Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Franklin-Marshall College has an interesting opening.
Lancaster, PA's Franklin-Marshall College has been advertising an opening on a job board for Japanese-teaching positions available at colleges and universities:
Franklin & Marshall College: Drill Instructor
Franklin & Marshall College invites applications for a drill instructor position in its Japanese Language Program, beginning Fall 2009. M.A. (or equivalent) and teaching experience are preferred, but not required. The successful candidate will assist Franklin & Marshall students learn the Japanese language and gain an understanding of Japanese culture through a variety of co-curricular activities, while he/she receives extensive training in Japanese pedagogy. The drill instructor receives health insurance coverage, stipends for teaching and board, a travel allowance, and free campus housing.
Send a letter of application, curriculum vitae, transcripts, and three letters of recommendation to Ken-ichi Miura, Director of the Japanese Language Program, Franklin & Marshall College, P.O. Box 3003, Lancaster, PA 17604-3003. Application materials will not be accepted electronically. We will conduct interviews at the AAS conference in Chicago in March. Deadline for applications is March 15, 2009.
Franklin & Marshall College is a highly selective liberal arts college with a demonstrated commitment to cultural pluralism.
A shortened version of my Jeollanam-do spring festival preview appeared on the Korea Herald site yesterday evening.
Jon Huer strikes back.
A blogger sent Dr. Jon Huer an email regarding his ridiculous columns in the Korea Times. Huer responded. A lot. Two excerpts:
. . .
The email then continues with "YOU DON'T TALK TO ME LIKE THAT! I DRIVE A DODGE STRATUS!"
I normally ignore comments not worthy of a response, but since you call me names (only for the crime of writing a column in a public forum that has nothing to do with you personally.) Yet you personalize a public matter and show your anger, which only reveals the state of intelligence. But I am a sociology teacher, have been for over 40 years, at various US universities, author of 12 books, including one that appeared in TIME magazine in case you are looking for my official qualification.
. . .
Have you ever learned to make a general statement on anything? Do you have to see everything from subjective, particularistic point of view or experience. If you are punched by a Chinese person, are you going to generalize ALL CHINESE as punchers? Only CHILDREN and RETARDED PERSONS have this sort of habit of mind. Obviously you take on their characteristics. You are quoting all those experiences. Does the world revolve around what YOUR experiences are? If you feel that way, you are not really worthy of one single word in response from me.
The email then continues with "YOU DON'T TALK TO ME LIKE THAT! I DRIVE A DODGE STRATUS!"
Important news on the small face front.
Korean women's faces are 5% smaller than Korean men's. More information on the face-size obsession here. I learned that there's at least one good thing to have come from the heavy, oppressive, poisoning influence of American culture in Korea:
Professor Kim Hee-jin from the department of dentistry in Yonsei University explained, “The decrease in face length can be attributed to the diet of preferring soft food such as hamburgers.” and added, “If one gets in the habit of eating food that mainly uses the front teeth when one is young, the jaw muscles which we use for chewing food may become weak and it may cause the size of the jawbone to become smaller.”
Test day.
Classes cancelled today for many, as public school students are taking a standardized test, a do-over of one given back in December. Done-over because some school districts fudged the results of the exam, one that would be used to evaluate and rank the performance of teachers and schools. The Korea Teachers' and Education Workers' Union held candlelight protests across the country last night, including in Suncheon. Teachers are not upset not only about the presmise of the tests in the first place and the unnecessary competition they'll cause, but that teachers have been fired for protesting and subverting it.
Jon Huer strikes again.
What the fuck is this shit, and why does he get paid to write for the papers but I don't? In a piece about what foreigners appreciate in Korea the guy doesn't talk to a single foreigner, his selections don't make any sense, and his number one choice is undermined by the common knowledge that you can't walk too far without nearly getting hit by some sort of vehicle. The other day he implied we should put Korean-Americans in internment camps. You know what, considering how wildly off-target this quote-unquote academic has been in all of his Korea Times columns, I'm about 62% convinced this is an elaborate hoax.
Monday, March 30, 2009
This delicious snack treat is a Korean-hater's wet dream.
Look, Koreans, you're usually nice to me and I like you, but please, really, please, you must have a native English speaker proofread anything you attempt in English, no exceptions. In just eight letters you still manage to come across as . . . well, as complete ricetards.
HT to this ExpatKorea thread.
5,000 Korean English teachers being recruited to replace us.
The government is looking to hire many more Korean English teachers for next year to teach "practical" English courses. Nothing we haven't heard before, so I'll just bring up shine some light on this part:
Christ. Yes, we're hired as native speaker assistant teachers, and are expected to work with a Korean co-teacher, but the fact is the Korean coteachers often don't come to class or don't do anything when they show up. Matter of fact one of mine spent two periods sitting in an adjoining room today grading papers when she should have been helping. So, in reality we often are teaching on our own, and we've grown accustomed to designing our lessons and activities with that in mind.
Moreover, why say we can't teach on our own? Is it simply some law that says we can't? Or is it assumed that we can't becausewe're not ethically qualified we often lack Korean-language skills? Then, um, how to put this delicately . . . how are Korean English teachers thus expected to teach students when they are often thoroughly deficient both in English and in the classroom skills necessary to teach it? How many Korean English teachers have you met that are unwilling to use English in their classes because they're afraid of their students, or of their skills, or of not preparing for the test enough? Isn't it just as easy to say that Korean teachers cannot teach English on their own? After all, if they could teach English on their own, wouldn't they be doing it already?
The Korean instructors will receive about 26 million won ($18,882) in annual pay on a one-year contract and can renew for up to four years at one school. In comparison, native English teachers receive about 30 million won.
``Foreign native English speakers cannot teach students without Korean teachers, but the newly recruited teachers can teach on their own. We expect these instructors will replace foreign teachers over the long term,'' Euh added.
Christ. Yes, we're hired as native speaker assistant teachers, and are expected to work with a Korean co-teacher, but the fact is the Korean coteachers often don't come to class or don't do anything when they show up. Matter of fact one of mine spent two periods sitting in an adjoining room today grading papers when she should have been helping. So, in reality we often are teaching on our own, and we've grown accustomed to designing our lessons and activities with that in mind.
Moreover, why say we can't teach on our own? Is it simply some law that says we can't? Or is it assumed that we can't because
Wife lives with husband's corpse for 15 months.
Disturbing.
The 45-year-old man's body was found almost mummified in his apartment in Busan by his father-in-law, 57, who notified the police.
``I hadn't seen him in over a year. When I went to his home, he was lying straight on his back,'' the father-in-law was quoted as saying by the police.
The man, identified as Goh, apparently died of lung cancer Jan. 2, according to the police investigation.
His wife, a 37-year-old Christian, did not arrange a funeral ceremony and continued to pray, believing that prayer would lead to a miracle, according to the police.
Google Korea, YouTube Korea to begin real-name system April 1.
Christ Almighty.
Here's an earlier overview I did of Google's problems in Korea. Given that both it and Youtube have such a small market share in Korea, and are prone to xenophobic backlash and, at least for school teachers, occassional censorship by school boards, I wish they would have just pulled out. It's not like either site would have been unavailable in Korea, it just wouldn't have been available in Korean-language. Pulling out would have proven a point---both here and internationally---and would have allowed them to retain some credibility, rather than simply caving into local pressure.
The article closes with:
No shit, it's a foreign company, fuck face. If they knew they were going through with this censorship, ironing out the foreign ID situation should have been the first order of business, given that non-Koreans are far more likely to turn to YouTube than anywhere else.
* Update: Chris has done a longer, better post on this news. Perhaps the most significant thing I took away from his post is how, well, the news didn't make the news.
Google, the world’s largest Internet company, has finally submitted to South Korea‘s unprecedented Internet regulations, including agreeing to implement a “real name” system in which any South Korean can post their contents only after they confirm their resident registration number.
Here's an earlier overview I did of Google's problems in Korea. Given that both it and Youtube have such a small market share in Korea, and are prone to xenophobic backlash and, at least for school teachers, occassional censorship by school boards, I wish they would have just pulled out. It's not like either site would have been unavailable in Korea, it just wouldn't have been available in Korean-language. Pulling out would have proven a point---both here and internationally---and would have allowed them to retain some credibility, rather than simply caving into local pressure.
The article closes with:
Google Korea representatives have further indicated that they will create a way for foreigners living in South Korea to access YouTube using foreigner registration numbers. “Foreigners living in South Korea have a right to use YouTube too,” a representative said.
No shit, it's a foreign company, fuck face. If they knew they were going through with this censorship, ironing out the foreign ID situation should have been the first order of business, given that non-Koreans are far more likely to turn to YouTube than anywhere else.
