Inside the Noraebang: Power Ballads and Neoliberal Capitalist South Korea
The popularity of a power ballad - "She's Gone" - speaks to South Korea obsessed with effort and traumatised by a neoliberal capitalist order.
South Korea - page 48
Disposable Workers of Hyper-Capitalist Korea
Extreme. Intense. Extraordinary. There are not enough adjectives to describe the mistreatment of workers at the bottom of the South Korean employment hierarchy.
Gender Equality in South Korea: A Long Way to Go
South Korea has made much headway in women’s rights, but more needs to be done despite the election two years ago of its first female president, Park Geun-hye.
The Leaflet War
Two sides of South Korea clashed near the DMZ over the impending launch of anti-North Korea leaflets using balloons. Total chaos ensued.
Breaking Soles, Saving Seoul: Teenage Missionaries of the Mormon Church
A young Mormon missionary shares his experience of living and working in Seoul for 13 months. Glimpse into the lives of Mormon missionaries in South Korea.
Dating for Dummies
New to dating in South Korea? Here is a quick guide to the ritual and tribulations of dating in South Korea from the male side.
Ilbe: South Korea’s Angry Young Men
South Korea's angry young men channel disenchantment with society through Ilbe, a notorious right-wing website, and gain more visibility in the public sphere.
Itaewon’s Homo Hill: A Show That Never Ends
Homo Hill in Itaewon is a hub of gay life in Seoul. Each weekend, it attracts gay men looking to escape South Korea's homophobic atmosphere.
No Country for Old People: South Korea’s Dire Problem of Elderly Poverty
While South Korean economy continues to surge ahead, many of the country's seniors must deal with poverty and lack of state support.
Admiral Conquers South Korean Cinema, Exposing Fissures in Politics
A movie about a revered historical admiral break records and leads to commentaries about politics in post-Sewol South Korea.
Inter-Korean Marriage and Pursuit of Assimilation
North Korean women marry South Korean men to achieve full assimilation in South Korea, but at the price of confirming the second-class status of North Koreans.
An Assault Upon Our Children: South Korea’s Education System Hurts Students
The world looks to Korea as a model for education but the system has a dark side. Korean education produces students who are overachieving but unhappy and ill.