Dear Korean,
I am a Canadian living and teaching ESL at a Hagwon in Korea. With all the buzz about Dokdo lately, my Korean students have become increasingly outspoken about not liking the Japanese. I have learned about the history between the two countries, although I am obviously no expert, but these confrontations are really starting to bother me. The students seem angry when I choose not to answer them, or change the subject or when they hear that I don't hate the Japanese. They often do not say their thoughts completely outright (as in, "I hate the Japanese"), even though that has happened too, but are curious as to my stance on things. I do not tolerate racism, but I am trying to be understanding, and to teach tolerance. I'm not entirely sure how I should be handling the situation, and I don't feel comfortable asking my Korean co-workers.
Do you have any suggestions, advice, words of wisdom, or links that could send me somewhere with any of those?
Megan B.
Short answer? No. The Korean is, obviously, blends in with Korea's population rather well such that no Korean person comes to him for a validation of her views on Japan.
But surely, Megan is not the only ESL teacher in Korea who has been dealing with this issue. Readers, any pearls of wisdom?
Given that this is a topic that appears to sidetrack a lot of people, the Korean will issue this caveat: please keep your comments relevant. The issue is how to handle a situation like Megan is facing. Please stick with that.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
The Obligatory Gangnam Style Post
Dear Korean,
We've all heard it and we all love it, but what exactly is Gangnam Style and what makes it so popular in your opinion?
Chris
The Korean tried. He really tried to avoid the fad. He thought this was going to blow over in a few days, and everyone will feel a bit silly afterward. But no . . .
Gangnam Style just kept coming on -- 273 million views and counting, appearances on network televisions shows, continuous climb up the charts and numerous homages to the original. (The latest one: from the Ohio University marching band.) Questions about Gangnam Style just kept coming also, even though the Korean has been slower with blog updates.
So, FINE. Let's discuss Gangnam Style. First, what exactly is "Gangnam Style"? "Gangnam" literally means "south of the river." But generally, Gangnam refers to a specific area in Seoul located south of the Han River that bisects the city. The area generally encompasses the northern half of (confusing name alert) Gangnam-gu and Seocho-gu, covering neighborhoods like Apgujeong, Sinsa and (confusing name alert, again) Gangnam. It is an area with posh malls, expensive dining and swanky clubs. People who populate those areas are rich, stylish and beautiful, carrying all the appropriate status symbols like imported cars and fancy handbags. They are often celebrities or heirs of Korea's magnates.
The Korean was raised in Apgujeong, so he is the original Gangnam man. And it has been a little bit funny to see his old home described breathlessly as some place that "has no real equivalent in the United States. The closest approximation would be Silicon Valley, Wall Street, Beverly Hills, Manhattan’s Upper East Side, and Miami Beach all rolled into one[,]" according to the Wall Street Journal (quoting this clueless blogger.) Finding the U.S. equivalent of Gangnam is quite easy: it's West Hollywood / Beverly Hills. It has celebrities, style, money, and nice homes and good schools just behind those flashing lights.
(Aside: This "no equivalent in U.S." trope is really overused, and in this instance, the comparison is clearly hyperbolic and incorrect. Gangnam is obviously not a Silicon Valley, since there is no huge concentration of tech companies in Gangnam. Nor is it Wall Street -- that would be Gwanghwamun / City Hall area, north of the river, where all the major banks have their headquarters. Gangnam is not Upper East Side either, since Gangnam is decidedly nouveau riche. The old money of the kind that occupies the Upper East Side of New York is found in Yeonhee-dong of Seoul, north of the river. The Miami Beach comparison is too dumb to address.)
So when PSY speaks of "Gangnam Style," he means to invoke the trendy, stylish image. But of course, what PSY ends up doing in the music video is a parody of such image. He is wearing a ridiculous suit and dances a ridiculous dance. He appears in decidedly un-Gangnam areas: children's playground, on a paddle boat, riverside park, a bus with a disco ball, etc. A couple of times, PSY does encounter what might be fairly close to a Gangnam-type occasion -- a man driving a fancy car (a cameo appearance by the legendary comedian Yoo Jae-seok,) and a beautiful woman (cameo by Hyuna from the girl group 4Minute) flirting. But those moments quickly dissolve into another round of ridiculous dancing.
(Aside: If you immediately understood the relevance of the bus with a disco ball, you have a black belt in Korean culture. The "party" bus is usually for older Korean men and women, who would like to dance away from the public view. To release their urges to shake it, they would charter these buses with total strangers and have a mobile dancing session. By the way, those old Korean folks dance about as well as your parents. It is probably the most un-hip mobile party in the world -- which fits perfectly with Gangnam Style's aesthetics.)
Having said that, what made Gangnam Style so popular?
(More after the jump)
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Friday, September 07, 2012
Open Question Post: Traveling in Korea
One type of questions that the Korean receives frequently is questions about traveling in Korea. The Korean's standard answer is -- go buy a travel book. Most travel books about Korea do a fairly good job about introducing the country and giving the basics of how to get around. And unless you are planning to stay in Korea for several months, there is very little chance that you would exhaust the sights and destinations given in a travel book. And if a travel book does not work for you, there are many, many websites and blogs that are run by people who do this stuff for a living.
But just because the Korean has been receiving so many of these questions, he figured he should have a post about traveling in Korea. The Korean will make this post an "open question post" -- that is, he will accept questions from the comments section below, and update the post with answers. He will also post good answers and recommendations from the comments.
To start off, here are some basic stuff about traveling in Korea.
Where should I stay in Seoul?
Most tourist attractions are clustered around the center of the city, but a hotel room in the central city can get pricey. If you are budget-conscious, feel free to stay toward the outer edges of the city, as Seoul is covered with excellent public transportation. But be mindful that Seoul is a very large city area-wise -- you could easily travel an hour and a half on a subway, and still remain in Seoul.
Are there any dangerous areas in Seoul or Korea?
Korea is safer than the U.S. and Europe in terms of crime, but it is hardly crime-free. In Korea, as are in everywhere else in the world, tourists are an easy target. There are certainly bad areas in Seoul or any Korean city, but if you are an ordinary tourist looking for sights, there is no reason for you to be there either. Use your ordinary precautions.
What is the best way to exchange money?
You can actually get the best rate from ATM machines that accept foreign cards. The easiest one to identify is a Citibank ATM, which is fairly common in large cities.
What happens if I get lost? Do Koreans speak English?
Most Koreans speak decent enough English to give directions. When in doubt, ask professional-looking people or students, who are more likely to speak English.
But just because the Korean has been receiving so many of these questions, he figured he should have a post about traveling in Korea. The Korean will make this post an "open question post" -- that is, he will accept questions from the comments section below, and update the post with answers. He will also post good answers and recommendations from the comments.
