Xenophobia, Multiculturalism and Sexual Harassment at SNU
Seoul-Incheon Canal Construction to Start in March
Chosun Desk on Hebei Spirit Case and Indian Boycott Movement
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO WHAA?
Dokdo Billboard Threatening Japan Appears in Dallas
Korea shoring up Dokdo’s defenses. YouTube – Do you know Dokdo?
Yea, the song’s here! The comments are hilarious!
Taxi Driver Gets His Revenge
Now That’s Korean Ingenuity
Beatin’ the fingerprint scanners in Japan
Woman Commits Suicide Over Wrong Information
Sexual Assaulter of Daughter Gets 2-Year Jail Term
”However, the court reduced the sentence because, though a little late, he felt deep remorse, did not have any criminal record and his wife dropped the complaint.”
Kindergarten must pay compensation for burning students with hot soup.
Over Half of Korean Female Employees Sexually Harassed
Civil Servants Swindled by Threats Over Affairs
EXPAT COMMUNITY
ATEK Warns Against New Anti-foreigner Bill
New immigration problems on the way?
Korea Beat’s translation of Stephanie White’s story
Michael White’s mother sues.
South Korea, Ireland sign pension deal.
English Teacher Stabbed in Hongdae Club
Gay Korean Movie Star Rescues USFK Soldier Who Burned Down His Restaurant
The worst part about foreigner neighborhoods is the foreigners.
Read this again and replace the word “foreigner” with “black” and tell me if you still find it acceptable
The Hole Works for You
This year, the government is expected to spend some 180 billion won to employ about 4,500 – 5,000 foreign teachers at elementary and secondary schools nationwide. A native English speaker who has just started to teach English in Korea can receive a salary equivalent to that paid to a Korean teacher with five years of experience, an official said.
TIME WASTERS OF THE WEEK
In Videos: Robocop Fried Chicken Commercial from Korea (1980s)
My list of the ten most hated English phrases in Korea.
Commercial Fail – The Wonder Boner
Dcurrency :: Firefox Add-ons
Great for keeping track of the KRW
Korea’s version of haggis
The underwear… man, the underwear
Engrish Shirt via Brian
Check out the small writing in the middle
From the WTF files…
FULLOPAIN
3 Alley Pub Blog
Yes… they have a blog.
New Way to Watch Korean Dramas Online
PLUGS Buy Us a Beer
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
Ex-Pat Living (The Korea Herald) ESL Planet Recruiting Twitter SEOUL Magazine ZenKimchi.com KOTESOL
NEXT WEEK Panelists: Rachel Hui, Stafford Lumsden
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” Robin Stine Chi Young-hui ChungChungMori David Gielan DJ R Qubed Michael Martin Mark Jungers Fortune for Tune Sleaze Patrol curious hands Chris Townsend Joe Sibol
SPONSOR Access Your PC from Anywhere with GoToMyPC. Try it FREE for 30 days! www.GoToMyPC.com/podcast
Welcome to our first live show on the Internet! We taped this live with a chat room audience starting at around 11 p.m. Seoul time on December 31st, 2008. It was so fun that I think we’ll do these live shows more often.
This show, in order to get it out for folks who want to listen to it quickly, is coming out pretty much raw, like the Christmas episode. Next week we’ll have more of those wonderful squeaky clean polished produced SeoulPodcasts that you demand.
AD
2008…
PANELISTS Regina Walton (Where the Hell Am I?)
Aaron Shearin
MAIN TOPIC
Nathan’s (Korea Beat) Top Fifteen 2008 Stories (Korea Herald)
Michael Hurt’s Top Five 2008 Stories
Brian’s Top Fifteen 2008 Stories (Korea Herald)
Marmot’s Top Fifteen 2008 Stories (Korea Herald)
(just a note to our listeners that we are safe from this disaster)
Podango Won’t Make It to 2009 and Neither Will Your Data
NEWS AND STUFF
T-Money Goes National
Activists: Too Many Sex Criminals Avoiding Prison
Two Korean Internet Portal Giants Prosecuted for Aiding Copyright Infringement
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO WHAA?
“Star King,” Kang Ho-dong, sued for having a tightrope-walking dog.
So a Bundang hagwon is advertising itself as the State Univeresity of New York?
