Korea to Build Naval Base on Ulleung-do
Quick! Somebody call Gloria Steinem!
According to the Hanguk Ilbo, the ROK Navy has decided to build a naval base at Sadong Harbor on Ulleung-do. The base, scheduled for completion in 2015, will be able to accommodate the largest of Korea’s warships, including the ROKS Dokdo and its Aegis destroyers, and will allow Korea to respond more quickly to a conflict with Japan over Dokdo. Previously, it took Korean warships over four hours to steam from Uljin and Donghae to Dokdo, while Japanese warships could reach the islets in 2 hours, 49 minutes from the Oki Islands.
No doubt, this means we’ll see the usual suspects protesting the glaring threat to peace in Northeast Asia, along with angry editorials in the Hankyoreh/Kyunghyang and American activists penning op-eds in the WaPo and NYT.
How K-Pop Conquered Japan
In the Atlantic, Patrick St. Michel writes about K-pop’s success in Japan. I’ll let you wrap your heads around this:
Image also plays a critical role in separating the two countries’ pop music. A crass way of summing it up is this: K-Pop stars out-sex their J-Pop counterparts. The members of Girls’ Generation show a fair amount of skin in their music videos, while many fans were drawn to KARA by a chunk of choreography Wikipedia dubs “the butt dance.” Beyond straight-up sex appeal, K-Pop groups look and act like real adults, whereas J-Pop outfits often emphasize adolescent cuteness.
Japanese Haenyeo?
Speaking of Japan, came across a blog post of photos of Japanese diving women from the 1930s—1960s. Probably NSFW, but interesting nonetheless.
Well, She’s Easy on the Eyes
Jang Sin-yeong provides some eye-candy…
Ah, Good Times. Good Times.
The dating scene in Korea. HT to Iceberg.
{ 60 comments… read them below or add one }
“K-Pop groups look and act like real adults, whereas J-Pop outfits often emphasize adolescent cuteness.” WUT?
Japanese people go for the adolescent cuteness, so why are they falling for k-pop?
Those Japanese ladies swimming and fishing nude, don’t seem to be attracting the attention of the men around them either.
I have found all of this really interesting, and that video in the last link had me laughing out loud.
The masters of Japanese pop culture are male otaku teens and men. That is to say, the creators, the movers, of the norms in Japanese society, from its anime and manga, its blunt kitchiness, its pedophilic tendencies, all of which attributes sometimes show up in the same object (that hologram singer, for instance), are the pimply faced, pervy, bespectacled Japanese nerds. They are the creative ones and they make their society go round, with the result that their tastes and moral personalities tend to be norm in Japan. Which means, groups like Morning Musume and such harmless, inoffensive, Romper-Room, yet sexualized acts as that, are going to be rather regular in J-pop. Japan be the Land of the pedophilic Nerd.
In come Kpop and Korean dramas — a revolution in that they’re more likely to appeal to 1) females, 2) older females, 3) older males.
It’s nice to hear that the resources of the ROK Navy will be put to good use protecting Dokdo against the Japanese.
I wish the ROK Navy will show the same type of enthusiasm when it comes to threats from North Korea.
#3,
Yes, that Korean dating scene video is pretty funny, but, in case you don’t know, that is a typical conversation when a Korean girl comes back to you room. If she says she is angry at her boyfriend, you know you are going to get some.
The verisimilitude (how’s that for a $5 word?) of that Youtube is uncanny.
this one has its moments too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvGcCY4Zods&feature=related
ROK Aegis destroyers vs Nipponese Aegis destroyers, eh? Is this just a vote-getting scam before the elections or is there a real reason for the base? An eastern base out of DPRK range? Too much Navy money?
Or is it a case of “You see these Rocks?”
maybe i have a warped sense of nostalgia, but i would take some of those japanese fishing women over today’s k-pop trash any day.
thats exactly what I thought when I perused the photos…
K-pop girls have nothing on those Japanese fishing/swimming ladies
TOK @ 5 and Robin @ 9 have it exactly right.
If the U.S. wasn’t continuing to underwrite South Korea’s defense to the tune of billions of dollars a year, year after year after year, there is NO WAY Seoul would misallocate its defense spending on a totally unnecessary and, frankly, ludicrous Navy base on Ulleung-do. In fact, if you grabbed the latest MND White Paper and looked at Korea’s own assessment of its future defense needs, you would be hard pressed to find a Navy base in the Sea of Japan anywhere near a priority for the genuine defense of the country.
