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By Deirdre Madden, May 15, 2013 9:11 pm

In a community where people are constantly coming and going, where businesses change almost overnight, and the entire city doesn’t stop building and growing, it can be hard to feel a sense of consistency. But there are a few things you can count on besides change. The Won Shot Wanderers Football Club has been a stable part of the Ulsan ex-pat community now for over a decade – quite a feat in a city where ex-pats rarely stay for more than a year.

Started in the wake of the 2002 World Cup, the Won Shots have become one of the longest running expat teams in Korea. John Buckley, from Ireland, and Gareth Copely, from England, were two of the original team members whose passion for the sport kept the team going in the early years. Philip Heo, who joined the team in 2003, is another member who has helped ensure its long term survival. I recently interviewed Philip (over email, due to my making a mistake and missing the interview, for which I deeply apologize to the whole team) about the Won Shots, and particularly their upcoming Ulsan Cup Tournament, being held at the Taehwa Simnidaebat Pitches in Taehwadong this weekend (May 17th-18th).

The first Ulsan Cup was held in November 2008, following the Won Shots joining the Ulsan Amateur Football League in 2006. With the help of the Ulsan League commissioners, and support from Benchwarmers Bar owners, Troy McDonald and Hazel Smith, the dreams of expat football players to have a proper nationwide tournament were turned into a reality. Keeping things running long-term in the expat community can be a challenge, but Philip’s attitude towards the Cup is a key factor in it’s longevity, “Trivial things always happen during the organization of any major sporting event, but if we focus on the football tournament itself, satisfying participants, the event is always a success. Some other cities or organizations with much bigger budgets than us hosted tournaments for expats, but they didn’t last long.”

“This is the only chance for foreigners to simulate the style of play from their home countries. It gives us that familiarity and comfort that we don’t often experience, and with the great organisation of the Ulsan Cup, the many foreigner teams, etc, it gives us that big tournament feel. All the ingredients come together to make it so enjoyable and important to all who are involved,” said Dan Shaw, the Won Shot Wanderers Captain for 2012-2013.

The Ulsan Cup has been well received in the past.

“We have enjoyed critical acclaim from across the Republic of Korea, and we are now even being courted by national media to cover the event,” explains Philip. “There are of course things that we try to improve upon every year, and even the best events could be better, but to hear most teams say it’s some of the best memories they make in Korea makes everyone associated with the Cup smile. It is such an important date in the sporting calendar that players who have left to live in other countries fly back to Korea to play in the Ulsan Cup.”

This year, 16 teams from 11 different provinces or cities around Korea are participating, including 2 teams from Ulsan, the Won Shot Wanderers and the Foreigner’s Compound Football Club (FCFC). The full list of teams is as follows:

Ulsan – Wonshot Wanderers & FCFC
Busan – Busan United & Inter Busan
Deagu – Deagu Devils & FC Deagu
Seoul – SBFC, Seoul St Pat’s, and Storndang Villa
Suwon – Inter Suwon
Jeju – Jejuventus
Daejon – Galma FC
Gwangyang and Suncheon – Gwangsun International
Seoul Gyeonggi- Malaysian Students FC
Jeonju Jeolla- Jeonju United
Gwangju – Gwangju Inter

The Won Shots themselves are a diverse team. “We have and have had members from over forty different nations and diverse religious backgrounds. We currently have players from the UK, Ireland, USA, Wales, Scotland, France, Canada, South Africa, Italy, Turkey, Norway and Korea. They are English teachers, engineers, students, employees or businessmen. Several are married to Koreans or now call Korea home.”

They’re also doing very well these days, “We currently have a very good team and right now we rank 1st in the first division of the Ulsan League, having won the 2^nd division title last year.”

When asked about special memories from past Cups, Philip said, “Every Cup has had special moments. The first cup was a massive hurdle, as we were swimming in untested waters, however, the highlight has to be the Won Shot Wanderers winning the trophy for the first time in 2012. Keeping the trophy in Ulsan was never going to be easy, but finally we did it, and we have a serious chance of defending it this year.”

2012 Ulsan Cup Champions – the Won Shot Wanderers FC

Defending the cup may not be quite so easy, though. Philip added, “No team has ever won the championship twice, let alone defended the title.” Past winners are: Busan United in 2008, Seoul Celtic in 2009, Jeonju Unathletic in 2010, Daegu Devils in 2011, and Ulsan Won Shot Wanderers in 2012.

If you’re looking to get involved, “Anybody can be a Won Shot player or supporter. Members join and leave expat teams frequently, so we welcome new faces anytime. Join the Facebook group, and come to Samsan Futsal pitch from 8-10pm Tuesdays, or the Taehwa Simnidaebat pitch C from 9-11am Thursdays for training. You don’t have to be one of the best players to be a member of our club; we win together and we lose together. There is always room for good people, as there is always so much to do.  We also have youth teams of Rising Stars hosting a tournament for junior expats.” 

So, if you’re in town this weekend, Philip says, “Come and enjoy the tournament. It is a really family friendly atmosphere, and food and drinks will be provided by Cima Bar.”

