BubbaMN posted a photo:

SEOUL, June 2 — Pickleball is gaining momentum across South Korea, with participation rising among both younger and older players and public facilities struggling to keep up with demand.

According to reporting by The Korea Herald, the sport has shifted from a niche pastime for seniors to a fast‑growing recreational activity attracting office workers, foreign residents and former tennis players. The trend has become visible enough that Seoul opened a 14‑court pickleball complex at Gwangnaru Hangang Park in April, one of the city’s largest dedicated facilities.

Coaches say pickleball’s accessibility is a major driver of its growth. Cho Min‑jung, a former Korea Tennis Association board member who converted her indoor tennis centre into a pickleball venue, told the Herald that worsening economic conditions have pushed more people toward sports that require less time, money and physical strain than tennis. She noted that beginners can rally almost immediately, making the sport easier to pick up.

Google Trends data cited by Korea Herald shows Korean search interest rising through 2024 and surging sharply toward the end of 2025, reflecting the sport’s growing visibility.

Celebrity mentions have helped fuel interest, mirroring trends seen in the US.

Variety‑show personalities such as Jun Hyun‑moo and martial artist Choo Sung‑hoon have featured the sport on television, while BTS members Jin, V and RM recently discussed playing pickleball during a livestream. Videos of the group playing overseas circulated widely online, drawing attention from younger fans.

Foreign residents familiar with pickleball from abroad have also contributed to early growth. Korean American players interviewed said expat groups created spreadsheets and community guides to help people find courts, which later drew in more local players.

The sport’s rapid rise has created pressure on public courts. Lee Chul‑hee, former president of the Seongdong‑gu Pickleball Association, told the Herald that overcrowding is now common, especially in areas like Seoul Forest where multiple clubs share limited space.

Some groups have begun renting private gymnasiums to secure playing time, raising concerns about unequal access.

Lee also noted that some outdoor hard courts are tough on seniors’ knees, even though older players remain a significant part of the community.

Despite questions about whether pickleball might be another short‑lived lifestyle trend, players and coaches interviewed by The Korea Herald believe the sport has staying power. They point to its affordability, social nature and suitability for casual exercise — factors that align with broader shifts in how younger Koreans approach leisure.

Community estimates cited in the article suggest there were roughly 5,000 players in 2023, but participation has risen steadily as more courts and clubs appear nationwide.

Bonajade posted a photo:

A 63-year-old Ocean Park mechanical technician died after collapsing at work on Friday.

Police told HKFP that they received a report at 9:08am after the man, surnamed Luk, was found unconscious outside a staff restroom before starting his duties.

Paramedics discovered him with serious head and shoulder injuries. He was certified dead at 10:33am at Ruttonjee Hospital.

Police said that they are still investigating the case. The Labour Department arrived at the Aberdeen theme park at 11am to inspect the facility’s operational safety conditions, local media reported.

The park expressed sorrow over the staff member’s death and are supporting his family and colleagues, according to RTHK.

Eudaemonius posted a photo:

SYDNEY, June 3 — A Frenchman was found still enjoying his McDonald’s meal when police detained him today for allegedly crashing a car into a fountain in Sydney, the force said.

“Strangely, he was still eating Macca’s there”, Police Inspector Anderson Lessing charged—perhaps a greater crime in the eyes of some of his gastronomy-loving countrymen.

The 21-year-old was charged with negligent driving after police said he reversed an SUV into the Archibald Fountain in downtown Sydney’s Hyde Park in the early hours of this morning.

“Half of it was sticking inside, and half it was sticking out, with the driver still inside,” Lessing told local radio station 702 ABC Sydney.

Police images showed the car’s rear wheels stuck in the fountain’s pool, with the rest of the vehicle propped up on the stone sidewall.

Police did not elaborate on the contents of the man’s order.

They said the man had claimed to be delivering a food order when the crash happened, with damage estimated at least A$15,000 ($10,700).

The man was uninjured. — AFP

Eudaemonius posted a photo:

The US consulate in Hong Kong displayed commemorative candles in its windows on the 37th anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown on Thursday, while other diplomatic missions paid tribute with social media posts.

The annual move is often blasted by local and Chinese authorities, and has been cited by Beijing as “evidence” of foreign interference in a 6,300-word “fact sheet.”

Hundreds, perhaps thousands, died when the People’s Liberation Army cracked down on protesters around Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Hong Kong used to be one of the few places on Chinese soil where annual vigils were held to commemorate the people who died in the 1989 crackdown.

But police banned the gathering at Victoria Park for the first time in 2020, citing Covid-19 restrictions, and imposed the same ban the following year.

No official commemoration has been held since the vigil organiser, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, disbanded in September 2021. Its leaders were arrested and are currently on trial.

Currently occupying Victoria Park – historically the site of Hong Kong’s vigils – is a five-day patriotic carnival organised by pro-Beijing groups.

Diplomatic commemorations

Earlier on Thursday, Britain’s embassy in China shared a social media post featuring an animation with scenes from the bloody crackdown. It was shared without commentary.

The British consulate in Hong Kong posted a reel of a mobile phone held aloft with its torch on, apparently referencing the candlelit vigils.

Washington’s mission in Beijing shared a quote from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating: “Those who sacrificed to uphold their unalienable rights of free expression and peaceful assembly will be vindicated someday.”

In response, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing had “long since reached a clear conclusion regarding that political turmoil that occurred in the late 1980s.”

The Canadian consulate in Hong Kong shared a Facebook post, which read: “Today, Canadians honour the memory of all who lost their lives, were injured or went missing during the Tiananmen Square crackdown on June 4, 1989. Canada stands with the survivors and the families and loved ones who continue to demand accountability.”

Meanwhile, the Australian consulate in Hong Kong shared on Facebook a photo of candles and a statement reading: “Today, we stand with communities worldwide in remembering those who lost their lives at Tiananmen Square on 4 June 1989. Australia remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding human rights, including freedom of association, of expression, and of political participation.”

In June 2019, then-leader Carrie Lam said that the city’s annual vigils were “proof that Hong Kong is a free place.”

A Hong Kong court is now hearing a landmark trial of the Alliance and two vigil leaders, Chow Hang-tung and  Lee Cheuk-yan. They are accused of “inciting subversion” under the national security law, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years behind bars. 

Another vigil leader – Albert Ho – pleaded guilty when the trial opened in January.