Stalinist regimes love their capitals. A capital is usually a very special place. It is extolled by court poets in their lengthy odes. Its cityscapes (well, what is supposed to be their cityscape in the ideal world, imagined in the works of propaganda arts) are depicted by the nation’s best painters. And of course, a lot of money is spent in building this perfect place. Capitals tend to be most affluent and sophisticated cities of most countries, but in a Stalinist state, this tendency is taken to extremes.

Pyongyang is no exception. Strangely enough, for the first few decades of North Korea’s history, Pyongyang was not officially considered the capital of the country. The regime in the North positioned itself as the sole legitimate government of the entire Korean peninsula, so until 1972, the North Korean Constitution designated Seoul as the capital of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea’s official name). According to the official discourse of the time, Seoul was considered to be under the occupation of the American imperialists and their South Korean stooges. Pyongyang, in this scheme of things, was merely the provisional headquarters of the peninsula’s sole government, to be used only until the eventual liberation of Seoul.

Only in 1972 was Pyongyang officially promoted to the status of national capital. However by that time, it had long been the focal point of an intensive propaganda campaign. From the late 1950s, the North Korean media described Pyongyang as the “Capital of the Revolution” and extolled its beauty and alleged “historical significance.”

Of course, Pyongyang does have some interesting historical heritage. In the middle of the first millennia AD it was the capital of the kingdom of Koguryo kingdom, one of the three kingdoms which fought for supremacy on the Korean peninsula in the 4^th-7^th centuries AD. In subsequent centuries, it was an important administrative and economic centre.

In the colonial period, Pyongyang was an embodiment of Westernization, arguably the most pro-Western (yes!) and most socially advanced city in Korea. Among other things, it was one of the three cities in Korea which had streetcar service – a wonder technology of the era.

It was also known as the “Jerusalem of the East,” because Christians constituted some 30% of its population. By the standards of its era this was exceptional, since in the colonial times Christians constituted less than 1% of the total population of Korea. There is a bit of a historical irony in the fact that a city with such pro-western and pro-Christian tendencies became the capital of a fervently Stalinist regime.

Pyongyang after bombing during the Korean War.

Pyongyang of colonial times was not merely known for its religious zeal and sophisticated modernity. It was also known for seductive skills of its kisaeng (high-class entertainers cum top-class prostitutes). Pyongyang was a place where the best kisaeng schools were located.

Not much remains of the old Pyongyang nowadays. In 1951-3 it was literally bombed out of existence by the U.S. air forces. By the end of the war, not a single building survived undamaged and most of the city had been transformed into a landscape of broken bricks and charred wood. Most of the pre-war inhabitants were moved to the countryside where they could escape bombing raids. Not all of them came back.

In the late 1950s, the North Korean authorities began a massive campaign aimed at transforming Pyongyang into the “red capital.” Among other things this meant the forced removal of all people whose personal background was found to be politically suspicious. No statistics are available, but it seems that at least a quarter of Pyongyang’s inhabitants were expelled from the city. They were replaced by newcomers who could boast perfect, revolutionary origins.

The massive destruction of the war meant that new Pyongyang had to be built from scratch. The first buildings were designed by Soviet architects and are very reminiscent of Soviet architecture of the late 1940s. Some parts of Pyongyang still look like a Soviet provincial city of the 1950s or 1960s (for example the areas around Sungni, Victory street, until the early 1970s known as Stalin street).

The Juche Tower.

That said, the golden age of Pyongyang construction came in the 1970s. The North Korean economy was in relatively good shape at the period, so the government was able and willing to invest heavily in construction of a showcase capital. It was the time when the arch of triumph, the Juche Tower, and the Grand People’s Study House and many other monuments and public buildings were erected.

The following 20 years were a time of hiatus. Economic crisis made further construction impossible, so the image of Pyongyang is essentially frozen in time: with a few exceptions it still retains its image from the late 1970s.

There have been some recent changes though, for example the mamouth pyramid of the Ryugyong hotel, which has remained unfinished since the late 1980s, was recently covered with glass. But in general Pyongyang looks increasingly old-fashioned. It embodies the vision of a perfect Stalinist city, but this vision is by now some forty years old.

