Many Westerners who come to Korea to live or to visit quickly write off K-pop, Korea’s mainstream music genre, as a cheesy, sugar-coated excuse for entertainment. They see outlandish costumes, boys in heavy eyeliner, and flamboyant choreographed dance moves. They become annoyed with strange Engrish lyrics and seemingly identical tunes that blare from just about …
One of my favorite things about Seoul is that it is chock full of hidden gems, unsuspecting and obscure, that offer those that are lucky enough to discover them a real treat. Restaurants, cafes, galleries and bars are easy to find in Korea’s capital city, but it’s the ones tucked into back alleys and inconspicuous …
Earlier this week, international sensation Psy debuted his latest release, “Hangover,” featuring American rapper Snoop Dogg (er… Lion) on his oft-visited YouTube channel. Responses to the video have been mixed. Some believe the song is just as catchy as his “Gangnam Style,” a viral hit that has received over 2 billion views to date. Still …
It’s rare, if not impossible, that you will find yourself having a bad Korean meal in Korea. It just doesn’t happen. But every so often, usually when it’s least expected, you will experience culinary nirvana. It will be a meal that proves to be unique from any other you’ve had in the past, one that …
Last week, Korea welcomed its ten millionth tourist with a ceremony at Incheon International Airport. Tourism in Korea has grown exponentially in recent years, partly due to the improvement of tourism policies and the measures taken by the government to make travel around the peninsula more convenient for foreigners. Still, there’s a more obvious catalyst …
Korea wasn’t always an incredibly modern, high tech, “bbali, bbali” (“hurry, hurry”) country. In fact, back in the day before it was a nation of Samsung and skyscrapers, its residents preferred a simpler, slower paced lifestyle. I remember when this fact was first brought to my attention last year. I was walking with a Korean …
About a week ago, I got a call from a friend of mine offering me a ticket to see Lena Park’s “Parallax” concert at Olympic Hall at Olympic Park in eastern Seoul. I jumped at the chance, not only because I was excited to see my friend perform as her guitarist and vocalist, but also …
In middle school, I used to dream of being a pop star, as I am sure many girls of that age do. I even formed a singing group with two friends (coincidentally named 2AM) and demanded regular rehearsals for non-existent gigs. Despite my lack of actual talent, I used to pray for a chance to …
Twice a week, my school holds a graduation ceremony to celebrate the students’ completion of the 3 or 5 day program and to celebrate their hard “work” and “studying” efforts. Sitting through numerous graduations proves to be monotonous after a while, as the dialogue is always the same. “Congratulations” by Cliff Richard is played on …