Korea to Get Own Smithsonian?
Korean English Teacher Writes Novel of the ESL Classroom
…complaining that she’s not allowed to hit her students
So it’s not just me then?
Torgodevil’s apt response to the “beat them all to hell” 6th grade teacher novel
Korean Holiday Custom: Never an empty wallet
The very definition of cognitive dissonance. . .
Great Engrish in a classy Spanish restaurant
EXPAT COMMUNITY
Jet lag
Cat and David from SeoulLife.net have officially left Korea.
A very Suncheon Christmas.
Korea Opens Door to English Teachers from India, Philippines, Etc.
Requirements will be much stricter for the “non-native” speakers, however – they’ll need a degree in English and teaching licenses.
All Foreigners to Be Fingerprinted from 2010
TIME WASTERS OF THE WEEK
What all the kids are hoping to see in their stockings this Christmas
Ask An Internet Comment Troll
Korean Think-Tank Traces Every Single Thing Wrong With Korea to Japan
Particularly like the problem-solving flow chart
Dokdo Shoe
PLUGS Buy Us a Beer GoToMyPC Ex-Pat Living (The Korea Herald) ESL Planet Recruiting SEOUL Magazine ZenKimchi.com KOTESOL
MUSIC Main Theme — Ben McPherson – “2wksnyc” JayB-Productions (Suriama) Ben McPherson Byron Scullin hairclub fo men Bit Rationale
This is premium content and can only be accessed if you have a subscription.
SPONSOR Access Your PC from Anywhere with GoToMyPC. Try it FREE for 30 days! www.GoToMyPC.com/podcast
Namdaemun Fire
Sungnyemun Arsonist Gets 10 Years | The Marmot’s Hole
Bird Flu
Bird flu outbreak in southwest Korea
AI Reaches Seoul
Mad Cow
FAN DEATH! It’s What’s for Dinner…
MBC and its “in-depth” reporting scares the Korean public even further about mad cow, claiming that 94-percent of Koreans have a “special” gene that makes them more susceptible to mad cow disease.
Cattle Farmer Beats His Family to Death
Korean media tries to connect it to beef imports
Branding the mad cow
Korean Beef Under Scrutiny
Korea slow to qualify itself as mad-cow-free
Matt’s (Gusts of Popular Feeling) 2005 trip to the Gwangju commemoration vs. Brian’s (Brian in Jeollanam-do) trip. Hint: a lot more pictures of American flags and cows.
PD Notebook’s bout of Yellow Journalism (The Marmot)
Turns out much of the arguments in the TV show that scared Koreans about U.S. beef were faked. But correct the errors and apologize? Are you nuts?
Korean Supermarkets Won’t Sell US Beef. Time To Be a Dick.
Well, I Guess This Was Only a Matter of Time…
Protesters mock the police by going on “Chicken Cage Tours”
Bomb English discusses the topic
Beef, Wonderful Beef (Marmot)
The government has asked the United States to ban the export of beef from cows over 30 months of age. The beef deal will be put on hold until the United States responds. Money Today notes that should the United States respond with an extended middle finger, the restart of beef imports could be delayed for a long time, creating a good old-fashioned trade dispute.
Yonhap reports that that the government is asking people to avoid calling the current situation a “renegotiation.” US trade journal “Inside US Trade,” however, reportedly reported yesterday that USTR has been “negotiating” with the Korean government for the last several days.
US beef producers said they would temporarily label the age of meat exported to Korea.
Costco to the rescue (Fencerider)
From Jeju to Paju… (Gusts of Popular Feeling)
The Beef Is Almost Done… (Metropolitician)
Mike says the protests are hitting their peak, and it’ll all be over in 4-6 weeks
BBC and Lee Sae-jin Bring Truth to US Beef Issue (ROK Drop)
Group Alleges MacDonalds Uses Beef from 30 Month or Older Cows Later Retracts Allegation
Candle Teen (Korea Beat)
Combat police and sickness (Gusts of Popular Feeling)
NYT: Beef Agreement Near, No Beef Over 30 Mos.
Attendance at Protests Plummets (died quickly)
Anti-US Groups Linked to Beef Protests (ROK Drop)
Bowring: A potent, troubling nationalism – International Herald Tribune
They Even Ambushed DMC With Mad Cow!