* Update: Chris has done a longer, better post on this news. Perhaps the most significant thing I took away from his post is how, well, the news didn't make the news.
More fun from job ads.
SJ Education cuts to the chase.
Then it has the gall to go on and list further requirements. "Jenny" can be reached at 010-6839-7775 or jlovesoo@daum.net, if you have any, um, questions.
Here's another one that gained notoriety recently. I suspect the owner is looking to breed his big black with a big woman and make a big black kid.
Another hagwon advertised that it did not want blacks.
Another ad tried to avoid hiring people altogether:
None of these can compare to what I consider the greatest Korean job ad of all time, from July 2007, titled "If U R YOUNG & WHITE, U R ALRIGHT":
Remember to feel free and call Gina anytime, seven days a week, if you have, um, questions or comments.
Our company has more than 100 English school clients.
New Zealander, American, Australian, Canadian, British teachers only!
Sorry, No Gyopos! (1.5 or 2nd generations)
Our clients only want to hire teachers with blue, brown eyes and brown, blond hair.
Then it has the gall to go on and list further requirements. "Jenny" can be reached at 010-6839-7775 or jlovesoo@daum.net, if you have any, um, questions.
Here's another one that gained notoriety recently. I suspect the owner is looking to breed his big black with a big woman and make a big black kid.
this school is located around bangi station(p 551)on line 5.the boss wants to work with a black female teacher.
f-2 visa holder preferred.
all the conditions are negotiable.
send you resume,photo and phone number plz
Another hagwon advertised that it did not want blacks.
Unfortunately, you must not be black, or African American. The school wants a native English speaker, white, or Korean.
Another ad tried to avoid hiring people altogether:
Voice recording and translation- Turkey person
Conditions
- Native Turkey person
Projects
1. Translation
- translate English(Korean) into Terkey language.
2. Voice recording
- Native Turkey female
Location
- Yeoido
Kim Hyuck
017 237 8107
010 6211 1269
dgkkim@empal.com
ps) Hurry up please.
None of these can compare to what I consider the greatest Korean job ad of all time, from July 2007, titled "If U R YOUNG & WHITE, U R ALRIGHT":
Wonderful kids! Salary negotiable. Excellent housing in Ori-Station area. Paid vacation. Optional medical insurance. Lunch provided at school. Year-end bonus (if you complete one year). Round-trip airfare to overseas applicants (return ticket only after one-year of employment). Beautiful, modern area. No experience necessary. Come and join the fun!
Please read the following information. Then, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to call Gina Song any time, seven days a week, at 011-9334-4303. Otherwise, to apply, simply email resume with recent, full-body color photo (videos also welcome!) and introduction to addenglish@hanmail.net. We look forward to your response!
We are looking for young (20's), cheerful (smile!) teachers who fit our image of native English-speakers/Americans. By law, you must be a college graduate. [b]Average-weight (or thin) people are preferred. Also, please, no Australians/New Zealanders/Irish/etc. Brits may be considered under special circumstances. (Of course no non-native English speakers or ethnic minorities.) Korean citizens/Kyopos with native-like English skills may be hired temporarily, and college degree is not required of them.[/b]
One-year contract required (by law). Please note, however, that cultural differences exist with respect to contracts. Here is a quote from http://www.aacircle.com.au/teach-in-korea.htm:
"English teachers in Korea occasionally have contract disputes with their employers. In the Korean context, a contract is simply a rough working agreement, subject to change depending upon the circumstances. Most Koreans do not view deviations from a contract as a breach of contract, and few Koreans would consider taking an employer to court over a contract dispute." We don't think you will take us to court, either!
On a lighter note, our current foreign teachers are great to work with. Just ask Gina for contact info to find out first-hand what the teachers think about working at Bundang Kids Club! ^^
(Not necessarily affiliated with other institutes that also use the name, "Kids Club".)
Remember to feel free and call Gina anytime, seven days a week, if you have, um, questions or comments.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Korean-American actor Daniel Henney doing commercials for skin-whitening cream.
This commercial has been in heavy rotation lately on OnStyle. It's of a Biotherm skin-whitening cream and stars model-turned-actor Daniel Henney.
It's not the first one he's done; last year he was in another one by the same company.
The pursuit of light skin isn't Koreans trying to look Caucasian---though the rush to learn English and the aping of many elements of foreign cultures makes you wonder sometimes---but predates widespread Western influence and speaks to, among other things, the association of darker skin with a lower, working class. Nonetheless, as a Korean-American---well, as a half-Korean-American, half-British man insanely more popular in Korea than anywhere else---doing advertisements for skin-whitening cosmetics, Henney's in an interesting position here, one he probably wouldn't be caught dead in stateside.
It's not the first one he's done; last year he was in another one by the same company.
The pursuit of light skin isn't Koreans trying to look Caucasian---though the rush to learn English and the aping of many elements of foreign cultures makes you wonder sometimes---but predates widespread Western influence and speaks to, among other things, the association of darker skin with a lower, working class. Nonetheless, as a Korean-American---well, as a half-Korean-American, half-British man insanely more popular in Korea than anywhere else---doing advertisements for skin-whitening cosmetics, Henney's in an interesting position here, one he probably wouldn't be caught dead in stateside.
Immigration gives E-2 visa extension to teacher who refuses health checks.
This will turn into quite the story. An excerpt from the Korea Times coverage:
. . .
Give the rest of the short article a read. On the one hand, news that immigration policy varies from office to office, and from officer to officer . . . well, isn't news at all. Immigration is notorious for its inconsistency and for its inability to provide basic information to foreign teachers with reliability. I know from both personal and anecdotal evidence that during visa-renewal processes immigration officers didn't even bother looking at required documents, to the annoyance of those who spent a lot of time and money to acquire them in light of hastily-implemented policies last year. I would like to see this turn into an issue of immigration officers once again unable to do their jobs and enforce the rules on the books, rather than a case of a sly English teacher pulling a fast one.
On the other, bringing up "human rights violation" has been an ill-advised choice of words among some commentors on, for example, The Marmot's Hole and ROK Drop. As is alluded to in the article, the language there is similar to what we've heard from the Association for Teachers of English in Korea, [edit: and from professor Benjamin Wagner], who filed a report with the National Human Rights Commission of Korea in February. From a February 4th press release:
If I may inject some opinion and speculation here, apart from the newsworthy items, I'd like to say I'm curious on two main points. The first is that while I admit I'm unfamiliar with the norms of Korean journalism, I find it strange that they're reporting the teacher by name. Names are kept secret to avoid libel and defamation charges, since even reporting the truth can invite a lawsuit if that truth damages the reputation of the person. Just browse some of the other news stories on the KT site and see how many name names. Hell, not even the immigration officer in question was named. I suspect, though, that the teacher herself submitted everything for the story, which may explain why it's so one-sided; even what the immigration officer is alleged to have said comes second-hand.
The second is that the article doesn't make clear at all the teacher's association with ATEK. It is implied that she is working in tandem with them, even mimicking the wording of her complaint. By focusing the article on the teacher and the association---whose critics have gotten quite a bit of favorable press in the KT (1, 2)---the article becomes about a teacher doing wrong, and doing so as part of some movement, rather than an immigration officer not doing his job.
However, we shouldn't take the article at face value right away, and shouldn't trust a story in the media here too much, given the penchant for screwing up facts and quotations, for mistranslating things between English and Korean, or for outright manipulating events to depict a certain angle.
Foreigners are right to ask why the government is dreaming up new visa rules and regulations every few months when it is uncommitted to enforcing the ones it already has on the books. By calling out the teacher by name and by focusing on her line of reasoning the article is a debate on the merits of the "human rights violation" argument, rather than a reportage on the facts. It takes an easy swipe at a foreign teacher, instead of taking the swing at immigration policy and implementation we've been blogging about for years.
Andrea Vandom, an English instructor at Chung-Ang University, visited the Suwon Immigration Office, Wednesday, to renew her status under the terms of the English-teaching visa rules.
But Vandom told The Korea Times that she had her visa extended ― even though she refused to submit papers on health checks, which are demanded under the regulations that govern the E2 visa. She only handed over criminal record documents to the authorities, she said.
This case appears to suggest that the immigration rules are being bent ― not applicable to those who complain strongly, she said.
Instead of producing documents showing HIV/AIDS and drug test results, she gave an immigration officer a letter.
It reads: ``Unfortunately, I will not be submitting the HIV/ AIDS test results or the tuberculosis drug test results that you have requested. These tests unreasonably discriminate against me as a foreigner living in Korea and are a violation of my human rights.''
In the letter, she also said that she has lived and worked in Korea for more than three years and does not understand why she is suddenly suspected of being a danger to Korean society.
