Monster Island (actually a peninsula)*

Pearls of witticism from 'Bo the Blogger: Kushibo's Korea blog... Kushibo-e Kibun... Now with Less kimchi, more nunchi. Random thoughts and commentary (and indiscernibly opaque humor) about selected social, political, economic, and health-related issues of the day affecting "foreans," Koreans, Korea and East Asia, along with the US, especially Hawaii, Orange County and the rest of California, plus anything else that is deemed worthy of discussion. Forza Corea!

Monday, June 27, 2011

Daily Kor for Monday, June 27, 2011

Wow, I guess what they say is true. Have a major typhoon on a weekend and almost no real news happens at all. While you're staying indoors to avoid all the rain, maybe tune in to the FIFA Women's World Cup going on in Germany starting today. Korea Republic (that's us) isn't in it, but North Korea and Japan might put on a good show.

Typhoon Meari kills at least 7, knocks out power, and leads to suspension of domestic flights (Yonhap, Korea Times, Korea Herald)

At least two rescuers drown (Joongang Daily)

Bank of Korea governor Kim Chongsoon says domestic household debt level "is a problem but manageable" (WSJ)
President Lee Myungbak meets with opposition leader Sohn Hakkyu to discuss free-trade agreement with US and other contentious issues (Yonhap)
Incheon International Airport named world's best airport by Airports Council International for sixth straight year (Yonhap)

Work begins on third phase of airport expansion (Joongang Daily)

President Lee Myungbak promises to focus welfare policy on helping the most needy (Yonhap)
South Korea asks Japan to conduct swift and thorough investigation of murder of two South Korean nationals, a 61-year-old woman and her 27-year-old daughter, found dead in Osaka on Saturday (Yonhap)
Blue House announces dates of President Lee Myungbak's visit to South Africa, and Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ethiopia will be July 2 to July 11, will discuss cooperation in areas of energy, raw materials, and nuclear power (Bloomberg)

President will also seek support for Pyongchang's 2018 Winter Olympics bid (Yonhap, Korea Herald)

Report indicates South Korea will be the ninth country to join the $1 trillion traders' club this year (Korea Herald, Joongang Daily)
Alarmed doctors in South Korea are at a loss to explain sudden onslaught of widespread rightward head tilting (Korea Times)

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Ask Kushibo.

My Google/Blogspot data shows that a lot of the 2 million people who have landed on my site (yes, that's the real number) are looking for cultural information on Korea (e.g., “When did Syngman Rhee die?” “What did the Indians bring to the first Chusŏk?’ etc., etc.), as well as practical or historical stuff.

That got me thinking that, hey, I have a master’s degree in Korean studies and a minor in Japanese studies, I’ve lived in Seoul far longer than most foreans my age (whether they're kyopo or non-kyopo), I teach introductory courses on Korea and its cultural trappings and history, so why not offer a free service where I attempt to answer people’s questions, point them in the direction of where they can get them answered, and/or offer my regulars (that’s you!) a chance to take a stab at some of this stuff, too.

So if there’s something you’d like to know from a “contrarian scourge,” click on ASK KUSHIBO and just ask a succinct question in the comments section below.

Oh, and play nice. Please don’t make me regret this.

九十五大怪獣란? 쿠시보의 몬스터 아일랜드란?

Pearls of witticism from 'Bo the Blogger: Kushibo's Korea blog... Kushibo-e Kibun...
Now with Less kimchi, more nunchi. Random thoughts and commentary (and indiscernibly opaque humor) about selected social, political, economic, and health-related issues of the day affecting "foreans" ("foreigners" in Korea be they kyopo or non-kyopo), Koreans, Korea and East Asia, along with the US, especially Hawaii, Orange County, and the rest of California, plus anything else that is deemed worthy of discussion. Forza Corea!

* Monster Island (actually a peninsula)

The name of this blog comes from a line in "Lisa on Ice," a beloved episode of The Simpsons, perhaps my all-time favorite television show (even though for several seasons there, it really did suck). Lisa is imagining being sworn in as president, but at the last minute, it is discovered that she failed P.E. (physical education) and she is thus "sentenced to a lifetime of horror" on Monster Island. "Don't worry," the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court confides in her, "It's just a name."

Fast forward to Lisa and other prisoners running in panic through a tropical jungle, chased by Godzilla-like creatures, including a monster turtle and a monster firefly.

"He said it was just a name!" Lisa screams to the man next to her. While he, too, runs for his life, the unidentified man calmly says, "What he meant is that Monster Island is actually a peninsula."

Anyway, I thought in some ways that punchline summed up modern-day Korea in a nutshell. For many people—foreigners and Koreans—the ups and downs and everyday travails of the Republic of Korea make it as precarious as a Monster Island would be (and with the DMZ being the only land border, it really is like an island). But it actually is a peninsula. Okay, it made sense in my head.

So as you can see, despite the hits I get from people looking for Japanese tentacle porn, it has nothing to do with anything salacious as that.

Monster Island (actually a peninsula)*

Monday, June 27, 2011

Daily Kor for Monday, June 27, 2011

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