Homever Store in Hot Water for Labeling US Beef as Australian
“PD Notebook” Facing Legal Action
The Associated Press: South Korean opposition to end boycott
Popularity of US Beef In Korea Grows
Candlegirl Dance and Stuff
CNN Talks about PD Diary
Restaurateurs Confused and Frustrated over Beef Origin Rules
Some have solved it by removing beef items from their menus
Social activist Kang We-suck was detained by police Wednesday for running naked into the 60th Armed Forces Day anniversary parade.
Chinese Fishing Boats
Chinese Fishing Boat Took Four Coast Guard Officers Hostage! Chinese Crew to be Charged Blow Them Out of the Water North Koreans Showing How It’s Done
Buhkan Breakdown
South Korean tourist shot dead by North soldier – Yahoo! News
North Korea Demands Apology After Killing South Korean Civilian (ROK Drop)
Seoul may halt Gaeseong tours
Koreans in Spa-a-a-ace!
The professional Korean journalists trying to make a fool of Yi So-yeon
Too much cramming of Korean culture in one space mission?
Yi So-yeon is back in Korea
Economy?
Ouch: The Falling Won (American in Geoje)
Hey Korea, You May Miss Being a “Developing” Country…
The Incredible Shrinking Won…
I Guess It Really Is a Crisis – Gov’t Bitches About Foreign Press
More on the Korean Won (Iceberg)
Korean Won Biggest Loser to the US Dollar
South Korea cuts rates record amount to tackle crisis – Yahoo! News
The ratio of debt to disposable income has risen sharply, especially debt to non-bank lenders, which charge higher rates than banks.
Gov’t to ‘Help’ Foreign Media Better Understand Korean Economy
I Know the Business of Korea is Business, But Isn’t This a Bit Much?
Weak Won Forces Non-kimchi Consumption in Korean Students
The Business of Korea is Corruption Business
[BREAKING NEWS] Lone Star NOT GUILTY
Hyundai Chairman “pays” for his Crimes
Expected, but amusing (Marmot)
I do not think it’s been mentioned here, but one of the chairmen of the Seoul City Council was arrested for bribery recently. I do not think that many would blame me for passing my glazed eyes over the scandal. However the story did give cause for coffee to erupt out of my nose this morning. First is former-chairman Kim Gui-Hwan’s Clintonian defense:
“I just gave them gifts in accordance with habitual practice,” Kim said. “I did not break election laws.”
Fraudulent North Korean Defectors to be Expelled From UK (KB)
Three Kidnapped in Mexico Actually Korean-Chinese (Marmot)
That they have to demonstrate they’re not recycling side dishes is not comforting.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism Accusations Over Han River Islands Design Winner
Controversy Brews Over Forged Artwork
The painting that the back of the 1,000 won bill is based on is a forgery.
Stop Stealing Foreign Movie Posters. Thanks. (Marmot)
Crackdown on Korean Designers Ripping Off Foreign Designers
I Guess She Got an “A” in Plagiarism
Technology
Ebay Korea gets hacked – the worst hacking ever 60% (10 million) of users’ information stolen, including credit card numbers
A few years ago the Ilyo Shinmun chose this image to accompany an article about anal sex. The author speculates that westerners enjoy anal sex more than Koreans do because Korean mens’ extra-hard penises are not well-suited for rear entry, but still sets out some basic rules for enjoying it, and of course, how to be safe while doing so.
War on Prostitution Goes National (Marmot)
Jangan-dong Pimps: “We Hate Renters’ Associations” (KB)
14 Trillion Won
Money spent on whoring in 2007: 14.952 trillion won ROK defense budget for 2008: 26.7 trillion won
More stellar reporting from our friend, ABC News’s Joohee Cho
Foreigners and Crime
So, Six Pot-Smoking English Teachers, a Korean Drug Dealer and an Illegal African Alien Walk into a Bar…
More and More Foreigners Falsely Charged: Report
Foreigners Arrested With Yaba
Russians Arrested for Dealing Marijuana in Busan
It’s whitey season again in Daejeon. (B in J)
Immigration crackdown ends (or “When the cat’s away, the mice will play”)
Police have arrested 8,035 violators of the Immigration Law during a 70-day crackdown started April 1. They have detained 148 and booked 7,887 without physical detention, the National Police Agency said Monday.