To start off, here are some basic stuff about traveling in Korea.
Where should I stay in Seoul?
Most tourist attractions are clustered around the center of the city, but a hotel room in the central city can get pricey. If you are budget-conscious, feel free to stay toward the outer edges of the city, as Seoul is covered with excellent public transportation. But be mindful that Seoul is a very large city area-wise -- you could easily travel an hour and a half on a subway, and still remain in Seoul.
Are there any dangerous areas in Seoul or Korea?
Korea is safer than the U.S. and Europe in terms of crime, but it is hardly crime-free. In Korea, as are in everywhere else in the world, tourists are an easy target. There are certainly bad areas in Seoul or any Korean city, but if you are an ordinary tourist looking for sights, there is no reason for you to be there either. Use your ordinary precautions.
What is the best way to exchange money?
You can actually get the best rate from ATM machines that accept foreign cards. The easiest one to identify is a Citibank ATM, which is fairly common in large cities.
What happens if I get lost? Do Koreans speak English?
Most Koreans speak decent enough English to give directions. When in doubt, ask professional-looking people or students, who are more likely to speak English.
Where is the Korean's favorite place in Seoul?
Bukchon. It looks like this.
 |
| (source) |
More questions will be answered as they come in, after the jump.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Wednesday, September 05, 2012
The Mosquito Truck
Dear Korean,
What chemicals are used in the mosquito fogging trucks and are they harmful to people? If so, why are they so accepted by Korean society?
James M.
If you don't know what James M. is talking about, this is the mosquito fogging truck that can be seen in Korea from time to time:
The fog is mostly made up of kerosene, mixed in with a small amount of pesticide. (The ratio is around 300:1 kerosene to pesticide.) The petroleum-based "carrier" is heated into a fog, which carries the pesticide particles that would eventually kill mosquitoes.
Why do this? This is a great example of how little distance there is between the poorer-than-sub-Saharan-Africa Korea of the 1960s and the modern-wealthy-and-technologically-advanced Korea of the 2010s. In the bad old days of Korea, mosquitoes were one of the greatest threats to public health. As recently as 1982, Japanese Encephalitis -- only one of the many diseases carried by mosquitoes -- infected nearly 1200 people every year, killing more than 50 of them. And the most efficient way to kill the mosquitoes was the fog truck, spraying pesticide in a large area. (This practice actually was instituted by the U.S. military, as they occupied South Korea at the end of World War II.) Although mosquito-borne diseases are less of a threat today, anyone who spent a summer in Korea can tell you that the incessant mosquito attacks are quite a nuisance.
Obviously, the fog is harmful to people -- pesticide is meant to kill living things. But the amount of pesticide involved is actually very small. For an hour's worth of spraying, less than 30 ml of pesticide (= 1.5 tablespoon) is used. The bigger problem of the fog, in fact, is the kerosene, which is carcinogenic and causes air pollution. Because of the health and environmental concerns, many of Korea's municipalities have banned the use of the fog truck, opting instead for water- or vegetable oil-based sprays.
But then again, the poor country habits die hard. Kerosene-based pesticide fogging is cheaper, and it is a nice demonstration that the local government is doing something -- it just seems so effective. So a lot of smaller cities continue to use the truck, and it is not uncommon for a group of residents in a city to hire a pest control company to fog the neighborhood.
(N.B. One of the Korean's fondest memories of his childhood is Korea was to run after the fogging trucks. When you were a kid growing up in Korea, it was a thing to do -- the "fart truck" came through the neighborhood, you chase it while screaming at the top of your lung. It was a lot of fun. Generations of Koreans grew up chasing the fog truck, and we all turned out fine.)
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
What chemicals are used in the mosquito fogging trucks and are they harmful to people? If so, why are they so accepted by Korean society?
James M.
If you don't know what James M. is talking about, this is the mosquito fogging truck that can be seen in Korea from time to time:
The fog is mostly made up of kerosene, mixed in with a small amount of pesticide. (The ratio is around 300:1 kerosene to pesticide.) The petroleum-based "carrier" is heated into a fog, which carries the pesticide particles that would eventually kill mosquitoes.
Why do this? This is a great example of how little distance there is between the poorer-than-sub-Saharan-Africa Korea of the 1960s and the modern-wealthy-and-technologically-advanced Korea of the 2010s. In the bad old days of Korea, mosquitoes were one of the greatest threats to public health. As recently as 1982, Japanese Encephalitis -- only one of the many diseases carried by mosquitoes -- infected nearly 1200 people every year, killing more than 50 of them. And the most efficient way to kill the mosquitoes was the fog truck, spraying pesticide in a large area. (This practice actually was instituted by the U.S. military, as they occupied South Korea at the end of World War II.) Although mosquito-borne diseases are less of a threat today, anyone who spent a summer in Korea can tell you that the incessant mosquito attacks are quite a nuisance.
Obviously, the fog is harmful to people -- pesticide is meant to kill living things. But the amount of pesticide involved is actually very small. For an hour's worth of spraying, less than 30 ml of pesticide (= 1.5 tablespoon) is used. The bigger problem of the fog, in fact, is the kerosene, which is carcinogenic and causes air pollution. Because of the health and environmental concerns, many of Korea's municipalities have banned the use of the fog truck, opting instead for water- or vegetable oil-based sprays.
But then again, the poor country habits die hard. Kerosene-based pesticide fogging is cheaper, and it is a nice demonstration that the local government is doing something -- it just seems so effective. So a lot of smaller cities continue to use the truck, and it is not uncommon for a group of residents in a city to hire a pest control company to fog the neighborhood.
(N.B. One of the Korean's fondest memories of his childhood is Korea was to run after the fogging trucks. When you were a kid growing up in Korea, it was a thing to do -- the "fart truck" came through the neighborhood, you chase it while screaming at the top of your lung. It was a lot of fun. Generations of Koreans grew up chasing the fog truck, and we all turned out fine.)
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Monday, September 03, 2012
Live Chat in 1:15 hours
It's been a while since we chatted live. Let's talk! Live chat will be active at 9:30 p.m. EDT.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Gonna be on a break
Dear readers, it is that time of the year when the Korean must remind everyone that he has a day job, which can get incredibly busy. After about a month of trying to keep up, the Korean is throwing in the towel -- he will have to take a blogging break. He might answer some questions, but most questions will have to wait longer than usual.
