Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Friday, January 31, 2014
Happy Lunar New Year!
Happy year of the horse! Hope everyone got to taste some rice cake soup today. For your enjoyment, below is the Google doodle that was seen in Korea for the lunar new year celebrations.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
The Korean on NPR, and "East Sea/Sea of Japan"
The Korean appeared on NPR's Kojo Nnamdi show to discuss the pending bill on Sea of Japan/East Sea for Virginia's textbooks. You can listen to the show here. (Click "Listen" on the top left.)
A note on the Sea of Japan/East Sea issue: personally, I am agnostic about this issue. At the end of the day, I don't think it matters all that much no matter what the outcome. If we are dealing with issues of Japan's colonialism, I think the effort would be better served focusing on the issue of Comfort Women, as those women represent the most direct victims of Japanese imperialism who is being denied justice. In fact, when it comes to addressing the dark legacy of Japan's colonialism, there are several more issues that I would devote my energy before I get to the Sea of Japan/East Sea issue.
But then again, people have different priorities than the Korean's. And that's fine, as long as those priorities are within reasonable boundaries. And there should be no question that the attempt to list both "Sea of Japan" and "East Sea" is a reasonable effort to address the stain of Japan's imperialism. As I said in the broadcast, it is an American tradition for immigrant communities to express their views on world history, and ensure their children and other children who study with them are introduced to such perspectives. This is such a natural desire that even the representative of the Japanese Embassy tripped up and said he would prefer his children to learn about all sides of the issue, even as he was claiming that there was only one correct name for the sea.
Indeed, the makeup of the show's guests was telling. "Korean side" had a local small businessman and a blogger; "Japanese side" had the embassy representative. If you ever thought Koreans were the ones who were too sensitive to the historical issues, think again.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
A note on the Sea of Japan/East Sea issue: personally, I am agnostic about this issue. At the end of the day, I don't think it matters all that much no matter what the outcome. If we are dealing with issues of Japan's colonialism, I think the effort would be better served focusing on the issue of Comfort Women, as those women represent the most direct victims of Japanese imperialism who is being denied justice. In fact, when it comes to addressing the dark legacy of Japan's colonialism, there are several more issues that I would devote my energy before I get to the Sea of Japan/East Sea issue.
But then again, people have different priorities than the Korean's. And that's fine, as long as those priorities are within reasonable boundaries. And there should be no question that the attempt to list both "Sea of Japan" and "East Sea" is a reasonable effort to address the stain of Japan's imperialism. As I said in the broadcast, it is an American tradition for immigrant communities to express their views on world history, and ensure their children and other children who study with them are introduced to such perspectives. This is such a natural desire that even the representative of the Japanese Embassy tripped up and said he would prefer his children to learn about all sides of the issue, even as he was claiming that there was only one correct name for the sea.
Indeed, the makeup of the show's guests was telling. "Korean side" had a local small businessman and a blogger; "Japanese side" had the embassy representative. If you ever thought Koreans were the ones who were too sensitive to the historical issues, think again.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
The Right and Wrong Questions to Ask About Plastic Surgery in Korea
Dear Korean,
I read about the incredibly high percentage of young girls going for a plastic surgery. I asked to my friends, and they told me in Korea, beauty means looking western for women. This is quite funny because I personally think, and as me many people here, that Asian women are really beautiful and have that mysterious look we find so appealing. So the question is: do they know they don’t actually need that surgery to look better, do they know western people appreciate Asian beauty? They could save that money away for more important things, like traveling for example, or studying, or whatever.
Giorgio
You know the Korean is not the one to mince words, so here it is: this is a dumb question. But Giorgio is hardly alone in asking this kind of dumb question about Korea's high rate of plastic surgery. "Plastic surgery" in Korea, in a sense, became another kind of "dog meat"--that is, a quick-and-dirty topic for the media to do a hey-look-at-these-weird-Asian-people story. The coverage is dumb, shallow and sensationalized, and so are the reactions to the coverage, like the one coming from Giorgio here.
Part of the reason for the stupidity of the commentary about Korea's plastic surgery is plastic surgery seems like such an easy issue. People going under the knife to change the way they look--seems easy enough to solve that. The well-meaning people would lament, "If only Korean women believed in themselves!" with the implication that, if only the silly Korean people listened to them, the world would be a better place.
Well, no. Take your good intentions and continue paving that road to hell, because few things are more infuriating than well-meaning ignorance. Such ignorance belongs to the same species as the well-intended advice to the poor that they should simply try a little harder. It diminishes the complex challenges that the people embroiled in the issue face.
What makes Korea's plastic surgery issue so tricky? Consider the following questions:
For all the gasping expanded on plastic surgery, few people can seem to articulate their position on the most fundamental question regarding plastic surgery: what, if anything, is wrong with it?
Is it wrong to undergo bodily modification? LASIK surgery is far more invasive than the most common form of plastic surgery in Korea, the epicanthic fold surgery (commonly known as the "double eyelid" surgery.) Yet the numerous advertisements about LASIK surgery does not seem to raise the same questions as the same for plastic surgery. Why is that?
Is it because plastic surgery does not appear to be "necessary," or necessary only to the extent that we care about the way we look? But we do "unnecessary" things every day for the sake of looks. We wash our faces, comb our hair, (some of us) put on makeup and dress in stylish clothing. Or is it that there is a line between putting on clothes and receiving a surgery that alters our body? But orthodontics alters our body as dramatically as any plastic surgery. Solely for the sake of looks, orthodontists pull out perfectly good teeth, cut off flesh and push the whole jaw into a direction that is not meant to go. So why is there no sensationalist article about the world's addiction to braces?
Is it because when it comes to Korea, the looks at which plastic surgery aims appear foreign and imposed? First of all, it is not true that Koreans aspire to look like a Westerner; oval face and pale skin have been a part of Korea's beauty standard for centuries. It is more accurate to say that Korea's evolving standard of beauty involves certain Western elements, such as rounder eyes. Very well, one may concede that Korea's beauty standard has elements that are not Korean. But so what? Everything in Korea has elements that are not Korean. Overwhelming majority of Koreans wear traditional Korean garb only on special occasions. Restaurants selling non-Korean foods are plenty, and Koreans visit them all the time. Koreans liberally borrow non-Korean concepts (e.g. democracy) to run their society, and use non-Korean words to explain those concepts. This is the consequence of living in a world in which the West has won for the last several centuries. Why not the sensationalist articles about the fact that Korean businessmen wear suits, just like their Western counterparts? Why no outpour of sympathy along the lines of, "If only Koreans knew how beautiful hanbok was!"
Is it because the high rate of plastic surgery reveals something peculiar about Korea? But what is that something, exactly? That Koreans care about looks? (But people who get orthodontic procedures don't?) That Korean women are subject to undue pressure from society? (Because television shows and advertisement boards elsewhere in the world feature regular-weight women with no makeup?) That Koreans' sense of beauty is too uniform? (Because elsewhere in the world, there is never any attempt to make regular-weight woman appear slimmer, or a darker-skinned woman appear lighter, on magazine covers?)
Let me be clear: I do not intend to imply an answer to these questions. (Frankly, I cannot even fully answer them.) Nor are these questions meant to be a series of reflexive tu quoque. There may be a real difference between plastic surgery and makeup. There may be a real difference between plastic surgery on one hand, and LASIK surgery and orthodontics on the other. There may be a real reason such that incorporation of Western elements in Korea's standard of beauty is so much more unacceptable and so much more offensive than the incorporation of Western elements in Korea's governing system. There may be actual insight about Korea to be gained from this phenomenon that is significantly different from the insight to be gained from what we are seeing elsewhere in the modern world. The point of listing those questions is: the answers to these questions are not obvious, and require a serious intellectual engagement to explain.
A helpful rule of thumb in trying to explore this issue: if you find yourself moving toward a perspective that does not treat Koreans--especially Korean women--as people who make autonomous decisions in the face of certain factual situations, stop and start over. If you find yourself cobbling together the few facts that you know about Korea to figure this out ("Isn't K-pop Korean? Of course they must be connected!"), stop thinking and start reading more about Korea. If you cannot recognize the parallels between Korea's plastic surgery and other bodily modifications common in the place you live, even just for the sake of discerning the starting point from which those two things part company, stop thinking about Korea and develop more self-awareness about your own society first.
In other words, stop asking questions like Giorgio, and don't write articles like this. Stop the stupid, because you can do better.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
I read about the incredibly high percentage of young girls going for a plastic surgery. I asked to my friends, and they told me in Korea, beauty means looking western for women. This is quite funny because I personally think, and as me many people here, that Asian women are really beautiful and have that mysterious look we find so appealing. So the question is: do they know they don’t actually need that surgery to look better, do they know western people appreciate Asian beauty? They could save that money away for more important things, like traveling for example, or studying, or whatever.
Giorgio
You know the Korean is not the one to mince words, so here it is: this is a dumb question. But Giorgio is hardly alone in asking this kind of dumb question about Korea's high rate of plastic surgery. "Plastic surgery" in Korea, in a sense, became another kind of "dog meat"--that is, a quick-and-dirty topic for the media to do a hey-look-at-these-weird-Asian-people story. The coverage is dumb, shallow and sensationalized, and so are the reactions to the coverage, like the one coming from Giorgio here.
Part of the reason for the stupidity of the commentary about Korea's plastic surgery is plastic surgery seems like such an easy issue. People going under the knife to change the way they look--seems easy enough to solve that. The well-meaning people would lament, "If only Korean women believed in themselves!" with the implication that, if only the silly Korean people listened to them, the world would be a better place.
Well, no. Take your good intentions and continue paving that road to hell, because few things are more infuriating than well-meaning ignorance. Such ignorance belongs to the same species as the well-intended advice to the poor that they should simply try a little harder. It diminishes the complex challenges that the people embroiled in the issue face.
What makes Korea's plastic surgery issue so tricky? Consider the following questions:
For all the gasping expanded on plastic surgery, few people can seem to articulate their position on the most fundamental question regarding plastic surgery: what, if anything, is wrong with it?
Is it wrong to undergo bodily modification? LASIK surgery is far more invasive than the most common form of plastic surgery in Korea, the epicanthic fold surgery (commonly known as the "double eyelid" surgery.) Yet the numerous advertisements about LASIK surgery does not seem to raise the same questions as the same for plastic surgery. Why is that?
Is it because plastic surgery does not appear to be "necessary," or necessary only to the extent that we care about the way we look? But we do "unnecessary" things every day for the sake of looks. We wash our faces, comb our hair, (some of us) put on makeup and dress in stylish clothing. Or is it that there is a line between putting on clothes and receiving a surgery that alters our body? But orthodontics alters our body as dramatically as any plastic surgery. Solely for the sake of looks, orthodontists pull out perfectly good teeth, cut off flesh and push the whole jaw into a direction that is not meant to go. So why is there no sensationalist article about the world's addiction to braces?
Is it because when it comes to Korea, the looks at which plastic surgery aims appear foreign and imposed? First of all, it is not true that Koreans aspire to look like a Westerner; oval face and pale skin have been a part of Korea's beauty standard for centuries. It is more accurate to say that Korea's evolving standard of beauty involves certain Western elements, such as rounder eyes. Very well, one may concede that Korea's beauty standard has elements that are not Korean. But so what? Everything in Korea has elements that are not Korean. Overwhelming majority of Koreans wear traditional Korean garb only on special occasions. Restaurants selling non-Korean foods are plenty, and Koreans visit them all the time. Koreans liberally borrow non-Korean concepts (e.g. democracy) to run their society, and use non-Korean words to explain those concepts. This is the consequence of living in a world in which the West has won for the last several centuries. Why not the sensationalist articles about the fact that Korean businessmen wear suits, just like their Western counterparts? Why no outpour of sympathy along the lines of, "If only Koreans knew how beautiful hanbok was!"
