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An egregiously lethargic South Korean national soccer team lost 1-0 to Iran in Ulsan, but the one-goal loss was enough to squeeze it into next summer’s World Cup in Brazil.
Despite dominating time of possession, the Koreans failed to create many clear-cut chances against Iran, which put 10 men behind the ball while playing off of counter-attacks.
Korean defender Kim Young-kwon whiffed the ball in his own half in the 59th minute, allowing Reza Ghoochannejhad to pick him off before slotting home the game’s only goal past Jung Sung-ryong. By defeating Korea, Iran finished in first place in Group A of Asian qualifying. (more…)
Korean American veteran screenwriter and producer Elaine Ko was promoted to supervising producer on the wildly popular sitcom Modern Family earlier this month, according to news reports.
The Hollywood Reporter stated that Ko signed a two-year deal with 20th Century Fox TV, the studio which makes the ABC comedy, which will begin its fifth season next September.
Ko previously worked on the show as a staff writer and then producer and received a Writers Guild of America Award for an episode she wrote called “Virgin Territory.” (more…)
Park discusses ‘creative economy’ vision with Facebook CEO
Yonhap News
President Park Geun-hye met with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on day, he latest in a series of meetings with chiefs of global information technology giants aimed at seeking advice for her “creative economy” vision.
Zuckerberg arrived Monday for a visit that reportedly also includes meetings with Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jay-yong to discuss ways to enhance cooperation between the world’s largest social networking service firm and the world’s biggest technology manufacturer.
“Including myself, Cheong Wa Dae is using Facebook for communication with the people,” Park said during the meeting. “It is pleasing to meet people via Facebook, but it is even more pleasing to meet (you) face to face like this.”
Why Is Vice Hiding Its Kim Jong-un Interview?
The Atlantic
In an appearance on Rose’s show on May 24, Smith said the final episode of Vice would include an interview with the North Korean leader. Smith didn’t give any details about what the supreme leader said, but he confirmed that a documentary is finished, that he and his team “have the interview,” and that they “show” Kim in the documentary. But when the episode finally aired late last week, it looks like the Vice cameras had to be shut off while they had lunch with the young leader. All the juicy bits that Smith teased to Rose were… missing. There was no footage of him speaking with Vice’s correspondants at all.
Two conclusions could be drawn drawn here: 1) Vice is sitting on an interview with Jong-Un for some reason, possibly for a non-HBO Vice documentary for which the brand has become so notorious; or 2) Smith misled Rose about having an “interview” to trump up the HBO finale, which had already been trumped up to death with the whole Vice-orchestrated Rodman trip. Both seem possible. Smith confirms that Vice spoke with Kim, which is true. They presumably spoke over lunch while the cameras were off, in an elaborate meal after Rodman and Kim watched that basketball game together. And Smith confirms Kim is shown in their footage, which is also true of Friday’s HBO episode — Kim is on camera doing various strange things throughout the episode. But there’s never a clear-cut confirmation; Smith lets Rose (and the viewer) believe what they want to believe.
20 N.Korean Defectors Arrive from Laos
Chosun Ilbo
Twenty North Korean defectors have recently arrived in Seoul after weeks under the protection of the South Korean Embassy in Laos.
They boarded in Vientiane and arrived safely, a diplomatic source said Monday. Once they have been questioned they will be resettled here.
Their safe arrival follows the high-profile repatriation from Laos to North Korea on May 27 of seven teenage defectors who had reportedly been coerced by North Korean agents while the South Korean Embassy twiddled its thumbs.
South Korea Toughens Sex Crimes Law
Wall Street Journal
South Korea took a big step toward clearing legal hurdles in the fight against sex crimes against women and minors.
The government has made more than 150 revisions to the current law related to sex crimes that will take effect on Wednesday. One of the biggest changes is the abolishment of a 60-year-old law under which a prosecutor can’t pursue a sexual assault case if a victim and an attacker reach an agreement on not taking legal action.
