- Just a bit of snow. And we’re looking at -14 tomorrow morning, even though the clear skies might make for some nice photographs. Speaking of which…
- Andrei Lankov is starting a new series in the Korea Times: “Century of Turbulence (1884—Now).” Looks like a great read.
- The Hani looks at some of President Lee Myung-bak’s hurdles for 2010. BTW, has anyone noticed that the LMB’s approval rating has broken the 50% barrier? The man is truly blessed, I tell you.
- Well, this is interesting — the government has given a Pakistani man refugee status because he’s a homosexual. Well, I guess all the Ugandans homosexuals know where to come now.
- Ye Olde Chosun argues that the contrast between Mao Asada’s technical prowess and Kim Yu-na’s artistic expression is something of a microcosm of the economic rivalry between the two nations: “Now the January edition of the Monthly Chosun makes the case that the comparison holds for the two countries’ products as well. For example, Japanese cars and electronics are technologically the world’s best, while Korean products compensate with skillful presentation in design and marketing. And much as Kim Yu-na now regularly triumphs over Mao Asada, so Korean presentation skills have trounced Japanese technological refinement since 2008.” I guess you need to fill up page space somehow…
- It’s actually my wife that really, really wants that iPhone. I would love to get the numbers for this, though: “‘At present, there is nothing we can do about this. We have been getting numerous complaints from foreigners who were not able to get an iPhone here, but the simple fact is that the overdue payment rate for our foreign customers is much, much higher than for locals,’ said a KT official who declined to be named. ‘They [foreigners] are able to leave the country at any time so for us, it is frankly quite a risk to take on foreign customers.’”
- Old article on the Seoul Town Hall, but one I just saw: “Juli Scherer, a Tesol professor at HUFS who has been living in Korea for over eight years, said she still finds the language barrier the most difficult thing about living in Korea and suggested that there be at least one staff member at government and art agencies who can speak English.” Well, Juli, that may or may not be a grand idea, but might I suggest that if you’re struggling with the language barrier after eight years, it might be time to hit the Korean book.
- Foriegners apparently like bibimbap and gimbap.
- Some first sunrises of 2010, in Yeosu and Gampo.
Odds and Ends 4/1/09
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{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
I, too, would love to see the concrete details from Korea Telecom on their delinquency rates as between Korean and foreign customers. Not just “much higher” — tell us the percentages and average amount of arrears, KT.
I’m also curious to know: Do Koreans have to check with KT and their banks before leaving the country or something? I keep seeing these statements Foreigners can leave the country at any time cited as a reason to avoid making a creditworthiness determination on non-Koreans, so there must be some mechanism by which Koreans are barred from leaving the country with unpaid bills or something. Must have missed that, so someone please elucidate.
That said, frustrated foreigners should know that Apple doesn’t have control over KT’s credit-evaluation policies.
I bet you want to know what the dirty secret is on gimbap. I ain’t telling.
Don’t hold your breath waiting for Steve Jobs to write you back, Mike.
LOL
For my first phone here, I had to have a Korean co-sign on a pre-pay account. So, yeah.
Yowza, imagined or not, the fall out of absconding foreigners w/ delinquent bills cascades everywhere. Someone ought to give a heads up to the phone company, the electrical company, and the gas company. Disconnect! Pronto!
Oh my God! What about the TV tax?!
Dogbertt, was my comment even slightly annoying to you because I’m a *korean* making that comment? Look deep into your soul and answer, honestly. Did you, or did you not take korean-ness into consideration?
I WANT THE TRUTH DAMMIT!!!
Btw, if you wanna know the secret, just ask me nicely.
yeah I too would love to see the korean delinquency on cell phones, thats a load of bs if you ask me. kt and c n m cable have ended requiring foreigners to put down large deposits
regarding the town hall meeting, you notice how they’ve been kept on a hush hush level recently(they dont really announce it to the gen public) and they only want certain people to show up (i.e. NO ENGLISH TEACHERS) especially after the debacle of a couple of years ago when the govt was caught all red-faced regarding the then new e2 requirements, heck even the british embassy person was handing kimmig their asses then
like somebody said in the article it wasnt a meeting rather it was an advertoiral
if you live in seoul, today is the day to go to costco. the one i went to was empty due to the snowstorm. i imagine it’s empty at all the branches.
Today, of course, is the converse of Saturday the 2d, which was the day every goddamn Costco membership cardholder in Korea decided to visit the mosh pit of the Youngdeungpo store for a delicious Costco Onion Salad™.
