South Korea - The Korea Times

LAUGHING THROUGH HISTORY 20 'As Stubborn as a Mule'

One recurring conflict in Korean humor is between people from the capital city of Seoul and people from the country. People from the capital are presented as more sophisticated and worldly. Especially in early 20th-century humor, they are often also presented as more familiar with modern life, technology and the wider world, although the joke I’m translating today is more concerned with tradition. It features a provincial official who visits the big city and is made a fool of, but the joke doesn’t explicitly mock his ignorance or lack of sophistication. It focuses on personal qualities — stubbornness and groundless arrogance. In addition, while not harming anyone else, this man’s ignorance causes him to mix the sacred (in the form of ancestral rites) and the profane (a chamber pot) in a way that, while silly, would also have been legitimately offensive to contemporary readers. The result is that the joke doesn’t encourage us to root for the underdog protagonist as an underdog, but against him as someone whose foolishness deserves contempt. This joke is also a window on tradit

Sep 25, 2025By G.S. Hand

[LAUGHING THROUGH HISTORY 20] 'As Stubborn as a Mule'

City pays shops to drop English for Korean signs

Correction: The caption for the photo used in this article incorrectly stated that it was taken in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. The photo was taken near Samgakji Station in Yongsan District, Seoul. The article has since been updated. In Suwon, just south of Seoul, city officials are taking steps to make Korean streetscapes look — and read — a little more Korean. The city announced a subsidy program this week to encourage small businesses to replace signboards written only in foreign languages with ones featuring Hangeul, the Korean alphabet. Under the plan, stores will be eligible for up to 2 million won (about $1,450) to help cover design and installation costs. About 18 businesses will be selected for support in the first round, with application period open until Oct. 10. Qualifying shops include those with signboards entirely in English or other foreign languages. Businesses can either switch entirely to Hangeul or add Korean lettering alongside foreign text. City officials say the move is about more than signage. “We want to promote proper advertising practices while also sharing

Sep 23, 2025By Jane Han

City pays shops to drop English for Korean signs

Sour, No Model challenge boundaries of representation in punk

Punk rock may (or may not) have started as a noisy rebellion in 1970s America and Britain, but for decades the scene in Western countries rarely featured Asian American voices. In the United States, Asian American punks were often left at the margins, their presence nearly invisible. Now a new wave of bands is stepping forward, reshaping the scene and challenging outdated assumptions of who belongs in punk. Two of those bands — No Model and Sour — are preparing for a milestone in the form of their first East Asian tour. For Sehun and Changhwan of No Model, and Jeff Stuckel (Kyeongmo Kim) of Sour, the tour has a deeper meaning. All three are Korean adoptees, raised in predominantly white communities in the U.S., who are returning to Korea not as visitors but as performers, carrying with them the sounds and stories they’ve carved out in the U.S. punk and hardcore underground scene. As Jeff put it, “this is more than just another tour or tour date in Asia.” Sehun, Changhwan and Jeff each discovered punk separately, long before they ever crossed paths. For Changhwan, who grew up in

Sep 22, 2025By Antonia Giordano

Sour, No Model challenge boundaries of representation in punk

Asian Rockabilly Festival brings rockers together for 2nd 'Rumble in Seoul'

The Asian Rockabilly Festival is back for its second year, bringing together bands and DJs representing Korea, Japan, the U.S. and the Netherlands. Japanese bands the Biscats and the Stompin' Riffraffs are joining five local music acts for the two-night festival. Chief among the Korean acts is Streetguns, the cornerstone of the local rockabilly scene. They're joined by the Hoppers, punk-folk singer-songwriter Jinu Konda, country-rock band Texas Karaoke and ska-punk band Lazybone. Rockabilly is a subgenre of rock 'n' roll, which dates back to the 1950s and originated in the American South. It's characterized by a retro sensibility and style. "To me, rockabilly is rock 'n' roll in its most undiluted form, amped up with teenage hormones — the flash of light off a switchblade, or the bright red lipstick on the kissing lips of a pin-up chick," said Brian Offenther, or DJ BO, one of the four DJs set to perform at the festival. "Picture delinquent kids in the mid-1950s taking blues and country material and putting it to the propulsive whack of a stand-up bass. Equally as important to the sou

Sep 22, 2025By Jon Dunbar

Asian Rockabilly Festival brings rockers together for 2nd 'Rumble in Seoul'

EPS-TOPIK cheating expected to end with tablet-based system: officials

EPS-TOPIK, the standardized Korean language test for foreign workers under the Employment Permit System (EPS), will move entirely to tablets next year, a change officials say will strengthen fairness and curb cheating, reflecting the government’s efforts to uphold integrity in the testing process. According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the Ministry of Justice has detected no cheating cases since last year. As the final gatekeeper in the EPS application process, the Ministry of Justice verifies applicants at the visa issuance stage, using biometric facial analysis to match test-takers’ photos with their passport pictures. The test’s initial screening is conducted by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, which oversees nonprofessional employment programs — most notably the EPS — that require applicants to submit TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean) or EPS-TOPIK scores. “There used to be cases where the Ministry of Justice would catch these fraud attempts and inform us, but ever since the spread of UBT (ubiquitous-based test), nothing is coming from that ministry a