The Ulsan Cup takes place from 9-5 this Friday and Saturday at the Taehwa Simnidaebat pitches (Riverside 800 Taehwa-dong, Jung-gu, Ulsan – pinned on the Interactive Map, under Sports). The pitches are along the north bank of the river, between “Bulgogi Street” and the cycling/walking path.

The schedule for the Friday Preliminaries is listed below. Saturdays schedule will, of course, depend upon who wins what. However, a full 2 days of games are promised to everyone, as there will be a  “Plate Challenge” and a “Wooden Spoon” phase for the teams knocked out of the running for the Cup.

Schedule for Friday’s Preliminaries

09:00~
Pitch A: Galma FC vs. Malaysian SFC
Pitch B: FCFC vs. Busan United
Pitch C: Won Shot WFC vs. Inter Busan

10:00~
Pitch A: Inter Suwon vs. FC Daegu
Pitch B: Storndang Villa vs. GwangSun IFC
Pitch C: Seoul St. Patrick’s vs.Jeonju United

11:00~
Pitch A: Seoul British vs. Gwangju Inter
Pitch B: Malaysian SFC vs. Jejuventus
Pitch C: Galma FC vs. Daegu Devils

12:00 Welcoming Ceremony

12:40~
Pitch A: FC Daegu vs. GwangSun IFC
Pitch B: Daegu Devils vs. Jejuventus
Pitch C: Inter Suwon vs. Storndang Villa

1:40~
Pitch A: Gwangju Inter vs. FCFC
Pitch B: Inter Busan vs. Jeonju United
Pitch C: Busan United vs. Seoul British

2:40~
Pitch A: Won Shot WFC vs. Seoul St. Patrick’s
Pitch B: GwangSun IFC vs. Inter Suwon
Pitch C: Jejuventus vs. Galma FC

3:40~
Pitch A: Gwangju Inter vs. Busan Unite
Pitch B: Seoul British vs. FCFC
Pitch C: FC Daegu vs. Storndang Villa

4:40~
Pitch A: Inter Busan vs. Seoul St. Patrick’s
Pitch B: Jeonju United vs. Won Shot WFC
Pitch C: Daegu Devils vs. Malaysian SFC

UlsanOnline.com would like to wish the Ulsan teams, FCFC and the defending champion Won Shot Wanderers, good luck in the tournament. Here’s hoping the Cup stays in Ulsan!

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By Deirdre Madden, May 13, 2013 7:19 pm

Editor’s note: Thanks to Ryan for compiling this info for us. There is some general information on replacing a license and for getting a license if your home country doesn’t have a reciprocal license agreement with Korea. There’s also a more generalized answer in The Official Word, and some info on getting a motorbike license (necessary for bikes 250cc or higher).

By Ryan Griffiths

Those from The Great White North who may be interested in buying a car in Korea, or renting one on a vacation have two options available to them. The first is to turn in your Canadian driver’s license in exchange for a Korean license. The second is to apply for an International Driving License (IDL) which they can use while temporarily living in the country. Both methods are outlined below, and the information is current as of January 1^st, 2013.

Exchanging your Canadian license for a Korean license.

There are a number of steps involved in exchanging your Canadian license for a Korean license. Fortunately, most of these steps are very simple. The most difficult requirement of this process is travelling to the Canadian Consulate in Busan to have your Canadian Drivers license certified. I will start with that process, and then move onto the simpler things from there.

The Canadian Consulate in Busan.
You’re going to want to get to the Intercity Bus Terminal located near Lotte Hotel in Samsandong in order to get to Busan. Once the bus arrives in Busan, you will find yourself at the Haeundai Bus Terminal, conveniently located directly beside the Haeundai Subway station, which is line 2 of the Busan Subway. Go down the stairs into the subway terminal and get yourself onto the train headed toward Seomyeon Station. The cost should be about 1,200 won (per person). Seomyeon Station is 16 stops from Haeundai and is a major ‘transfer’ terminal for other Subway lines, you shouldn’t miss it. From this station you need to transfer to Line 1 headed towards Sinpyeong Station. Sinpyeong is the last stop on this line and is 18 stops from Seomyeon. Take exit #4 from the Sinpyeong Station and head straight for about a half of a kilometer (500m). Take a left when you come to the corner with the LG (GS) Gas Station and the Canadian Consulate is 100m down the road.

Collecting your documents.

Once you have your Canadian Drivers License certified, you can collect the rest of your documents that you’ll need to get your Korean license. You will need:

• Valid Passport
• Valid Canadian Drivers License
• ARC Card
• Three 3x4cm colour photos. (passport size)
• Confirmation Letter from Canadian Consulate.
• $$$ Fees change often, but as of Jan. 1^st, 2013 the cost is approx. 11,000 won. Bring $30,000 in cash just to be safe.

Exchanging your License

Also on the Interactive Map

The next step is to head. to the Licensing Office in Eonyang to make the switch. To do this, you’ll want to get on the bus (1713 or 807 are your best choices from Ulsan, as they go closest to the office.) You’re looking for the Sangbuk Office stop, it’s the 3^rd from last stop and it follows the Hyangsang Elementary School stop. You shouldn’t have a problem finding the Licensing Office from there, as the Sangbuk Office IS the Licensing Office.

