My shoutout to Pavarotti

Everybody's favorite opera singer passed yesterday.
After my first year of law school in 1992, I spent three weeks in Geneva. As soon as I landed in town, Pat and I bought tickets to go see the legend in concert.
The night before the show, I got drunk off my ass at the only bar in town that stayed up after 9 pm, then proceeded to climb up three stories of the exterior of a hotel. Don't ask. Of course, I fell, which left me with two broken ankles, a sprained shoulder and numerous scratches and bruises. I was lucky to be alive.
I should have gone to the ER right away, but I waited a few days because I'd be damned if I was gonna miss the show. Next day, I took the public bus to the concert hall and hobbled to my seat. Despite the relentless and searing pain, I thoroughly managed to have a good time. He fuckin' rocked!
So here's to you, Grande Vecchio. Grazie e buon viaggio.

Mid-week ramblings about media tycoons, Italian movies and West Coast football.

Apparently, I have a lot to say this morning:

Adieu, Dow Jones.
I'm mildly disappointed by the news that Rupert Murdoch is buying the Wall Street Journal publisher even though I knew for some weeks that it was inevitable.
Unlike a lot of people, I’m less concerned that Murdoch might soon cheapen the paper by publishing tawdry items or enforce his political/commercial agenda through the paper - though that remains a distinct possibility.
As a former employee of Dow Jones, I’m sighing because the company - despite its lofty name and being publicly traded - was a family-run operation that treated its employees well. It was a self-contained unit focused solely on solid business journalism - the best in the business.
Now it gets to be a part of a large conglomerate that has a reputation of being ruthless in the eyes of competition. And I can't help but feel wistful that the deal feels like watching a bookworm brother being forcibly sent to a military boot camp.

The best I've seen in 10 years.
Speaking of feeling wistful, I recently finished watching "Best of Youth," a 6-hour Italian movie that left me feeling deeply nostalgic of my younger days and appreciative of my family and friends.
Originally released as a miniseries in that country in 2003, it's basically a long love letter to Italy told through the eyes of a typical Roman family. It's the best movie I've seen in the last ten years.
Specifically, its about two brothers in Rome - one equipped with a steady, sunny disposition while the other struggles with repressive sensibilities - marking their personal stories in 40 years of tumultuous and corrput Italy.
It took me three days to watch it, but it's well worth it.

It'll be good for me.
Speaking of European movies, I don't think I've seen a single movie by Ingmar Bergman. I tried watching "Seventh Seal" about a year ago, but it was a bit too "Scandinavian" for my taste - too dark, austere and lacking in humor.
But in a nod to his passing earlier this week, I moved "Scenes from a Marriage" to the top of my Netflix list. I hear it's one of his audience-friendly movies. Woody Allen's "Husbands and Wives" - one of my favorite movies - is said to be influenced by it.

Man, I'm so American.
Speaking of Bergman, I noticed yesterday that his obit ran on the front page of my local newspaper while that of another legend who died on the same day, football coach Bill Walsh, was pushed back to the sports section.
I guess I understand the rationale, given Bergman's international appeal and the indelible mark he left on cinema. Football ain't no art, some might say.
But personally, Bill Walsh meant more to me, growing up in the U.S. as a sports-obsessed child. I dare say his 49ers' brand of football - with its precise passing game dictated by the quietly competitive Joe Montana - was almost artistic.

Come on in!

I was at a dinner party recently, and got into a conversation with a U.S. bureaucrat who is directly involved in the visa waiver program.
This person - I promised to not divulge any information about him/her - tells me that the visa waiver will inevitably be expanded to include South Korea. Of course, this is not news for Koreans, many of whom are fascinated with the topic. Just check out the non-stop headlines aobut it in Korean newspapers. (U.S. diplomats stamp more visitor visas in Korea than in any other country.)
What was surprising was my source's candid admission that he/she believes including Korea is a bad idea. One in four Koreans who come to the U.S. on tourist visas overstay and never leave, making the country one of the worst offenders along with Poland, according to this person. South Korea also hasn't made its best efforts to curb human traffiking, this person says.

Country music does this to me.

On my way to work yesterday, this corny song "Live like you're dying" came on the radio. As much as I tried, that song stayed with me all day (more because of its catchy hooks and not because of the cliche of message). But I did get around to thinking: What will I do if I had six months left to live?
So I drew up a little list that goes beyond the obvious - like spending time with my family and so on. And no, I'm not going sky diving.
-- Forgive and ask for forgiveness from some friends and family members that I've neglected over the years. I have cousins in Korea, whom I've never met. Why I can't do that now, I'm not really sure. Of the seven original sins, pride is what gets me the most.
-- Kiss my wife and son as much as I can.
-- Travel, travel and travel, with my wife and son in tow. I especially want to see Central Asian countries (all those -stan countries), Argentina, South Africa and North Korea. I've been to 51 countries so far, and they're now on top of my list. I'd want to revisit Paris, Seoul, Madrid, southern Thailand, Malaysia, Vancouver, Shanghai, Prague and Egypt.
-- Participate in one good political protest. Having emigrated to the U.S. in 1979, I missed the opportunity to throw my share of molotov cocktails at the Chun/Roh regimes. I missed the WTO Seattle by eight months when I moved to the Emerald City in early 2000. I suppose I could have gone to Tiananmen Square or Berlin in the late 80s, but I was a poor college student. I won't do this for the sake of just doing it. It will have to be a legitimate, cathartic and justifiable fuck-you of a riot to whoever that really deserves it.
-- Read "Moby Dick." As an English major, I read a lot of books in college. But I also relied heavily on Cliffs Notes for others. "Moby Dick" falls into the latter category and I've felt guilty about it ever since. It's like having gone to China and not seeing the Forbidden City.
-- Smoke as much as I want to, instead of sneaking it in once or twice a day after meals.
What about you? What's on your list?

Falling Art Star

A pretty big scandal has recently rocked the Korean art and academic community. A 35 year old rising superstar in the Korean art world, Shin Jeong-Ah, has been accused of forging her academic credentials. These included a PhD from Yale and a BA and MBA from the University of Kansas. She also said that she transferred from the prestigious Seoul National University but never studied there. Apparently, she is only a high school graduate.

The shock is that this person has risen to a position of great prominence in the Korean art community. She is (was) a Professor at Danguk University (the youngest ever) and the Chief Curator of the Sungkok Art Museum. Also, she was appointed co-curator of the 2008 Gwangju Biennale which is arguably the most high profile art showcase in Korea attracting a global audience (at least within the art community). She has since been dismissed from all of these institutions.

Another purported lie was that she lay in the rubble of the Sampoong Department store disaster in 1995 for several hours before being rescued. The real sotry was that she was there on that fateful day but had long gone home before the accident occurred. Lucky, yes, but a miracle survivor ... hardly.

She maintains her innocence and is currently in NY. All of the above institutions replied that she was never a matriculated student so it should be interesting to see how she proves herself. The fax that was sent to Dongguk University that "proved" her academic credentials from Yale was a fake. Perhaps, she is just a pathological liar in which case she is just can't help herself. Perhaps her life was just not that great that her only escape was to live this lie.

This (sadly) sort of brings to mind the Dr. Hwang Woo-Suk case (forged tests on cloning). Now, some well known English teachers in Korea are confessing that they, too, have forged their academic credentials. A recent articel in the Joongang Daily reports that police will check academic records of just under 3,000 English teachers. According to the article, fake diplomas are easily purchased for about US$50 and you can graduate summa cum laude for just an extra $10.