This is a military spending boondoggle, pure and simple. The irony is that SoKo actually DOES need to beef up its Naval forces…just not in the Sea of Japan.
Or maybe misallocation of defense spending is just one more thing Seoul has learned from Washington, with its countless congressmen from non-entrepreneurial flyover states who see the DoD as just one big jobs program.
DLB
In other news, what is it with Koreans and cheese?
http://goldsea.com/Text/index.php?id=11779
Hilarious! VW’s CEO examines a Hyundai i30 and get’s ready to axe a few of his engineers.
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/09/volkswagens_winterkorn_rattled_by_non_rattling_hyundai_i30_this_could_cost_careers-html/
Ms. Jang would look ever so much better if someone replaced those leprous clogs on her feet with something with style and taste.
Miss Jang is one sexy lady. Mmmmmmm…
CMac,
I agree but if she were my chick dressed like that in the house, I’d make her take it all off except her heels.
CactusMcHarris,
Korean women appear to be allergic to open toe high heels.
That Hyundai spot is pitch-perfect. Hyundai remains one of my favorite Korean success stories, even though Hyundai seems to have a Freudian-esque obsession with all things Germany, lest one forget this classic:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr-wISyGSW0
My understanding — and correct me if I’m wrong — if that the i30 is (or at least was) designed in Germany and built, for the European market, in the Czech Republic.
DLB
Hyundai has gotten everything right (the most important thing which is reliability, design, style, fuel efficiency, safety), except for one thing: the driving experience. The perfect example: the 2012 Hyundai Elantra – the car is rated tops by Consumer Reports, but the handling is still rated as mediocre, especially compared to cars like the Mazda 3. The most common complaint you hear about Hyundai and Kia cars are that the handling department comes up a little short, with the biggest complaint being “numb steering feel”(electrical steering prevents the driver from “feeling” the road).
If Hyundai can figure out this last remaining puzzle, I think they have a real chance of beating VW in the cool factor. Hyundai already surpasses VW in reliability (VW is not very good in this area), and almost matches VW in design, interior fit and finish, and style. Hyundai just need to come up with a car that can out-gun VW in performance, and out handle Volkswagen.
that hyundai ad was hilarious.
Korean women appear to be allergic to open toe high heels.
Then you obviously haven’t been in Korea for a very very long time, because a lot of Korean women do wear open toe high heels.
Speaking about Korean AEGIS destroyers had the S. Korean MND decided to equip them with SM-3 missiles they would have made good Anti-Ballistic Missile platforms and it would have fit perfectly into S. Korean defense plans considering the N. Korean ballistic missile threat.
But instead of making the above sensible investment, S. Korea has chosen to utilize these ships as “show-off ships”. “Hey! look at me guys! I have an AEGIS destroyer too! And they are a lot bigger than yours!”
While this is going on, S. Korea has minimal defense against N. Korean ballistic missiles and its soldiers are still wearing fibre glass helmets which offer no ballistic protection.
High-heeled shoes with thick platform soles do not flatter anyone. With hooves and long, pointy toes hogging shelf space, it is difficult to find a pair of sexy yet comfortable high-heeled shoes. Open-toed shoes for winter have got to be the dumbest fashion idea ever, spawning debates about what kind of hosiery is acceptable to wear with them.
@ 23 You mean the S. Korean army is equipped to defend against the NOK army? I always assumed they keep armed forces at hand in large numbers for when the two reunite – that way they have lots of people for the nightmare of policing the flood of Northern refugees that will come rampaging down south.
Gerry Bevers and the rest of you.
You enjoyed the services of Korean women selling their bodies to you.
Why do you have to talk bad about them?
Gerry Bevers and the rest of you.
You all used to get a rise out of pointing out photos of Korean women in their hanboks with cut outs for the breasts, and state how barbaric and backward Korea was before the Japanese came and ‘rescued’ Korea.
Why is there no mention of how ‘barbaric’ these Japanese sea-women are?
Isn’t there a selective standard here?
And Robert, I still don’t understand why I have to be bridled at the mouth, other than to appease ‘white’ people who look down on all things Korean. This is racist.