``I have done nothing wrong, and yet the Korea Immigration Service wants to search my body. This is an invasion of my most private and personal rights and an affront to my human dignity,'' she said.
. . .
But the KIS refuted the allegations. Kim Young-keun, a KIS spokesperson, said the immigration office in Suwon had received all of the necessary documents to allow the organization to grant a renewal. ``It is impossible for us to grant a visa in violation of the regulations,'' he said.
But Vandom claimed the KIS denial is a fabrication. ``It is shocking that the immigration office is lying about this. Why would I give them that letter if I were submitting the HIV/AIDS and drug tests?'' she said.
Give the rest of the short article a read. On the one hand, news that immigration policy varies from office to office, and from officer to officer . . . well, isn't news at all. Immigration is notorious for its inconsistency and for its inability to provide basic information to foreign teachers with reliability. I know from both personal and anecdotal evidence that during visa-renewal processes immigration officers didn't even bother looking at required documents, to the annoyance of those who spent a lot of time and money to acquire them in light of hastily-implemented policies last year. I would like to see this turn into an issue of immigration officers once again unable to do their jobs and enforce the rules on the books, rather than a case of a sly English teacher pulling a fast one.
On the other, bringing up "human rights violation" has been an ill-advised choice of words among some commentors on, for example, The Marmot's Hole and ROK Drop. As is alluded to in the article, the language there is similar to what we've heard from the Association for Teachers of English in Korea, [edit: and from professor Benjamin Wagner], who filed a report with the National Human Rights Commission of Korea in February. From a February 4th press release:
“The current drug tests, HIV tests and criminal background checks are discriminatory,” said Tony Hellmann, ATEK’s Communications Director. “They reflect a mindset that foreign teachers are potentially dangerous because they are foreign.”
Current foreign language instructor (E-2) visa rules, which require a criminal background check, drug test and an HIV test, should be revised as they clearly discriminate on the basis of national origin, according to the filer of the report with NHRCK, law professor Benjamin Wagner of Kyunghee University. Non-citizen teachers are required to submit to these checks, but non-citizen ethnic Koreans, foreigners married to Koreans, and Korean citizens are not.
If I may inject some opinion and speculation here, apart from the newsworthy items, I'd like to say I'm curious on two main points. The first is that while I admit I'm unfamiliar with the norms of Korean journalism, I find it strange that they're reporting the teacher by name. Names are kept secret to avoid libel and defamation charges, since even reporting the truth can invite a lawsuit if that truth damages the reputation of the person. Just browse some of the other news stories on the KT site and see how many name names. Hell, not even the immigration officer in question was named. I suspect, though, that the teacher herself submitted everything for the story, which may explain why it's so one-sided; even what the immigration officer is alleged to have said comes second-hand.
The second is that the article doesn't make clear at all the teacher's association with ATEK. It is implied that she is working in tandem with them, even mimicking the wording of her complaint. By focusing the article on the teacher and the association---whose critics have gotten quite a bit of favorable press in the KT (1, 2)---the article becomes about a teacher doing wrong, and doing so as part of some movement, rather than an immigration officer not doing his job.
However, we shouldn't take the article at face value right away, and shouldn't trust a story in the media here too much, given the penchant for screwing up facts and quotations, for mistranslating things between English and Korean, or for outright manipulating events to depict a certain angle.
Foreigners are right to ask why the government is dreaming up new visa rules and regulations every few months when it is uncommitted to enforcing the ones it already has on the books. By calling out the teacher by name and by focusing on her line of reasoning the article is a debate on the merits of the "human rights violation" argument, rather than a reportage on the facts. It takes an easy swipe at a foreign teacher, instead of taking the swing at immigration policy and implementation we've been blogging about for years.
35-year-old Jeonju man fined for filming sex with student.
From the Korea Times:
Story in Korean here. I'm not sure which category to use for this post: the "things that would get a foreigner crucified but that warrant a relatively light punishment when done by a Korean" one, or the "good news almost never comes out of Jeonju" one.
A court in the southwestern city of Jeonju sentenced a man to a 5-million won ($3,720) fine for filming sex with a female high school student, allegedly done without her knowledge.
The man met a 17-year-old high school student through an Internet chatting room. They went to a motel in Gunsan City, North Jeolla Province, on Jan. 25 last year. He filmed his sex act with her using his cell phone.
Story in Korean here. I'm not sure which category to use for this post: the "things that would get a foreigner crucified but that warrant a relatively light punishment when done by a Korean" one, or the "good news almost never comes out of Jeonju" one.
Crowds get failing grade at curling championships.
Did you know? The World Women's Curling Championships were in Gangwon-do. Do you have curling in your country? *cough* Sorry, but I guess because Koreans answered "no" to the last question, nobody has shown up to watch the games that took place this month in Gangneung. And those who did show up, probably shouldn't have shown up, at least according to this article:
Big deal, nobody likes curling, right? That might be true, at least in Korea, but local authorities were trying to use this event to bolster their chances of attracting the 2018 Winter Olympics to Pyeongchang.
The round-robin competition at the world women's curling championship had everything a fan could ask for.
Too bad nobody bothered to show up.
The marquee event on the women's curling calendar featured plenty of great shots and thrilling finishes, but was an enormous flop from an attendance standpoint. Through 14 draws Wednesday, only 34 tickets had been sold - 22 for the opening two draws alone. Thousands of tickets were given away to schools and businesses, but that didn't help bolster crowds that often lingered around 100 fans per draw.
Billed as a chance to introduce the sport to South Korea, the event drew gatherings so small that conversations between players could clearly be heard from every corner of the 3,500-seat Gangneung International Ice Rink.
"It's great to be here, because the country is nice and the people are nice," said Denmark's Madeleine Dupont. "But I would have loved to see more (fans)."
Naturally, games involving the host South Koreans drew the largest crowds - but even then, the majority of fans were local schoolchildren brought in for class trips. They were noisy during the playing of the national anthems, they cheered at bizarre times during the game and they were often out of the building before the eighth end.
Fans who did show up clearly had a lot to learn about curling etiquette - one group banged inflatable Thunderstix in delight every time a German player made a mistake against the South Korean team, skipped by Mi-Yeon Kim.
Big deal, nobody likes curling, right? That might be true, at least in Korea, but local authorities were trying to use this event to bolster their chances of attracting the 2018 Winter Olympics to Pyeongchang.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Spring festivals in the area, 2009 edition.
Here is a list of festivals in and around Jeollanam-do. I've included some not exactly in the province but within striking distance. I will update this post as it becomes necessary; what makes something like this very frustrating is that government homepages often don't confirm dates until right before the festival, so while you can easily find details about the 2005 version, finding current information is much more tricky. But I wanted to get this post out early, rather than being like every other English-language outlet and tell you about festivals the day before. Or the day after.
If anybody has any festivals they'd like to add, any reviews they'd like to share, any information they'd like to pass along, or any mistakes they'd like to correct, please leave a comment below.
Gurye Cherry Blossom Festival (섬진강변벚꽃축제)
* April 3rd through 5th
* In Gurye county. Please see this earlier write-up.
Mokpo Yudalsan Flower Festival (목포유달산꽃축제)
* April 3rd through 5th
* Held at the park on Yudalsan in Mokpo. I went last year but was feeling too sick to notice much besides the animals.
* More information on the Mokpo city website, in Korean.
Yeongchuisan Azalea Festival (영취산 진달래축제)
* April 3rd through April 6th
* Held on Yeongchuisan mountain in Yeosu, a festival with a walk through the colorful azaleas. The festivities last only that weekend 3rd through the 6th, though there are activities anticipated from the 27th to the 10th.
* Official site
Chuwolsan Cherry Blossom Festival (추월산벗꽃축제)
* April 4th and 5th
* Held in Damyang county, Yong-myeon, near Chuwolsan mountain, which in turn is near Damyang Lake.
Yeongam Wangin Culture Festival (영암왕인문화축제)
* April 4th through April 7th
* Held in Yeongam county to honor Wangin, the scholar who is said to have brought Confucianism to Japan via Korea. You can view a program on the official website. The Korea Herald had an article about the festival a little while ago; an excerpt:
My girlfriend said it's all right, but then again she probably takes greater interest in Japanese Confucianism than your average foreigner. But from the program it looks like it'd be worth a trip.
* Official site
Shinan Tulip Festival
* April 15th through April 28th
* Shinan is one of the three Jeollanam-do counties comprised entirely of islands, and thus isn't the easiest place to get around. The festival is held on Imja-do, accessible by ferry from Shinan's Ji-do about once an hour.