Getting your International Driving Permit/License.

There are many ways to get your International Driving Permit (also called an International Drivers License). You can do it through a myriad of services online or you can do it through the Canadian Automobile Association via mail. If you choose to order your IDL through an online service prices can range from $25 to $80+. Be wary of this method though, as some services state on their website that their IDL can NOT be used to rent a car in many countries. Some are simply a translation of the information on your driver’s license into anywhere from 6 to 9 different languages. If you choose to order your International Drivers License through the CAA, then forms and instructions for doing so can be downloaded from this link. To save time, you may want to download the form and fill in the information, take a couple of pictures of the form as well as all other requirements outlined on the information page, and e-mail them to a family member to be printed and sent to the CAA. Once the IDL is sent to your family in Canada, they can send it on to you in Korea. This may be the easiest and quickest way to finish the process, as the alternative is for you to send it via mail from Korea and have CAA send the completed license directly to you.

Important Links.

International licenses: http://www.ididl.com/about_idl.php

Canadian international licenses: http://www.caa.ca/idp/

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By David Alexander, May 13, 2013 12:13 am

In Korean news, this week:

Convenience Store market oversaturated

Is the world ending, or are people just making dire predictions about the Korean Economy?

Gord Sellar made that MBC Parody last year

Study of 1.5 million teenagers in 75 countries finds that girls are better at reading and boys are better at math

Is coverage of foreign teachers’ crimes really so much more? Yes, it turns out.

Yoon Chang-joong situation spirals out of control

“It wasn’t me”, says construction magnate accused of sex party bribes

And like a half dozen other things

CONVENIENCE STORE MARKET OVERSATURATED – ONLY HALF OF CONVENIENCE STORES ARE BREAKING EVEN

As reported in the Hankoryeh last week, over half of South Korean convenience stores average under one million won in sales a day. One-quarter of all stores have sales under 100,000 won for overnight shifts.

The data is helpfully broken down by zoning. That family-run convenience store on the corner near where you live? They’re probably losing money, if they hire staff and don’t run it themselves. Convenience stores are the most popular type of franchise for new small business owners. The government has ordered that new stores should not be allowed to open within 250 metres of each other.

Fun fact: did you know that convenience stores are required to be open 24/7? And did you know that “marts” do not have this requirement?

——

BLOG POST CATALOGUES CELEBRITIES IN ADVERTISEMENTS IN MYEONGDONG. NEWS UPDATE EDITOR VOMITS.

Anyone who knows me knows I don’t like Myeongdong. It was one of the first places I was told about when I came to Korea – “oh, you should go to Myeongdong in Seoul. Many foreigners go there to enjoy shopping.”

Well, I did. But I hated it. Even Itaewon is better for the soul than Myeongdong’s overpriced faux-Korean style.

Well, Maze28 (aka 한국에 가자, or “let’s go to korea”) has been collecting photos of K-Pop idols in Myeongdong, and around Seoul and businesses like Tony Moly and outside of Seoul in Busan, for some unknown reason. I presume he collects these photos to atone for some past wrongdoing, or purely as an exercise in masochism.

If you’re one of the strange people who enjoy seeing advertisements with K-Pop Idols in them, then click the link above. Otherwise, consider it a warning not to go to Myeongdong.

Aside, if you’re interested in seeing the people that middle-school girls talk about, click on through and you can pair faces with names really easily.

——

ALWAYS POPULAR TO PREDICT ARMAGEDDON

For the Huffington Post, the Korean economy has a few problems – he’s predicting Korea may fall into the same trap of Japan’s “lost decades”.

He cites this as evidence:

1. an aging population and lowest fertility rate in the world.
2. too many university graduates
3. high youth unemployment
4. high private debt load
5. persistent social inequality

I have nothing meaningful to add, except that solving any of these problems may help solve the others – solving recent-graduate unemployment would create more revenue for the pension program and lower privately-held debt.

——

IT TURNS OUT GORD SELLAR MADE THAT MBC PARODY LAST YEAR

The title says it all, folks. Your friend and mine Gord Sellar was the one who made the parody video last year, after MBC decided to broadcast a hit piece vilifying interracial couples.

He had distanced himself from it until he had left Korea, which has a bad reputation when it comes to understanding western humour (i.e. satire).

In fact, Saturday Night Live Korea’s Weekend Update segment is being sued by Byun Hee-jae, the Korea Communications Standards commission reprimanded Gag Concert for not using honorifics when talking about the president, and depending on how these issues play out, we could start seeing either much better comedy in Korea or much worse.

I’m no Picasso posted something a month ago on international couples, and if you’re interested in a blog about such a thing, check hers out.

——

GIRLS BETTER AT READING, BOYS BETTER AT MATH

Well, not exactly. Don’t worry, it’s more nuanced than that. What they found is quoted here, at length. You can find the executive summary of the study too.

When it comes to reading, sex difference is smaller at the high end of the performance continuum. That means among those who are best at reading, or best at math, there’s a smaller difference between boys and girls. But at the bottom of the scale, quote: “in 2009, the bottom 5% of boys scored 50 points lower than the bottom 5% of girls”.