Chinese nationals made up the largest portion of the foreigners arrested, totaling 2,744. The most common offence was illegal marriage to obtain Korean citizenship, which made up 45 percent of the total cases.
Other major illegal activities include document forgery for visa application, which accounted for 14.5 percent. Unqualified native English and Chinese-speakers made up 8.3 percent. Most of them entered Korea on tourism or student visas, which do not allow them to work here.
“Due to the English education fever here, a lot of foreigners, especially from English-speaking countries, are often found working illegally here without the proper visa,” a police official said.
Brian in Jeollanam-do: English teachers, actors, other foreigners busted for drug smuggling.
Crime and… Punishment?
Man beats up elementary school student in the elevator . . .on tape.
Police Hardly Bat an Eye When 9-year-old Girl Attacked
Korean Cops: “Raped? Not Our Job”
How Not to Deal With a Problem
On the 16th the Suncheon Police Department in Jeollanam-do applied for an arrest warrant for a 42-year old Mr. Jeong on suspicion of going to a police station and shouting at a female police officer whom he held a grudge against for arresting him. He did this while wearing only his underwear.
According to police, at approximately 3:10 PM on the 15th Mr. Jeong went to the south entrance of the station and threatened the officer, A, saying, “I was in prison because of you. I’m going to kill you,” for 90 minutes while wearing only underwear.
In July of last year Mr. Jeong was arrested for doing the same while drunk and naked, and was recently released from prison.
Young guy smacks around old woman selling kimbap at a rally, caught on tape.
Korean Cops Not Taken Seriously By All
Police Beat Down Disabled Man
The “negotiations” fell through, so it’s being investigated.
Seoul Police Failing to Uncover Child Sexual Abuse
Hub of Suspended Sentences (the incest rape case where the girl was given back to the rapists)
Parents of Teen Rapist Ruled Responsible
Just Too Weird
OK, You Don’t Read Crimes Like This Everyday
Police in Cheonju have asked for an arrest warrant for a 50-year-old man they believe tried to rape his mother-in-law while in drag.
Man Fined $8,000 for Urinating Over ATM
“We would have ignored the case if he had not broken the machine. But we had no choice but to report it to police so as to get the eight million won needed to repair the ATM,” said a bank official.
How Not to Propose to Your Girlfriend (burning the yachts in Busan)
Suicidal Tendencies
Chosun Ilbo: “Suicide is Soooooo Annoying”
South Korean Suicide Rate Double OECD Average (KB)
Ugh, that’s horrible. (B in J)
A man was found ELEVEN MONTHS after hanging himself.
Celebrity Suicides
And The Prize Goes To… (CB)
Posting suicide aftermath photos?
Education Deform
Student Punished for Having Brown Hair
Elementary Teacher to Student: “Thank Me For Beating You”
Spiking English Teacher Costs, Cheap Gyopo the ‘Next Best Thing,’ and Throw the Sex-Crazed Pot Smokers Out
When Sexual Violence Prevention Education Goes Wrong
South Koreans not doing too well on English tests. (Brian in Jeollanam-do)
In Korea, 25% of International School Students Are Koreans!
“57% of Teenagers Don’t Know When Korean War Broke Out” (B in J)
New Education Secretary appointee Cheong Jean-gon in trouble, guess why? (B in J)
Daegu father goes ape-shit after son gets picked on at school (GJ)
ESL Daily: Korea: T.A.L.K. Program Reached Goal (ESL Daily)
Foreign Residents to Teacher English (KT) (They want military wives to volunteer)
Abusive elementary school teacher apologizes. (B in J)
Corporal Punishment Video Gets Teacher Fired (KB)
Well, I Can Sleep Better At Night Knowing Our Lawmakers Are Monitoring Paraguayan Textbooks (Marmot)
80% Jump in School-Related Violence (Korea Beat)
Almost Half the Korean Kids Who Go to the Ivies DROP OUT (Metropolitician)
Great… Nobel Nationalism
English Teacher Gets 10 Months in the Slammer (HA! Not a foreign English teacher.)