* Official site
Jindo Sea Parting Festival (진도신비의바닷길축제)
* April 25th through 27th
* Known also as the "Moses Miracle," and a bunch of other variations, this festival celebrates the "Mysterious Sea-Road," a tidal phenomenon that parts the sea and makes it possible to walk between two islands nearly three kilometers away. There's a nice summary from this blog---though I still don't get why the tigers didn't follow the woman---and another one from Tour2Korea.
* Official site
Hampyeong Butterfly Festival (함평나비대축제)
* April 24th through May 10th
* Held at the Hampyeong Expo Park a short walk from the bus terminal in Hampyeong-eup, one of the most notable festivals in the region. I went last year to the World Butterfly and Insect Expo---a bit larger and longer than the ordinary festival---and was impressed by the massive size of the festival grounds. However, there weren't many butterflies, and certainly nothing I'd never seen before. The large crowds were oppressive at times as well, however I expect things will be a little different for the "festival." The festival site is a short walk from the bus terminal in Hampyeong-eup, accessible from Gwangju and nearby counties.
* Official site
Jeonju Film Festival (전주영화제)
* April 30th through May 8th
* The second-largest film festival in the country, behind the one in Busan. There's quite a bit of information on festivals from years' past at this blog, and you'll likely find more articles in the papers as the festival approaches. You can find English-language information on the website below.
* Official site
Hadong Tea Festival (하동야생차문화축제)
* May 1st through May 5th
* Also known as "Hadong Wild Tea Cultural Festival," it's held in Hadong county, Gyeongsangnam-do, right next door to Gwangyang. Things of interest include tea-tasting, handicrafts, and performances. There are programs available from the festival website, although currently they're for the 2008 version.
* Official site
Namwon Chunhyang Festival (춘향제)
* May 1st through 5th
* This is held in Namwon, Jeollabuk-do, right across Jirisan from Jeollanam-do, but it's a cute, scenic little city well-worth a visit. Unfortunately it's competing against too many other big festivals. The Chunhyang Festival is held to celebrate a figure in a famous Korean love story. Because of the city's associations with the tale, it calls itself "The City of Love." There's a nice stream that runs near the Chunhyang Theme Park and Gwanghallu, the park where festivities will be held.
* Official site
Jeamsan Royal Azalea Festival (제암산철쭉체)
* May 1st through 15th
Held on Jeamsan mountain in Jangheung county.
* Official site
Wando Jangbogo Festival (완도장보고축제)
* May 2nd through 5th
* Held in Wando county in celebration of Jang Bogo, a man who basically set up his own little kingdom on a tiny Wando island and kept the seas safe from pirates in the 9th century. The Wando tourism website has more information on the festival:
Right, whatever. It's held at various locations throughout the county. Though the drama sets and the reconstructed historical sites look really interesting, I can't imagine you'd attend this festival unless you live in Wando already.
Yeosu Turtleship Festival (여수거북선대축제)
* May 2nd through 5th
* Official site
Damyang Bamboo Festival (담양대나무축제)
* May 2nd through 7th
* Like the tea fields of Boseong, which also have a festival this month, the bamboo forest in Damyang county is one of Jeollanam-do's representative tourist attractions. The forest is worth a visit almost any time---except winter because the trees aren't as green---and keep in mind that during this week you'll be wandering the grounds with hundreds and thousands of other people, which may run counter to a pleasant experience. Nevertheless, expect typical fare . . . fare: music, performances, arts and crafts, food. You can browse photo galleries of previous festivals here, and read Roboseyo's little write-up of his visit here. Buses run to and from the forest from the tiny bus terminal in Damyang-eup, which in turn has regular local and express buses to Gwangju.
* Official site
Nagan Folk Culture Festival (낙안민속문화축제)
* May 3rd through May 5th.
* I went last time and it was good. I've been to Nagan Folk Village twice, both times for festivals, and have enjoyed myself both times. For things like this you don't mind if there are tons of people. Besides the tourists there are also 200-something people who live there. It is considered the best-preserved folk village in Korea, and some of the residents operate minbak and restaurants in the old homes. City buses 63 and 68 run there; make sure you check the time table before you go, because the buses run somewhat sporadically and you can find yourself waiting a couple hours for the next one. If you're interested in spending the night there, take a look around "Namdo Minbak" to see what's available.
Dasan Festival (다산축제)
* May 8th through May 10th
* Held in Gangjin county in honor of Jeong Yak-yong, a famous Shilhak scholar better known as Dasan who was exiled to Gangjin for twenty years. I've written a lot about the sites associated with Dasan and other famous Gangjin residents, and the area is definitely worth a visit, but perhaps not during this busy weekend. If you do decide to go, that weekend or whenever, you'll want to hike from Dasan Chodang to Baekryeonsa, considered the most famous temple in Gangjin.
Boseong Green Tea Festival (보성녹차대축제)
* May 8th through May 11th
* Just about any time is a good time to visit Boseong's famed green tea fields, though this festival will be among the busiest. The fields are one of Jeollanam-do's representative sites, are a part of practically everyone's obligatory Jeolla weekend trip. You may have also heard of the green tea spas at Yulpo; there is also a beach and a waterpark there, though the mixed-reviews they've gotten won't be applicable this time of year.
If you're coming from out of town and want a place to stay, there are a few motels in town. There are also lots of pension, or guest houses, that will give you larger rooms---often overlooking the fields---at upwards of twice the price, though you can bet they'll go fast. A Naver search will let you browse what's available. If you don't want to stay in town, there are loads of motels in Suncheon and Gwangju, the two nearest cities.
* Official site
May 18th commemorative events
Every year to commemorate the Gwangju Massacre, which began on May 18th in Gwangju but spread to outlying towns and counties over the next week, the South Korean president pays his respects at the May 18th National Cemetary, there is a parade down Chungjangno, and reenactment of the violence outside the old Provincial Hall. Last spring we were in the middle of Mad Bull Shit and the events took on an anti-government, anti-American tone and were almost entirely devoted to the Mad Cow hysteria.
This year, who knows. This year the 18th will fall on a Monday. If you'd like to visit the cemetary, the aptly-numbered bus 518 will take you there from downtown.
Keep your eyes open for:
There are other festivals held in years past that haven't yet released any information about 2009.
Goheung Maritime Fireworks Festival (녹동바다불꽃축제)
* Held last year from May 15th through 18th at Nokdong.
Naju Pear Blossom Festival
Usually held early- or mid-April, at and around the Pear Museum in Naju. I went in 2007, and it was pretty lame; the museum is all in Korean (and is about pears), and there's nothing to really see, do, or buy in its parking lot. One nice thing, though, is that you can walk all through the orchirds and admire the blossoms. I crossed the street, wandered along that small road and through the village, and hardly saw another person for two hours. If that's your thing. Naju was quite pretty that time of year, especially on Namsan Park near the bus terminal; my flickr gallery from that visit is here.
Suncheon Dongcheon Lantern Festival (순천동천유등축제)
* Held on Buddha's birthday. This won't be of any interest to anyone not in Suncheon, but they float a couple small lanterns on Dongcheon up near Suncheon National University. Nothing special, but if you happen across it by accident like I did, stay for the fireworks.
If anybody has any festivals they'd like to add, any reviews they'd like to share, any information they'd like to pass along, or any mistakes they'd like to correct, please leave a comment below.
Gurye Cherry Blossom Festival (섬진강변벚꽃축제)
* April 3rd through 5th
* In Gurye county. Please see this earlier write-up.
Mokpo Yudalsan Flower Festival (목포유달산꽃축제)
* April 3rd through 5th
* Held at the park on Yudalsan in Mokpo. I went last year but was feeling too sick to notice much besides the animals.
* More information on the Mokpo city website, in Korean.
Yeongchuisan Azalea Festival (영취산 진달래축제)
* April 3rd through April 6th
* Held on Yeongchuisan mountain in Yeosu, a festival with a walk through the colorful azaleas. The festivities last only that weekend 3rd through the 6th, though there are activities anticipated from the 27th to the 10th.
* Official site
Chuwolsan Cherry Blossom Festival (추월산벗꽃축제)
* April 4th and 5th
* Held in Damyang county, Yong-myeon, near Chuwolsan mountain, which in turn is near Damyang Lake.
Yeongam Wangin Culture Festival (영암왕인문화축제)
* April 4th through April 7th
* Held in Yeongam county to honor Wangin, the scholar who is said to have brought Confucianism to Japan via Korea. You can view a program on the official website. The Korea Herald had an article about the festival a little while ago; an excerpt:
Wang In is a legendary figure for his expertise in Confucian studies, who went to Japan as an emissary and supported friendly relations between the two countries, and Yeongam is his home.
Wangin Culture Festival 2009 aims to commemorate and cherish the spirit of co-prosperity and mutual understanding he fostered.
It offers a variety of programs offering visitors and participants a taste of the period of Three States (Baekje, Silla, Goguryeo).