If all of these accusations turn out to be true, it's likely that she will go to jail for fraud. It's a bit sad in a way, she worked herself up from being a part time translator in a museum to the top of the art field. Lack of academic credentials aside, she must have had some talent or maybe it says something about the Korean art world. I sort of wish for her to be somehow vindicated as that would make for some riveting drama. Won't hold my breath though.
- Pat in Seoul

My favorite Korean movies list that's kind of an ode to Song Kang-ho

Knowing that I'm a cinephile, a friend recently asked me to name my favorite Korean movies. I named five of them and this is pretty much what I said.
"Joint Security Area": I told my friend that it resonates with many Koreans because it articulates on a personal level their collective pangs of living in a broken nation. He said, "huh?"
And I said: "It's about Koreans being fucking pissed that they can't be with their brothers and sisters. And it's a whodunit to boot."
Song Kang-ho pretty much rules the movie, though Lee Byung-hyun - he represents the pang - is very convincing.
"Memories of Murder": I liken it to being a Korean version of "Seven," with a good dash of politics thrown in. I was there at its screening at 2003 Toronto Film Festival when the appreciative crowd stood and cheered as the credits rolled. Again, Song Kang-ho rules in the movie.
"The Host": Anthony Lane of the New Yorker says he saw it three times. I don't like it that much, but Song Kang-ho pretty much...well, you get the idea.
"Oasis": I never cry. I came pretty close with this. Seol Kyung-gu, as the dolt brother newly freed from jail, is brilliant. I worship at the altar of Moon So-ri - she of the fabulous name.
"Oldboy": I recommended this even though it's not one of my favorites because, at least stylistically, it's the most sophisticated Korean movie made. But it lacks subtlety of any kind, is littered with gratuitous violence and has a tiresome plot.
I would have recommended Hong Sang-soo's "Turning Gate," but that's like serving up al-chigae to a Korean food novice.

God and hostages

Live and let live, I say. So far be it from me to criticize the Korean missionaries who believed they were on an important assignment from God to go into Afghanistan and travel along the country's most dangerous road before they were kidnapped by Taliban fighters.
I'm not a praying man, but I sure do hope they get home safely. But as a Korean, I must ask: What is it about Koreans that makes so many of us so fervent and fundamentalist about religion and cults?
I've always been suspicious about organized religion and I don't buy that personal dialogue with God is necessary to live well. I do think it's important to be thankful, to somehow believe there is meaning to our lives and and to not piss on people because they believe in their own God. Beyond that, shit, I don't know.
And that's exactly what I will be telling my Papito when he's old enough to ask me about God.

Korean Pork BBQ

One good thing about being on a low carb diet is that you get to get loads of greasy meat. In Korea, this low carb thing is very difficult to do but I'm slogging through it and having a lot of famous Korean BBQ. I'm sure my cholesterol is off the charts but I'll work on that later.

Recently, I'm all about this cuisine called "dduk kimchi samgyeopsal" and it's a taste I'm been craving like a madman lately. For those of you who don't know, “samgyeopsal” refers to thick cuts of pork, like bacon, with three layers of fat ("sam" is the number "three” in Korean). At first, you may be put off by the amount of fat. In fact, when I first came to Korea I used to cut off at least one layer, the fattiest, before I ate it much to the amusement of my Korean friends. The meat also sometimes contains small round bits of cartilage that I still don't enjoy eating but is supposed to be consumed.

Normally, one would grill this up and then eat together with “daengjang” (fermented bean paste) or “ssamjang” (fermented red bean paste) wrapped in sesame leaf and various types of lettuce after dipping the roasted pork in a small dish filled with sesame oil and salt. Of course, you could also include some thinly sliced garlic pieces that have nicely browned on the grill in a mixture of, you guess it, sesame oil. The stuff you wrap with is collectively referred to as "ssam" or to wrap. You may be familiar with this term as Momofuku's Korean American chef recently opened a "Ssam Bar" (basically wrap restaurant). It's not a new thing, it's a very traditional way to eat and people in any hard core Korean restaurant eat this way.

The thing about this place is that you also roast up kimchi on the grill along with the roasted garlic. While this is not novel, there are many places you can roast your kimchi with the meat, the topper is that you eat this not with sesame leaf and lettuce but rather wrapped in “dduk” which is Korean rice cake. In this case, the rice cake is very thin round piece that are sliced in half into half moons and lightly brushed with sesame oil. The combination of the dduck (rice cake), the roasted fatty pork, the kimchi, the roasted garlic, the salt and bean paste is truly delectable.

This is great, of course, with Korean soju or just beer.

-Pat in Seoul

Mi casa grande

Perhaps it's a phase I'm going through. But I'm really beginning to think this whole American dream of homeownership might be overrated. I have a 2,400-square-foot house - modest by American suburban standards - but it's more space than I really need. At least for now, with just one bambino.
I'm just not that into mowing the lawn and getting my ass bitten all over by mosquitoes and god knows what else. I admire my backyard but, like a lot of Americans, hardly use it. I don't go down to the basement except to laze around on a couch zoning out to bad TV. I don't have access to a community pool when it's 102 degrees outside.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not one of those stereotypical suburbanites who live way the fuck out and in quiet desperation. I'm 14 miles from the White House and three blocks from one of the busiest intersections in the DC area. Our social calendar is pretty full with friends going in and out. It's just that I miss living in a modest 1,000-square-foot apartment where I don't have to call out "where are you?" to locate my wife. I miss not having a mortgage, not having to pay property tax or homeowners insurance or having to fix shit on my own. I miss the simpler life.
But then, I remind myself of the things I do have - a beautiful, loving wife, a great kid, a big-ass house where I can hide from them occasionally, a job where I'm not banging my head aginst a wall, parents nearby, and 5-minute commute to work. And life is all good once again.
What do you think? Is this a normal reaction for new homeowners?

Ode to Ichiballs

I can't lie. I have a man-crush on Ichiro. I haven't felt this way about an athlete since Fernando Valenzuela in the late 80s. Holy shit! Have you ever seen a hitter score standing up on an inside-park homerun? Me neither.
I've had man-crushes on maybe four or five dudes in my entire life - Ted Koppel, Roberto Clemente, Chang-rae Lee and Ichiro. Kinda uncomfortable talking about it. But there it is.

North Korean Prison Escapee

Came across this very moving article on a young North Korean escapee in temporary residency in a Seoul human rights center. Unlike most escapees, this guy escaped from a prison labor camp with is quite rare. Most escapees are from labor camps that try operated under the guise of "re-education" and the like. His case was particularly egregious as he was born in the camp and knew nothing of the life outside of it. His family was convicted of helping out the South Koreans during the Korean War and, as a result, three generations of the family were to be punished.

In this camp, the children born are only taught rudimentary things and not even party ideology. The children are made to work in mines or in logging for life and only learn those things necessary to do this. As the children of no other thing, they must assume that this is life.

According to experts, growing up in this environment is a particularly cruel form of punishment and abuse. I don’t think you need to be an expert to realize this. Imagine a life where basic feelings and needs are not experienced. You are not human. I wonder if there are innate feelings that at least make life worth living.

What can this guy be thinking right now, living in Seoul. He escaped after hearing stories by other inmates about this other life. He is quoted as saying that sometimes life in Seoul “is more burdensome than the hardest labor in the camp.” He says that sometimes he wishes to "return to the time before he learned about the greater world, ‘without knowing that we were in a prison camp, without knowing that there was a place called South Korea.'"

-Pat in Seoul

Pants-obsessed judge loses in dry cleaners case

To close the loop, as they say, on this pathetic instance of an American penchant for litigiousness, I'm posting here the final decision of Pearson v. Custom Cleaners. The Korean dry cleaners win. Still not clear if Pearson will appeal.

On Naver

I read an article in the International Herald Tribune on the Korean company Naver which coincided with a discussion I had with a friend who had just read the Naver story (in Korean).

According to the article, the Naver web site accounts for over 75% of web searched in Korea. That is a huge chunk with the second ranked Daum coming in at just under 11%. Yahoo Korea is a distant third at under 5% and, get this, Google Korea's market share of web searches in Korea is under 2%.

I remember when web searches in Korean were very paltry. The reason was that there was just not that much Korean language content out there. How did Naver do it? They generated the content from its users and kept it in their proprietary database not open to other web search sites. In a country with a huge percentage of Internet penetration and use (the broadband and other Internet infrastructure is really second to none) also has a lot to do with this growth. I go anywhere in the world and the snail's pace of the Internet drives me nuts.

