Comments on: There are monsters in Korea all right: AFC in the NYT http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/ Korea... in Blog Format Wed, 3 Dec 2008 06:43:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: OneFreeKorea | Blog Archive » The Death of an Alliance, Part 57: Time to End the Screen Quota http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/#comment-53764 OneFreeKorea | Blog Archive » The Death of an Alliance, Part 57: Time to End the Screen Quota Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:17:38 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/#comment-53764 [...] I’m about to go all screedy about this, but I can be brief, because Robert Koehler has pretty much said everything I’d have said anyway.  I generally write ”DOA” posts after an action by either government documents some new low in bilateral relations.  The government isn’t responsible for the content of what Korea’s notoriously militant film industry makes, but it wasn’t responsible for the content of “Yoduk Story,” either.  So on one hand, fictionalized movies about No Gun Ri or formaldehyde dumps get the protection of monopolistic screen quotas and government subsidies (and just in time for FTA talks, too!), but on the other, those who would make or finance a small-time musical about just one of North Korea’s concentration camps are threatened with prosecution under the National Security Law.   [...] [...] I’m about to go all screedy about this, but I can be brief, because Robert Koehler has pretty much said everything I’d have said anyway.  I generally write ”DOA” posts after an action by either government documents some new low in bilateral relations.  The government isn’t responsible for the content of what Korea’s notoriously militant film industry makes, but it wasn’t responsible for the content of “Yoduk Story,” either.  So on one hand, fictionalized movies about No Gun Ri or formaldehyde dumps get the protection of monopolistic screen quotas and government subsidies (and just in time for FTA talks, too!), but on the other, those who would make or finance a small-time musical about just one of North Korea’s concentration camps are threatened with prosecution under the National Security Law.   [...]

]]> By: The Marmot’s Hole » Uri Party lawmaker writes about ‘The Host’ and real U.S. ‘monster’ devouring Korean Peninsula http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/#comment-49269 The Marmot’s Hole » Uri Party lawmaker writes about ‘The Host’ and real U.S. ‘monster’ devouring Korean Peninsula Thu, 14 Sep 2006 07:15:29 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/#comment-49269 [...] You may recall Eddie Murphy talking about Italian-Americans after they’ve just watched “Rocky.” Uri Party lawmaker Jung Chung-rae apparently had one of those moments after watching director Bong Joon-ho’s “The Host” (Korean title: “The Monster”). But rather than pick a fight with the nearest U.S. serviceman, Jung chose to exercise his heightened sense of national pride and historic grievence in a Sep. 8 column to OhMyNews entitled “We Must Look at the United States, the Real ‘Monster’ of This Land”. It’s definite one for the scrap book. In a way, he seems to have taken North Korea expert Aiden Foster-Carter ’s advice to concentrate on the real monsters on the Korean Peninsula. You want the money quote? In a piece like this, it’s hard to choose, but this one will probably do: The United States, in the name of the over-50-year-long Korea-U.S. alliance, has profiteered politically, militarily and economically. The bones spit out by the film’s monster after it had eaten the victims were horrifying. Imagine the bones excavated from Nogun-ri and other places during documentary television programs on modern Korean history. [...] [...] You may recall Eddie Murphy talking about Italian-Americans after they’ve just watched “Rocky.” Uri Party lawmaker Jung Chung-rae apparently had one of those moments after watching director Bong Joon-ho’s “The Host” (Korean title: “The Monster”). But rather than pick a fight with the nearest U.S. serviceman, Jung chose to exercise his heightened sense of national pride and historic grievence in a Sep. 8 column to OhMyNews entitled “We Must Look at the United States, the Real ‘Monster’ of This Land”. It’s definite one for the scrap book. In a way, he seems to have taken North Korea expert Aiden Foster-Carter ’s advice to concentrate on the real monsters on the Korean Peninsula. You want the money quote? In a piece like this, it’s hard to choose, but this one will probably do: The United States, in the name of the over-50-year-long Korea-U.S. alliance, has profiteered politically, militarily and economically. The bones spit out by the film’s monster after it had eaten the victims were horrifying. Imagine the bones excavated from Nogun-ri and other places during documentary television programs on modern Korean history. [...]