Events include a reenactment of the parade for Wang In leaving for Japan, as well as a program to go on a raft of logs at Sangdaepo, which was an international trade port during the Baekje Kingdom.
While in Yeongam, take part in diverse on-hand experiences at its Gulim village, such as tasting traditional Korean food, traditional wedding ceremonies, paper craftworks and folk games.
My girlfriend said it's all right, but then again she probably takes greater interest in Japanese Confucianism than your average foreigner. But from the program it looks like it'd be worth a trip.
* Official site
Shinan Tulip Festival
* April 15th through April 28th
* Shinan is one of the three Jeollanam-do counties comprised entirely of islands, and thus isn't the easiest place to get around. The festival is held on Imja-do, accessible by ferry from Shinan's Ji-do about once an hour.
* Official site
Jindo Sea Parting Festival (진도신비의바닷길축제)
* April 25th through 27th
* Known also as the "Moses Miracle," and a bunch of other variations, this festival celebrates the "Mysterious Sea-Road," a tidal phenomenon that parts the sea and makes it possible to walk between two islands nearly three kilometers away. There's a nice summary from this blog---though I still don't get why the tigers didn't follow the woman---and another one from Tour2Korea.
* Official site
Hampyeong Butterfly Festival (함평나비대축제)
* April 24th through May 10th
* Held at the Hampyeong Expo Park a short walk from the bus terminal in Hampyeong-eup, one of the most notable festivals in the region. I went last year to the World Butterfly and Insect Expo---a bit larger and longer than the ordinary festival---and was impressed by the massive size of the festival grounds. However, there weren't many butterflies, and certainly nothing I'd never seen before. The large crowds were oppressive at times as well, however I expect things will be a little different for the "festival." The festival site is a short walk from the bus terminal in Hampyeong-eup, accessible from Gwangju and nearby counties.
* Official site
Jeonju Film Festival (전주영화제)
* April 30th through May 8th
* The second-largest film festival in the country, behind the one in Busan. There's quite a bit of information on festivals from years' past at this blog, and you'll likely find more articles in the papers as the festival approaches. You can find English-language information on the website below.
* Official site
Hadong Tea Festival (하동야생차문화축제)
* May 1st through May 5th
* Also known as "Hadong Wild Tea Cultural Festival," it's held in Hadong county, Gyeongsangnam-do, right next door to Gwangyang. Things of interest include tea-tasting, handicrafts, and performances. There are programs available from the festival website, although currently they're for the 2008 version.
* Official site
Namwon Chunhyang Festival (춘향제)
* May 1st through 5th
* This is held in Namwon, Jeollabuk-do, right across Jirisan from Jeollanam-do, but it's a cute, scenic little city well-worth a visit. Unfortunately it's competing against too many other big festivals. The Chunhyang Festival is held to celebrate a figure in a famous Korean love story. Because of the city's associations with the tale, it calls itself "The City of Love." There's a nice stream that runs near the Chunhyang Theme Park and Gwanghallu, the park where festivities will be held.
* Official site
Jeamsan Royal Azalea Festival (제암산철쭉체)
* May 1st through 15th
Held on Jeamsan mountain in Jangheung county.
* Official site
Wando Jangbogo Festival (완도장보고축제)
* May 2nd through 5th
* Held in Wando county in celebration of Jang Bogo, a man who basically set up his own little kingdom on a tiny Wando island and kept the seas safe from pirates in the 9th century. The Wando tourism website has more information on the festival:
The expressions of the people participating to restoration are fun as well as the magnificence of the parade. The faces are full of the strength of seaside dwelling people and the self-esteem of their history. During watching the endless parade, you can realize they really love for, and are proud of the clean sea area of Wando and Chang PoGo.
Right, whatever. It's held at various locations throughout the county. Though the drama sets and the reconstructed historical sites look really interesting, I can't imagine you'd attend this festival unless you live in Wando already.
Yeosu Turtleship Festival (여수거북선대축제)
* May 2nd through 5th
* Official site
Damyang Bamboo Festival (담양대나무축제)
* May 2nd through 7th
* Like the tea fields of Boseong, which also have a festival this month, the bamboo forest in Damyang county is one of Jeollanam-do's representative tourist attractions. The forest is worth a visit almost any time---except winter because the trees aren't as green---and keep in mind that during this week you'll be wandering the grounds with hundreds and thousands of other people, which may run counter to a pleasant experience. Nevertheless, expect typical fare . . . fare: music, performances, arts and crafts, food. You can browse photo galleries of previous festivals here, and read Roboseyo's little write-up of his visit here. Buses run to and from the forest from the tiny bus terminal in Damyang-eup, which in turn has regular local and express buses to Gwangju.
* Official site
Nagan Folk Culture Festival (낙안민속문화축제)
* May 3rd through May 5th.
* I went last time and it was good. I've been to Nagan Folk Village twice, both times for festivals, and have enjoyed myself both times. For things like this you don't mind if there are tons of people. Besides the tourists there are also 200-something people who live there. It is considered the best-preserved folk village in Korea, and some of the residents operate minbak and restaurants in the old homes. City buses 63 and 68 run there; make sure you check the time table before you go, because the buses run somewhat sporadically and you can find yourself waiting a couple hours for the next one. If you're interested in spending the night there, take a look around "Namdo Minbak" to see what's available.
Dasan Festival (다산축제)
* May 8th through May 10th
* Held in Gangjin county in honor of Jeong Yak-yong, a famous Shilhak scholar better known as Dasan who was exiled to Gangjin for twenty years. I've written a lot about the sites associated with Dasan and other famous Gangjin residents, and the area is definitely worth a visit, but perhaps not during this busy weekend. If you do decide to go, that weekend or whenever, you'll want to hike from Dasan Chodang to Baekryeonsa, considered the most famous temple in Gangjin.
Boseong Green Tea Festival (보성녹차대축제)
* May 8th through May 11th
* Just about any time is a good time to visit Boseong's famed green tea fields, though this festival will be among the busiest. The fields are one of Jeollanam-do's representative sites, are a part of practically everyone's obligatory Jeolla weekend trip. You may have also heard of the green tea spas at Yulpo; there is also a beach and a waterpark there, though the mixed-reviews they've gotten won't be applicable this time of year.
If you're coming from out of town and want a place to stay, there are a few motels in town. There are also lots of pension, or guest houses, that will give you larger rooms---often overlooking the fields---at upwards of twice the price, though you can bet they'll go fast. A Naver search will let you browse what's available. If you don't want to stay in town, there are loads of motels in Suncheon and Gwangju, the two nearest cities.
* Official site
May 18th commemorative events
Every year to commemorate the Gwangju Massacre, which began on May 18th in Gwangju but spread to outlying towns and counties over the next week, the South Korean president pays his respects at the May 18th National Cemetary, there is a parade down Chungjangno, and reenactment of the violence outside the old Provincial Hall. Last spring we were in the middle of Mad Bull Shit and the events took on an anti-government, anti-American tone and were almost entirely devoted to the Mad Cow hysteria.
This year, who knows. This year the 18th will fall on a Monday. If you'd like to visit the cemetary, the aptly-numbered bus 518 will take you there from downtown.
Keep your eyes open for:
There are other festivals held in years past that haven't yet released any information about 2009.
Goheung Maritime Fireworks Festival (녹동바다불꽃축제)
* Held last year from May 15th through 18th at Nokdong.
Naju Pear Blossom Festival
Usually held early- or mid-April, at and around the Pear Museum in Naju. I went in 2007, and it was pretty lame; the museum is all in Korean (and is about pears), and there's nothing to really see, do, or buy in its parking lot. One nice thing, though, is that you can walk all through the orchirds and admire the blossoms. I crossed the street, wandered along that small road and through the village, and hardly saw another person for two hours. If that's your thing. Naju was quite pretty that time of year, especially on Namsan Park near the bus terminal; my flickr gallery from that visit is here.
Suncheon Dongcheon Lantern Festival (순천동천유등축제)
* Held on Buddha's birthday. This won't be of any interest to anyone not in Suncheon, but they float a couple small lanterns on Dongcheon up near Suncheon National University. Nothing special, but if you happen across it by accident like I did, stay for the fireworks.
Lions and tigers together at Everland.
Say, that's quite an idea. Put lions and tigers together to see how they get along.
Wasn't but a few months ago that a lion chewed up a tiger at the Jeonju Zoo.
This situation at Everland is different, though. There is no risk in putting lions and tigers together there because, as a noted Korean zoologist told Yonhap, these tigers are 어머! 너무 신기하다~!
Wasn't but a few months ago that a lion chewed up a tiger at the Jeonju Zoo.
