Stories about South Korea from June, 2007
Korea: Media and Business
Last June, a reporter at a magazine, Sisa Journal, wrote an article related to Samsung. It was not a good story for the image of Samsung. Through friendship with Samsung and pressure from it, the magazine’s vice-president, who had a position as the president of a Samsung branch newspaper, asked...
Korea: 6.25
It was 6.25, the 27th anniversary of the start of the Korean War. The day was quiet. Very few special events compared to the past. How do Korean bloggers consider the Korean War? They expressed what this date means to them in the past and at the present. Dolstone2002: 어렸을때...
How to avoid prison in Korea
How to avoid prison in Korea. A blogger introduces Korean vocabulary useful for avoiding Korean prison through an English learning textbook.
I just wanted some stew
I just wanted some stew. A blogger shows how in a Korean restaurant even when you order one thing, you get a lot of dishes.
Creative Shopping Bags
Creative Shopping Bags. Simple bags can make you laugh. [ko]
90 degree bow
90 degree bow from a department store clerk in the middle of the street. Not so comfortable? How much kindness should be shown? [ko]
Tofu and ketchup sauce
For the weekend, tofu, ketchup sauce, and fresh vegetables? Follow the photo instructions.[ko]
Kimchi is good for a person who suffers from constipation
Do you know about Kimchi? Every kind and all kimchi-related knowledge are here. Check this blog out. It even talks about why kimchi is good for a person who suffers from constipation.
Have you been pressed by scissors?
Have you been pressed by scissors? In the middle of sleeping, have you felt that you have some nightmares and your body doesn’t move at your will? It’s expressed in Korean as “you’re pressed by scissors” A blog gives tips on how not to be pressed by scissors [ko].
Korea: Military Service
Military service in Korea: Is there any topic more sensitive? And draft dodger? And even a public figure? That spells death in society. Several years ago, a popular male singer chose American citizenship in order to evade military service. After it was exposed, he is still not allowed to return...
South Korea: Inequality, Empolyment Outlook
Jamie from Two Koreas blogs about the increase in income gap in South Korea and two stories about Chaebol's labour management, including companies strategies for intervening in a union election and Samsung's labour training for mass game.
South Korea: the Mismatch between an Imagined North Korea and the Real Role of the USFK
An article posted at SavePTfarmer on the imagined North Korea threat for creating a state-of-the-art “strategic hub” south of Seoul in accordance with the United States’ plan for the realignment and strategic flexibility of the USFK.
Korea: Rubber Shoes Redesigned
Verena from Pingmag showed a number of design works from the Korean rubber shoes redesign project commissioned by last year’s Seoul Design Festival.
Korea: “No Bare Feet in Slippers. No Sportswear or Shorts”
A Korean university put this warning on a business school building. Students have reacted sharply. They say it is excessive control by the school. A school representative clarified that the intention of the warning was to teach the next generation’s business leaders about etiquette. Some bloggers criticize students’ criticisms of...
South Korea: How Does Seoul Rank Globally?
R. Elgin from Marmot's Hole points to the fact that Seoul's quality of life ranks below 50 best cities globally.
Japan: Lawmakers’ Ad on Comfort Women
A group of Japanese lawmakers took out an ad in the Washing Post to present “the facts” about the comfort women that “no historical document has ever been found by historians or research organisations that positively demonstrates that women were forced against their will into prostitution by the Japanese army”....
Korea: Labor Law and E-Land
Last November, the Korean government finally changed the law for irregular workers. To fight discrimination against irregular workers and despotism of companies, the most significant change was to force companies to switch the status of irregular workers who have worked in the company more than two years to that of...
Korea: Loan Companies and Advertising
From some time, advertisements for personal loan companies have appeared in TV, magazines, and newspapers in Korea. Famous entertainers showed their faces in these advertisements. It took time for people to figure out what kind of advertisements they are, but they are now among the most common. Recently, the decisions...
A Japanese blogger who studies Korean
A Japanese blogger who studies Korean introduces herself and welcomes bloggers who would like to know about Japan and Japanese.[ko]
A Korean politician who sexually harassed a female journalist in a drinking place
A Korean politician who sexually harassed a female journalist in a drinking place last year has been fined 5,000 US dollars, but is allowed to keep his position. There are many criticisms. [ko]
Miryang
The star of “Miryang” or “Secret Sunshine,” a Korean film, was awarded best actress at Cannes. The film deals in part with religion, and can be seen as critical of Christianity. The issue is sensitive, and this is one of many opinions from bloggers. [ko]