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Entertainment & Arts

Qatar 2022

SCMP
Asia

Opinion

Blogs

Sun, November 27, 2022 | 04:29

Is Kim Jong-un progressive?

Is Kim Jong-un progressive?

As someone who grew up in the 80s and 90s, I've generally understood human rights to be a good thing. Freedom of thought, freedom of movement, freedom of religion, and to not discriminate against people on a political, racial, gender, sexual, or class basis are good for us and the people around us.

2022-04-16 12:08

Korean grand narratives: the problem of ideology

Korean grand narratives: the problem of ideology

Much of modern politics and discourse has become a question of morality. When people vote, they are not simply expressing a preference over economic policy or the correct distribution of limited resources. Instead they are seen as taking a side in a Manichean battle of good versus evil. This environment has been fostered by social media and is reinforced daily by ideologues o...

2022-04-09 18:13

Mark Fisher and stagnation of K-pop

Mark Fisher and stagnation of K-pop

The slow cancellation of the future is an idea that echoed through Mark Fisher's work. It points to a condition in which life continues but time has somehow stopped. Cultural progress is halted. There is no longer any real or significant development taking place. Instead, we find ourselves repeating the past. Afraid of moving forward, we take refuge in yesterday.

2022-04-02 13:24

Moon, Yoon and a load of crackers

Moon, Yoon and a load of crackers

When President Moon Jae-in came to power, there was a great deal of optimism about what he would achieve. Many people here felt the country was finally turning a corner and a man of the people would wrest control from out-of-touch elites and place it in the heart of those who had fought for democracy and freedom.

2022-03-26 13:59

The beauty of Korean democracy

The beauty of Korean democracy

Many of us take democracy for granted, believing it to be the natural state of man or the logical progress of all and every society and culture around the world. Such beliefs, however, do not always conform to reality.

2022-03-19 15:34

I'm a feminist

I grew up in the U.K. with Elizabeth II as queen and Margaret Thatcher as prime minister. My family was also matriarchal as our grandmother presided over a large collection of cousins, aunties, and relatives. Therefore, throughout my years of development, it was second nature for me to see women in positions of power and influence. In that sense, I was very lucky.

2022-03-12 16:57

The pandemic's psychological effects on Korean youth

The pandemic's psychological effects on Korean youth

Try explaining Confucianism to someone. Or how Korean people will often instinctively become aware of the hierarchy in a room and know where to position themselves, what language to use, and who to defer to. Try conveying the feeling carried by the scars and trauma of Japanese colonization and the anti-Chinese sentiment that gets whipped up sporadically.

2022-03-05 14:39

Jang Gi-ha's 'Levitating': Experiments in minimalism

Jang Gi-ha's 'Levitating': Experiments in minimalism

I've been listening to music for 40 years. Once you get that long in the tooth, you start realizing that you've heard most of the ways people can get from A to B over a chord progression. The next big thing dominating the headlines immediately reminds you of that group that was kind of popular 20 twenty years ago. The big summer hit leans heavily on a melody from an 80s rock ...

2022-02-26 13:13

If Ahn were king?

If Ahn were king?

Many Koreans will laugh at you if you bring up the subject of Ahn Cheol-soo in the current presidential election. For all the rational arguments that might be made or the evidence that could be produced, there is simply no getting past that initial sense of ridicule with which one is greeted. Ahn carries a reputation and regardless of how he might have changed over the years,...

2022-02-19 13:31

Smear campaigns reach fever pitch

When is 'anti-Chinese sentiment' racism?

When is 'anti-Chinese sentiment' racism?

What's happening in Korea at the moment is real. Statistics and figures will never quite capture the incredibly visceral feeling sweeping through the country as the population directs its anger at China. It's something you see on the news, read on social media, smell on campus and catch at the coffee tables around you. You notice it most when your Chinese friends and colleagu...

2022-02-12 18:15

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Top 10 Stories

1	PHOTOSWorld Cup 2022 Korea vs Uruguay

2	Crowd control measures keep fans safe during Korea's World Cup game

3	Baemin, Coupang Eats hit for 'inadequate' responses to soaring online orders

4	DPK lawmaker continues 'poverty porn' claim against first lady, sends people to Cambodia

5	Hyundai Motor seeks to recover legacy of Pony

6	Builders on edge over looming construction site shutdowns

7	Wemade stocks plunge to daily bottom on delisting of Wemix coin

8	DPK spokesperson faces growing pressure over false accusations

9	'Canada is predictable, stable partner for Korea,' says Canadian minister

10	Joseon-era calendrical book with details on Admiral Yi Sun-sin returned to Korea

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