This situation at Everland is different, though. There is no risk in putting lions and tigers together there because, as a noted Korean zoologist told Yonhap, these tigers are 어머! 너무 신기하다~!
Foreign students in Gwangju are eligible for free medical check-ups through their university, even if they are uninsured, according to this article from the Internet Broadcast for Migrants in Koreas (sic).
Thursday, March 26, 2009
At least one columnist doesn't care for those Thunderstix the Korean fans were using. I didn't realize they were controversial.
Suncheon fortress.
In an article about a meeting in town concerning making Suncheon a better place to live and visit, the paper ran a picture of the outline of Suncheon-eup fortress (순천부읍성) superimposed on a map of the present-day city. All traces of the wall are gone, though there are commemorative plaques where the gates used to be. The North Gate abuts the present-day "Medical Rotary" (외료원로터리) and the South Gate is near the entrance to Central Market (중앙시장). Though not shown on the map, the East Gate was where the Industrial Bank of Korea is now.
A lot of old towns and villages---like Naju and Gwangju---had city walls at one time, and in Gangjin county alone there are the remnants of at least five fortresses. Suncheon's most notable is Nagan Fortress (낙안읍성), but there are a couple others, including one sort of close to my school, and another built by the Japanese in the 16th century. They're neat additions to the landscape, though of course it's a shame about the violent past implicit in their existence.
A lot of old towns and villages---like Naju and Gwangju---had city walls at one time, and in Gangjin county alone there are the remnants of at least five fortresses. Suncheon's most notable is Nagan Fortress (낙안읍성), but there are a couple others, including one sort of close to my school, and another built by the Japanese in the 16th century. They're neat additions to the landscape, though of course it's a shame about the violent past implicit in their existence.
Jeollanam-do on "Good Stay."
On the Suncheon city website they're accepting information from visitors on hotels and motels in the area for an update to "Good Stay," an online directory of places, I guess, certified as good stays by the tourism board. There are only 16 listed for Jeollanam-do, but I'm just throwing this up there in case you want to take a look around. Unfortunately, none of the pages are in English, so you may get into some trouble if you're browsing from your school's English Only Zone. The ones listed on the English-language page are almost all resorts or quote-unquote tourist hotels, meaning you're going to pay two or three times what you'd for the same or better at a motel.
Haechi is kawaikunai.
Seriously, on what planet is this character considered cute?
It's Haechi, which somehow ended up as Seoul's mascot. The Korea Times explains a little in an article from last May.
Christ. Anyway, the KT has a caption on a similar photo today:
wait, what?
It's Haechi, which somehow ended up as Seoul's mascot. The Korea Times explains a little in an article from last May.
``Despite the scale and reputation of Seoul, we don't have any representative symbol. We've selected Haechi as the symbol and we hope it will promote the city internationally,'' said Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon.
He wants Haechi to become like the Big Apple of New York, Merloin in Singarpore and Buddy Bear of Berlin, the mayor said. Seoul will be promoted as ``City of Haechi.''
Christ. Anyway, the KT has a caption on a similar photo today:
Haechi, generally known as Haetae, is a lion-like horned creature that often appears in myths as a guardian against fire
wait, what?
Ethically unqualified hagwon teacher breaks 15-year-old's goddamn face.
News out of Seoul, and this is a Korean teacher, by the way:
Hmm, curious if the police have anything to say about it. Another case of a Korean teacher behaving badly, yet no one is questioning the whole group's ethical qualifications the way they're doing native speaker English teachers. Yes, some foreign teachers here are pricks, though the evidence suggests that perhaps schools and academies have bigger problems on their hands than just ignorant white people.
According to police in Seoul, a complaint was filed that the 20-something teacher at a cram school hit the 15-year-old boy in the face with his clenched fist several times around 9:40 p.m. March 13. The student suffered fractures to his maxillary and orbital bones.
The boy's father claimed that the boy was standing outside a classroom as punishment for not solving a math question, and that the instructor, presumably displeased with his chewing gum, punched him.
``My son had to undergo surgery, having 16 metal screws put into his face. But the hagwon did not pay even the surgery fee, saying it does not have any money. I'd like to let people know how corporal punishment is rampant at private institutes,'' the father said.
A director of the hagwon said that the teacher hit the boy only once and that he did so because while he was scolding the student for not taking the punishment seriously, the boy grabbed him by the collar.
``We fired the teacher. There may be misunderstanding about the money, as we proposed to the father that we pay the whole cost of treatment and tuition until the student enters college,'' he said.
Hmm, curious if the police have anything to say about it. Another case of a Korean teacher behaving badly, yet no one is questioning the whole group's ethical qualifications the way they're doing native speaker English teachers. Yes, some foreign teachers here are pricks, though the evidence suggests that perhaps schools and academies have bigger problems on their hands than just ignorant white people.
I had to pluck the Jew out of the Garden of Eden.
On Dave's they're talking about some weird riddles they have to do in school. They've become a de facto standard in competitions around the country because Korean teachers just copy them rather than attempt to make their own. Number fifty-seven:
57
1. I don't understand why do people call me another Satan.
2. I tried to build the Garden of Eden on the earth.
3. I had to pluck the weed out of the garden.
4. The Jew was the weed.
5. I sent millions of Jew to the gas rooms.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Cheongdo Bullfighting Festival this weekend.
If'n you don't have anything to do this weekend, head on over to Cheongdo county, Gyeongsangbuk-do to watch you some bullfighting at the Cheongdo Bullfighting Festival (청도소싸움축제). Not bullfighting in the way we'd probably think of it, but with two bulls actually fighting each other.
Sounds barbaric, I guess, and I'm not really into animals fighting, though the International Herald Tribune had an article about it a little while ago that brought up a point my dumb ass never thought of before:
There are a few other places in Korea to see bullfighting: Uiryeong county and Jinju, the latter having a Bullfighting Cyber Theme Park.
Speaking of festivals about animals, there's a horse festival in Jeju every year. It's about celebrating the beauty of one of Korea's natural treasures.
Maybe.
From a Korean-language article on Jeju horse fights, 사랑싸움대회, a contest in which males fight over a female.
Sounds barbaric, I guess, and I'm not really into animals fighting, though the International Herald Tribune had an article about it a little while ago that brought up a point my dumb ass never thought of before:
[A rancher-trainer] dismissed concerns that the pastime's revival might attract charges of animal abuse.
"All male herd animals fight each other for reproduction," he said. "This is not about man conquering nature, as in Spanish bullfighting. We are simply observing nature in action."
There are a few other places in Korea to see bullfighting: Uiryeong county and Jinju, the latter having a Bullfighting Cyber Theme Park.
Speaking of festivals about animals, there's a horse festival in Jeju every year. It's about celebrating the beauty of one of Korea's natural treasures.
Maybe.
From a Korean-language article on Jeju horse fights, 사랑싸움대회, a contest in which males fight over a female.
Chubby, do you know the answer to number three?
Here's the list students in an English club at my school used to pick their English nicknames, chosen by a Korean colleague probably because it's among the top Google results and is mirrored on a bunch of other sites. Maybe not the best thing to use for EFL students, but not too bad if you're trying to name your pet or a woman from the American South in 1857. I plan to write a big, long post about English names in Korea later, but for now I just wanted to let you know why you might have a Sniper, Adonis, Spotty, Primo, Scoop, or Roxy in your class.
If you collect bizarre music videos, you might be interested in a pair from 다비치: "8282" and "Davichi in Wonderland."
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
I'm a beautiful Gurye.
That sounded better in my head than it looks on paper. There will be a cherry blossom festival (섬진강변 벚꽃축제) in Gurye county from April 3rd through April 5th, although my girlfriend said it's kind of a pain to get to. But that doesn't mean I can't post pictures like this from years past.
Also in Gurye was the Sansuyu Festival, held this past weekend.
Also in Gurye was the Sansuyu Festival, held this past weekend.
Another "Ichiro Hirobumi" headline.
The more grievous one was last week, but there's another one today from the Chosun Ilbo, representing what I guess has become a meme of sorts.
Congratulations Japan, I guess.
SBS contrasted the images of Japan celebrating their 5-3 victory this afternoon in the WBC Final with this congratulatory message to the runners-up.
In a scene similar to what you'd likely find in schools all over the country, the office was capitvated by the WBC final, and many classes were replaced by the game. I was on break, thankfully, because it would have been difficult to compete with hoots and hollers coming from the other classes. I can't say I disagree too much with the decision to let students watch the game, although I'm sure parents would have been pissed if their kid came home and said "We watched baseball in English Monkey Teacher's class!" It was a once-in-a-lifetime . . . er, once-in-an-adolescence opportunity, and would have been an even bigger deal had Korea won. Not saying the crossword puzzle you took off Boggles World wasn't awesome, or anything.
