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Fri, April 27, 2018 | 12:05

Opinion > Columnists > Jason Lim >

Korea's CULTural exceptionalism

In his June 17, 2014 article in The Diplomat titled, "The Cults of South Korea," John Power writes about religious cults in South Korea and quotes various experts discussing both the prevalence of, and predilection for, cults in Korean society. This subject was brought about by the Sewol ferry tragedy, in which the authorities have been trying to arrest Yoo Byung-eun, the founder of the Salvation Sect and de-factor owner of the Sewol's operating company since an arrest warrant was issued on May 22.

Jason Lim | 2014-06-27 17:02

There are no gays in Korea

When I was teaching English at a large language institute in Korea in mid-90s, there were several colleagues - both Korean and non-Koreans - who seemed gay. They never actually came out publicly, but it was fairly apparent that they were gay from their everyday demeanor. I realize that you are teetering on the edge of that proverbial slippery slope to assume anything about a person by his or her superficial behavior, but there is such a thing as a "gay-dar." And some guys were just gay, which, growing up in New York City, wasn't something that I was unfamiliar with.

Jason Lim | 2014-06-13 16:53

It may be true that all men are pigs. However, this does not mean that all men are murderers. What made Elliot Rodger kill six people before killing himself last week near the University of California at Santa Barbara campus was not that he was a pig, but that he felt entitled to certain privileges and status without having to work at achieving them.

Jason Lim | 2014-05-30 16:49

Children of Sewol, girls of Chibok

April was a tragic month for children. In Korea, over 300 passengers, mostly students from Danwon High School in Ansan City, were trapped inside a sinking ferry waiting in place with life vests on, as they were told by the crew. They drowned. In Nigeria, more than 200 school girls between 16 and 18 years old were abducted by the Islamist armed group, Boko Haram, from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok in northeastern Nigeria. They have not yet been found.

Jason Lim | 2014-05-16 15:48

But Korean culture is to blame

When the mainstream media started blaming the Korean culture of obedience as the cause behind the students staying put as the Sewol sank, I thought, "Here we go again," and immediately came up with several reasons why such analysis is as baseless as it is inane. Anyone who's lived in Korea would know that Korean teenagers aren't any less rebellious or independent-minded than their global counterparts. They may show superficial deference to their elders as a part of the larger cultural norm, but that certainly doesn't mean they are all faceless lemmings living in a cult. As far as I know, Jim...

Jason Lim | 2014-05-02 16:27

Adultery site unwelcome here

Recently, the Korean Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) blocked the Korean version of the Canada-based Ashley Madison Internet site in "light of the legal spirit of relevant laws aimed to protect healthy sexual morals, marriage bonds and family life."

Jason Lim | 2014-04-18 17:23

'Ching-Chong Ding-Dong'

To briefly summarize for those who have been living under a rock, The Colbert Report did a skit mocking Daniel Snyder, the owner of the Washington Redskins, who recently announced the creation of the Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation, founded "to provide meaningful and measurable resources that provide genuine opportunities for Tribal communities."

Jason Lim | 2014-04-04 16:53

White privilege in 'Frozen'

What does it mean to be white in today's world? We know that white does not denote a specific ethnicity since those considered white today weren't always considered white in the past. White is more of a popular-consensus label to recognize certain select populations for their political and socioeconomic status. And since status is a relative measure, some populations, such as the Italians and Irish, are welcomed to the white club when they were shunned before.

Jason Lim | 2014-03-21 17:03

East Sea vs. Sea of Japan

By Jason Lim I am a Northern Virginia resident who votes in local elections. And this column is not about local politics, but more of a question about the best ways that Korean-Americans can expand their footprint into mainstream local and national politics.With the above disclosure, let me lay out several things that I believe.One, I believe that Dokdo is and should be Korean territory.Two, I believe that the Sea of Japan should be renamed the East Sea. If not a total replacement, East Sea should be used in parallel with Sea of Japan on all official maps.Three, I believe that Japan has...

Jason Lim | 2014-03-09 09:46

Citizenship as a commodity

Viktor Ahn’s gold medal winning performance in the men’s 1,000-meter short track competition triggered a cascade of self-recrimination over how a corrupt and nepotistic sports authority drove Ahn away and forced him to defect to Russia to continue competing. When President Park also wondered out loud in public whether some ingrained problems with how sports are managed resulted in Korea losing one of its best skaters, self-recrimination became a full-fledged Salem Witch Trial, with bureaucrats and national assemblymen outdoing one another to jump into the fray.

Jason Lim | 2014-02-21 16:57

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Moon with Kim [Photos]