The Mysteries of Buffets and Koreans

Dear Korean,Why do Korean people stay so long at buffets? Do you think we'll ever be like Caucasians and not try to maximize each dollar spent?John S., PittsburghDear John,Although the way you phrased your question could have been better, the gist of the question is fascinating. The Korean knows of no study that measured...

The Korean's alma mater, University of California, is getting rid of five athletic programs: baseball, men's rugby, men's and women's gymnastics and women's lacrosse because of budget cuts. A layperson might think getting rid of baseball was the biggest deal, but actually it's getting rid of rugby that hurts the most. Cal men's rugby team won 25 national championships in the last 30 years. The Korean...

Ask a Korean! News: Be a Mexican, Lose Your Baby

This is just shocking.A few days before her daughter Rosa’s first birthday, Monica Castro and the girl’s father had a violent argument in the trailer they all shared near Lubbock, Tex. Ms. Castro fled, leaving her daughter behind.Ms. Castro, a fourth-generation American citizen, went to the local Border Patrol station. She said she would give the agents there information about the girl’s father, a...

If the Korean made a list of "Things that America could learn from Korea", high on the list would be "Stop being so fat." Here is a totally discouraging New York Times article about how Americans are eating less fruits and vegetables.This week, the company released the 25th edition of its annual report, “Eating Patterns in America.” The news there wasn’t good, either. For example, only 23 percent...

50 Most Influential K-Pop Artists: 46. Deli Spice

First, a public service announcement -- This review will be available on Library Mixer. The Korean's Library Mixer reviews will also have additional thoughts from the Korean about the band's individual albums and songs that will not be featured in this particularly series on AAK!. To join Library Mixer, check out this link.[Series Index]46.  Deli Spice [델리 스파이스]Years of Activity:  1997-present?...

When is it OK to Make Eye Contact -- Redux

Dear readers,The Korean revisited the eye contact post, and he is not happy with the quality upon second look. It is too vague, too impractical, and too short. That's what happens when the Korean blogs after an exhausting day at work, and just want to get it over with what seems to be a simple question.But this is definitely not a simple question, so he will try again. Cue the question:Dear Korean,In...

AAK! PSA: Library Mixer & the Mixologist

Going forward, all of the Korean's AAK! Music series (including the 50 Most Influential K-pop Artists series) will be also on the Library Mixer. What is Library Mixer, you ask? Well, here is a video:The Korean is an alpha tester of the Library Mixer, and he was given permission by the folks running the Library Mixer to give out alpha tester status to anyone who wants it. In addition to AAK! Music...

Ask a Korean! News: Why Koreans Eat Rice Cake on Holidays

Hope everyone is having a good chuseok, and eating a lot of songpyeon. Here is an insight on why Koreans eat rice cake on holidays like chuseok, from the always-informative food blog 악식가의 미식일기.Why We Eat Rice Cake on HolidaysTo cook rice, a pot is necessary. Up until the three kingdoms era, metal could only be used for weaponry. In other words, a pot made of cast iron to cook rice with was not in...

Ask a Korean! News: Let's Go Extinguish Ourselves

The Korean has been a consistent advocate for dog meat eating, which have elicited ire from many people. One of the themes of those who strongly object to dog eating is their strong focus on the pain to be inflicted on the dog (and usually, all animals) in the process of eating meat. (See for example here, here, here.) The argument, essentially, goes -- dogs feel pain in the process of being turned...

How to Hold Jesa

Dear Korean,I came across your blog while doing a search for 제사 procedures. I can't seem to find anything in detail in English, and the Korean is way over my head. We are coming up on the 4th year since my mother passed. In the past, we have done the ceremony at a local temple that set everything up for us and we just paid...

Ask a Korean! Wiki: What Do Korean High Schoolers Like?

.... for the purpose of their English education?Dear Korean,I recently began a year-long committment as a guest English teacher in an all-girls high school. I'm an American guy fresh out of college, new to Korea, and I want to learn more about the interests of my students so I can capture their attention in class. I want them to speak frequently in class by raising their hands in response to the topics...

