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The Anti-English Spectrum Detective Agency

PANELISTS
Luke Martin (ROKetship), Rob Ouwehand (Roboseyo, Hub of Sparkle)

MAIN TOPIC

Foreigners hope to teach South Korea dangers of bias (LA Times)

Anti-English Spectrum Dude on ATEK Petition

“Let’s not forget the grudge over Hongdae!”

NEWS AND STUFF

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton given Korean name by the ROK-US Alliance Friendship Society.

The surname “Han,” meaning Korea, is derived from the Korean pronunciation of the letter “H” in the name “Hillary.” With the conferment of the surname, Clinton will become the founder of the “Sejong Han” family. Secretary Clinton is the first “Han” from “Sejong-ro” or Sejong Street, the main street in central Seoul where the U.S. Embassy is located.

The name “Hi-sook” is a combination of two separate Chinese characters. “Hi” stands for “Shining,” while “Sook” is for “Clear.” “We believe that these are the attributes that have led to the appointment of Hillary Clinton as the 67th U.S. Secretary of State. Her clear vision and political insight will make important contributions in setting the stage for peace on the Korean Peninsula,” added Suh.

Waiting for a Killer

Netizens Convicted in Newspaper Boycott Case

Women’s Organizations Compile List of Bad Court Decisions

Seoul Police Lost Counterfeit Money

Fake W10,000 Circulating.

THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO WHAA?

Young Women Using Wheelchairs to Fool US Immigration: Kukmin Ilbo

“The Westerner working in Korea needs to keep certain philosophic principles in mind.”

-          New Brian drinking game: do a spit take every time he *coughs*

The “English Teachers Are Gang Rapists” TV Show

Get mad. Get real mad.

Sex Tourism from Japan Increasing?

Korean volleyball star turned model available from Japanese prostitution site.

Japan to Korea Tunnel Project Makes Progress

Take the train to Jeju.

Korea Beat › Gangnam Seeking to Attract Medical Tourism

Pic of giant cheeseburger at Hamburger Festival

Seoul is _________.

Which is your favorite?

-          Seoul is Transfer-sounds like they’re saying, “Seoul is harmful.”

Bae Yong-joon coins sell out

Music director defends Boys Before Flowers soundtrack

EXPAT COMMUNITY

“American Kim Kwang Suk” on Star King.

English-language legal services page rates poorly.

Logical Fallacies 한국판

One of our new favorite bloggers gives us a new list

TIME WASTERS OF THE WEEK

YouTube – davemartinband

Bwahahaha! Korean Drug-Related Language Mishap

For My Eyes Only

Eat Your Snack Food

“Not delicious.  Not terrible.  But it’s protein.”

The album cover meme strikes again (I did this a year ago,…

1. The name of the band is based on a random Wikipedia page.
2. The last four words of the very last quotation on the Random Quotations page is the title of your album.
3. The third picture in Flickr’s Interesting Photos From The Last 7 Days will be your album cover.
4. Use your graphics program of choice to throw them together, and post the result.

PLUGS
Buy Us a Beer

The Supplier
(those who have given us swag)

John Kim

Life of the Party
(those who have donated at least $20)
Aaron Shearin
Naomi Neckoway
Chae An
Kevin R.
Otto Silver

Drinking Buddies
(those who have bought us beers)
Mary Campbell
Mimi Snider
Elton Fry
Therese MacSeain

Toast to Absent Friends

GoToMyPC
Ex-Pat Living (The Korea Herald)
ESL Planet Recruiting
SEOUL Magazine
ZenKimchi.com
KOTESOL

NEXT WEEK
Karl Mamer (and the return of Stafford)

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The Korean Council for Telvision Decency

PANELIST
Mark Russell (Korea Pop Wars, Korea Gig Guide, Pop Goes Korea)

MAIN TOPIC

The culture wars in Korean pop

NEWS AND STUFF

Democracy Advocate, Cardinal Stephen Kim Dies at Age 86

Court throws out case against PD Diary, producers not accountable for protests.

Big water shortage in Gangwon-do.

Daylight saving time coming to Korea.

KTX is a Disaster Waiting to Happen

THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO WHAA?

Vulgar Pizza Etang commercial?

Korean-American Power and Dokdo!

A good day for bad columns.

Correcting them uneducated Americans about the East Sea
Some Maryland legislators have been talked into using “East Sea.” Brian: “supplant what’s considered coercion by coercion”

The RAS has an upcoming lecture that may or may not change anyone’s final opinions on the topic, but it WILL leave everyone much better informed. Here is the official RAS announcement for Marmot’s Holers:

Tues. February 24, 2009,
RAS Lecture Meeting
Dr. Kim, Yongdeok
7:30 p.m 2nd floor, Residents lounge
Somerset Palace, Seoul

On the Tourism Front

More UK travellers heading to South Korea – Just the Flight

Jeju Nude Beach?
Nudist Beaches for Westerners: Koreans’ stereotypes exposed? « The Grand Narrative

Is “Robot Land” Breaking Ground?