]]> By: slim http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/#comment-46196 slim Tue, 15 Aug 2006 18:11:15 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/#comment-46196 The cases of the Han River "pollution" and 2002 junior high student deaths were troubling to me, but not because they offered examples of skewed threat perception. Both of those cases raised -- and sadly, answered -- grave questions about the integrity of the Korean justice system and the trustworthiness of the Korean press. Both could happen again tomorrow, with the same outcome. In fact, I'd look for fresh examples as Korea moves closer to election season in '07-'08. The cases of the Han River “pollution” and 2002 junior high student deaths were troubling to me, but not because they offered examples of skewed threat perception. Both of those cases raised — and sadly, answered — grave questions about the integrity of the Korean justice system and the trustworthiness of the Korean press. Both could happen again tomorrow, with the same outcome. In fact, I’d look for fresh examples as Korea moves closer to election season in ‘07-’08.

]]> By: Michael Sheehan http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/#comment-46141 Michael Sheehan Tue, 15 Aug 2006 02:02:36 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/#comment-46141 If my memory is correct, I believe that the approximately 24 liters of embalming fluid poured down the drain at Yongsan went through a two-stage filtration/purification process before it actually entered the Han River. This not-so-trivial detail was pointedly ignored then (and still is today). If my memory is correct, I believe that the approximately 24 liters of embalming fluid poured down the drain at Yongsan went through a two-stage filtration/purification process before it actually entered the Han River. This not-so-trivial detail was pointedly ignored then (and still is today).

]]> By: bulgasari http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/#comment-46131 bulgasari Mon, 14 Aug 2006 19:54:24 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/#comment-46131 As usinkorea said, <em>Rather than look up North to the suffering children, he could have mentioned SK’s ranking in the OECD on traffic accidents in school zones and pedestrians</em> It might be interesting if Aiden Foster-Carter were to compare the 52 lives lost in the 2005 London Bombings with British traffic fatalities [from 2002] of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Highway_Traffic_Safety_Administration" rel="nofollow">3,431 </a>, or even the number of <a href="http://www.gun-control-network.org/GF07.htm" rel="nofollow">firearm fatalities</a> [in 2002] of 169. Traffic and firearm fatalities there don't help lead to regulations like water bottles and laptops being banned from air travel, even though they claim far more lives. But only South Korea suffers from misguided threat perception, right? Ok, of course not, but Foster-Carter's article takes a rather condescending tone, without seemingly wanting to remember that pot and kettle saying. Incidentally, he might want to consider Romanizing "Goemul" correctly, a quibble though it is. One other question lingers in my mind regarding him (in writing this article), and those here criticizing the film: Has he (or anyone else here) actually seen the movie? Or are you just trusting the Korean mudia? As usinkorea said,
Rather than look up North to the suffering children, he could have mentioned SK’s ranking in the OECD on traffic accidents in school zones and pedestrians

It might be interesting if Aiden Foster-Carter were to compare the 52 lives lost in the 2005 London Bombings with British traffic fatalities [from 2002] of 3,431 , or even the number of firearm fatalities [in 2002] of 169. Traffic and firearm fatalities there don’t help lead to regulations like water bottles and laptops being banned from air travel, even though they claim far more lives. But only South Korea suffers from misguided threat perception, right? Ok, of course not, but Foster-Carter’s article takes a rather condescending tone, without seemingly wanting to remember that pot and kettle saying.

Incidentally, he might want to consider Romanizing “Goemul” correctly, a quibble though it is. One other question lingers in my mind regarding him (in writing this article), and those here criticizing the film: Has he (or anyone else here) actually seen the movie? Or are you just trusting the Korean mudia?

]]> By: seoulmilk http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/#comment-46071 seoulmilk Mon, 14 Aug 2006 03:31:02 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/#comment-46071 based on the context of the quote, in terms of liberty, in peace, and in the largest freedom, there is no country better than the us. i don't think i'm being nationalistic. oh well. based on the context of the quote, in terms of liberty, in peace, and in the largest freedom, there is no country better than the us. i don’t think i’m being nationalistic. oh well.