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Andrei Lankov is a Russian scholar of Asia and a specialist in Korean studies. He completed his undergraduate and graduate studies at Leningrad State University in 1986 and 1989, respectively; He also attended Pyongyang’s Kim Il-sung University in 1985. He currently teaches at Kookmin University in Seoul and is the author of several books on North Korean history and politics.

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After the embarrassing failure of North Korea’s Unha (the galaxy) 3 missile last Friday morning, officials in the North waited four hours to inform the journalists inside the country to cover the event, and others surrounding the 100th anniversary of founder Kim Il-sung’s birth, that the reports they’d gotten from contacts outside the country were in fact correct. The estimated $450 million rocket broke up into some 20 pieces less than two minutes after take-off and fell into the Yellow Sea.

What South Korean intelligence experts estimate to be an $850 million experiment resulted in a fireworks display and particles floating in the sea, all of which haven’t been, as of yet, recoverable by 10 South Korean vessels scouring the sea 150 kilometers off the west coast.

This was the fourth launch of its kind:

• In 1998, the North sent a rocket over Japan that it claimed carried a satellite; it also failed and no sign of any satellite were ever recovered.
• In 2006, the North launched another rocket that broke up less than a minute later, scattering debris into the sea off of Japan and Russia.
• In 2009, a third rocket supposedly carrying a satellite reportedly stayed in flight more than 10 minutes and, according to the North, successfully put the satellite into orbit where it was broadcasting patriotic tunes across the universe.

The difference this time is the un-Kimian style of maneuvering and calculation. Earlier this year news came out that North Korean and American officials had agreed on a food-for-denuclearization deal, whereby the U.S. would ship 240,000 metric tons of food aid in exchange for the North allowing IAEA inspectors back into the country, ceasing all enrichment activities and not engaging in missile tests. Yet, in mid-March, the deal went up in smoke when the North announced it would be sending a satellite into orbit on a long-range missile, something that went not only against the verbal agreement (no, the U.S. did not make the North sign a document), but–according to those who follow UN code– also against resolutions 1718 (2006) and 1874 (2009). The North, in response, insisted that it had the “sovereign right” to develop its space program.

But the order of things just doesn’t seem right, as if the kid is playing as the father in an international game of chess. Would Kim Jong-il have gone through with the aid agreement prior to the missile launch? As Andre Lankov wrote, “When he died, it might be that nobody in the bureaucracy bothered to notice that launch preparations and negotiations essentially canceled one another out, and never changed plans.” It doesn’t seem that it would have taken anyone with half a brain to figure that one out. All they’d have to do is look back at those previous launches to see that the international community (and especially the U.S.) does not take kindly to such “provocations.” Nonetheless, it would have been naive and downright dumb to set up the deal and then announce a missile test–however they labeled it–without at least pausing to wonder what one would do to the other. Lankov went on to observe: “This would suggest that absent Kim Jong Il, there is not (yet) anyone in Pyongyang capable of managing complex strategic matters the way he did.”

No one knows what’s next outside of the North (and maybe not inside) but most expect a nuclear test to occur, and sooner than later. This, largely, is based on the past when the North stuck to the Kimian playbook which laid out a three-step process: Do something to rile the international community; Do something else (perhaps more brazen) to point out that you are indeed alive, well and on the edge; negotiate to get what you want in exchange for ending your recalcitration. It’s not complicated. And new satellite images showing piles of earth and sand at a suspected testing site may confirm such a test. That’s if the kid is following a plan. In his first speech Sunday, April 15, he declared that the “first, second and third” points on his agenda are the military first policy or “songun.” Other words in the speech may further indicate the likelihood of a nuclear test: “The days are gone forever when our enemies could blackmail us with nuclear bombs,” he said.

Following Friday’s missile failure, a nuke test may be all the more necessary to show that he’s walking the talk.

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I recently changed gyms. The gym that I used to frequent was fairly close to my house so it was quite convenient. Due to the relatively small size of the gym, I had to plan my workout times carefully to avoid the morning, noon and evening rushes. I also found that I was accosted frequently for spur-of-the-moment English lessons, which has started to bother me more than it initially did during my first few years in Korea. After all, I doubt that stock brokers are as frequently stopped on the street and asked for free investment advice. In addition, the crowd at the old gym left a lot to be desired. The main clientele were mostly ajummas on the wrong side of 45 sporting almost exclusively leopard print spandex workout suits.