I don’t know why you persist in badmouthing the “non-entrepreneurial flyover states”. You’re an intelligent man and this trait of yours is an unusual foray into assholery.
California is the US state which has historically made its bones off Defense spending. Starting around 1952, California overtook New York as the US state receiving the most Defense bucks. Despite having about 12% of US population (and that only recently), up to 20% of Defense expenditures have been made in California in the not-too-distant past through 1998 (in the 1950s it was as much as 25%). Perhaps you may recall that Los Angeles County and the Southland was and is the heart of America’s aerospace industry.
California’s 32 military installations far outnumber the installations in any other state. In particular the Navy and Marine Corps are, for obvious reasons, all over the place. Why would tax-swilling Congressmen for fuckin’ NASCAR retards vote to put those bases in California? Or are all the California bases great bang-for-the-buck while the retards are pulling down the averages on their make-work bases?
Per-capita total Federal spending in California ranks low because of the state’s demographics, not the Defense industry. California, probably thanks to the fecundity of its undocumented residents, is one of the youngest states in the Union, and thus receives less Social Security payments. That’s what explains the Federal spending gap, guy. If California’s population profile matched the rest of America, you’d be in tax-transfer heaven, what with the existing Defense boondoggle going on there in your Golden State. So get off it.
Say, guy, if California is so goddamn entrepreneurial, why are all America’s jobs being created in Washington D.C., Texas, and North Dakota? Washington D.C. I understand, but why these flyover places? Why are eight out of 10 US cities with the highest unemployment rates all located in California?
Speaking of taking unnecessary cheap shots (#12),
“Or maybe misallocation of defense spending is just one more thing Seoul has learned from Washington, with its countless congressmen from non-entrepreneurial flyover states who see the DoD as just one big jobs program.”
You can rest assured that Korean politicians don’t need lessons from anyone when it comes to wasteful spending and misallocation of resources. But I do agree with you that the US military should scale back or even pull out of Korea.
WJK (#26),
I was not talking bad about Korean women in Comment #6; I was simply saying that they have a unique way of seducing men and justifying their actions.
I love those photos of the Japanese diving women because the women look so natural, healthy, and happy. I think it would be great to live in a society where bare breasts in public was commonplace and no big deal as it once was in many South Pacific societies.
Please show me, WJK, where I have ever gotten “a rise out of pointing out photos of Korean women in their hanboks with cut outs for the breasts” or where I have ever belittled Koreans for having such a custom.
I have no problem with cultures that allow or permit their women to show their breasts. There is an innocence to such cultures to which I am attracted.
Carr writes:
Yeah, DLB can be like that from time to time. The whole “Samsux” hobby horse; “Why isn’t Korea always, consistently, syncophantly grateful to the US” blah-blah tripe; His essentially calling the KORUS FTA negotiators from the US “traitors.” I agree, it gets tiresome. But that’s all of us here at the Hole. You included, Mr. Missouri (Now there’s one fucking white trash filled, piece-of-disgusting-shit flyover state. You could cut with a knife the fetid stench from the meth labs and general yokel BO wafting in the air).
I don’t think job growth in these flyover places has anything to do with them being “entrepreneurial” per se. Last time I checked, these places basically have the type of job growth that they do because of their energy industries. Take that away and I can see their situations being similar to California’s.
Here’s an article that might have some intersting and useful information on the energy industry in North Dakota. When I have time later in the day (hopefully), I’ll have to give it a close read.
WangKon said (#13):
For a moment there I took you seriously, until I saw from the article that it was talking about American “cheese.” [shudder]
.
I don’t really read Brendon’s comments much anymore, so I’m not exactly sure why Brendon seems to have fallen off the deep end. (Part of the secret of enjoying MH is knowing whom to ignore and whom to engage.)
As for his comments on this thread, I would have thought that of anyone here at MH, he of all people would be critical of (a) government misallocation of taxpayer dollars on the great network of duplicative and unnecessary military bases that crisscross the country in lieu of more productive, private sector land-use, and (b) the system of federal revenue transfer from productive states to welfare states.
Of course, it’s also possible that libertarian Teabaggers aren’t REALLY against wasteful government spending or re-distributive tax policy at all, so long as they are on the receiving end of government hand-outs. But that would be cynical, and we can’t have that.