Singaporean Textbook Shows Korean Homeless Guy, World Stops Revolving
Korean Textbooks “Also Wrong on Dokdo”
Residency restrictions for international schools.
Hagwon Tuition Regulators Step In
EPIK essay contest: deadline November 21.
Exam Hell Is Over – for 2008
Government’s English Policy Failing to Curb Hagwon Spending
You call that a slide?
Adoption Abused for Enrollment in Schools at US Military Camp
Playboy article shows up in a Seoul National University practice test.
News to Warm an ESL Teacher’s Heart (850 hagwons busted for overcharging)
English Hagwon Lesson Fees Vary by Region
Man, TOSS English is really stickin’ it to parents to just have their kids sit in front of a DVD player.
New English Test to Debut for College Admission (modeled on Japan’s Eiken test)
Young Japanese speak better English than do young Koreans.
Fun with Seoul Tourism Folks
Seoulites, Meet Your New City Symbol
Syphillitic Haechi on Wheels
The Colors of Seoul
Lonely Planet Makes Seoul Look Bad, City Asks for Corrections
Translation and Comments on Lonely Planet Criticism (Marmot)
Hey, But At Least We’re Not as Shitty as Taiwan!
Ranked 7 our of 8 Asian nations in a poll on tourism attractiveness
Second most expensive in five-star hotel rates
Korean Slogans Comical to Foreigners
Bae Yong-jun in New Ambassador Role
Branding Korea: the REAL Recommendations
The Power of Branding « Hermit Hideaways
Grande Plannes (a.k.a., Where’s My Canal?)
The Seoul government plans to create three manmade islands
No Chinatown for You!
Hippy Drippy – Flower Power Peace Festival
Hallyuwood sounds silly but looks like it will kick ass
Grand Sale turning out to be big planning mess (JoongAng Daily)
Take It To City Hall, Umm, Before It Disappears
Gwanggyo looks awesome, cozy. (Green city?)
Entertainment
“Kickin’ It in Geumchon (Kumchon)”
New Coreana Nazi video pretty much the same as the old Coreana Nazi video.
Coreana wants the ads removed from Youtube and removes them.
Djamilya Music Video – 자밀라 – 오빠미워 (Older Guy/Boyfriendish I hate you)
Djamilya, Sexy-mong Girls Bust Evil Foreign English Teachers
Reporter: “Expel the Foreign Jackasses” (Foreigners rushing baseball fields)
Bae Yong-joon needs a haircut
Bae Yong-joon is the face for “The Faceshop” (POPSEOUL)
Is Rokon Off? (Korea Pop Wars)
It’s Hyorish?
Dirty Japs Make Fun of Korean Hairdos! (Marmot)
A netizen at Media Daum posts that a Japanese TV morning program made fun of Korea’s now popular “mushroom hairdo.”
Move over, PopSeoul! (Roboseyo)
Her name: 혜나 or “Hye-na” in Korean, is being written on the posters in a way that could cause some, uh, confusion, if she ever goes international.
Does anybody else here spot the problem?
Anonymity fail. Moon Geun-young’s much talked about secret Santa behavior
Oh, no! This years it’s Smurf hats!
New English Radio Station in Seoul
International Relations
Expat Still Living (Gypsy Scholar) – Matt Lamers’s encounter
I’ve attracted the ire of Korean netizen bullies. (B in J)
Seoul Taxi Drivers: “Speak Korean, Dammit!”
English Teacher Sites Demean Korean Women: Chosun Ilbo
Dong-A Ilbo: Xenophobia on the Rise
Foreigner Taxis?
New Visa Regulations
Smell the Fear!
Immigration allowing more flexibility in employer choice for E-2 visas?
Piece from Adam Walsh in the Korea Times
I managed to discover that it is only E-2 and E-6 visas that require the test. When I asked why this was the case, he informed me that it was to protect the children. He then said that I could leave the country if I wanted or phone my embassy.
After Mr. Choi hung up on me, I thought some more about the fairness of the rule. The E-6 visa is for entertainers, not teachers. I don’t understand the similarities that would group both the E-2 and E-6 visas together. (Galbijim edit: Because the Russian whores who work at room salons and sleep with Korean men, are sponsored on E-6 visas.)
