Our man at the NY Times, Choe Sang-Hun, has written a good article on why Google.com is not popular in Korea but, lo, he also describes something of the psychology of why Naver is popular instead of Google. Choe writes:
In this country, where more than 70 percent of a population of 48 million use the [...]
Over at the Guardian’s blogs, Roy Greenslade notes the Korea Online Newspaper Association’s war on the portal sites:
Here’s an extraordinary development. Korean newspapers have decided to impose a seven-day restriction on web portals that promote their news content. It means that, after a week, net users won’t be able to search for news through the [...]
Well, children, today is the day when the National Election Commission ban on writing messages in support or opposed to specific presidential contenders [Korea Herald] goes into effect:
A person who violates the election laws could face a prison term of up to two years and a fine of 4 million won, it said. “Not all [...]
Golf.com has picked the eight sexiest lady golfers, and rounding out the group at No. 8 is Korea’s “voluptuous” Grace Park.
And she didn’t even have to release a nude calendar like Sophie Sandolo (NWS) to do it!
Coincidentally, the website made the mistake of conducting an online readers’ poll with a Korean in it. When [...]
As some may know, “Bi” or “Rain” — the popular Korean singer — has had to postpone his American tour because another band — whose name is “Rain” — has taken him to court for trademark infringement. Well, fortunately “Rain” (the singer) does not use a logo that looks like like a Starbucks logo [...]
As most know, the US/South Korean FTA (free-trade agreement) has recently been concluded but there is some concern that the FTA — as it is now — will allegedly cause Korea to give up all fair-use material that currently is on the internet, in South Korea.
One should note, however, that the concerns expressed by the [...]
As a big Wikipedia fan, I looked more into the recent Chosun created brouhaha about the Tokdo dispute on Wiki. Interestingly enough, Wiki has a page it calls “Lamest Edit Wars“. Guess who makes the list? Both Tokdo and the Sea of Japan controversy. I do like the way the dispute is summarized:
A group of [...]
A crusade to built a positive online culture? Good luck.
Yonhap News (Korean) reports that Korea’s netizens are unsure as to how to take Stephen Colbert’s skit on Rain [Marmot's Hole]. Some felt the skit was racist and degrading to Korea, while many others thought it wasn’t a big deal and might actually boost Rain’s profile in the United States. For what it’s [...]
I may be abusing my pulpit here since I am posting rather than just adding a comment, so if this disappears I know the Marmot thinks so.
I find it amusing the recent “controversy” about the Han River bridge on the US TV series Lost. A while ago I got sucked into the series, and I [...]
Ye Olde Chosun (Korean) reports that Korean netizens are bewildered about the rather poor representation of the Hangang Bridge in episode 18 of season 3 of the ABC series “Lost.”
Hey, at least they spelt it right.
Nobody’s sure where the scene was shot, but netizens say it looks too much like Southeast Asia.
Netizens who saw the [...]
Well, this is an ugly scene [KBS, Korean]—a bereaved family fighting with hospital staff and police in a hospital lobby over the body of a 14-year-old girl who had died on the operating table.
The girl had gone in for surgery to treat a broken arm caused by a benign tumor, but died during the operation. [...]
Korean netizens and bloggers are having a grand old time comparing wildly popular “Prison Break” with life in the ROK Army [Sports Seoul, Korean]. And on another “Prison Break” note, veteran actress Kim Su-mi apparently digs Michael Scofield [Star News, Korean]… which kind of gives me the creeps.
Sphere: Related Content
And in more news from the “most wired nation on the planet,” the Defense Security Command has asked the Minstry of Information and Communication (MIC) to block 32 pro-North Korean websites [Korea Times]. Of course, the MIC might be a bit busy with its current war against foreign porn sites [Korea Times] in the [...]
A Japanese netizen has caught the JoongAng Ilbo’s attention [JoongAng Ilbo, Korean] by uploading a Youtube video (actually produced by an American) describing Koreans as “savages who eat dogs.” 594 comments and counting!
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VANK engaging in self-parody [Korea Times]. HT to Lost Nomad.
March 16, 2007 – 12:18 pm
A certain Korean company has developed a way to discourage kids from playing computer games too long by the use of a subliminal message that would discourage excessive play.
This reminds me of the 1974 ban, in America, on subliminal messages in broadcasting that was enacted by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission), since they felt [...]
March 15, 2007 – 10:43 am
Over at Salon, Andrew Leonard looks at the Sino-Korean Wiki-War over Goguryeo [Salon.com]. Be sure to read it in its entirety, but allow me to reprint the money shot:
Critics of Wikipedia are wont to point a finger at amateur authorship as a reason to distrust its veracity. Paradoxically, I find the lack of central authority [...]
If you use eMule, you’ll notice this notice if you use the popular DonkeyServer No. 1 server:
Important notice to korean users : This server (and others as well) suffers from a virus attack from Korea and will shutdown in few days.Korean users seems to be very stupid people ?, sorry, but the whole network suffers [...]
February 28, 2007 – 3:17 pm
The Seoul Shinmun recoils in horror as some Korean netizens target (in Korean) independence activist Yun Bong-gil, calling him a “terrorist”:
Malicious comments by netizens have gone past the danger level and are reaching an extreme. The arrow of malicious comments, recently fired at popular entertainers, have now reached such a serious state that they’re [...]