TIME WASTERS OF THE WEEK

Korean Hwacha on ‘Mythbusters’

Creative Korean Advertising #7: Get the Native Tongue?

there’s still a certain irony in “the native tongue” being advertised by people that clearly don’t quite have it themselves yet

In order to promote intensive foreign language courses at Korea University, we have designed a poster box with foreigners’s tongue flier attached. The tongue-like fliers contain catch phrase like “Get the native tongue” along with contact information of the institute. When pulling out the flier, students can visualize themselves speaking in fluent tongue just like the native speakers. This as can convey the message to the students and the institute will be remembered as an optimum place to improve their language skills.

Today’s WTF

When Politicians Attack!

17 most violent political brawls caught on tape.  Korea places 3 times.

This is why you’re fat. – One of my new favorite food blogs

Have Your Bottle and Drink It Too with Hopside Down Glasses

PLUGS
Buy Us a Beer

The Supplier
(those who have given us swag)

John Kim

Life of the Party
(those who have donated at least $20)
Aaron Shearin
Naomi Neckoway
Chae An
Kevin R.
Otto Silver

Drinking Buddies
(those who have bought us beers)
Naomi Neckoway
Chae An
Aaron Shearin
Mimi Snider
Elton Fry
Therese MacSeain

Toast to Absent Friends

GoToMyPC
Ex-Pat Living (The Korea Herald)
ESL Planet Recruiting
Twitter
SEOUL Magazine
ZenKimchi.com
KOTESOL

NEXT WEEK
Panelist: Luke Martin (ROKetship)

MUSIC
Main Theme — Ben McPherson – “2wksnyc”
News — satya – “Silk Route Album Mix”
Things That Make You Go Whaa? — cjacks – “Candyland”
Time Wasters of the Week — EV Boyz – “Kickin’ It in Geumchon”
Postmark Twain
Tanya Witt
Uma Floresta
Devin Anderson
Digital Grey Orchestra
Bit Rationale
Kang Jung-suk
Little Red King
Scottish Guitar Quartet
Madman Prophecies
The Moot
Sara Overall
Joe Sibol
ISON
Outside

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The Jajeungna English Academy.  Our teachers are everywhere!  Just walk up to a random foreigner for a FREE English lesson.  They’re there for your convenience and nothing else.

PANELIST
Daniel Gray (Seoul Eats, TBS eFM)

MAIN TOPIC

Can English radio survive in Korea?

NEWS AND STUFF

대보름 Madness . . .
Four people die during traditional mountaintop grass-burning ceremony.

김연아 – Kim Yu-na, Just Set A World Record. Plus, she rocks.

National Police Agency classifies candlelight protest groups as ‘violent’ : National : Home

Coyner’s Comment: It would take the patience of Job, the wisdom of Salomon, or the impudence of Coyner to properly sort this out. What I can say from my observations, most of the folks associated with these demonstrations are not at all violent. However, there are genuine troublemakers out to make themselves and/or others martyrs at the hands of so_called police brutality, often employing tactics that seem more appropriate to a Monty Python sketch than political strategy. But if one can look pass the charade of this street political theatre, there are some fundamental problems that serve as a solemn base for much of these demonstrations. That is, even in better times, there has been a growing economic disparity between the wealthy and the rest of society, with many young middle class families becoming increasingly insecure as to their chances of hanging on to a middle class standard of living. In these times, the problems have become exasperated, of course, and many nonviolent or

http://briandeutsch.blogspot.com/2009/02/han-ji-yeon-is-proud-of-her-new-breasts.html

Taiwan, South Korea muzzle pessimistic brokers | Bye bye sell | The Economist

Cautiously optimistic about the KRW

Going down to 1,180 this year?

Won-dollar Swap to Be Extended to Oct.

Madagascar in Turmoil

I don’t want to say I told you so…

The JMS Cult: Jeong Myeong-seok & the Jesus Morning Star Cult
Rapist Cult Leader Appealing Conviction
Appeals Court Hands Cult Leader Four More Years

THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO WHAA?