The new gym is about nine subway stops from my house. This allows me to wake up a bit before arriving at the gym. It also allows me to leave my area and workout in an area that is predominantly occupied by young people. The scenery at the gym has improved by leaps and bounds, and I have yet to be accosted for free English lessons while trying to work out. I wake up at 5 a.m. every day and head to the gym at 6 a.m. I arrive around 6:45 and begin my stretches.

The new gym is on the top floor of a large building and the crowd is sparse at 7 a.m. on a weekday. Last Friday, I’d done my usual routine when I noticed an unusual man staring at me. Again, I attract these types of situations and I don’t know why. His stare went above and beyond the usual “shocked to see a foreigner” stare. The man was approximately 45 in age, with white hairs peppering his otherwise conservative black mop. The look in his eyes and his general vibe screamed out to me “possible mental issues” and I decided to avert my eyes from his stare, as often times making direct eye contact encourages the other party to approach and initiate conversation.

I do my best to blend in and avoid these types of uncomfortable situations. I wear the same clothes as everyone else in the gym, and usually wear a baseball cap while listening to my iPod. I also wear a hooded sweater with the hood pulled over my head. I avoid eye contact and stare out the window while doing cardio. This combination should be sending a clear message of “don’t bother me” to others around me at the gym.

The slight man with peppered hair didn’t break his stare, so I changed machines. After my 50-minute workout, I headed off into the shower room and locker area to shower and change back into my street clothes. After having showered, I sat on the bench getting dressed. I felt a tap on my shoulder and I instantly knew who it was going to be. I turned around to find the middle aged man standing completely naked about 12 inches from me with a large smile on his face. Being that I was sitting down and he was standing, my head was actually about 12 inches from his penis when I turned around. I immediately stood up, re-shuffling my mental deck of cards and deciding how I would politely but quickly escape from the current situation.

The man then said “Hello, do you know the Jesus Christ?” Oh man, here we go again. Why am I a magnet for this type of thing? Why can’t I just live my life in polite anonymous non-observance? Instead of talking, I simply shrugged my shoulders in the universal “I don’t understand what you’re talking about” gesture. He replied with “Do you believe in the Jesus Christ?” Again, I shrug and perfectly reproduce the puzzled look that Korean girls are so famous for.

Without pause, the man continues “Do you like a gospel music? I like the Eric Crapton. Do you know a song ‘Tears in Heaven?’” I smile and shrug, after which point the naked 45-year-old Korean man standing 12 inches from me breaks out into his best rendition of “Tears in Heaven.” He has no towel in his hand; he has no towel around his waist. He is as naked as the day he was born, and he is serenading me with this 19-year-old song. I wonder if he knows the significance of the song. On the album cover for Clapton’s 1992 hit single, he eerily resembles a modern Jesus holding a guitar.

I hastily dress and excuse myself from the changing room. Others around me did their best to ignore the “naked man singing to a foreigner” scene that was playing out in front of them. It looks as if I may have to change gyms again. I will keep going to the new gym but if the unpleasant encounters continue, I will alter my workout schedule. For the love of God, can I please just workout in peace?

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The Expat has been in Korea for eight years. He is married to a Korean woman and has no children. He used to teach English but now works outside the ESL industry. The Expat likes to bitch and moan about day to day life in Korea. Most of his writings consist of commentaries on life in Korea and being married to a Korean person. The Expat is famous for writing 3000 word posts about various aspects of life as a foreigner in Korea. Read more from The Expat at expathell.com

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Now it’s time to turn the clocks back to 1962 and go to Detroit, Michigan,USA.  Dee Edwards, born Doris Jones, records her first single as a solo artist, “You Say You Love Me,” at the young age of seventeen.  It would be the only single she records for Tuba, just one of the many Detroit record labels at the time; and like many of the local labels, Tuba managed to survive for just a short time, releasing about a dozen 45s in its lifespan.