But the opposite is true in math. For those who do poorly in math, there is little difference between boys and girls. But at the high end, the difference is much greater.

From the study:

“Interventions that focus on high-achieving girls in mathematics and on low-achieving boys in reading are likely to yield the strongest educational benefits.”

——

FOREIGN TEACHERS’ CRIMES GET REPORTED MORE THAN SIX TIMES KOREANS FOR THE SAME OFFENCE

Popular Gusts of Feeling has a really interesting article for those of us who wonder if the media really has it in for Foreign teachers.

Long story short, in terms of number of articles on national news, that American teacher who was wanted on a warrant he fled 8 years ago when he came to Korea got more media attention than a middle school teacher who attempted to rape one of his students, a high school teacher who repeatedly molested a student, an elementary school vice principal who molested nine children, a law school professor who was dismissed for touching a law student, and an elementary school teacher who broke into someone’s apartment and tried to rape them – the single foreign teacher who was wanted for (alleged) rape got more news coverage than all of them put together.

If you’re interested in reading more, check out Popular Gusts’ articles here, connecting the news with North Korean propaganda, and here, for his translation of a Kukmin Ilbo editorial.

——

SO MUCH DRAMA IN THE CHEONGWADAE

According to the victim, immediately after the Park Geun-hye’s first meeting with Barack Obama, on May 7th Spokesman Yoon Chang-joong was drinking alone with the female intern for the Korean embassy. After drinking, he groped her. She brought a friend, which defused the situation. But later that night, Yoon summoned her to his room. She refused and he screamed insults at her over the phone. When she did finally go to his room, Yoon answered the door in his underwear. She left and called the police after talking with her friends at the embassy. Yoon packed his bags and took the first flight to Seoul. Upon hearing about all of this, the Blue House decided to fire him on the spot.

But like any of these stories, there’s two sides. Of course, Yoon claims innocence in the whole matter.

The Presidential Chief of Staff, even, has apologized deeply for these allegations, calling it very shameful and unacceptable.

I have this to say.

——

CONTRACTOR ACCUSED OF SEX PARTIES AS BRIBES SAYS “IT WASN’T ME”

Note: the English Dong-a Ilbo uses the word “Contractor”, which carries connotations of manual work. Rather, he was a business-owner who bid on government construction contracts.

Construction magnate Yoon, accused of a sex-bribery scandal involving high-ranking officials and who’s who types, predictably denied everything.

Police also have testimonies from ten women who said they went to Yoon’s vacation home to provide sex for patrons.

——

IN OTHER NEWS…

One-woman anti-multiculturalism protest actually stirs thoughtful debate.

New York Korean-American rapper Awkwafina raps about her vag in a new music video

Life is still not super great for gays in Korea

An article about the bittersweet, romantic story of a full passport

Sixth North American Workshop on Korean Literature deadline is July 31st

Analysts say Japan isn’t trying to devalue its currency

Popular Gusts thinks noses look like dicks

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By David Alexander, May 12, 2013 7:13 pm

Hello, sports fans! I’m sorry I didn’t post a news update last week – we missed important stories like the Lotte Suicide and complaints about the brutal work conditions at department stores, leaving many to ask “why are there protestors outside Lotte Hotel?”.

We missed a foreign english teacher who was wanted on a warrant for sex crimes against children issued 8 years ago, whose arrest set off a predictable tidal wave of sentiment that “the laws aren’t strict enough for foreign teachers!” from politicians and the media (fifty articles and broadcasts about this one incident alone).

Politicians, being politicians, echo this idea to make it look like they’re doing something, even as the Ministry of Justice says they understand that countries are reluctant to provide information about ongoing criminal cases, because “… the country is following the principle of the presumption of innocence.” “When a criminal record check is issued by a country’s law enforcement agency such as the FBI, it can’t help but not include the fact that an investigation is in process or that the person is wanted.”

As Popular Gusts put it, “One wonders if the Chosun Ilbo will report on this in English and take umbrage at the term ‘pedophile’, instead asking that he be called a ‘behavioural addict‘? Or is that just for Korean ‘talents’?

luckily, we have both photos:

and cartoons ready:

We missed the retirement age increase to 60, and a pig culling due to infectious diseases, where the meat was sold to dog farmers.

We also missed the introduction of a bill that would give workers Monday off if a Red Day fell on Saturday or Sunday. Of course, this bill is being fought viciously by Chaebols like Hyundai (who already don’t allow their employees to take Red Days off, even on Saturdays).

And this week, we missed the two foreign teachers who died in Incheon. One was hit by a bus, and the other over a railing at a pension near Incheon Airport and fell about 20 meters.

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By Deirdre Madden, May 8, 2013 3:57 pm

A message from T-Hope Korea -

“Due to the lack of teams signed up for the May 17-18th races, we have postponed the Festival to September 7th. This festival will include the Flea Market and International Food Festival. The races will be held on one day, but the Flea Market and International Food Festival will run all weekend, September 7th and 8th.”