Is it because the high rate of plastic surgery reveals something peculiar about Korea? But what is that something, exactly? That Koreans care about looks? (But people who get orthodontic procedures don't?) That Korean women are subject to undue pressure from society? (Because television shows and advertisement boards elsewhere in the world feature regular-weight women with no makeup?) That Koreans' sense of beauty is too uniform? (Because elsewhere in the world, there is never any attempt to make regular-weight woman appear slimmer, or a darker-skinned woman appear lighter, on magazine covers?)
Let me be clear: I do not intend to imply an answer to these questions. (Frankly, I cannot even fully answer them.) Nor are these questions meant to be a series of reflexive tu quoque. There may be a real difference between plastic surgery and makeup. There may be a real difference between plastic surgery on one hand, and LASIK surgery and orthodontics on the other. There may be a real reason such that incorporation of Western elements in Korea's standard of beauty is so much more unacceptable and so much more offensive than the incorporation of Western elements in Korea's governing system. There may be actual insight about Korea to be gained from this phenomenon that is significantly different from the insight to be gained from what we are seeing elsewhere in the modern world. The point of listing those questions is: the answers to these questions are not obvious, and require a serious intellectual engagement to explain.
A helpful rule of thumb in trying to explore this issue: if you find yourself moving toward a perspective that does not treat Koreans--especially Korean women--as people who make autonomous decisions in the face of certain factual situations, stop and start over. If you find yourself cobbling together the few facts that you know about Korea to figure this out ("Isn't K-pop Korean? Of course they must be connected!"), stop thinking and start reading more about Korea. If you cannot recognize the parallels between Korea's plastic surgery and other bodily modifications common in the place you live, even just for the sake of discerning the starting point from which those two things part company, stop thinking about Korea and develop more self-awareness about your own society first.
In other words, stop asking questions like Giorgio, and don't write articles like this. Stop the stupid, because you can do better.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Monday, January 20, 2014
50 Most Influential K-pop Artists: 11. Lee Hyori
[Series Index]
11. Lee Hyori [이효리]
Years of Activity: 1998-present (1998-2002 as a member of Fin.K.L.; 2003-present as solo)
Discography (Fin.K.L.):
Fine Killing Liberty (1998)
White (1999)
Now (2001)
영원 [Eternity] (2002)
Discography (solo):
Stylish (2003)
Dark Angel (2006)
It's Hyorish (2008)
H-Logic (2010)
Monochrome (2013)
Representative Song: Miss Korea from Monochrome
Translation notes: Although the lyrics are simple, it is oddly difficult to translate it elegantly.
In 15 words or less: Pioneer of K-pop womanhood
Maybe she should be ranked higher because... Has there been any other woman in K-pop who single-handedly changed the conversation?
Maybe she should be ranked lower because... Did she achieve anything musically?
Why is this artist important?
Women pop artists always face a steeper road to success in pop culture, because they have another aspect about themselves that they may package and sell: their sexuality. Some female artists, feeling that their sexuality (or at least, the external version of it) gets in the way, quietly present their music and hope that their talent will win out. Other female artists embrace this seeming advantage, package their sexuality and market it along with their other talents. And still other female artists sublimate their sexuality and turn the prevailing convention on its head. The sexuality that latter group of artists--such as Madonna or Lady Gaga--displays is rarely crass or vulgar. Instead, it is highly stylized to a degree that is mildly confusing. They make the viewers ask themselves: is this sexy? Then the inevitable answer: it must be, if they claim it with such confidence!
Lee Hyori is perhaps the first K-pop act that made K-pop fans ask those questions to themselves. Lee's remarkable career came in two stages: first, she established the prevailing standard in K-pop, and second, she destroyed it. Lee Hyori's initial group, Fin.K.L. (pronounced "finkle") still serves as the model girl group for K-pop's idol groups to this day. Fin.K.L. is arguably the most successful girl groups in K-pop history. Not even Girls' Generation, that young upstart that I previously described as "the most perfect business plan," can approach the heights that Fin.K.L. reached. Fin K.L. still holds the record for second-best in total album sales among girl groups. Though S.E.S. outsold Fin.K.L. (3.6 million to 2.8 million), no one has heard of S.E.S. once the main group disbanded. Not so with Fin.K.L. Even setting aside Lee, former members of Fin.K.L. have had solid-to-excellent solo careers as actresses for television and live musicals. Fin.K.L. also had a deeper and wide fan base, likely creating the first generation of "uncle fans," i.e. the group of older men who follow idol girl groups.
Then came Lee's solo career, which was as glorious as any solo career in K-pop history. If measured by utter ubiquity of presence--in TV shows, in advertisements, in people's conversations--one can make a solid case that Lee Hyori was the greatest K-pop act ever. She single-handedly pushed Korea's female standard of beauty from pale, wafery and demure to tanned, fit and active. Her utter confidence in herself radiated through her music, dance and demeanor, causing K-pop watchers to re-evaluate their deep-seated aesthetics that they never previously had to evaluate.
Miss Korea is the hallmark of such confidence. Sure, knock Lee Hyori for her supposed lack of compositional talents, especially with the massive plagiarism scandal of her disastrous fourth solo album. But you do so at your own peril: like Lee sings in her song, it only takes one look for everyone to fall for her.
Interesting trivia: Technically, Fin.K.L. never disbanded, which makes them the oldest continuously surviving K-pop girl idol band. (However, Fin.K.L.'s last album was in 2005.)
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
11. Lee Hyori [이효리]
Years of Activity: 1998-present (1998-2002 as a member of Fin.K.L.; 2003-present as solo)
Discography (Fin.K.L.):
Fine Killing Liberty (1998)
White (1999)
Now (2001)
영원 [Eternity] (2002)
Discography (solo):
Stylish (2003)
Dark Angel (2006)
It's Hyorish (2008)
H-Logic (2010)
Monochrome (2013)
Representative Song: Miss Korea from Monochrome
Miss Korea
유리거울 속 저 예쁜 아가씨
The pretty girl inside the glass mirror
무슨 일 있나요 지쳐 보여요
What's the matter, you seem tired
많은 이름에 힘이 드나요
Do the many names drain you
불안한 미래에 자신 없나요
Does the uncertain future hurt your confidence
자고나면 사라지는 그깟 봄 신기루에
That spring mirage that disappears after night
매달려 더 이상 울고 싶진 않아
I no longer want to hang onto that and cry
Because I'm a Miss Korea
Because I'm a Miss Korea
세상에서 제일가는 girl이야
The best girl in the world
누구나 한 번에 반할 일이야
Everyone just takes one look to fall for me
Because I'm a Miss Korea
Because I'm a Miss Korea
Because I'm a Miss Korea
Because I'm a Miss Korea
세상에서 제일가는 girl이야
The best girl in the world
누구나 알면은 놀랄 일이야
Everyone will be surprised if they found out
Because I'm a Miss Korea
Because I'm a Miss Korea
명품 가방이 날 빛내주나요
Does the expensive purse make me shine
예뻐지면 그만 뭐든 할까요
Should I do everything just to become pretty
자고나면 사라지는 그깟 봄 신기루에
That spring mirage that disappears after night
매달려 더 이상 울고 싶진 않아
I no longer want to hang onto that and cry
Because I'm a Miss Korea
Because I'm a Miss Korea
세상에서 제일가는 girl이야
The best girl in the world
누구나 한 번에 반할 일이야
Everyone just takes one look to fall for me
Because I'm a Miss Korea
Because I'm a Miss Korea
Because I'm a Miss Korea
Because I'm a Miss Korea
세상에서 제일가는 girl이야
The best girl in the world
누구나 알면은 놀랄 일이야
Everyone will be surprised if they found out
Because I'm a Miss Korea
Because I'm a Miss Korea
사람들의 시선 그리 중요한가요
Does the way people look matter so much
망쳐가는 것들 내 잘못 같나요
Does it feel like it's your fault that everything goes wrong
그렇지 않아요. 이리 와 봐요 다 괜찮아요.
That's not true. Come over here. Everything is ok.
넌 Miss Korea
You are Miss Korea.
유리거울 속 저 예쁜 아가씨
The pretty girl inside the glass mirror
무슨 일 있나요 지쳐 보여요
What's the matter, you seem tired
많은 이름에 힘이 드나요
Do the many names drain you
불안한 미래에 자신 없나요
Does the uncertain future hurt your confidence
자고나면 사라지는 그깟 봄 신기루에
That spring mirage that disappears after night
매달려 더 이상 울고 싶진 않아
I no longer want to hang onto that and cry
Because I'm a Miss Korea
Because I'm a Miss Korea
세상에서 제일가는 girl이야
The best girl in the world
누구나 한 번에 반할 일이야
Everyone just takes one look to fall for me
Because I'm a Miss Korea
Because I'm a Miss Korea
Because I'm a Miss Korea
Because I'm a Miss Korea
세상에서 제일가는 girl이야
The best girl in the world
누구나 알면은 놀랄 일이야
Everyone will be surprised if they found out
Because I'm a Miss Korea
Because I'm a Miss Korea
명품 가방이 날 빛내주나요
Does the expensive purse make me shine
예뻐지면 그만 뭐든 할까요
Should I do everything just to become pretty
자고나면 사라지는 그깟 봄 신기루에
That spring mirage that disappears after night
매달려 더 이상 울고 싶진 않아
I no longer want to hang onto that and cry
Because I'm a Miss Korea
Because I'm a Miss Korea
세상에서 제일가는 girl이야
The best girl in the world
누구나 한 번에 반할 일이야
Everyone just takes one look to fall for me
Because I'm a Miss Korea
Because I'm a Miss Korea
Because I'm a Miss Korea
Because I'm a Miss Korea
세상에서 제일가는 girl이야
The best girl in the world
누구나 알면은 놀랄 일이야
Everyone will be surprised if they found out
Because I'm a Miss Korea
Because I'm a Miss Korea
사람들의 시선 그리 중요한가요
Does the way people look matter so much
망쳐가는 것들 내 잘못 같나요
Does it feel like it's your fault that everything goes wrong
그렇지 않아요. 이리 와 봐요 다 괜찮아요.
That's not true. Come over here. Everything is ok.
넌 Miss Korea
You are Miss Korea.
Translation notes: Although the lyrics are simple, it is oddly difficult to translate it elegantly.
In 15 words or less: Pioneer of K-pop womanhood
Maybe she should be ranked higher because... Has there been any other woman in K-pop who single-handedly changed the conversation?
Maybe she should be ranked lower because... Did she achieve anything musically?
Why is this artist important?
Women pop artists always face a steeper road to success in pop culture, because they have another aspect about themselves that they may package and sell: their sexuality. Some female artists, feeling that their sexuality (or at least, the external version of it) gets in the way, quietly present their music and hope that their talent will win out. Other female artists embrace this seeming advantage, package their sexuality and market it along with their other talents. And still other female artists sublimate their sexuality and turn the prevailing convention on its head. The sexuality that latter group of artists--such as Madonna or Lady Gaga--displays is rarely crass or vulgar. Instead, it is highly stylized to a degree that is mildly confusing. They make the viewers ask themselves: is this sexy? Then the inevitable answer: it must be, if they claim it with such confidence!
Lee Hyori is perhaps the first K-pop act that made K-pop fans ask those questions to themselves. Lee's remarkable career came in two stages: first, she established the prevailing standard in K-pop, and second, she destroyed it. Lee Hyori's initial group, Fin.K.L. (pronounced "finkle") still serves as the model girl group for K-pop's idol groups to this day. Fin.K.L. is arguably the most successful girl groups in K-pop history. Not even Girls' Generation, that young upstart that I previously described as "the most perfect business plan," can approach the heights that Fin.K.L. reached. Fin K.L. still holds the record for second-best in total album sales among girl groups. Though S.E.S. outsold Fin.K.L. (3.6 million to 2.8 million), no one has heard of S.E.S. once the main group disbanded. Not so with Fin.K.L. Even setting aside Lee, former members of Fin.K.L. have had solid-to-excellent solo careers as actresses for television and live musicals. Fin.K.L. also had a deeper and wide fan base, likely creating the first generation of "uncle fans," i.e. the group of older men who follow idol girl groups.
