“Match-fixing in Korean football league endemic” – the other sports story from South Korea last week (Choe Sang-hun) (apart from Pyeongchang winning the 2018 Winter Olympics). http://nyti.ms/mUgcac #. At least 10 players have been banned for life. [Read More]
Category: Society (page 3)
Korea and the tsunami
Some links relating to Korea’s response to the Japanese tsunami Korean Entertainers Step Up to Help Japan (Chosun Ilbo) http://bit.ly/dTcArk Even anti-Japan groups join the aid bandwagon – (JoongAng Daily) http://bit.ly/eraCyA Putting aside negative feelings toward Japan – A former comfort woman calls for philanthropic aid to neighbor http://bit.ly/eMcpW3 Quake moves Japan further away from … [Read More]
A last look back at 2010
We’ve digested the albums, films, sporting events and books of the year, and reviewed some of the memorable stories of 2010 in our Quiz of the Year. Here are some of the other things we noted in 2010 which didn’t quite make it into any of those articles. 2010: a year of anniversaries It was … [Read More]
Cosmetic surgery not the most common surgery
So you thought cosmetic surgery was the most common form of surgery in Korea? Wrong. It’s piles. http://bit.ly/eI4W1L #. The Korea National Health Insurance Corp gives the statistics in the Korea Times. [Read More]
Free school meals debate causes fight in Parliament
A fight erupted in South Korean parliament over free school meals – via The Telegraph http://bit.ly/e6wOP2 #. “President Lee Myung-bak’s GNP party have objected to the bill, saying benefits should be limited to low-income families and expanded gradually.” [Read More]
The search for beauty through cosmetics
According to L'Oréal, Korean women apply more potions and cosmetics to their faces than anyone else – 25 at any 1 time, compared with 20-25 in Japan and more than double the amount used by American or European women. http://bit.ly/cWD4XA # [Read More]
Banksy’s Simpsons animation sweatshop slur angers Koreans
I thought The Simpsons took off Korean “sweatshop” animation studios years ago. Or maybe it was South Park. But I’m pretty sure Banksy’s critique is not original. http://bit.ly/aKj3r9 (Daily Mail article) [Read More]
Official story on the Cheonan fails to convince many
My London Korean friends are obviously not alone in doubting that the DPRK sunk the Cheonan: only 32.5% more or less trust the findings of the international enquiry http://bit.ly/cDdWhE # [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]
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]
The Korea Teddy Bear Association
Korea has a Teddy Bear Association? I thought it was only Brits who were so cranky. Do you think that group of bears is meant to be Super Junior T? http://bit.ly/cNoXQ6 # [Read More]
Man tweets suicide note
South Korean man posts suicide note on Twitter http://bit.ly/9ASpux #. Via @TelegraphNews “I’m going to commit suicide. To all of you, even those who shared the slightest friendship with me, I love you,” wrote a former disk jockey before taking his life. [Read More]
The Ministry of Love
A solution to the low birthrate? Korean government sets up group blind date between employees at government offices and private companies, following an earlier “family day” initiative. via Brian in Jeollanamdo [Read More]
What to do about the Cheonan?
Ask a Korean has a great article proposing various responses to the Cheonan sinking, including the eccentric "buy stealth bombers" http://bit.ly/aqrKWb. Someone else suggests the ingenious "sink the Pueblo" #. And another in-depth think-piece from AAK is here: ROKS Cheonan — What You Need to Know, What You Need to Think About [Read More]
60% of actresses have been offered benefits for sex
A report jointly conducted by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Korean Women’s Development Institute interviewed 111 actresses and 240 actress-hopefuls between September and December of last year, says the Korea Times. The findings? More than 60 percent of the interviewees received at least one proposal to have sexual intercourse from influential figures … [Read More]
GNP cracks down on internet piracy
UK law to ban illegal downloads has echoes of Korean proposals: 'Upload a Song, Lose Your Internet Connection' http://bit.ly/9mum3N #. The Korea Times also reports that lawmakers also passed another GNP-backed bill that calls for the strengthening of the real-name verification on Web sites. [Read More]