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Sat, February 4, 2023 | 14:33

Korea as sublime, strange, and familiar

Korea as sublime, strange, and familiar

There is a worryingly wonderful ease with which both Koreans and non-Koreans slip so seamlessly into perspectives of (self) orientalism. Korea quickly becomes a place like no other - where secret nunchi determines one's happiness, a powerful feeling of han molds character, and Confucianism serves as a mystical deus ex machina explaining everything from noraebangs to New Jeans.

2023-02-04 11:37

To speak Korean

To speak Korean

Language is magic. It creates ideas, places, people and smells. With words we summon both the past and the future; we explore the oceans, the deserts, the cities, and the skies; we communicate the possible and conjure the impossible. Through language we birth worlds, write history, and give voice to those silent emotions. What would the human world be without the magic of lan...

2023-01-28 12:09

Do you understand Confucianism?

Do you understand Confucianism?

Read something in the mainstream press and Confucianism will likely be linked to any or all of the following situations: the crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 214, the reason young Korean children study all night at hagwons, the overly puritan nature of some Korean dramas, workplace bullying and gapjil, BTS' phenomenal choreography, the Miracle on the Han River, why the English...

2023-01-21 11:55

Mass movements and individualism in Korea

Mass movements and individualism in Korea

It has been said that the strength of one's faith or devotion to a cause is not measured in moving mountains and achieving the impossible but conversely in not seeing mountains move when all evidence points to them doing so. Faith is, therefore, like love: blind. It is oblivious to a great many things that run counter to its worldview.

2023-01-07 12:37

Fear of the Korean black swan

Fear of the Korean black swan

Korean news in 2023 will be dominated by an improbable event, I just don't know what that event will be. It might be good, it might be bad. It might be an unprecedented cultural success. It might be a catastrophic national failure. It could be war.

2022-12-31 10:27

Lee Jung-jae's 'The Hunt' reveals Korean realities

Lee Jung-jae's 'The Hunt' reveals Korean realities

This is movie about Korea. Thus, it is about division. About violence. And death. About how visions of solidarity and collective action are dashed at every turn, often to the soundtrack of broken bones, bullets, and blood. We expect violence from Korean movies and The Hunt has lots of it. There must be at least 200 on-screen deaths during the movie. These are supplemented by ...

2022-12-24 13:43

Goblin mode or God life?

Goblin mode or God life?

It remains frightfully easy to paint a highly inaccurate picture of vast swathes of the Korean population. Generalizations are certainly not new but they are emboldened and fueled by the medium of social media. Pushing people into ever more exaggerated presentations of populations for digital dopamine spikes.

2022-12-17 14:16

K-Pop: Artists or Entertainers?

K-Pop: Artists or Entertainers?

K-pop is here. Music outlets such as Rolling Stone and NME now feature groups regularly and heavily. There is a financial imperative in this, of course. The same way in which awards shows will make a habit of having certain groups perform, and often late on in the ceremony, to ensure high viewing figures from the many devoted fans, news outlets have also realized the money th...

2022-12-10 13:31

K-football: team of heroes

K-football: team of heroes

It was nearly 2 a.m. in Seoul when Son Heung-min decided that rather than continuing to try carrying the weight of the nation on his shoulders, he would instead pass the ball. Though incredibly dedicated and tireless in his running, he had cut somewhat of a frustrating figure from a footballing perspective. He seemed determined to always take one more touch, to take on every ...

2022-12-03 11:24

Finding kindness in Korea

Finding kindness in Korea

We live in a society where all acts of kindness are treated with suspicion. Seen as a shallow marketing ploy for the person's own benefit or social status rather than providing any genuine help to others.

2022-11-26 12:40

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Top 10 Stories

1	Teens feel peer pressure to buy luxury goods endorsed by K-pop stars

2	Itaewon tragedy's bereaved families harassed by far-right protesters

3	Plan to construct new memorial center for ex-president faces backlash

4	Too many emergency text alerts? Gov't to halt daily COVID-19 notifications

5	First lady expands presence in domestic politics

6	Able C&C sale attracts dozens of potential buyers

7	FSC OKs Apple Pay to be available in Korea

8	Naver to roll out conversational AI service

9	SEMICON Korea defies chip industry downturn

10	K bank decides to delay IPO plan

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