See you guys when the Korean gets back. :)
-EDIT- If you simply have to be in constant contact with the Korean's thoughts at all times, check out his Facebook and Twitter.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
See you guys when the Korean gets back. :)
-EDIT- If you simply have to be in constant contact with the Korean's thoughts at all times, check out his Facebook and Twitter.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Saturday, August 04, 2012
50 Most Influential K-Pop Artists: 17. Kim Gwang-Seok
[Series Index]
17. Kim Gwang-Seok [김광석]
Years of Activity: 1988-1996
Discography:
Solo Albums
Kim Gwang-Seok 1 [김광석 1] (1989)
Kim Gwang-Seok 2nd [김광석 2nd] (1991)
Kim Gwang-Seok Third Collection of Songs [김광석 3번째 노래모음] (1992)
Singing Again 1 [다시 부르기 1] (1993)
Kim Gwang-Seok Fourth [김광석 네번째] (1994)
Singing Again 2 [다시 부르기 2] (1995)
As a member of People Who Seek Music [노래를 찾는 사람들]
People Who Seek Music 2 [노래를 찾는 사람들 2] (1989)
Song of the People [겨레의 노래] (1990)
Song that Opens the Morning [아침을 여는 노래] (1991)
People Who Seek Music 3 [노래를 찾는 사람들 3집] (1991)
The One Who Opens the Morning of Peace [평화의 아침을 여는 이] (1992)
People Who Seek Music 4 [노래를 찾는 사람들 4집] (1994)
Note - Kim Gwang-Seok was also a regular member of Dongmulwon [동물원], participating in the group's first through fifth albums.
Representative Song: Around Thirty [서른 즈음에] from Kim Gwang-Seok Fourth
In 15 words or less: The curator of a generation.
Maybe he should be ranked higher because... Few Korean singers have more iconic songs than Kim Gwang-Seok.
Maybe he should be ranked lower because... Unfortunately, died too early.
Why is this artist important?
Can an artist define an era with songs that were not his? Kim Gwang-Seok is certainly a talented singer/songwriter. But without his contribution as a curator, we may remember Korea's pop music history in a different light.
The counterculture movement touched Korea during the 1970s and 1980s, and just as well -- as Korea had mass murdering dictators as its leaders. The new generation of youth, more educated and freed from the crushing poverty, sought freedom through art and beauty. They eschewed the rigid two-beats of their parents' generation, and instead composed and played their own tunes on the guitars they carried. Those tunes would be sung, at times joyfully and at times solemnly, as the young generation led the waves and waves of street protests that eventually brought down the dictators.
People Who Seek Music was at the peak of that movement. The group initially began as a combination of college singing groups from the prestigious Seoul National University and Ewha Woman's University. (The legendary Kim Min-Gi, alumnus of SNU, assisted the formation of the group.) It sought to participate in social movement through songs. Their songs were initially distributed as illegal cassette tapes, copied and passed around among democratization activists who sang the songs as their anthems.
Kim began his musical career as a front man for People Who Seek Music from their second album. His clear voice and guitar-playing were as Bob Dylan-like as anyone in Korea outside of Kim Min-Gi. That alone is an impeccable pedigree, worth a mention in the annals of Korean pop music history. But it is his role as a curator that turned Kim from a passing thought to an icon. In his two Singing Again albums, Kim Gwang-Seok collected the best songs of the guitar-resistance era and made them his own. Few Koreans now remember that Kim Gwang-Seok was not the original singer or composer for such iconic songs as Letter of a Private [이등병의 편지] or Though I Had Loved [사랑했지만]. Just like the television show Mad Men will shape the way Americans of today remember America of the 1960s, Kim's two album shaped the way Koreans remember their pop music from the 1970s and 80s.
Tragically, Kim committed suicide in 1996, perhaps portending the onslaught of celebrity suicides in Korea in the next decade. With the deaths of Kim Gwang-Seok and Kim Hyeon-Sik, the era that Kim Gwang-Seok curated and brought back to life met its close.
Interesting trivia: Kim Gwang-Seok was a Buddhist, although not devoutly so. After his passing, his body was cremated. Nine sarira, the cremation pearls that are supposed to be discovered only from the remains of the highest spiritual masters, were discovered from his remains.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
17. Kim Gwang-Seok [김광석]
Years of Activity: 1988-1996
Discography:
Solo Albums
Kim Gwang-Seok 1 [김광석 1] (1989)
Kim Gwang-Seok 2nd [김광석 2nd] (1991)
Kim Gwang-Seok Third Collection of Songs [김광석 3번째 노래모음] (1992)
Singing Again 1 [다시 부르기 1] (1993)
Kim Gwang-Seok Fourth [김광석 네번째] (1994)
Singing Again 2 [다시 부르기 2] (1995)
As a member of People Who Seek Music [노래를 찾는 사람들]
People Who Seek Music 2 [노래를 찾는 사람들 2] (1989)
Song of the People [겨레의 노래] (1990)
Song that Opens the Morning [아침을 여는 노래] (1991)
People Who Seek Music 3 [노래를 찾는 사람들 3집] (1991)
The One Who Opens the Morning of Peace [평화의 아침을 여는 이] (1992)
People Who Seek Music 4 [노래를 찾는 사람들 4집] (1994)
Note - Kim Gwang-Seok was also a regular member of Dongmulwon [동물원], participating in the group's first through fifth albums.
Representative Song: Around Thirty [서른 즈음에] from Kim Gwang-Seok Fourth
서른 즈음에
Around Thirty
또 하루 멀어져간다
Another day drifts away
내뿜은 담배연기처럼
Like exhaled smoke
작기만한 내 기억속에
In my memories so small
무얼 채워 살고 있는지
What do I fill and live on
점점 더 멀어져간다
Drifts farther and farther away
머물러있는 청춘인줄 알았는데
Thought it was staying youth
비어가는 내 가슴속엔
In my emptying heart
더 아무것도 찾을 수 없네
Nothing more can be found
계절은 다시 돌아오지만
Seasons again return
떠나간 내 사랑은 어디에
But where my love that left
내가 떠나보낸 것도 아닌데
I did not let it leave either
내가 떠나온 것도 아닌데
I did not leave it either
조금씩 잊혀져 간다
Forgotten little by little
머물러 있는 사랑인줄 알았는데
Thought it was staying love
또하루 멀어져간다
Another day drifts away
매일 이별하며 살고 있구나
Living on saying good bye every day
매일 이별하며 살고 있구나
Living on saying good bye every day
In 15 words or less: The curator of a generation.
Maybe he should be ranked higher because... Few Korean singers have more iconic songs than Kim Gwang-Seok.
Maybe he should be ranked lower because... Unfortunately, died too early.
Why is this artist important?
Can an artist define an era with songs that were not his? Kim Gwang-Seok is certainly a talented singer/songwriter. But without his contribution as a curator, we may remember Korea's pop music history in a different light.