Then came Lee's solo career, which was as glorious as any solo career in K-pop history. If measured by utter ubiquity of presence--in TV shows, in advertisements, in people's conversations--one can make a solid case that Lee Hyori was the greatest K-pop act ever. She single-handedly pushed Korea's female standard of beauty from pale, wafery and demure to tanned, fit and active. Her utter confidence in herself radiated through her music, dance and demeanor, causing K-pop watchers to re-evaluate their deep-seated aesthetics that they never previously had to evaluate.
Miss Korea is the hallmark of such confidence. Sure, knock Lee Hyori for her supposed lack of compositional talents, especially with the massive plagiarism scandal of her disastrous fourth solo album. But you do so at your own peril: like Lee sings in her song, it only takes one look for everyone to fall for her.
Interesting trivia: Technically, Fin.K.L. never disbanded, which makes them the oldest continuously surviving K-pop girl idol band. (However, Fin.K.L.'s last album was in 2005.)
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Enough with Amy Chua Bashing
Amy Chua, of the "Tiger Mother" fame, is in the news again. Many readers emailed me to ask what I thought of her new, forthcoming book, which apparently attempts to find the success factors of various ethnic and cultural groups in the United States. Short answer: I will reserve my full judgment until after I read the book, but my initial impression is not positive, as it sounds more like a hare-brained exercise in culturalism rather than a rigorous examination.
But this post is not about Amy Chua or her new book. This post is about the reaction of Asian Americans that Chua's new book triggered. Once the scathing New York Post preview of Chua's new book came out, (some) Asian Americans immediately burst into outrage. Much of the outrage was dedicated to busting the Asian American stereotype Chua appeared to enforce. And a smaller, but vocal, fraction of the outrage was directed at Chua herself, and the concept of Tiger Parenting.
This post is about that smaller fraction. I believe the Asian American outrage against Chua and Tiger Parenting is misguided. But first, let me be clear: I am not here to defend Tiger Parenting. The way I feel about Tiger Parenting is hardly a secret. I believe I made a solid case in favor of Tiger Parenting already; if I did not convince you then, I don't expect to convince you now. Again, this post is not about Chua herself, or her new book, or even about Tiger Parenting. It is about how we Asian Americans who wish to fight the stereotypes ought to know the correct target for our outrage.
Suppose two African American diners visit a restaurant. Once they sit down, a Caucasian waiter comes to the table and informs that the dinner special for that day will be fried chicken. The first diner considers the menu, considers the special, and orders fried chicken because it sounds delicious. The second diner also considers the menu, and considers the special. Then the second diner looks at the white waiter, looks around to find a great number of white diners around their table, and reminds himself about the pernicious stereotype regarding black folks and fried chicken. He then orders something else from the menu.
In this example, which diner truly enforced the stereotype about African Americans and fried chicken--the first diner who simply ordered what she wanted to eat, or the second diner who decided his dinner to oppose the prevailing stereotype? What if the second diner berated the first diner for daring to order what she felt like having for dinner? Would he be justified in doing so?
This hypothetical is akin to how some Asian Americans react to Amy Chua. And the answers to the questions above, to me, are clear: it is the second diner that does more to enforce the stereotype, and his criticism of the first diner is misguided.
(More after the jump.)
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
But this post is not about Amy Chua or her new book. This post is about the reaction of Asian Americans that Chua's new book triggered. Once the scathing New York Post preview of Chua's new book came out, (some) Asian Americans immediately burst into outrage. Much of the outrage was dedicated to busting the Asian American stereotype Chua appeared to enforce. And a smaller, but vocal, fraction of the outrage was directed at Chua herself, and the concept of Tiger Parenting.
This post is about that smaller fraction. I believe the Asian American outrage against Chua and Tiger Parenting is misguided. But first, let me be clear: I am not here to defend Tiger Parenting. The way I feel about Tiger Parenting is hardly a secret. I believe I made a solid case in favor of Tiger Parenting already; if I did not convince you then, I don't expect to convince you now. Again, this post is not about Chua herself, or her new book, or even about Tiger Parenting. It is about how we Asian Americans who wish to fight the stereotypes ought to know the correct target for our outrage.
* * *
Suppose two African American diners visit a restaurant. Once they sit down, a Caucasian waiter comes to the table and informs that the dinner special for that day will be fried chicken. The first diner considers the menu, considers the special, and orders fried chicken because it sounds delicious. The second diner also considers the menu, and considers the special. Then the second diner looks at the white waiter, looks around to find a great number of white diners around their table, and reminds himself about the pernicious stereotype regarding black folks and fried chicken. He then orders something else from the menu.
In this example, which diner truly enforced the stereotype about African Americans and fried chicken--the first diner who simply ordered what she wanted to eat, or the second diner who decided his dinner to oppose the prevailing stereotype? What if the second diner berated the first diner for daring to order what she felt like having for dinner? Would he be justified in doing so?
This hypothetical is akin to how some Asian Americans react to Amy Chua. And the answers to the questions above, to me, are clear: it is the second diner that does more to enforce the stereotype, and his criticism of the first diner is misguided.
(More after the jump.)
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Tuesday, January 07, 2014
Military Draft Quandry: Update
Before the Korean writes anything about Korean citizenship, military draft, etc., the usual caveat must come first:
The Korean is not an immigration attorney of Korea. This post is for broad informational purposes only. Do NOT ask him about your specific situation, because he cannot possibly give a competent answer that fits your situation. Immigration law and conscription law of Korea are complicated things, and you must consult an attorney if you are seriously worried about your situation.
This post is to provide update on the strange twilight zone in which many young Korean American men find themselves. To recap the situation: a strange confluence of new Korean laws, which sought to restrict the ability to dodge the military draft and at the same time encourage more ethnic Koreans living abroad to visit and live in Korea more freely, resulted in a messy situation: a number of young, second-generation Korean American men suddenly gained Korean citizenship, and accordingly, the duty to report for Korea's mandatory military service. What is more, if these Korean American men missed the very small, three-month window after their 18th birthday to renounce their Korean citizenship, they are not allowed to renounce their citizenship until after they are 38 years old, i.e. no longer eligible for the draft.
Naturally, this puts young Korean American men in an odd situation. Many of them did not even know that they were Korean citizens as of 2010, when the dual-citizenship law came into effect. Then if they tried to study or work in Korea or visit Korea for the long term, they would first find out that (1) they had Korean citizenship, (2) they might be subject to the draft because of their Korean citizenship, and (3) they cannot even renounce their Korean citizenship, because their 18th birthday had already passed.
As of late last year, Korea's Military Manpower Administration carved out a couple of exceptions that would help many people in this twilight zone.
First, there is an exemption for second-generation, non-resident citizens [재외국민2세]. This page from the MMA explains the exemption in detail. To be eligible, one must:
- Have been born outside of Korea OR left Korea before turning six years old, AND
- Have continuously lived abroad until December 31 of the year in which he turned 17 years old, which means he was not present in Korea for more than 60 days in a one-year period, AND
- Currently possess permanent residency or citizenship of a foreign state. IN ADDITION,
- One's parents must also currently possess permanent residency or citizenship of a foreign state.
One would verify that he is a second-generation, non-resident citizen by submitting documentation to Korean embassy or consulate, which provides a stamp on the passport signifying the exempt status.
Second, there is an exemption for those studying in a "domestic educational institute." This page from the MMA explains this exemption in more detail. To be eligible for this exemption, one must simply have a permanent residency or a citizenship of a country other than Korea. The exemption is cancelled if:
- One stays for more than six months after graduating, finishing, taking a break from or having been expelled from the school;
- One's mother, father or spouse stays in Korea for more than six months out of the year during the time at school; OR
- One works and earns money during one's study.
If your situation does not fall under the two exemptions, there is still hope. There is currently a Constitutional Court petition in progress to find the 2005 law that prohibited renunciation of citizenship unconstitutional. Hopefully, the Constitutional Court would fashion a more rational solution to the military draft issue. It would be a good idea to check back on this issue in a year or so.
The Korean will stress this again: he is not an immigration attorney of Korea. Nor is he watching this situation very closely. The laws and regulations may change again at any time. If you are difficult situation in terms of citizenship or military draft status, make sure to consult an actual attorney, and/or Korea's diplomatic staff.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Saturday, January 04, 2014
SXSW 2014 - Here We Come!
About a month ago, the Korean asked if anyone would be willing to come with him to SXSW 2014. Several of you replied to say yes. So now, the pass is purchased, flight ticket is bought, hotel is reserved: SXSW 2014, here we come!
It is not too late to join the party. If you are interested in hanging out with the Korean this March in Austin, please do not hesitate to shoot an email to the Korean. Hope to see you there.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
It is not too late to join the party. If you are interested in hanging out with the Korean this March in Austin, please do not hesitate to shoot an email to the Korean. Hope to see you there.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Friday, January 03, 2014
Tonal Vestige in Korean Language
Dear Korean,
In your recent post about the meaning of Korean names, you wrote:
Funny Canadian
First of all, a brief explanation on the concept of "tone" in linguistics. A "tonal" language uses tones to distinguish different meanings of syllables that may otherwise sound the same.
One example of a tonal language is Mandarin Chinese, which uses four tones. Here is an example of four tones, each pronouncing the sound "ma".
These four tones are necessary because the meaning of the syllable "ma" changes depending on the tone, like so:
(Note: Tones are not the same thing as an accent. Tone changes the meaning, while accent does not. For example, reading "caramel" as two syllables (like "car-mel") versus as three syllables (like "ca-ra-mel") is an accent. Regardless of how you read "caramel," the meaning of the word does not change.)
According to written records, it appears that Korean language made use of tones until late 16th century. The original hangeul (known as Hunminjeongeum [훈민정음]), which was created in 1443 and promulgated in 1446 (i.e. mid-15th century,) contained a system of denoting the four tones that Korean language used at the time by placing one or two dots on the left of the letter. (See example below.)
The tonal marks in hangeul begin to disappear around late 16th century and completely vanishes around early 17th century, indicating that the use of tone in Korean also disappeared around then.
However, the vestiges of the tonal language survived for centuries afterward, and continued to serve their core function: a means to distinguish the different meanings inhabiting the same sound unit. Until very recently (i.e. until around early 20th century,) it was common for Koreans to distinguish certain words by pronouncing them for a little longer.
Example: in Korean, nun [눈] is a homophone for both "eye" and "snow." Under the strictest Korean grammar rules, the 눈 to denote "snow" is pronounced a little longer than the 눈 to denote "eye" (that is, almost like 누운.) Similarly, bae [배] is a homophone for (among other meanings) "stomach" and "double." To say "double" in Korean while avoiding confusion at the same time, one would pronounce the word 배 a little longer.
There are many more examples of Korean language's tonal vestiges, but the Korean need not present them all here. Why? Because today, most Koreans simply ignore this rule. Although the "long syllable rule" is still taught in school in a standard curriculum for Korean language, vast majority of Koreans quickly forget the rule as soon as the final exam is over. So if you are a Korean language learner, there is no need to bother learning this rule. The only place one could conceivably hear the long syllable in Korean might be the hallway of the National Institute of Korean Language [국립국어원].
