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Tue, October 3, 2023 | 10:05

Metaverses, shamanism and Christianity

Metaverses, shamanism and Christianity

The contradictions in South Korea run deep. It's one of the world's most technologically advanced societies: hyper connected, Bluetooth for days, metaverses proclaimed everywhere, and yet it still has loads of people who are hooked up to Internet Explorer and using HWP files.

2022-01-29 09:32

Planned polarization and the Korean proletariat

Planned polarization and the Korean proletariat

A great deal of Korean politics over the past few years has revolved around party psychodrama, rumors of shamans, commentary on hand gestures in advertisements, placating communists, attacking communists, and various allegations of corruption and sexual misconduct.

2022-01-22 16:17

Korean civilization: Birth and death

Korean civilization: Birth and death

You can't read about the development of Korea without coming across the names of Park Chung-hee, Chung Ju-yung and Lee Byung-chull. For better and for worse, these three men have imprinted their personalities on the country, at times bending it to their will.

2022-01-15 09:38

Grief tourism and the laptop class

Grief tourism and the laptop class

Modern education and meetings involve being sat at a computer, staring at a filtered version of yourself, listening to people talk, and trying hard not to look at your phone or open another browser. We are provided a slew of new words to describe this bum-numbing phenomenon: “untact,” hybrid, meta. It's a fourth industrial revolution of which we should all be proud.

2022-01-08 14:18

'The Silent Sea': Not bad out of 10

'The Silent Sea': Not bad out of 10

While acknowledging the genuine popularity and success of hallyu products around the world over the last couple of years, I've often had a slightly different take on some of the biggest hits.

2022-01-01 09:11

Is Korean law fair? (Part two)

Is Korean law fair? (Part two)

For the last few months, the television, newspapers and social media have been dominated by the lives and scandals of Korea's political elite. Back and forth they go, making accusations, reveling in each other's misfortunes, and using the law as a means to serve their own goals rather than to protect citizens.

2021-12-26 18:23

K-Hitchens and North Korea: A decade of death and dictatorship

K-Hitchens and North Korea: A decade of death and dictatorship

This week marks the 10th anniversary of the death of Christopher Hitchens, columnist, orator and public intellectual famed for his drinking, charm, wit and polemics. Hitchens was human: fallible and emotional, yet at the same time kind, poetic and capable of great artistry with the English language.

2021-12-18 09:35

Rumors of impurity

Rumors of impurity

It feels somewhat peculiar to write about women in Korea because I'm neither a woman nor Korean. I also don't think that there is a singular female experience in Korea. Women's personal experiences differ greatly across time, class, and many other factors. Nevertheless, nationwide statistics paint an all too familiar and distressing story. They show Korean women incredibly fa...

2021-12-12 13:23

Resistance to violence in Korea

Resistance to violence in Korea

Jinu sees himself as a humble musician who focuses on providing solidarity to those suffering from oppression, violence, and health problems. This week he spoke to me about his experiences and why, as an individual, he has decided to try and take a stand while no-one else will do so. He describes having seen firsthand young hired thugs ('yeongyeok') and police carry out acts ...

2021-12-04 09:22

Twitter or television?

Twitter or television?

Stephen Fry suggested this week that “social media is a lavatory wall.” Essential, capable of providing anonymity and security when we need it most, yet basically surrounded by a load of old crap and home to glory holes and spycams.

2021-11-27 14:45

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Top 10 Stories

1	PHOTOSDecisive moments of Team Korea at Asian Games

2	Will blue crabs from Italy arrive on Korean dining tables?

3	INTERVIEWROK-US alliance is win-win partnership: KUSAF chief

4	Over 30,000 protesters march for climate actions

5	Korea makes last-ditch bid to host World Expo 2030 in Busan

6	INTERVIEWIt is premature to revise ROK-US mutual defense treaty: veterans' group head

7	LA-based photographer captures Koreatown unfazed by pandemic

8	Consumers to face higher prices for daily necessities after Chuseok

9	Samsung chief visits Middle East to explore new businesses

10	Internet-only banks outperform legacy lenders in labor productivity

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