Visa Rules Favor Gyopo Teachers Over Non-Koreans? (Marmot)
More difficulties for Canadian English teachers in Korea. Some interesting remarks from the Canadian Embassy on the controversial VSS required for E-2s.
Gyopo to Submit Criminal Records, Drug Tests?
Americans can stay here visa-free for 90 days.
Seoul High Court: HIV Not Justifiable Reason for Deportation
Bad news out of Mokpo: South African English teacher in coma after apartment fire.
Donation information, and sad news, for injured Mokpo teacher Nerine Viljoen.
Memorable Bloggers
Big Hominid Kevin has officially left Korea
Korea Needs to Fix KoAms’ ‘Identity Problems’ for English Program to Work
emesissary
Elyse Sewell and the world of bulemic modeling roommates in Korea
Amanda Has Left Korea
As has Busan Mike
Why are Koreans Hypersensitive to Criticisms from Non-Koreans? (Roboseyo)
Why are Koreans Hyper-Sensitive to Criticisms from Non-Koreans? (And How Can I be a Good Critic?) (The Korean)
There’s a New Blog in Town
“The Hub of Sparkle” KoreaSparkle.com
RateMyHagwon
Crazy Korean Cooking
ROKetship
180,000 won Burger
#11 – Whaa (first sighting)
Who Dares to Eat This Hamburger?
In the Arts
Cute. Very Cute. (The Marmot)
A Korean blogger and online artist has created some characters to represent “the outrages committed by foreign teachers in Korea after they’ve smoked pot and drank.”
Great Moments in Korean Journalism
Who the fuck is doing the cartoons over there?
Yeah, okay, the guy was extreme, but on what planet is this Korea Times cartoon titled “Austria’s Far-Right Leader Joerg Haider Died at Car Crash” appropriate?
PLUGS GoToMyPC Ex-Pat Living (The Korea Herald) ESL Planet Recruiting SEOUL Magazine ZenKimchi.com KOTESOL
MUSIC Main Theme — Ben McPherson – “2wksnyc” ExPat Community — Deyo – “Retro90210fun” 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” Byron Scullin Tripudio Persian Paladin The Eternal Victor Stellar DJ TopShelf Kathy Reynolds Chris Townsend Outside Father Rock deadpan ellis reed Adam Schmitt Anomie Enemy KlassicK Productions Platinum Life Productions Ray Sr.
SPONSOR Access Your PC from Anywhere with GoToMyPC. Try it FREE for 30 days! www.GoToMyPC.com/podcast
AD
The Society to Remind Korea that Other Christmas Music Exists Besides Mariah Carey
PANELIST Therese MacSeain (A Food Journey in Korea)
MAIN TOPIC
Expat’s Food Survival Guide (a.k.a., Who Moved My Cheese?)
Where to shop online
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO WHAA?
I Know the Business of Korea is Business, But Isn’t This a Bit Much?
Officials from the National Intelligence Service are said to have held a meeting with the correspondent of the Financial Times here in October at the height of the government’s war against foreign media.
Weak Won Forces Non-kimchi Consumption in Korean Students
Hub of Suspended Sentences
A court handed down suspended jail terms to four family members who repeatedly raped a teenage relative who suffered from an intellectual disability.
The Cheongju District Court Thursday sentenced an 87-year-old grandfather and two uncles of a 16-year-old girl to four-year suspended prison terms for sexually assaulting and raping the girl for the last seven years. Another uncle received a three-year suspended jail term.
The court acknowledged that their crime was “sinful” as they used the young girl, who is their family member, to satisfy their sexual desires. But it gave the suspended terms, saying, “The accused have fostered the girl in her parents’ place. Considering her disability, she will also need their care and help in living in the future.”
The court added it took the accused people’s old age and illness into consideration.
[…]
From Hub of Sparkle:
A few months ago, an article in The Korea Herald reported that the number of disturbances occurring in Korean courtrooms are on the rise. Apparently, trials are often delayed due to defendants swearing, screaming, and even throwing objects at the judge.
In a civil case in July 2006, two defendants threw eggs and a bag of feces at the judicial seats in the Chuncheon District Court, criticizing the judgment.
[…]
If rapists, wife beaters, people who burn shit down, and corrupt corporate asshats don’t go to jail for the serious crimes they commit, why should anyone go to jail?
