Category Archives: Korean Diaspora

I Guess Having a Korean Wife Really DOES Help

The Fairfax Times looks at how the Korean-American vote help Democrat Chap Petersen win state senatorial elections in Virginia. Petersen has close ties to the Korean community through his wife, a Korean-American. Obviously something I need to remember should I ever run for public office in Arlington, Virginia (where — sit down for this — [...]

KoAms Get Election Fever

Ye Olde Chosun reports that Korean-Americans are getting into the Korean presidential election spirit.

More Virginia Tech Stuff from the KT

Granted, I’m not an associate professor at the University of Maryland, but I must say, these attempts to link the Virginia Tech shooting to problems within the Korean-American community make me quite uncomfortable.

Angry Asian Man in the CBC

The Ceeb takes a look at the angry Asian man, an “emerging cultural figure in North America.”
“All Asian guys are angry,” says Shigematsu, a stand-up comic and former CBC radio host who made Yellow Fellas over seven years, with only $5,000. “It’s just a question of whether they’re in touch with it or not.”
The image [...]

“Cutting Corners”

The Kim Kyung-jun case is not really well chronicled here. I have only half paid attention to it since it suspiciously looks like a smear campaign, and because, let’s face it, “corruption” stories in Korean newspapers might as well be weather reports (morning light extortion and influence peddling, leading to bribes and price fixing in [...]

$60 Million Pants Judge Loses Job

It’s official — Roy Pearson, the jackass administrative law judge that tried to sue a family of Korean immigrants for $67 million over a lost pair of pants, has lost his job.
Couldn’t have happened to a more deserving asshole.
On a positive note for Pearson, though, Korea is always looking for more English teachers.
(HT to hoju_saram)

Split Loyalties?

Jason Lim discusses singer Steve Yoo, uh, Yoo Seung-joon and the complexities of being a Korean-American. As he concludes, “Korean Americans are only wholly empowered when they are allowed to be both Korean and American. In short, Korean American should not be forced to become an oxymoron.” A controversial subject to be sure, and one [...]

You Gyopo Need to be More Socially Aware

Or so lectures “gyopohood” ideologue Alex Lee. Because he likes to lecture. Everyone.

Why Not KoAms, Indeed?

Jason Lim suggests the government explore hiring highly educated Korean-Americans as English teachers. It’s a good idea, but I have to wonder how this will fly with said highly educated Korean-Americans: “[T]he government would have extra leverage in recruiting highly-qualified Korean Americans because they have a natural affinity and inclination to explore their parents’ country… [...]

Driver’s Licences for Illegal Immigrants?

With debate intensifying over Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s partial retreat from his plan to offer NY state driver’s licenses to “undocumented Americans,” I couldn’t help but notice who’s involved in some of the protests (see image). For quotes (although not necessarily from the group in the photo), see here. Obviously, my sympathy is somewhat dulled by [...]

It’s Bad Enough When Your Home Gov’t Ignores Your Sacrifice

It’s even worse when overseas Koreans start bad-mouthing you, too:
After her husband was killed [in the 2002 West Coast naval skirmish between North and South Korea], Kim organized a memorial society for the servicemen who died in the battle. But she was frustrated by the South Korean government’s downplaying and minimizing of the battle in [...]

Christian Groups Restart Afghan Missionary Work: Report

In an exclusive report, the Seoul Shinmun (Korean) reports that “radical Korean Christian groups” have secretly restarted missionary work in Afghanistan.
The paper, following a tip from some Christian official, talked with Afghan officials, Christian missionary groups and the Foreign Ministry. It learned that despite a travel ban put on Afghanistan in August, some missionary [...]

Koreans, Latinos Working Together to Build a Better Workplace

A couple of days ago, the WaPo took a look at improving workplace relations between Koreans and Hispanics in the Washington DC area. Give it a read — here’s just the intro:
At Korean-owned Super H Mart in Fairfax, where Hispanic workers bag groceries and Korean employees run the tills, a window into the increasingly diverse [...]

‘I’m Not Going to Flushing Because of All the Korean Signs’

It seems some folk are unhappy with Flushing. In the Daily News, Lion Calandra writes:
After dinner, a friend and I strolled up 37th Ave. As we peeked into store windows, I realized that I couldn’t identify any of the businesses. Travel agent? Real estate? Dentist? Card store? One shop seemed to sell housewares, but every [...]

Korean-Canadian Family Slain in Murder-Suicide in BC

A murder-suicide involving a Korean-Canadian family has stunned an upscale British Columbia neighborhood. Absolutely terrible. [Globe and Mail, HT to reader]

Oh, No… Deconstructing Interracial Relationships

Alex Lee, the standard bearer of “gyopohood,” touches the “third rail of Asian American identity politics” by deconstructing “color-blind love” between white men and Asian women:
A Korean friend asked me recently, “You’re real popular with Korean girls, aren’t you?” After replying I had a Korean girlfriend, he never talked to me again. Do white guys [...]

End of the Third Korea?

The days of the “Third Korea,” China’s Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, may be numbered, writes Dr. Andrei Lankov in the Korea Times. (HT to reader)

Jersey K-Town

The Korean eateries of Palisades Park, New Jersey. Pretty cool stuff. (HT to reader)

Roy Pearson Appeals Case

Roy Pearson keeps on keeping on. (HT to reader)

I Thought Something Tasted Odd…

If you’ve recently bought food from Lotte Plaza in Ellicott City, Maryland and thought it tasted a bit funny… (HT to reader)