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
In your recent post about the meaning of Korean names, you wrote:
Note: the Chinese language does a much better job at distinguishing these characters because the Chinese language is tonal. Centuries ago, Korean language used to be tonal as well--which probably helped navigating the Sino-Korean words. But today, Korean language only has the tiniest vestiges of tones, most of which are unnoticed even by Koreans themselves.Could you explain those vestiges in some detail?
Funny Canadian
First of all, a brief explanation on the concept of "tone" in linguistics. A "tonal" language uses tones to distinguish different meanings of syllables that may otherwise sound the same.
One example of a tonal language is Mandarin Chinese, which uses four tones. Here is an example of four tones, each pronouncing the sound "ma".
(source)
These four tones are necessary because the meaning of the syllable "ma" changes depending on the tone, like so:
- mā (媽/妈) "mum/mom"
- má (麻/麻) "hemp"
- mǎ (馬/马) "horse"
- mà (罵/骂) "scold"
(Note: Tones are not the same thing as an accent. Tone changes the meaning, while accent does not. For example, reading "caramel" as two syllables (like "car-mel") versus as three syllables (like "ca-ra-mel") is an accent. Regardless of how you read "caramel," the meaning of the word does not change.)
According to written records, it appears that Korean language made use of tones until late 16th century. The original hangeul (known as Hunminjeongeum [훈민정음]), which was created in 1443 and promulgated in 1446 (i.e. mid-15th century,) contained a system of denoting the four tones that Korean language used at the time by placing one or two dots on the left of the letter. (See example below.)
 |
No dot indicates a flat tone, unless a letter ends with ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅅ; in such a case, the tone starts high and ends abruptly. One dot, a high tone. Two dots, a low-to-high tone. (source) |
However, the vestiges of the tonal language survived for centuries afterward, and continued to serve their core function: a means to distinguish the different meanings inhabiting the same sound unit. Until very recently (i.e. until around early 20th century,) it was common for Koreans to distinguish certain words by pronouncing them for a little longer.
Example: in Korean, nun [눈] is a homophone for both "eye" and "snow." Under the strictest Korean grammar rules, the 눈 to denote "snow" is pronounced a little longer than the 눈 to denote "eye" (that is, almost like 누운.) Similarly, bae [배] is a homophone for (among other meanings) "stomach" and "double." To say "double" in Korean while avoiding confusion at the same time, one would pronounce the word 배 a little longer.
There are many more examples of Korean language's tonal vestiges, but the Korean need not present them all here. Why? Because today, most Koreans simply ignore this rule. Although the "long syllable rule" is still taught in school in a standard curriculum for Korean language, vast majority of Koreans quickly forget the rule as soon as the final exam is over. So if you are a Korean language learner, there is no need to bother learning this rule. The only place one could conceivably hear the long syllable in Korean might be the hallway of the National Institute of Korean Language [국립국어원].
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Most Popular AAK! Posts of 2013
Here is a quick look back at the most popular AAK! posts of 2013, by the number of page view.
Most Viewed Posts of 2013 (All-Time Posts)
1. Culturalism, Gladwell, and Airplane Crashes
2. Lose Weight with Korean Diet
3. The Ultimate Korean Looks List
4. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Korean Men
5. Fan Death is Real
Incredibly, the dog meat post dropped out of the top five list, supplanted by yet-another eternal Korean curiosity that is fan death. Apparently, the ladies around the world decided that they learned enough about Korean men, and decided to lose weight instead.
Most Viewed Posts of 2013 (Written in 2013)
1. Culturalism, Gladwell, and Airplane Crashes
2. How do Koreans Feel About the Chinese?
3. Malcolm Gladwell's Response to the Culturalism Post
4. Ten Most Influential Korean Movies
5. Here are Some Korean Slang Terms
The Korean's friend put it the best: "If you're going against Malcolm Gladwell, you'd better bring some elephant guns." By that measure, 2013 might be the year the Korean went on elephant hunting--but instead of blood and death, there was only a lively clash of opinions. It was a memorable experience.
The Korean wishes everyone a warm and happy end of the year. As always, thank you for reading this humble blog. See you next year.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Most Viewed Posts of 2013 (All-Time Posts)
1. Culturalism, Gladwell, and Airplane Crashes
2. Lose Weight with Korean Diet
3. The Ultimate Korean Looks List
4. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Korean Men
5. Fan Death is Real
Incredibly, the dog meat post dropped out of the top five list, supplanted by yet-another eternal Korean curiosity that is fan death. Apparently, the ladies around the world decided that they learned enough about Korean men, and decided to lose weight instead.
Most Viewed Posts of 2013 (Written in 2013)
1. Culturalism, Gladwell, and Airplane Crashes
2. How do Koreans Feel About the Chinese?
3. Malcolm Gladwell's Response to the Culturalism Post
4. Ten Most Influential Korean Movies
5. Here are Some Korean Slang Terms
The Korean's friend put it the best: "If you're going against Malcolm Gladwell, you'd better bring some elephant guns." By that measure, 2013 might be the year the Korean went on elephant hunting--but instead of blood and death, there was only a lively clash of opinions. It was a memorable experience.
The Korean wishes everyone a warm and happy end of the year. As always, thank you for reading this humble blog. See you next year.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Friday, December 27, 2013
Best of the Worst 2013
It is yet another installation of AAK!'s year-end tradition: the worst emails of the year 2013! This year has been another reaffirmation of the eternal truth that, on the Internet, the supply of stupidity is infinite. Despite seeing the examples of dumb questions from 2008, 2009, 2010 (in Parts I, II, and III), 2011 and 2012, people simply do not learn.
As usual, these are all real emails that the Korean really received. Other than redacting personal information, not a single thing about the email is changed or modified in any way. The Korean's comments and thoughts on the emails are highlighted in blue.
re: question
Kiseung had an initiation of the" Chignon",the putting up of hair.
What was the significance of that…?
Why a burial mound?
I'm sorry, who's Kiseung? And what does "chignon" mean in ancient Korean?
re: (no subject)
I DON'T GET WHY I ASIAN'S DON'T LIKE BLACK GIRL I MEAN IM REALLY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER BLACK GIRL. I DON'T HANG OUT WITH A LOT OF BLACK PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO LOUD RUDE AND GHETTO I REALLY DONT LIKE PEOPLE LIKE THAT I USAALY HANG WITH SPANISH AND I HAVE ABOUT 10 ASIAN FRIEND BUT THEY ARE CHINESE AND VIETNAMESE AND 1 KOREAN BUT SHE IS MIXED WITH BLACK I MEAN IM NOT FULLY BLACK BECAUSE MY MOM IS BLACK AND VIETNAMESE IM JAMAICAN AND VIETNAMESE.MY FAMILY DON'T REALLY GET ALONG WITH BLACK THAT MUCH IM INTO KOREAN MOSTLY AND JAPANESE I LOVE K-DRAMA AND THE CULTURE. I SPEAK IT A LITTLE BECAUSE ON MY FREE TIMES I ONLY WATCH THE DRAMAS OH AND THE GUYS ARE REALLY CUTE BUT IM NOT BEING RUDE BUT THE GIRLS ARE HARD TO TRUST I LEARNED FROM EXPERIENCES GUESS DRAMAS SRE RIGHT BUT YEAH
Right. But, yeah. Right. Right.
re: question for a korean
I was just curious if a korean and an american have children. considering when whites and blacks have children they are called maloto or millato or something so what would a korean white baby be called just curious as i live with one as a roomate.
They would be called, "Please just shut the fuck up."
re: (no subject)
I've been living here for several years now, grew up in Europe, but this country has the highest percentage of dumb, selfish, egocentric people I've ever experienced. Just hard work and discipline doesn't cut it. Moral, ethics and sincerity are equally important.
So, your question is...?
More stupidity, after the jump.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com. But no stupid questions please. I just can't take it anymore.
As usual, these are all real emails that the Korean really received. Other than redacting personal information, not a single thing about the email is changed or modified in any way. The Korean's comments and thoughts on the emails are highlighted in blue.
--------------------------------------------
re: question
Kiseung had an initiation of the" Chignon",the putting up of hair.
What was the significance of that…?
Why a burial mound?
I'm sorry, who's Kiseung? And what does "chignon" mean in ancient Korean?
re: (no subject)
I DON'T GET WHY I ASIAN'S DON'T LIKE BLACK GIRL I MEAN IM REALLY DIFFERENT FROM OTHER BLACK GIRL. I DON'T HANG OUT WITH A LOT OF BLACK PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO LOUD RUDE AND GHETTO I REALLY DONT LIKE PEOPLE LIKE THAT I USAALY HANG WITH SPANISH AND I HAVE ABOUT 10 ASIAN FRIEND BUT THEY ARE CHINESE AND VIETNAMESE AND 1 KOREAN BUT SHE IS MIXED WITH BLACK I MEAN IM NOT FULLY BLACK BECAUSE MY MOM IS BLACK AND VIETNAMESE IM JAMAICAN AND VIETNAMESE.MY FAMILY DON'T REALLY GET ALONG WITH BLACK THAT MUCH IM INTO KOREAN MOSTLY AND JAPANESE I LOVE K-DRAMA AND THE CULTURE. I SPEAK IT A LITTLE BECAUSE ON MY FREE TIMES I ONLY WATCH THE DRAMAS OH AND THE GUYS ARE REALLY CUTE BUT IM NOT BEING RUDE BUT THE GIRLS ARE HARD TO TRUST I LEARNED FROM EXPERIENCES GUESS DRAMAS SRE RIGHT BUT YEAH
Right. But, yeah. Right. Right.
re: question for a korean
I was just curious if a korean and an american have children. considering when whites and blacks have children they are called maloto or millato or something so what would a korean white baby be called just curious as i live with one as a roomate.
They would be called, "Please just shut the fuck up."
re: (no subject)
I've been living here for several years now, grew up in Europe, but this country has the highest percentage of dumb, selfish, egocentric people I've ever experienced. Just hard work and discipline doesn't cut it. Moral, ethics and sincerity are equally important.
Regards,
Glad to be a non-korean
So, your question is...?
More stupidity, after the jump.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com. But no stupid questions please. I just can't take it anymore.
Friday, December 20, 2013
Thoughts on Jang Seong-taek's Execution
Dear Korean,
Now that Kim Jong Un has executed his own uncle-in-law, what do you think is in North Korea's future? What does Joo Seong-Ha think?
The Second Generation Vietnamese-American College Student
For those who do not follow North Korea-related news, this happened: Kim Jong-un, the fresh-faced third-generation dictator of North Korea, had his uncle-in-law executed. Jang Seong-taek, who joined the Kim family by marrying Kim Jong-Il's sister Kim Gyeong-hee, was widely seen as North Korea's No. 2 in power. No more--Jang was arrested in the middle of the Labor Party meeting, was "tried" plotting the overthrow of Kim Jong-Un before a military tribunal, and was executed within days of his arrest. Currently, it is believed that Jang's cohorts are meeting a similar fate of getting arrested and summarily executed.
Obviously, this is a huge deal. There are two North Korea-stories that can possibly be bigger: death of Kim Jong-Un, or North Korea's collapse. Naturally, Mr. Joo Seong-ha has been pushing out copious amount of writing. Although Mr. Joo's writings on topic are far too much to translate, they center around a single theme: North Korea is in serious disarray and may collapse soon. In particular, Joo points to the military tribunal's judgment over Jang, and notes how much North Korea is admitting its failure.
The judgment claims that Jang sought the help of the military to overthrow Kim Jong-Un; Jang thought the military may have been willing to assist him as North Korea's economic devastation gets worse. It also claims that Jang planted a number of followers in the high ranks of the North Korean regime. Even suggesting these would have been unthinkable under Kim Jong-Il--an indication, according to Mr. Joo, of how deep the rot in North Korean leadership class has reached.