Critics have said the law often led to situations where attackers bully victims into dropping legal complaints.
8 Arrested in Tokyo Fights Involving Anti-Korean Group
New York Times
The police said on Monday that eight people were arrested after fistfights broke out between ultranationalist Japanese shouting anti-Korean slogans and counterprotesters on the streets of Tokyo, where public violence is rare.
Among those arrested was Makoto Takada, 41, better known by his pseudonym Makoto Sakurai, the leader of an anti-foreign ultraconservative group that has recently gained attention for staging repeated demonstrations in an ethnically Korean neighborhood. During those marches, members of the group have waved Japanese war flags and shouted slogans like “Kill Korean residents,” raising calls for the creation of anti-hate-speech laws.
Psy Excited About Prospect of Recording Song with Brian May
Chosun Ilbo
Psy may collaborate on producing a song with Brian May, guitarist of the legendary rock band Queen, according to MTV News UK. “The rock legend revealed he had brunch with the Korean phenomenon in London this week to talk about working together,” it reported on Sunday.
May described Psy as “a very thoughtful man and a significant artist,” adding that they have a couple of ideas to work on and that the guitarist was enthusiastic about the project, MTV News said. May also reportedly said Psy surprised him with his “encyclopedic” knowledge about Queen.
Eat Psy’s Favorite Foods at Bibigo Korean Restaurant
LA Weekly
This summer at all three Los Angeles locations of the Korean restaurant Bibigo, Korean pop megastar Psy, also known as the King of YouTube — or his actual name Park Jae-sang — is everywhere. On the front windows, the servers’ T-shirts and even on the menu. Millions of people dance like him, and now everybody can eat like him too, as Bibigo is offering a special menu of Psy’s choosing. Already a big fan of Bibigo in Seoul, whenever Psy is in L.A., he visits the Bibigo on posh Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills.
Until July 31, customers who order his favorite dishes receive a scratch card with the chance to win prizes like a Bibigo voucher, bag or Psy mask (!!), and can enter to win a trip to Seoul. The winner will be announced August 19, 2013.
Park Chu-young Ends Days with Celta Vigo on Sour Note
Chosun Ilbo
Park Chu-young, who is on loan from Arsenal to Celta Vigo in Spain’s La Liga, has been fined for not showing up for the last match of the league season.
Spanish media outlet Terra reported on Monday that he “showed a strange character when parting ways with the team.” It added that he refused to attend the last game of the season against Espanyol on June 2.
According to club regulations, Park, who was not on the roster due to injury, should have been in the stadium to support his teammates, but he proved a no-show at the venue.
Former Carmel Valley standout golfer Michael Kim shines at U.S. Open
Del Mar Times (Calif.)
Michael Kim was 7 when he moved to the United States from his native South Korea. He knew little about golf at the time, and everything he did know was through the prism of the Tiger Woods phenomena.
“I grew up watching Tiger,” Kim said in a recent media conference call.
“When I just started getting into the game Tiger had just finished his 2001 season. Who could not like golf when that was happening?
Kim still considers himself a huge Tiger Woods fan. But these days, he doesn’t just watch his childhood idol from the comfort of his living room sofa.
Can I Get a Venti Cup of Ignorance, Flavored with Assumption, Please?
Holt International (blog)
I was on my way to meet one of my best friends at the Grove in Hollywood. It is a famous landmark, filled with shops, restaurants, and the Farmer’s Market. They have a Starbucks in the Barnes & Noble there, so to kill time, I went to get a coffee until my friend arrived.
(To preface, the tsunami had just struck Japan, so you can see where this story is going).
The line was long, and when it was my turn, I ordered my coffee and waited for the barista to ring me up and ask for my card. There was an awkward silence.
Out of nowhere she said, “Hey, are you okay?”
Korean artists create Venetian Wonderland
Deutsche Welle (Germany)
A collective exhibition by some of South Korea’s top artists has opened at the Venice Biennale. Inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, ‘Who is Alice’ takes visitors on a journey to unreal and fabulous worlds.
