BTS Singer Jimin Hospitalized for Appendicitis, Tests Positive for COVID-19

Jimin tested positive for coronavirus and also underwent surgery for acute appendicitis. (AFP)
Jimin tested positive for coronavirus and also underwent surgery for acute appendicitis. (AFP)
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BTS Singer Jimin Hospitalized for Appendicitis, Tests Positive for COVID-19

Jimin tested positive for coronavirus and also underwent surgery for acute appendicitis. (AFP)
Jimin tested positive for coronavirus and also underwent surgery for acute appendicitis. (AFP)

Jimin, a singer and dancer with the K-pop group BTS, has tested positive for coronavirus and also underwent surgery for acute appendicitis, his management agency Big Hit Music said on Monday.

Jimin, whose full name is Park Ji-min, went to hospital on Sunday after suffering from sudden abdominal pain along with a mild sore throat, Big Hit Music said in a statement.

He tested positive for the coronavirus, and underwent surgery for the appendicitis on Monday, the statement added.

"The surgery was successful and Jimin is currently recuperating after his procedure," Big Hit Music said, adding that he was making a "speedy recovery" from his COVID-19 infection.

The singer was due to receive several days of in-patient treatment for COVID-19 along with postoperative care, the statement said.

Jimin, 26, is at least the fourth member of the seven member group to test positive for the coronavirus.

Rapper RM, vocalist Jin, and rapper Suga tested positive in December, shortly after the group had returned from a series of live shows in the United States.

The concerts in the United States were BTS' first in the country since 2019, when they toured across Asia, Europe and North America.

Since their 2013 debut, BTS have spearheaded a global K-Pop craze with catchy, upbeat music and dances, as well as lyrics and social campaigns aimed at empowering young people.

South Korea has kept overall COVID-19 cases and deaths low with aggressive contact tracing and testing, but the Omicron variant became dominant this month, sending cases to a record daily tally of 17,532 on Sunday.



Nintendo Showcases ‘Super Mario’, Game Boy History in New Museum

Characters Mario and Luigi are seen at the grand opening of the Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, Los Angeles, California, US, February 15, 2023. (Reuters)
Characters Mario and Luigi are seen at the grand opening of the Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, Los Angeles, California, US, February 15, 2023. (Reuters)
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Nintendo Showcases ‘Super Mario’, Game Boy History in New Museum

Characters Mario and Luigi are seen at the grand opening of the Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, Los Angeles, California, US, February 15, 2023. (Reuters)
Characters Mario and Luigi are seen at the grand opening of the Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, Los Angeles, California, US, February 15, 2023. (Reuters)

Japanese firm Nintendo will next week open a museum showcasing its history, where fans of "Super Mario", "The Legend of Zelda" and the Game Boy and Switch can gain insight into one of the world's most renowned game makers.

Located in Uji near the company's Kyoto headquarters, the museum underscores the many evolutions of Nintendo, which was founded in 1889 as a maker of "hanafuda" playing cards and is now a global gaming giant.

Shigeru Miyamoto, executive fellow at Nintendo and creator of "Super Mario", said the museum was intended to deepen understanding of the company.

"If making products while protecting concepts such as family, fun and ease of understanding is rooted in our employees then the new Nintendo will continue to grow," he told reporters.

The museum, which opens to the public Oct. 2, is located on the site of a plant that used to make playing cards and was a center for product repairs. Tickets on its website are sold out for the following two months.

In addition to displaying iconic devices such as the Wii console and the handheld Game Boy, visitors will be able to see lesser known products such as the "Mamaberica" baby stroller and the "Copilas" printer.

The museum also offers a range of interactive experiences, with visitors able to partner to play the video game "Super Mario Bros." featuring mustachioed plumber Mario on a single, oversized Family Computer controller.

While a push into mobile gaming has tapered off, other efforts by Nintendo to expand beyond its core gaming business have gained traction with the company opening stores and employing its roster of characters in theme parks and film.

The Switch console has been a runaway success with an install base exceeding 140 million units, but with sales slowing, investor attention in now focused on the prospects for a successor device, with Nintendo due to reveal details in the current financial year, which ends in March.