What Happens to Women After #MeToo
The first #MeToo headlines are always big and dramatic. A male prosecutor accused of sexual harassment. The star politician accused of rape. The powerful, internationally respected male director. The CEO. The journalist. And more. But look beyond the headlines. What about the many more ordinary cases, that usually don’
Jeju: Museum Heaven or Tax Haven?
Driving around Jeju island and you’ll come across not just white sand beaches and UNESCO World Heritage sites but an endless succession of museums. In fact, tourists can choose from over 100, on themes as diverse as Greek mythology, seashells, African art, teddy bears, sex and health, and stone
Hyundai's Hydrogen Dream
“We believe hydrogen energy is the key to a more sustainable world.” “If you’re going to pick an energy storage mechanism, hydrogen is…incredibly dumb.” The first of these quotes is from South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor Company (HMC), which this month launched the Nexo, its brand new hydrogen
South Korea's Best Meal Alternatives
South Korea faces dietary dilemmas. While government figures show that 16 percent of women below the age of 40 are underweight, the Korean Center for Disease Control (KCDC) and other bodies warn against the proliferation of “skinny obesity,” a condition resulting from low overall body weight but high body fat
Review: Test-driving the Hyundai Ioniq Electric
Last week, I finally gave in to Seoul’s nasty fine dust pollution. I found a second-hand air purifier for sale in Ilsan, a nearby satellite city, and arranged to pick it up the next morning. That’s how I ended up test-driving my first all-electric car, the Hyundai Ioniq,
Watching North Koreans Watch South Koreans
I still remember the death of the previous North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in December 2011, for the simple reason that media outlets played ad nauseum footage, procured from North Korea’s state news agency KCNA, of Pyongyang citizens weeping with abandon. It seemed as though North Koreans were so
South Korea's Online Piracy Paradise
South Korea has an online piracy problem. Multiple internet sites offer bootleg movies, music, software and more for bargain-basement prices, seemingly unpoliced by authorities. A 2017 report on copyright protection published by Korea Copyright Protection Agency (KCOPA) found that losses across the music, film, broadcasting, publishing, and game industries from
Pojangmacha: Tent Nostalgia
In Seoul’s central Jongno District lies one of the city’s last pojangmacha alleys. Every day around late afternoon, hired workers take apart around two dozen wheeled carts lining both sides of the alley. Tents are thrown over steel frames; five-gallon oil containers filled to the brim with
Dark Tour: Jeju Island Beyond Teddy Bear Museums
Jeju Island is where South Koreans love to get away from it all. Hundreds of flights a day deposit mainlanders hungry for escape, relaxation and selfies. With its sea-locked isolation, black soil and relentless wind, Jeju feels almost like a different country altogether. So it’s hard to believe that
North Korea Summit 101
For those of you who haven’t been following the news, Kim Jong-un has been coming out of the Peninsula. Recently he met China’s Xi Jinping. Next on his platter are the presidents of South Korea and the U.S. Here is our introduction about the basics
South Korea Investigates Social Media over Phone Records
South Korean authorities have begun investigating several of the country’s leading social media and internet firms amid allegations of collecting user data without consent. On Mar. 30, Korea Communications Commission (KCC) announced an investigation into four major social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Kakao Talk, and Band. The commission will
What’s in a Label: Obesity in One of the World's Thinnest Countries
I am 174 centimeters (5 feet 8 inches) tall and weigh 76 kilograms (167 lbs). That means my body mass index (BMI) is 25.1. The international standard for obesity is 30. To be labeled obese, I need to gain 15 more kilograms — roughly the weight of a large Welsh