The counterculture movement touched Korea during the 1970s and 1980s, and just as well -- as Korea had mass murdering dictators as its leaders. The new generation of youth, more educated and freed from the crushing poverty, sought freedom through art and beauty. They eschewed the rigid two-beats of their parents' generation, and instead composed and played their own tunes on the guitars they carried. Those tunes would be sung, at times joyfully and at times solemnly, as the young generation led the waves and waves of street protests that eventually brought down the dictators.
People Who Seek Music was at the peak of that movement. The group initially began as a combination of college singing groups from the prestigious Seoul National University and Ewha Woman's University. (The legendary Kim Min-Gi, alumnus of SNU, assisted the formation of the group.) It sought to participate in social movement through songs. Their songs were initially distributed as illegal cassette tapes, copied and passed around among democratization activists who sang the songs as their anthems.
Kim began his musical career as a front man for People Who Seek Music from their second album. His clear voice and guitar-playing were as Bob Dylan-like as anyone in Korea outside of Kim Min-Gi. That alone is an impeccable pedigree, worth a mention in the annals of Korean pop music history. But it is his role as a curator that turned Kim from a passing thought to an icon. In his two Singing Again albums, Kim Gwang-Seok collected the best songs of the guitar-resistance era and made them his own. Few Koreans now remember that Kim Gwang-Seok was not the original singer or composer for such iconic songs as Letter of a Private [이등병의 편지] or Though I Had Loved [사랑했지만]. Just like the television show Mad Men will shape the way Americans of today remember America of the 1960s, Kim's two album shaped the way Koreans remember their pop music from the 1970s and 80s.
Tragically, Kim committed suicide in 1996, perhaps portending the onslaught of celebrity suicides in Korea in the next decade. With the deaths of Kim Gwang-Seok and Kim Hyeon-Sik, the era that Kim Gwang-Seok curated and brought back to life met its close.
Interesting trivia: Kim Gwang-Seok was a Buddhist, although not devoutly so. After his passing, his body was cremated. Nine sarira, the cremation pearls that are supposed to be discovered only from the remains of the highest spiritual masters, were discovered from his remains.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Ask a Korean! News: New York Times Endorses Fan Death
This is fun:
This is exactly how the Korean explained Fan Death in this post: the mechanism of Fan Death is dehydration and heat exhaustion. This is consistent with Korean people's general belief regarding Fan Death -- that is, heat, enclosed room and fan pointed directly on the body comes with the risk of death.
Have fun with this, people of Reddit. Thanks for the constant traffic to the Fan Death post, and all the nice things you said about the Korean's intellect. By the way, if you seriously think that Fan Death is rumor spread by Korean government in the 1970s in order to reduce electricity consumption (when the far easier option for the dictatorship would have been to simply ration electricity,) you are a greater moron than you ever suppose the Korean to be.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Really? In a Heat Wave, an Electric Fan Can Cool You Off [New York Times] (emphasis added)In a new study, a team of researchers based primarily in Britain sought to review evidence on the effectiveness of electric fans during heat waves that have occurred all over the world. . . . The authors of the new report pointed out that when temperatures climb past 95 degrees, having a fan pointed at you can actually contribute to heat gain, not reduce it.At those temperatures, being directly in the path of hot air blown from a fan can raise the risk of dehydration and heat exhaustion.
This is exactly how the Korean explained Fan Death in this post: the mechanism of Fan Death is dehydration and heat exhaustion. This is consistent with Korean people's general belief regarding Fan Death -- that is, heat, enclosed room and fan pointed directly on the body comes with the risk of death.
Have fun with this, people of Reddit. Thanks for the constant traffic to the Fan Death post, and all the nice things you said about the Korean's intellect. By the way, if you seriously think that Fan Death is rumor spread by Korean government in the 1970s in order to reduce electricity consumption (when the far easier option for the dictatorship would have been to simply ration electricity,) you are a greater moron than you ever suppose the Korean to be.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Pyeong, and Old Habits Dying Hard
Dear Korean,
When Koreans talk about the size of their condos they talk in something called pyung, like fifty pyung or one hundred pyung. So far nobody has been able to explain to me what that is. Could you tell me what one pyung is in square footage?
Conde
Pyeong [평] is a unit of measurement that has been in use in Korea, until very recently. It is the traditional measurement unit that managed to survive in Korea the longest.
First, let's cut to the chase -- how large is a single pyeong? Here is the conversion of pyeong into square meters and square feet:
When Koreans talk about the size of their condos they talk in something called pyung, like fifty pyung or one hundred pyung. So far nobody has been able to explain to me what that is. Could you tell me what one pyung is in square footage?
Conde
Pyeong [평] is a unit of measurement that has been in use in Korea, until very recently. It is the traditional measurement unit that managed to survive in Korea the longest.
First, let's cut to the chase -- how large is a single pyeong? Here is the conversion of pyeong into square meters and square feet:
1 pyeong = 3.3058 square meters = 35.5833 square feet
Korea shared its traditional measuring system with other East Asian countries. One pyeong is a square whose side is six cheok [척]. One cheok about as long as a foot -- hence, one pyeong is fairly close to 36 square feet. A typical small apartment/condo in Seoul is around 27 pyeong, which translates to approximately 960 square feet, or 89.25 square meters.
Korea has left behind most of its traditional measurements in favor of the metric system, like most sane countries around the world. *Coughamericacough* Most traditional units of measurements can now only be found in traditional literature. But pyeong has been a gigantic exception: it has been commonly in use until July 2007, when Korean government decided that it was high time to adopt the metric system in all aspects of life. Other traditional measurement units that were discarded include don, i.e. 3.75 grams, which was the unit to measure the weight of gold. (Traditional units were not the only ones that were hit by the new regulations. For example, electronics manufacturers were also banned from advertising their 40-inch television also.)
What ensued, lasting to this day, was high comedy: instead of fitting to the round numbers in the metric system, Korean people simply began to opt for the decidedly non-round numbers that formed a round number in the old metrics system. For example, rather than building a condo that is 90 square meters, builders would build and advertise a 89.25 square meters-sized condo -- and everyone understood the number stood for 27 pyeong.
Even better is what some A/C unit manufacturers did. Previously, A/C units in Korea were sold with a pyeong number associated with it also. That is, for example, a 18-pyeong A/C unit is enough to cool a space that is 18 pyeongs. Once the use of pyeong was banned, air conditioner manufacturers simply began to sell "18 Type" air conditioners -- a thinly veiled reference that the unit is enough to cool an 18-pyeong space.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
"Red Sun!"