Very much a ballad, “You Say You Love Me” is one of those tunes that just seem to float along.  Although not strictly a doo-wop song, the listener can hear elements of doo-wop, especially with the vocals of the backup singers.  While I love the tune, I never have an opportunity to play it out because it is just too mellow for most of the venues I play at, which is why I feature it here for your own perusal.

Dee Edwards would record for severalDetroitlabel throughout the 60s and into the early 70s. Her last Detroit single on the De-To label, “I Can Deal With That,” was recorded in 1975.  Production tailed off from the mid 70s as she left Detroit for New York City to focus on her family.  Several of her 45s from her Detroit years catch a fair price when auctioned and always seem to generate interest from bidders.  I also remember finding “You Say You Love Me” on a private seller’s site asking a C note for a mint copy, but you can usually find a used 45 for much less….

For those interested in listening more to Dee Edwards, you can also go to YouTube and do a search on “Dee Edwards.”  You will then be presented with a plethora of possibilities.  My personal preference for this type of search is to try to find the icon for the specific 45 I am looking for.  Chances are strong that I will be able to hear, and maybe even see, the actual 45 being played!   This feature is important especially if I am using YouTube as a cross-referencing tool.  For instance, I locate a potentially interesting 45 on-line, but I have no way to listen to it and the track is unfamiliar to me.  I would then search on YouTube.  You would be surprised how often this works!  Enjoy the song!

Sound file is for educational purposes only.

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It has been PLATOON KUNSTHALLE’s third year rocking the block already which is a very good reason for PLATOON KUNSTHALLE and our friends to celebrate those three years with a three day event marathon.

The kickoff will be an OPEN STAGE special anniversary edition on Thursday, April 19th with all the live music related friends jamming in, followed by their DJ NIGHT on Friday, April 20th where resident DJs plus some surprise guests will spice things up a little further and Platoon happily welcome the POJANG MACHA PROJECT on Saturday, April 21st, taking Korean street food to the next level. Check their Web site for more information as the event nears.

Doors OPEN at 8 p.m.

Rape and murder suspect Wu Yuanchun reenacts his crime for investigators.

The frightening, alarming and baffling story of a woman in the city of Suwon, south of Seoul, who phoned the police at 10:58 p.m on Sunday, April 1 to report that she had been abducted by an unknown man, taken to his home and feared that she was about to be raped or worse continues to snowball with National Police Agency Commissioner Cho Hyun-oh offering his resignation in shame over the botched police work that led to her death. President Lee Myung-bak accepted the resignation Monday.

According to developing reports, the man, Wu Yuanchun, 42, an ethnic Korean from China, was on his way home from a store when the 28-year-old woman bumped into him. He responded by threatening her life and forcing her back to his home where he intended to rape her. Reports say that when he entered the bathroom, the woman locked the door of the room she was in and called the police number, 112. Initially, according to the Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency–and this article in the JoongAng Daily–the call only lasted a minute and 50 seconds during which the woman provided information about her location and, reportedly, allowed for GPS tracking. Yet the police did not locate the scene until 13 hours later at which time they found Wu cutting the woman’s body into pieces. One report cites the mortician:

“A forensic expert who conducted an autopsy on the woman described the condition of her body as ‘too horrific for words.’ The National Forensic Service received 14 plastic bags filled with altogether 280 body parts. ‘He butchered her,’ the official added.”

Not long after the original claim by police that the call was less than two minutes, it was discovered that it actually lasted seven minutes and 36 seconds during which the man is attempting to rape the woman. The full content of the call has been released (the above JoongAng link has the shortened transcript the police originally provided; here is the full transcript in Korean). Eventually Wu broke down the door to the room and attempted to rape the young woman but according to his statements to police, he failed to rape the woman do to her resistance. And, after several failed attempts, he killed her at 5 a.m. the following morning, striking her in the head with a wrench and then strangling her.

The suspect reenacts his crime and pictures of the apartment and bag he used to dispose of the victim.

Public fury over the police’s mishandling of the case has reached a boiling point as, according to some Korean media reports, the police’s claim that they scoured the area searching for the location is now being refuted by local residents. In the intial JoongAng report it states:

“They [the police] explained that they failed to find her because they were not able to go into every house located near the crime scene and the GPS device is imprecise. The police said they searched all the streets within 500 meters (1,640 feet) of the house by dispatching 35 officers but failed to find the victim in time.”