Jang's execution also pushes the situation closer to my personal opinion regarding North Korea, formed upon Kim Jong-Il's death: North Korea will fall suddenly, unpredictably and uncontrollably. This may appear unlikely, but my opinion is that it is the most likely possibility when other options are considered. The personality cult that lends legitimacy to Kim Jong-Un's rule is barely holding on. North Korea's economy lies in ruin, and there is a vast chasm between North Korea's current situation and any meaningful, Chinese-style reform that may nurse North Korea toward stability. Yet, even as a long shot, reform would have been the only way forward for North Korea's long-term survival.
It would be outrageous to call Jang Seong-taek, who was as barbaric of a ruler as anyone in the North Korean regime, a reformer of any sort. However, any reform that would save North Korea would probably have come through Jang. He did have a sophisticated understanding of how the world works, and how North Korea is seen internationally. Jang visited South Korea in 2002, and was instrumental toward establishing the special economic zone in Rason. But North Korea now disavows Jang's attempts at reform; the military tribunal specifically noted in its judgment that Jang was "selling the nation" by establishing the special economic zone. With that pronouncement, North Korea banged shut another door when it could least afford to do so.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Now that Kim Jong Un has executed his own uncle-in-law, what do you think is in North Korea's future? What does Joo Seong-Ha think?
The Second Generation Vietnamese-American College Student
For those who do not follow North Korea-related news, this happened: Kim Jong-un, the fresh-faced third-generation dictator of North Korea, had his uncle-in-law executed. Jang Seong-taek, who joined the Kim family by marrying Kim Jong-Il's sister Kim Gyeong-hee, was widely seen as North Korea's No. 2 in power. No more--Jang was arrested in the middle of the Labor Party meeting, was "tried" plotting the overthrow of Kim Jong-Un before a military tribunal, and was executed within days of his arrest. Currently, it is believed that Jang's cohorts are meeting a similar fate of getting arrested and summarily executed.
Obviously, this is a huge deal. There are two North Korea-stories that can possibly be bigger: death of Kim Jong-Un, or North Korea's collapse. Naturally, Mr. Joo Seong-ha has been pushing out copious amount of writing. Although Mr. Joo's writings on topic are far too much to translate, they center around a single theme: North Korea is in serious disarray and may collapse soon. In particular, Joo points to the military tribunal's judgment over Jang, and notes how much North Korea is admitting its failure.
The judgment claims that Jang sought the help of the military to overthrow Kim Jong-Un; Jang thought the military may have been willing to assist him as North Korea's economic devastation gets worse. It also claims that Jang planted a number of followers in the high ranks of the North Korean regime. Even suggesting these would have been unthinkable under Kim Jong-Il--an indication, according to Mr. Joo, of how deep the rot in North Korean leadership class has reached.
Jang's execution also pushes the situation closer to my personal opinion regarding North Korea, formed upon Kim Jong-Il's death: North Korea will fall suddenly, unpredictably and uncontrollably. This may appear unlikely, but my opinion is that it is the most likely possibility when other options are considered. The personality cult that lends legitimacy to Kim Jong-Un's rule is barely holding on. North Korea's economy lies in ruin, and there is a vast chasm between North Korea's current situation and any meaningful, Chinese-style reform that may nurse North Korea toward stability. Yet, even as a long shot, reform would have been the only way forward for North Korea's long-term survival.
It would be outrageous to call Jang Seong-taek, who was as barbaric of a ruler as anyone in the North Korean regime, a reformer of any sort. However, any reform that would save North Korea would probably have come through Jang. He did have a sophisticated understanding of how the world works, and how North Korea is seen internationally. Jang visited South Korea in 2002, and was instrumental toward establishing the special economic zone in Rason. But North Korea now disavows Jang's attempts at reform; the military tribunal specifically noted in its judgment that Jang was "selling the nation" by establishing the special economic zone. With that pronouncement, North Korea banged shut another door when it could least afford to do so.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Asiana Crash and Culturalism, Again
The NTSB recently held a hearing regarding the crash-landing of Asiana Flight 214 at the San Francisco Airport earlier this year, in which a testifying expert said that Korean culture may have contributed to the crash. This, again, is giving rise to the discussion about the correlation between Korean culture and airline crashes. For example, as they did previously, CNN put out a vignette that wondered whether Korean culture caused the plane to crash.
Because of my previous post about the culturalism surrounding the discussion regarding Flight 214, many people think that I was arguing Korean culture had no role whatsoever in the crash of Flight 214. That idea is a misread of the post. The main point of the post was not that culture does not exist, or culture plays no role in airplane crashes. Although part of the reason why the post turned out to be well-read was because it argued against Malcolm Gladwell's claim that culture was the primary determinant of airplane crashes, the gravamen of the post was not even about Mr. Gladwell's argument. The main point of the post was to raise a question about how we talk about culture.
Did Korean culture actually play a factor in the Asiana crash? Perhaps. I am in no position to question the expert, seeing that I am not an expert in flight safety. (Most of us are not.) Nor do I begrudge the fact that the expert probed whether a national culture impacted airline safety. It is important to ensure that flights are safe, and it would be irresponsible for the person in charge of the investigation to not examine all potential factors for the crash. If a well-supported research, backed by solid evidence, states that culture plays a role in airline safety, wonderful. That knowledge will make our flights safer.
But again, the point was not about whether or not culture plays a role in airline safety. The point was about culturalism. That is to say: why does this curiosity about the correlation between culture and plane crashes arise selectively? Why is it that, in the 2009 Air France crash, there was no discussion at all about the role of French culture in plane crashes? Why was there no discussion about American culture when a Southwest flight crash-landed in New York, mere weeks after the Asiana crash? (Is there anyone who sincerely believes that, in the upcoming NTSB hearing about the Southwest flight crash, there will be an expert discussing the American culture's contribution to the crash?) If national culture is such an important concept that must be examined to promote airline safety, why does the discussion about cultural factors never happen when a European or an American plane crashes?
The honest answer to these questions must inevitably involve the concept of bias, for culturalism is a form of bias. I am not willing to equate culturalism and racism, because the two terms do not overlap completely. For example, culturalism is evident in the manner in which the rest of America discusses the Deep South, in a way that racism is not. But as I wrote previously, culturalism and racism are related, as they are two streams from the same source--the desire to reduce an identifiable group of people to some kind of indelible essence.
This is why Europeans and Americans get a pass from the culturalist desire. It is not that Europeans and Americans do not have a culture that impacts their behavior; they clearly do. It is that Europeans and Americans are always afforded the luxury of being treated as individuals who are not slaves to their cultures. The same luxury is rarely afforded to South Americans, Middle Easterners, Africans and Asians. This is why Robert Mugabe's dictatorship is discussed as if it is a result of Africa's cultural pathology, while Vladimir Putin's dictatorship does not invite the same discussion about European culture. This is why, in the minds of the public, the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster had to be related to the Japanese culture, while the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster provoked zero discussion about the British culture.
People who are beholden to culturalism often fancy themselves to be an intrepid seeker of truth, undeterred by political correctness in search of greater knowledge. But for those people, the opposite is true: the culturalist impulse, rather than illuminating the truth, distorts and obscures it. For a speaker with culturalist tendencies, the desire to find some connection between culture and events becomes so strong that he elides the true facts for the sake of good story. The listener with culturalist mindset accepts that faulty narrative without raising questions, even though the story has obvious, glaring holes.
In the previous post, I critiqued Malcolm Gladwell's "Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes" to illustrate this culturalistic distortion. To draw the line connecting Korean culture and Korean Air Line's spotty safety record in the late 1990s, Gladwell engaged in a series of legerdemain. Gladwell ascribes several of KAL crashes to pilot errors, when those flights were actually victimized by terrorist attacks. Gladwell discusses at length the crash of KAL Flight 801 in 1997, and the inefficiency of Korean language to convey urgent messages in an emergency situation--except the pilots of Flight 801 were speaking in English. Gladwell quotes the black box transcript to claim that the co-pilot did not speak up clearly enough about the bad weather condition, but the part of the transcript that Gladwell failed to quote shows that the co-pilot in fact spoke up clearly, and the pilot acknowledged the poor weather.
The overall story that Gladwell thusly constructed is something that strains credulity: that Korean pilots are willing to die and kill hundreds of their passengers for the sake of keeping manners. Exposing the shoddy groundwork upon which Gladwell built this story was not difficult--after all, a nobody like myself, an anonymous blogger with a full time job, could do it. But the ease of this task only serves to highlight the gullibility that culturalism fosters. It is shocking that so many people--millions of people who bought Outliers and made Gladwell the most influential non-fiction writer of the last decade--simply accepted Gladwell's extremely unlikely story without asking themselves, "Seriously? I'm supposed to believe this?"
Let me make this clear one more time, because too many people, perhaps following their culturalist impulse, chase this idea as if it is a shiny object. This discussion is not about whether or not culture impacts plane crashes. For all we know, Korean culture really may have contributed to the Asiana crash. But that changes nothing about the way in which we discuss culture and plane crashes. CNN will continue running stories about Korean culture whenever a Korean plane crashes, while never raising questions about American culture when an American plane crashes. That is the discrepancy that I want you to think about.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Because of my previous post about the culturalism surrounding the discussion regarding Flight 214, many people think that I was arguing Korean culture had no role whatsoever in the crash of Flight 214. That idea is a misread of the post. The main point of the post was not that culture does not exist, or culture plays no role in airplane crashes. Although part of the reason why the post turned out to be well-read was because it argued against Malcolm Gladwell's claim that culture was the primary determinant of airplane crashes, the gravamen of the post was not even about Mr. Gladwell's argument. The main point of the post was to raise a question about how we talk about culture.
Did Korean culture actually play a factor in the Asiana crash? Perhaps. I am in no position to question the expert, seeing that I am not an expert in flight safety. (Most of us are not.) Nor do I begrudge the fact that the expert probed whether a national culture impacted airline safety. It is important to ensure that flights are safe, and it would be irresponsible for the person in charge of the investigation to not examine all potential factors for the crash. If a well-supported research, backed by solid evidence, states that culture plays a role in airline safety, wonderful. That knowledge will make our flights safer.
But again, the point was not about whether or not culture plays a role in airline safety. The point was about culturalism. That is to say: why does this curiosity about the correlation between culture and plane crashes arise selectively? Why is it that, in the 2009 Air France crash, there was no discussion at all about the role of French culture in plane crashes? Why was there no discussion about American culture when a Southwest flight crash-landed in New York, mere weeks after the Asiana crash? (Is there anyone who sincerely believes that, in the upcoming NTSB hearing about the Southwest flight crash, there will be an expert discussing the American culture's contribution to the crash?) If national culture is such an important concept that must be examined to promote airline safety, why does the discussion about cultural factors never happen when a European or an American plane crashes?
The honest answer to these questions must inevitably involve the concept of bias, for culturalism is a form of bias. I am not willing to equate culturalism and racism, because the two terms do not overlap completely. For example, culturalism is evident in the manner in which the rest of America discusses the Deep South, in a way that racism is not. But as I wrote previously, culturalism and racism are related, as they are two streams from the same source--the desire to reduce an identifiable group of people to some kind of indelible essence.
This is why Europeans and Americans get a pass from the culturalist desire. It is not that Europeans and Americans do not have a culture that impacts their behavior; they clearly do. It is that Europeans and Americans are always afforded the luxury of being treated as individuals who are not slaves to their cultures. The same luxury is rarely afforded to South Americans, Middle Easterners, Africans and Asians. This is why Robert Mugabe's dictatorship is discussed as if it is a result of Africa's cultural pathology, while Vladimir Putin's dictatorship does not invite the same discussion about European culture. This is why, in the minds of the public, the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster had to be related to the Japanese culture, while the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster provoked zero discussion about the British culture.
