Stories about Korean from August, 2011
South Korea: Anger Erupted over Video of Afro-American Man Assaulting Elderly Couple
A video of an African American man mocking, cursing and assaulting a defenseless elderly Korean couple was spread online, prompting public anger. Police is investigating the case and it is believed that he took violent action after misunderstanding a Korean sentence which simply meant “You should sit over here” as...
South Korea: Journalist Taking Pictures of Women Without Consent
South Korean photo journalists are infamous for their disregard for individual's portrait rights. One citizen journalist from the Wiki Tree site posted photos [ko] of three foreign women in their bathing suits which a journalist took without their consent.
South Korea: Pop Music Censorship Meets with Strong Opposition
More than 2,600 South Korean pop songs have been censored in the past two years for their "hazardous" lyrics. One entertainment agency, however, filed a lawsuit against the government that deemed its singer’s album as ‘inappropriate for youths’ and won the case. The decision was widely welcomed by Korean public.
North Korea Got Talent? Video of North Korean Singing Contest on Chinese Site
A short, edited video of the North Korean singing contest was posted on Youku, a video hosting service based in China.
South Korea: Blood Type Personality Theory, How It Works
The blood type personality theory claims that people's blood type is predictive of their personality and compatibility with others. Nowhere is this belief more popular than in South Korea and Japan. Yoo Eun Lee delves deeper into the theory's history.
Number of North Korean Defectors Surges In Thailand
ROK drop blog posted a story on a surge of North Korean refugees in northern Thailand. As authorities have failed to give a clear explanation on causes of the sudden increase, net users have raised various speculations on the site.
South Korea: Extremist Grandpas Attack Labor Activists
The Korea Parents Federation, an extreme right-wing group made up exclusively of elderly Korean men has been involved in clashes with protestors demonstrating against massive layoffs in Busan, South Korea's largest port city, on July 31, 2011. Are the group conservative extremists or rather victims political manipulation?
The 5 Craziest Children's Cartoons from North Korea
Mark Hill posted North Korean children's cartoons conveying the regime's propaganda. Many of them are about defending the homeland and food from invaders.
South Korea: Web App Controversy Reignites Net Neutrality Debate
The threat of a government clampdown on a free smart phone messenger app, has reignited the net neutrality debate in South Korea. This core principle of Internet governance is fast becoming one of the country's most debated issues.
South Korea: Several Thousands Protested against Massive Layoffs
The “Hope Bus” protest took a place in Busan, the nation's largest port city, on July 31. About 3,5oo people from all over the country, including civic activists and labor groups, demonstrated against massive layoffs by Hanjin Heavy Industries. One of influential citizen journalists, MediaMongu tweeted [ko] photos of minor...
South Korea: Volunteers out to Clean up Flood Damage
Several days after the onset of one of the worst flooding and landslides in South Korean history, efforts to aid those affected continue. Twitter user Sayqueen tweeted a photo of volunteers gathered to clean up water damage.
