Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Ugh. A 36-year-old woman killed herself in her hotel room on her honeymoon in Jeju. Korean-language article here.
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.
Teaching in Korea for nearly four years has taught me that when students go overseas for a year to study English they pick up a lot of the accent but none of the manners.
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.
Nice, um, shoes.
The Chosun Ilbo brings us a picture of girls. Girls modeling shoes, I mean.
Right. Here's another one from Financial News.
Models pose to promote colorful sandals in Seoul on Wednesday.
Right. Here's another one from Financial News.
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.
Dokdo crap is in the New York Times. Fine, claim the islets, but they really need to knock it off with trying to rename the Sea of Japan. "East Sea" is much more neutral, I agree. *cough* I have no doubt Koreans have been calling it "East Sea" for 2,000 years. I'm just impressed they've been speaking English longer than the English.
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.
K-league cracks down on excessive celebrations.
The most important bit of information from this article isn't that K-league players are getting in trouble for excessive goal celebrations, but that Honam University has a football studies department. Course catalogue here. Video here of Pnctnk Ristik Tebnlia Stevica's celebration.
I think about this sometimes, and a great celebration should I ever score a goal or a touchdown in Korea would be an imitation of a speed skater in the corner.
I think about this sometimes, and a great celebration should I ever score a goal or a touchdown in Korea would be an imitation of a speed skater in the corner.
The number of foreigners studying through Korea's online colleges has tripled since last year, to over 1,000.
Japan wins 6-2.
Japan came on strong in the eighth and pulled away to an eventual 6-2 win over Korea in the WBC. If I were the Chosun Ilbo I might write that Korea got beat like it were Yu Gwan-sun, but I'm not so I won't. Japan advances to play the US, Korea will play Venezuala, and both may end up playing in the finals on Monday.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Oh Jesus Tapdancing Christ, the GFN slogans.
So they had a contest to find a slogan for GFN, the English-language radio station in Gwangju to debut on April 1st. As part of their April Fool's joke they only opened the contest to Koreans, or at least to foreigners who could read Korean well enough to find the contest information. The five finalists were announced today (the first one isn't that bad):
They do understand it's the foreigners' radio station, right? That it's the English-language radio station, right? I can't see so good, tell me how many of those slogans aren't even the fuck in English? Jesus Tapdancing Christ. Well, the station's been having some problems already, and such negative press from the only blogger inclined to write anything about it can't help. But I do have to admit I'll listen once in a while if it's online, and you will too, just to see if it sucks. Since you're curious, here are the three I submitted, with a note saying it would be better to call the station "Gwangju English Radio":
I swear to God, if they had picked SUNNY! FUNNY! ANY! GFN! my computer would feel safer with Chris Brown.
Third place:
GFN: the New Voice of Gwangju (by 이수경)
SUNNY! FUNNY! ANY! GFN! (by 최은영)
열린 방송 빛의 소리 GFN 광주영어방송 (by 정주연)
Second place:
꿈을 여는 젊은 방송 - GFN 광주영어방송 (by 박진구)
First place:
Listen more Feel more GFN (by 김우열)
They do understand it's the foreigners' radio station, right? That it's the English-language radio station, right? I can't see so good, tell me how many of those slogans aren't even the fuck in English? Jesus Tapdancing Christ. Well, the station's been having some problems already, and such negative press from the only blogger inclined to write anything about it can't help. But I do have to admit I'll listen once in a while if it's online, and you will too, just to see if it sucks. Since you're curious, here are the three I submitted, with a note saying it would be better to call the station "Gwangju English Radio":
* Gwangju English Radio: The Sound of Gwangju.
* Gwangju's English Voice
* Listen up.
I swear to God, if they had picked SUNNY! FUNNY! ANY! GFN! my computer would feel safer with Chris Brown.
The Ministry for Health, Welfare, and Family Affairs honored four heroes today who died last year trying to save others.
"Buy Korean beef and spend more on quality rather than quantity."
A Calfornia woman, presumably of Korean descent, has written the Korea Times, asking Koreans to buy Korean beef and continue the fight against American. While she makes a decent-enough argument, and doesn't fall back on the myth of Mad Bull Shit, I do roll my eyes at some of her lines. She closes with:
She is putting her own advice into practice because we saw she wrote a nearly-identical letter to the Joongang Ilbo last month. A couple excerpts; from the Korea Times:
From the Joongang Ilbo:
Well, I've cannibalized my own posts for articles and vice versa, but not word-for-word. Her letter in the Joongang Ilbo prompted a response from an American cattle rancher. He closes with:
Lastly, I ask Korean journalists and writers to write more articles and books about the issues behind food ethics and politics. Both native Koreans and Korean-Americans are not sufficiently aware of the issues regarding beef production, and thus it is important that Korean writers provide materials to spread awareness.
She is putting her own advice into practice because we saw she wrote a nearly-identical letter to the Joongang Ilbo last month. A couple excerpts; from the Korea Times:
Cheap, overabundant meat generated from cheap, overabundant grain exacerbates the obesity epidemic. When people suffer from malnutrition, lower meat and dairy prices are good news, but in today's society, where overeating has become a serious problem in many developed and developing countries, they are not. What might seem to be progress that comes with the availability of lower beef prices and more foods could actually be a regression towards one of the biggest problems that Americans face today.
Unless we open our eyes and address the obesity epidemic that Americans have already inflicted on themselves, we may fall into the same trap with widespread adverse effects on public health, such as increased coronary heart disease, diabetes, cancer, stroke and so forth.
You may ask what we can do now. We all know that it will be difficult to break the existing cultural and social notion of beef in our country ― beef and Korean food culture are inseparable. I do not and cannot ask you to stop eating beef all together.
However, I ask that you choose Korean beef over cheap U.S. beef. With the U.S. beef and grains imports, we are driving out local farmers and butchers and turning to cheap crops and meat. Local farmers and butchers will play less and less of a role in providing foods, and therefore buying Korean beef will not only help our local farmers but also protect our own health.
From the Joongang Ilbo:
Cheap, overabundant meats generated from cheap overabundant grain exacerbate the obesity epidemic. When people are suffering from undernutrition, lower meat and dairy prices are good news, but today when overnutrition has become a serious problem in many developed and developing countries, they are not. What might seem to be progress with greater access to lower priced beef and more foods could actually be a regression. Unless we open our eyes and address the obesity epidemic that Americans have inflicted on themselves, we may fall into the same trap with widespread adverse effects on public health, such as increased coronary heart disease, diabetes, cancer, stroke, etc.
What can we do now? We all know that it will be difficult to break cultural and social notions on beef in our country - beef and Korean food culture are inseparable. I do not and cannot ask you to stop eating beef altogether. But I ask that you choose Korean beef over cheap U.S. beef. With U.S. beef and grains imports, we are driving local farmers and butchers out of business. Buying Korean beef will not only help our local farmers but also protect our health.
Well, I've cannibalized my own posts for articles and vice versa, but not word-for-word. Her letter in the Joongang Ilbo prompted a response from an American cattle rancher. He closes with:
It was with great concern that I and my fellow beef producers in the United States watched the great civil unrest in Korea allegedly caused by our product. We were dismayed that what we produce with such great care and pride was so viciously maligned by falsehoods, lies and propaganda for reasons that we still do not understand. Our governments failed us both.
As a farmer rancher I also feel a great kinship with all beef producers, and harbor no ill will towards Korean beef producers and wish them all success. But please understand that the product that we produce and hope to make available to you is the same that I feed my own family with pride, honor, integrity and great confidence.
"Sea of Japan" appears on cover of Korean social studies book.
See, this is why you don't do stuff in a language you don't understand, dumb asses. A globe that appears on the cover of a social studies book uses the correct English-language name of "Sea of Japan," although the Korean organization VANK has had the books pulled and wants the name changed to "East Sea."
Apricot flower festival in Haenam this weekend.
The first Ttangkkeut Sani Maehwa Festival (땅끝산이매화축제) will be held this weekend. There is also a photo contest that has been on since the 16th. It all takes place at the Bohae Apricot Farm (보해매실농원) . There's an article about apricot in Gwangyang and Haenam via KBS, written I don't know when; an excerpt:
It says that you can grab a bus to Sani-myeon from the terminals in Haenam and Mokpo. You can read about my trip to Gwangyang last Saturday, and my almost-trip to the festival, here.
There is a Japanese apricot farm that is not as well-known as the Seomjin Village in Gwangyang but is much more wide and splendid than Seomjin Village. It is the Bohae-maehwa (Japanese apricot) Farm in Yejeong-ri Sani-myeon Haenam-gun Jeollanam-do. This farm was founded by the Bohae Distillery Company in 1978 and has more than 14,000 Japanese apricot trees in an area of 140,000 pyeong (1 pyeong is 3.3 square meters).
Though the blooming time differs from year to year, the Japanese apricot tree usually begins to bloom in early March and reaches full bloom between mid March and the end of March. In order to visit the farm at the most beautiful period, it would be better to contact the farm (☎061-532-4959) to check the blooming schedule. Alternatively, the Bohae Distillery Company plans to set up another Japanese apricot farm that is about 140,000 pyeong at Songho-ri Songji-myeon Haenam-gun near the Ddanggeut (southernmost end of the Korean peninsula) Village.
This farm has more than 50 kinds of Japanese apricot trees including the major Baekmae (white flower tree), Hongmae (red flower tree), Heukmae (black flower tree), Cheongmae (blue flower tree) and Hwamae (colorful flower tree). The names of the Japanese apricot trees vary, such as Namgo, Aengsuk, Baekgaha, Goseong, Gaeryangnaejeon, Hwayangsil and Somae.The Japanese apricot trees in Seomjin Village are all Japanese in origin but this farm has many Korean apricot trees among the Japanese apricot trees presenting a more familiar and friendly atmosphere for the Korean natives.
It says that you can grab a bus to Sani-myeon from the terminals in Haenam and Mokpo. You can read about my trip to Gwangyang last Saturday, and my almost-trip to the festival, here.
Fox TV show playing into Korean stereotypes? No.
God, TV sucks. Here's the premise of a new TV show on Fox, Lie to Me, from Miller-McCune:
By "God, TV sucks" I mean the story for the show, not the stereotypes it is believed to portray. It just seems way out there, not like "Numb3rs" or "Fitness Corner," two shows I enjoy. Anyway, here's the writer's summary of a recent episode:
Oh the horror!
Sounds like that plotline is lifted right out of an episode guide to a Korean soap opera. I'm actually more bothered by the first stereotype---"Koreans don't like to show emotion"---than anything that follows. Koreans are the likely the most hot-tempered Asians you'll meet, if you'll excuse my stereotype. Clearly (1) the writer has no idea what he's talking about, (2) the TV show is stupid, and (3) confused hypenated-Americans would have a field day if they examined representations of foreigners on Asian TV.
In the show, Tim Roth stars as Dr. Cal Lightman, who spent years in various far-off tribal places and has returned with a deep knowledge of facial expressions. He is able to detect lies by matching up emotions such as anger, fear and disgust to corresponding facial movements. He uses this skill to help various crime-fighting agencies. An interesting premise. (A show based on a savant truth teller who helps the police is not new. The fabulous British show Cracker has traversed this territory very well.)
Lightman's skill is based on the work of Paul Ekman, a well-known psychologist who has codified what he calls microfacial expressions. Ekman is renowned for his ability to read minute facial expressions and has written books with the Dalai Lama on emotional balance and advised anti-terrorist agencies on detection techniques. Ekman argues that facial expressions are universal. Culture, in other words, does not shape the physical manifestations of our emotions.
By "God, TV sucks" I mean the story for the show, not the stereotypes it is believed to portray. It just seems way out there, not like "Numb3rs" or "Fitness Corner," two shows I enjoy. Anyway, here's the writer's summary of a recent episode:
In a recent episode — "Love Always" (available online at Fox.com) — Lightman and his team are hired by the Secret Service to help uncover a possible assassination plot against a South Korean ambassador. Lightman's job is to detect anger on the face of one of the guests at the wedding of the ambassador's son. And here arises the problem, as articulated by an Asian-American Secret Service agent. Since most of the guests are Korean, detecting anger will be difficult. "Koreans don't like to show emotion," the agent says. "It is undignified." Lightman steps in and suggests that "nationality is irrelevant"; facial expressions are universal and involuntary.
In one quick exchange, the stereotype of the inscrutable Asian is presented and quickly thrown out the door. With the right expertise, the inscrutable Asian can be discovered and can finally be made scrutable.