In a scene similar to what you'd likely find in schools all over the country, the office was capitvated by the WBC final, and many classes were replaced by the game. I was on break, thankfully, because it would have been difficult to compete with hoots and hollers coming from the other classes. I can't say I disagree too much with the decision to let students watch the game, although I'm sure parents would have been pissed if their kid came home and said "We watched baseball in English Monkey Teacher's class!" It was a once-in-a-lifetime . . . er, once-in-an-adolescence opportunity, and would have been an even bigger deal had Korea won. Not saying the crossword puzzle you took off Boggles World wasn't awesome, or anything.
Week-old news, but interesting nonetheless: Barack Obama has picked Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney to be the US ambassador to Ireland.
Jeollanam-do is a little slow.
When I read this article yesterday from the Joongang Ilbo about Korea's "slow cities," I had the same reaction as Brian in Gangwon-do: are these villages actually trying to be slow, or are they simply rural and devoid of any youth and prosperity? There are four communities in Jeollanam-do---one more in Gyeongsangnam-do---designated as slow cities by the "Cittaslow" movement, which meet certain criteria such as a small population and a reliance on locally-grown food.
The article did go on to invite Japan and China to suck it:
In many of Jeollanam-do's rural communities, it's not like they're preserving slowness and tradition for slowness's and tradition's sake: there are simply no young people and few prospects of modern amenities. Saying that, for example, Jeung-do in Shinan county is a deliberately slow city is like celebrating an obese man for bucking the trend of unrealistic body images in magazines. It reminds me of something I thought a lot about while I was in Vietnam this past January. Tourists were spending lots of money---by Vietnamese standards at least---to visit floating markets and ramshackle villages in the Mekong Delta; I'm sure the locals appreciated the extra money, but I wonder what they thought about people paying to experience what poverty and isolation necessitate. I wonder, too, what the people who live in Jeollanam-do's "slow cities" have to say about this designation. I was going to write that I'm glad to see places in Jeollanam-do getting some attention, but after seeing the way people run rough-shod over the rural flavors of the month on TV, I wonder if it's not better to just leave these communities alone.
I thought about this, too, in Vietnam, and wondered if locals would be interested in doing something like a rural experience weekend, where they . . . um, experience rural life for a weekend. Koreans have come to render the rural part of their country exotic, to the point of denying it exists to outsiders, though watching tear-jerking commercials tells me there are still flickers of appreciation for it somewhere. Likewise, a popular TV program is all about celebrities acting like fish out of water in remote farming communities. Again, ironic to pay to do what poverty and geography necessitate, but I chuckled to myself that as South Korea is trying its hardest to promote tourism and its local attractions, foreigners from all over the world were paying to boat down a dirty river and take pictures of decrepit shelters and crowded alleys. Anyway, for these communities to stay preserved and protected people have to realize what they do is more important than what they symbolize.
The article did go on to invite Japan and China to suck it:
Korea has five slow cities, but China and Japan, two of Asia’s most-visited tourist attractions, don’t have any.
Twenty cities from these countries have applied for recognition from Cittaslow, but they all failed to make the grade, apparently.
The association said Japanese farming villages don’t have their own character because they are far too developed and organized.
In many of Jeollanam-do's rural communities, it's not like they're preserving slowness and tradition for slowness's and tradition's sake: there are simply no young people and few prospects of modern amenities. Saying that, for example, Jeung-do in Shinan county is a deliberately slow city is like celebrating an obese man for bucking the trend of unrealistic body images in magazines. It reminds me of something I thought a lot about while I was in Vietnam this past January. Tourists were spending lots of money---by Vietnamese standards at least---to visit floating markets and ramshackle villages in the Mekong Delta; I'm sure the locals appreciated the extra money, but I wonder what they thought about people paying to experience what poverty and isolation necessitate. I wonder, too, what the people who live in Jeollanam-do's "slow cities" have to say about this designation. I was going to write that I'm glad to see places in Jeollanam-do getting some attention, but after seeing the way people run rough-shod over the rural flavors of the month on TV, I wonder if it's not better to just leave these communities alone.
Meanwhile, the Korea Tourism Organization plans to offer hands-on experience of slow cities nationwide.
I thought about this, too, in Vietnam, and wondered if locals would be interested in doing something like a rural experience weekend, where they . . . um, experience rural life for a weekend. Koreans have come to render the rural part of their country exotic, to the point of denying it exists to outsiders, though watching tear-jerking commercials tells me there are still flickers of appreciation for it somewhere. Likewise, a popular TV program is all about celebrities acting like fish out of water in remote farming communities. Again, ironic to pay to do what poverty and geography necessitate, but I chuckled to myself that as South Korea is trying its hardest to promote tourism and its local attractions, foreigners from all over the world were paying to boat down a dirty river and take pictures of decrepit shelters and crowded alleys. Anyway, for these communities to stay preserved and protected people have to realize what they do is more important than what they symbolize.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Too much French and English on cosmetics labels.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't understand why Korean cosmetic companies insist on using French and English on their labels, when most potential customers have no idea what they say. The Korea Times has a press release an article about that very thing:
Now, ordinarily I'd roll my eyes at something like this, at the promotion Korean as the "beautiful" alternative to overbearing English created, used, and abused by Koreans in the first place, but you know using a language your customers actually understand isn't such a bad idea. There are few things less pleasant-sounding here than a string of English words pronounced in Korean, making it impossible for me to watch about 70% of what's on TV.
It is, as one of the women quoted in thepress release article says, because companies and customers want to feel more sophisticated through these foreign languages, but let me say once again to my Korean audience that you don't sound cosmopolitan when you cluck your way through foreign words you don't understand, and in a manner that even Gallaudet students would consider embarrassing.
The Korean Society, a study group on Korean language, Daily Cosmetic and Kolmar Korea said they will hold a competition to pick the best all-Korean cosmetic names under the sponsorship of the government.
``The first stage will be looking out for the best Korean names. Then we will search for the best calligraphy to show them off,'' a spokesman said. The committee is running the Web site www.urimalhjp.kr for applicants until April 30. All applicants must write down Korean names ― regardless of the product ― and explanations and meanings.
Now, ordinarily I'd roll my eyes at something like this, at the promotion Korean as the "beautiful" alternative to overbearing English created, used, and abused by Koreans in the first place, but you know using a language your customers actually understand isn't such a bad idea. There are few things less pleasant-sounding here than a string of English words pronounced in Korean, making it impossible for me to watch about 70% of what's on TV.
It is, as one of the women quoted in the
Being a woman must be fun sometimes.
You can do all your shopping at sidewalk vendors, and wear things like this:
But then again if you're a men's you are eligible for socks like this:
But then again if you're a men's you are eligible for socks like this:
Korea beats shitty baseball team, US media reacts accordingly STUNNED.
The Korea Times tells us what the American papers had to say about Korea's 10-2 win over Venezuala yesterday, in an article "WBC Victory Stuns US Press."
STUNNED. In other news, Japan beat the US today, which means they'll face Korea in the championship. Wow, Japan versus Korea. Again. An Asian nationalist's wet dream.
The Los Angeles Times also reported that South Korea's baseball success comes as no surprise. ``Since 2000, it has won silver medals in the World Cup and Intercontinental Cup and a bronze in the Olympics before capping it all off last summer by going unbeaten in Beijing to capture its first Olympic gold medal in baseball.''
STUNNED. In other news, Japan beat the US today, which means they'll face Korea in the championship. Wow, Japan versus Korea. Again. An Asian nationalist's wet dream.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
"Sexy Mong" rogues gallery.
Thanks to Matt of Gusts of Popular Feelings who came through with these pictures of the foreigners who played the parts of sexual predators on that infamous episode of "Sexy Mong Returns" last year. On that post I wrote
Be sure to read GoPF's take on it in light of the objectification of foreign women on other programs. Or on the same program, since one of the main ideas of the show was to gawk at the Uzbeki model.
"Korean girls are good. They’re so easy."
He got to feel-up and attempt rape on a passed-out, topless girl in the back of a club.
In spite of the hour-long xenophobic hate-fest, this guy on the right, a Korean, ended up being the serial rapist, though throughout the episode we were meant to believe he's an English teacher. He's the owner of the line "This is my first time in Korea. I just know about Kimchi and Korean girls."
Congratulations, assholes, you're famous! You've certainly earned it, and I hope the paycheck was worth it. I'm just sorry you didn't get to molest a Korean girl this time.