There’s nothing better than standing around a table with your family, scarfing down plate after heaping plate of free chopped onions and mustard.
Could we get an address and/or telephone number for that KT Shop in Gildong where Michael Hurt got an iPhone in 10 minutes? I’m more thank ready for expedited service thank you very much.
Oh whoops, sorry dogbertt, i thought you were talking to me …stupid me.
The title to the first of Lankov’s newest series of articles is “Korea Was Exception in World History”. This, no doubt, was an editorial decision and not Lankov’s, so perhaps it’s not surprising that the article never really says as much or indicates why. I wonder what the editors had in mind.
The Korea Meteorological Service is claiming that today’s 10-inches plus of snow is the largest snowfall on record since modern record-keeping began in 1937. Does anyone else find this hard to believe?
I remember some mighty snowfalls in the early 90s, but it’s possible.
What I want to know is, what brought Al Gore to Seoul today? How much travelling does that guy do, anyway?
Brendon, odds are that Al Gore is here for some urgent global warming pontificating.
@ Brendon # 9
I think i need to puke
25.8 cm of snow?! Where are they going to pile it all? What’s that? Seoul doesn’t have any snow removal equipment? The brooms w/ the green plastic bristles don’t count?
Just to make sure, in regard to the series:
a) I will be merely one of the contributors, and not the major one.
b) I am not in control of the series, I will just submit my pieces, and it’s all.
c) The series replaces my two regular (sort of) columns, and I personally believe that the said columns (‘dawn’ and ‘another Korea’) presented a more interesting and engaging approach. The columns are discontinued, though.
#17, Seoul does have snow removal equipment. I saw the salt trucks out today, a backhoe on my one lane street, and plenty of shovels. Where do you live? Poor-dong, Poverty-Gu?
Shovels, you say! Sounds like you’re in Millionaire’s Mansion or Billionaire’s Brown Stone.
hey the adjumas and ajosshis in haebongchon did a great job on the side streets with their green brush brooms and improvised shovels, there was a clean path up the hills to our apt, main street was still awful. there was also one hearty foreigner out shoveling in front of indigos.
was so weird walking up the middle of the main drag this evening so quiet, bet there is more traffic on chuseok or seollal than today
That was about 8 inches of snow.
Foreigners like MSG, what else is new?
Thanks, Robert, for the link.
If this is their reason (their real reason), why ONLY the iPhone? I can walk into any KT phone center and get their top-of-the-line phone (the ones that cost close to $1000) and a decent phone package all without a hiccup. But the iPhone is the only one they won’t let me have? If I’m a risk for one, aren’t I a risk for all?
If they’re worried about me absconding in the dead of the night owing them a couple shipmans, can I pay my entire two years’ worth of premiums UPFRONT and they’ll let me have it? Can’t abscond with anything if they already have their money.
Why don’t they make them prepay a year’s worth of service? Sounds a little draconian, but I know people who love iPhones so much that they would totally shell it out.
I call B.S. on the Chosun article comparing Mao and Kim w/Korea and Japan.
Korean products (except cars) are plenty technical, particularly consumer electronics. The world is voting with their wallets in that regards.
The BETTER analogy is is not one of skill but one of quanitity. Japan has more high quality companies of size than Korea. Whereas if Kim has a sore back or sprains an ankle, Korea pretty much loses its ability to win a tournament. If Mao cannot compete in a tournament then Japan can throw Miki Ando, Fumie Suguri, Akiko Suzuki, etc. Same for industry. If Hyundai/Kia stumbles than Japan has Toyota, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Honda, etc. If Samsung or LG stumbles Japan has Sony, Panasonic, Sanyo, Toshiba, Sharp, etc.
Wangkon thatt’s a fad i can’t really understand (iphone), i mean it’s a cool product but way overpriced, at least for my necessities, but i’m admittedly a cheap bastard
I know ppl who paid an $800 premium to be one of the first people to have an iPhone. I think they are stupid, but hey, if you are a company and can develop the “secret sauce” to get consumers to pay a huge premium to have your products, then more power to ya. It’s almost a 3 year old “fad” that isn’t slowing down.
Burj
DubaiKhalifa, a Samsung project, opens.wonder if Samsung got paid
They make you guys have a hard time getting an iPhone because LG and Samsung won’t have their lion’s share of your hard-earned money with their copycat touchscreen iPhone wannabe devices.
Well maybe then you should pay your final bills before you leave the country. It’s always the case of the few rotten ones that spoils for the rest of majority. In this case, twenty percent of people who skip on bills spoils it for the 80%
http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/tech/2010/01/133_58488.html
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