Imagination, surrealism and fantasy run wild in this exhibition created by Chuyoung Lee, the curator of Korea’s National Museum of Contemporary Art. Located in a 14th century Venetian palazzo, tucked down an alley away from the swarm of tourists, visitors immediately feel like they have stepped into an enchanted world. The sensation continues as they are invited upstairs to explore an array of mixed media pieces that provoke, inspire and amuse.
This Weekend: 5th Annual Korean BBQ Festival + CicLAvia
LA Weekly
A Korean barbecue dinner can be an event — copious helpings of bulgogi matched with ice cold soju. So it stands that a gathering of Korean BBQ restaurants would make it a full-blown party, which is what’ll take place at the 5th Annual Korean BBQ Festival on Sunday, June 23.
Organized by the Korean American Coalition, the upcoming festival will bring Palsaik Samgyupsal, Star King BBW (I and II), Yongsusan, and KAC’s Kickin’ Ribs to the grills this time around. Cocohodo’s walnut pastries and Orion Choco Pie will provide the sweets. And Kooksoondang Brewery Company and Singha Beer will supply the brews, soju cocktails, and makgeolli (rice wine) for the Beer & Wine Garden.
29 Things You Can Actually Buy In South Korea
Buzzfeed
It’s true. You can actually buy all these things!
Photo via Flickr
Are South Korean fashionistas moving away from the major luxury brands? Anecdotal evidence and financial rumblings seem to indicate this to be the case as high-end customers are showing greater sophistication and a slow but steady migration to smaller brands, many of which are homegrown.
Italian designer goods maker Prada recently reported moderate sales in East Asia that were dragged down due to “obvious” weakness in South Korea. While the company cited North Korean unrest as one of the reasons, the trend away from the likes of Louis Vuitton, Prada and Gucci has already begun, industry watchers say.
A Korean woman with the last name of Lim recently went shopping to look for a new handbag. She ended up buying an Yves Saint Laurent handbag with a simple design and without the trademark Y-shaped buckle.
“Chanel is too expensive and common,” she told the Korea Daily. “Louis Vuitton is even more common.” (more…)
Photo by Nikko Lamere
Go With It
On her latest record, L.A. DJ and beatmaker Jennifer Lee, a.k.a. TOKiMONSTA, urges us to do just that. It’s a strategy that’s worked for her so far.
by EUGENE YI
On an unseasonably warm, early spring night in Brooklyn, a fight broke out before the TOKiMONSTA show—one of those elaborate displays of competitive temerity that took 20 minutes to, finally, ignite. It started with a photographer trying to sneak in a bottle of wine, leading to the predictable pas de deux, and ending with a bottle of water being thrown from a passing car at the bouncer. There is no rage like bouncer rage, and as I watched him dash to his car, rev his engine and sear skid marks onto the pavement, I wondered aloud how any show could possibly follow what had just happened.
“No, you can’t go. TOKiMONSTA is sooo good,” said a blonde-bobbed woman behind me, dressed in what could be described as post-hipster understated Americana. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was mere coincidence that a female fan would happen to be doing the exhorting outside a performance by TOKiMONSTA, née Jennifer Lee, from Torrance, Calif., an Asian female DJ/music producer in the largely non-Asian, decidedly male world of L.A.’s beat scene, and electronic dance music at large.
This, of course, raises the usual questions that have framed the majority of the press coverage about TOKiMONSTA. It’s all about the music, and race and gender shouldn’t matter, except, of course, when they do. No one wants to be just a Korean American musician, or just a female musician. But in the reams of coverage she’s garnered over the years, the most common questions have been about the toki (it’s the Korean word for rabbit), and “how does it feel to be a female,” she said during a recent phone interview. There was a hint of weariness when answering the old questions about gender and race—which is completely understandable. (more…)
Posted: June 18th, 2013
Filed Under: Back Issues , BLOG , FEATURED ARTICLE , June 2013
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