Nowadays, all of the web search results that Naver brought to the market is prevalent in all Korean web search sites. You have the regular “search results” and also user generated answers to queries. This makes NHN, Naver’s parent company the largest and most profitable Internet company in Korea. Last year, the company posted over US$300 million in net profit. In fact, Yahoo Answers is a direct descendant of Korean web search functionality. A good friend works at Google and they just opened up a spanking new office in Seoul. They are not apt to just sit by and will certainly do what they can to improve its paltry market share (under 2% I still can’t get over).

Not only does NHN have a lock in the Korean web search market, their on-line gaming section is no slouch. People are literally addicted to on-line games and spend hours and hours on this stuff. The economics of the on-line gaming industry in Korea is very interesting.

Take for instance a game called Kart Rider. It's a very simple game that you play with complete strangers but you can purchase upgrades to your car (e.g. slick paint jobs). The free “car” you get is not very pretty and doesn't have any of the bells and whistles of other cars. Apparently, unless you are a complete on-line game stud you won't win with this car. Thus, people buy these upgrades.

In a game called Lineage, there is a complete cyber land complete with villages and towns and feudal overlords. In order to gain experience at fighting you have to get trained (basically keep hitting targets with your sword) before you can actually kill animals and the like. In fact, there are people in China who get paid to play these games in order for Korean users to get these experience points. Crazy. In this cyber-kingdom, people engage in trade and war and everything. Talk about on-line community. Apparently, there have been murders in real life in Korea based on what happens in this cyber land. There are cable TV shows dedicated to showing games between famous gamers. There kids are so well known in Korea and are sponsored (some earning more that six figures). When you go to the mall, there are huge crowds of people watching real-time gaming contests. I'm not sure if this is Otaku-crazy but Korea must be one of the leading companies in Internet on-line gaming.

Starcraft 2.0 is about to be launched. It's only a matter of time before this stuff catches on like wildfire outside Korea.

-Pat in Seoul

No Rain in the Forecast

I was talking with a friend about the canceled Rain concerts last month and most recently at the Staples Center. To date, he has canceled in Honolulu, San Francisco, Atlanta, New York and San Jose. The tour was called, oddly enough, “Rain's Coming.”

This time, apparently there were over 25 truckloads worth of stuff brought in from Korea as well as an entourage of people and press numbering around 100. While his previous troubles stemmed from a copyright challenge over the use of his stage name, this fiasco was pure unprofessionalism.

Rain recently took over his career management duties from JYP Entertainment. JYP stands for Jin Young Park who, in his own right, was a major Korean pop star back in the day. Apparently, the split on earnings was something like 90:10 (Management:Rain). So, it’s not that surprising that Rain would try to take over. Besides the split, Jin Young Park also was a media hog besides the fact that he speaks very good English and Rain cannot. This pretty much relegated Rain to the sidelines. For example, Jin Young Park would answer all the questions in English on MTV's Total Request Live after which Rain would say "I love you!" That was about a year ago so probably he can say more. I hear that Jin Young Park is planning a comeback CD. Rain's father is his main promoter now it seems and the company is made up of complete amateurs. JYP, of course, just keeps their mouths shut as they have nothing to do with this travesty.

Hopefully, Rain can hold on until the Speed Racer movie comes out and he gets some professional management to take over especially if wants to make it outside of Korea. No doubt Rain won't have much speaking-lines in the Speed Racer movie but hopefully he can leverage that somehow. The waves in this pop world are notoriously short-lived and he's no Usher. His most recent movie got trashed in Korea even with Park Chan-Wook at the helm but performing decently in Europe.

-Pat in Seoul

$65 million pants

Many blogs have already written about this, so I'll keep it short. The Korean drycleaners who got sued by Roy Pearson, a DC administrative judge, finally got their day in court. And it looks like they will come out on top.
Some background: The DC judge, who makes more than $100,000 a year as a city employee, sued the Korean couple for $65 million for losing a pair of his pants. He claims he suffered from mental anguish and spent hundreds of hours filing the claim. He also wants attorney fees reimbursed, although he's representing himself.
In a rare show of unity, trial lawyers and tort reformers have criticized it as the ultimate example of frivolous lawsuits. Koreans in DC and international media are following it closely.
Judge Judith Bartnoff, who's hearing the case, is expected to issue her ruling next week. She may have tipped her hand when she kept warning Pearson - who claimed to be a "private attorney general" representing all consumers in DC - to stop referring himself as "we" and said: "It's also very important that (consumer) statutes like this are not misused."

Prez shooting from the hip

A baffling, idiotic law rears its ugly head again. Conservative lawmakers in Korea want to file complaints about President Roh for making partisan statements about their GNP party. The law basically says public servants - regardless of whether they were elected or not - can't make partisan statements.
I'm not sure what the genesis of the law is, though I suppose it has something to do with the national desire for the kingly president to remain above the fray, as well as not have too much influence over the electoral process. But it simply isn't realistic. Roh ignores the law.
Conservatives, despite wasting several precious months a couple of years ago in their failed attempts to impeach Roh on the same charges, continue their petty political warfare.
- Chulopapi

Mentoring Korean students

I signed up to be a mentor to a high/middle school student in a program sponsored by Korean American Coalition, Washington, DC chapter. I figure it's a way to give back to the community a bit. I haven't done any volunteer work in a while. The coordinator says the recent events at VaTech has been "a wake-up call" for many Korean parents to get their kids exposed to activities beyond their school. We'll see how it plays out.
- Roger

Career woman takes charge

A career woman in Seoul is suing her employer, an online gaming company, for creating a work culture that enabled her boss to force her to drink during evening gatherings, or hoishik.
Good for her - if the facts, as she states them, are indeed true. Way too much drinking in Korea, which in itself may be ok if it weren't for subordinates feeling pressured to binge drink. The male boss, who doesn't deny the facts, says he's "the victim."
- Roger in DC

A Twist On Hiking in Korea

Due to jet lag, was up at some atrocious hour watching Korean cable TV. There was an interesting show about tattoo artists in Korea but these badass wannabees getting tattoos don't get the real thing but ones that come off after a few months. Lame. If you're going to do it then do it. Laser tattoo removal has come a long way. This is just like all the young women who smoke in Seoul. I don't mind smokers having been one myself but if you are going to smoke then inhale the damn stuff. Just puffing it out of one's mouth does no one any good.

OK, now that's off my chest. The interesing story was about these "tour" services in Korea that bring people together for day trips to the mountains for hiking. The thing is, you go onto the Internet and search for these things. Once you get the time and meeting place there are tons of these companies vying to get you to ride their van. It looks like it's for people of all ages.

Once in the van, the company takes the group to a mountain for hiking. The interesting thing is that the group is paired up equally men and women. On the way to the mountain, by the way everyone is in hiking gear, the group stops for lunch where the people get to know each other and, of course, the soju comes out. After a light hike (they do actually do some hiking), the group then converges onto another establishment to eat and then the karoake comes out. The group is singing and dancing and then the tour operator whips out the keys. These couples then go off to their own rooms for their own little tryst. I guess there is only one and reason and one reason alone to go on these particular tours. That's right the fresh country air and famous home cooking.

Well, I was riding the subway today and saw a group of mid to late 40 something ladies decked out in hiking gear. I had my gym bag with me and one was giving me this very scary look. I felt like a lamb in the woods about to be violated in a very difficult way.

-Pat in Seoul

Korea Gallery at Smithsonian

I attended last night a preview of the opening of The Korea Gallery at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Notwithstanding the breathless tone with which the event was covered in the Korean media, it's actually a small wing on the second floor displaying about 85 artifacts and artworks.
Some of the artworks are stunning. I particularly like the calligraphy pieces, and, strangely, the oil paintings by an artist - his/her name escapes me now - that depict the Korean countryside. But overall, it lacks focus. It's a mixed bag of items that one can imagine the Korean ministry of culture/tourism might have put together for a national PR campaign - ranging from elaborate hanbok, ancient pottery and photos of golfer Se-ri Park and 2002 World Cup scenes.
The gallery's tone - as well as that of the Korean bureaucrats who were there to present it - was a bit too insecure for my taste. The bureaucrats, including its ambassador to the U.S., made drony, incomprehensible speeches, with more than one reminding you that hallyu or "the Korean Wave" - whatever that means - really exists and that Korea is the 11th largest economy in the world. Art took a backseat to nationalism during the night.
- Roger in DC

Bold daughter or clueless parents?