Unfortunately, while the show undoes a major stereotype, it replaces it with a series of others: the stern Korean father, the secretly wayward son, the shameful silence over family secrets and the self-immolating political figure. In the final instance, the show returns us to a clear distinction between how they live and how we live. Lightman is able to make sense of the lies and the truth by the angle of a bow. The extent of a bow, the show suggests, tells you everything you need to know about this particular Korean family.
Oh the horror!
Sounds like that plotline is lifted right out of an episode guide to a Korean soap opera. I'm actually more bothered by the first stereotype---"Koreans don't like to show emotion"---than anything that follows. Koreans are the likely the most hot-tempered Asians you'll meet, if you'll excuse my stereotype. Clearly (1) the writer has no idea what he's talking about, (2) the TV show is stupid, and (3) confused hypenated-Americans would have a field day if they examined representations of foreigners on Asian TV.
Second attack against Koreans in Yemen.
A delegation of South Koreans visiting Yemen to investigate the terrorist attack earlier in the week were hit with a bomb blast while in their vehicles on their way to the airport. The 20-year-old suicide bomber was killed but no Koreans were injured in the latest attack.
Ichiro Hirobumi?
Well, that's the headline the Chosun Ilbo used after Ichiro Suzuki went 0-for-3 against Korean pitcher Bong Jung-keun in Korea's 4-1 victory yesterday. (HT to Kushibo) The name refers to Ito Hirobumi, the Resident-General of Korea prior to Japan's occupation who was assassinated in 1909 when he was hit with three bullets from An Jung-geun. Bong "hit" Ichiro three times as well yesterday, as the logic would go, and by calling Bong "의사" (義士, martyr), they're driving home the point about their similar actions and their same given names.
Koreans and angry Koreanish-Americans don't like Ichiro, and not simply because he's Japanese and really good. There are quotations attributed to him where he says that Koreans smell like garlic, though the original source is never given. He was also quoted as saying he'd like to beat South Korea so badly in the 2006 WBC they'd won't want to play Japan for 30 years, although that may be a misquotation as other variations also exist.
Regarding Korea yesterday, who Japan may end up playing once or twice more, he said:
Ichiro is known for his colorful comments, so it's not like he reserves them for Korea. You can find pages devoted to great Ichiro quotes, but I won't link to them because they don't cite any of their sources. I will, though, use the World Baseball Classic as an excuse to post what I consider the best Ichiro quotation, on Pittsburgh's rival Cleveland:
It was about having to play a make-up game there, but it's still funny.
Koreans and angry Koreanish-Americans don't like Ichiro, and not simply because he's Japanese and really good. There are quotations attributed to him where he says that Koreans smell like garlic, though the original source is never given. He was also quoted as saying he'd like to beat South Korea so badly in the 2006 WBC they'd won't want to play Japan for 30 years, although that may be a misquotation as other variations also exist.
Regarding Korea yesterday, who Japan may end up playing once or twice more, he said:
“This is a difficult game. There’s a destiny,” said Japan’s leadoff hitter, Ichiro Suzuki.
“It’s like a girl you said goodbye to and then you bump into the same girl again on the street so many times, because there’s a destiny to meet again.
Ichiro is known for his colorful comments, so it's not like he reserves them for Korea. You can find pages devoted to great Ichiro quotes, but I won't link to them because they don't cite any of their sources. I will, though, use the World Baseball Classic as an excuse to post what I consider the best Ichiro quotation, on Pittsburgh's rival Cleveland:
"To tell the truth, I'm not excited to go to Cleveland, but we have to. If I ever saw myself saying I'm excited going to Cleveland, I'd punch myself in the face, because I'm lying."
It was about having to play a make-up game there, but it's still funny.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Nothing garnishes a victory celebration like a Dokdo banner.
From today's victory over Japan in the WBC.
Curious when these people will be made to answer for the relative indifference to what goes in the other Korea, which is presumably also Korea's land.
Curious when these people will be made to answer for the relative indifference to what goes in the other Korea, which is presumably also Korea's land.
The Korea Communications Commission announced yesterday that it plans to make it easier for foreigners to sign-up for and use Korean websites, often off-limits heretofore because of our incompatable alien registration numbers.
Korea beats Japan 4-1, only plants a little flag.
South Korea beat Japan 4-1 to advance to the Final Four in the World Baseball Classic. And they only planted a little flag on the mound at PETCO Park. It looks like they're mocking me when they shoot it at this angle.
Suncheon police bust foreign teacher running drugs.
Korea Beat brings us the story:
And the kicker:
I always said that if foreigners around here would be busted for drugs or other stupid shit, it'd be the dumb asses in Yeosu. Not the first drug-related arrest in local history. Several years ago some teachers were busted at Elvis, a popular foreigner bar in Suncheon. As I first mentioned back in April, one of the guys wrote on a local messageboard of his time in prison:
And an Irish guy busted in the same sweep weighs in:
You stay classy, Suncheon.
On the 18th police in Suncheon arrested 31-year old Mr. L, an American English instructor at an elementary school in Yeosu, on charges of drug smuggling.
According to police, Mr. L is accused of ordering 32 packets of “E=XTC” through a website in the United Kingdom at the beginning of the month.
And the kicker:
A member of the prosecutor’s office said, “working as an English instructor in Yeosu since last October, Mr. L confessed that he used E=XTC at a party with his foreign coworkers, but those foreign instructors have not been charged with use of it since unlike other drugs it cannot be detected by hair testing and there is no third-party evidence.”
I always said that if foreigners around here would be busted for drugs or other stupid shit, it'd be the dumb asses in Yeosu. Not the first drug-related arrest in local history. Several years ago some teachers were busted at Elvis, a popular foreigner bar in Suncheon. As I first mentioned back in April, one of the guys wrote on a local messageboard of his time in prison:
Nobody said that we couldn't do the time. In fact we used the five weeks that we were locked up to great effect. 5 weeks without a beer or a cigarette, and I feel like I'm 21 again. Fuck Betty Ford. 100 sit ups and 100 push ups a day and I'm looking like a machine. Got to meet numerous interesting people, including the ex Mayor of Suncheon who is doing five years for accepting bribes. Read some great books, and also got a great reference from the Governer of the prison for the free English lessons we provided to the prison guards.
And an Irish guy busted in the same sweep weighs in:
Ive heard a rumour that some fag scott went to the police, Alls i can say to this if it is true, that this guy is a complete prick, thanks for destroying my time in korea, the worst about it i dont even know this guy, and if you did go to the police, you are the lowest of the low and basically i hope you burn in hell, sooner rather than later. I heard this guys about 40 and hes one these pricks that had to come to korea to find a job and a wife. LOSER.
You stay classy, Suncheon.
Japan may go nuclear if Korean peninsula does.
Yonhap is quoting a US congressional report that says Japan might go nuclear if a unified Korean peninsula has and keeps the bomb.
Well, I know at least my students would like nothing more than to bomb Japan.
It's of course an understatement to say a nuclear Japan would be a disappointment and a sad indictment of our blood-hungry world. Koreans and others around the world are of course concerned about Japanese rearmament. But the thing about that is, you can't try and restrict Japan, hold them to the pacificsm imposed after the war, rail against Japan's past aggression, and worry about hypothetical aggressive ambitions when North Korea is already developing increasingly advanced weapons and has no qualms about firing them at its neighbors. The North Koreanmissile satellite launch is scheduled for early April.
Japan will likely go nuclear if a unified Korea decides to keep the nuclear arsenal developed by North Korea, setting the stage for a tense military competition between the two Northeast Asian rivals, Yonhap News Agency reported Monday, quoting a U.S. congressional report.
"Any eventual reunification of the Korean Peninsula could further induce Japan to reconsider its nuclear stance," the report by the Congressional Research Service was quoted as saying.
"If the two Koreas unify while North Korea still holds nuclear weapons and the new state opts to keep a nuclear arsenal, Japan may face a different calculation," said the Jan. 19 report, titled "Japan's Nuclear Future: Policy Debate, Prospects and U.S. Interests." It cites some Japanese analysts as describing a nuclear-armed unified Korea as "more of a threat than a nuclear-armed North Korea."
Well, I know at least my students would like nothing more than to bomb Japan.
It's of course an understatement to say a nuclear Japan would be a disappointment and a sad indictment of our blood-hungry world. Koreans and others around the world are of course concerned about Japanese rearmament. But the thing about that is, you can't try and restrict Japan, hold them to the pacificsm imposed after the war, rail against Japan's past aggression, and worry about hypothetical aggressive ambitions when North Korea is already developing increasingly advanced weapons and has no qualms about firing them at its neighbors. The North Korean
Kim Yuna complains about Japanese skaters ruining her practices.
Japan Probe brings us news from SBS and from Japanese outlets that figure skater Kim Yuna has claimed Japanese skaters have repeatedly disturbed her practices and interfered with her routines.
Perhaps Japanese skaters have been messing with Kim on purpose.Or perhaps Kim really is whining (not outside the realm of possibility). Or perhaps it's yet another attempt on the part of the Korean media to turn the natural rivalry with Japanese skaters into a matter of national pride.
* Update: Well, commentor Michael has posted this video in the comment section, showing other skaters getting in Kim's way during practice. It's pretty damning evidence. I wonder why her manager hasn't spoken up more loudly about this, and whether judges or officials are also watching warm-ups. You'd think they'd warn and penalize repeat offenders like this. The Penguins signed Georges Laraque to deal with this kind of riff-raff messing around with Sidney Crosby, maybe Kim should consider an enforcer as well.
Kim claimed that Japanese figure skaters have repeatedly disturbed her practice jumps when they have shared ice rink space for pre-competition work-outs. Apparently only Japanese skaters would get in her way, and it really got on her nerves.
Perhaps Japanese skaters have been messing with Kim on purpose.
* Update: Well, commentor Michael has posted this video in the comment section, showing other skaters getting in Kim's way during practice. It's pretty damning evidence. I wonder why her manager hasn't spoken up more loudly about this, and whether judges or officials are also watching warm-ups. You'd think they'd warn and penalize repeat offenders like this. The Penguins signed Georges Laraque to deal with this kind of riff-raff messing around with Sidney Crosby, maybe Kim should consider an enforcer as well.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
A certain blogger in Suncheon is in the news!
The Korea Times has a little mention of a popular blogger in Suncheon.
Shit.
Police are investigating three bloggers for allegedly posting online articles criticizing the government and then manipulating the number of hits they got to make their writing appear more widely read.
Officers seized computers from them during raids on their homes and offices in Seoul, and Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, Monday. They are said to have posted articles libeling President Lee Myung-bak or denouncing the government on Daum's online forum Agora before fabricating the hits.
Police are investigating whether they artificially made their writings become ``best articles'' in order to draw Internet users' attention and spread anti-government opinions.
Shit.
Jeollanam-doin' good.
Ben at Jeonnam Life dug up an interesting Wikipedia page that ranks Korea's cities and provinces according to GNP and GDP, and pair them with another country of comparable figures.
In terms of GDP, Jeonnam ranks 7th out of 16 administrative divisions, putting it close to Ecuador. Gwangju is 15th, similar to Ethiopia. Ranked according to per capita GDP, Jeonnam is 3rd---pretty much because of Gwangyang's POSCO---making it comparable to Greece. Gwangju is 15th, making it comparable to Poland. Interesting numbers, especially since I've frequently heard how Jeollanam-do is the poorest region of Korea.
I was going to put together a really interesting post by finding a US state that would compare to Jeollanam-do and Gwangju, but if Jeonnam were a state it would rank as the third-poorest, just above West Virginia and Mississippi. Ulsan, the region with the highest GDP per capita in Korea, would rank 7th. Don't be too quick to jump at the numbers, though, and the apparent poverty of Jeollanam-do; West Virginia and much of Appalachia is mired in destitution and distress to an extent that I'm embarrassed there are so many poor so close to home.
Jeollanam-do does have an advantage in that it has a relatively small population, and is relatively small, which seems to me would make it easier to keep things like schools and roads in good shape compared to what I've seen in some places back home. If Jeollanam-do were a state it'd have the 36th-largest population; 30th if you include Gwangju. However, Gwangju has a population density larger than any US state, as you'd expect and has a figure similar to several medium-sized US cities. Jeollanam-do would be 7th. Interestingly, Jeollanam-do---including Gwangju---is just a touch smaller than the state of Connecticut. South Korea as a whole is a little smaller than my home state of Pennsylvania, though it has nearly four times the population.
