Safety Not Guaranteed: A Woman's Experience on The Seoul Subway
Editor’s Note: Last week, we published an open letter from a university professor with her permission. In it, she detailed her experience of being sexually harassed as a “white female foreigner” in a public space. The ensuing debates from our readers were contentious, often empathetic, and
Weekly Brief: Nov. 21st - 27th
State-authored textbooks: Another victim of Choi Soon-sil? Today the government gave the public its first look at the new state-authored history textbooks. When announcing it last year, the government held firm on its plans for new textbooks despite strong opposition from historians and academics. Possibly due to the weakened state
Drugs in South Korea: Sex, Sales and Crackdowns
In 2004, comedian Noh Hong-chul, perhaps best known around the world as the “elevator man” in Psy’s “Gangnam Style” music video, published a confessional essay stating that he once got a girl drunk while in high school in order to have sex with
Girls Like Girls: Lesbian Couple in Sistar's New MV "One More Day" Takes Revenge
Two girls walk anxiously, pulling a suitcase down a dark road. What’s in the suitcase? K-pop girl group Sistar released a MV of their new single just yesterday. “One More Day,” composed and produced by Giorgio Moroder, shows two women in love, who end up killing the abusive
Open Letter to the Student Who Harassed Me
Editor’s Note: The following is an open letter from Professor Olga Fedorenko, who teaches anthropology at Seoul National University, one of South Korea’s most prestigious schools. The letter provides a glimpse into the racism and misogyny experienced by a white female foreigner from
Misogyny in South Korea: Murder in Gangnam
Editor’s Note: Last week was the six-month anniversary of the murder of a young woman near Gangnam Station. The murder sparked an explosive discussion in South Korean society about rampant misogyny. This comic strip is the first in a three-part installment that discusses feminism and gender inequality since
Weekly Brief: Nov. 14th - 20th
Protests: Water cannon trucks still on standby Last year on November 14, police water cannons knocked an elderly demonstrator unconscious. Over a year has passed, but water cannon trucks are still being rolled out for every major protest. Last week, a group of NGOs declared November 14, the “Day
Beyond the 99%: Alternative Education in South Korea
Nearly two decades have passed since the first challenges to South Korea’s predominantly state-driven education sprang up. Can alternative schools change the country’s oppressive education climate? Yesterday, over 600,000 high school seniors in South Korea took an exam notorious for its competitiveness, high stakes, and the
In Memory of Farmer Baek Nam-gi: Amnesty International Die-In Flash Mob Held
At 6:56 pm on the drizzly evening of Monday, Nov. 14, some 80 people stepped out in unison onto the pedestrian crossing at the Jongno District Office intersection in white raincoats and acted out the scene of falling to the ground. The white raincoats were reminiscent of those worn
Weekly Brief: Nov. 7th - 13th
Seoul plans to clear the air Seoul’s poor air quality has become a big talking point in recent months. TV weather reports now often include levels for particulate matter. Before last year, most South Koreans blamed the quality on the yellow dust from China, but Greenpeace has revealed
Haebangchon's Forgotten Past: A Stairway, A Shrine and The War Dead
There’s a stairway on the outskirts of the hip Haebangchon area in Seoul — one that doesn’t really merit a second look. No impressive characteristics beyond its steepness, nothing spectacular in its surroundings. No chic bars, no hipster coffee shops. There’s no reason to remember, much less
Weekly Brief: Oct. 31st - Nov. 6th
No end in sight for Choi Soon-sil scandal The Choi Soon-sil gate continues to grip South Koreans and the world abroad alike. Choi Soon-sil is president Park Geun-hye’s confidante, accused of abusing her position to intervene in politics and embezzle money from government projects. Last week, prosecutors detained