A Korean American girl has figured out a way to deal with her parents' expectations of her going to a prestigious university. She basically pretended to be a Stanford student for eight months, attending classes and bunking with her unsuspecting "roommates."
Her parents now may want to consider a psych ward for her.
- Roger in DC

No love, but low interest rate

Money can't by happiness, but can it mend your broken heart? Jilted Korean soldiers, who has had girlfriends leave them during their long military service, are now entitled to lower-than-market savings rates at a bank in Korea.
- Roger in DC

A good Korean movie, finally!

I saw Kim Tae-young's "Birth of a Family" yesterday (also called "Family Ties), an understated drama stretching further the elastic definition of family. It's an ode to the struggling lower middle class Koreans who made do with the shitty lot they were given in life. It's also about young love, familial devotion, and the consequences of lives impulsively lived. It's fantastic.
Plot: a drifter brother suddenly moves in to his older sister's house with a woman significantly older than him. And the lives of all related are irreovocably turned upside down.
The movie is worth watching just to see some of the finest Korean actors apply their craft. In three seemingly unrelated segments, the movie provides an opportunity for two of the best Korean actresses - Moon So-ri and Gong Hyo-jin - to unfurl their emotive powers.
Moon (Oasis, Lawyer's Wife, Peppermint Candy) burns up the screen with her quiet portrayal of the old-miss sister who is completely befuddled by the disruption of her quotidian life.
Gong (Conduct Zero) embodies the movie's plucky spirit, with her metaphorical middle-finger flipped to the everyday constraints facing young Korean women. No one tackles such roles better. Look out for one particular scene at an elementary school "athletic day" in which she is overwhelmed with the joy that only comes with selfless giving.
Bong Tae-gyu - who, until now, was fairly one dimensional with his bubbly, fumbling characters - continues to grow in this movie, becoming one of the better comic actors in Korea.
For about two years now, it seemed like the Korean cinema industry was cranking out - save for "The Host" - nothing but bad teen comedies, overdone mafia dramas and downright awful horror flicks. Let's hope it can expand on its effort to make more of these smart, subtle movies.
- Roger in DC

No fun teaching English in Korea

Western English teachers I met in Korea were generally a miserable lot. It's a tough country to negotiate, especially for wide-eyed, idealistic twentysomethings looking for adventure. If Singapore is Asia 101, then Korea is definitely a graduate course. Here's an angry diabtribe from such teacher.
Basically, he hated everything about his experience there. Why he stuck around despite all, he doesn't say. Not a bad writer. But his anger and miserable attitude overrun the few valid points he has.
- Roger in DC

Jeon Do-hyun at Cannes

Predictably, the Korean media is going ga-ga over Jeon Do-hyun after she won the best actress award at Cannes for her portrayal of grieving mother in the movie "Secret Sunshine."
I'm not going to add to the hyperbole (especially since I haven't seen the movie), but suffice to say she's far and away the best Korean actress working now. She has been for some time, in my opinion.
Watch her throw it down in "Happy End" as an unhappy housewife or as an innocent schoolgirl in "Harmonium in My Memory." She was the only reason to watch "My Mother, the Mermaid."
She's made some clunkers, including the sappy (and inanely titled) "You Are My Sunshine," the overrated "Untold Scandal," and the immature "Contact." But she's a standout even in those movies.
Not blessed with the classic Korean beauty, she and her abilities make you wonder why Korean directors can't harness more from her acting contemporaries. Good actors are out there in Korea. You just can't find many of them in movies.
Oh...now that I'm a dad, I don't think I can bear to watch "Secret Sunshine." I'll settle for reading the glowing reviews trickling out of international media.
- Roger in DC

Thank the Moonies for that Delectable Sushi ...

I was reading an article on Japan's largest seafood market (Tsukiji) in this month's Vanity Fair and found out that a company run by the Moonies (aka Unification Church of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon) called True World Foods runs a large fleet of boats and fish distribution centers and supplies most of the sushi chefs in the US. One of these chefs is Nao Sugiyama, who runs Sugiyama, in NYC. This restaurant is generally known as a top rated sushi restaurant. According to a representative from True World Foods, the company purchases over 30,000 pounds of fresh seasfood monthly from large Japanese markets. About a fifth of this goes to the Tri-state area alone. (Photo of U.S. headquarters on the left)

-Pat in Seoul

Rain and Colbert

Time magazine says Korean singer Rain is the top vote getter in its Internet poll of the 100 most influential people in the world. Sleep-deprived Korean kids in PC bangs are at it again, apparently. It's the same reason why Yao Ming is always the top NBA All-Star vote getter. People in Asia take their online voting duty seriously.
Check out this spoof from Stephen Colbert, who's upset about the result ...all over you like an egg on bibimbap. Hilarious.
- Roger in DC

So how was your stay?

Interesting parting words from Stephen Bear, head of McKinsey Consulting, Seoul office, in an interview with a Korean newspaper.
Bear laments the Korean government was all words, little action on some of the most important issues - education, environment, labor dispute and regulations.
Korean companies will have difficulty attracting top talent unless they can change their employment models, he says. And their main problem remains the hierarchical decision-making process and promotion system is based seniorities.
Oh, and he says he will miss Korean food (After all these years of globalization, the Korean media still laps it up whenever foreigners declare their fondness for Korean food and culture.)
A key topic that went unaddressed: How did his company fare in helping Korean companies deal with some of the very obstacles he refers to? Isn't that why international consulting firms are sought after - for their supposed problem solving skills that can transcend cultural issues?
I'd have liked a few examples from him, if he had any to offer.
- Roger in DC

Korean shows

Check out this tongue-in-cheek treatment of how Korean soaps are increasingly viewed. (The story has a nice premise, though not very well executed.)
It's too bad that Korean TV generally stinks. I find it to be a good way to retain my Korean language skills, but I can't bear to watch most of it. I might get hooked on a drama show every now and then, but the ones decent enough to keep my attention are few and far in between.
The last time I casually enjoyed a show was two years ago - about a country girl who makes it in Seoul through her fortitude and outlook (based on an old tale about a girl named Geom-soon). Before that, a couple of years earlier, it was another show about a country girl who makes it in Seoul through her fortitude and outlook (and a side romance with a wealthy boy who happens share her attic room). Suffice to say, these shows - while deeply reflective of the Korean ethos of hard work, respect for authority, and stick-to-it-tiveness - also lack originality and utterly devoid of good writing.
- Roger in DC

A muscular executive

As I was watching an episode of ABC's Lost a few weeks ago, there was a scene in which the CEO of a large Korean conglomerate - the father of one of the characters, Sun - hires a muscle to do a job on an adversary. I thought it to be an instance of a TV show playing up to a stereotype - the mysterious Asian executive with too much power. Then I read this story.
- Roger in DC

Momentary bliss

Here at work on my twice-a-year Sunday rotation. No news breaking. Lots of idle time. A beautiful spring day in the nation's capital. Listening to some downloaded Yo-Yo Ma interpretation of Ennio Morricone pieces. Sifting through the Sunday NY Times (about Chien-Ming Wang's almost-perfect game yesteday) with a cup of warm chamomille tea. Yeah, I know, all the signs of middle-age adulthood very much present. But man, what a nice, easy Sunday morning.
- Roger in DC

What to make of the national reaction?