In terms of GDP, Jeonnam ranks 7th out of 16 administrative divisions, putting it close to Ecuador. Gwangju is 15th, similar to Ethiopia. Ranked according to per capita GDP, Jeonnam is 3rd---pretty much because of Gwangyang's POSCO---making it comparable to Greece. Gwangju is 15th, making it comparable to Poland. Interesting numbers, especially since I've frequently heard how Jeollanam-do is the poorest region of Korea.
I was going to put together a really interesting post by finding a US state that would compare to Jeollanam-do and Gwangju, but if Jeonnam were a state it would rank as the third-poorest, just above West Virginia and Mississippi. Ulsan, the region with the highest GDP per capita in Korea, would rank 7th. Don't be too quick to jump at the numbers, though, and the apparent poverty of Jeollanam-do; West Virginia and much of Appalachia is mired in destitution and distress to an extent that I'm embarrassed there are so many poor so close to home.
Jeollanam-do does have an advantage in that it has a relatively small population, and is relatively small, which seems to me would make it easier to keep things like schools and roads in good shape compared to what I've seen in some places back home. If Jeollanam-do were a state it'd have the 36th-largest population; 30th if you include Gwangju. However, Gwangju has a population density larger than any US state, as you'd expect and has a figure similar to several medium-sized US cities. Jeollanam-do would be 7th. Interestingly, Jeollanam-do---including Gwangju---is just a touch smaller than the state of Connecticut. South Korea as a whole is a little smaller than my home state of Pennsylvania, though it has nearly four times the population.
Says a guy in charge of a Phone English company here: "[C]ustomers don't want ethnic Koreans as teachers, so we make sure that we don't hire Korean-Americans or Korea-Australian teachers." lol
낯선 teaches us a very important lesson.
The singer 낯선, with his latest single "놀러와," reminds us that you don't need an Engrish refrain to make a Korean pop song super fucking stupid.
It features one of the girls from the group Kara. My hatred for them is well-documented on this site. Last semester we were talking about I don't remember what in one of my classes, and the conversation went to irritating English in pop songs. I went off about "lock u body say!" and "every want a pretty," only to have the students sheepishly tell me they had picked a Kara song for their school festival.
It features one of the girls from the group Kara. My hatred for them is well-documented on this site. Last semester we were talking about I don't remember what in one of my classes, and the conversation went to irritating English in pop songs. I went off about "lock u body say!" and "every want a pretty," only to have the students sheepishly tell me they had picked a Kara song for their school festival.
Twelve people have been arrested in connection with the terrorist attack in Yemen that killed four South Korean tourists at a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Sunday. Yemen says al Qaeda is responsible.
My name is Dokdo Korea. I am begging for Photoshop.
Via 화이팅: True Stories of Korean Baseball comes a picture of this dumb-ass sign at the Korea-Mexico game yesterday in San Diego.
Please, leave English alone. Matt also found another dumb-ass sign that tried, and failed, to make O.B.A.M.A. an acronym for something. I'll admit I don't cheer for Korea during international sporting events, mostly because sportsmanship and the spirit of friendly competition go right out the window among athletes and fans, and I've done a good job of not following the World Baseball Classic so far. But I think if Korea wins, and they decide to plant a Korean flag on American soil like they did in 2006 when they beat Japan in a second-round match-up, I might just have to move some furniture around.
Please, leave English alone. Matt also found another dumb-ass sign that tried, and failed, to make O.B.A.M.A. an acronym for something. I'll admit I don't cheer for Korea during international sporting events, mostly because sportsmanship and the spirit of friendly competition go right out the window among athletes and fans, and I've done a good job of not following the World Baseball Classic so far. But I think if Korea wins, and they decide to plant a Korean flag on American soil like they did in 2006 when they beat Japan in a second-round match-up, I might just have to move some furniture around.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Se7en's new video drops.
The new video for the English-language, American debut single from K-pop singer Se7en. Called "Girls," it features Lil' Kim about ten years too late and with a fucked up new nose. Christ it's bad. The song, too.
Really? You're serious? Actually, I think about 1:06 in he tries the St. Louis "err" in accessory, so between that and "whip" you have to at least give him props for knowing what's up in 2002.
Really? You're serious? Actually, I think about 1:06 in he tries the St. Louis "err" in accessory, so between that and "whip" you have to at least give him props for knowing what's up in 2002.
Mission to Gwangyang Apricot Festival aborted for second staight year.
Last year I tried to go to the Gwangyang Apricot Festival but couldn't get a bus from Gwangyang. This year I tried again but it was just too damn cold. It felt kind of mild in Suncheon on Saturday, but it was snowing a little when I left my apartment.
We took the train to Hadong, because although that's a different county and an altogether different province, it's much closer to the festival site than Gwangyang (and, as I demonstrated, there are no buses from downtown Gwangyang to the Apricot Village). Normally it'd take only a few minutes to drive to the site, but because of the huge number of visitors, downtown Hadong was basically a parking lot. We got into a cab and the driver said he'd take us to the shuttle bus site a few kilometers away, although after idling for about ten minutes we decided just to walk.
And it's a nice thing we did, because it really wasn't that far away. On the edge of town is a bridge; on the far side of which is the Jeollanam-do border.
All along the hillside were apricot blossoms; to the left was a nice grove of trees, and to the right was a little outdoor market and the shuttle bus boarding area.
A lot of what you've come to expect at these makeshift markets: dollar-store items, trot music, games, handicrafts, and lots of food. Here's a big pig:
We thought about taking the shuttle bus the extra few kilometers to the Apricot Village, but as you can judge from the line it was slow-going there.
After walking a little bit, and realizing we'd be out in the biting wind for another two hours or so, we turned around and played in the riverside grove instead. Good enough for me.
I spend a lot of time writing about festivals, and I should reiterate that regardless of how fun or pretty a nature-themed festival looks on paper, consider that it becomes increasingly less-so when you invite thousands of people. Crowds lend themselves well to some events, but when you're thinking about going to an out-of-the-way festival that depends on a certain atmosphere and frame-of-mind, think about whether the oppressive crowd that will certainly be there make it more prudent to just enjoy the nature in your local park or on a nearby mountain.
Nonetheless, Hadong's residents have maintained their reputation---from the last time---as some of the nicest, most entertaining folks I've met here. Last fall we bumped into a chatty old woman who invited us to her daughter's wedding in Busan the next day (we declined) and who asked for my girlfriend's phone number. (When my girlfriend asked if she had a cellphone she lifted up her sweater to reveal it dangling from a long clip that hung from her neck.) On Saturday the taxi driver at the start of our failed mission gave us good directions to where we needed to go---and I gave him an extra 1,000 won for making him sit in traffic---, a young woman at a coffee shop (not that kind) told us all about other flower festivals in the area, and a very old man working at the festival grabbed my girlfriend and I by the hand, pronounced us married on the spot, and hollered at passing women to take pictures of this union between the US and Japan (they declined).
If you do decide to go next weekend, take the train to Hadong Station rather than a bus or train to Gwangyang. It will make much more sense to walk to the riverside set-up rather than trying to get in a cab. When you exit Hadong Station, turn left and walk about ten minutes to the bus terminal; from there, follow the line of cars to the bridge. Weather permitting you can even walk the three extra kilometers to the Apricot Village, as many people were doing on Saturday, rather then spend forever in line for the bus. If you do make it to the village, it looks quite pretty in this picture from Yonhap:
Because I don't have any other conclusion for this post, I'll post a picture of something that caught my attention at Suncheon Station:
An interesting pairing, and maybe worth comment, but then I happened across this at a baseball-throwing game at the festival:
A little tough to tell from the picture, but the target for women and children was, like, two feet away from the counter.
Do you want to hear me talk? Didn't think so. But if you're strange, you can hear me on this week's Seoul Podcast talking about ATEK, stuff in Jeollanam-do, the hosts trying (and failing) to make me angry, and whatever else could be coaxed from my brain around midnight on a school night.
So according to KBS, what at first looked like another case of a celebrity committing suicide because it's cool instead might have been caused by abuse and rape from big-wigs in the entertainment industry. Seoul Beats, The Marmot's Hole, and the Korea Times have more on Jang Ja-yeon's suicide last week.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Wonder Girls plan to sue overseas groups for plagiarism.
I just checked my calendar and it turns out that today is not, in fact, April 1. From the AFP:
*cough* Well, regarding the Cambodian version at least, how is that any different than the countless acts that go on Korean TV and do "sexy dances" to American top-40 hits or cover them outright? Or, any different to an industry built on imitating foreign pop stars? Some have commented that the Wonder Girls' first single, after all, was derived in part from the semi-hit "Two of Hearts," and their video of "Nobody" was a throwback to The Supremes.
Entertainers in China, Thailand and Cambodia had been 'recklessly copying' the Wonder Girls' songs, dances and even costumes, JYP Entertainment said.
'We plan to take action against overseas singers and music groups who have been recklessly copying their songs such as 'Nobody' and 'So Hot' without permission,' a JYP Entertainment spokesman told AFP.
Rampant piracy and plagiarism in the region had inflicted financial damage on foreign companies which had bought rights to use the songs, she said.
'We will consult with Sony ATV, our overseas copyright manager, on concrete measures including lawsuits,' she said.
Korean pop singers often fall victim to plagiarism in the region amid the surging popularity in recent years of Korean pop culture, a phenomenon known as the Korean Wave.
*cough* Well, regarding the Cambodian version at least, how is that any different than the countless acts that go on Korean TV and do "sexy dances" to American top-40 hits or cover them outright? Or, any different to an industry built on imitating foreign pop stars? Some have commented that the Wonder Girls' first single, after all, was derived in part from the semi-hit "Two of Hearts," and their video of "Nobody" was a throwback to The Supremes.
"Some [foreign teachers] are not ethically qualified to teach children" says supervisor of Incheon Office of Education.
The supervisor of the Incheon Office of Education on why they're using Korean teachers to fill the roles in English class usually reserved for native speakers:
Her last comment, thrown in there like it's no big thing, completely negates any validity her first two statements might have had. If you're going to bring up ethic qualifications of teachers, perhaps not a good idea to side with the demographic that beats students on a regular basis, the same one that frequently makes headlines for molesting and abusing children, or raises controversy for disrupting standardized tests and encouraging students to participate in anti-government political rallies. I think with a statement like Ms. Koo's I'll need to see some evidence of native speaker English teachers at public schools behaving badly. And that's without even addressing the education office's position in light of the whole "Korean English teachers often struggle with the basics of the English language" thing.
``Speaking English fluently doesn't necessarily mean they can teach English well. Many foreign teachers lack teaching methodology and some of them are not ethically qualified to treat children. Also, children have difficulties learning from them, as they cannot speak Korean,'' said Koo Young-sun, supervisor of the education office. ``The problem in securing foreign teachers is another reason we have to work with Korean teachers for English conversation classes,'' she added.
Her last comment, thrown in there like it's no big thing, completely negates any validity her first two statements might have had. If you're going to bring up ethic qualifications of teachers, perhaps not a good idea to side with the demographic that beats students on a regular basis, the same one that frequently makes headlines for molesting and abusing children, or raises controversy for disrupting standardized tests and encouraging students to participate in anti-government political rallies. I think with a statement like Ms. Koo's I'll need to see some evidence of native speaker English teachers at public schools behaving badly. And that's without even addressing the education office's position in light of the whole "Korean English teachers often struggle with the basics of the English language" thing.
Friday, March 13, 2009
In spite of all the posts today I want to leave put a link to these pretty pictures of Suncheon at the top of the page this weekend.
Chosun Ilbo takes a long, hard look at high school girls' skirts.
High school girls like to wear mini skirts, but since they're obligated to wear uniforms at school they have hike them way up when they're off campus if they want to feel fashionable. And the Chosun Ilbo was there.
Problems at Gwangju mayor's office, English-language radio station.
A few days ago the Gwangju mayor Park Gwang-tae blew up at the Gwangju Foreigners Network's (광주엉어방송) board of directors because they wouldn't rubber-stamp approve his choice for chairman of the board. Citizens are complaining there are no checks on his authority and the man's behaving like a king. Earlier in the month he held up the opening of a photo exhibition because he was posing for promotional shots, and when he returned and was met with upset citizens, he cussed them out, too, saying of one man "저놈 뭐하는 놈이야"---roughly "who the fuck is this guy?" I think---and thus inspiring the above cartoon from the Hankyoreh.
Must-read: "Media portrayals of foreign male and female teachers."