As for Brendon’s inability to make an argument without throwing in a pejorative, in future, I prefer “jackass” to “asshole.” Thanks.
As for CT, I most certainly DO read his comments regularly, and enjoy them consistently, even when we disagree. And for the record, I think (1) a LOT of U.S. allies are ungrateful, not just Korea (and I’ll be so bold as to put Israel at the top of the list); (2) Samsux is a particularly odious company, and when they stop breaking American laws, I’ll stop ridiculing them; and (3) I’ve never said the U.S. negotiators on the KORUS-FTA were trailers, just push-overs.
Just so we’re clear.
Cheers,
DLB
@DLB:
Of all the Republicans (I believe you said once that you were; correct me if I’m wrong), you’re the top one. Keep her rolling. Tea Baggers or no Tea Baggers.
CT,
Not that anyone cares, but FYI, my politics are generally right of center, but I left the GOP years ago, when they abandoned genuine, thoughtful conservatism and went ape-shit (or it is bat-shit) crazy. One look at the current crop of dismal GOP presidential wannabes (“Tell me again, which one’s the moron and which one’s the nut job?”) should be enough to explain why I remain — despite genuine disappointments — a strong Obamacon, and am grateful that the country was blessed with this president at this time.
And for those Teabaggers who seem DESPERATE for some sign of disaffection from former Obama supporters, let me just remind them of the most ludicrous political choice since Nixon/Agnew:
“McCain/Palin.”
It still sends shivers down my spine.
DLB
PS. If you’re ever in the Bay Area, CT, let me know. I love my state, I love showing it off to visitors, and I would be more than happy to argue politics with you over a beer summit. Plus, I can take you and yours on a sail of the San Francisco Bay with just absolutely stunning views that you’ll remember until your dying day!
If I’m ever in that area, I’ll definitely take you up on that. From the rapturous things my one of colleagues says (she’s a native of the area, always talking about how DC can’t ever compare. She’s probably right) it definitely sounds like a place to visit.
CT,
Yes, there is definitely a smugness among (some) Californians generally and people from the Bay Area in particular that can be off-putting. Guilty as charged!
On the other hand, I can make a good Frenchman practically come to tears, so….
DLB
DLBarch wrote (#35):
Your reasoning makes no sense. You say your politics is “generally right of center,” yet you feel “blessed” to have Obama as your president? Is Obama “right of center”?
Your only argument for supporting Obama seems to be that the GOP offers no better choices. Is the lesser of two evils a blessing?
Do you get on your knees each night and thank Obama for all the blessings he has given you? At meal time do you thank him for the food you are about to eat? I am curious to know what blessings you feel Obama has given you.
GBevers,
You know I dig your comments and have gone to bat for you over your right to post here on Dokdo and other issues without being censored — posts, by the way, that I read thoroughly and genuinely consider — so don’t go returning the favor by going all Brendon on me.
Yes, my politics are right of center, and yes, I remain an Obamacon, because I’ll take Obama’s prudence over the Teabaggers’ imprudence any day of the week.
And yes, since I’m not 12 years old any more, I do see “the lesser of two evils” as a real choice…and one that adults make every day. But nice of you to acknowledge that Teabagger-dom is an evil.
As for what and to whom I do or do not give thanks for, that is PRECISELY the kind of question I would expect from the most Leninist, party-line political movement in America today.
“No dissent, citizen. You SHALL conform!”
DLB
@CT & DLB
Aww, sounds like it’ll be quite a romantic night out, guys.
@gbevers
No, but that’s probably how most independents will feel. If the best the GOP can do is the Used Car Salesman, Bush 2.0, and Crazy Cat Lady… Black Herbert Hoover does seem like a blessing in comparison.
DLBarch wrote (#39):
- “That is irrelevant, your Honor!”
- “Sustained.”
DLB wrote:
Reluctance or refusal to lead is not “prudence,” it’s political cowardness.
DLB wrote:
I was describing your faulty reasoning, DLB, not mine. It is not “evil” to want our government to be fiscally responsible. The fact that you view the Tea Party movement as “evil” shows just how “thoughtful” you are. The people who go out of their way to denigrate the Tea Party are the ones I consider to be “ape-shit crazy.”
DLB wrote:
I’m confused. Do you like Tea Party dissent or not?
