“The World Health Organization defines excessive drinking as the equivalent of seven shot-sized cups (1 fluid ounce per cup) of soju for men and five for women” says the Joongang Ilbo. If you define it like that, it’s hardly suprising if 42.5% of Korean men find themselves drinking “excessively” at least once a week. [Read More]
Category: Asides (page 37)
British diplomat on roller coaster ride with Kim Jong Un
According to Mother Jones, the mystery Westerner photographed with Kim Jong Un on a funfair ride in the Rungna People’s Pleasure Ground last week was Barnaby Jones, a diplomat with the British Embassy in Pyongyang. Sounds like a change from a normal day in the office. [Read More]
Monocle 24 broadcasts from Team Korea House
Live from Team Korea House, London, Monocle 24 hears from the CEO of the Korea Tourism Association, enjoys K-pop, and is joined by acupuncture expert Sena Lee. All to celebrate the Olympics. http://londonkoreanlinks.net/wp-content/uploads/audio/11000199.mp3 The K-pop interview is at 18’00” Sena is at 23’35” Philip is at 52’00” [Read More]
Korean technology on display in Harrods
KOTRA has sponsored a window display in Harrods during the course of the Olympics, showcasing the latest Korean technology. Samsung, Hyundai and others are included. Love the little robots. [Read More]
KTO advertises at Piccadilly Circus
For the duration of the Olympic Games, the KTO has taken out some advertising space at Piccadilly Circus, joining the other Korean advertisements there – Samsung, Hyundai and LG. Here are a few shots taken on 30 July: [Read More]
Korean badminton pairs – bad losers?
The two South Korean badminton teams kicked out of the games for trying to lose their matches – against Chinese and Indonesian pairs who were also trying to lose – both ended up winning. (Source – FT) [Read More]
KCNA’s typography guidelines are a geek’s nightmare
The KCNA’s typography guidelines for displaying the names of the three Kims, at least on their kcna.kp domain, are keeping their typesetters unnecessarily busy. Whenever Kim Jong Un’s name is displayed it has to be in a bigger font size than the surrounding text, and it is not permitted to be broken by a carriage … [Read More]
LKL interviewed by Yonhap
I had an interview with a Yonhap journalist on a hot sweaty Tuesday evening this week at the KCC. Here’s the write-up. It generated a fair bit of traffic, which is how I knew it had been published. Hope I didn’t say anything stupid. [Read More]
Kayageum and lion dance at Kingston Summer Breeze
Kayageum and Guitar duo Kaya, featuring Jung Ji-eun (kayageum) and Jeon Sung-min (guitar) will be performing at the Summer Breeze event in Kingston’s Cranbury Gardens (KT2 5AU) near the Bandstand, on Saturday 4 August. There will also be a Korean lion dance from the Bongsan Mask Dance Group. The event runs 12:00 – 6:00 pm. … [Read More]
Witty Specsavers ad irritates academics
The quick-thinking Specsavers ad capitalising on the Olympic flag gaffe seems to have ruffled a feather in academic circles for being written in bad Korean. So what if “Specsavers” should be at the beginning of the sentence? Putting it there would have completely baffled the non-Korean speaking audience it’s aimed at. [Read More]
Wenlock & Mandeville in Seoul
Official London 2012 mascots Wenlock & Mandeville braved sizzling heat to visit King Sejong in Gwanghwamun earlier this week. Excitement at fever pitch with Games starting soon! Via @UKinKorea [Read More]
59th anniversary of armistice day
Good to see General Paik Sun-yup looking well at the Panmunjom ceremony today, commemorating the signing of the Korean War armistice on 27 July 1953 Links: Remembering the Forgotten War: LKL interviews Gen Paik Sun-yup, 21 July 2009 [Read More]
The gala opening of Korean Eye 2012
Korean Eye 2012 opened this evening, with speeches from the great and the good including Lee Charm, head of the Korean Tourism Organisation. Entertainment was provided by Dulsori in the form of traditional music. This is going to be a great show. [Read More]
Oh dear
The first mess-up of the games: I really don’t blame the North Korean team for walking off. (Image source) Links: North Korea Threatens to Destroy Glasgow in a ‘Sea of Fire’, Dokdo Times, 26 July 2012 [Read More]
From tomorrow evening, this plinth will no longer be empty
From tomorrow, this plinth in a square just off Oxford Street will no longer be empty. To find out why, read this article, or visit http://writteninsoap.com/ [Read More]
Video highlights of Lee Bul’s talk at the Hayward Gallery
For those who like me didn’t manage to get to Lee Bul’s talk “From Me, Belongs to You Only” at the South Bank recently, the KCCUK have posted a quick video giving highlights of the evening: [Read More]