Let’s not forget about this ruling.
Last March, Kim returned home one night after drinking and found his wife and daughter asleep. Kim put his leg on his stepdaughter’s body and touched her hips and breasts under her pajama top.
[…]
Last March, Kim returned home one night after drinking and found his wife and daughter asleep. Kim put his leg on his stepdaughter’s body and touched her hips and breasts under her pajama top.
Well, Who Wouldn’t Get Angry Watching Your Wife Wash Some Fat Black Lady’s Feet?
Song Seung-hwan, the producer of the hit non-verbal performance NANTA, is in trouble following a comment on MBC program Wednesday in which he made a comment judged by many to be racist.
Song was discussing his salad days, when he and his wife moved to New York in 1985. Song ran a street stall selling watches, while his wife worked in a nail salon. Well, on the first day, he finished work and went to pick up his wife, he said. But he felt strange when he saw her in a corner washing the feet of some fat black woman. He was enraged – here was his well-bred and smartly dressed wife washing the feet of a black woman.
Well, Song’s not a complete dolt – later that day, feeling he’d forced his wife to sacrifice by bringing her to Migukland, he carefully asked her how her day had been. Well, luckily, his wife was a happy sort, so she quite excitedly reported how she’d stripped the dead skin off some black lady’s feet, and so much had come off. Satisfied that his wife was enjoying the adventure, he felt relieved.
Some viewers, at least, were not impressed. One netizen castigated Song, saying if he made a statement like that in the United States, he’d be filing for bankruptcy by now. It was shocking that a person who understood the United States could make a statment like that when the repercussions of such racism were so great. Another said, basically, it was his wife’s job to give foot massages, so why was massaging the feet of a black woman so much worse?
The station came in for criticism, too, for thinking so little of the comments that they actually used subtitles, apparently, to stress them, which could promote occupational and racial-based discrimination.
Black English meets hagwon.
Low quality donater? (Gusts of Popular Feeling)
Model and actress Hyun Young smiles with Kim Dong-soo, the chairman of the Community Chest of Seoul, at Jungmok Elementary School’s auditorium Monday morning in Mokdong, Seoul. Hyun, the goodwill ambassador of the Seoul branch of Community Chest of Korea, donated 50 million won to the organization and also participated as a substitute teacher at the school.
I really hope she doesn’t have any communist relatives.
Oh, and is she qualified to be a substitute teacher? Perhaps someone should notify this man, though he may not be concerned seeing as she isn’t a non-Korean.
gangwon notes: My son’s bookshelf: 우리아빠는 방귀왕
Racing Girls, Fast Cars… and GnB Hagwon?
Because the 2008 Racing Girl Model Awards is a great thing for a children’s English hagwon to sponsor
Wondergirls are coming to America
JYP has announced that during his 2009 tour, he will be hitting up not only New York and Los Angeles but also the random La Mirada, CA as well (where is that?).
Oh, no! This years it’s Smurf hats!
EXPAT COMMUNITY
Bad news out of Mokpo: South African English teacher in coma after apartment fire.
New English Radio Station in Seoul
Brian in Jeollanam-do: English teachers, actors, other foreigners busted for drug smuggling.
Anti-English Spectrum Cafe Interview Translated
TIME WASTERS OF THE WEEK
Where’s Kim Jong-Il?
Great video of dancing Kim Jong-il
KOTESOL Membership Tutorial (Video)
PLUGS GoToMyPC Ex-Pat Living (The Korea Herald) ESL Planet Recruiting Buy Us a Beer SEOUL Magazine ZenKimchi.com KOTESOL
MUSIC Main Theme — Ben McPherson – “2wksnyc” Things That Make You Go Whaa? — cjacks – “Candyland” Job of the Week — Bit Rationale – “Orthodox Pleasure” ExPat Community — Deyo – “Retro90210fun” Time Wasters of the Week — EV Boyz – “Kickin’ It in Geumchon” Bit Rationale Brolax Bones cjacks High Alert Status Devin Anderson DJ Topshelf Tripudio curious hands Sara Overall ISON Tea Leaves Sundown Caffeine Joe Sibol Don Rudnickas Everyday Jones one blue nine Heather Sullivan Anomie Enemy Deyo
SPONSOR Access Your PC from Anywhere with GoToMyPC. Try it FREE for 30 days! www.GoToMyPC.com/podcast
AD
Night Court — Korea
PANELISTS Grace Park and Stephanie Maing (Crazy Korean Cooking)
What’s That Smell?