We will be working with T-Hope to keep you informed about this event.

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By Deirdre Madden, May 1, 2013 6:29 pm

This past weekend many of you may have been involved in the T-Hope Whale Boat Race at the Ulsan Whale Festival. This event was held as a fundraiser for the T-Hope Women’s Shelter Project, which I wrote about in this article. Over 12 million won was raised through team registration, as well as hotdog and beer sales. The event was a lot of fun, with teams in costume (the pirates and the Where’s Whaley crews deserve a mention here), face paint and matching shirts. Some teams were serious competitors, racing hard and fast to the end, while others had some steering issues, wobbling about their lanes, or in the case of at least one team, heading the wrong way downstream. One team even ended up going for an impromptu swim in the Taehwa when their boat capsized (thankfully no one was hurt).

Photo by Trevor Dykeman

Well, now it’s time to do it all again. On May 17th-18th, T-Hope is organizing a second paddling race. This two day event, named the Rock and Row Dragon Boat Festival will also be a fundraiser for the Women’s Shelter Project, and will take place on Buddha’s Birthday long weekend. The T-HOPE Dragon Boat Festival is completely different from the Whale Boat Race. It is run and operated by T-HOPE, unlike the Whale Boat Race, which was organized by the Namgu Committee. Each team will have their own tent for the durartion of the Festival, and negotiations are currently underway for participants to be able to sleep overnight in their tents.

The races will start both Friday and Saturday at 10am. Friday, the race will finish by 4pm, Saturday by 3pm. Friday will be the qualifiers, with each team guaranteed three races. Saturday will be the semi- and final races.

They will again be offering hot dogs and beer for sale at 1,000 won each, and DJ’s will be playing from noon ’til midnight, both days. And it won’t be just about paddling; there will be games and a treasure hunt, with prizes to be won. The Ulsan Jazz Festival will be taking place in the Bamboo Park, just across the walking bridge, and there’s also the Ulsan Cup soccer tournament taking place on the riverside that weekend.

If you’re from out of town, buses may be supplied, if there are enough participants, so talk it up in your area!

You need 16-20 participants per team (1 drummer, 1 steersperson, up to 14-18 paddlers). T-Hope needs your support for this event, and for the Women’s Shelter Project.

For more information and registration please visit www.thopeasia.org

On your marks… Photo by Trevor Dykeman

Photo by Long Duy Tran, from the T-Hope Facebook page

Not off to a great start… Photo by Trevor Dykeman

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By David Alexander, April 29, 2013 3:21 am

THIS WEEK IN KOREA NEWS:

NorKo News This Week

Miss Korea lookalike contest

Hyundai apologizes for unapproved ad

Sarah Graydon, in Gwangju, needs help

ARRESTED FOR “CRIMES” – NORKO NEWS THIS WEEK
This week, tension between North and South Korea was kicked up a bit more – on the 27th, South Korea ordered its workers home from the Kaesong Industrial complex, after the North refused diplomatic talks. Voice of America Bureau Chief Steve Herman is live-tweeting their return. At press time (midnight Monday, April 29th) the DPRK had not yet granted approval for their exit. Meanwhile, the North has taken one hostage already: a Korean-American named Bae Jun-ho (or Kenneth Bae) who was arrested “for crimes”.

A few weeks ago, Anonymous Korea released the names of all the members of North Korea’s Uriminjokkiri mailing list, prompting a national witch-hunt by conservative netizens. The national police have officially started investigating members of this mailing list.

It is worth bearing in mind that despite being completely out of North Korea’s league in the “totalitarian fascist” category, South Korea remains a country where you can be arrested for as little as retweeting a North Korean site, even for laughs.

———

WERE THEY ALL BORN WITH IT, OR IS IT GANGNAM?: THE STORY OF MISS KOREA

This year’s Miss Korea (Daegu Branch) is being mocked both by foreigners and Koreans alike for the uncanny similarity between all the girls’ publicity photos. Stories of the judges having to ask girls again and again for their contestant number, and being unable to make a decision have started to leak out.

Although many commenters immediately jumped on the “plastic surgery horrors!” bandwagon, the pre-makeup photos revealed that the cause wasn’t quite as serious – a combination of an overzealous makeup artist and overzealous photoshop artist.

Last year, after Miss Korea 2012′s high school photos were leaked, she was torn down by korean netizens for her totally changed appearance.

Korea leads the world in plastic surgery, for both women and men.

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HYUNDAI APPROVES AD FEATURING FAILED SUICIDE

Boy, this concept will sell a lot of cars, eh?

A middle-aged man tapes his car window closed, and feeds a hose from his tailpipe to the window. He turns on his car, leans back in his seat, closes his eyes…

…and much later opens his garage door and trudges back into his house, defeated. The reason? He was trying to kill himself using a Hyundai ix35.

needless to say, that kind of ad received many complaints, including one particularly personal open letter. Hyundai has tried to distance itself from the ad, saying

“The video was created by an affiliate advertising agency, Innocean Europe, without Hyundai’s request or approval.”

– yet felt the need to admit it

“deeply and sincerely apologises for the offensive viral video”

.