Gusts of Popular Feeling takes a long look at media portrayls of foreign---predominantly English-speaking and -teaching---men and women in a couple of movies and TV programs, showing that while foreigner men are often unfairly depicted as aggressive sex-predators, foreign women are by contrast rendered as sexual objects of Korean men's desires. And while some TV shows are quick to highlight the fabricated threat of foreign men, the authorities seem, as the entry points out, uninterested in dealing with actual cases of abuse committed on foreign women. The hypocrisy is not only present in the comparison he does, but also when you consider that the same outlets railing against predatory English teachers also feature sexually suggestive photo galleries and adult-only content.
He also breaks down the episode of "Sexy Mong" I went at last April; I objected not only to the program for employing inappropriate stereotypes of white men---even though at least two of the three "English teachers" couldn't speak English---but also to the piece of shit foreigners who agree to go on shows like this.
Congratulations, you got to hit on some Korean girls, now go fuck yourselves.
He also breaks down the episode of "Sexy Mong" I went at last April; I objected not only to the program for employing inappropriate stereotypes of white men---even though at least two of the three "English teachers" couldn't speak English---but also to the piece of shit foreigners who agree to go on shows like this.
Congratulations, you got to hit on some Korean girls, now go fuck yourselves.
Ban Ki-moon calls US "deadbeat" donor.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of South Korea called the United States a "deadbeat" donor.
I see. 'Cause when I think of generosity and responsibility to the global community, I think of South Korea.
Interviewed after the session, Ban said he had wanted to draw attention to the fact that the U.S. agrees to pay 22 percent of the U.N.'s $4.86 billion operating budget, but is perennially late with its dues — and now is about $1 billion behind on its payments.
That figure is "soon to be $1.6 billion," Ban emphasized. Asked if he'd used the word "deadbeat" during the meeting, he replied, "Yes, I did — I did," then laughed mischievously.
I see. 'Cause when I think of generosity and responsibility to the global community, I think of South Korea.
I hate the war metaphors that are all too flippantly to talk about sports in the US---"I'm a SOULJA"---and it looks like some in Korea object as well.
Gwangju professor killed by dozing bus driver.
Christ Almighty. From the Korea Times:
A picture and more, in Korean. Last month a Chonnam National University professor was murdered by a maintenance man over 40,000 won.
A university professor was hit and killed by a school bus on his bike ride home in Gwangju, Tuesday. The bus driver's dozing off caused the tragedy, Gwangju Metropolitan Police said.
According to the police, the 58-year-old Han was driving his nursery bus on a three-lane-road near Chonnam National University hospital and fell asleep while behind the wheel, inadvertently steering the vehicle to the inside lane hitting Prof. Baek Jeong-seon, of the university.
A picture and more, in Korean. Last month a Chonnam National University professor was murdered by a maintenance man over 40,000 won.
A foreign dignitary escaped Korea without wearing hanbok, but is photographed in a kimono. Oh no she di'in.
Kang Kyung-hee laments in the Chosun Ilbo that a French official's visit to Korea last month got barely a mention in a French magazine. Moreover, the article was all about her trip to Japan.
Nobody gives a fuck, get over it, and while you're doing that, how about not making fun of how we use chopsticks k thx. Aren't you the ones that put whipped cream on a baked potato? I was just about to say you can't force people from around the globe to wear, eat, and feel Korea, but then I remembered that I have a blog with over 1,000 entries, 78% of which are devoted to foreigners wearing hanbok, making kimchi, orperforming doing traditional Korean things. I've even looked at foreign dignitaries wearing hanbok and making kimchi and the foreigners who win Korean golf and tennis tournaments that have to pose in hanbok with their trophy, as if these tournaments are the custodians of the traditional Korean sport of tennis. You can't be a foreign celebrity and pass through Korea wait I lost my place. Ah, you can't be a foreign celebrity and pass through Korea without being paraded in front of cameras in hanbok. Allow me to plagiarize myself:
A full-page magazine photograph of a high-profile French woman smiling and wearing a kimono reflects the aspiration for Japanese culture to spread among the French people. In the trendy neighborhoods of Paris, it is common to see diners eating sushi with clumsily handled chopsticks, and crowds of youngsters in their teens and 20s flock to the Japanese manga section in French bookstores. Many young people have hopes of saving enough money to someday visit Japan.
People in other European countries have also been showing greater interest in Asian cultures, but compared to those of Japan and China, Korean culture has attracted almost zero attention. Korea has attempted to boost its international image, with the previous administration organizing a national image committee and the current government establishing a national brand committee, but this cannot be achieved with catchphrases and self-serving propaganda.
It can only be achieved by having people from around the globe wear, eat, and feel Korea. In particular, as the example of Hakone suggests, it can be achieved by having celebrities wear, eat, and feel the country. Foreign government ministers and celebrities, despite their tight schedule, should be given the opportunity to experience the uniqueness of our culture when they visit Korea. There should be such tours. And we also need to devise a smarter PR strategy to use the foreign media to promote our culture. That way, we can not only spread but also improve our national image abroad.
Nobody gives a fuck, get over it, and while you're doing that, how about not making fun of how we use chopsticks k thx. Aren't you the ones that put whipped cream on a baked potato? I was just about to say you can't force people from around the globe to wear, eat, and feel Korea, but then I remembered that I have a blog with over 1,000 entries, 78% of which are devoted to foreigners wearing hanbok, making kimchi, or
I was going to type something like "Maybe we should make every famous Korean in the US wear a blue Union uniform and pose for an old-timey photo at Six Flags." But that would be awesome. And there are no famous Koreans in the US. Here is Pete Sampress and some other guy, Venus Williams, Britney Spears, Nicholas Cage, Amerie, and Paris Hilton.
Cherry blossoms in Suncheon.
No, this isn't coming up this weekend, but with the papers saying flowers will bloom earlier this year maybe it's time to think about heading somewhere to see them. There are a few festivals in the area, like the Apricot Festival this weekend, the Sansuyu Festival, and the Pear Blossom Festival that should be coming up in Naju soon. Cherry blossoms are also a popular seasonal thing, and if you're looking for a place to see them around here, why don't you come to Suncheon? I ask that as a suggestion, and not as a coteacher trying to be polite but coming across as demanding. Anyway, there is a small festival in Gurye each year, but my girlfriend gives it a thumbs down because it's such a pain in the ass to get to. And the traditional spots like Yeouido or Jinhae are either too far away or too crowded to be worth the trip, in my opinion. Suncheon, by contrast, has cherry trees all along the river that runs through town, and is a pleasant place to spend an afternoon. Here are a couple pictures I took last spring, March 30th.
The area you'll want to visit is bookended by fields of forsythia (개나리) about two blocks from the bus terminal and by Suncheon National University to the north. In between you'll find duckie boats (aww!) and Jukdobong Park (죽도봉), a hill-top park with nice views of Suncheon's west end. A few more photos in my flickr set and earlier mention of Jukdobong and Bonghwasan in this post. Actually, it was nearly two years ago that I visited Suncheon for the first time, while living in Gangjin county, and you'll find some photos of springtime at Seonamsa temple and around town in this flickr set.
2009 Gurye Sansuyu Flower Festival (산수유꽃축제): March 19th - 22nd.
In Gurye county, a festival with lots of planned performances---song, dance, drumming---and some flowers thrown in for balance. There is more information via the Gurye county website; the English site says there's a national arm-wrestling competition. Judging by pictures of the festival it looks like a good time.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Japanese politician wants to buy Jeju.
Who knows how his comments were actually intended, or what the man actually said, but according to the Korea Times, a politician floated the idea of buying Jeju given the yen's relative strength against the won.
To those uninitiated into the world of Korea's English-language journalism, this article is likely as close to the truth as the Steelers ever were to signing Terrell Owens. I like the last part:
lol.
Japan's opposition Democratic Party President Ichiro Ozawa has floated the idea of buying South Korea's Jeju Island on the strength of the yen's rise against other currencies, Japan's news outlets reported, quoting a former chief of Japan's largest labor organization.
''Let's buy Jeju Island given the yen's current strength,'' Ozawa told Kiyoshi Sasamori, former president of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, or Rengo, in February, according to Sasamori.
Sasamori said he was asked by Ozawa in their February meeting how he feels about real estate on Jeju Island being bought by South Korean capital.
Sasamori replied he is very worried about the trend and Ozawa then mentioned the idea of buying South Korea's Jeju Island, according to Sasamori.
To those uninitiated into the world of Korea's English-language journalism, this article is likely as close to the truth as the Steelers ever were to signing Terrell Owens. I like the last part:
The remarks by Ozawa whose party is expected to win the forthcoming Japanese election could spark a diplomatic friction between South Korea and Japan, analysts say.
lol.
Dongguk still uppity little bitch.
The US$50 million lawsuit by Dongguk University against Yale is still on. Dongguk is suing Yale (more here) because the former hired a professor that claimed she graduated from the latter, and the latter mistakenly verified that said professor had indeed received a Ph.D. there. The revelation that Shin Jeong-a was a fraud brought to light tons of other cases of academic dishonesty in 2007, cases found in all aspects of life from the military to the sangha, from actors to bellydancers. Such was the climate that a group of professors selected "Deception" as the word of the year.
If you like Korean rail travel, can read Korean, or know the teacher Charles Cade Yonce, take a look at the latest issue of Beetle Map Travel (비틀맵 트래블) magazine, because it has an article documenting he and his girlfriend's (wife's?) "Romantic Rail Cruise" on Korea's new Haeryong sleeper trains. Sorry, no scans available.
International teachers' union criticizes Korea for the firing of 12 KTEWU teachers.
From the Korea Herald:
As a way to subvert standardized exams they felt were uncalled-for, some teachers in the union allowed their students to miss school the day of the exam or to cheat on the test. Protests continue outside the schools, as they did in December, with unionized teachers trying to get to the kids and get them involved in the demonstrations.
Interestingly, last month came word that a rural county in Jeollabuk-do posted some of the best standardized test scores in the nation. A few days later, it turned out that the education office kept lower-performing students away and falsified records.
Obviously the tests results are invalid, and students had to take the tests again this month. The union may not have disrupted the exams last year, but the tests have been rendered meaningless and the union's ultimate goal achieved. From that same article:
Well they were certainly quick on the scene. *cough* Perhaps I'm just too old to appreciate the irony of protesting exams that will "spawn irregularities and corruption at schools to raise the test scores" by having students cheat or take field trips in lieu of exams in order to throw off the results.
Chief of the world's largest federation of teachers' organizations said yesterday that the recent dismissal of teachers in Korea who allowed students to skip standardized tests was outrageous.
"We respect the right of governments to develop and pursue education reform plans, but we cannot accept teachers' organizations not being consulted on those plans, let alone their members being fired for exercising their professional freedom," Fred Van Leeuwen, general secretary of the Education International, told reporters here.
"It is impossible for any government to achieve their educational goals while treating their teaching profession the way the Korean government does - restricting their professional freedoms, denying their collective bargaining rights, thwarting social dialogue, dismissing and persecuting educators."
Twelve members of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union were sacked late last year for giving students a choice not to take the nationwide standardized tests.
"By dismissing the teachers, the South Korean government has seriously curtailed the professional freedom of teachers, which is guaranteed by the International Labor Organization and UNESCO's recommendation," Leeuwen said.
As a way to subvert standardized exams they felt were uncalled-for, some teachers in the union allowed their students to miss school the day of the exam or to cheat on the test. Protests continue outside the schools, as they did in December, with unionized teachers trying to get to the kids and get them involved in the demonstrations.
Interestingly, last month came word that a rural county in Jeollabuk-do posted some of the best standardized test scores in the nation. A few days later, it turned out that the education office kept lower-performing students away and falsified records.
A provincial education office intentionally omitted 15 underachievers from a report in a desperate attempt to rank its region's students as top-league in the state-run standardized tests held last October.
The manipulation of test scores took place at the Imshil Education Office, in North Jeolla Province and resulted in the region being rated as one of the top-performing offices.
The county office concocted the scores ahead of the government's plan to evaluate schoolmasters and teachers from 2011.
Obviously the tests results are invalid, and students had to take the tests again this month. The union may not have disrupted the exams last year, but the tests have been rendered meaningless and the union's ultimate goal achieved. From that same article:
Progressive teachers' groups lost no time in calling for scrapping the system. ``The disclosure of the academic records will only rank schools and spawn irregularities and corruption at schools to raise the test scores,'' said the Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union in its statement.
Well they were certainly quick on the scene. *cough* Perhaps I'm just too old to appreciate the irony of protesting exams that will "spawn irregularities and corruption at schools to raise the test scores" by having students cheat or take field trips in lieu of exams in order to throw off the results.
