Korea Life Blog - Events

All sorts of companies in Korea stage what they call "events." They are public promotions for their goods and services. I've always found them a little silly, but a lot of Korean people really enjoy them. They usually involve some kind of demonstration and a free sample gift, or a gift for signing up for some service or other. I was half tempted to take part in a Pepsi Event one day for a free can of Lemon Pepsi, but the line was much too long.



Here's a pic of some kind of bizarre SMEX brand clothing event sent in by a kind reader. This show looks pretty ridiculous yet somewhat funny. I can't imagine how stupid those workers must feel. However, they are probably used to this sort of thing. They likely work for a promotional agency. Perhaps tomorrow they will be in grocery stores shouting into megaphones to promote peanut butter and the next day in sexy clothes dancing in front of a bar.

Korea Life Blog - What's on TV? (1)

I was pretty bored this afternoon. Let's see what was on TV. I took some pics of the screen to show you. While the camera made the reception look all distorted, you can get the idea.



Some kind of Korean puppet show about history. Looks pretty exciting.



A cooking show on Arirang. This is the only station to watch Korean shows with English subtitles. I don't feel like waiting while he "prepares the meat," however.



Is it me, or is this kind of performance always on TV? Lots of weird singing and drum banging.



I have at least 5 home shopping channels. Who sits at home and orders meat off the TV?



Another shopping channel. This time bedding is for sale. I like Korean bedding, but I don't like watching commercials in Korean about it.



Great. Another soap opera is on AFN (American Forces Network). I usually watch this channel at night. They run "Jay Leno" and "David Letterman." Most Koreans hate Jay Leno after he made fun of that Korean skater that got the shaft in the Winter Olympics. "He was so angry he went home and kicked his dog," was the joke. Personally I think he'spretty funny. I can't get enough of those headlines.

I ended up reading a book. That's the good thing about not having much of a selection on the tube, you aren't glued to the set all day.

Korea Life Blog - A Short Trip to Fukuoka


I have now finished the section on my trip over to Fukuoka. It's pretty long and there's a lot of pics. I apologize to dial-up users. Click on the flag and go out for a nice ride in the country. By the time you get back it should be loaded. DSL users click and then grab a Coke from the fridge, come back and enjoy.

Korea Life Blog - Kim Jong Il Comic Book





Anyone know where I can get a copy of this book in the Korean version? I read that it was pulled off shelves here at the start of the Sunshine Policy (though I'm not clear on whether this was translated or the Japanese version). I bet it would be a great collector's item.

I read about the book before, then I saw it Japan at the airport bookstore this weekend. Of course I could never read it in Japanese, so I didn't buy it. It looked pretty interesting, thumbing through it. There's a lot of drawings of him getting angry and murdering people and a load of scenes of him and various women in bed.

I'll check Amazon, but I don't think they made an English version...yet.


Here's the brief description of the book which got me interested:


"A comic book on North Korea, written by Mr. Lee, a renowned South Korean comic author, was published in Japan and is selling well among the Japanese people. The book was banned in South Korea.

The comic book depicts a variety of aspects of North Korea including the abduction of Japanese civilians by North Korean spies, nuclear weapon development and the private life of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il which is top secret in North Korea.

Particularly in the story of Kim Jong Il's private life, the comic book tells vividly how the North Korean dictator approached female dancers, singers and nurses in an attempt to seduce them. The name of each woman in the story was identified.

The comic book was originally published in 1998 in South Korea, however, immediately after, it was banned due to the 'sun shine policy' of Kim Dae Jung, the then South Korean President, toward North Korea.

The comic book is titled in Japanese, 'Introduction to Kim Jong Il,' and was published in Japan in July. The book has been selling very well."


By the way, when I was searching Amazon.com I came across this book:





Yes, it's by the leader of North Korea and it's his views on Opera and "Independence, peace, art, literature and friendship..."

Korea Life Blog - Back From Fukuoka


Sorry I haven't updated the last few days. I went to Fukuoka, Japan for the weekend as my tourist visa was up. Now I'm back with another 90 days to figure out what I'm doing for the long term. I'm tired now but I'll do a post on my trip sometime during the week. I was only there for one night, and it rained half the time, but it was fun and I've got a few interesting pics and stories...surprised? It was the sixth time I've visted Japan, the first time I had a digital camera with me. I wish I had more time.