———

SARAH GRAYDON COULD USE SOME HELP

Sarah Graydon, who fell ill with Ulcerative Colitis, was knocked off of Korea’s national healthcare insurance after being fired for being absent 30 days. Expats have set up a charity where generous persons can donate money and blood. So far about 3.5 million won has been raised, though they estimate the total cost will be 15 million won. You can find the charity pages here

Gwangju-based Sarah Graydon fell ill with Ulcerative Colitis, after leaving her husband and four-year-old son behind in Columbia. She is the sole supporter of her family.

If you can spare to donate anything then you can transfer it to her bank account:

Sarah Graydon
Nong Hyup Bank
352-0398-4806-83

———

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By David Alexander, April 24, 2013 3:03 am

Two dummkopfs in Daegu firebomb a hagwon

Why is YouTube slow in Korea?

Two volunteer opportunities worth getting involved in

What do you want to know about the North and South?

The Angel of Death comes to SKorean Chaebols

Teacher beats a student, then masturbates in the hallway.

All is calm on the 38th parallel – but that doesn’t stop a mom from worrying.

Singlehood, Elderly Suicides, and Youth Unemployment on the rise

DAEGU DUMMKOPFS FIREBOMB HAGWON

On Monday, two idiots calling themselves the “anti-American, anti-fascist struggle committee” dropped off a bunch of leaflets and threw what was apparently a molotov cocktail made with a soju bottle at a kids’ hagwon in Daegu. Apparently, they mistook the hagwon for an official American cultural outreach centre, showing once again that radical South Koreans pose a greater threat to foreigners than the radical in Pyeongyang.

The police have released surveillance photos, which you can see here.

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WHY IS YOUTUBE SLOW IN KOREA? IT’S BECAUSE THEY WOULDN’T PAY PROTECTION MONEY TO SK-TEL

In South Korea, all objective measures show we’re enjoying one of the fastest Internet connection speeds in the world. The average connection is 14 Mbps. So why do Youtube videos take so long to load? The reason is they’re being forced to host their servers in Japan and China because South Korea has completely disregarded Net Neutrality.

1. YouTube tried to set up their server in South Korea.
2. Internet Service Providers pressured YouTube to pay fee since YouTube sucks up so much traffic.
3. YouTube responded with “why do I have to pay since users subscribe and pay Internet fees to watch our content?” and decided not to install their own server in South Korea.
4. As a result, YouTube in South Korea comes from servers in adjacent countries.
5. Now, Korean Internet service providers have to pay traffic fees to other foreign service providers.
6. The outcome: Korean YouTube slowed down and Korean Internet providers wind up paying lots of money to other nations.

——

TWO WAYS TO HELP

The Grand Narrative brought my attention to these causes – an opportunity for volunteering and a way to involve oneself in changing Korean culture for the better.

The Korean Unwed Mothers’ Families Association is an organization that promotes the rights of children and the rights of unwed pregnant women, unwed mothers, and their children.

Based in Daegu, they have opportunities to voluteer in that city and in Seoul.

As well, May 10-11 in Seoul is the 3rd annual Single Mom’s Day Conference. They have much the same goals. Link Here.

And last, Jeju Island has a unique Korean culture all its own. History has isolated it from the peninsula, and it developed a shamanistic, shrine-based religion that is in danger of being forgotten forever as the number of believers rapidly declines.

Giuseppe Rositano is putting together a documentary that highlights and documents the Jejuan religion.

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NORTH KOREA: WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW MORE? B.R. MYERS IS WHO YOU TALK TO

Myers is one of the foremost experts on North Korea – and Gusts of Popular Feeling has collected together some of the better interviews he’s done.

It’s really worth reading, if you want to know more about North Korea than most South Koreans do.

Meanwhile, The United States has rejected North Korea’s demand to be recognized as a nuclear power.

And as investigators deal with the mountains of evidence against the duo who bombed the Boston Marathon, North Korea felt it necessary to give the following statement: “Wasn’t us, we swear!”

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PARK GEUN-HYE MAKES GOOD ON CAMPAIGN PROMISE

The President, Park Geun-Hye, was elected late last year with support from moderates and leftists in Korea. She won their approval with her harsh rhetoric against the massive conglomerates, or Chaebols (재벌) that dominate the Korean economic landscape.

It appears she may be able to make good on her promises. The Fair Trade Commission’s Investigation Bureau is to be re-introduced after eight years of closure, bringing with it a new name: “Conglomerate Supervising Agency”.

The new agency will have the authority to examine internal company practices, investigate external dealings based on government regulations, and track down shareholding conflicts-of-interest.

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TEACHER BEATS A STUDENT, THEN MASTURBATES IN THE HALLWAY. AND HE’S NOT A FOREIGNER.

Part-Time teacher Mr. A discovered that one of his students was listening to music in class. So he beat him severely, then went out into the hallway, dropped his pants, and masturbated furiously in front of many of his students.

A spokesperson for the police commented, in part: “…the teacher does not appear to have any mental problems…”

엥 애때리다가 흥분해서 애들 앞에사 자위한 놈이 정신적으로 문제가 없어보인다고?