“Using a name that’s easy for foreigners to pronounce is our first step to help the spicy rice cake gain global popularity.”
Sure, I can easily pronounce "topokki." 토포키. Is that any closer to 떡볶이 than "tteokbokki"? Will that get the customer what he's trying to order? What's the point of having official romanization if you change it all the time? Anyway, the government opened a Topokki Food Research Institute yesterday. An except from the Joongang Ilbo article:
[Lee Yeo-ram, a researcher at the center] said the Korea Rice Foodstuffs Association and the Agriculture Ministry have already begun to discuss changing the official name to topokki, and having the new official name registered in Webster’s Dictionary. The research institute will spend 1.2 billion won ($810,000) annually to research tteokbokki culture and develop new dishes, the association said. Five researchers now work at the center, and the number will increase to 16. The local market for the snack is estimated at 900 billion won, according to the rice growers’ group. The institute will help boost local and export markets and increase rice consumption, it said.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Golfer Christina Kim suing Joongang Ilbo for libel and defamation.
Korean-American golfer Christina Kim is suing the Joongang Ilbo for one billion won, for defamation and libel after the paper reportedly ran articles on her based on false information that exaggerated and misrepresented her relationship to Korea.
Kim is an American citizen, by the way.
Ms. Kim forgot that if you're of Korean ancestry---in her case born in Korea [edit: oops]---you'd better play to the local crowd. The articles in question don't seem to be online, but it's interesting that the Joongang Ilbo, and many golf fans, have taken this attitude considering how quickly Koreans have rushed to readopt ethnic Koreans as their own. Successful ethnic Koreans, that is, like Hines Ward or Toby Dawson. Or take Michelle Wie, for example, and her father, who told the Chosun Ilbo a couple years ago:
The paper continues:
Well, who doesn't like rice with pork Kimchi soup with extra tofu and toasted seaweed on the side. That attitude helped her earn five million dollars in 2006 for a ten-day visit to Korea. Another CI article talks about that manufactured image:
But that pile of shit article with Wie's father hits on an important point: namely, you can't talk about female Korean golfers without bringing up kimchi. If you're writing your dissertation on this topic, throw a shout-out this way, k thx. From ESPNStar.com, March 8, 2009:
From the Donga Ilbo, December 5, 2004:
From TIME Asia, October 4, 2004:
From the Las Vegas Sun, April 15, 2003:
From the Chosun Ilbo, March 31, 2003, in an article titled "Golf Wonder Depends on Kimchi":
Those references . . . refer to kimchi's powers jokingly. Maybe. Which leads us to perhaps my most favorite example of Korean journalism. From the Korea Times:
Well, in spite of what that uppity Christina Kim may think, I'm glad to see there are at least some people interested in preserving the heritage of the traditional Korean game of golf.
Kim was reported to have complained to the management of LPGA Hana Bank/KOLON Championship 2008 in Yeongjongdo, Gyeonggi Province, because she was introduced as ``Christina Kim from Korea.’’ The paper also said Christina told some press members that her winning the tournament in Korea could be an act of ``vengeance.’’
The article further claimed that she has golfed poorly ever since then, and that no Korean sponsor will be willing to support her after all the fuss. ``She wouldn’t want to be related to Korea anymore since she knows acting Korean wouldn’t do her any good. There are more compatible players out there, meaning there’s less of a chance for her to grab Korean sponsors anyway’’ it said.
Kim’s attorneys refuted the claim. Lawyer Han Sang-hyeok claimed that Kim made no complaints at the tournament. ``She has no harsh feeling about being called Korean because she understands that it means a lot to her family,’’ he said.
He also said the exact word mentioned in the official LPGA interview was ``vindication,’’ which does not imply revenge but ``proves that you were right to do something when other people had different opinions.’’
Kim is an American citizen, by the way.
Ms. Kim forgot that if you're of Korean ancestry---
“I’m well aware there that some say, since Michelle Wie is an American why is she making such a fuss. But you know what, the only thing about her that’s American is her passport, she is “definitely” Korean.”
The paper continues:
The golfer’s favorite dish is “rice with pork Kimchi soup with extra tofu and toasted seaweed on the side.” Her mouth waters when she hears about Bossam (boiled pork) or steamed codfish, and Soondae (Korean sausage) and Deokbokki (broiled rice pasta with Korean chilli paste sauce).
Well, who doesn't like rice with pork Kimchi soup with extra tofu and toasted seaweed on the side. That attitude helped her earn five million dollars in 2006 for a ten-day visit to Korea. Another CI article talks about that manufactured image:
“Challenge plus glamour” is how the marketing people sum up Wie’s image, something they believe is especially good for selling clothing, watches and cars. The teenage prodigy, who often wears pink on the green, duly featured in an ad for Omega watches with the original supermodel Cindy Crawford.
Her Korean-ness also plays a part. Despite her American nationality, when Wie answers questions asked in English in her not-so-fluent Korean, and when she introduces herself by her Korean name Sung-mi instead of Michelle, hearts here melt.
Wie stressed that heritage during last week’s visit. In contrast to a visit three years ago when she spoke both in English and Korean, this time she several times asked to be called Sung-mi. It seems part of an emerging strategy that saw her offer greetings in Japanese when she went to Japan for the Casio World Open last November and endear herself to locals by saying she likes sushi and Japanese noodles. An advertising professional says a surname like Wie will also go down well in China.
Her girlish image is grist to the mills of a marketing industry infatuated with youth. Meeting the press, Wie recited a string of Korean dramas and movies she claimed to love and confessed to dreams of meeting such idols of Korean teenagers as Chang Dong-kun and Lee Joon-ki. Another image consultant expressed doubt Wie had actually seen the soaps.
But that pile of shit article with Wie's father hits on an important point: namely, you can't talk about female Korean golfers without bringing up kimchi. If you're writing your dissertation on this topic, throw a shout-out this way, k thx. From ESPNStar.com, March 8, 2009:
"We have kimchi, and it has special powers."
Ji-Yai Shin when asked why Koreans are so good in golf.
From the Donga Ilbo, December 5, 2004:
Park Ji-eun (Nike Golf), who joined the team the afternoon prior due to her individual schedule, added a precious victory for the Korean team despite the lack of practice rounds on the course. Park Ji-eun drew laughter when she was questioned in a official interview by a Japanese reporter, "What makes the Korean women’s golf so strong?" when she responded, "Kimchi power."
From TIME Asia, October 4, 2004:
The phenomenal international success of South Korea's female golfers is a source of pride for a country that always stands taller when its citizens are beating foreigners, especially Americans. Pak Se Ri's first major victory in 1998 helped pull South Korea out of a national funk during the Asian financial crisis. Millions of South Koreans are glued to their sets in the early-morning hours when LPGA games are broadcast live. (South Korea pays more for LPGA overseas broadcast rights than any other country, including golf-mad Japan.) "There is tremendous interest," says golf columnist Kim Maeng Nyung.
Grace Park jokes that it's something in kimchi, the fiery pickled cabbage dish, that makes South Koreans golf's superwomen.
From the Las Vegas Sun, April 15, 2003:
Adjusting to American food also proved challenging. Lee's mother still occasionally prepares traditional Korean kimchi (a fermented cabbage dish with fish and radishes), although her daughter has acquired a taste for American food.
"I like burgers," Lee said. "But not many times."
From the Chosun Ilbo, March 31, 2003, in an article titled "Golf Wonder Depends on Kimchi":
What is your favorite food? "If I don't eat kimchi and rice everyday I don't have any energy. Americans would never understand."
Those references . . . refer to kimchi's powers jokingly. Maybe. Which leads us to perhaps my most favorite example of Korean journalism. From the Korea Times:
What enables South Korean lady golfers to be so formidable in the U.S. LPGA Tour? It is nothing less than the Koreans' talent to make things skillfully with their hands, a trait handed down from generation to generation for thousands years. Celadon in Koryo and the Yi dynasty are world famous for blue and white china in quality, and you know that pottery involves the same skills as playing golf.
Not to change the subject, South Koreans' special talent to make things skillfully with their hands is also believed to greatly contribute to their making almost a clean sweep of the World Skills Competition. By the same token, Koreans are good at various sports that are played chiefly with the hands: handball, archery and table tennis, to name a few.
Professor Hwang Woo-suk of the Seoul National University who led the first cloning of embryonic human stem cells told in a public lecture that one of his assistants surprised the stem cell big shots of the world with his skills, which were beyond their imagination but actually nothing for Koreans. Professor Hwang, referring to the use of chopsticks, mentioned that the Koreans’ skill with their hands contributed to their success in cloning embryonic human stem cells.
An editor golf fan of an English daily newspaper mentioned that one of the root causes for Korean ladies to play such great golf in the U.S. is closely connected to dexterity, which is also critical to preparing delicious Kimchi, a Korean side dish loved by the people around the world.
Japanese, who also use chopsticks like Koreans, once produced a golf great named Ayako Okamoto, who became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1981 and won 17 events between 1982 and 1992. She was recorded as the first woman from outside the U.S. to top the LPGA tour’s money list in 1987. Among Japanese golfers playing in the PGA of America is Shigeki Maruyama, who is often compared to South Korean golfer Kyung-ju Choi. Despite this, the Japanese do not surpass Koreans in the golf world possibly because they do not attach as much importance to the hands in preparing foods. They use sashimi knife in preparing raw fish, their all-time favorite, instead of directly using hands as Koreans do.
Similarly, the Chinese do not distinguish themselves as much as Koreans in the LPGA tour of America because they do not stress the role of hands in making foods. Their food culture features fire. Mostly they use fire to create taste instead of using their hands. Among Chinese golfers, Hong Mei Yang became the first Chinese player to win a tournament in the United States in April 2004 by capturing the IOS Futures Golf Classic in El Paso, Texas, the developmental circuit for the LPGA Tour.
Of course, there are some other factors that make all the great achievements possible including tenacity and indomitability, two characteristics of Koreans, along with quite a lot of synergy among the South Korean golfers. But without the dexterity unique to Koreans their great success would be hard to imagine.
Well, in spite of what that uppity Christina Kim may think, I'm glad to see there are at least some people interested in preserving the heritage of the traditional Korean game of golf.
President Obama likes Korea's education system, sort of.
While Korea's education fever does have some merits---particularly, it means kids don't loaf around the house like I did in middle school---it's really quite ignorant to do any lauding of it, as President Barack Obama just did. Or is considered to have done, as the Korea Times article is running with the headline "Obama Lauds Korea's Education of Children." Of particular note is the claim that Korean children spend more time in school than their American counterparts. It's certainly possible, what with summer school factored in, but let's keep in mind children are on vacation for two months in winter and roughly five weeks in summer. Students do attend special classes for half-days on two Saturdays a month, but they also don't do any meaningful learning after their final exams each year, as teachers calculate (and "calculate") and enter grades, which means basically two weeks of watching movies and eating potato chips.
Indeed, though I suspect his remarks in context would be less surprising, as it's the headline here that's jarring rather than what he actually said. I highlight the bit about the academic calendar because that's likely all the "lauding" he did of South Korea's schools. You can read the transcript of his speech to the Hispanic Chamber of Congress here, in which he mentions Korea twice. The second mention may not be as flattering as you might think:
Actually I'll bet you he was confusing Korea with Japan when he talked about the academic calendar, but I guess the papers will take any praise of Korea they can get. All in all his remarks were encouraging, and give them a full read-through, though it will take a major attitude shift toward education in America, not simply legislation, to right this ship. The hours children spend in Korean schools aren't remarkable---everyone knows public schools aren't effective here---but they hours they spend studying are, and while American children don't need to be up until two o'clock memorizing crap, it wouldn't hurt to make education a larger priority in their lives, rather than bitching about the oppressive half-hour of homework they're doing each night. I'll end with this excerpt from page six:
The U.S. president called for Americans "not only to expand effective after-school programs but to rethink the school day to incorporate more time, whether it's during the summer or through expanded-day programs for children who need it."
Obama's remarks came as a surprise to many South Koreans as the country's education system has been under constant public criticism due to its lack of creativity and heavy dependence on private tutoring.
Indeed, though I suspect his remarks in context would be less surprising, as it's the headline here that's jarring rather than what he actually said. I highlight the bit about the academic calendar because that's likely all the "lauding" he did of South Korea's schools. You can read the transcript of his speech to the Hispanic Chamber of Congress here, in which he mentions Korea twice. The second mention may not be as flattering as you might think:
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.