]]> By: Zonath http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/#comment-46070 Zonath Mon, 14 Aug 2006 03:19:27 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/#comment-46070 <blockquote>there is no country better than the us, hence the hatred from many countries around the world.</blockquote> See? Told you nationalism wasn't limited to the left-wing. ;)

there is no country better than the us, hence the hatred from many countries around the world.

See? Told you nationalism wasn’t limited to the left-wing. ;)

]]> By: seoulmilk http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/#comment-46068 seoulmilk Mon, 14 Aug 2006 02:48:33 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/#comment-46068 i agree with origami. btw, i was reading a book over the weekend and came across this quote by sen. henry cabot lodge giving a speech in 1919. "look at the united states today. we have made mistakes in the past. we have had shortcomings. we shall make mistakes in the future and fall short of our own best hopes. but none the less is there any country today on the face of the earth which can compare with this in ordered liberty, in peace, and in the largest freedom?...contrast the united states with any country on the face of the earth today and ask yourself whether the situation of the united states is not the best to be found." there is no country better than the us, hence the hatred from many countries around the world. i agree with origami.

btw, i was reading a book over the weekend and came across this quote by sen. henry cabot lodge giving a speech in 1919.

“look at the united states today. we have made mistakes in the past. we have had shortcomings. we shall make mistakes in the future and fall short of our own best hopes. but none the less is there any country today on the face of the earth which can compare with this in ordered liberty, in peace, and in the largest freedom?…contrast the united states with any country on the face of the earth today and ask yourself whether the situation of the united states is not the best to be found.”

there is no country better than the us, hence the hatred from many countries around the world.

]]> By: R. Elgin http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/#comment-46064 R. Elgin Mon, 14 Aug 2006 01:51:58 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/#comment-46064 Much evil has been done under the banner of "nationalism". It is right up there with religion as a cause of mankinds' evils. The thoughtless posters I saw (illegally posted) this weekend had all of this "One Corea" branding all over them but there is never any mention made of just how difficult or bad an idea that really is, especially considering the well-known ruling cadre in North Korea. I guess this is an indication of just how intellectually poor the students are coming out of Seoul National University nowadays. Should I say what poor citizens they are as well? Much evil has been done under the banner of “nationalism”. It is right up there with religion as a cause of mankinds’ evils.

The thoughtless posters I saw (illegally posted) this weekend had all of this “One Corea” branding all over them but there is never any mention made of just how difficult or bad an idea that really is, especially considering the well-known ruling cadre in North Korea. I guess this is an indication of just how intellectually poor the students are coming out of Seoul National University nowadays. Should I say what poor citizens they are as well?

]]> By: Zonath http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/#comment-46050 Zonath Sun, 13 Aug 2006 19:59:13 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/08/12/there-are-monsters-in-korea-all-right-afc-in-the-nyt/#comment-46050 <blockquote>It’s quite striking how the Left-Wing Socialist these days seems to have cornered the market on Nationalism</blockquote> Well, given that socialism is more or less predicated on putting the needs of your country above personal ones, nationalism is a stronger fit with socialism than many would think. Of course, I dunno that I would say that left-wing socialists have done anything like corner the market on nationalism. After all, it's not the left wing in America that's taken to heart the motto 'love it or leave it'. <blockquote>spear of influnece of America </blockquote> Psst... it's 'sphere of influence'. 'Spear' makes it sound just a bit more militant than it really is.

It’s quite striking how the Left-Wing Socialist these days seems to have cornered the market on Nationalism

Well, given that socialism is more or less predicated on putting the needs of your country above personal ones, nationalism is a stronger fit with socialism than many would think. Of course, I dunno that I would say that left-wing socialists have done anything like corner the market on nationalism. After all, it’s not the left wing in America that’s taken to heart the motto ‘love it or leave it’.

spear of influnece of America

Psst… it’s ’sphere of influence’. ‘Spear’ makes it sound just a bit more militant than it really is.

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