I was quite perplexed when Koreans and Korean Americans reacted the way they did at the Blacksburg shooting. Their reaction was that of a real, visceral shock with some strange consequences - the Korean ambassador to the U.S. calling for a collective fast (although I think this was a translation mistake exacerbated by his inarticulateness), statements of apology by Koreans who had nothing to do with it, the heavyhanded involvement by the Roh administration, town hall meetings in which Korean Americans sought assurances from American elected officials that there would be no racial backlash, etc. What gives? I thought much of it was wildly inappropriate and was quick to condemn how Koreans inexplicably took it on themselves to feel so apologetic and shameful about it. But then, an astute friend of mine reminded me of the massive hysteria unleashed during the World Cup at every Korean goal or at the apocryphal achievements of a certain geneticist to be thoroughly discredited later, and that such reactions and that of the Blacksburg shooting have much the same DNA - deep nationalism tinged with a herd behavior. And you take the good with the bad.
- Roger in DC

Perspective from DC

It's been a tough week. That I somehow got involved in the sausage-making process of news gathering didn't make it easier. I'm not a specialist in covering crimes and misdemeanors. But as a Korean speaker, I was asked to track down as many friends, acquaintances, church members and relatives as I can.
It basically involved three days of driving all over town, talking to pastors, community leaders, diplomats, reporters, laundry shop owners, realtors, video shop clerks, hairdressers and other hard-working Koreans in Fairfax County. I met more Koreans in a span of three days than the two years I've lived here. Most were reluctant, and only two or three knew anything substantive.
As troubled as I was about the event, being involved in the coverage made me somewhat more detached and helped me cope with the news. When I attended the Tuesday night candlelight vigil in Fairfax County held by about 400 Koreans or so, I was there more as a newsman and had little time to participate in the collective outpouring of sorrow and apology.
Still, it was not easy tossing out direct questions at reluctant and defensive Koreans who had nothing to do with the act itself.
While I'm at it, let me add that I think the issue of racial backlash will turn out to be an overblown news angle. Most Koreans will find out that the racism they may or may not face isn't any worse than it was last week. And for some Korean Americans to believe otherwise may be a reflection of their inability - even after decades here - to shake off the we-are-still-guests mindset.

Sad to say ....

I think most Asians awaited with bated breath upon hearing that the shooter in the Virginia Tech killing spree was an Asian male. Was he Chinese? Was he Korean? Was he Vietnamese? In the car today, my co-worker and I breathed a temporary sigh of relief when we misheard that the killer was of Chinese descent only to hear that the killer was, in fact, a Korean national. I felt bad about my initial reaction … relief that the killer was not Korean - as if that made this tragedy somehow less tragic.

Then the news in Korea went on to report, incorrectly it now appears, that the murderer's parents had both committed suicide - the father dead from slashed wrists and the mother in the hospital after swallowing poison.

In Korea, this news of course is all over the place. It seems to be a source of collective shame that the killer was ethnic Korean. The headlines all point to fears of racial backlash and possible repercussions. I trust that level heads will prevail and that we all realize that this is just one troubled and sick individual. Regardless, to have an ethnic Korean linked to the worst mass murder in U.S. history is difficult and race may have played some part in his feelings of alienation, detachment and weakness and certain stereotypes will be bolstered to those people who do not know many Koreans or Asians very well.

The news in the US all point to him being Korean but this guy has been in the U.S. since he was 8. He majored in English. He spoke almost perfect English. Also, I hate to admit, I was "glad" he spoke English so well. Why? Does it really matter? But, at least it helps in diminishing the typical racial stereotype. OK, time to stop feeling so defensive I tell myself.

We all know many Koreans who immigrated to the US and have such similar stories. His sister graduated from Princeton, his parents works their tail off in a laundry store and lived in a nice middle class home. They did everything for their children. Probably, also very much into Christianity. It makes this thing all the more tragic.

It would be interesting to hear what Koreans living in the U.S. are feeling and experiencing. I hope, once the shock diminishes this whole thing doesn't descend any further than it has to.

-Pat in Seoul

Love is in the air. Or is that just the bouquet?

Now with spring slowly easing upon us, the wedding season is kicking into high gear. Every weekend, in hotels, churches, wedding halls, families gather for that special 30 minute ceremony where single men and women can finally brush off the marital pressures they’ve been suffering since they graduated from college. Yes, I said 30 minutes. With the reception, the whole thing finishes up in 45.

Let me paint the picture. You are invited to a wedding at a “traditional” wedding hall. (Churches and wedding halls are the two most visible buildings dotting almost every other block in this country. Starbucks is becoming a close third.) The hall is usually three to four stories high with a wedding ceremony happening on each floor starting fifteen minutes from each other. Why fifteen minutes, you ask? After you witness the blazing ceremony pass you by, there needs to be enough time for the wedding party to speed down to the reception in the basement. You’d think the parents are paying for the wedding by the hour. But it actually is the hall management who are trying to turnover as many weddings as possible in one day.

So you can imagine a constant flow of bodies, going up the elevator, down the elevator, wedding gowns, sashes, flowers, confetti just flying everywhere. But the people who manage these halls perform this dance with such precision, one wedding party never runs into the other. I can easily imagine a team of Samsung managers using the halls as case studies for their own assembly lines.

I'll be going to my first wedding of the season in two weeks. Trust me, I'll have my running shoes on.

- Mark in Seoul

A Korean win in MLB

The 2007 ML baseball season is a bit less exciting for me now that Korean players are nowhere to be seen. I've been perusing the box scores every morning to see if any Korean players show up, and have come up empty. But yesterday, I saw that Jae Kuk Ryu pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to get the victory. It's the second season in Tampa for the 24 year old from Choong-chung Do. Other than that, I don't know much about him. Poor guy. Can't be easy for a Korean living in Tampa.
- Roger in DC

How do I talk to my child?

With my eight-month old son growing up so fast, I've been thinking a lot about a topic that intrigues all bilingual parents - in which language do I speak to him?
I'm most comfortable in English (and later on, he'd be too). But I also want him to speak Korean. And, to be honest, speaking Korean to my son - because it's what I grew up with - just feels more intimate and heartfelt to me. At the same time, I plan on reading to him nightly and instill in him the joy of reading and love for the English language. For that, I'd need to speak English at home primarily.
This is made more complicated by my wife's intention of speaking to him in Mandarin Chinese when they're alone. I fully support this, though they'll have their own secret code. It's a small price to pay for him to learn one of the most important languages in the world.
Other parents who've gone through a similar conundrum tell me to let it be - to talk to him in the most natural way. Others say I should be disciplined and stick to one. I'm still not sure how I'll respond.
- Roger in DC

The General from Florida

I recently finished translating a Korean script into English with a local film director here in Seoul. The movie is a love story between a US soldier and a North Korean nurse set against the backdrop of the some of the biggest battles during the Korean War. Intriguing? Maybe. But not as much as the details behind the film project.

Apparently, the local producers met through a Korean-American intermediary some Florida retirees who've been dying (literally and figuratively) to make a movie about the Korean War. One of these men, aptly named the "General," was, according to him, one of thousands evacuated at Heungnam Harbor on December 24th, 1950, fleeing from the Chinese who were advancing south from the Yalu.

Ever since the producers initially agreed to work with the General, he has been telling them that he will involve the president of a major Hollywood studio and attach some of the biggest stars on the planet to this movie. He also added that the film will probably cost over $350 million to make. The local producers who happened to be quite experienced can’t believe their good luck. I can’t believe for reasons I’m sure you could guess.

Needless to say, the details of the project are more fascinating than the script itself.

I’ll keep you up-to-date on how this develops…

- Mark in Seoul

Old Korea hand

I ran into Don Kirk at the National Press Club in downtown Washington DC on Monday. I was hurrying to go to a press conference and didn't have time to chat for very long. But he is a DC native and apprarently visits often. Don, as they say, is an Old Asia Hand - especially knowledgeable about Korea.
When I worked in Korea, he was Seoul correspondent for the International Herald Tribune and we used to run into each other at press conferences and lunches. He first visited Korea in 1972 and has covered a number of key historical events, including the assassination of President Park Chung Hee in 1979 and the Kwangju revolt in 1980. Based in Seoul, he's now a freelancer. Check out his stuff and some interesting North Korea photos at his website. I sent him an email the following day, and he responded by hawking his book. So much for that encounter.
- Roger in DC

Chan Ho Park Update 2

As Roger pointed out, it didn't look good for Chan Ho Park during Spring Training competing for the fifth starter position and certainly didn't look good for him to be a middle reliever. Park is way too inconsistent to trust to hold a lead and cannot overpower anyone right now. It was a bit of a shame when the Mets finalized their roster and sent him to the minors. Despite his relative disgust when he was pulled after three innings, Park's attitude about being sent to the minors seemed refreshing. Under MLB rules, he could have agreed not to have been sent to the minors. I'm not sure what this would have meant, perhaps being traded ... but he was quoted in the NY Times as being excited to start for AAA New Orleans and hoped to be the first pitcher to be recalled should any other starter get hurt. Anyway, it's wierd and sort of sad to see him relegated to the minors but his past few years with injuries and control problems really haven't helped his case. I think, should he really do well in the minors and actually get back to the majors (and do well) would be a great story. Certainly, it would endear him to the fans and, most importantly, earn the respect of Willie Randolph. Taking his shots, working hard and proving himself is what Willie Randolph is all about.

