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5. Mark Peterson

Using Western-style names

Now I've seen everything! Korean Bigtech company Kakao has decided to implement a policy of using first names in office communications - but not their real first names. They have all been directed to take on Western-style first names.

2023-09-12 16:35

'Barbie' and Korean patriarchy

One of my editors at the Korea Times suggested I examine the recent summer hit, Barbie, and perhaps contrast it with Korean patriarchy.

2023-08-27 15:58

'Phony' history

Once again, Korea is caught up in a battle over history - not an argument with China or Japan - we've seen those arguments - but a battle between Korea's own historians.

2023-08-21 16:35

What's left of Korean culture?

With the loss of so-called “Korean age” that I've written about lately, I've started thinking about what else we've lost, and what we still have. Are some of these remaining cultural items on their way out, too? Are they still worth keeping? Or should some of them be next to throw out the window?

2023-08-08 16:35

More on Korea's dual age system demise

I've been thinking more about the “Korean age,” “international age” issue. “Mannai” means “international age” in Korean. Another way to look at the two is to say “solar age” and “lunar age” or, more properly, one's age by the solar calendar and one's age by the lunar calendar. But I've been looking into the issue a little more, and I've found a couple of insights I'd like to share.

2023-07-17 16:35

Good riddance to Korean age

As a “cultural columnist,” I suppose I need to respond to the news of June 28, 2023, the date when Korea abandoned “Korean age” and adopted, officially, the age system used in the rest of the world - “man-u-ro.”

2023-07-04 16:35

What I want to tell Confucian leadership of Korea

Confucianism in Korea is in sharp decline. I would like to speak to the Confucian Association leaders at some point, and when I do, I would like to point out several ways to save Confucianism from an ultimate demise - which it seems to be racing toward.

2023-06-11 16:35

The lost opportunity of Korean language teaching

On my recent trip to Korea, I had the privilege of sitting down with an old friend and “hubae,” Ross King, Ph.D. in linguistics from Harvard and professor at the University of British Columbia. We talked about the dismal standing of Korean language education (KLE) in North America.

2023-05-07 16:30

Lessons from Jeong Mong-ju

On my recent trip to Korea, I visited, for the first time, the grave of Jeong Mong-ju, the famous Goryeo official who chose to die rather than support the upstart Joseon Kingdom in 1392. It's always good to visit the site of important events like the homes or graves of important historical figures. I learned a lot from the visit.

2023-04-03 16:29

The Korean family of the future

The Korean family is changing. That might be the understatement of the decade. Given that fact, then what is it going to change into? It's hard to predict things like this, but there are some signs we can use for our divination.

2023-02-28 16:50

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