Just How Formidable are North Korea's Hackers?

[Index for translated Joo Seong-ha articles]When it comes to North Korean news, the Korean has one simple rule: listen carefully to people who have actual access to the facts at the ground level in North Korea. One of the few people who do have such access is Mr. Joo Seong-ha, reporter for Dong-A Ilbo. Long time readers of this blog are familiar with Mr. Joo. He was born and raised in North Korea,...

Korean Americans and Korean Pop Culture

Dear Korean,There are people who are Korean but were born in America and don't really have any fellow Koreans around them. Later, they would be introduced to "Korean world" in high school and college, beginning watching Korean dramas, trying to become fluent in Korean, trying out Korean fashion, logging on to Soompi.com forums...

Korean Fact of the Day: Declining Number of PC Bang

In 2009, there were 21,547 PC Bangs [Internet cafes] in Korea, which were the major contributor for Korea to become the world leader in professional online gaming. But in 2010, the number declined to 19,014, and in 2011 the number further declined to 15,817--according to this Dong-A Ilbo article.Oversupply, faster wi-fi and competing entertainment venues such as coffee shops (whose number and quality...

Brief Note on the Gay Marriage Issue

As an attorney, it did not escape the Korean's notice that today, the Supreme Court heard the oral argument for Hollingsworth v. Perry--a case that may well become the most important Supreme Court case in 60 years. Personally, I am split right in the middle. I am so conflicted on this issue that I am abstaining; I am resigned to letting things happen. I know this is not satisfactory to either side...

Ask a Korean! Wiki: Living Expenses in Seoul

Dear Korean,I'm seriously thinking of moving to Seoul. Do you have an idea of what the budget listing would be for about a 15 week stay in Seoul, a detailed tally of expenses? Are there any other unexpected expenses expats/non-citizens are known to incur?AshleyHere is the problem: the Korean never visits Korea as a foreign tourist. He always has a free place to stay in various parts of Korea, because...

Ask a Korean! News: China Cracks Down on North Korean Restaurants

This is interesting. Yonhap News is reporting that China is cracking down on North Korean restaurants operating in China. There are several hundred North Korean restaurants in China, which serve as a valuable revenue generator for the North Korean regime. In an unprecedented move, the Chinese government are coming down hard on whether the restaurant workers have the appropriate visas, whether health...

Thank you for the birthday wishes, everyone. The Korean feels loved.(If you are wondering, yes, I had seaweed soup. And a cak...

50 Most Influential K-pop Artists: 15. Kim Geon-mo

[Series Index]15. Kim Geon-mo [김건모]Also romanized as:  Kim GunmoYears of Activity: 1998 - present Discography:Picture Painted After Parting [이별 뒤에 그린 그림] (1992)Kim Geon-mo 2 [김건모 2] (1993)The Wrong Encounter [잘못된 만남] (1995)Exchange Kg. M4 (1996)Myself (1997)Growing (1999)#007 Another Days... (2001)Hestory (2003)Kimgunmo 9 (2004)Be Like... (2005)Scarecrow [허수아비] (2007)Soul Groove...

North Korean Propaganda Video Shows that Western Journalists are Morons

Dear Korean,I'm guessing I'm the bajillionist person to ask this, but just in case... I saw this news article today, and find it very very hard to believe that the voice-over is accurate in translation. (Although very hilarious- snow coffee and yummy birds for the americans!) Also hard to believe someone would just write a news article without even asking someone who spoke Korean if it was true, but......

Ask a Korean! News: China's Elites Turning on North Korea

We may be nearing the critical tipping point, on which China finally realizes that shielding North Korea is not in its national interest. We already know that the Chinese public is no fan of North Korea, but now, several prominent Chinese academics have condemned North Korea's nuclear program. Among the academics, the latest volley came from historian Tao Duanfang, who claimed: "If North Korea...

Is It Safe to be in Korea NOW?

Dear Korean,I'm supposed to go on a trip to South Korea next June with my boyfriend but due to the recent events, I'm quite concerned about the situation. I know this is a bit self-centered but I could use some advice or suggestions. I read the 2009 post and I wondered if you still believe South Korea is a safe place to stay for a couple of days ?VanessaIt is true that North Korea's threats are at...

Korean Fact of the Day: Price of Rice in Pyongyang

After its third nuclear test, the price of rice in Pyongyang jumped from 5,500 won per kilogram to 9,000 won per kilogram. The cost of other groceries likewise increased by around 70 percent. This jump is likely the result of China's stricter enforcement against smuggling across the China-North Korea border. China began cracking down on smuggling as an unofficial sanction against North Korea's...

Culturalism and Korea's Suicide Rate

Here is a leftover thought from the series on suicides in Korea, which just concluded. In the last post, the Korean noted that a frequent objection to his overall thesis of the series--i.e., that Korea's high suicide rate is the result of a violent social change since the 1997 financial crisis--is that there has to be something "cultural" about the reason why Korea has such high suicide rate....

Suicide in Korea Series: VI. Case Studies -- KAIST and Ssangyong Motors

[Series Index] Why do people kill themselves? And why do Koreans kill themselves much more frequently than others? Here is a recap where we have been throughout this long series on Korea's high suicide rates:Korea suicide rate, at one point, was extremely low for an industrialized country -- only 6.6 per 100,000 deaths in 1986,...

Korean Fact of the Day: Fan Clubs in Lima

In Lima, Peru, there are more than 60 fan clubs for Korean pop music--and that was before Gangnam Style.More interesting facts about the economic cooperation between Korea and Peru in this article from the Financial Times.Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.c...

Fast Times with USFK

When PSY's anti-American lyrics made the news, the Korean wrote that there have been plenty of occasions with the U.S. military in Korea that were enough to make Koreans to lose their temper and say, "fuck these people." In the Korean's opinion, that does not excuse the excessive severity of PSY's language, but that does help one understand where he was coming from.What happened recently in Seoul...