-Pat in Seoul

Obsessed with rankings

You can't go through a week without coming across a Korean newspaper headline touting where the country stands in international rankings of some sort. I have mixed thoughts about this.
The country's competitive zeal that fuels this national obsession over rankings probably had a lot to do with its rapid economic development. On the other hand, I can't help but think that it reflects its decades-old insecurity over where it stands in the eyes of the world - and that, very often, rankings themselves reveal very little about the true conditions behind them.
Take this headline/story by the Korea Herald: Korea ranks world's 11th largest exporter. Is that really news? Are Koreans still obsessing over this when it has been ranked somewhere between 11th and 13th since 1990! Should the country move past this and begin to wonder why - given Samsung, Hyundai and all the other chaebols - it hasn't moved up any higher? That it still lags Belgium or is about on par with tiny city-state, Hong Kong?
- Roger in DC

Morsels from "The Troubled Tiger"

I knew that Park Chung Hee's wife was assasinated on the Korea liberation day. But I had no idea that it's also the day the first subway line opened in Seoul, according to "The Troubled Tiger," by Mark Clifford --- a day of monumental infrastructural achievement countered by an event that probably triggered Park's eventual downfall.
Park was never the same after his wife passed, which turned the already introverted dictator even more inward. He openly sobbed when he met opposition leader Kim Young Sam and compared the presidential palace to an empty Buddhist monastery.
Another interesting tidbit: Everyone knows Park famously finished the speech he was delivering when his wife was shot. The book reports that Park, on his way off the stage, noticed his wife's purse and belongings and retrieved them as he walked off and his wife was rushed to the hospital. It's details like these that separate readable books from textbooks.
- Roger in DC

Chan-ho Park update

Chan-ho Park holds a special place in my baseball fandom. Of course, it has a lot to do with him being the first MLB Korean pitcher. That he pitched for the team I grew up loving, the Dodgers, helped. I felt for him when he struggled mightily for the Texas Rangers. Like a lot of Koreans in Dallas, I tried going to the ballpark as often as possible when Park pitched, which was not often. A local rumor was that he hated being in Texas and never really connected with the local Korean community.
And it looks like his career as a starter may be coming to its end. He's competing with six pitchers for the fifth spot in the NY Mets' starting rotation. He hasn't looked good.
Also, after 12 years in the U.S., how is it that he still has problems straightening out his work visa? It prevented him from pitching for a while during spring training, which probably didn't endear him to his manager. I hope he revives his career. During the World Baseball Classic last year, he showed that he can still pitch well when inspired.
- Roger in DC

No Gun Ri Park

The Korean government plans to build a No Gun Ri Memorial Park, says an AP story. It should be completed in 2009 and will be, of course, at No Gun Ri, about 100 miles southeast of Seoul. The No Gun Ri scandal showed that investigative journalism still matters, even in Korea. But it's not the kind of journalism that takes place often in Korea.
It took a reporter working for a foreign agency - the AP bureau in Korea - to unearth the story. I worked with the reporter, Choe Sang-hun, in the same office when I was in Seoul - after he had won the Pulitzer for the story. A quiet, unassuming gentleman, he spent hours, often late into the night, digging through documents and typing away at his desk. The piles of papers, books and files overran his desk. His stories were always interesting and he was never afraid to ask tough questions - at least from what I can gather, occasionally overhearing him on the phone from my desk a few feet away. He now writes for the International Herald Tribune as its Seoul correspondent.
- Roger in DC

But then why would reporters show up?

The organizers of Seoul Motor Show wants to cut down on the number of scantily clad women. Check out the story. Apparently, they're too distracting for journalists and other VIPs who should be looking at cars. I guess they'll just have to settle for free food and model cars that will never be made.
-Roger in DC

What would Kofi do?

The footage of Ban Ki-Moon yesterday at a conference in Iraq belies his cool-as-cucumber reputation. To be fair, it was a loud blast, though al-Maliki didn't even flinch.
Ban had just said he would consider expanding the U.N.'s presence in Iraq "as we see the situation improve on the ground" when the blast rocked the room, A Washington Post story says.
- Roger in DC

When in Rome ... Do As Your Fellow Koreans Do

I was perusing the Joongang Daily on the subway and came across an article about a 38 year old Korean office worker that smoked pot on a business trip to Amsterdam and wrote about the experience on his personal blog. Apparently, under Korean criminal law, there is a principle of "personal" and "territorial" law which allows for punishment to Korean nationals who violate Korean criminal law though the offending conduct is not criminal in the visited territory. While I do not know the law in the Netherlands, my recollection is that it is not legal to smoke to pot but just tolerated and bans against it, to an extent, is not enforced (hence the numerous cafes that sell pot).

Regardless, this office worker was arrested by the police after an investigation into Internet drug trading found his blog. I'm sure this type of person is not their main target but he is apparently can be put in prison for 5 years or be fined up to KRW 50 million (approximately US $52,000).

I've heard some horror stories about people getting caught for pot use. Though I wouldn't say drug use is rampant in Korea there are quite a few people who smoke out and use ecstacy. If you go to the clubs in Hongdae, it's not hard to get ecstacy though as you would imagine prohibitively expensive. In this month's GQ magazine, there is a story of a foreign English teacher that spent five years in jail for trying to smuggle in hash via the mail. It's really not worth it in Korea to subject yourself to this as, unlike the US, you will not get a misdemeanor or warning should you get caught.

When in Seoul, do are the Seoulites to and inebriate yourself silly. There is a reason why Korea is one of the top three consumers of whiskey in the world.

-Pat in Seoul

Robot Taekwon V

Has it really been 30 years? A digitally-remastered copy of Robot Taekwon V has drawn nearly 700,000 people in Korea this year. I remember pleading with my mother to take me to go see it. And I remember being enthralled by it, like many boys in Korea at the time, for days after seeing it at a theater in Myung-dong. This and Mazinger Z were the subjects of my obsession for years. Its theme song might be the only Korean children's song I can still sing. Based on the number of so many thirty-something parents taking their kids to see it this time around, my nostalgia apparently is hardly unique.
-Roger in DC

Suicides in Korea

A troubling LA Times op-ed about the rate of suicides in South Korea. The story, without attribution, says that the rate has more than doubled, from 11.8 per 100,000 people in 1995 to 26.1 per 100,000 in 2005. It's the No. 1 cause of death for South Korean men in their 20s. It mentions its rapid economic development as a possible reason. The national obssession for status and power may also be factors. One professor quoted in the story claims "Americans pushed (Korea) into modernity," but that Korea may not have been culturally ready. Not sure I agree with him, but there it is. I do recall that Koreans I met while I lived there were a stressed bunch - about careers, dealing with parental expectations, lack of earnings, too many hours at work, the hierarchical constraints, etc.
- Roger in DC

Where's the Beef?

Concerns over mad cow disease have led to the now few year old ban on the import of US beef. Obviously, this ban is a huge issue for the US and their beef lobby. There is immense pressure being forced upon Korea to get rid of this ban and this gets a lot of mention in the press. In most of today's newspapers, President Roh Moo-Hyun is quoted as saying that the import of US beef is inevitable regardless of whether Korea fails to sign the free trade agreement with the US.