요즘 세상 컨셉은 돌아이인가..

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ARE YOUR PARENTS WORRIED ABOUT YOU BEING HERE? HOW DO THE FAMILIES OF SKOREAN SOLDIERS FEEL?

Even as we all know that the threat from the North is no more or less real than it is when they’re not making idle threats, the families of South Korean soldiers, especially the recent conscripts, are definitely feeling the tension more than most.

After all, for those in the military, reassurances about the complete air, ground, and naval superiority of the South’s armed forces in concert with the United States do nothing to allay the worry that’s only natural to feel for a loved one away from home in the army.

KoreaBANG has more here. Quotes from the article, that :

“My heart stops every time I hear the Jindo air sirens”

“for someone like me who has sent their only son to the military, I can’t even begin to describe my worry.”

and a couple little turds from the comments section:

“Bullshit…is it only your sons who go to the military??? Almost all of us have to go…the guys in there right now just have shitty luck.”

“I’m sorry to say this, but North Korea must be thrilled to see articles like this. They love to see South Koreans quaking in fear.”

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THE COSTS OF THE SOUTH KOREAN ECONOMY – ELDER SUICIDES AND YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT ON THE RISE

As we know, family is everything in Korea. Many of our Korean friends and romantic interests, even into their 30s, live at home with their parents. But according to the latest statistics, 1 in 4 Koreans were living alone – this is an even higher rate than in the United States and Australia. The Grand Narrative has more here, but suffice to say that most of these singles are lonely middle-class workingmen or impoverished women in their 60s and older.

Putting aside the oft-cited collectivism of Korean society (excellent disagreement here), we must acknowledge a recent quadrupling of the number of people 65 and older committing suicide, written about in the New York Times.

The Korean Pension plan that we all pay into barely affords the elderly basic living costs. And if someone was already retired in 1988 when the KPP was enacted, they get nothing. Some who kill themselves out of feelings of betrayal, when their successful children elsewhere in the country do nothing to support them.

Meanwhile, the government has approved a higher retirement age, saying it will allow experienced workers to contribute longer and reduce pressure on pension funds.

Elder suicides remain the symptom of a greater problem here – as some parents drain their savings to pay for hagwon fees and send their children abroad to become fluent in English, one in five people between 15 and 29 is unable to find work. Even doctoral degree holders and graduates of famous universities overseas are taking unpaid internships.

These remain huge problems for South Korea. It’s totally wrong-headed to pin the blame on some vague claim of “changes to Korean society”, as some have. But I know South Korea will either solve these problems soon or wait twenty or thirty years until the baby boom generation dies off.

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This week’s bonus content: a 2006 documentary about an American deserter to North Korea. Yeah, you read that right. Some South Koreans and Americans defected to the North. This guy’s been living there for 40 years now! Youtube Here.

Comments (1)

By Hannah Ashwin, April 22, 2013 4:26 pm

Laser hair Removal at NB Clinic (Natural Beauty Clinic)

Laser hair Removal is a common procedure in South Korea.

Why Laser Hair Removal?

Why not? Laser Hair Removal is great! It means that you don’t have to worry about shaving when you are on vacation. Laser hair removal is not permanent, but it is as good as, meaning you will most likely need  ”top-up” sessions throughout your life. (The doctor said it had lasted for 2 years for her colleague.)

Apparently the darker and courser your hair the better the treatment will work. I have light brown, thin hair and it seems to be working well for me. I also have pale (freckly) skin and it doesn’t burn my skin which is good!!

The doctor is female as is the technician who helps her.  There is a male doctor who works at the clinic so I guess that if you’re a bloke you can ask for him to remove any unwanted hair, but I am not sure about that.

from www.nbclinic.net

Consultation

Initially you have a consultation with a female doctor. During the consultation she will explain the procedure and the expected outcome. I was the first foreigner they had had at the clinic, so she wasn’t sure of the outcome.

As I understand the laser penetrates through the strand of hair and it works with the melatonin in your hair to stop it growing. My hair is naturally a light brown colour so she was unsure as to how effective the treatment would be.

During the consultation you can ask any questions about the procedure. Normally after the consultation you will have your first treatment.

The Procedure

The female doctor and her assistant will apply a gel to the chosen area and then use the laser gun on the area. My first procedure didn’t hurt. The second time I went it hurt a little. It can feel warm and slightly uncomfortable but that means it is working.

After my first treatment I found that my hair grows slower and is thinner.  Over the coming months I expect the hair to disappear almost completely.

Treatment

The treatment is done in 7-10 sessions.  There are about 5-6 weeks in between each session. So ideally to get the treatment you need to be staying in Korea for about 8-10 months. (Actually I only had 5 and half months left in Korea and we arranged for me to have 5 sessions, with shorter breaks between sessions.)

Cost

I negotiated a price.

For 7 sessions

Underarm:  100,000won

Bikini line:  350,000won (was 450,000)

Total cost for underarms and bikini line : 450,000won.

You pay for your whole treatment after your first treatment upfront by card or cash.

It is possible to have other areas treated, but I don’t know the cost of this. For example you could have your legs done.