So, yeah, a big fuck you to the foreign assholes who decided to flush the reputation of white people down the toilet for a few greenbacks. Cool, you got to feel up a Korean woman on TV, I hope it was worth it. In the meantime you helped perpetuate a very ugly, very common stereotype that does very real damage to a lot of us. Your faces are going up here if I get a screen capture because you deserve to be called out. A big fuck you to the foreigners who continue to go on Korean TV and make complete asses of themselves, our language, and our culture. Not that you give a damn. A big fuck you to those who make shows like these, and who can't seem to stay away from spicing up your programs with foreign women and foreign languages while slandering them at the same time.
Be sure to read GoPF's take on it in light of the objectification of foreign women on other programs. Or on the same program, since one of the main ideas of the show was to gawk at the Uzbeki model.
"Korean girls are good. They’re so easy."
He got to feel-up and attempt rape on a passed-out, topless girl in the back of a club.
In spite of the hour-long xenophobic hate-fest, this guy on the right, a Korean, ended up being the serial rapist, though throughout the episode we were meant to believe he's an English teacher. He's the owner of the line "This is my first time in Korea. I just know about Kimchi and Korean girls."
Congratulations, assholes, you're famous! You've certainly earned it, and I hope the paycheck was worth it. I'm just sorry you didn't get to molest a Korean girl this time.
More talk about redoing Korea's administrative divisions.
There's a Korea Times article today on new talk about reconfiguring the country's municipalities. It brings up proposed mergers of Mokpo and Muan county, and the consolodation of Yeosu, Suncheon, and Gwangyang that made news in 2007 but which apparently fell through last year. Last fall I mentioned talk of a merger between Gangjin, Yeongam, and Jangheung counties. Also last fall we heard about a plan---one that accompanied other talk of designating each region a specialist in one field or another---that would reduce through merger the number of counties from 230 to 60 or 70. Wikipedia says these new counties would have rougly the same population.
If you look at Jeollanam-do's geneology---I love citing that nightmare of a page---you'll see that mergers, reconfigurations, and renamings are very common. I wonder if people, then, have any attachment to the particular town or county they call home, or if it stops at the village level. Or if it only exists in a larger since, identification with Jeolla, for example, or Daegu. Maybe I'm thinking too small here, but another reason to oppose all this movement is that you'd have to redo all the signs, logos, flags, and stationary.
If you look at Jeollanam-do's geneology---I love citing that nightmare of a page---you'll see that mergers, reconfigurations, and renamings are very common. I wonder if people, then, have any attachment to the particular town or county they call home, or if it stops at the village level. Or if it only exists in a larger since, identification with Jeolla, for example, or Daegu. Maybe I'm thinking too small here, but another reason to oppose all this movement is that you'd have to redo all the signs, logos, flags, and stationary.
You might be Canadian if . . .
you knew the World Women's Curling Championships (강릉세계여자컬링선수권대회) opened this weekend in Gangneung, Gangwon-do.
Obama didn't say what you thought he said about Korean education.
Cartoon from the Chosun Ilbo, March 12th in which two Korean kids are telling the two Obama children to not believe what their father said about Korean education.
I've been getting quite a few hits from people looking for information about President Obama's remarks on Korean education, so I thought I'd try and write it up more fully than trying to blog between classes last week allowed. President Obama didn't "laud" Korea's education of children. He has no plans to put a cram school on every corner and a "discipline stick" in every teacher's hand. The high monetary and social costs of private education aren't coming your way. Your kids won't be in class until 11 pm each night, and they won't be in school six days a week 27 months out of the year. Actually, rather than straining myself to make a bigger introduction, why not just reprint what he did say. Here are his two mentions of Korea, excerpted from the transcript of the speech to the Hispanic Chamber of Congress available from the New York Times:
Now, even as we foster innovation in where our children are learning, let's also foster innovation in when our children are learning. We can no longer afford an academic calendar designed for when America was a nation of farmers who needed their children at home plowing the land at the end of each day. That calendar may have once made sense, but today it puts us at a competitive disadvantage. Our children -- listen to this -- our children spend over a month less in school than children in South Korea -- every year. That's no way to prepare them for a 21st century economy. That's why I'm calling for us not only to expand effective after-school programs, but to rethink the school day to incorporate more time -– whether during the summer or through expanded-day programs for children who need it. (Applause.)
Now, I know longer school days and school years are not wildly popular ideas. (Laughter.) Not with Malia and Sasha -- (laughter) -- not in my family, and probably not in yours. But the challenges of a new century demand more time in the classroom. If they can do that in South Korea, we can do it right here in the United States of America.
The local media in South Korea focused on these two mentions, twice in seven sentences, with headlines like "Obama Lauds Korea's Education of Children" and "Obama Cites Korea for Educational Excellence." American outlets, on the other hand, looked at the bigger picture. "Obama backs teacher merit pay, charter schools," writes the AP. What overseas readers will need to understand is what happened in the Korean media here isn't that uncommon; fixating on the Korean side of the story at the expense of the bigger picture, rubbing themselves at getting attention in the "international" section for something other than Kim Jong-il or violent protests.
The second mention doesn't really look like a compliment at all, but more like somebody roughly saying "some place you don't know or care about is doing this, so of course we can, too!" Not to say Barack Obama doesn't care about South Korea---hell, the man knows a little Korean (not her)---but the first example reads more like a generic one-off comment than a thoughtful, exhaustive assessment of the Korean public school system.
Korea does have a lot to teach the US about schooling, most importantly its attitude toward education, which in America's case is embarrassing. But just be careful not to read too much into Obama's comments. Choi Yong-hearn, the Korea Times columnist ridiculed on this site a few times for his obsession with the Liancourt Rocks, Sea of Japan, and bad poetry, has done a bit of that recently.
The Korean school system has all kinds of problems. Many Korean people are ashamed of their schools. Many students feel that their schools are ``hell'' even today.
However, President Obama admires South Korea's schools and their products, educated manpower. He praised the Korean students who are competitive among students in advanced nations.
Korean students' performance is known to be superb, especially in the fields of mathematics and science. American teachers are amazed at Korean students' math and science scores. Obama's recent statement is just a reflection of the American people's admiration of Korean schools.
Amazing amplification of his comments there. And Choi, like the Chosun Ilbo cartoon atop this post and the original Korea Times piece that seemed to have spawned this whole distortion among people who haven't read Obama's full remarks, has pointed out some of the flaws of the Korean education system, mistakenly thinking Obama has endorsed it.
It's beyond the scope of this blog to give a full write-up on Korean education; I'll leave that to the many textbooks and articles already written by those paid to do it. I will just address the part about Koreans spending a month longer in school than their American counterparts. I think people are a little afraid of hearing this because the idea of a three-month long summer vacation is as American as apple pie. But just looking at Korea we can see it's practical, doable, and probably a good idea.
Students here go to school 220 days out of the year, compared to 180 in the US. Their school day is relatively the same length, though high school students are sometimes in school from dawn to late at night, sometimes even sleeping in dormitories. There is a half-day on Saturday twice a month, which is comprised in part of a "club activity": select activities include quilting, film, English club, and TOEFL prep. Students lives revolve around tests, and when these tests are finished they have down time. In December, after the final tests wrap-up the students have two or three weeks of little more than movies, cleaning, and most importantly, winter festival preparation.
As President Obama said, year-round school sounds scary to students and parents, but following Korea's example we can see it's not that bad at all. Students have roughly two months off in the winter and about five weeks off in the summer. To make up for those Saturdays, American schools might have to shave off a week or two here and there, though having a month-and-a-half off in the summer and a month off for Christm, er, "winter holiday" maybe isn't such a bad idea. And, well, considering how poorly American students are peforming, and how complacent we've become, I don't think we're really in a position to whine about taking away vacation.
In spite of the flaws of Korean education, which the Korean media likes to point out thinking its clever, we have a lot we can learn from South Korea, most importantly its passion for education. We can bicker about how efficient all this extra schooling actually is, but the attitude people have to school and schoolwork makes me embarrassed for my own education culture. I long for the day when Americans recognize that their position as a global power isn't guaranteed, and is contingent on learning how the world works and how they can succeed in it. And in the short-term I long for the day when Korean columnists knock off this crap about Obama and Korean education.
Gwangju middle school student contemplates suicide atop Office of Education.
A middle school 2nd grader (8th grade US) stood atop the Gwangju Seo-bu Office of Education yesterday ready to jump, but authorities and his mother talked him down. Video report here.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Own a piece of flag-planting history.
The little Korean flag the team planted in the mound at PETCO Park after being Japan on Wednesday is up for auction through the 23rd. HT to JHockey.
Friday, March 20, 2009
36.2% of Jeonnam parents give "gifts" to teachers.
That's according to a survey of 1,660 parents done by the The Anti-corruption & Civil Rights Commission. Jeollanam-do trails only Gangnam, an affluent district and dare I say a hub of expensive private education in Seoul, for the area with the highest percentage of gift-giving parents.
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