Dear Korean,
My wife is a fan of Korean dramas, and I have also a seen a few series. The other day, a colleague of mine who is even more of a K-drama fan mentioned that he's noticed references to "red sun" in several different series over the past few years, and it has piqued his curiosity. In each instance, a character apparently said the words "red sun" and made some sort of a gesture with his or her arms. My friend asked whether I and/or my wife are familiar with the significance of this reference, but I regret that neither of us can recall ever having seen it.
Are you able to offer any insight into the cultural (popular or otherwise) significance of the phrase "red sun" and the accompanying gesture?
Jeff
The origin of this phrase can be traced back to a single person: "professor" Kim Yeong-Guk.
Since early 2000s, Kim touted his ability of inducing hypnosis, which according to him helps people retrace their former karmic lives, quit smoking, lose weight, concentrate better, cure depression, etc. The video above is Kim making his pitch on YouTube.
Because of his TV appearances and celebrities who were willing to play along, Kim has been a C-level celebrity in Korea. In particular, his catchphrase has "red sun", which he yells (or firmly states) at the moment his "patient" is supposed to fall under hypnosis, accompanied with a mysterious hand gesture. If you have not caught onto this yet, the phrase does not really mean anything.
Most Koreans rightly recognized this as hokey BS, but the catchphrase gained some traction in Korean pop culture and Internet memes. In a situation involving some form of hypnosis, this phrase sometimes makes an appearance.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
My wife is a fan of Korean dramas, and I have also a seen a few series. The other day, a colleague of mine who is even more of a K-drama fan mentioned that he's noticed references to "red sun" in several different series over the past few years, and it has piqued his curiosity. In each instance, a character apparently said the words "red sun" and made some sort of a gesture with his or her arms. My friend asked whether I and/or my wife are familiar with the significance of this reference, but I regret that neither of us can recall ever having seen it.
Are you able to offer any insight into the cultural (popular or otherwise) significance of the phrase "red sun" and the accompanying gesture?
Jeff
The origin of this phrase can be traced back to a single person: "professor" Kim Yeong-Guk.
Since early 2000s, Kim touted his ability of inducing hypnosis, which according to him helps people retrace their former karmic lives, quit smoking, lose weight, concentrate better, cure depression, etc. The video above is Kim making his pitch on YouTube.
Because of his TV appearances and celebrities who were willing to play along, Kim has been a C-level celebrity in Korea. In particular, his catchphrase has "red sun", which he yells (or firmly states) at the moment his "patient" is supposed to fall under hypnosis, accompanied with a mysterious hand gesture. If you have not caught onto this yet, the phrase does not really mean anything.
Most Koreans rightly recognized this as hokey BS, but the catchphrase gained some traction in Korean pop culture and Internet memes. In a situation involving some form of hypnosis, this phrase sometimes makes an appearance.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Monday, July 09, 2012
Culturalism: Fukushima Edition
The Korean has long been an advocate against culturalism -- the instinctive response to blame culture to explain any and all behavior. In today's Financial Times, an excellent op-ed by Prof. Gerald Curtis shows the falsehood of culturalism in the context of Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster:
Stop blaming Fukushima on Japan’s culture [Financial Times][T]he commission concludes, “this was a disaster ‘Made in Japan.’ Its fundamental causes are to be found in the ingrained conventions of Japanese culture: our reflexive obedience; our reluctance to question authority; our devotion to ‘sticking with the programme’; our groupism; and our insularity. Had other Japanese been in the shoes of those who bear responsibility for this accident, the result may well have been the same.”I beg to differ. Had [Prime Minister] Kan not stormed into Tepco headquarters and tried to exercise some authority over the company’s executives, the situation might have been far worse. . . . People matter: one of the heroes in the Fukushima story was Tepco’s Masao Yoshida, the plant manager who disobeyed orders not to use saltwater to cool the reactors.. . .Those inside the Japanese nuclear village do share a particular culture but it is hardly uniquely Japanese. What jumps out from this report are the parallels between the manmade causes of and responses to Fukushima and the “culture” that led to the financial meltdown in the US after the Lehman Brothers collapse and that continues to resist meaningful reform and the pinning of responsibility for this manmade disaster on specific individuals.The Fukushima Commission report “found an organisation-driven mind-set that prioritised benefits to the organisation at the expense of the public.” Well, if that is Japanese culture, then we are all Japanese.
Here is one additional wrinkle about culturalism with respect to the Fukushima disaster: beware of self-stereotypes. It is notable that in this particular example of culturalism, it was the Japanese government's official report that engaged in a culturalist self-critique. But that does not make the culturalist explanation any truer. If nothing else, we should be even more skeptical of the self-caricaturing of one's own culture, if only because of our tendency to place too much confidence on such caricatures.
Regardless of the report's ultimate conclusion about Japan's culture, the content of the report states the opposite. Masao Yoshida, the heroic plant manager who defied the management's orders, was hardly the caricature of Japanese culture that the Fukushima Commission Report painted. In fact, the existence of the report itself goes against the culturalist explanation, as Prof. Curtis put it: "If obedience to authority is such an ingrained trait in Japan, how then is it possible for a group of Japanese to write a report that not only questions but lambasts authority, anything but an example of reflexive obedience?"
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Regardless of the report's ultimate conclusion about Japan's culture, the content of the report states the opposite. Masao Yoshida, the heroic plant manager who defied the management's orders, was hardly the caricature of Japanese culture that the Fukushima Commission Report painted. In fact, the existence of the report itself goes against the culturalist explanation, as Prof. Curtis put it: "If obedience to authority is such an ingrained trait in Japan, how then is it possible for a group of Japanese to write a report that not only questions but lambasts authority, anything but an example of reflexive obedience?"
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Sunday, July 08, 2012
50 Most Influential K-Pop Artists: 18. Kim Hyeon-Sik
We are now finished with Tier 3 - Strong Impact K-pop artists. Beginning with our number 18, these artists are considered the greatest of a given era in K-pop.
18. Kim Hyeon-Sik [김현식]
[Series Index]
Also Romanized as: Kim Hyun-Sik
Years of Activity: 1980-1991
Discography:
New Songs by Kim Hyeon-Sik [김현식 새노래] (1980)
Kim Hyeon-Sik 2 [김현식 2] (1984)
The Third Album by Kim Hyeon-Sik and Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter: Love Songs in the Rain [김현식과 봄 여름 가을 겨울 3집: 빗속의 연가] (1986)
Kim Hyeon-Sik Vol. 4 [김현식 Vol. 4] (1988)
Kim Hyeon-Sik 5 [김현식 5] (1990)
Kim Hyeon-Sik Vol. 6 [김현식 Vol. 6] (1991)
Self-Portrait (1996)
Representative Song: My Love by My Side [내 사랑 내 곁에] from Kim Hyeon-Sik Vol. 6
Translation note: This is one of the most difficult songs the Korean has ever translated for this series. As it stands, the translation is a total mess, because the original lyrics in Korean is poetically forced. Suggestions are always welcome.