Getting an Appointment:

My co-teacher called around a few places in Samsan, finally settling on NB Clinic (the prices were more reasonable), and then arranged the appointment, so I just went along to the clinic  after school.

I have spoken to the clinic and they are happy to have foreigners call them to make appointments.

Please call this number: 052-261-7553

Location

NB Clinic (Natural Beauty Clinic)

NB clinic is on the 6th floor in a building near Bennigans and Outback in Samsan. Near Lotte Hotel.

Google co-ordinates: 35.538163, 129.340078

http://www.nbclinic.net/hospital_ulsan_facilities.asp

Comments (0)

By David Alexander, April 15, 2013 12:51 am

Mandatory HIV testing, and HIV in Korea

Expat survey is in – complaints tallied

Foreign Teacher Flees the Country

The Latest from North Korea

Woori Finance Holdings Chief Resigns

Korean immigrant to Canada tries the foreigner card in divorce court

Bonus Video: North Korea Travel Documentary

DREAM HUB OR PR NIGHTMARE?

Seoul’s “Dream Hub” is no longer a feasible development project.

First proposed in 2006, it was to be Korea’s largest property development, turning Yongysan into a huge international complex.

But by 2011, there were lots of problems. Today, after failing to get support from private investors and encountering fierce resistance from residents who would be evacuated, the construction fund has been liquidated.

There’s already been many homes demolished to make way for the plan, and a large tract of now-barren land will be returned to its former owners, who are demanding at least 220 billion won in compensation for the past seven years.

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BAD BLOOD: KOREA HIV DISCRIMINATION UPDATE

Last year, a foreign teacher here in Ulsan was fired for refusing to take an HIV test. He complained to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which had until last October to reply.

They still haven’t, preferring to ignore the case entirely. They have received 2/3 written reminders so far, but the Committee won’t be hearing the case at the very least until their next session in August.

In related news, on Tuesday a doctor was convicted for breaching doctor-patient confidentiality about an HIV-positive patient.

As all of us teachers know, our medical tests sometimes become office talk for our co-workers. STD information, including HIV records, is listed on the same forms right alongside cholesterol and blood pressure. It should be private, but that’s not how these things work.

Groove Korea also covered this topic in their April issue, here.

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EXPAT SURVEY IS IN: APPARENTLY WE DON’T LIKE NOT GETTING PAID

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission released the result of a survey of 2246 complaints filed with e-People, an online portal where people could register complaints and proposals.

Topping the list? Unnecessary VISA Hassles and Delayed or Unpaid Wages.

Thanks, Sherlock.

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FOREIGN TEACHER RUNS AWAY

It made national news last week when a native english speaking teacher fled the country.

Newsis, the same organization that brought you “criminal foreigners are increasing Korean Xenophobia“, tried to spin this in the most negative way, saying that the board of education was left perplexed and angry by her decision to leave.

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THE LATEST FROM NORTH KOREA

Parley? A Cunning Ploy, no doubt!

President Park Geun-hye has offered to re-open lines of dialogue with the north. The North, unsuprisingly, has rejected these ideas outright, riddled as they are with concepts like “talking” and “listening”.

Happy Birthday, Kim Il-sung

Kim Il-sung celebrated his 101st birthday today, marking the 41st year he has been technically the leader of North Korea, and the 19th year he’s been president since he died in 1994.

The Telegraph has a wonderful picture set, where you can see the Korean Children’s Union celebration. The Korean Children’s Union is a bit like the Boy Scouts or the Hitler Youth.

You can see how happy they look here.

North Korea warns foreigners: get out!

On the 9th, North Korea issued a statement telling foreign expats in South Korea to consider leaving. KoreaBANG has the usual netizen reactions, here

My favourite:

ykjh****: “겁장이 개일수록 함부로 짖는다”

(The more cowardly a dog is, the louder it barks.)

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WOORI FINANCE HOLDINGS CHIEF TO RESIGN

The head of state-owned finance organization Woori Finance Holdings (as in Woori Bank) has resigned, after having failed to protect his job from the new governments’ demands to reshuffle banking leaders.

Former president Lee Myung-bak was behind a prior initiative to privatize public banks, and Finance Head Lee Pal-seung was his man for the job. He may have failed in that regard, but his resignation represents a break with past policies.

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Somebody say Soju Latte?

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KOREAN TRIES THE FOREIGNER CARD IN CANADA

Korean won billionaire and ajeosshi Mr. Hong, an immigrant to Canada in 2000, divorced from his wife recently, and was made to pay 9.1 million dollars to his former wife, and almost 200 thousand dollars to his two sons currently attending university in Canada.

Quote:

The judge said Hong was very candid about his attitude toward women.

“The respondent made it plain that in his view, a woman has very little say in Korean culture: she must obey her husband’s opinion and do what he tells her to do.” the judge observed.
…
The judge took into account Hong’s sexist attitude and his failure to obey previous court orders when determining whether to grant the father’s request for his son to travel to Korea to visit – which the judge rejected.

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DPRK: THE LAND OF WHISPERS – NORTH KOREA TRAVEL DOCUMENTARY
Click here to watch it.