Finding Remnants of Colonial Architecture
After Korea’s liberation from colonial rule in 1945, feelings were running high. Many Koreans called for the destruction of prominent colonial-era structures, not least the Shinto shrine on Namsan and the Government-General building in Gwanghwamun. Perhaps fortunately, critics noted that such plans were impractical as any demolition policy
The Mystery of South Korea's Elderly Protesters
Elderly men protest a special investigation into Samsung in 2008. (Credit: Yonhap News/via Media Today) South Korea has no shortage of political scandals, but this one is big and seems worth mentioning what with the dearth of reporting in the international media. Some readers may know that a
Hope for Korea's Surviving Colonial Architecture
Once during an afternoon trip to Miryang, Gyeongsangnam-do, I found myself photographing a small parking garage. When an older South Korean man came to get his motorbike, he casually asked my friend and me what we were doing there. I told him I liked old architecture and, in making small
Combating Bad Parking, With One Sticker at a Time
On the sidewalk and blocking the pedestrian crossing. One example of rampant illegal parking in South Korea (Source: koreanparking.tumblr.com) There is no other way to say it: South Korea’s car culture is chaotic. Drivers frequently blast through red lights, make abrupt lane changes without signaling, speed
"Jae-gaebal": Resisting Seoul's Brutal Apart-ization
Seemingly endless rows of concrete towers awe foreigners who come to Seoul for the first time. Seoul may have become the capital city more than six centuries ago, but few things survive from that time to convince visitors of this history. Colonial rule (1910-45) and the brutal Korean War (1950-53)
Bukchon: Seoul's Destruction of Heritage
Gahoe-dong — “the place where beauty gathers” — was the last district in Seoul with whole streets of wood-and-tile houses, preserving the ambiance of the city a century ago. But after six hundred years at the heart of Korean cultural and social life, it has been relentlessly destroyed. Gahoe-dong is part of
One Nation Divided under the Chaebol
Recently I came across an intriguing post on the Global Voices website: In 2014, a piece of legislation was introduced in the National Assembly for the purpose of punishing South Korean consumers who shop on foreign websites. Those unacquainted with shopping in South Korea may be puzzled to learn that
A Young Liberal at the Barbershop
When I say barbershop I am not mistaken. I’m talking about one of those old-fashioned barbershops exclusively for men where an old barber sticks to what he knows: the 50’s clean-cut look, and nothing else. I’m talking about the barbershops that are now going extinct in Seoul;
The "Comfort Women Deal" between South Korea and Japan: Six Alternative Views
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![[Full Text] UN Special Rapporteur's Conclusion on Rights in South Korea](https://cdn.media.bluedot.so/bluedot.koreaexpose/wordpress/2016/01/United_nations_flag.png)
[Full Text] UN Special Rapporteur's Conclusion on Rights in South Korea
Statement by United Nations Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association at the conclusion of his visit to the Republic of Korea SEOUL (29 January 2016) – I would like to thank the Government of the Republic of Korea for inviting me to
Children of Misfortune: Child Abuse in South Korea
Over dinner one evening, a South Korean journalist friend posed what seemed like a riddle: “Let’s say there is a high school reunion. One classmate is a Samsung executive with a high-school graduate for a son. Another is a security guard whose son attends Seoul National University. Who do
Job Search
I am now trapped in a tight, borrowed business suit. My hair is tamed into a tidy ponytail. I ditched red lipstick in order to look modest. Such a stereotypical job interviewee. Anyone could tell what I am up to. Today’s destination is a satellite city in Gyeonggi-do. The