Actually I'll bet you he was confusing Korea with Japan when he talked about the academic calendar, but I guess the papers will take any praise of Korea they can get. All in all his remarks were encouraging, and give them a full read-through, though it will take a major attitude shift toward education in America, not simply legislation, to right this ship. The hours children spend in Korean schools aren't remarkable---everyone knows public schools aren't effective here---but they hours they spend studying are, and while American children don't need to be up until two o'clock memorizing crap, it wouldn't hurt to make education a larger priority in their lives, rather than bitching about the oppressive half-hour of homework they're doing each night. I'll end with this excerpt from page six:
So here's the bottom line: Yes, we need more money; yes, we need more reform; yes, we need to hold ourselves more accountable for every dollar we spend. But there's one more ingredient I want to talk about. No government policy will make any difference unless we also hold ourselves more accountable as parents -- because government, no matter how wise or efficient, cannot turn off the TV or put away the video games. Teachers, no matter how dedicated or effective, cannot make sure your child leaves for school on time and does their homework when they get back at night. These are things only a parent can do. These are things that our parents must do.
Gwangju English Propose Event for foreigner of New Tomorrow Korea up! up image in the world.
Gwangju's English-language radio station had a little test broadcast yesterday, the first one of several planned for this month in the lead-up to its debut on April 1st. YTN has the video.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Kidari (키다리), Suncheon's English bookstore.
People have asked me about Suncheon's English bookstore, Kidari English Shop (키다리영어샵), so I took a walk to try and find it today. It's a decent size, I suppose, and has a lot of authentic English-language books and textbooks, though geared mostly toward children. A lot of young adult literature, too, including a lot of "the classics," plus staples of your childhood like Judy Bloom, and the Twilight series, which is popular with adults not so young. If you didn't know, the store is geared toward the classroom and English education materials, so don't get your hopes up looking for bestsellers or magazines from back home.
It's pretty easy to find, though I guess I never noticed it before because I hadn't wandered around those love motels. If you know where the Geumdang Holly's Coffee is, turn down that street and make a right at the Family Mart. It'll be on your left and it looks like a castle.
And for those of you laughing about Suncheon having an English bookstore, shut the hell up. I don't laugh at you when you write shit like "ooooh, I went to an outdoor market!" or "today we went to Bundang's Korean restaurant" or "my family drove on Canada's highway."
More about the Sea of Japan from Korea's worst poet, Choi Yong-hearn.
TL:DR.
This manjust hit on your girlfriend is no stranger to my "Liancourt Rocks" category, having written articles "Korean-American Power" and "Dokdo in East Sea or Sea of Japan?" He has also written poems about Korea's territorial disputes: "Oh, East Sea" and "Dokdo." An excerpt from the latter.
That's bad, even for poetry.
This man
The Meiji Restoration by Satusma and Chosu samurai modernized
Your country, then colonized Korea and staged the Pacific War.
Then, two atomic bombs forced your Emperor to surrender and
Brought Liberation to Korea.
But your invitation of Russia at the ending of the Pacific War
Made Korea divided, even now.
You don't seem guilty of your 40 years' colonial rule
In the most critical time of the 20th century.
Be ashamed!
Try to restore East Sea on the water between Japan and Korea,
And Dokdo from Liancourt Rocks or Takeshima in all maps
And persuade the world with history:
Tell them the Sea of Japan should be shared with the East Sea in their maps, and
Tell them Dokdo was the legitimate single name.
That's bad, even for poetry.
The Korea Times has an article on Natalie White, the American singer made famous by covering K-pop songs on Youtube.
Copy editor, translators wanted.
For those looking for something else to do, the Hankyoreh newspaper is looking for a native-speaker copy editor and two translators.
Pay close attention to your foreign wife owner's manual.
You probably read about the story of an 18-year-old Cambodian mail-order bride arrested for attempted murder for stabbing her abusive 38-year-old Korean husband. Korea Beat has an update today which opens with an attempt to find a cultural source for this incident.
“Cambodian people will think a person is rude for touching their heads. We do not know if that was the reason that 18-year old Mrs. Choun (pseudonym) stabbed her husband after marrying him from Cambodia.”Some Southeast Asian cultures do object to touching on the head, so exercise some caution in that regard. One of the things that sticks in my mind from a college course on cross-cultural communication was etiquette regarding the head and feet in neighboring Thailand. As for Cambodians, do remember not to touch them on the head, especially with a closed fist, an elbow, or a foreign object. Their culture interprets that as inappropriate, and crosscultural communication breakdown may occur.
Gwangju's "Boutique Sky Show" motel.
Finally, a stylish motel in Gwangju. This one is the "Boutique Sky Show" (뷰티크 스카이 쇼) in Gwangsan-gu, Ssangam-dong. It has four different types of rooms, ranging from 40,000 to 60,000 won per night during the week and from 60K to 80K on weekends. Each room has a variety of different styles and color combinations. The photos below are from the page on Yanolja, which has given the mand you can find pictures of each room on the motel's website. The VIP is the most expensive room, and there are two different styles: Oriental and Elf, with the motel having four of the former, two of the latter. A sampling from Yanolja:
The next class are the Special Rooms (특실). Yanolja says there are two types, A and B, though I don't know what that refers to. The motel's website has pictures of the ten styles; a sampling:
Finally, a sampling of the Deluxe (디럭스) rooms, of which there are 11 different styles:
One thing I hear when people ask me---or ask on the internet---about love motels is if anyone knows any with tubs, and as you can see the rooms here have whirlpools. If the map on the motel website is to be believed, it's near the Lotte Cinema, accessible by the buses that head to Cheondan.
The next class are the Special Rooms (특실). Yanolja says there are two types, A and B, though I don't know what that refers to. The motel's website has pictures of the ten styles; a sampling:
Finally, a sampling of the Deluxe (디럭스) rooms, of which there are 11 different styles:
One thing I hear when people ask me---or ask on the internet---about love motels is if anyone knows any with tubs, and as you can see the rooms here have whirlpools. If the map on the motel website is to be believed, it's near the Lotte Cinema, accessible by the buses that head to Cheondan.
English: Catch the disease.
One of Suncheon's newest additions.
Certainly hope the teachers are getting tested.
Certainly hope the teachers are getting tested.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Jirisan bears give birth.
(Photo from here) A very interesting development on Jirisan in southern South Korea:
Two female Manchurian black bears gave birth to cubs in the wild around Mt. Jiri in January after being released from captivity in 2005, the Ministry of Environment said, Monday.
The discovery represents the first time the bears have reproduced in the wild without the need for medical assistance, the government said.
Manchurian black bears, also known as moon bears, were reintroduced to Jirisan starting in 2004, and for a couple years they weren't doing very well. For another perspective visit MoonBears.org for information about bear farming in Korea and the plight of these newly-wild animals on Jirisan. Their latest news item, from two months ago, is an open letter to President Lee Myung-bak voicing opposition to a plan to legalize the sale of bear meat for food.
Since bears are designated as endangered animals here, their slaughter is strictly prohibited. Breeders are allowed to kill the animal only when it reaches the age 10 and then take out only the gall bladder.
The association [for bear breeders] claimed that the regulation has made their lives more difficult as it costs about 800,000 won a year to feed a bear, meaning 10 million won is needed to breed a bear until its reaches the age of 10.
``Moreover, the price of gall bladders has fallen to between three and 10 million won these days, due to the inflow of cheap Chinese products,'' Kim Mu-eung, an association spokesman said.
Kim urged the government to permit the use of bear meat for food. ``Bears' paws are considered a delicacy in Chinese cuisine and we need such measures not to discourage farmers from breeding the animal,'' he said.
More information about bears in Korea from Brian in Gangwon-do.
North Korea threatens war if "satellite" is shot down.
If you're like me you sometimes forget you live next to North Korea. But this is currently the top story on CNN.com and likely on other news sites as well, and thus bears repeating here.
North Korea says it will retaliate if its "satellite" launch from its northeastern coast is intercepted, with the communist nation saying interference would "mean a war." The statement came as the North cut off communications with neighboring South Korea.
"Shooting our satellite for peaceful purposes will precisely mean a war," a spokesman for the North Korean army said in a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
U.S. and South Korean officials have said that North Korea appears to be preparing to test-fire its long-range missile, the Taepodong-2, under the guise of launching a satellite into space. The missile is thought to have an intended range of about 4,200 miles (6,700 kilometers), which -- if true -- could give it the capability of striking Alaska or Hawaii.
Yes, it's certainly troubling that 18% of teachers at international schools aren't licensed, if that figure is accurate. However it was too bad to see an article that should have been about the deteriorating conditions at international schools brought about by lazy hiring and lowered admission standards that allow practically any Kim, Park, and Lee in, instead focus entirely on foreign teachers. Why not find out why the schools are hiring unlicensed teachers? After all, who's bringing these teachers in? Unfortunately, the paper didn't choose to pursue that angle. "An Indian teacher who has worked at international schools here said he witnessed many unqualified teachers at the schools." Really? That's what you've got? That's your source? Ass. And why barely any exploration of why 34% of Korean teachers at these schools are unlicensed, or "unqualified" if you will? So not only are Koreans using the backdoor to sneak their kids in, they're apparently using it to get teaching jobs as well.
Christ. So there's S-line, V-line, D-line (for pregnant women), and now there's a new goddamn line we have to hear about.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Good restaurants in Seoul.
When I visited Seoul in December, Roboseyo hooked me up with a ton of restaurant recommendations in Jongno-gu, the area near Gyeongbokgung Palace and Insa-dong. And he went above and beyond the call of duty: not only did he plot them on a Google street map for me, but he provided nice summaries and reviews for each one. Definitely go check out his excellent work.
ATEK releases guidebook for English teachers in Korea.
The Association for Teachers of English in Korea has released its guidebook on the internet today. The 350-page book is titled The English Teacher's Guide to Korea: Living, Working, and Thriving in Korea Sparkling, and is an excellent resource on pretty much everything you'd need to know while living and working here: how to use a Korean-language ATM, how to hire a moving company, what to do if you run afoul of the authorities, how to be effective in the classroom, and how to be successful in the teachers' office, among others topics. I endorsed it on the back cover and will endorse it again here as the best guide I've seen for foreign English teachers in Korea, a compendium of information that you'd normally have to spend hours sifting through misinformation on the internet and other half-assed guides to get.
It's available online in chapter-by-chapter segments as .pdf files, and will be available in print next Saturday. Definitely take some time to look through it [update: but unfortunately the links are broken, so you can find the files via Chris's blog]:
Introduction and Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3
It's available online in chapter-by-chapter segments as .pdf files, and will be available in print next Saturday. Definitely take some time to look through it [update: but unfortunately the links are broken, so you can find the files via Chris's blog]:
Introduction and Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3
Saturday, March 7, 2009
"Boys Over Flowers" actress Jang Ja-yeon commits suicide.
Jang Ja-yeon (장자연), an actress on the ubiquidrama "Boys Over Flowers" committed suicide the morning of the 7th in Bundang. She was 26.
*Update: More from the Korea Times.
Indians playing for the Pirates, and I'm not talking about a spring training transaction.
A reader and blogger sent along word of this piece from ABC News last week, a three-minute clip about Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel, two Indian 20-year-olds who the hapless Pittsburgh Pirates signed as pitchers last fall. As they had no experience as baseball players before being signed, they're in camp learning how to field, bat, and other basic mechanics of the game. Just like the rest of the Pirates, now that I think about it. Otherwise nothing remarkable about the video, though the two pitchers' stories are kind of interesting.
. . .
The attitude in Pittsburgh seems to be "well, they can't do any worse." The Pirates are set to begin their 16th consecutive losing season in April, and over the last two decades have become notorious for bad trades, bad drafts, bad signings, bad management, and bad players.
Something I've thought about---I mean, if they have no serious intention of competing anyway---is to go ahead and have, say, 75% of their draft comprised of Western Pennsylvania players. Okay, I don't think there are that many eligible players each year, but it's not that far-fetched an idea to grab up all the players in the area, and rather than fielding a glorified minor league team every year---a team comprised of players nobody else wants and prospects who are about a year or two away from becoming busts---why not at least bring out fans to watch local boys do good? And when you consider that the Major League Baseball draft has 50 rounds, and that few of the Pirates' picks ever turn into decent players, why the hell not?
Pittsburgh isn't really a hotbed for young baseball talent---raising a generation of fans who have never seen a winning Pirates' season will do that---though there are some players who make it. The Pirates' first round choice in the 2004 draft was Neil Walker, a catcher turned third-baseman from a high school just up the road from mine.
