2022/2023” had three main award categories: Public Sector & Social Innovation Category, Lifestyle & Entertainment Category, and Business and Commercial Category. There were nine finalists, which included four from local Hong Kong enterprises. They competed with teams from Israel, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam for the gold, silver, and bronze awards. The gold winners of each award category were further assessed to determine this year’s “Asia Smart App Grand Award” recipient. Additionally, the “Asia Smart App Awards” introduces the new “Best Augmented & Virtual Reality App” (Special Mention Award on VR/AR – Best Augmented & Virtual Reality App) starting from this edition, to recognise the outstanding products in the industry that have best utilised virtual/augmented reality. The Award was won by Present AR developed by the team from Hong Kong enterprise, 417 Technology Limited. The app combines AR imaging technology and interactive system, supports human posture, hand gesture recognition, and other natural input, allowing users to express themselves and make the presentation more naturally and smoothly.
The list of the Asia Smart App Awards 2022/2023’s awardees* is as follows:
Public Sector & Social Innovation Category:
- Gold Award – Hong Kong: PRAISE-HK-EXP (Institute for the Environment, HKUST)
- Silver Award – Vietnam: BusMap (PHENIKAA MAAS)
- Bronze Award – Thailand: HandySense (National Electronics and Computer Technology Center)
Lifestyle and Entertainment Category:
- Gold Award – Israel: Photo Scan by Photomyne (Photomyne)
- Silver Award – Malaysia: Touch ‘n Go eWallet (TNG Digital Sdn. Bhd.)
Business and Commercial Category:
- Gold Award – Malaysia: Fasstap™ (Soft Space Sdn Bhd)
- Silver Award – Hong Kong: Lalamove Deliver Faster (Easy Mobile Logistics Hong Kong Limited )
- Bronze Award – Hong Kong: ARC Robot Control and Management (R2C2 Limited)
Asia Smart App Grand Award
- Israel: Photo Scan by Photomyne (Photomyne)
(Special Mention Award on VR/AR – Best Augmented & Virtual Reality App)
Awardee: Present AR, 417 Technology Limited (Hong Kong)
*Please also refer to the official website at https://contest2022-23.bestasiaapp.hk/
for further details of the Asia Smart App Awards 2022/2023 and winner list of the Certificate of Merit in each category.
The Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association (WTIA) organises the Asia Smart App Awards (ASA) 2022/2023, the 9th edition following the success of past editions, with funding support from Create Hong Kong of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The Awards are dedicated to recognising the contributions of industry insiders to the smart app industry, provide a networking platform smart app industry professionals from local to Asia regions, encouraging growth and development within the industry.
WTIA remains committed to enhancing the reach of these awards across Asia, bolstering the development of the local smart app industry, and facilitating local smart app talent in business expansion. The awards have drawn participants from an increasing number of Asian countries and regions, including Hong Kong, the Mainland, Israel, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, India, Cambodia, and Bangladesh.
Besides the “Asia Smart App Awards 2022/2023” Award Presentation Ceremony, the Asia Smart App Summit was held on the same day. The summit convened expert representatives from 15 Asian countries and regions to engage in discussions about trending topics such as ICT Ecosystem, Start UP: Key factors and challenges and The Rise of AI.
Hashtag: #WTIA #ASA2023 #ASA #Asiasmartappaward
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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association
The Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association (WTIA), established in 2001, is a not-for-profit, politically-neutral trade association dedicated to the wireless and mobile industry. The WTIA acts as a platform, an aggregator, and a community for industry professionals to learn and drive emerging wireless and mobile technologies, governance, and standards. It facilitates networking among likeminded professionals, boost interoperability between networks and devices, and strives to help all organizations apply these technologies to existing or new businesses. The WTIA also represents and is supported by digital industries pertaining to mobile such as digital entertainment, digital marketing and media, and start-up sectors.
About Asia Smart App Awards (ASA)
The Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association (WTIA) organises the Asia Smart App Awards (ASA) 2022/2023, the 9th edition following the success of past editions, with funding support from Create Hong Kong of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. By uniting 16 co-organisers from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Israel, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, the Mainland, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam, in addition to Hong Kong, the ASA carries this auspicious occasion to further encourage the development of the expanding smart application industry. For more details about the ASA, please visit www.bestasiaapp.hk.
ASEAN and EU Join Hands for Better Protection of Migrant Workers in Southeast Asia
The 2nd ASEAN-EU Dialogue on Safe and Fair Labor Migration and the launch of awareness-raising campaign videos for the ASEAN Safe and Fair Migration Campaign brought together over seventy policymakers, practitioners, and representatives of civil society and international organizations. They explored ways to better protect the rights of 7.1 million ASEAN migrants in the region, ensuring their valuable contribution to sustainable economic development.
15 Killed in Attack on Myanmar Village; Military Says Pro-democracy Fighters Hit Civilians

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s military-controlled government is accusing pro-democracy fighters of killing 15 civilians in a nighttime mortar attack in a restive central area of the country, charges denied by the guerrilla group.
Guinness World Record Guitarist to Perform Concert at National University of Laos
Internationally renowned Spanish musician Rafael Serrallet will offer a masterclass and perform a classical guitar concert at the National University of Laos in Vientiane Capital, Laos on 11 July at 1:30 pm.