That’s cute. A bore like Ger-bear trying to be funny.
You’re right. I wish Obama would go LBJ on the asses of Ger-ber, Carr, and the rest.
1) But his isn’t and your reasoning is. It’s a bitch like that.
2) Don’t know about “evil,” but it’s pretty stupid to call for “fiscal responsibility” (i.e. austerity for the sake of austerity) in the mist or on the cusp of another recession. Fiscal responsibility will come after things have been righted. See FDR, 1937
3) I don’t think he necessary view them as “evil.” Just clueless. And that’s pretty thoughtful.
4) See #3.
I know.
Just because DLB offered you a ride on his boat does not mean you now have to kiss his ass, CT. Let DLB speak for himself, or are you guys now mind-melded?
GBevers asks whether I like Teabagger dissent.
Yes, in fact, I do. I’d like it even more if I saw more of it put into practice. Particularly since you and I both know that the only real “big brother” censorship and/or screwing around with other people’s posts here on ol’ MH has come at the hands of other, unnamed but self-identified “libertarian” Teabagger party cadres. (And I’m not talking about Robert, who seems to make a Herculean effort NOT to censor MH content, to his enormous credit.)
As for the Teabagger attempt to hijack American conservatism into a vulgar manifestation of rump South sensibilities, knock yourself out. Like I said, I read everything you write (even the vulgarities), and enjoy — if not agree with — most of it.
Cheers,
DLB
Who the fuck said I was, dipshit? You just ain’t got a damn thing to say in retort (per usual) outside of your retardisms.
What’s the point of the statement? Who the fuck said I was preventing him “speak[ing] for himself”? And no, we’re not “mind-melded.” If there’s any “melding” going on here it’s that head yours so shoved far up that wreaking asshole yours, Ger-bear.
Mr. Barch, I just want to say that I think you are the wisest, funniest, and quite possibly the sexiest (hard to be sure when you’re hiding under a cap and jacket) MH commenter ever. BTW, I will be visiting the Bay Area next month. Do I have to wear deck shoes on a boat or can I wear high heels with rubber tread soles? They’re plum-colored if that makes a difference. Are skinny jeans okay to wear on an evening sail?
Charles Tilly wrote (#45):
How would I know? I do not keep track of all the people who call you names.
I do not remember ever calling you a “dipshit.” I usually try to be more subtle with my insults.
If you don’t, why bring it up?
Yeah, so?
Operative word here being TRY but fail. Now we’re done here. I’m gonna have my 감자국 now.
For the record, I’m not accusing you of actually being an asshole — it’s just that your bizarre fixation on denigrating ordinary Americans from the supposedly-benighted regions between the two coasts is an unusual-for-you venture into assholery. Or jackassery, if you prefer.
Gerry:
Are you taking English lessons from Bush Jr and Palin, Gerry?
You may want to check out Black Ronald Reagan. He’s got big momentum. All us racists seem to love the guy.
While that circle jerk (there’s subtlety there, too!) is going on….
does anyone in the ROK know of a cactus and succulent society which exists in Korea? Google’s yielding some strange trails. What I’m looking for is a club for enthusiasts, not just growers (I feel I can finally come out now, despite having my handle for more than a few years….). Thanks for any information you can provide.
See http://cafe.naver.com/djplant — it’s a succulent plants growers’ club.
My thanks in advance to whoever liberates my comment from moderation.
Now that I sprung it (#46), I need a shower.
http://money.cnn.com/2011/09/29/news/companies/boeing_drug_ring/index.htm?hpt=hp_t2
govt busy busting ‘dirty’ pharmacies.
why isn’t the govt going after ‘dirty’ lawyers?
‘dirty’ lawyers cost the govt money with exorbitant costs to the state and federal government. It is really interesting that many lawmakers are lawyers by trade and they use their positions in an entitled sense.
We need physicians in the legal arena.
Ron Paul for President.
#55:
Now that I read it, I need a shower too!
Can I get a boat ride, too? Pretty please?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7yfISlGLNU
Brendon @ #55,
Thanks a bunch!
#50,
I guess I am taking my English lessons from Rick Perry.
“Rick Perry in Iowa: No ponzi talk, but no Social Security plan”
Maybe the word “cowardness” is used more here in Texas than in other places.
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