Sometimes, reality is stranger than fiction:
SANTA ANA, Calif. — A Korean woman who was accused of running a prostitution ring to fund illegal operations that included a circuit of private motocross tracks was sentenced here Monday to 18 months in federal prison. Followers of her case, which has dragged on for three years between federal [...]
This just makes me cringe:
The Lee Myung-bak administration is considering setting up a team that will help foreign media and investors get a better understanding of the country’s economic situation, Prime Minister Han Seung-soo said Wednesday.
The move reflects complaints among some senior officials that “malicious and incorrect” reporting by some foreign media about the country’s [...]
I like the Korea Tourism Organization. Really, I do — they do an admirable job in a tough situation. But ponder this for a second:
The head of the nation’s tourism body said that Korea will be able to help underdeveloped countries improve their tourism industry based on Korea’s experience, if he becomes the chief of [...]
As you’ve no doubt noticed, I’ve had the Byuntees banner up at the top of Ye Olde Blog for the last month.
Well, their website is finally up, and has been duly linked!
Byuntees is a T-shirt company producing clever hangeul T-shirts aimed at you, the barbarian or barbarian sympathizer. From their website:
Byuntees, a play on words [...]
One more day until the official release of Ubuntu 8.10.
If you can’t wait, the release candidate is out. Works great on my home system (and most of the Korean translations are complete), yet oddly enough, it still hangs on my work system.
What also looks hella cool is Kubuntu 8.10 with KDE 4.1. I really, really [...]
WARNING: None of these links are safe for work.
Surfing the net today, I found this absolutely stunning photograph.
Also blending art, nudes and hanbok is this cool photo series.
Not quite as artistic, but still featuring a woman shedding hanbok in Korean traditional architecture, is this photo series of Ryu Mi-oh (age verification required).
In a hospital, according to the Dong-A Ilbo, quoting the ubiquitous unnamed official (via AP):
South Korean intelligence indicates that ailing North Korean leader Kim Jong Il suffered a serious health setback and has been hospitalized, a newspaper reported Wednesday.
The report in the Dong-a Ilbo newspaper cited an unnamed government official in saying intelligence obtained Sunday [...]
Nice photo essay in the Munhwa Ilbo on the snow crab fishermen of Hupo, Uljin, Gyeongsangbuk-do. Wonderful area, especially in winter.
The United States is proposing the drafting of a detailed contingency plan for regime collapse in North Korea, reports the Korea Times and Chosun Ilbo.
What I dislike about this is that it’s the United States raising the issue rather than the South Koreans, given that it’s the latter rather than the former that would be [...]
Repent, America! Repent!
Model Kim Se-na — who has worked as a gravure idol in Japan — has done a photo series.
If you believe Japanese news reports on North Korea, you might believe this — someone resembling KJI’s only slightly wacky son Kim Jong-nam was seen visiting a Paris hospital neurosurgery ward… with speculation being he was doing so on behalf of his dad.
I visited Changdeokgung Palace on Sunday to take in the fall foliage of the Huwon Garden. Unfortunately, it hadn’t turned completely — it should be at its peak this weekend or so — but I did see for the first time the inner areas of the Huwon Garden, including the Gwallamjeong Pavilion and Ongnyucheon Stream.
For [...]
Just three months after the restart of imports, US beef now accounts for almost half of total beef imports into Korea, reports Yonhap.
In terms of dollar amount, US beef accounted for 43% of total beef imports last month. In terms of tonnage, it accounted for 35%. And the numbers are rising quickly.
The primary victim — [...]
Some 40 Korean artists based in Korea and the United States are holding an exhibition entitled “Barack Obama - HOPE” at Rogue Space in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood.
Anyway, for the exhibit, print artist Lee Ho-cheol has done a portrait of the Anointed One made from the hair of 1,000 Korean-Americans:
I’ll assume wjk didn’t make a donation [...]
Ye Olde Chosun warns of the horrors of porn addiction:
Pornography addiction was once seen as a problem for adolescents, and it was only cyber nannies aimed at the young that screened out “adult” content. The sites also usually require customers to prove their age. But is porn just a danger to children? Experts say no.
One [...]
I know, but as shocking as it may be, it’s true: a third grade social studies book in Singapore — a notorious center of anti-Korean propaganda — uses a photo of a homeless guy in Korea, and included this description:
Some people do not have a roof over their heads. There are many reasons why people [...]
Korea News via Google