People who are beholden to culturalism often fancy themselves to be an intrepid seeker of truth, undeterred by political correctness in search of greater knowledge. But for those people, the opposite is true: the culturalist impulse, rather than illuminating the truth, distorts and obscures it. For a speaker with culturalist tendencies, the desire to find some connection between culture and events becomes so strong that he elides the true facts for the sake of good story. The listener with culturalist mindset accepts that faulty narrative without raising questions, even though the story has obvious, glaring holes.
In the previous post, I critiqued Malcolm Gladwell's "Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes" to illustrate this culturalistic distortion. To draw the line connecting Korean culture and Korean Air Line's spotty safety record in the late 1990s, Gladwell engaged in a series of legerdemain. Gladwell ascribes several of KAL crashes to pilot errors, when those flights were actually victimized by terrorist attacks. Gladwell discusses at length the crash of KAL Flight 801 in 1997, and the inefficiency of Korean language to convey urgent messages in an emergency situation--except the pilots of Flight 801 were speaking in English. Gladwell quotes the black box transcript to claim that the co-pilot did not speak up clearly enough about the bad weather condition, but the part of the transcript that Gladwell failed to quote shows that the co-pilot in fact spoke up clearly, and the pilot acknowledged the poor weather.
The overall story that Gladwell thusly constructed is something that strains credulity: that Korean pilots are willing to die and kill hundreds of their passengers for the sake of keeping manners. Exposing the shoddy groundwork upon which Gladwell built this story was not difficult--after all, a nobody like myself, an anonymous blogger with a full time job, could do it. But the ease of this task only serves to highlight the gullibility that culturalism fosters. It is shocking that so many people--millions of people who bought Outliers and made Gladwell the most influential non-fiction writer of the last decade--simply accepted Gladwell's extremely unlikely story without asking themselves, "Seriously? I'm supposed to believe this?"
Let me make this clear one more time, because too many people, perhaps following their culturalist impulse, chase this idea as if it is a shiny object. This discussion is not about whether or not culture impacts plane crashes. For all we know, Korean culture really may have contributed to the Asiana crash. But that changes nothing about the way in which we discuss culture and plane crashes. CNN will continue running stories about Korean culture whenever a Korean plane crashes, while never raising questions about American culture when an American plane crashes. That is the discrepancy that I want you to think about.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
What Does My Korean Name Mean?
[Series Index]
Dear Korean,
My question concerns my Korean name. The story I have been told all my life is that I was found on a street corner by a policeman in Seoul and subsequently placed in an orphanage. I was given a name and a date of birth, one of which stuck with me (the birth date), while the other (the name) was abandoned faster than a politician’s promise when I was adopted by a military family from the United States. I was adopted during a time when the philosophy was to assimilate foreign children into their new culture as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. For most of my life, it never even occurred to me that my Korean name might mean anything other than “Jane Doe.”
Recently, I was told that my name means “fate” or “destiny,” but upon a Google search, I found other meanings. I am wondering if you would be willing to set the matter straight. The romanization I was given is: Park Sook-Myung.
Rebekah M.
Believe it or not, this is one of the most common types of question that the Korean would receive: Korean Americans, usually adoptees, asking about the meaning of their Korean name. Although the Korean previously dealt with this issue several times, it wouldn't hurt to go over this one more time and have a post that is more explicitly focused on the name meanings.
Here is the short answer to Rebekah: there is no way to know the meaning of your name unless we know the Chinese characters behind your name.
Let's first get a sense of Korean language generally. Remember this important point: (classical) Chinese is to Korean is Latin is to English. Just like many English words have a Latin origin, many Korean words have a Chinese origin. Those words are called Sino-Korean. As is the case with English, Korean words that are on the more sophisticated side tend to be Sino-Korean.
For example, the word "boxer" originates from Middle English; the word "pugilist," which means the same but is usually used in a higher-level discourse, originates from Latin. Similarly, for example, Koreans may use the pure Korean word 아기 ("baby") to refer to a young child, in an everyday conversation. But in legal documents, Koreans are more likely to use the Sino-Korean word 영아 ("infant"). Because 아기 is a pure Korean word, one cannot write this word using Chinese characters. But because 영아 is a Sino-Korean word, one can write this word using Chinese characters, like so: 嬰兒.
Importantly, most Korean names are Sino-Korean, which means they use Chinese characters. To be sure, some babies are given purely Korean names, such as 하늘 (Haneul, "sky") or 나래 (Narae, "wings"). But these names tend to be the minority: depending on the year, between 3 and 9 percent of the babies are given purely Korean names. In all other instances, Korean names are Sino-Korean words. This means that, for most Korean names, one cannot know their meaning unless one also knows the Chinese characters behind them. This becomes even truer because a single Korean syllable does not correspond one-on-one to a single Chinese character. Instead, it is very common for a dozen different Chinese characters to have the same sound in Korean.
For example, let's take the syllables "sook" (숙) and "myung" (명) from Rebehak's name. Here are just some of the Chinese characters that are pronounced as "sook" in Sino-Korean: 淑 (to be clear); 宿 (to sleep); 肅 (to be somber); 熟 (to be cooked); 叔 (uncle); 夙 (early); 琡 (jade); 菽 (bean). Similarly, here are the Chinese characters that are pronounced as "myung" in Sino-Korean: 明 (bright); 命 (life); 名 (name); 鳴 (to cry); 銘 (to engrave); 冥 (to be dark); 螟 (inchworm); 皿 (dish; vessel); 酩 (to be drunk).
(Note: the Chinese language does a much better job at distinguishing these characters because the Chinese language is tonal. Centuries ago, Korean language used to be tonal as well--which probably helped navigating the Sino-Korean words. But today, Korean language only has the tiniest vestiges of tones, most of which are unnoticed even by Koreans themselves.)
Because there are so many possibilities, it is nearly pointless to ask: "my Korean name is 'Sook-Myung.' What does 'Sook-Myung' mean?" Unless one actually knows the Chinese character behind "sook" and "myung", it is not possible to say what the name means exactly. It can mean anywhere between "clear and bright," "dark jade" and "drunk bean." Like Rebehak pointed out, "Sook-Myung" can mean "destiny," if one wrote the word with these Chinese characters: 宿命.
It is possible to make an educated guess. It is very unlikely for the name "Sook-Myung" to mean "destiny," if only because Koreans customarily do not use the characters 宿命 to name a child. There are certain sets of Chinese characters that Koreans commonly use for a name--which the Korean covered in this post. Based on the commonly used characters, one can somewhat narrow down the possibilities. If the Korean was forced to guess the Chinese characters behind "Sook-Myung," he would have guessed this: 淑明, i.e. "clean and bright" or "demure and wise." (These are the same characters used in Sookmyung Women's University in Seoul.)
But even this guess is inexact, because there are also multiple commonly used Chinese characters that share the same sound. For example, the common Chinese characters for the syllable "yoon" in a Korean name can be 潤 (rich), 允 (truth) or 胤 (first-born). So the bottom line remains the same: to know what a Korean name means, one has to know the Chinese characters used for that name.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Dear Korean,
My question concerns my Korean name. The story I have been told all my life is that I was found on a street corner by a policeman in Seoul and subsequently placed in an orphanage. I was given a name and a date of birth, one of which stuck with me (the birth date), while the other (the name) was abandoned faster than a politician’s promise when I was adopted by a military family from the United States. I was adopted during a time when the philosophy was to assimilate foreign children into their new culture as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. For most of my life, it never even occurred to me that my Korean name might mean anything other than “Jane Doe.”
Recently, I was told that my name means “fate” or “destiny,” but upon a Google search, I found other meanings. I am wondering if you would be willing to set the matter straight. The romanization I was given is: Park Sook-Myung.
Rebekah M.
Believe it or not, this is one of the most common types of question that the Korean would receive: Korean Americans, usually adoptees, asking about the meaning of their Korean name. Although the Korean previously dealt with this issue several times, it wouldn't hurt to go over this one more time and have a post that is more explicitly focused on the name meanings.
Here is the short answer to Rebekah: there is no way to know the meaning of your name unless we know the Chinese characters behind your name.
Let's first get a sense of Korean language generally. Remember this important point: (classical) Chinese is to Korean is Latin is to English. Just like many English words have a Latin origin, many Korean words have a Chinese origin. Those words are called Sino-Korean. As is the case with English, Korean words that are on the more sophisticated side tend to be Sino-Korean.
For example, the word "boxer" originates from Middle English; the word "pugilist," which means the same but is usually used in a higher-level discourse, originates from Latin. Similarly, for example, Koreans may use the pure Korean word 아기 ("baby") to refer to a young child, in an everyday conversation. But in legal documents, Koreans are more likely to use the Sino-Korean word 영아 ("infant"). Because 아기 is a pure Korean word, one cannot write this word using Chinese characters. But because 영아 is a Sino-Korean word, one can write this word using Chinese characters, like so: 嬰兒.
Importantly, most Korean names are Sino-Korean, which means they use Chinese characters. To be sure, some babies are given purely Korean names, such as 하늘 (Haneul, "sky") or 나래 (Narae, "wings"). But these names tend to be the minority: depending on the year, between 3 and 9 percent of the babies are given purely Korean names. In all other instances, Korean names are Sino-Korean words. This means that, for most Korean names, one cannot know their meaning unless one also knows the Chinese characters behind them. This becomes even truer because a single Korean syllable does not correspond one-on-one to a single Chinese character. Instead, it is very common for a dozen different Chinese characters to have the same sound in Korean.
For example, let's take the syllables "sook" (숙) and "myung" (명) from Rebehak's name. Here are just some of the Chinese characters that are pronounced as "sook" in Sino-Korean: 淑 (to be clear); 宿 (to sleep); 肅 (to be somber); 熟 (to be cooked); 叔 (uncle); 夙 (early); 琡 (jade); 菽 (bean). Similarly, here are the Chinese characters that are pronounced as "myung" in Sino-Korean: 明 (bright); 命 (life); 名 (name); 鳴 (to cry); 銘 (to engrave); 冥 (to be dark); 螟 (inchworm); 皿 (dish; vessel); 酩 (to be drunk).
(Note: the Chinese language does a much better job at distinguishing these characters because the Chinese language is tonal. Centuries ago, Korean language used to be tonal as well--which probably helped navigating the Sino-Korean words. But today, Korean language only has the tiniest vestiges of tones, most of which are unnoticed even by Koreans themselves.)
Because there are so many possibilities, it is nearly pointless to ask: "my Korean name is 'Sook-Myung.' What does 'Sook-Myung' mean?" Unless one actually knows the Chinese character behind "sook" and "myung", it is not possible to say what the name means exactly. It can mean anywhere between "clear and bright," "dark jade" and "drunk bean." Like Rebehak pointed out, "Sook-Myung" can mean "destiny," if one wrote the word with these Chinese characters: 宿命.
It is possible to make an educated guess. It is very unlikely for the name "Sook-Myung" to mean "destiny," if only because Koreans customarily do not use the characters 宿命 to name a child. There are certain sets of Chinese characters that Koreans commonly use for a name--which the Korean covered in this post. Based on the commonly used characters, one can somewhat narrow down the possibilities. If the Korean was forced to guess the Chinese characters behind "Sook-Myung," he would have guessed this: 淑明, i.e. "clean and bright" or "demure and wise." (These are the same characters used in Sookmyung Women's University in Seoul.)
But even this guess is inexact, because there are also multiple commonly used Chinese characters that share the same sound. For example, the common Chinese characters for the syllable "yoon" in a Korean name can be 潤 (rich), 允 (truth) or 胤 (first-born). So the bottom line remains the same: to know what a Korean name means, one has to know the Chinese characters used for that name.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Saturday, December 07, 2013
North Korea 2014 Calendar from NK News is Here
If blogs could be friends, Ask a Korean! would be hanging out with NK News all the time, watching KBO baseball and knocking back some Taedonggang beer (as seen in the Economist.) And when the holiday season rolls around, the two blogs would exchange gifts.