“Fan Cafe” Supports Gunpo Serial Killer’s Rights

If You Fail Once, Try, Try 770 Times More

Be careful on those subway platforms, Drunk Man

(Not) Helping the Tourists

You Wouldn’t Have Understood a Word They Were Saying, Anyway
Don’t interrupt the foreigners when they’re eating, k thx.
This Headline Reminds Me Of A Story – Roboseyo’s guidelines for Koreans wanting free English practice from random strangers

Picture of the Day: Japan SDF’s Namdaemun Ice Sculpture

Get a New Cartoonist Already!
For a Second Time, Could Someone PLEASE Sack the KT’s Editorial Cartoonist? | The Marmot’s Hole

http://www.politicalcartoons.com/cartoon/14efd34c-8d3a-4c2e-9794-e1fbd8ec15d7.html

English Interview Tips for Koreans

EXPAT COMMUNITY

Public Service Announcement – Bubbly on sale at E-Mart

The Golden Klogs: Results are In!

English Teachers File Complaint with Human Rights Commission
National Human Rights Commission of Korea agrees with ATEK. E-2 regulations are discriminatory.

TIME WASTERS OF THE WEEK

Good Painter

http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/02/04/asia/painter.1-410764.php

http://www.iht.com/slideshows/2009/02/04/news/05PAINTER.php

Seoul2B

‘Tokyo!’ Trailer Deserves Its Exclamation Point

For Tokyo!, directors Michel Gondry, Leos Carax, and Bong Joon-ho teamed up, each creating a segment on the subject of the famed Japanese city

Using Mozilla Firefox in Korea

And add-on to make Korean sites work

Punk Legend Johnny Rotten Credited for Uptick in Sales of British Country Life Butter

Posh Nosh
PLUGS
Buy Us a Beer

The Supplier
(those who have given us swag)

John Kim

Life of the Party
(those who have donated at least $20)
Aaron Shearin
Naomi Neckoway
Chae An

Drinking Buddies
(those who have bought us beers)
Naomi Neckoway
Chae An
Aaron Shearin
Mimi Snider
Elton Fry
Therese MacSeain

Toast to Absent Friends
Michael White
Matthew Sellers
David Gearson
And others

GoToMyPC
Ex-Pat Living (The Korea Herald)
ESL Planet Recruiting
Twitter
SEOUL Magazine
ZenKimchi.com
KOTESOL

NEXT WEEK
Mark Russell (Korea Pop Wars, Korea Gig Guide, Pop Goes Korea)

MUSIC
Main Theme — Ben McPherson – “2wksnyc”
News — satya – “Silk Route Album Mix”
Things That Make You Go Whaa? — cjacks – “Candyland”
ExPat Community — Deyo – “Retro90210fun”
Time Wasters of the Week — EV Boyz – “Kickin’ It in Geumchon”
Jeremiah Fleming
Robin Stine
Jacques Grant
hairclub fo men
midliFeCrisis
DJWikidDJdUnity
Evil Twin
Kaveh
Deyo
Han Madang
Kim Il-gu
Devin Anderson

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The Christian Bale English Hagwon — “English Done Professionally”

PANELISTS
Bart Schaneman (The Korea Herald)
Robert Koehler (The Marmot’s Hole)
“Skinny” Steve Ward (Seoul Steves)
Stafford Lumsden (The Chosun Bimbo)

MAIN TOPIC

Is the English language media relevant?

For Cinco de Mayo – SeouLoco

NEWS AND STUFF

Police: Gunpo Student Killer Is Serial Murderer

Should Killers’ Faces Be Revealed?

Protestor Sets Fire to Police Jacket

Minerva Claims Telecom Law Unconstitutional

In addition, Park’s defendants said that his post wasn’t false as it had been confirmed that government officials did indeed request institutions to refrain from buying dollars.

Cambodian Woman Stabs Korean Husband

Mystery Deaths Haunt Hankook Tire

Korea to Build Ultra-Broadband Internet by 2012

THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO WHAA?

Hankyoreh Columnist: “Why Not Just Fire Pervert Teachers?”

First Evaluation of Seoul Judges Published

Oh, Those Mysterious Koreans

Korean Tourism Organization Offers Tenure to Sociologist After His Article in the Korea Times Calls Korea “Unique”

EXPAT COMMUNITY

Joshing Gnome’s a DADDY

Wife Gives Birth, I Photograph

English Teachers’ Pay Heading Up

SNU Hires First Foreign Professor of Korean Studies

Osan Airman Arrested After Leaving Base with Loaded Gun

TIME WASTERS OF THE WEEK

Interesting Menu Item

Hyundai Ad Hurts American Pride: Chosun

What studying English for seven years will do.