Consider, again, that each year teams draft 50 players, and consider how few of the Pirates' picks have done anything. If you go back through the drafts this decade you can usually count on one hand the number of players who played in the big leagues. The number gets smaller when you take out the players who made it with other teams.
There are no star players in the majors from Pittsburgh, but I think Pirates' fans would rather cheer for an average local guy than for an average guy fresh out the minors or signed to a one-year-and-done contract. For instance, a name I hear in my house a lot is Cory Sullivan, a fringe Major Leaguer two years my senior who graduated from the same high school as me (though he's from Tulsa). He's not exactly . . . good, but does that disqualify him for playing in Pittsburgh? The Pirates also had Sean Casey, "the friendliest player in baseball," for part of a season, although his suckage was greatly distorted because of his inflated salary. (And like most other Pirates, he became much, much better after he left.) If The Baseball Cube is to be trusted, there are dozens of other Pittsburgh-born players eitehr in the minors or in college, though you really can't go solely off that. Pittsburghers are proud, but not Korean-proud: if you were born in Pittsburgh but grew up somewhere else, you're not really from Pittsburgh. You'd have to look at people who played high school or college ball in the area, and at people who grew up in nearby cities and in regions within the Pirates' ever-shrinking sphere of influence.
Whether these two pitchers will pan out or not is anybody's guess. But their signing with the Pirates will have positive consequences, even though they're treated like sideshows and the subject of constant jokes like "Harold and Kumar go to Pittsburgh," or Pirates sign the wrong kind of Indian. It doesn't help that the gameshow basically was a sideshow, but the coverage often carries the tone of there being nothing more wacky in this crazy, mixed-up world we live in than two Indians playing baseball. Maybe I'm more sensitive to it having lived through "HOLY SHIT foreigners making kimchi!" or constantly making mockeries of foreigners on Korean TV, or acting as if putting a foreigner in hanbok is like putting boots on a poodle, or calling black athletes "black pearls."
And you just know that in a couple of years, when Singh and Patel make the team, they'll be around in the off-season helping out at a local Toys for Tots, when one of the resident dumb-ass Pittsburgh sports journalists will do a piece titled "Singh and Patel curry favor with local kids."
That's not the best attitude, and I'm not saying that only because it's degrading. These two will do in India what Hines Ward did in Korea; put Pittsburgh on the map, in the public consciousness. The average Korean knows Pittsburgh not for Carnegie Mellon University or for being a hub *cough* of cancer research, but for being where Hines Ward plays. Now, maybe they don't know who Hines Ward is---the Korean who did that thing good very handsome he Korean!---but when I tell people I'm from Pittsburgh I at least get more recognition than I would if I were from, say, Kansas City, Portland, or even Philadelphia.
Likewise, my girlfriend knew of Pittsburgh because of Masumi Kuwata, the past-his-prime pitcher who became the first Japanese player in Pirates' history. It would be infinitely better if the Pirates would sign Japanese, Korean, and Indian players who can actually stick with the club and do something, because it might give them a leg up in signing younger talent from those countries,
But for the time being they're a sideshow, at least to the casual sports fan. And they will be, probably, until they prove themselves. Nevertheless, ridiculing the two young men because of their nationality does nothing for Pittsburgh's reputation overseas, and makes the country as a whole look bad if the average Indian conflates the two. Constantly belittling them goes to show that---and let me trot out a cliche here---even though we have a black President, and more importantly for Pittsburgh a black running back, we're still not above laughing at the minorities. Even when those minorities number one billion.
Singh and Patel came to the United States six months ago after being the top finishers in an Indian reality TV show called the “Million Dollar Arm” that drew about 30,000 contestants. The show sought to find athletes who could throw strikes at 85 miles per hour or faster.
While neither pitcher threw hard enough to earn the $1 million prize, Singh made $100,000 from the contest and Patel made $2,500, plus his trip to the United States.
. . .
Neither pitcher has taken the mound in a game situation, no doubt a first for a Pirates prospect. They have pitched in scrimmages against junior college competition.
Both threw the javelin in India, a country best known for producing cricket players, and neither the right-hander Patel nor the left-hander Singh had left his small village before coming to the United States. Singh was born in Bhadoni, Uttar Pradesh, and is the youngest of nine children. Patel is from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, and has four brothers and sisters.
The attitude in Pittsburgh seems to be "well, they can't do any worse." The Pirates are set to begin their 16th consecutive losing season in April, and over the last two decades have become notorious for bad trades, bad drafts, bad signings, bad management, and bad players.
Something I've thought about---I mean, if they have no serious intention of competing anyway---is to go ahead and have, say, 75% of their draft comprised of Western Pennsylvania players. Okay, I don't think there are that many eligible players each year, but it's not that far-fetched an idea to grab up all the players in the area, and rather than fielding a glorified minor league team every year---a team comprised of players nobody else wants and prospects who are about a year or two away from becoming busts---why not at least bring out fans to watch local boys do good? And when you consider that the Major League Baseball draft has 50 rounds, and that few of the Pirates' picks ever turn into decent players, why the hell not?
Pittsburgh isn't really a hotbed for young baseball talent---raising a generation of fans who have never seen a winning Pirates' season will do that---though there are some players who make it. The Pirates' first round choice in the 2004 draft was Neil Walker, a catcher turned third-baseman from a high school just up the road from mine.
Consider, again, that each year teams draft 50 players, and consider how few of the Pirates' picks have done anything. If you go back through the drafts this decade you can usually count on one hand the number of players who played in the big leagues. The number gets smaller when you take out the players who made it with other teams.
There are no star players in the majors from Pittsburgh, but I think Pirates' fans would rather cheer for an average local guy than for an average guy fresh out the minors or signed to a one-year-and-done contract. For instance, a name I hear in my house a lot is Cory Sullivan, a fringe Major Leaguer two years my senior who graduated from the same high school as me (though he's from Tulsa). He's not exactly . . . good, but does that disqualify him for playing in Pittsburgh? The Pirates also had Sean Casey, "the friendliest player in baseball," for part of a season, although his suckage was greatly distorted because of his inflated salary. (And like most other Pirates, he became much, much better after he left.) If The Baseball Cube is to be trusted, there are dozens of other Pittsburgh-born players eitehr in the minors or in college, though you really can't go solely off that. Pittsburghers are proud, but not Korean-proud: if you were born in Pittsburgh but grew up somewhere else, you're not really from Pittsburgh. You'd have to look at people who played high school or college ball in the area, and at people who grew up in nearby cities and in regions within the Pirates' ever-shrinking sphere of influence.
Whether these two pitchers will pan out or not is anybody's guess. But their signing with the Pirates will have positive consequences, even though they're treated like sideshows and the subject of constant jokes like "Harold and Kumar go to Pittsburgh," or Pirates sign the wrong kind of Indian. It doesn't help that the gameshow basically was a sideshow, but the coverage often carries the tone of there being nothing more wacky in this crazy, mixed-up world we live in than two Indians playing baseball. Maybe I'm more sensitive to it having lived through "HOLY SHIT foreigners making kimchi!" or constantly making mockeries of foreigners on Korean TV, or acting as if putting a foreigner in hanbok is like putting boots on a poodle, or calling black athletes "black pearls."
And you just know that in a couple of years, when Singh and Patel make the team, they'll be around in the off-season helping out at a local Toys for Tots, when one of the resident dumb-ass Pittsburgh sports journalists will do a piece titled "Singh and Patel curry favor with local kids."
That's not the best attitude, and I'm not saying that only because it's degrading. These two will do in India what Hines Ward did in Korea; put Pittsburgh on the map, in the public consciousness. The average Korean knows Pittsburgh not for Carnegie Mellon University or for being a hub *cough* of cancer research, but for being where Hines Ward plays. Now, maybe they don't know who Hines Ward is---the Korean who did that thing good very handsome he Korean!---but when I tell people I'm from Pittsburgh I at least get more recognition than I would if I were from, say, Kansas City, Portland, or even Philadelphia.
Likewise, my girlfriend knew of Pittsburgh because of Masumi Kuwata, the past-his-prime pitcher who became the first Japanese player in Pirates' history. It would be infinitely better if the Pirates would sign Japanese, Korean, and Indian players who can actually stick with the club and do something, because it might give them a leg up in signing younger talent from those countries,
But for the time being they're a sideshow, at least to the casual sports fan. And they will be, probably, until they prove themselves. Nevertheless, ridiculing the two young men because of their nationality does nothing for Pittsburgh's reputation overseas, and makes the country as a whole look bad if the average Indian conflates the two. Constantly belittling them goes to show that---and let me trot out a cliche here---even though we have a black President, and more importantly for Pittsburgh a black running back, we're still not above laughing at the minorities. Even when those minorities number one billion.
Why isn't this getting any love?
Clearly you're unqualified.
It's awesome.
And in case you're following the saga, the matter's been settled, and Shin Saimdang's small face has been deemed acceptable.
It's awesome.
And in case you're following the saga, the matter's been settled, and Shin Saimdang's small face has been deemed acceptable.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Exorcist killed teenager in Damyang, disposed of corpse in Jindo.
Police have arrested "Park" and two others, and are looking for one more in connection with this:
I've never seen somebody burn a corpse. I wonder what it looks like.
Ah, got it. Here's another reenactment picture:
According to police, Park and his fellows beat a 17-year-old boy, also identified as Park, to death, during an exorcism on Feb. 13 2005 at his office in Damyang, South Jeolla Province.
They moved the victim's body to Jindo, also in south Jeolla Province, by car the next day and secretly buried it on a hillside and reported the boy missing to conceal their crime, the police said. They retrieved his corpse a month later and burned it and even tried to manipulate telephone records to create alibis, investigators said.
The victim had reportedly been staying at the exorcist's house for several weeks to cure mental illness.
I've never seen somebody burn a corpse. I wonder what it looks like.
Ah, got it. Here's another reenactment picture:
Jason Ryan on teaching English in South Korea.
As I'm sure you've already seen by now, Jason Ryan of kimchi-icecream has put together a series of posts for native speaker English teachers in Korea. Pieced together from orientation guides he wrote a couple of years ago, they're an interesting read on a number of different facets of our life. Here's what he's got so far:
* 8 Tips for Foreign English Instructors Co-teaching with a Korean English Teacher
* New Foreign English Instructors -- First Day In Your New Apartment Checklist
* First Day At School For New Native English Teachers in Korean Public Schools -- Checklist
* Introduction For New Foreign English Teachers To The Korean Public School Environment
* "I can’t think of any English lesson topics . . ." Lesson Plan Topics List For New Foreign English Teachers In Korean Public Schools
* Extra English Conversation Classes: Setting them up; Mixed levels; Getting paid; class size limits and levels of students in the class
* TESL/TEFL Teaching Method and Theory Books, Lesson Plan and Teaching Resource Books For New Foreign English Teachers In Korean Public Schools
* Korean English Co-Teacher Issues: Techniques, Challenges, and Strategies
* New Foreign English Teachers in Korean Public Schools--Summer and Winter Camps Checklist
* New Foreign English Teachers in Korean Public Schools -- One Foreign Instructor's Take On Some Major Cultural Differences
* New Foreign English Teachers in Korean Public Schools -- Health and Homesickness in Korea
Jason also has the, um, interesting task of teaching teachers once in a while; he just started a six-month stretch of an intensive program. I've mentioned Jeollanam-do's own teacher training program a couple of times, and by now just about all of the English teachers at my schools, all 12 or so of them, have attended the camp in Damyang either over the summer or for a month-long stint during the school year. Baby steps, I know, but I've questioned how effective the program ultimately is. The teachers generally do have fun,because even though it means being away from home during the week, and I know that at least some of the native speaker teachers there put in a lot of time and effort preparing lessons. As I know from trying weekly teachers' workshops at school, it can be a really tough crowd.
But one of the challenges is trying to demonstrate the effectiveness of communicative language teaching to a group of teachers who were raised, trained, and hired in a system in which it's totally inappropriate. A couple of my colleagues have returned from the camp---which they admitted they didn't want to attend because of how inconvenient it is to be sequestered away from their family and students for an extended time---having learned some new things, but ultimately unsure what to do with them. Baby steps, I know. Here's something I wrote on an earlier post:
In the context of the earlier post I was comparing the numerous training and professional-development opportunities our Korean colleagues have with the absence of any for us. Not only that, there sometimes seems like no thought whatsoever is given to what, exactly, native English speakers are supposed to accomplish in the classroom, or why they're there in the first place. Teachers who don't bother showing up to class or who never attend the weekly workshops are given month-long training opportunities; yes, I know they don't see them as "opportunities." Moreover, and I'm not sure if this is a program similar to Jason's, teachers here can attend a six-month intensive program; five months are at a university here in Korea, with the final month spent at a university in an English-speaking country. If they choose to get an advanced degree from such a university they are permitted to leave school and will have half the cost of tuition covered by the government. As far as I can tell, though, none of these teachers have returned with any insight into how to teach with a native English speaker, or with any intention of introducing communicative competence into a subject taught solely for tests.
