Question 1: Corporate crooks and corruption Match the alleged quote with the appropriate chaebol The conglomorate had run a vast network that bribed government officials, prosecutors, tax collectors, journalists and scholars I don’t want to take a gamble on causing a crisis in the country’s economy The sentence of one year and six months is … [Read More]
Category: Light reading (page 13)
Some Lee Young-ae videos
I’ve been feeling guilty about not meeting the needs of all those people who come to this site looking for articles about the lovely Lee Young-ae and not finding very much. Having done a few searches on YouTube I’m amazed at the dedication of fans who create tributes to their favourite star. Here’s a small … [Read More]
Insult me again
A frivolous post for election day. About a year ago, when I was more assiduous in reading the Chosun’s celebrity pages than I am now, I noted a trend in mindless prose, particularly when the paper was commenting on the most recent commercial featuring some skimpily-clad popstrel or other. I was convinced that the text … [Read More]
Rent-a-loo
The Korean Toilet Association makes it into the news again. If you’re looking for an innovative public-hygiene-themed mini-break in Korea you could do worse than rent a toilet-shaped house for the night. All proceeds will go to support that splendid and worthwhile organisation. HT to Jim Hoare. Links: World’s first toilet house to be built … [Read More]
Another industry in which Korea leads the world
We all knew Korea had some world-beating industries: ships, chips, LCD screens. Add to that the manufacture of condoms, where three Korean companies – Unidus, Dongkuk Trading and Hankook Latex – account for 30% of the global market, according to the Chosun. Maybe there’s a big domestic demand – for example for high school field … [Read More]
Banish your Monday blues
Two little items to brighten your Monday. First, if ever you thought the TV in your particular country was trashy, just be thankful they haven’t plumbed the depths of “Racing Model Billiard Championship”. “This is a sport I really would like to see catch on,” comments the Party Pooper (1). “Some geniuses over at the … [Read More]
Deadly Elves and other recent tabloid stories
It’s a while since I did a round-up of celebrity news, which means that I’ve almost forgotten all the things I was going to mention, and lost most of the links that I was going to use. So before things get completely out of hand, here’s one of my not-so-regular posts shamelessly plundering the celebrity … [Read More]
The $54 million pair of pants
He’s been christened “Pants man”, he’s had vilification heaped on him, and may even lose his job, but still he battles on. He’s Washington judge Roy Pearson who’s been suing Custom Cleaners, owned by Korean immigrants Ki, Jin and Soo Chung, for rather a large sum of money for allegedly losing his trousers. He clearly … [Read More]
Indian Summer? Try Indian boshintang
And in the second of today’s frivolous links, here’s a story from Associated Press. An Indian politician has allegedly proposed solving India’s stray dog problem by shipping the creatures to Korea. One cynical wag has suggested that there would be howls of protectionist protest… Links: Indian Politician: Ship Stray Dogs to Korea, Hindustan Times via … [Read More]
International Toilet Rescue
Revealing my schoolboy sense of humour, I couldn’t resist posting this link to an article about the Korea-based World Toilet Association “racing to rescue Cambodia” Toilets are no longer a space for excretion only; they are becoming the central place in our daily lives where cleanness, relaxation, and aesthetics are important. Read on at expat-advisory.com. … [Read More]
The beauty of particular body parts 2
Thanks to Mrs Daeguowl for the nomination of Gong Yu (공유) for the competition of most sculpted six-pack. Here’s a sample: And something I forgot to include in yesterday’s post. With a big hat tip to Scott Burgeson (1), here’s an itemisation of how the body parts for Miss Korea should stack up, taken from … [Read More]
The beauty of particular body parts
Browsing through the celebrity rags the other day I came across a report of a survey which struck me as rather distasteful: the actress with the most beautiful chest. I’m not sure why it struck me as distasteful, seeing as in the UK we have a light-hearted annual survey as to which female celebrity has … [Read More]
How many Koreans have never heard of Rain?
I don’t know the answer to that question. Maybe a reader can help. But seeing as I’m over in the States visiting my US co-workers right now, I thought I’d do a bit of market research. We had a team-building dinner yesterday. And on an impulse, I asked the person sitting next to me: so … [Read More]
Beware the mystery killer
As we get into the heat of the Distinct Season of summer we can expect to start hearing stories of the uniquely Korean cause of death — the electric fan. Urban legend has it that sleeping in a sealed room with the fan going can kill – though all the detailed explanations of how death … [Read More]
In defence of Bada
Monitoring my traffic statistics recently I noticed that Bada is surging in the popularity rankings. I approve of that, because her second album is my favourite mainstream K-pop album of all time (or, at least, in my rather small collection). So, in my semi-regular round-up of celebrity news and pictures which have caught my eye … [Read More]
Kayageum player #4 in Miss Universe
Honey Lee, crowned Miss Korea in August 2006, studies traditional music at Seoul National University, specialising in the kayageum. Her mother is a professor at Ehwa, and was designated a “living cultural asset” in kayageum music earlier this year. Lee was a strong contender in this year’s Miss Universe contest, recently held in Mexico. In … [Read More]