Photoshop of Korean protester makes the FAIL Blog

Making tracks on a luxury train – INSIDE JoongAng Daily

PLUGS
Buy Us a Beer

The Supplier
(those who have given us swag)

John Kim

Life of the Party
(those who have donated at least $20)
Kevin R.
Aaron Shearin
Naomi Neckoway
Chae An

Drinking Buddies
(those who have bought us beers)
Naomi Neckoway
Chae An
Aaron Shearin
Mimi Snider
Elton Fry
Therese MacSeain

GoToMyPC
Ex-Pat Living (The Korea Herald)
ESL Planet Recruiting
Twitter
SEOUL Magazine
ZenKimchi.com
KOTESOL

NEXT WEEK
Topic: Can expat radio really work?
Panelists: Daniel Gray (Seoul Eats, TBS eFM)

MUSIC
Main Theme — Ben McPherson – “2wksnyc”
News — satya – “Silk Route Album Mix”
Things That Make You Go Whaa? — cjacks – “Candyland”
ExPat Community — Deyo – “Retro90210fun”
Time Wasters of the Week — EV Boyz – “Kickin’ It in Geumchon”
The Suicide Denial
megaphone
Joe Sibol
Fortune for Tune
Tea Leaves
Sundown Caffeine
The Moot
Tyson Emanuel
Vincent Leeds
Namgyal Lhamo
Deyo
Naomi Yohani
Chong Jae-guk
Kang Jung-suk
High Alert Status
Byron Scullin
Brolax Bones
Kathy Reynolds
Stian

We’re going to have a live show Wednesday night, February 4, at 10.  Joining us will be Bart Schaneman (The Korea Herald), “Skinny” Steve Ward (Seoul Steves), Stafford Lumsden (The Chosun Bimbo) and Robert Koehler (The Marmot’s Hole).

We plan to talk about the relevance of the English language media in Korea, along with a good slew of news, views and other ways to waste your time.

Grab your favorite beverage and join us in the chat room.

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NOTE: This show was recorded live at 4 p.m. Seoul Time on Sunday, February 1st, 2009. It runs approximately 2 hours and 47 minutes. That is a bit long for some listeners. I still suggest you listen to the entire show. It’s the most powerful show we’ve ever released. For everyone’s convenience, we have set aside major highlights of this podcast. Click here for the individual stories.

Thank you for joining us on a special SeoulPodcast. On this episode we stray from the usual format to discuss a serious issue that has been off the radar of the Korean media. The year 2008 was wrought with news of expat deaths, from three D workers to English teachers. That year was not significant because of an increase in tragedies. It was significant because more spotlights shined on a handful of cases.

Nonetheless, there is an extraordinary number of mysterious unsolved deaths in the history of expatriates on the peninsula. This stems from a lack of professionalism in police, hospitals and government and from a media that is more obsessed with national image than reality.
With us today are three survivors whose loved ones have passed on but have never received answers and can never find closure.

Diane Blower comes to us from Great Britain. Her brother David Gearson had reportedly died by jumping off a bridge a few years ago. Written off as a suicide, there was little evidence to support such an assumption.

Lee Ramsey comes to us from Alabama. Her brother Matthew Sellers had lived and taught in Korea for a period of about ten years after completing his military duty. In mid April 2003, he ran into problems with a gang of Korean thugs and asked the U.S. Embassy for help retrieving his passport following a labor dispute. Their reaction was to just take a statement and file a report. Less than a week later, the Embassy got a call from a Korean police office saying that Matthew had been arrested and appeared to be homeless and confused. The police requested the Embassy send someone to assist him. The Embassy told the police to “deal with him.” The police took him to a mental hospital, where he was given drugs to calm him down. About 24 hours later, Matthew started experiencing breathing problems. Subsequent conflicting statements reported Matthew dying in the hospital or en route to a medical hospital. A mandatory preliminary autopsy was performed by the Seoul National Institute of Scientific Investigation listing his cause of death listed as “Not Clear.” When the family had a stateside pathologist perform a second autopsy at the funeral home, it indicated Matthew’s vital organs were not returned with his remains, preventing any possible determination of a solid cause of death.

Stephanie White comes to us from Daegu. Last year her son Michael White died in a sauna through what looks like a combination of foul play and medical incompetence. She has gone through multiple agencies, the U.S. Embassy and had even gotten the attention of former presidential candidate John McCain. She is currently fighting the Korean government in court to prevent her tragedy from happening to anyone else, Korean or not.

Their stories are chilling and a reminder that no one can stand by and allow this to continue.

More information:

Mightie Mike homepage
Murder in Room 103, Chapter One: The Dead American on Courttv.com
Brian in Jeollanam-do: Matthew Sellers and Bill Kapoun: Almost, kind of, a strange coincidence.
Death of U.S. Citizens Abroad

U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual Volume 7 – Consular Affairs (PDF)