Some friends of mine were going to open a high end steak house using premium corn-fed U.S. prime but have put the project on hold due to the instability of supply. Apparently, there were more than a few people who wanted to bring in Lawry's and Mortons in to Korea to no avail. Probably one of the few types of food I miss living in Korea is this type of steak. Ruth's Chris, Mortons, Del Friscos, Peter Lugers .... it's probably the one thing I always get when I travel abroad to other countries that do not ban the import of US beef (namely, most places you would go).

In the meantime, us steak lovers in Seoul have to put up with Australian beef that really does not compare. I won't go to a restaurant to have steak because as I'm always let down and prices are higher than you'd pay for a Ruth's Chris filet (we're talking between US$40 to $50). I now many a foreigner has been disappointed especially when the bill comes. Also, when you bite into that Australian steak you won't have THAT reaction ... you know what I'm talking about ... when you bite into it and close your eyes, bend your head back, nod and say, "Oh yeah." Nope, not gonna happen with Australian meat. While the "hanwoo" or high grade Korean beef is delicious (and seriously pricey) and Korean BBQ offers many types of savory meat offerings ... sometimes you just feel the need for that big ass fat steak and I don't expect to be able to get any in Seoul for the foreseeable future.

-Pat in Seoul

The Troubled Tiger

I'm now re-reading "The Troubled Tiger," a book by Mark Clifford that I read as a graduate student more than a decade ago. It was homework then, but it's pleasure reading now. And that makes all the difference in the world. The book is in need of an update, but it's probably the most readable account out there about Korea's economic development. It reads like a good, long magazine article. I just got started and, as I go through it, I'll occasionally share things that surprise me in the book. For starters:
--Clifford compares Park Chung-hee, the nation builder, to Ataturk and Nasser and comments that Park's accomplishments are more enduring. Tough to argue with that one.
--Park flirted with communism when he was young. Didn't know that.
--One politician was quoted as saying that Park was "vaguely frightening" because he constantly wore dark glasses.

-Roger in DC

The Great Alphabet

Koreans are extremely proud of their alphabet. And rightfully so. It's logical, phonetic and easy to learn. What I'm about to say might verge on messing with the sacrosanct. But I think Koreans - with their business and culture so infused by the western (English-speaking) influence - could benefit by tinkering with the alphabet just a bit. My proposal won't take a lot and it involves addition, not subtraction. How about adding two consonants that mirror the "V" and the "F" sound? In fact, they can just use the Roman letters exactly as they are in the Korean system, and it would work just fine in writing. Of course, given the national pride involved in the language system, I know this idea would never fly. It's an entertaining idea, at least for me, nonetheless. And it would save me from having to hear "Whiting!" at soccer games.
-Roger in DC

About those zeroes...

I was never a big fan of the Korean Won for one simple reason - too many zeroes. For a long time, I've thought the Korean government should lop off at least one zero now that the Korean economy has caught up with other developed nations. In my proposed system, KRW 100 would be equal to more or less $1. It'd be like the U.S. Dollar without the decimal.
Who knew that, of all people, Hugo Chavez agrees with me. The Venezuelan strongman just got rid of three zeroes in the country's currency. Here's the story from the New York Times. Of course, he's accompanying the move with another looney idea of introducing a 12.5 cent coin. Ok, that's not random. His purported reason: to fight inflation. Not sure I get the logic, but dealing with the public's mass confusion is always an important consideration in tinkering with the national currency. But I'm sure Koreans can figure it out if their government simply dropped off one zero (though I'd advise my grandma to stay away from Namdaemun market for a few months until she gets used to it). Italians did it for the Euro. Koreans can too!
- Roger in DC

Korea Society Downloads & Podcast

I just noticed an interview with director Bong Joon-Ho on the Korea Society's website. Actually, you can subscribe free to their podcast on iTunes. Other recent downloads I found interesting was a talk by Christopher Hill on the current state of North Korea talks. I saw Christopher Hill at the Hyatt's Paris Bar a few months ago and he was very smooth. No entourage or anything. Apparently, he was a very good lacrosse player when he was younger. I have yet to find a lacrosse player who wasn't "cool." I'm the auditor for the Korea Lacrosse Association though I've never played the sport, hence, I'm not that cool. If those links above do not work you can just go to the Korea Society's web site and they're not difficult to find.

-Pat in Seoul

Koreanfilm.org

Here's a neat little website for those interested in Korean movies. I refer to it when I want to keep up with new Korean movies or when I want to learn more about popular actors and actresses. I use it frequently as a guide before renting Korean movies. Founder Darcy Paquet is by far the best writer. The other contributors need some serious editing.
- Roger in DC

Perplexing Korean names

Pat's reference about spelling out "Dong Gook" in a soccer player's jersey and my recent travails in trying to get social security benefits for my mom got me thinking about Korean names. Mainly, Koreans - it's mostly an issue only for those who deal with Westerners - are too inconsistent about their names! And we wonder why Westerners mess up Asian names. Koreans typically have two syllables (or words? Or characters?) as their given (or first) name, such Dong Gook. So his name in Korean is Lee Dong Gook. In the U.S., it would be Dong Gook Lee.
Of course, it doesn't help that Koreans still consistently introduce themselves to Westerners by leading with their surname. (Hi, I'm Lee Dong Gook, leading others to wonder if Lee is the first or last name. And what then is Gook? A middle name?) Recently, I found out that Social Security administrators have misplaced some key documents that my mom needs because they can't figure out whch is her first, middle or last name.
Here's my proposal: I say Koreans stick to one first name by combining the two characters into one name. Sunhee or Chanho or Donggook (Actually, Donggook is a terrible example. Maybe he should use a dash. Dong-gook. Better yet, he should get himself a Western name - James or something.) And always introduce your first name first - "Hi, I'm Chanho Park."
- Roger in DC

The Host Lands in the US

I've been seeing some reviews popping up for this film called "The Host" by the Korean director Bong Joon-Ho as it is set to make its US debut. This film also made the cover of Artforum magazine in January 2007 which really surprised me since Artforum is more of a fine arts magazine. Reviews of this film have been almost all positive and just this past week the New York Times also gave the film its blessing.

I was probably one of the last people of the movie-going public living in Korea to see this film. I saw bits and pieces on an airplane but bought a legimtimate DVD.

To begin with, this movie is hands down the highest grossing movie in Korean film history. Ticket sales were roughly KRW 45,500,000,000 (about US$48 million) which is quite staggering given that fact that the total population of Korea numbers around 48 million. Also quite surprising taking into account the rampant illegal downloads of movies and the many street corner vendors selling copied DVDs (three for US$10).

While this movie is thrown into the "monster genre" or "horror" category it does not fall neatly into either category. The director has said that he is a fan of M. Night Shyamalan and compares this film more to a movie like "Signs" with its focus on the family and not the monster. The power of this movie is the focus on the rather dysfunctional / lower class family that unites to get back the young daughter that has been kidnapped by the monster. Not only is the family fighting the monster, they are actually up against most authority figures in Korea (be it the police, hospital officials, and the US military). As such, the movie is a refreshing mix of social commentary (corruption on all levels and, most ostensibly, Korea's reliance on the US military), proponent of family values, horror and comedy and while it sometimes does flirt with the border of melodrama it does not go too far in any one direction to put anyone completely off. Some may not agree and one Korean critic wrote, proudly, that "This is Korea's first legitimate anti-American film."

The power of this movie feeds off of the very human quality of the family members. The acting is really superb. The lead actor, Song Kang-Ho, is one of the best actors in Korea. He's been in so many leading Korean films and is consistently good in all of them. He plays the rather bumbling father to a tilt here and injects such a human character to him that you feel for him even while being so irked by his actions.

The final scene shows the small snack shack located in a park next to the Han River where the family lives and runs its business. It is snowing and the glow of the hut stands in contrast to the darkness over the river. Many critics read this to show a rather dark world out there but I actually had a different reaction. There is great warmth emanating from the hut. It is inviting and warm and safe. It is a simple joy in a crazy world. In a way, it is quite uplifting in my opinion. To watch the family cook up ramen noodles in the hut and watch their little TV it somehow made me feel that, while they are not well off in the typical sense, the characters lead a rich life in their own way.