Anyway, let me bring this back around. In that first post on the program in Damyang I cited a blog of a teacher recently hired to teach there. I happened to check it just now and I see her final post is "The pros and cons of working/living at JETI," JETI being the name of the the training institute which holds the Jeollanam-do teachers' training. Long story short, she left after only five months, and her complaints are ones we see repeated on blogs all the time, including this one. But I hope those aren't the only ones that informed her decision, because things like the rural location and the consequent sparse transportation and amenities are things that go without saying in an isolated area like Damyang. Likewise some of the cultural differences, such as a lack of communication and the impression that there is "no room for negotiation or having an opinion" because
are things that, quite frankly, you need to just deal with when you work and live in a foreign country. They can be exceedingly frustrating, of course, but that's basically a reflection of your own degree of (mal)adjustment. So I'd recommend that new teachers take the information provided by Jason and others not from the perspective of "how can these Koreans help me get what I want?" but from "how can this help me do my job better?"
* 8 Tips for Foreign English Instructors Co-teaching with a Korean English Teacher
* New Foreign English Instructors -- First Day In Your New Apartment Checklist
* First Day At School For New Native English Teachers in Korean Public Schools -- Checklist
* Introduction For New Foreign English Teachers To The Korean Public School Environment
* "I can’t think of any English lesson topics . . ." Lesson Plan Topics List For New Foreign English Teachers In Korean Public Schools
* Extra English Conversation Classes: Setting them up; Mixed levels; Getting paid; class size limits and levels of students in the class
* TESL/TEFL Teaching Method and Theory Books, Lesson Plan and Teaching Resource Books For New Foreign English Teachers In Korean Public Schools
* Korean English Co-Teacher Issues: Techniques, Challenges, and Strategies
* New Foreign English Teachers in Korean Public Schools--Summer and Winter Camps Checklist
* New Foreign English Teachers in Korean Public Schools -- One Foreign Instructor's Take On Some Major Cultural Differences
* New Foreign English Teachers in Korean Public Schools -- Health and Homesickness in Korea
Jason also has the, um, interesting task of teaching teachers once in a while; he just started a six-month stretch of an intensive program. I've mentioned Jeollanam-do's own teacher training program a couple of times, and by now just about all of the English teachers at my schools, all 12 or so of them, have attended the camp in Damyang either over the summer or for a month-long stint during the school year. Baby steps, I know, but I've questioned how effective the program ultimately is. The teachers generally do have fun,
But one of the challenges is trying to demonstrate the effectiveness of communicative language teaching to a group of teachers who were raised, trained, and hired in a system in which it's totally inappropriate. A couple of my colleagues have returned from the camp---which they admitted they didn't want to attend because of how inconvenient it is to be sequestered away from their family and students for an extended time---having learned some new things, but ultimately unsure what to do with them. Baby steps, I know. Here's something I wrote on an earlier post:
Funny anecdote, a colleague came back from spending a month at the teachers' training camp in Damyang. You know, the one where twentysomething white people show Korean teachers with twenty years' experience how to teach English? Yeah, anyway, she really enjoyed it and learned a lot, but told me that she won't use any of the activities at our school because her students don't like speaking English. Nice, a month of free training that amounts to little more than upward mobility and promotion points.
In the context of the earlier post I was comparing the numerous training and professional-development opportunities our Korean colleagues have with the absence of any for us. Not only that, there sometimes seems like no thought whatsoever is given to what, exactly, native English speakers are supposed to accomplish in the classroom, or why they're there in the first place. Teachers who don't bother showing up to class or who never attend the weekly workshops are given month-long training opportunities; yes, I know they don't see them as "opportunities." Moreover, and I'm not sure if this is a program similar to Jason's, teachers here can attend a six-month intensive program; five months are at a university here in Korea, with the final month spent at a university in an English-speaking country. If they choose to get an advanced degree from such a university they are permitted to leave school and will have half the cost of tuition covered by the government. As far as I can tell, though, none of these teachers have returned with any insight into how to teach with a native English speaker, or with any intention of introducing communicative competence into a subject taught solely for tests.
Anyway, let me bring this back around. In that first post on the program in Damyang I cited a blog of a teacher recently hired to teach there. I happened to check it just now and I see her final post is "The pros and cons of working/living at JETI," JETI being the name of the the training institute which holds the Jeollanam-do teachers' training. Long story short, she left after only five months, and her complaints are ones we see repeated on blogs all the time, including this one. But I hope those aren't the only ones that informed her decision, because things like the rural location and the consequent sparse transportation and amenities are things that go without saying in an isolated area like Damyang. Likewise some of the cultural differences, such as a lack of communication and the impression that there is "no room for negotiation or having an opinion" because
You must do what you are told no matter how much you disagree because in the end you never win a battle in Korea
are things that, quite frankly, you need to just deal with when you work and live in a foreign country. They can be exceedingly frustrating, of course, but that's basically a reflection of your own degree of (mal)adjustment. So I'd recommend that new teachers take the information provided by Jason and others not from the perspective of "how can these Koreans help me get what I want?" but from "how can this help me do my job better?"
An-do needs a nickname.
Yeosu's An-do (안도) is looking for an English "brand name" in order to make it better-known to foreigners, and is asking the public to help. From the 6th through the 20th, locals can submit their entries. Where they can submit their entries, I don't know. Don't worry about it, though; I'll give you three tries to guess in what language information about the English-name contest appears. *cough*
Which means that even though English-speakers aren't wanted for the actual naming, we can still take bets on what we think they'll come up with.
* "Ando Bubbling!"
* "World's most full Heritage and Green sun Light island, An-do, for all The good Environments."
* "Ando is Our Land!"
* "Beautiful Ando: Fuck fuck motherfucker fuck fuck nigga fuck fuck."
* "Aha! Suncheon."
Well, in spite of the vulgar and/or completely ridiculous name we're sure to get next month, An-do looks pretty. It's way out there off the coast of Geumo-do, which itself is off the southern coast of Dolsan-do. It's accessible by ferry from Yeosu and is part of Dadohae Haesang National Park, which goes clear over to Shinan county.
Reminder about waygook.org.
Since this week was the start of the new school year, it's time for the obligatory plug for Waygook.org, a site for sharing lesson plans and for talking to other teachers. I'm the second-in-command over there, and the only moderator left in Korea; an introductory message I wrote for new members back in November is here. It started out in 2006 as a glorified mailing list for Jeollanam-do public school teachers, but has grown to include people from all over the country. Feel free to visit, share, borrow, and talk, and to all you many, many lurkers . . . "Need a penny, take a penny; have a penny, leave a penny." Being the only native English speaker in school, as we almost always are, there's not many opportunities for us to collaborate and bounce ideas off one another, and in this coming semester I'd like to see a little more of that on the website.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Here are some ig'nant-ass English teachers in Busan.
Some EPIK teachers in Busan have decided to hold a public petition-signing this Sunday because the unfavorable exchange rate means they're now earning less than they had originally believed they would. The organizer has only been in the country since September, so I'm not sure the indignation is really justified. As she writes on another group:
Um, what? No word on the person to whom they'll refund their extra money when the won drops back to 1,000 on the dollar.
Are you interested in joining my petition to increase EPIK pay due to the dramatically HORRIBLE won? Contact me if so.
Um, what? No word on the person to whom they'll refund their extra money when the won drops back to 1,000 on the dollar.
More information about piece-of-shit student in Incheon.
This morning one of the more sensational stories was a video that showed a bully kicking the crap out of her classmate while her friends watched and filmed. The Korea Times has more this evening in English:
The clip is assumed to have been taken by one of the offender's friends between January and February but it became an issue when it was uploaded on online portals. Police are tracing how the images were uploaded.
According to the police, the offenders received relatively minor punishment from the school ― they were only ordered to clean up the campus.
However, Police said they would investigate further as the extent of the violence shown in the video clip was extreme. ``We are going to investigate and hold those responsible accountable,'' a police officer said.
The case shocked Internet users. However, the offender responded with hostility.
On her Web site, she said, ``You don't know me at all, who do you think I am? Why do you bring up things that happened in February?'' She added, ``There's nothing you can do anyway. I'm only 13 years old and they can't send me to juvenile reformatory.''
Yeah, fuck you and fuck the school that didn't do shit. As Korea Beat wryly points out, there really shouldn't be any question how the video and the victim's personal information found its way online. And if you look at the comparative size of the victim, who gets kicked repeatedly in the head by a much larger bully (and whose compulsive hand-rubbing is almost just as tough to watch), you also have to question the validity of the claim that she spread bad rumors about her attacker.
Hospital porn!
We already have what can be called "funeral porn," right? The camera man gets right up in there on Chun Yu-ok of the Grand National Party, on the day she was attacked by a group of displeased activists. The attack was shocking because it was perpetrated by people not serving in the National Assembly.
Incheon middle school student beats classmate on tape.
This has become big news today. Back in January a student beat up a classmate for spreading rumors about her. A group of friends looked on and filmed it, and ultimately uploaded it and the girl's personal information to the internet. Here it is
About a year ago, Gusts of Popular Feeling looked at similar cases of bullying and humiliation in Korean schools, a post which leads off with the story of Korean students in New Zealand who tortured a classmate for an hour.
* When this gets pulled again, just run a Naver search to get to one of the other copies.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Natalie White's here.
Here's your answer, Rob; American singer Natalie White (나탈리 화이트) was in town on the 2nd to film an episode of "Star King," a popular talent show on TV.
White, perhaps better known as Pumashock, became an internet sensation here after videos of her singing songs by Lee Hyori and Girls' Generation, in Korean, made their way around last month.
But it looks like her fame hasn't come without a price. She addresses some of the negative comments she's been receiving online; an excerpt from her YouTube page:
Anyway, have a look at her rework of Girls' Generation's ubiquitous hit "Gee":
White, perhaps better known as Pumashock, became an internet sensation here after videos of her singing songs by Lee Hyori and Girls' Generation, in Korean, made their way around last month.
But it looks like her fame hasn't come without a price. She addresses some of the negative comments she's been receiving online; an excerpt from her YouTube page:
SO, I hadn't been able to check my YouTube in a while ever since this Seoul trip came up...but I took a minute to peek at it this morning...
I have to say, the amount of negativity I found spread on the page was really baffling. It's sad that people would actually take time out of their day to spread such nonsensical hate. Certainly there are more pressing activities to attend to in life?? Hmm?? I don't understand how my simple love for music...music all over the world...has managed to offend anyone. It's weird and supremely stupid. If you're hoping your ignorant words will penetrate my heart or deter me from doing what I love to do, then you're sadly mistaken. I am not bound by your petty racism....YOU are. You are the ones who will remain trapped, burning in your own lack of intelligence, while I will continue to enjoy life and all the beauty there is in the world. I am a proud Black woman who loves her skin and her heritage. It's for that reason that I'm not afraid to see the beauty in other cultures. What are YOU afraid of? I don't think I'm better than anyone, but I'm certainly better than racism. Understand that it doesn't even reach my ears...your evil words will come to me, fizzle out, and die at my feet. So give it up. It's powerless.
This is the final time I will address this foolishness.
Anyway, have a look at her rework of Girls' Generation's ubiquitous hit "Gee":
Zhang Yimou to teach at Dankook University.
This is interesting news, from the Korea Times, which says the acclaimed director will be with the school for two years.
I wonder if his lectures will be given through an interpreter, then. I wonder, too, if they actually asked him to come work in Korea the same year he was directing the Opening Ceremony.
``I would like to bring the two cultures of Korea and China together through discussion with Korean students and artists,'' Zhang was quoted as saying.
The director will hold two lectures under the tentative title ``Literature and Images, the Reality of Cultural Contents,'' and also attend a seminar for experts and professors in the film industry.
Kim added that Zhang had to refuse last year due to his busy schedule as the director for the Olympic Games, but managed to fit the post in his schedule for the next two years.
I wonder if his lectures will be given through an interpreter, then. I wonder, too, if they actually asked him to come work in Korea the same year he was directing the Opening Ceremony.
Korea Beat brings us the story from Yeosu of a vice-principal up for promotion, a man who apparently