Sep 19, 2025By Jung Min-ho

EPS-TOPIK cheating expected to end with tablet-based system: officials

Joe Wong brings cross-cultural comedy to Seoul

Acclaimed comedian Joe Wong, known for his sharp wit and cross-cultural punchlines, is set to make his Seoul debut. The Korean-Chinese American funnyman will perform at Lit Lounge in Itaewon on Thursday, Sept. 25, marking his first stand-up performance in Korea. Wong has long been celebrated for turning cultural misunderstandings into laugh-out-loud comedy. Born in China, he immigrated to the United States to pursue a Ph.D. in biochemistry at Rice University before making an unlikely leap into stand-up in Boston in 2001. “I used to tell some jokes to coworkers and other students, but they didn’t quite respond,” he recalled. “Still, I had this idea from nowhere that if I told them on stage, they would laugh.” After attending a live show, he was hooked. “Later I took a stand-up comedy class and learned the most valuable lesson in my life: Humor can be learned, practiced and honed.” Since then, Wong has gone on to perform on some of the world’s biggest stages, with appearances on "The Late Show with David Letterman," "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and "The Late Show with Stephen

Sep 19, 2025By Alice Hong

Joe Wong brings cross-cultural comedy to Seoul

Foreign entrepreneur appointed adviser to Seoul’s 120 Dasan Call Center

Seoul’s 120 Dasan Call Center had once been a lifeline for residents seeking help with everything from utility bills to emergency procedures. But the multilingual hotline has struggled to gain traction, hindered by low awareness among foreign residents and persistent language barriers. Now, Seoul is turning to artificial intelligence (AI) — and the expertise of Indian entrepreneur Nitish Kumar — to make the service more inclusive. Kumar, founder and CEO of the Seoul-based startup Mednaath, was recently appointed as a management adviser to the Dasan Call Center. His company specializes in voice AI technology capable of real-time translation across 125 languages through a simple phone call — no internet, app or extra equipment required. “The appointment followed our expansion to Korea in 2024 through the K-Startup Grand Challenge program,” Kumar explained in an interview. “The Seoul government recognized that our solution addresses two critical challenges: malicious calls affecting service quality and communication barriers that impact both foreign residents and Korean citi

Sep 18, 2025By Alice Hong

Foreign entrepreneur appointed adviser to Seoul’s 120 Dasan Call Center

Brazilian AI innovator among 17 named honorary citizens of Seoul

Luis Filipe Ferreira Fraga, a Brazilian artificial intelligence (AI) engineer, was among 17 foreign residents from 16 countries named “2025 Honorary Citizens of Seoul,” recognized Wednesday for advancing multicultural understanding and bolstering the city’s global standing. According to the city government, candidates were nominated between March 24 and May 16 through recommendations from embassies, social organizations and the public. The final selection was made after a review by an evaluation committee and approval from the Seoul Metropolitan Council. All of this year’s honorees have lived in Seoul for at least five years, achieving professional success in their respective fields while consistently engaging in community service and international exchange. Ferreira was recognized for his work at a domestic company developing AI-based medical imaging solutions for disease diagnosis. In addition, he has promoted Seoul internationally through media appearances, Portuguese-language education and mentoring for international students. The city explained that being an honorary citizen

Sep 17, 2025By Anna J. Park

Brazilian AI innovator among 17 named honorary citizens of Seoul

Korea's visa-free policy for Chinese tour groups incites public anger

Korea’s visa-free entry program for Chinese tour groups is drawing public backlash, with more than 52,000 citizens signing a petition for its cancellation just two weeks before it is set to begin. The public backlash, amid an undercurrent of rising anti-China sentiment, is being fueled by a mix of historical grievances, economic competition and a nationalist reaction to what's perceived by many Koreans as Beijing's assertive cultural and political influence in the region. Scheduled to run from Sept. 29 through next June, the visa-free initiative has drawn criticism amid growing concerns over safety and potential abuse. Petitioners cite a mosquito-borne viral outbreak in China’s Guangdong Province, which has recorded more than 10,000 cases, warning that increased travel could threaten public health. They note that infected mosquitoes can be carried by airplanes — a phenomenon known as “airport malaria,” or more broadly, “airport-borne vector transmission,” a recognized public health risk. “The government, which is responsible for the health of its people, should immediate

Sep 17, 2025By Jung Min-ho

Korea's visa-free policy for Chinese tour groups incites public anger

Through their lenses: 4 live music photographers on life in pit

Live music scenes the world over are places filled with creativity. But while attention is naturally focused toward the musicians on stage, there are other creative pursuits that are less prominently on display. One group of such creatives is live music photographers, who work tirelessly to document what goes on at concerts. Photographers are the ones who offer a window into the live music world and help keep the memories alive afterward. Each of them has their own techniques, objectives and motivations. Often they work in poor lighting conditions and chaotic environments, with frequent threat of injury or equipment damage. To learn more about life in the trenches at live music events, The Korea Times interviewed four foreign photographers living in Korea who can often be seen snapping musicians at play: Nikki Bell from Buffalo, New York; Blair Kitchener from New Zealand; David Smith from Saginaw, Michigan; and Chewy Thomson from Canada. What gear do you use? Nikki: Nikon D750 with the stock kit lens. Blair: A Panasonic S1 and a Leica SL2-s with 28mm, 35mm and 50mm M-mount prime lenses. I

Sep 17, 2025By Jon Dunbar

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