Locals say they never saw any of the 35 officers supposedly dispatched to find the woman.

The police also face the CSI effect which has the public expecting that GPS tracking should allow them to pinpoint the location of a phone and arrive within minutes. To be fair, that is not exactly realistic. And, according to one officer, it was impossible to get warrants to search every house in the area: “We were not able to search every single house without a warrant,” a spokesman of the Suwon police said. One has to wonder how residents would have reacted to the police knocking on doors and demanding entry without a warrant.

Nevertheless, the case will not comfort the public nor bring much confindence in the nation’s “finest.” The recent arrest of a murder and rape suspect in Seoul uncovered scores of watches, mostly women’s, and 10 necklaces. The police are now investingating to see if those items are keepsakes he stole from his victims.

In the meantime, police report that Wu has a wife and children in China, came to Korea in 2007 and has worked at construction sites, making some 1.5 to 2 million won a month. Allegedly, Wu was living in Korea illegally.
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After canning it up the hill at what must have been record speed, I couldn’t get off the mini bus fast enough. The nausea eventually subsided as I peered down at the sloping, vibrant neighborhood of Taeguk Village*(태국마을). The colors and short stature of the buildings were a stark contrast to the grey tides of the city we left behind. The necessitous of the town only added to its charisma. Wandering the narrow alleys between the brightly colored, tightly packed shabby homes of the hillside village, I felt as though my girlfriend and I had been transported to the third world.

The brochure/map for Taeguk village likened itself to the picturesque Greek island of Santorini. However the sloping view of the sea was where the similarities ended for me. I thought it typical of Korea to big up this village by comparing it to the exclusivity, luxury and pretensions of Santorini. I reckoned a more honest comparison would be with the slight less marketable favelas of Rio. But then, who’s going to slam “Shanty town” on their tourist paraphernalia?

It’s my understanding that Brazil’s favelas were formed as the poor evacuated Rio de Janeiro’s climbing expenses in the seventies, combined with a diaspora of rural communities seeking a better life in the booming city. Without anywhere else to go the destitute erected makeshift homes on the outskirts of the city of Copacabana, nightlife and sex.

While not in anyway similar to the danger or poverty of Brazil’s Favelas, Taeguk shares an equally sad story. During the Korean Civil War of the fifties, thousands of people were uprooted from their homes and forced to murder their fellow countrymen. At the start of the war, Busan was the only city to hold out against the sweeping advances of the commie Northerners. Taeguk village was designated as a stopgap refugee camp for the resulting droves of displaced peoples from all over Korea. When the ceasefire effectively ended, the conflict many of the exiled refugees stayed and the settlement became a permanent feature.

Unfortunately, the economic success of Busan since then had mostly passed Taeguk village by. As the rest of Busan developed into a behemoth city, erecting high raise apartment blocks, record breaking department stores, beach resorts and super highways, the village remained a backwater where things moved at a snail’s pace.

However, Taeguk village has since found refuge in the final sanctuary usually reserved for scoundrels: Tourism. Without any real touristic assets to speak of; say a sexy beach, sleazy casino, plunderable ancient ruins or natural beauty to leech off, the village needed some creative thinking.

In much the same way as the Favelas were painted bright colors to appease residents and pander to tourists; the ministry of culture, sports and tourism stepped in with its Art Village Project in 2009.

Now the much more creatively titled Miro Miro Project has transformed the previously skint village into an urban art gallery. The houses once seen as archaic and a source of embarrassment for the residents are now flaunted as Korean cultural heritage.

The interlude from the clangor of traffic, hordes of people and constant development have bestowed the place with a rare and peaceful quietude within the second city. While the kooky art projects have also given the town a down-the-rabbit-hole like experience. After a whole afternoon of general moseying, slouching and interacting with modern art, we found it hard to tear ourselves away and return to the insanity of Busan.

Every now and again I become disheartened by the conformity of Korean cities. Take a glance down any street, jump in a taxi for 10 minutes and no matter your destination, chances are the two streets could have been twins separated at birth.

