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Opinion

Sat, October 20, 2018 | 08:49

Opinion > Blogs >

Rolling tobacco in Joseon

Men were not the only ones to smoke in Joseon Korea. Women, of all classes, enjoyed their pipes as much as their male counterparts and some, including the queen, were quick to take up the newest smoking craze - cigarettes.

Smoking with class in Joseon

In late 19th century Korea, almost everyone smoked. According to George W. Gilmore, an American teaching in Seoul in the late 19th century: “The use of tobacco is universal, even boys and women are using the weed. A part of the dress of a Korean is his tobacco-pouch, his flint,...

The Pearl and the gingko

In 1885, Captain C. F. Anderson sailed to Korea in search of pearls - his small schooner was, appropriately enough, named The Pearl. His quest was a financial failure but he did return to San Francisco with one valuable item - a chair.

Fashion field notes from Danang

As an ethnographer, I'm always thinking about people, the groups they see themselves as part of, and the way they define discrete cultures. As a visual sociologist, I think about our extremely visual culture in which identity and the very important economic acts of consumption ...

Multiculturalism: Korea's most obstinate 'iron cage'

I'm going to do something writers aren't supposed to do - lose the reader immediately. Well, that's not actually my goal, since I'm doing this deliberately with the goal of making a point. And the first line of this piece, along with the gob-stopping opening image, should be en...

The battle for normal and the queering of Korea

In 1991, Paris was burning. When I was a freshman in college, I could barely wrap my brain around that film - “Paris Is Burning.” I could barely process what I was seeing. I had never seen such aberrant behaviors, had no idea that it constituted a vibrant (and seemingly fun!) g...

Assessing the Pyongyang summit

President Moon's visit to Pyongyang and his summit with Chairman Kim Jong-un altered the cultural and political landscape of the Korean Peninsula even further than the Panmunjom summit, and most likely ushered in a permanent shift in how Koreans conceive of themselves. So deep ...

What do Koreans mean by 'revolution'?

I saw an television commercial for a Korean bank recently in which the word “revolution” (hyeongmyeong, 혁명, 革命) was repeated several times. It was striking that a term once associated with the far left is used now so prevalently in contemporary South Korea. But what exactly doe...

The paleontology of South Korean politics

The most remarkable moment in President Moon Jae-in’s visit to Pyongyang was his speech before 15 thousand North Korean citizens gathered in the massive May Day Stadium. The enthusiasm that radiated from this massive crowd was startling in its intensity and President Moon himse...

Me Cook? No, You Cook!

Years ago, I saw a birthday party ruined in spectacular fashion. An American friend, an advanced Korean language learner, was chatting with two Korean women who began ridiculing his pronunciation, repeating to each other “Mikuk” (not “Miguk,” which means American) several times...

14-year-old j.knife surprises Korean indie fans with folk-pop album 'Familiar Sounds'

When most Koreans are 14 years old, or 15 Korean age, they're studying hard in preparation for high school, and already readying themselves for the college entrance exam that will decide their entire futures. Jennifer Kim may not be much different, but she also somehow makes th...

If a grandfather pays grandchild's overseas study expenses, should he pay gift tax?

In general, the following rules are well known: a gift tax shall be imposed on any property that a person has received as a gift from another person; and the maximum value of property that a person can receive from another person within a 10-year period without paying a gift ta...

Eco-friendly automobile regulation in Korea

There is growing interest in environmentally friendly vehicles worldwide. Manufacturers at both ends of the market, from premium brands such as Mercedes Benz and BMW, to Chinese automakers, are developing eco-friendly cars.

Getting a refund in the sharing economy

Canceling a reservation and getting a refund is one of the most common problems a consumer faces. Many of us have stories of hassles encountered while trying to get our money back.

My life at a Korean law firm (part 35)

Returning to Seoul in February 2004, I was certain of one thing: I did not want to go back to teaching English. This was not because I found it beneath my dignity or anything like that, but because I wanted to try something new, where I could put my knowledge of Korea and Korea...

My life at a Korean law firm (part 34)

For this week’s Chuseok column, I made an impromptu list of 52 things in Korea that I see either more or less of than when I first came to Korea in July 1996. Some are perhaps symptoms of cultural change, while others are evidence simply of wider consumer options. This is not d...

My life at a Korean law firm (part 33)

In early 2004, Jimin and I returned to Korea to live. We each had new educational qualifications and were ready to put them to use. After four-and-a-bit years of life in Australia, we felt that our futures somehow lay in Seoul. One of the major motivating factors for my move to...

[INTERVIEW] Don't be duped by double-faced North Korea

Jang Jin-sung, author of the best-selling book “Dear Leader: My Escape from North Korea,” was a psychological warfare officer with the North Korean regime before he made a dramatic escape from the country in 2004. He is a sought-after lecturer and analyst who has advised people...

Defectors respond to Kim Jong-un 'finger-heart' pose

South Korea's Cheong Wa Dae, or “Blue House,” released photos showing North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un making a "finger-heart" while visiting Mount Paektu with President Moon Jae-in on the third day of the Pyongyang summit. North Korean refugees responded to the photo.

Unseen part of North Korea [VIDEO]

Today I am going to tell you about my own experiences. First of all, what was my daily life like in North Korea?

When color can be too much

I love color - sometimes too much. But there are times when color simply gets in the way of a good photograph. Bright colors can enhance, but they can distract. Often the better photograph focuses on tone and patterns. In such cases, monotone (black and white) photographs are t...

Finding your kind of street photography

If you ask serious photographers just what is “street photography,” you are likely to find many definitions. At times, street photography can resemble travel photography. But travel photography tends to be less artistic and more about personal documentation of one's experiences...

Festivals make great photos

Jongro-3ga, Lantern Parade. All photos by Tom CoynerTom CoynerWith the warming temperatures, come festivals and similar events. These colorful events are both challenging and rewarding. They can be confusing as a three-ring circus in determining what to photograph, and it can b...

Hurricane Michael