“Dokdo Breeze” cologne from Demeter
Seoul Street Food: Heart Attack on a Stick 😉
‘Karate’ Suits Inflame Taekwondo Lovers
The first glimmer of controversy appears to be a posting on the website of the North Jeolla provincial government titled, “Brochure for the Taekwondo park, a shame.” There, a devotee of the Korean martial art pointed out, “The models wear karate suits, their belts are tied improperly, and what is worse, there is no green belt in Taekwondo. This brochure is a waste of money. How could you administer the Taekwondo park without being able to distinguish the Taekwondo suit from the karate suit. Will you promote the spirit and culture of Korea in a brochure with kimono-clad models?”
In the brochure, five foreign girls and boys are seen smiling, wearing white suits with belts in red, violet, green, orange and yellow. The suit does indeed look like those worn for the traditional martial art of Korea’s arch-rival Japan: the top is a jacket rather than a pullover, and the neckline is just white, unlike that of the original Taekwondo suit, which is black or red or both. But the suit is in fact a new design adopted in hopes of improving the popularity of the sport.
Still, the “improved” suit is so similar to a karate suit as to smack of capitulation. Now there are calls for proper standards for Taekwondo suits to be drawn up.
Ok guys, I have been here for a little less than a month and I am starting to see that it probably isnt going to work out between my Hogwan and I. Today, I was waiting for my class to start (every other day I dont have classes for the first hour because lack of classes) and I was trying to figure out what I was going to teach that day, the secretary came back to the office to check what I was doing (she tried to check if I was on the internet before she talked to me, which I wasnt) then in some sort of weird broken english told me to go sit in on the other teachers class (I was told to do this when I didnt have class, but the other teacher doesnt do it, so I figured that I didnt have to do it all the time). After that, I was called out of class twice (the admin watches via CCTV from her other school) to tell me I wasnt teaching correctly (not enough energy, too much individual study) so, I went back to class. Later that day, one of my classes no showed (1 person class) so the director wanted to talk with me. During this meeting, she got out one of the childrens book and went through it line by line telling me how to teach it (this is a box, draw a box, discuss a box) this went on for about 15 minutes. Then, she asked if I was cold (I had my coat on) I am like, no, I am fine. And she asks why I have my coat on, and I said, well its cold in here without it (most students and the other teachers always have their coats on as our school knows nothing about how heat works I guess) then she proceeds to tell me how many shirts to wear “tomorrow, please wear more shirts…blah blah blah”
Just to clear a few things up first. I have my F visa already, all documents, mid-20’s, thin, neat preppy style, etc…
I’ve been in Seoul for three weeks now and have been emailing job listings from the Worknplay job board and the one on Dave’s.
Have gone through a bunch of recruiters, some don’t bother replying and the ones that do…all the job offers I get are outside of Seoul. Every now and then I get a offer in Seoul…but when I look up the school info, they have a bad rep, so thats a no-go. I’ve had several interviews in Seoul, but all with schools with bad reps. And the other interviews I get offered are very far.
Is there something I am doing wrong?
Should I walk-in to hagwons in the area I want to work at and drop off my resume?
Karl’s Korean Pizza Video
Konglish Moment: Eye Remover
For now…
Video that shows that Korean comedy ain’t too far off from SNL (if that says anything)
Seoul Tower | Locks of Love
Oxford compiles list of top ten irritating phrases – Telegraph
PLUGS Survey Buy Us a Beer GoToMyPC Ex-Pat Living (The Korea Herald) ESL Planet Recruiting SEOUL Magazine ZenKimchi.com KOTESOL
MUSIC Main Theme — Ben McPherson – “2wksnyc” Job of the Week — Bit Rationale – “Orthodox Pleasure” ExPat Community — Deyo – “Retro90210fun” hairclub fo men Jacques Grant Rewired jaymack Robin Stine Persian Paladin The Eternal WeakLazyLiar