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 …
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 …
Over the past decade, Korea has gained a reputation for being one of the top beauty destinations of the world. Anyone who has strolled the streets of Seoul would probably agree that Koreans are some of the most beautiful, well put-together people on earth. It seems that just about everyone- including the men- has flawless …
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 …
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 …
One of the great things about living in or traveling to Korea in the spring time is the endless number of events that are held throughout the country. With the arrival of cool, sunny weather comes a slew of outdoor performances and fun festivals that allow visitors to more personally experience Korea’s colorful culture. Not …
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 …
After each 45 minute class at Seoul English Village, teachers and students are given a 15 minute break to do what they please, though most recently, a hand washing session has been deemed a necessary action to take during this time. Depending on the situation, I may spend this time being fanned and fed candy …
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 …