"You Didn't Even Have Oral Sex?": S Korean Military's Gay Witch-hunt in Depth
“You didn’t even have oral sex?” “I didn’t even get to see his thing.” In an audio recording, a senior military officer grills a young soldier with questions about his “gay friends.” The officer says: “We have all the information about you and your relationship with YYY on
TV Producer's Death Casts Light on Dark Side of K-Drama Industry
On Oct. 26, a man was found dead in a hotel near Gangnam, two days after finishing a project at work. His name was Lee Han-bit, and he worked as an assistant producer for the cable channel tvN, where he had just wrapped up production of “Drinking Solo,” a popular
Allegation of "Gay Blacklist" Surfaces In S Korean Army
The South Korean military is currently accused of systematically tracking down homosexual soldiers. According to the Military Human Rights Center for Korea (MHRCK), Jang Jun-kyu, Chief of Staff for the South Korean army, had ordered a probe to track down gay men in the military (not just the army). The
Politics of the Yellow "Sewol" Ribbon
Yellow ribbon is the symbol of the Sewol incident, a ferry disaster that killed 304 passengers three years ago today. All over South Korea, tiny yellow ribbons dangle from people’s backpacks, wallets, bicycles, and on the windowsills of small cafés. Politicians — mostly from the
"Gukppong": The Nationalism Meth
Picture this: South Korean Singer Psy is holding kimchi in one hand. In the other, he’s holding a Samsung phone. He wears the uniform of the L.A. Dodgers (for which a South Korean baseball player is currently playing). In the background, K-pop idol group Girls’ Generation
What's With South Korea's Fuss About the Fourth Industrial Revolution?
The so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution is rapidly emerging as South Korea’s latest fashionable concept. With the country recently labeled “2017’s most innovative country” by Bloomberg, the government appears to be trying its best to live up to expectations — by issuing certificates. On Mar. 28, the Ministry
T.G.I.F: Will Leaving Work Early on Friday Boost Consumption?
Starting this month, the South Korean government is hoping that a little more free time can boost lagging consumption and a dreary economy. A program will soon take effect that allows government workers to leave work at 4 p.m. on the last Friday of each month. The government
Vegetable Rage Hits South Korea as Cucumber Haters Revolt
“People put cucumber on cold noodles, sliced it in sandwiches, shoved it into gimbab…… ‘Just put up with it,’ they told us. We were erased from the world, isolated, but now I know – I’m not the only one who hates cucumbers. Now is the time
'Parasite Moms' Vs. 'Meat Shields': A Novel Prompts an Online Spat
34-year-old Kim Ji-young sits outside a café with her baby daughter in a stroller beside her. Out of the blue, she overhears young men talking about her: “I wish I could drink coffee with my husband’s money too. Must be so easy to live like a Mom-chung.” “I
South Koreans Compete for Government Jobs as Economy Flounders
Last Thursday, a 30-year-old man committed suicide on a mountain near Mapo district, Seoul. He was a gongsisaeng — a student preparing to take a civil service exam for officials-to-be in lower levels of management. In his hand was a piece of paper on which he had calculated his score
Korea's "First Room Salon"
Lecturer Seol Min-suk is one of South Korea’s biggest celebrity historians. He is entertaining, colorful and descriptive, and makes history fun. Recently, he put himself on the chopping board with a highly controversial comment about some of the most revered men in Korean history. It had to do with
The Price of Democracy
Demonstrations calling for the ouster of then-president Park Geun-hye began in late October. Huge “candlelight rallies” continued almost every Saturday for the next 21 weeks, with fireworks, rock concerts on professionally built stages, banners and, of course, candles (both wax and LED). Portable toilets