In 15 words or less: The voice of the 80s.
Maybe he should be ranked higher because... Few singers defined an era like Kim Hyeon-Sik did.
Maybe he should be ranked lower because... He did not have any impact outside of music.
Why is this artist important?
18. Kim Hyeon-Sik [김현식]
[Series Index]
Also Romanized as: Kim Hyun-Sik
Years of Activity: 1980-1991
Discography:
New Songs by Kim Hyeon-Sik [김현식 새노래] (1980)
Kim Hyeon-Sik 2 [김현식 2] (1984)
The Third Album by Kim Hyeon-Sik and Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter: Love Songs in the Rain [김현식과 봄 여름 가을 겨울 3집: 빗속의 연가] (1986)
Kim Hyeon-Sik Vol. 4 [김현식 Vol. 4] (1988)
Kim Hyeon-Sik 5 [김현식 5] (1990)
Kim Hyeon-Sik Vol. 6 [김현식 Vol. 6] (1991)
Self-Portrait (1996)
Representative Song: My Love by My Side [내 사랑 내 곁에] from Kim Hyeon-Sik Vol. 6
내 사랑 내 곁에
My Love by My Side
나의 모든 사랑이 떠나가는 날이
The day when all my love departs
당신의 그 웃음 뒤에서 함께 하는데
Is with you behind your smile, but
철이 없는 욕심에 그 많은 미련에 당신이 있는 건 아닌지
I wonder if you are in the childish desire and those many regrets
아니겠지요
No, you would not
시간은 멀어짐으로 향해 가는데
Time heads toward separateness, but
약속했던 그대만은 올 줄을 모르고
You, despite your promise, are not coming, and
애써 웃음 지으며 돌아오는 길은 왜 그리도 낯설고 멀기만 한지
Why is the way back, forcing a smile, so unfamiliar and far
저 여린 가지 사이로 혼자인 날 느낄 때
When I feel myself being alone between those frail branches
이렇게 아픈 그대 기억이 날까
Would this painful memory of you come back
내 사랑 그대 내 곁에 있어 줘
My love, you, please be by my side
이 세상 하나뿐인 오직 그대만이
Only you, the only one in the world
힘겨운 날에 너 마저 떠나면
If even you leave in these difficult days
비틀거릴 내가 안길 곳은 어디에
Where will I be held, stumbling
Translation note: This is one of the most difficult songs the Korean has ever translated for this series. As it stands, the translation is a total mess, because the original lyrics in Korean is poetically forced. Suggestions are always welcome.
In 15 words or less: The voice of the 80s.
Maybe he should be ranked higher because... Few singers defined an era like Kim Hyeon-Sik did.
Maybe he should be ranked lower because... He did not have any impact outside of music.
Why is this artist important?
Considering the massive impact that he will make, Kim Hyeon-Sik's beginning in 1980 was meek. Although a couple of songs in his first album gained some popularity, Kim did not become a household name until his second album in 1984, with the headlining song I Loved You [사랑했어요]. But reportedly, Kim himself was not particularly satisfied with this album, in which he was mostly a vocalist for songs written by someone else.
Kim's third album in 1986, in contrast, truly had his finger prints. Kim formed a band, christened Spring Summer Fall Winter [봄 여름 가을 겨울], specifically to create his third band. (The keyboardist for SSFW was Yoo Jae-Ha.) Each band member contributed his own songs into the album, giving the album the diverse colors of rock, blues and fusion jazz. But undeniably, the keystone of the album was Kim's gravelly, Louis Armstrong-like voice, which tied together the album as a single theme. Kim's third album sold over 200,000 copies, and is considered one of the greatest in K-pop history. (SSFW eventually spun off and became its own band, still playing to this day.)
Kim, however, was not the type who could enjoy his success into the sunset. He chain-smoked and binge-drank. He also smoked marijuana, still considered a very serious crime in Korea. Kim's health declined rapidly. When he was sober and in between the trips to emergency room, he would spend the days holding concerts and the nights recording songs. Alcohol-induced liver sclerosis finally took his life in December 1990, while he was still in the middle of recording his sixth album. Kim was 42. The title song of his last album, My Love by My Side, dominated the airwaves in 1991; the album would sell more than a million copies. As it turns out, Kim's last album was also the last meaningful album of the 1980s K-pop, as in the following year, a supernova would change K-pop forever.
Interesting trivia: Kim attended Samcheong Elementary School in Seoul, the same elementary school as another K-pop legend of the 1980s -- Jeon In-Gwon of Deulgukhwa.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Sunday, July 01, 2012
No Evolution in Korea?
Dear Korean,
This is horrifying. I knew many are stupid this way in the US, but I hadn't realized that S. Korea was worse - although with the large Christian population, maybe it's not surprising. (No offense to Christians, I just have trouble with people who can't reconcile religion and science.) Is this likely to be a permanent state of affairs in S. Korea, or is there an intellectual/scientific majority who will re-instate evolution in schoolbooks?
(With apologies if The Korean doesn't believe in evolution either, but I don't think that's possible.)
Judith H.
Don't worry -- the Korean is Christian, but he believes in evolution. He cannot see how anyone can deny evolution.
At any rate, this article on Nature magazine got a lot of publicity, especially thanks to the Huffington Post article that re-transmitted the Nature magazine article. Time magazine and Los Angeles Times covered the story as well. So what happened with this? Have all Koreans lost their minds? Hey, those stupid Koreans believe in Fan Death, so why not "creation sciences"?
Here is a rule of thumb on dealing with bizarre news from Korea in English-language media: be very, very skeptical, until you have independent verification from a reputable Korean media as well. Certainly, bizarre things happen in Korea. But if they do, it is extremely unlikely an English-language media would break the news -- English-language media simply do not have enough resources to track down bizarre stories coming out of Korea. If there is a bizarre story regarding Korea that gets a lot of play outside of Korea but not in Korean media, your bullshit radar has to be on high alert.
That is exactly what happened with this story. The Korean reads two Korean newspapers every morning, and he has not seen any coverage on this topic. Only after the Huffington Post article did Korean newspapers begin covering this issue, and only perfunctorily at that.
Let's get to the bottom line first: is Korean science textbook going to drop the discussion about evolution? Short answer -- nope. In fact, there was never any danger that creationism would prevail in Korean science textbooks.
(More after the jump.)
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
This is horrifying. I knew many are stupid this way in the US, but I hadn't realized that S. Korea was worse - although with the large Christian population, maybe it's not surprising. (No offense to Christians, I just have trouble with people who can't reconcile religion and science.) Is this likely to be a permanent state of affairs in S. Korea, or is there an intellectual/scientific majority who will re-instate evolution in schoolbooks?