Unfortunately, blogs can't be friends. So you, the Ask a Korean! reader, can receive the gift from NK News instead! NK News unveiled a gorgeous 2014 North Korea calendar, showcasing a glimpse in the life in North Korea. And just for Ask a Korean! readers, NK News provided a special discount code: at the check out, enter the coupon code "askakorean" to receive $5 off.
The proceeds will support NK News, one of the best English language blogs about North Korea. With your help, the awesome features like Ask a North Korean can continue. Happy shopping!
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Unfortunately, blogs can't be friends. So you, the Ask a Korean! reader, can receive the gift from NK News instead! NK News unveiled a gorgeous 2014 North Korea calendar, showcasing a glimpse in the life in North Korea. And just for Ask a Korean! readers, NK News provided a special discount code: at the check out, enter the coupon code "askakorean" to receive $5 off.
The proceeds will support NK News, one of the best English language blogs about North Korea. With your help, the awesome features like Ask a North Korean can continue. Happy shopping!
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Friday, December 06, 2013
Who's Coming to SXSW 2014?
What is the future of international K-pop?
The early stages of K-pop's foray into the international arena was dominated by idol groups, backed by strategic, long-term corporate planning and funds. The dominance was such that the term "K-pop" mistakenly come to be equated to "idol pop," despite the fact that "K-pop" plainly stands for "Korean pop music." Ignorance of the deep history and the broad range of Korean pop music, and focusing only on the internationally visible part of it, caused many prognosticators to make their prediction only on the continued viability of idol groups outside of Korea.
Then Gangnam Style came along and changed everything. From the domestic perspective, Gangnam Style is not a major break from the history of Korean pop music. PSY was a known quantity in Korea for more than a decade; his music, though evolved over time, retained the same character throughout his career. But internationally, Gangnam Style broke new ground for K-pop. That a goofy song, almost entirely in Korean, sung by a chubby rapper doing a funny dance, would be one of the greatest worldwide pop culture phenomena, is the last thing that those who only focused on idol pop could have expected.
The lesson: the next phase of K-pop will not be the continuation of Korean pop music that is internationally visible today. Rather, it will be a sudden explosion of K-pop's as-yet unexplored potential--vibrant and dynamic within Korea, but not yet widely available outside of Korea. In short, it will be the international introduction to Korea's indie scene, with its highly sophisticated line-up of hip hop and modern rock standing ready to make their marks.
Which brings us to South by Southwest (SXSW) 2014. SXSW is a pop music conference held in Austin, Texas since 1987. Almost since its beginning, it has been a reliable gauge on the worldwide trend in pop music. More to the point--SXSW 2014 will bring more Korean indie musicians to America than any other occasion before. The lineup so far includes 13 Korean artists, including such luminaries as Crying Nut, Nell, Jambinai and Kiha & the Faces, as well as the up-and-coming bands like Glen Check and Idiotape. If you want to see the future of international K-pop, there is no better place to be.
Now, the question is...
Normally, the Korean would simply travel with the Korean Wife in blissful anonymity, and all will be well. But SXSW 2014, which happens March 11-16, unfortunately conflicts with the Korean Wife's own performance schedule. (Sadly, SXSW 2014 was not interested in opera and classical music.)
So: who's coming with me? The Korean will be honest: SXSW is a huge, week-long event with more than 30,000 attendees. Travel will not be cheap, and neither is the ticket. Right now, the "Music Badge" is $725--ultimately a deal considering the number of artists making an appearance, but a steep amount nonetheless. As of now, the Korean is not even certain that he can make this trip next year given the constraints of time and budget; but it will make his decision a lot easier if he knew he would meet some cool people along the way.
Consider this as a public gauging-of-interest. Who wants to come to Austin, attend SXSW 2014, witness the future of K-pop, and hang out with the writer of this humble blog? If you are interested, please do NOT leave a comment--instead, SEND AN EMAIL directly to the Korean, with a short introduction of yourself. If it looks like we will have a party going, the Korean will update further.
The website for SXSW 2014 is here. The preview for Korean talents appearing at SXSW 2014 can be found here at koreanindie.com. Let's make this happen.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
The early stages of K-pop's foray into the international arena was dominated by idol groups, backed by strategic, long-term corporate planning and funds. The dominance was such that the term "K-pop" mistakenly come to be equated to "idol pop," despite the fact that "K-pop" plainly stands for "Korean pop music." Ignorance of the deep history and the broad range of Korean pop music, and focusing only on the internationally visible part of it, caused many prognosticators to make their prediction only on the continued viability of idol groups outside of Korea.
Then Gangnam Style came along and changed everything. From the domestic perspective, Gangnam Style is not a major break from the history of Korean pop music. PSY was a known quantity in Korea for more than a decade; his music, though evolved over time, retained the same character throughout his career. But internationally, Gangnam Style broke new ground for K-pop. That a goofy song, almost entirely in Korean, sung by a chubby rapper doing a funny dance, would be one of the greatest worldwide pop culture phenomena, is the last thing that those who only focused on idol pop could have expected.
The lesson: the next phase of K-pop will not be the continuation of Korean pop music that is internationally visible today. Rather, it will be a sudden explosion of K-pop's as-yet unexplored potential--vibrant and dynamic within Korea, but not yet widely available outside of Korea. In short, it will be the international introduction to Korea's indie scene, with its highly sophisticated line-up of hip hop and modern rock standing ready to make their marks.
Which brings us to South by Southwest (SXSW) 2014. SXSW is a pop music conference held in Austin, Texas since 1987. Almost since its beginning, it has been a reliable gauge on the worldwide trend in pop music. More to the point--SXSW 2014 will bring more Korean indie musicians to America than any other occasion before. The lineup so far includes 13 Korean artists, including such luminaries as Crying Nut, Nell, Jambinai and Kiha & the Faces, as well as the up-and-coming bands like Glen Check and Idiotape. If you want to see the future of international K-pop, there is no better place to be.
Now, the question is...
Normally, the Korean would simply travel with the Korean Wife in blissful anonymity, and all will be well. But SXSW 2014, which happens March 11-16, unfortunately conflicts with the Korean Wife's own performance schedule. (Sadly, SXSW 2014 was not interested in opera and classical music.)
So: who's coming with me? The Korean will be honest: SXSW is a huge, week-long event with more than 30,000 attendees. Travel will not be cheap, and neither is the ticket. Right now, the "Music Badge" is $725--ultimately a deal considering the number of artists making an appearance, but a steep amount nonetheless. As of now, the Korean is not even certain that he can make this trip next year given the constraints of time and budget; but it will make his decision a lot easier if he knew he would meet some cool people along the way.
Consider this as a public gauging-of-interest. Who wants to come to Austin, attend SXSW 2014, witness the future of K-pop, and hang out with the writer of this humble blog? If you are interested, please do NOT leave a comment--instead, SEND AN EMAIL directly to the Korean, with a short introduction of yourself. If it looks like we will have a party going, the Korean will update further.
The website for SXSW 2014 is here. The preview for Korean talents appearing at SXSW 2014 can be found here at koreanindie.com. Let's make this happen.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Tuesday, December 03, 2013
TK's Favorite Figures in American History
Dear Korean,
This past week has included the anniversary of the assassination of JFK and also Lincoln's famous speech at Gettysburg. Both men are admired/respected and shaped our nation for the better. I wondered who in American history the Korean admired/respected (not necessarily political figures) and why.
A History Buff
Here is a light little post to work off the Thanksgiving turkey. :)
Because the Korean is an attorney, he spent his college and law school years admiring America's great jurists. After several phases involving John Marshall, William Douglas, Clarence Darrow and Earl Warren, he is now set on his favorite jurist of all time: Justice Robert H. Jackson.
Justice Jackson is widely regarded as the best writer of Supreme Court's history. By the Korean's estimation, the judge certain deserves the reputation. Justice Jackson's majority opinion in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943), may be the greatest Supreme Court opinion of all time, if one judged Supreme Court opinions simply by literary merit. In Barnette, Justice Jackson ruled that Jehovah's Witnesses need not participate in their school's flag salute. Justice Jackson's best line is still quoted often to this day: "If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion, or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein."
Justice Jackson was not simply a gifted writer. He was a fine jurist who understood both the power of the law and its limitations, which allowed him to exercise the Supreme Court's authority in the most effective manner: moving toward progressive ideals, employing conservative methods.
Honorable Mentions: In addition to the people named earlier, the Korean is also quite fond of Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Thurgood Marshall, Malcolm X, Sandra Day O'Connor, and many others that he must be missing right now.
Got a question or comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Justice Jackson was not simply a gifted writer. He was a fine jurist who understood both the power of the law and its limitations, which allowed him to exercise the Supreme Court's authority in the most effective manner: moving toward progressive ideals, employing conservative methods.
Honorable Mentions: In addition to the people named earlier, the Korean is also quite fond of Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Thurgood Marshall, Malcolm X, Sandra Day O'Connor, and many others that he must be missing right now.
Got a question or comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Happy Thanksgiving!
The Korean wishes happy Thanksgiving to everyone who celebrates it. This year, the Korean is thankful for being able to enjoy the perfect Southern California weather, healthy and happy family, lovely wife and great friends old and new, and a record-breaking year at AAK!
The Korean does not think he can write a better tribute for Thanksgiving than what he wrote in 2008. So here it is again:
Thanksgiving is truly the Korean's favorite holiday, although sadly it is increasingly becoming an inconvenient roadblock for American retailers to get the Christmas shopping season going early.
Thanksgiving is the most American of all holidays, save perhaps the Independence Day. It is the day for immigrants. The Pilgrim's dinner with the Native Americans symbolize our ideals as a nation of immigrants: newcomers and the natives, on the same table, sharing a meal.
Beauty of history lies in that the patterns in its fabric repeat endlessly. On the Thanksgiving Day of 1997 -- some 380 years after the Pilgrims -- the Korean Family arrived at the port of Los Angeles International Airport, full of anticipation for the Land of Opportunity. The Korean Family was greeted by natives, the distant family friends who have lived in the U.S. for decades as Korean Americans. And like a beautiful fugue, the pattern repeated once again; the natives helped the immigrants to get settled in, and begin their lives in the new world.
Thus, Thanksgiving Day is doubly special for the Korean Family. We never miss celebrating it. We are thankful for all the great things in our lives, but most of all, we are thankful to be in America. Like the Pilgrims who were grateful for their new lives and new opportunities, the Korean Family is grateful, each and every year, for our own new lives and opportunities.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
The Korean does not think he can write a better tribute for Thanksgiving than what he wrote in 2008. So here it is again:
Thanksgiving is truly the Korean's favorite holiday, although sadly it is increasingly becoming an inconvenient roadblock for American retailers to get the Christmas shopping season going early.
Thanksgiving is the most American of all holidays, save perhaps the Independence Day. It is the day for immigrants. The Pilgrim's dinner with the Native Americans symbolize our ideals as a nation of immigrants: newcomers and the natives, on the same table, sharing a meal.
Beauty of history lies in that the patterns in its fabric repeat endlessly. On the Thanksgiving Day of 1997 -- some 380 years after the Pilgrims -- the Korean Family arrived at the port of Los Angeles International Airport, full of anticipation for the Land of Opportunity. The Korean Family was greeted by natives, the distant family friends who have lived in the U.S. for decades as Korean Americans. And like a beautiful fugue, the pattern repeated once again; the natives helped the immigrants to get settled in, and begin their lives in the new world.
Thus, Thanksgiving Day is doubly special for the Korean Family. We never miss celebrating it. We are thankful for all the great things in our lives, but most of all, we are thankful to be in America. Like the Pilgrims who were grateful for their new lives and new opportunities, the Korean Family is grateful, each and every year, for our own new lives and opportunities.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Presidential Election and Spy Agency
Dear Korean,
With all the accusations about fixing the election last year, what is likely to happen politically?