The "other" Busan during summer when the beach gets "sexy."

It seems that there is perpetual development going on in Korea. In every apartment my hat has hung these past four years in the so-called land of the morning calm, I’ve been rudely awakened by sadistic builders intent on drilling, digging or generally causing a terrible cacophony of noise at some ungodly hour. Just open your window and I bet you’ll hear the sound of construction.

It breaks my heart to see scruffy, quirky residential areas get swept aside in order to raise vulgar communist style, personality exempt, ridiculously named apartment blocks in their ashes.

However, if you’re willing to put in the time, it’s possible to unearth a scattering of eccentricities in a Korean metropolis. Taeguk village is the best I have found in Busan thus far. The town has only recently bleeped on the tourist radar and therefore only receives a handful of Korean and Japanese tourists. By the looks a few of the residents threw way it was obvious that they haven’t seen many Westerns touring these parts. I hope that the re-branding of these buildings catches on and inspires others developers to use more colors than the standard ten shades of grey.

The town restored my faith in Korean cities by showing me that they could be, and in parts are just as beautiful, quirky and brimming with individuality as Santorini or the Favelas of Rio.

*The word village used in a strictly Asian population sense of the world.

Directions:

If you’re down in Busan, grab your camera and head to Toseong station (토성역). Head straight out of exit 8 following the street around the corner to the right. At the bus stop just up the road in front of the Busan cancer center, take the mini bus 2-2 to Gamcheong elementary school (감천초등학교).
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Ben Cowles has been living working, traveling and teaching in East Asia for the past six years. Having grown tired of monkeying around in the class room, he has decided to turn his hairy opposable thumbs to freelance writing. Ben is currently the alpha male at monkeyboygoes.com.

By Tom McGregor at China Daily

Some Westerners incorrectly assume that China should only be viewed according to its political doctrine. They raise fears over its rapid economic development by claiming Beijing is pursuing sinister motives. China seeks peace, not war; alliances, not enemies; so it seems apparent that the nation must promote “soft power” to overcome commonly held misperceptions.

The four great classics of Chinese literature – Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong, Outlaws of the Marsh by Shi Nai’an, Journey to the West by Wu Cheng’en and A Dream of Red Mansions by Cao Xueqin – hold the key to a more comprehensive understanding of the Chinese mindset. The characters and plot-settings were written centuries ago, but the themes of love, conflict, family, crime, business, justice and politics remain relevant even today.

Of the four works, A Dream of Red Mansions appears to relate most closely with contemporary China, which seems remarkably similar to a modern TV drama in which family members scheme over love, money and power.

However, few people outside of the Asia-Pacific region are familiar with these literary masterpieces and promoting the books should be worth the effort.

Nevertheless, kung fu enjoys strong appeal with action-flick heroes Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li earning international fame.

Bruce Lee introduced kung fu to Americans in the 1970s and made himself synonymous with being “hip and cool.”  He opened the doors in Hollywood for future Chinese entertainers to shine, including the beautiful Zhang Ziyi and Gong Li.

The growing popularity of Chinese entertainers has created a rise of global curiosity about the country that can boost tourism, as well as “Chinese Studies” academic programs. The nation holds a rich 5,000 years of cultural history. Former imperial dynastic rulers have built ornate palaces filled with beautiful artwork, treasures and elegant furniture that are scattered all over the country.

The Confucius Institute, founded in 2004, has played a pivotal role in opening the world’s eyes to China, along with promoting its tourism, culture and history. The website of the institute provides links for browsers to learn more background information on Chinese movies, literature, arts and performances, food, travel and people.

China offers a wide array of other intangible cultural assets that include Peking Opera, fine porcelain artistry, jade, Chinese calligraphy, Eastern architecture and so much more. Yet some misunderstandings continue to creep up whenever the Chinese promote its “soft power,” as they face criticism for allegedly engaging in propaganda.

The acclaimed film director Zhang Yimou often has to respond to the accusations when he talks to international reporters when promoting his movies abroad. He has produced epic and popular movies such as Flowers of War, Raise the Red Lantern, Hero and House of Flying Dragons.

