Bae Yong-joon in funny photoshopped propaganda poster for DPRK. Doesn't look much like him though. “I want to live in the loving arms of gracious General Kim Jong-il” he’s saying. http://bit.ly/at7z0F #. The image is from the DMZ Museum in Goseong, Gangwon-do, which showw both sides using (South Korean) celebrity pictures to lure the other … [Read More]
LKL articles by Philip Gowman (page 152)
Ginseng, zinc, anything but cash
North Korea offers to pay off Czech debts with ginseng. I suppose the hard cash is needed for nukes and Kim's posh brandy. The Czechs said they’d prefer zinc. http://bit.ly/9SK0dl # [Read More]
A sunny day in Busan
Haeundae Beach, Busan, 1 August 2010. Now that's what I call crowded, and supports the contention that Koreans like to go on holiday in crowds. But why are all the rubber rings yellow? http://bit.ly/c701UB # [Read More]
August events 2010
Here are the events I’m aware of for August. Featured event Invisible Bonds – 이음새… an exhibition, series of arts and performing workshops, and, kicking it all off, an evening of performance. The UK Korean Artists Association are in residence at the Korean Cultural Centre, 13-21 August. Festivals The annual Kingston Korean Festival is at … [Read More]
There’s such a thing as a world skipping championship?
Yes, and Loughborough is hosting it. So, welcome to the schoolchildren from Ulleungdo, who have come to the UK to compete in the world skipping championships 2010. http://bit.ly/96KgFT # [Read More]
Is the Kia Rio is safer than houses?
Is the Kia Rio is safer than houses? A motorist smashes through a wall and into a house in Cleveland, UK. http://bit.ly/cti3eV #. The unnamed driver was taken to hospital but suffered only bruising, said police. [Read More]
North Korean football manager now a bricklayer
North Korea's football manager Kim Jong-hun has been punished for his country’s World Cup flop by being made to work on a building site for up to 14 hours a day. Says The Sun: Kim Jong-Hun was being punished for “betraying the trust of Kim Jong-Un”. http://bit.ly/bVfZLx # [Read More]
2010 Travel Diary #30: Daewonsa – early morning prayers and sutra painting
Friday 7 May. I wake up at 3 o’clock. My body seems to be ready for early morning prayers even though I hadn’t signed up for them. I wanted to hear those moktaks and chants again, so I crawl into my clothes and stumble out to the main temple courtyard to wait for the prayers … [Read More]
2010 Travel Diary #29: Daewonsa – the 9 o’clock meditation
Thursday 6 May. I’m not sure if the monks do their 108 bows every day. If they do, we did not see it because we did our bows in a separate chapel. And if they do, I’m sure they don’t listen to that CD when they’re doing it. But I was expecting the 9 o’clock … [Read More]
Remembering the Battle of the Imjin at the KCC
“I’ve met Tom Cruise, and now I’ve met Sam Mercer. And when I met Sam I was truly star-struck. The man’s a legend.” So said a member of the audience at the Korean Cultural Centre after an instructive talk by Andrew Salmon on the battle of the Imjin on 15 July. Sam Mercer was sitting … [Read More]
2010 Travel Diary #28: Daewonsa – the 108 Bows
Thursday 6 May. The time has arrived for the 108 bows. Strangely, we are told to meet in the car park. But that’s where a large side chapel has recently been built, mainly to minister to visitors on the temple stay programme. The chapel at the moment has none of the internal decoration of the … [Read More]
“Veteran” Baek Ji-young’s fashion retail interests
When does a female entertainer become a “veteran”? Baek Ji-young, “veteran singer”, models some of the casual wear available in her online clothes store (via the Chosun Ilbo). http://bit.ly/absixK #. Her own lingerie line coming soon. [Read More]
Kang Woo-seok first director to get 30 million audience
Kang Woo-suk (of Silmido fame) is the most popular director in Korean box office history according to KOFIC: he has exceeded the 30-million viewer mark http://bit.ly/91Sabj #. With a career which started in 1988 (Sweet Brides) and the Public Enemy series behind him, the audience numbers have been accumulating nicely. [Read More]
BoA in long-awaited comeback
I can’t believe it’s five years since “Girls on Top”. BoA will soon release her 6th Korean album, entitled Hurricane Venus. http://bit.ly/bIWVeT #. This is a comeback worthy of the name. [Read More]
SNSD at an East Coast resort – a Korean man’s favourite holiday
Korean men want to go on holiday with Girls’ Generation, according to a KBS survey. Now that’s being greedy. http://bit.ly/a4zZ4O # And while on the subject of holidays: doing the arithmetic, does this mean around 6-7 million Koreans will be heading to the East Coast at the end of July? http://bit.ly/9HYiuk #. (47% of a … [Read More]
DPRK fined for supporting 1972 Israel terror attacks
Well, the North Koreans don’t pay their parking tickets http://bit.ly/9L6j6j so I don’t think they’re going to pay their $300m fine for supporting terror attacks in Israel in 1972 http://bit.ly/b2VKnv # [Read More]