Jen S.
Right now, Korean democracy is going through a kind of crisis of confidence. To be sure, it is not the type of severe crisis that Korean democracy has experienced before, such as the military rolling tanks into the heart of Seoul to claim power. Nonetheless, when the nation's spy agency intervenes in the nation's presidential election to favor one candidate over the other, it is a serious concern.
First, some background. It all started in December 11, 2012, mere eight days before Korea's presidential election. The ruling, conservative New Frontier Party, to which the outgoing president Lee Myeong-bak also belonged, fielded Park Geun-hye as the candidate. On the progressive side, the Democratic United Party's Moon Jae-in was gaining steam as the popular independent Ahn Cheol-su bowed out of the race and expressed support for Moon. Park and Moon were neck-and-neck in polls, although Park led slightly in most polls.
On the night of December 11, a team of Democratic United Party officials and the police rushed to an apartment in Seoul. Earlier, the DUP had received a tip from an insider: the National Intelligence Service, Korea's spy agency, was running a division of some 70 agents who was engaged in a systematic campaign on the Internet to put up comments on popular websites, expressing support for Park and disparaging Moon. The informant also tipped that one such agent was working out of the apartment, to which the DUP officials rushed to with the police.
The police and the officials actually managed to speak with the young woman who was living in the apartment. She denied that she was an NIS agent. The police and the DUP officials left the apartment when the woman agreed to cooperate with the investigation by turning over her computer to the National Elections Commission. However, when the NEC officials later visited the apartment with the DUP officials, the woman locked herself in and refused to come out. For the next 40 hours, DUP officials and journalists laid siege of the apartment until they could obtain a warrant from the court.
On December 13, the young woman--who in fact turned out to be an NIS agent--emerged out of her apartment and sued the DUP officials for defamation, claiming that she maintained neutrality in politics. She also turned over her laptops to the Seoul Metropolitan Police, which initially estimated that it would take at least one week for them to analyze the NIS agent's Internet activity.
(More of the jump.)
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
With all the accusations about fixing the election last year, what is likely to happen politically?
Jen S.
Right now, Korean democracy is going through a kind of crisis of confidence. To be sure, it is not the type of severe crisis that Korean democracy has experienced before, such as the military rolling tanks into the heart of Seoul to claim power. Nonetheless, when the nation's spy agency intervenes in the nation's presidential election to favor one candidate over the other, it is a serious concern.
First, some background. It all started in December 11, 2012, mere eight days before Korea's presidential election. The ruling, conservative New Frontier Party, to which the outgoing president Lee Myeong-bak also belonged, fielded Park Geun-hye as the candidate. On the progressive side, the Democratic United Party's Moon Jae-in was gaining steam as the popular independent Ahn Cheol-su bowed out of the race and expressed support for Moon. Park and Moon were neck-and-neck in polls, although Park led slightly in most polls.
 |
| Park Geun-hye and Moon Jae-in (source) |
On the night of December 11, a team of Democratic United Party officials and the police rushed to an apartment in Seoul. Earlier, the DUP had received a tip from an insider: the National Intelligence Service, Korea's spy agency, was running a division of some 70 agents who was engaged in a systematic campaign on the Internet to put up comments on popular websites, expressing support for Park and disparaging Moon. The informant also tipped that one such agent was working out of the apartment, to which the DUP officials rushed to with the police.
The police and the officials actually managed to speak with the young woman who was living in the apartment. She denied that she was an NIS agent. The police and the DUP officials left the apartment when the woman agreed to cooperate with the investigation by turning over her computer to the National Elections Commission. However, when the NEC officials later visited the apartment with the DUP officials, the woman locked herself in and refused to come out. For the next 40 hours, DUP officials and journalists laid siege of the apartment until they could obtain a warrant from the court.
Video of the seiged apartment. Through the door, the young woman can be heard
claiming that she was not an NIS agent.
On December 13, the young woman--who in fact turned out to be an NIS agent--emerged out of her apartment and sued the DUP officials for defamation, claiming that she maintained neutrality in politics. She also turned over her laptops to the Seoul Metropolitan Police, which initially estimated that it would take at least one week for them to analyze the NIS agent's Internet activity.
(More of the jump.)
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Wednesday, November 06, 2013
Age of Consent in Korea
Dear Korean,
I noticed that the official age of consent in South Korea is thirteen, and wondered why the age was so low. Is this just a remnant of a Korea that used to be a third-world country, or is there another reason? I was puzzled because I thought that generally, Koreans tended to be socially conservative, especially in terms of sexual relations.
Kathleen K.
I noticed that the official age of consent in South Korea is thirteen, and wondered why the age was so low. Is this just a remnant of a Korea that used to be a third-world country, or is there another reason? I was puzzled because I thought that generally, Koreans tended to be socially conservative, especially in terms of sexual relations.
Kathleen K.
There is actually a very simply explanation. Why is the age of consent 13 in Korea? Because that is the age of consent in Japan.
Korea's age of consent has almost nothing to do with Korean culture, and has everything to do with the legal history of Korea. Korea first implemented a modern legal code in 1895, borrowing much from the Japanese code. This code, however, was short-lived, as Imperial Japan annexed Korea in 1910 and imposed its own laws.
Korea would become independent in 1945, and proceeded to eliminate Imperial Japan's vestiges in many areas. But in many other areas, Koreans saw fit to keep the imports from Imperial Japan. In Korea's legal system, Koreans abolished the oppressive laws that allowed the Imperial Japanese government to exploit its colony. However, Koreans left alone many areas of law that did not directly implicate the colonial rule--for example, enforcement of contracts.
Over the next several decades, Koreans would gradually update and change the laws that they inherited from the colonial era to fit the changing times and circumstances.. Yet vestiges from the colonial law remain, for the simple reason that there are far too many of them to completely address and Korean people did not feel any particular urgency to change them.
Age of consent is one such item. Having a higher age of consent may add some value, but not much, as there are plenty of laws in the book to punish virtually all types of sex crimes. Because Korea remains a sexually conservative society (although significantly less so in recent years,) higher age of consent is not particularly necessary to prevent, say, 15-year-olds from having sex with each other. (In fact, this tends to create huge injustice in the U.S., where in some states an 18-year-old having sex with a 16-year-old may be placed on the sex offender registry.)
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Over the next several decades, Koreans would gradually update and change the laws that they inherited from the colonial era to fit the changing times and circumstances.. Yet vestiges from the colonial law remain, for the simple reason that there are far too many of them to completely address and Korean people did not feel any particular urgency to change them.
Age of consent is one such item. Having a higher age of consent may add some value, but not much, as there are plenty of laws in the book to punish virtually all types of sex crimes. Because Korea remains a sexually conservative society (although significantly less so in recent years,) higher age of consent is not particularly necessary to prevent, say, 15-year-olds from having sex with each other. (In fact, this tends to create huge injustice in the U.S., where in some states an 18-year-old having sex with a 16-year-old may be placed on the sex offender registry.)
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Gender Ratio in Korea
Dear Korean,
China currently has an abnormal ratio between men and women of marriageable age. I've heard that is also true for Korea and a few other Asian countries. Has it become necessary for men to seek alternative methods of finding a bride, such as mail-order bride situations?
Steph
Traditionally, and until not too long ago, Koreans favored having a male child. But it has been at least 25 years or so since Korean culture explicitly favored boys over girls. (In fact, there currently is a strong counter-trend favoring daughters over sons, resulting in such terms as 딸바보 [parent who dotes on the daughter to the point of being foolish].) Accordingly, the sex ratio of Korean children at birth is quite normal.
In the state of nature, it is expected that around 105 boys are born for every 100 girls. Korea's newborn sex ratio is more or less in line with that figure, if slightly favoring boys. For the last five years, the number hovered between 105.7 and 106.9 (that is, 105.7 boys to 100 girls.)* The same holds true for Koreans in marriageable age: the sex ratio for Koreans between the ages of 20 and 39 is 104.7.
But one thing to always remember about Korea is: it is a larger country than you think, and there are always pockets within the country that defies the prevailing trend. While Korea overall has a normal sex ratio among people within marriageable age, there is a strong split between cities and rural areas. In cities, the sex ratio for those between 20 and 39 years old is 102.3; in rural areas, the sex ratio for same age group is 119.6. The more rural the area is, the wider the discrepancy in sex ratio. In the most sparsely populated parts of Korea (i.e. the myeon [면] level towns), the sex ratio for those between 20 and 39 years old is 174.5(!).
(For perspective, however, note that cities in Korea hold more than six times the population than the rural areas.)
This split occurs mostly because men are more "stuck" to the town of their birth. As Korea industrialized, virtually every Korean who was able to do so left his or her hometown for a larger city in search of jobs and opportunity. In this great urbanization migration, those who were least able to leave were the firstborn sons, who were expected to tend the family farm and take care of their elderly, immobile parents.
These desperate men do tend to resort to mail-order bride-type situations, usually involving women from Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Uzbekistan, etc. (For a glimpse of how the recruiting process works for these international brides, please refer to this post.) Today, nearly 40 percent of all marriages in Korea's rural areas involves "imported" brides. Tragically, all the attendant issues that one might expect from such practice--discrimination, domestic violence, brides running away, etc.--are very much present in these cases.
*Unless otherwise indicated, all statistical information is from Korean Statistical Information Service.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
China currently has an abnormal ratio between men and women of marriageable age. I've heard that is also true for Korea and a few other Asian countries. Has it become necessary for men to seek alternative methods of finding a bride, such as mail-order bride situations?
Steph
Traditionally, and until not too long ago, Koreans favored having a male child. But it has been at least 25 years or so since Korean culture explicitly favored boys over girls. (In fact, there currently is a strong counter-trend favoring daughters over sons, resulting in such terms as 딸바보 [parent who dotes on the daughter to the point of being foolish].) Accordingly, the sex ratio of Korean children at birth is quite normal.
In the state of nature, it is expected that around 105 boys are born for every 100 girls. Korea's newborn sex ratio is more or less in line with that figure, if slightly favoring boys. For the last five years, the number hovered between 105.7 and 106.9 (that is, 105.7 boys to 100 girls.)* The same holds true for Koreans in marriageable age: the sex ratio for Koreans between the ages of 20 and 39 is 104.7.
But one thing to always remember about Korea is: it is a larger country than you think, and there are always pockets within the country that defies the prevailing trend. While Korea overall has a normal sex ratio among people within marriageable age, there is a strong split between cities and rural areas. In cities, the sex ratio for those between 20 and 39 years old is 102.3; in rural areas, the sex ratio for same age group is 119.6. The more rural the area is, the wider the discrepancy in sex ratio. In the most sparsely populated parts of Korea (i.e. the myeon [면] level towns), the sex ratio for those between 20 and 39 years old is 174.5(!).
(For perspective, however, note that cities in Korea hold more than six times the population than the rural areas.)
This split occurs mostly because men are more "stuck" to the town of their birth. As Korea industrialized, virtually every Korean who was able to do so left his or her hometown for a larger city in search of jobs and opportunity. In this great urbanization migration, those who were least able to leave were the firstborn sons, who were expected to tend the family farm and take care of their elderly, immobile parents.
These desperate men do tend to resort to mail-order bride-type situations, usually involving women from Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Uzbekistan, etc. (For a glimpse of how the recruiting process works for these international brides, please refer to this post.) Today, nearly 40 percent of all marriages in Korea's rural areas involves "imported" brides. Tragically, all the attendant issues that one might expect from such practice--discrimination, domestic violence, brides running away, etc.--are very much present in these cases.
*Unless otherwise indicated, all statistical information is from Korean Statistical Information Service.
Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com.
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