Partly as a side gig and partly as a hobby, the Korean is in the process of translating an American law textbook into Korean. One thing that the Korean noticed is that English sentences -- at least the kinds that are used in law textbooks -- are generally longer than Korean ones. Relatedly, English sentences have a lot of embedding structures that, when turned into Korean, make a sentence really...

Ask a Korean! News: Korean Moms Like World Bank

Stuff Korean Moms Like already has a hilarious list of 58 items that Korean moms like. The Korean humbly suggests number 59 on the list:  The World Bank.*                *                *"World Bank is Hiring ... Mom Will Find Out All About It"First Open Hiring Notice for Koreans is Stampeded by Questions from Mothers Concerns...

The Korean was listening to this segment of NPR this morning about the Tea Party's victory. And he could not help but think how similar Tea Party is to candlelight protesters of Korea two years ago -- especially with respect to both movements' reliance on the Internet and their self-regard as a leaderless, social-networking type of movement.About a year ago, the Korean theorized that the problems...

Ask a Korean! News: Are Korean Students Like American Students of 100 Years Ago?

Mitch Albom of Tuesdays with Morrie fame apparently thinks so. A sample:South Koreans treat school like a full-time job plus a full-time marriage. They put in day hours and night hours, followed by weekend hours. It is not uncommon to see children in school uniforms walking home late at night. It is not uncommon to see them studying through weekends. There is private English education on top...

50 Most Influential K-Pop Artists: 47. Solid

[Series Index]47.  Solid [솔리드]Years of Activity:  1993-1997Members:  Lee Joon [이준] - RapKim Johan [김조한] - VocalJeong Jae-Yoon [정재윤] - VocalDiscography:Regular AlbumsSolid Vol. 1 (1993)Dream [꿈] (1995)Light Camera Action! (1996)Solidate (1997)Special AlbumsSolid Live (1996)Solid to be Unlimited Solid (1999) - compilationIn 15 Words or Less:  The herald of R&B in Korea.Representative...

AAK! PSA: WWOOF It Up

Today's public service announcement comes from World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms of Korea, which provides opportunities to spend time in rural Korea and experience the life in organic farms of Korea. Below is their brochure.Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.c...

In another step toward the Arizona's anti-immigration law's inevitable demise, the Third Circuit restated the proposition that should have been obvious:  state laws attempting to regulate immigration are preempted by federal immigration laws. While the opinion is not 100 percent congruent with what the Korean wanted, it nonetheless is a gem. The court curtly characterizes one argument by the...

Absolutely, absolutely FASCINATING racial data crunching from Gizmodo. Just go read it.The Real 'Stuff White People Like’ [Gizmo...

When is it OK to Make Eye Contact?

Dear Korean,In the U.S. I'm used to looking everyone I meet or speak to in the eyes to show respect and that I'm listening. I was told that this is not proper in Korea when in certain settings. What settings would this be? Is it ever okay to look someone in the eyes for a prolonged amount of time? Can you ever look superiors in the eyes or is it only family and people younger than you? Can you not...

A profile of Korean woman who obtained her driver's license at her 960th try, on the New York Times. A sample:This diminutive woman, now known nationwide as “Grandma Cha Sa-soon,” has achieved a record that causes people here to first shake their heads with astonishment and then smile: She failed her driver’s test hundreds of times but never gave up. Finally, she got her license — on her 960th try....

Ask a Korean! News: Gay Rights in Korea Today

Dong-A Ilbo had a good article summarizing the state of gay rights in Korea today, at the decade mark when Hong Seok-Cheon -- the first celebrity homosexual of Korea -- came out of the closet. Below is the translation:A Decade Since Hong's Coming-Out -- Internet is the Freedom Zone for HomosexualityGaming Industry Changes the Banned WordsIt has been a decade since Hong Seok-Cheon, a TV personality,...