(With apologies if The Korean doesn't believe in evolution either, but I don't think that's possible.)
Judith H.
Don't worry -- the Korean is Christian, but he believes in evolution. He cannot see how anyone can deny evolution.
At any rate, this article on Nature magazine got a lot of publicity, especially thanks to the Huffington Post article that re-transmitted the Nature magazine article. Time magazine and Los Angeles Times covered the story as well. So what happened with this? Have all Koreans lost their minds? Hey, those stupid Koreans believe in Fan Death, so why not "creation sciences"?
Here is a rule of thumb on dealing with bizarre news from Korea in English-language media: be very, very skeptical, until you have independent verification from a reputable Korean media as well. Certainly, bizarre things happen in Korea. But if they do, it is extremely unlikely an English-language media would break the news -- English-language media simply do not have enough resources to track down bizarre stories coming out of Korea. If there is a bizarre story regarding Korea that gets a lot of play outside of Korea but not in Korean media, your bullshit radar has to be on high alert.
That is exactly what happened with this story. The Korean reads two Korean newspapers every morning, and he has not seen any coverage on this topic. Only after the Huffington Post article did Korean newspapers begin covering this issue, and only perfunctorily at that.
Let's get to the bottom line first: is Korean science textbook going to drop the discussion about evolution? Short answer -- nope. In fact, there was never any danger that creationism would prevail in Korean science textbooks.
(More after the jump.)
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Short Thought on Today's Obamacare Ruling
Today was a fun day to be a law nerd.
The Korean has said this from Day 1 of this dreadful litigation: if Obamacare was structured as a single-payer public insurance program, complemented by private insurance companies like the majority of advanced nations, ALL this could have been avoided. There would have been no individual mandate, and no constitutionality issue since it would have been exactly like Social Security or Medicare.
Wanna see a successful single-payer system that creates very little administrative delay and a $5 doctor visit? Here is an old post about Korea's healthcare system.
Got a question or a comment about the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
The Korean has said this from Day 1 of this dreadful litigation: if Obamacare was structured as a single-payer public insurance program, complemented by private insurance companies like the majority of advanced nations, ALL this could have been avoided. There would have been no individual mandate, and no constitutionality issue since it would have been exactly like Social Security or Medicare.
Wanna see a successful single-payer system that creates very little administrative delay and a $5 doctor visit? Here is an old post about Korea's healthcare system.
Got a question or a comment about the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Business Lunch for Koreans?
Dear Korean,
I work at a company that will be hosting quite a few business meetings in Houston, TX. Our guests are from Korea and we will be serving lunch for them. I plan on not serving them Korean food as I know it would not be to their standard, as well as when I travel I want to experience new things. Are there foods that I should avoid, like items that would be considered an insult to serve? Are there non-Korean foods that are preferred by most? Are there certain items that should be made available like salt and pepper for most Americans?
Robert T.
First of all, do not be afraid to cater Korean food from local Korean restaurants. It is true that the quality of Korean food in the U.S. may not be as good, and that business travelers would like to try new things. But truth is, few things in America are truly new to Koreans, as most American staple dishes -- burgers, pizza, etc. -- are widely available in Korea. (They may exist in bastardized forms in Korea to fit the local tastes, but at least the concept is familiar to Koreans.)
Serving Korean food for lunch can be a solid gesture of friendship. Especially in case of Korean businesspeople on a long business trip, it could be a welcome relief. If you are having several days of meetings with your Korean business partners, throwing in a Korean-style lunch at least once would be a great idea.
When it comes to serving non-Korean food, here are some pointers:
- Go with hot food: Here is an observation -- Americans like everything a little bit colder than Koreans. This applies to room temperature, drinking water, and most certainly to food. Vast majority of Korean cuisine is very warm, and a significant portion of Korean cuisine is sizzling hot. This means that for many Koreans, a meal that is not hot (or at least warm) is very unsatisfying. If you have salad, try and have hot soup accompanying it. Go for hot sandwiches rather than cold.
(More after the jump.)
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
I work at a company that will be hosting quite a few business meetings in Houston, TX. Our guests are from Korea and we will be serving lunch for them. I plan on not serving them Korean food as I know it would not be to their standard, as well as when I travel I want to experience new things. Are there foods that I should avoid, like items that would be considered an insult to serve? Are there non-Korean foods that are preferred by most? Are there certain items that should be made available like salt and pepper for most Americans?
Robert T.
First of all, do not be afraid to cater Korean food from local Korean restaurants. It is true that the quality of Korean food in the U.S. may not be as good, and that business travelers would like to try new things. But truth is, few things in America are truly new to Koreans, as most American staple dishes -- burgers, pizza, etc. -- are widely available in Korea. (They may exist in bastardized forms in Korea to fit the local tastes, but at least the concept is familiar to Koreans.)
Serving Korean food for lunch can be a solid gesture of friendship. Especially in case of Korean businesspeople on a long business trip, it could be a welcome relief. If you are having several days of meetings with your Korean business partners, throwing in a Korean-style lunch at least once would be a great idea.
When it comes to serving non-Korean food, here are some pointers:
- Go with hot food: Here is an observation -- Americans like everything a little bit colder than Koreans. This applies to room temperature, drinking water, and most certainly to food. Vast majority of Korean cuisine is very warm, and a significant portion of Korean cuisine is sizzling hot. This means that for many Koreans, a meal that is not hot (or at least warm) is very unsatisfying. If you have salad, try and have hot soup accompanying it. Go for hot sandwiches rather than cold.
(More after the jump.)
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Ask a Korean! News: Pew Center Study on Asian Americans
Is here. A helpful summary of findings in graphics is here. Graphics focused on Korean Americans are here.
One tidbit that caught the Korean's eyes: 82% of Asian Americans report that they are satisfied with life, higher than the national average (which was 75%.) But Tiger Parents totally raise unhappy children who commit suicide, right?
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
One tidbit that caught the Korean's eyes: 82% of Asian Americans report that they are satisfied with life, higher than the national average (which was 75%.) But Tiger Parents totally raise unhappy children who commit suicide, right?
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Monday, June 18, 2012
How to, Like, Totally Win K-Pop Star
Dear Korean,
I'm going to be auditioning for SM, and JYP what are some things that will get them to respect and take me seriously?
Lizzy L.
This is another breed of stupid questions that the Korean has been receiving a lot lately. Here is the Korean's answer: sing really, really well, then cross your fingers and hope for the best.
To people who keep sending this type of question -- seriously, what the hell did you expect when you sent your question? That this random anonymous blogger has the nuclear launch code that would fast-track you into JYP's heart?
