Mixed Bag (08/23/11)

It looks like today is going to be a good day. I think I’m going to kick off out of work a little early and head out and enjoy the weather.

• Industry experts are predicting that the “3D War” that has been going on between LG and Samsung will continue into the second half of this year. Apparently Samsung held a 34.4% percent market share in 3D TVs while LG held a mere 12.4%. However, things are looking good for LG as they have progressively climbed each previous quarter from 5.6% to 8.3% to 12.4% in the second quarter of 2011. Sony’s market share, on the other hand, fell from 27.1% to 17.5%. Why there is even a demand for 3D TVs in their current state is beyond me.
• This interesting article that examines high ranking government officials’ and politicians’ scrapes with sexual harassment/sexual assault scandals and how many of them have suffered no consequences as a result. It also goes on to describe that many men feel sympathy for these men for getting caught “doing what all men do” and expressing outrage at some of the justifications/excuses given for their acts. Worth a read if you have the time.
• A few things you need to know before buying an import car in Korea. The most interesting statistic to me: On average import car owners will spend 2.8 million KRW a year on car repairs. More than 3.5 times as much as the average domestic car owner.
• Apparently there are hundreds of students from elementary to high school who are skipping class in favor of auditions in hopes of becoming a celebrity. National Assembly members are calling for measures that would ensure that these students receive the mandatory education like other students.
• Apparently 3 maintenance staff at an apartment in Ulsan got in a fight in one of the building’s basements which led to two men dying at the hands of the third and the third hanging himself shortly thereafter.
• An elder in a Korean Christian church has been arrested for abusing his position over the past 20 years to molest at least 6 children and adolescents. He would convince members of the congregation to send the children to his home so they could receive an education in Seoul or to accompany him on overseas trips to “broaden their horizons.”
• The woes of having H cup breasts in Korea. Can someone tell me if breast sizes are measured differently in Korea? Because I have never heard of an H cup.
• A Japanese comedian marries a woman 45 years his junior. Though the pictures of his wife remind me of that digitally animated singer. Perhaps he is just another otaku.
• Apparently Kim Jong-un is following in his daddy’s footsteps. It is reported that he has already chosen his own “Pleasure Squad.” However, unlike his father who preferred short women with elegant and voluptuous Western features, Jong-un prefers women who are tall, slim, have sharp Asian features and have an interest in sports and art.