-Pat in Seoul

On "Korea Style"

A friend of mine co-authored a book called "Korea Style" that was recently published so I thought I'd mention it.

Many times, Korea gets lost in the shuffle between China and Japan with no voice that clearly articulates the uniqueness of Korea and its art, architecture, design, music and other cultural areas. I trust that most non-Koreans would be unable to discern a piece of furniture or design that is Korean though may have an idea of something Chinese or Japanese. Maybe, it's all Chinese to all non-Asians.

The opening essay by the architect Clark Llewellyn is an interesting survey of Korean aesthetic history and also introduces the reader to the philosophical underpinnings that permeate Korean design, art and, though it may be a stretch to say, thought in general.

Korea’s sense of aesthetic is rooted in both Confucianism and respect for nature. Confucian ideals are tangible in all aspects of society – piety, simplicity, respect. Llewellyn explains the notion of “Geomancy” as a “method of divination for locating favorable sites as a leading principle of design.” This may be akin to notions of “feng sui” and, in this case, he further expounds that the theory held by Korean “stems from the belief that the earth is the producer of all things” and one must respect and harbor the “energy of the earth.”

While China and Japan share these general notions, the divergence starts here. I recall an article written by the art critic Souren Melikian that described an auction of Asian ceramic pottery. He explained that “Chinese scholarly taste demands technical perfection” while “Korean potters take the reverse stand” by, for example, finding charm in asymmetry or unevenly applied glaze almost to a point that "one can almost feel the touch of the potter’s hand.” While Chinese connoisseurs may find this notion near “damnable” the Koreans would appreciate this “poetic spontaneity” and “natural feel.”

For these reasons, Korean aesthetic allows for untreated wood or plants growing in a natural way. This is in contrast to the sharpness one would fine in, say, a bonsai plant. Llewellyn explains that the “Korean culture discovered aesthetic and moral value within materials exposed to and thus altered by the natural elements.” The Japanese like their Zen gardens or those gardens of perfectly raked sand. What do Koreans like? They like to see grass that is naturally browned in the Winter rather than landscapes that are "manufactured or artificially developed."

Despite a relatively dark time for Korean architecture and design after the War, this books is a celebration of the re-incorporation of traditional Korean values and re-injection of true Korean soul into contemporary art and architecture. I find that I am drawn to Korean contemporary art that reflects these value and will certainly share thoughts on these artists in future posts.

-Pat in Seoul

Salacious headlines

Yes, they're salacious and prurient, as well as consistenly badly written. But I read the stories on this link more often than I care to admit. It's a list of Chosun Ilbo stories "that are completely different" - tho I'm not sure how different is the notion that Koreans now travel for sex. Check out the story about a survey of perverts who admit they aren't really concerned about their victims' appearance. Hilarious, though unintentionally.
-Roger in DC

Hollywood Korean Badass

I read an article in the March 5th New York Times about young Asian pop singers and their difficulty in making it "big." I agree that the pop music scene in the U.S. and Western Europe would be a tough nut to crack especially for an Asian male.

Female Asians will do much better because, frankly, female Asians are almost wholly accepted in the non-Asian world and universally regarded as sexy. No one seems to turn ones head when a non-Asian male dates an Asian female but somehow it's a little harder to take the other way around. Watching a video by a "hot" Asian female singer just seems a lot sexier than picturing an Asian male doing the same thing, you know? I just can't imagine saying, "Oh yeah, baby, let me pop in the George Kang and take you on a journey."

Right now, Asian pop stars are few and far between ... probably Amelie is the most well known and she's half-Korean. I can't really think of any others. In rock, it's a slightly different story namely because of the target audience. For indie rock fans it's easier to accept the likes of Jame Iha, Joseph Hahn or Mike Shinoda since they all inhabit, to some extent, some alternative sub-culture where race rarely comes into play.

In most other fields of entertainment, it's just a matter of time as Asians are so much more assimilated with this generation. When I was growing up, you basically had Soon Taek-Oh playing the bad guys and that was it for Korean actors in Hollywood. Now you have Daniel Dae Kim in People magazine and in Gap ads along with Wentworth Miller and Chris O'Donnell ... that's a huge thing. I used to say that Koreans needed a true badass in Hollywood and, that being said, I think Grace Park from Battlestar Galactica is taking us all to the promised land.

-Pat in Seoul

Make that double

Obviously, the idea is completely lacking in orginality, but I think it's a good one. The proposal to change the Korean presidential term from from one five-year term to a renewable four-year term makes perfectly good sense. A term of five years is just not long enough for anything meaningful to be achieved. I don't know about you, but it takes me a good 12 months to feel truly comfortable at my job. The notorious political infighting in Korea - erupted often over the most trivial matters - probably saps away another year. The last year is completely useless since he's already a lame duck. So what do you have left? A year or two at best to make your mark. Not long enough.
-Roger in DC

Redefining the K in KFC

Since I've returned from Korea in 2002, I've told a number of friends that some of the best fried chicken in the world can be found in Korea. Call me biased. I still fondly recall the nights I spent with salsa buddies at a number of chicken pubs in the Hong-dae district, chowing down wings with Cass beer. They're generally lighter but still more varied in seasoning that their U.S. counterpart, I've always thought. That's why I loved this NYTimes story that pretty much confirms what I've been saying. As I recall, it was the most e-mailed NYT story for three days.
- Roger in DC

Asian hotel owners - 20,000 strong

Reporting from Charlotte, where I'm chillin' - actually for a story coming up later - with 8,000 hotel owners who are of Indian background (as in the Asian country). They're here until Saturday for their annual convention put together by the Asian American Hotel Owners Association. Little known fact: 35% of all hotels in the U.S. are Indian-owned, and 60% of all budget hotels. And they're all from one state in India - Guajarat. It's a good cash flow business if you can put together several hundred thousand dollars for down payment. You can save money by living in the rooms and hiring relatives. And being vegetarians, they don't have to mess around with having a kitchen if they own limites service hotels. Sounds like many are making serious revenues. This got me thinking as to why Koreans toil in the toughest of startups - liquor stores, laundromats, gas stations, restaurants or anything else having to do with food. I think I saw maybe on two Koreans all day. One key advantage for Indians - many are comfortable speaking English. Newly arrived Koreans aren't, requiring them to seek out businesses that have minimal contact with customers.
-Roger in DC

Lee Dong Gook Premiership Debut

I was watching soccer this past weekend and happy to say that the Korean sports channels show quite a bit of English Premiership soccer nowadays due to the fact that four Koreans now play there. After Park Ji-Sung went to Manchester United he became something of a hero. It's quite a big deal, you know, having a Korean on one of the best teams in the world. It's hard to fathom, Park Ji-Sung running around with the likes of Van Nistelrooy (since gone), Rooney and Ronaldo. Rub your eyes but there is he is - with significant playing time to boot.

This weekend the Korean sports channel were showing Lee Dong Gook playing for Middlesbrough. During his first game he played maybe ten minutes tops but almost scored a goal. I think he is quite popular with the fans already.

The only thing I found a bit disconcerting was his jersey that had in huge letters, "DONG GOOK" on the back. I'm not sure how this is perceived in the UK but "Dong" refers to, well, you know and "Gook" is exactly how the derogatory word for Asians (particularly Koreans) is spelled. It's a great thing if he is popular and probably these guys are doing more for Korean race relations in the UK than anyone. Let's just pray that Dong Gook doesn't score an own goal in the near future.

-Pat in Seoul

Lost in translation

A puzzling UPI story - I didn't know the agency still existed! - about Koreans increasingly becoming more conservative. All good, except the story really never explains what Korean conservatism exactly is. In my two years there, I was never really sure either. I saw little to convince me that ideology plays a big role in domestic policy-making in Seoul (though all bets are off when it comes to North Korea policy).
- Roger in DC

Starting out

It took a while, but the blog is finally up. Our goal is to gather ideas and observations - political, social, economic, cultural and personal - that might intrigue and entertain us Korea-watchers. The gate's wide open.
(PS: The blog is named after a Korean movie by auteur Hong Sang-soo. I know, it's kind of random. But it's one of my favorite movies.)
-Roger in DC