Yes, if you are not Korean, your chances are lower if only because you are not Korean. So what? Did you think you would be considered an automatic finalist if you were Korean? Does it make sense to complain that, in a lottery with a trillion tickets outstanding, you were given eight tickets instead of ten?
If you are auditioning for a TV show, what you are going for is a moonshot. If you are into taking moonshots, please, don't let anyone stop you. But if you are scared away from taking a moonshot just because the moonshot has 0.0000000001% chance instead of 0.0000000002% chance, maybe you should not be in the business of taking moonshots at all.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean. Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
I'm going to be auditioning for SM, and JYP what are some things that will get them to respect and take me seriously?
Lizzy L.
This is another breed of stupid questions that the Korean has been receiving a lot lately. Here is the Korean's answer: sing really, really well, then cross your fingers and hope for the best.
 | |
| Yes, this anonymous blogger totally knows how to crack this thing. (source) |
Yes, if you are not Korean, your chances are lower if only because you are not Korean. So what? Did you think you would be considered an automatic finalist if you were Korean? Does it make sense to complain that, in a lottery with a trillion tickets outstanding, you were given eight tickets instead of ten?
If you are auditioning for a TV show, what you are going for is a moonshot. If you are into taking moonshots, please, don't let anyone stop you. But if you are scared away from taking a moonshot just because the moonshot has 0.0000000001% chance instead of 0.0000000002% chance, maybe you should not be in the business of taking moonshots at all.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean. Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Media Strike in Korea
Dear Korean,
Could you expound a bit on the background of the labour strikes at KBS and, particularly, MBC? I'm given to understand that there's been some kind of political meddling, but as you've intimated before, English-language Korean news sources seem to be lacking in a number of ways.
Charlie
This question is long overdue, as the strike has been going on since January. In fact, KBS union ended its strike last week. In the spirit of better late than never, the Korean is picking up this question for a few reasons, to wit: a lot of Korea-lovers rely on TV shows, and it would be helpful to know why a lot of their favorite shows. And like a lot of Korean history, the background of the media strike is an interesting story of rough-and-tumble intrigue.
Also, the media strike is indirectly responsible for this racist MBC "expose" on interracial relationships in Korea, which can be roughly summarized as: "Dey terk er weemin!" As the regular news staff of MBC has been on strike nearly six months, MBC has been filling its lineup with a lot of crap that are produced by outside production companies. One of the results is that a completely beyond-the-pale program like this one goes through the filters.
First of all, a quick background about TV stations in Korea. The biggest thing you have to remember as you read through the history of TV stations in Korea is that as recently as 1987, Korea was a fascist dictatorship much like a lot of countries in South America were at the same time. Because controlling the media has always been essential to the life of a dictatorship, Korea's TV stations were under the thumb of the government for a very long time. Because of the remnants of those times, Korea's TV stations are still under a huge degree of government control, to a degree that may appear ludicrously unbefitting to a robust democracy.
(More after the jump.)
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Could you expound a bit on the background of the labour strikes at KBS and, particularly, MBC? I'm given to understand that there's been some kind of political meddling, but as you've intimated before, English-language Korean news sources seem to be lacking in a number of ways.
Charlie
This question is long overdue, as the strike has been going on since January. In fact, KBS union ended its strike last week. In the spirit of better late than never, the Korean is picking up this question for a few reasons, to wit: a lot of Korea-lovers rely on TV shows, and it would be helpful to know why a lot of their favorite shows. And like a lot of Korean history, the background of the media strike is an interesting story of rough-and-tumble intrigue.
Also, the media strike is indirectly responsible for this racist MBC "expose" on interracial relationships in Korea, which can be roughly summarized as: "Dey terk er weemin!" As the regular news staff of MBC has been on strike nearly six months, MBC has been filling its lineup with a lot of crap that are produced by outside production companies. One of the results is that a completely beyond-the-pale program like this one goes through the filters.
(Aside: The Korean really does not have much to add on this whole thing without repeating what others have already said. It was racist, misogynistic and shitty. Even Koreans in Korea have overwhelmingly called this program out as racist, misogynistic and shitty.
The Korean would like to point out one thing though: only 17 people showed up in the protest in front of MBC. Seventeen. Even though the Facebook group denouncing the program has nearly 9,000 members. You want things to change? It's not going to happen with clicking a few things on Facebook.)
First of all, a quick background about TV stations in Korea. The biggest thing you have to remember as you read through the history of TV stations in Korea is that as recently as 1987, Korea was a fascist dictatorship much like a lot of countries in South America were at the same time. Because controlling the media has always been essential to the life of a dictatorship, Korea's TV stations were under the thumb of the government for a very long time. Because of the remnants of those times, Korea's TV stations are still under a huge degree of government control, to a degree that may appear ludicrously unbefitting to a robust democracy.
(More after the jump.)
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Friday, June 08, 2012
Ask a Korean! Wiki: Natural Style Deodorants
What do you do when you don't have time to answer questions? Have other people answer them! Cue the question:
Dear Korean,
I was wondering if you knew much about "natural" style deodorants' availability in Korea (i.e Tom's of Maine and JASON brands, or comparable brands). I unwisely didn't pack a long-term supply of deodorant when I came here, and now I'm running out. I don't want to use antiperspirant and would like to avoid deodorants laced with a bunch of synthetic chemicals.
Scott in Chungju
Sorry, Scott in Chungju, you are speaking to a guy who has never bought a stick of deodorant in his life. And it is not because the Korean is gross. Asians generally have significantly less apocrine sweat glands in their armpits, making them less susceptible to armpit stench. Either that or the Korean has a bad sense of smell, and everyone around him in his whole life has been exceedingly polite.
At any rate, deodorant always has been a sticking point with the expat population in Korea. So weigh in, folks. Have you been able to find a fru-fru, "natural" style deodorant in Korea?
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Dear Korean,
I was wondering if you knew much about "natural" style deodorants' availability in Korea (i.e Tom's of Maine and JASON brands, or comparable brands). I unwisely didn't pack a long-term supply of deodorant when I came here, and now I'm running out. I don't want to use antiperspirant and would like to avoid deodorants laced with a bunch of synthetic chemicals.
Scott in Chungju
Sorry, Scott in Chungju, you are speaking to a guy who has never bought a stick of deodorant in his life. And it is not because the Korean is gross. Asians generally have significantly less apocrine sweat glands in their armpits, making them less susceptible to armpit stench. Either that or the Korean has a bad sense of smell, and everyone around him in his whole life has been exceedingly polite.
At any rate, deodorant always has been a sticking point with the expat population in Korea. So weigh in, folks. Have you been able to find a fru-fru, "natural" style deodorant in Korea?
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