However, the German magazine, Der Speigel, published his interview with Martin Wolf in December and Zhang was asked about a New Yorker magazine article that compared him to Nazi propagandist filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl. He was criticized for producing a dazzling spectacle of the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Zhang is proud of his Chinese heritage and took pride in his accomplishments at the Beijing Olympics and responded that he got involved not for political reasons, but since he loves his homeland. “People in China have been talking for years about stepping out into the world, into the economy, sports and culture,” he says. “That is something the entire nation wants. Films are no exception.”

Whether people believe it or not, many Chinese wish to promote “soft power” for patriotic idealism, not to endorse a political ideology. The Chinese experience the same emotions as everyone else and they deserve greater respect. To learn more about the country, take a closer look at its history, cultural assets, arts and societal mores and you will discover more fascinating aspects to the nation. The Confucius Institute said it best with the motto, “China in your eyes, the world in my eyes”. (China Daily)

The author is a copy editor at China Daily. Contact him at Mcgregor@chinadaily.com.cn

I recently read on the excellent Jim Shooter’s blog (both the blog and the man are excellent, so I’m going to stick with that description) that “conversation,” and not content, is now king. I suppose that has been staring all of us in the face for some time now on the Internet, but it’s not always so clearly illuminated (at least it hadn’t been for me). When I read that, it came as something of a shock.

Why should it have been? Clearly for a LONG TIME now the new web is all about social media. Nicholas Kristof often ends his social media posts with a “what do you think?” I honestly used to think that was just an affectation, that he didn’t really care what people think, but now I get it. We humans are naturally social, and in fact we DO (usually) want to know what each other thinks. So with that in mind, 3WM is starting a new feature which we would like to run fairly regularly. In this space, editors will be picking topics of interest, most usually related to our wonderful place of sojourn, and asking our readers to share their own wisdom and erudition on that topic.

Comments will be moderated, naturally, and editors ask that even in the spirit of lively discourse, name-calling be limited. Editors will reserve the right to reject comments that are clearly NOT intended to further conversation and may edit (with reference) posts which otherwise might not squeak by. We will cheerfully and hopefully look forward to comments which may (hopefully often) be contrary to what any of us might have thought otherwise– 3WM merely asks that they be kept respectful.

Having said all that, to the first topic!

As many of you may know, a major election is coming up on Wednesday, April 11. Not only is it a day off for many of us, the election itself is something that the often-times frenetic campaigning makes us aware of even if we don’t care about the vote. How does Korean style election campaigning differ from the style you are accustomed to in your own home country? What do you think of the early-morning speaker trucks blaring music and campaign slogans in your neighborhoods, or the mobile stages parked at major intersections with rival candidates’ platforms being presented simultaneously, often accompanied by middle-aged (and sometimes older) ladies, decked out in their candidate’s colors and doing “that dance” that they all seem to know?  How about those same women parading around the sidewalks in packs?

We’d would love to hear your thoughts.

A foreigner’s first visit to the 찜질방 (jjimjilbang) usually seems to be an interesting one. For those that may be unfamiliar, a 찜질방 is pretty much a gender segregated bath house that is quite popular with Koreans. For those of us without bathtubs, it’s really nice to have an affordable option to get clean and soak in a gigantic hot tub. The only awkward side of the whole thing is the part when you’re sharing said tub with a bunch of naked strangers. If you can get over that, then you can enjoy all of the other benefits of these awesome places that often include steam rooms, saunas, massages, and even a cheap place to crash for the night.

As a Korean-American, I don’t really get too much attention from anyone whenever the clothes come off. I’ve noticed that it can sometimes be a little uncomfortable for females from different ethnic backgrounds, but they seem to get over it pretty quickly. That being said, the males I know seem to have had very different experiences whenever it came time to get naked. From what I’ve been told, Korean men can get pretty darn curious, which can lead to some awkward, inappropriate staring. I guess this isn’t really a big deal in Korean culture, but I’ve come to learn that American guys don’t really like being exposed in that way, especially when everyone in the room is watching.

I actually know a couple of guys that wear swimming trunks to avoid the unwanted attention (not that it really helps). They know it’s more than likely against the rules, but what’s a shy man in need of a bath to do?
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