The Grand Narrative

(Source)

Pop Culture:

— “Gee,” Female Subjectivity, and the Male Gaze (Occupied Territories)

— Korean Men’s Association Files a Petition to Ban Baek Ji Young’s “Good Boy” for Derogatory Lyrics Toward Men (KoreaBang, Soompi, Asian Junkie; see here for a review of the song itself)

— Korean Movies Get Racier to Fend off Hollywood (The Chosunilbo)

— K-pop Star Finalists Embrace Their Inner Dolls for Elle Girl (Seoulbeats)

— The dark shades of Korean dramas (The Hankyoreh)

— Oppa, your face is blocking Namsan Tower (Angry K-pop Fan)

— Your Company and Fans Know Best: The Babying of Idols (Seoulbeats)

— Why I Write “Strong Female Characters” (io9)

— K-pop’s Archetypes (Seoulbeats)

— Contents Media alleged to pay male escort to keep quiet about relationship with Actress Lee Mi-sook (Korea Joongang Daily)

— Are ‘idol x reader’ fics unique to the K-pop fandom? (Angry K-pop Fan)

— Song Hye Kyo is a fat, disgusting pig and no man wants to have sex with her anymore (Asian Junkie)

— Annotation #1: K-Pop Idols & Construction of Identity (My First Love Story)

Censorship:

— Jang Yoon-jung’s music video banned on terrestrial networks (Korea Joongang Daily)

Dating/Relationships/Marriage:

— K-girls, K-boys… both in the wrong? (Roboseyo)

— Why white people date white people: Exposed! (I’m no Picasso)

— Survey: More women than men regret marriage (Asian Correspondent)

— Old bachelors, bachelorettes seen as ‘flawed, incomplete’ (Korea Times)

LGBT/Sexuality:

— 13th Korea Queer Culture Festival Begins in Seoul (KQCF)

— Sex work, sex workers, and the Korean sex industry on the Charlie Spice Show (Research Project Korea; see here for his second appearance)

— YAM Magazine LGBT Blogathon, June 11-17 (YAM Magazine)

— Korea begins debating gay marriage (Asian Correspondent)

— The Most Liberal Korean-Korean Man I Know Does Not Believe in Gay Rights (Korean Bodega)

— ‘Sponsors’ pay university students for sex (The Korea Times)

— 60% of Men Over 40 Suffer Sexual Dysfunctions (The Chosun Ilbo)

— Beat Takeshi criticized for comparing gay marriage to bestiality, says he was misunderstood (Asian Junkie)

— Shinhwa To Do Another Nude Photoshoot? (Omona)

History:

— Korea In Depth: New Perspectives: Women and the Chosǒn Dynasty with Dr. Michael Pettid (The Korea Society)

Pregnancy/Childbirth/Parenting:

— Bullied over being mixed race, Korean teen turns to arson (Asian Correspondent)

— Korea, US agree on school bullying study (The Korea Times)

— Demography: A new science of population (The Economist)

Economics/Politics:

— Heed France’s integration success (The Hankyoreh)

— Lady Business: How Do You Navigate Boys Club Culture? (Bitch Magazine)

The English Spectrum Series at Gusts of Popular Feeling:

— Part 25: Don’t Imagine

— Part 26: ‘Foreign instructor’ takes third place

— Part 27: Art From Outsider’s Point of View

Multiculturalism:

— A little bit of xenophobia keeps the foreigners well-behaved (The Marmot’s Hole)

— Sick, Corrupt, Racist, Paranoid, Xenophobic? – The Chinese Government Speaks (The Marmot’s Hole)

— Probably NSFW Taiwanese take on xenophobic Chinese rant (Gusts of Popular Feeling)

— Anti-racism law (The Korea Times)

Crime:

— South Korea to chemically castrate rapist (Korea Law Today; Korea Realtime; The Marmot’s Hole; The Korea Herald; Reuters; CNN)

— Get ‘em trashed and then crashed (The Marmot’s Hole)

Misc:

— To Korean men, every inch counts (Korea Joongang Daily)

— Gendered assumptions in daily life (The F-word Blog)

— Plastic surgery: achieving ‘natural’ via unnatural means? (Angry K-pop Fan)

— Help Fund Tropes vs Women in Video Games (Feminist Frequency)

— One size fits small for ajumma shoppers (Korea Joongang Daily)

— Chinese business looking for a few good Jews (Foreign Policy)

— Ink Bomb International Tattoo Convention 2012 (Chincha?!; also, see “The Shogun of Osaka” at the Economist)

— What We Look Like: A Comic About Women in Media (Truthout)

— Italian fashion brand redefines “models” (Work That Matters)

Shout-outs:

— Send me to the Sex Worker Freedom Festival! (Research Project Korea)

(Links are not necessarily endorsements)

(Source)

If I’ve missed anything, please let me know!

Dating/Relationships/Marriage:

— Love, Korean-style: Two’s company (The Economist)

— The role reversal I never wanted to see happen (I’m No Picasso)

— Under Siege: Korean Man (Busan Mike)

— Jeju Finds New Honeymooners–in China (Korea Realtime)

— S. Korean “goose fathers” so lonely they keep flies (CNBC)

— ‘Horny Bus Couple’ Shamed for Public Display of Affection (Korea Bang)

— Why Asian Women Date White Men (Jezebel)

LGBT/Sexuality:

— Male students know less about sex than females (The Korea Times)

— Blind Spots of Over the Counter Contraception (The Korea Times)

— Cervical cancer prevention falls through loopholes (The Korea Times)

Pregnancy/Childbirth/Parenting:

— Ladygate: Pregnant ‘Adultery Girl’ Disgusts Netizens (Korea Bang)

— South Korean Single Mothers Fight Discrimination (Voice of America)

— Womb-renting raises questions on one-child policy (Shanghaiist)

— “The very last child in Japanese history will turn 15 on May 18, 3011″: The stupidest statistic you’ll see this week (io9)

— China’s Achilles heel: A demographic comparison with America reveals a deep flaw in China’s model of growth (The Economist)

— Murderous Teens and Korea’s Fighting Culture (Idle Worship)

— Chosun Ilbo learns that behind asshat students stand asshat parents (The Marmot’s Hole)

— Father’s day: Having children really does make a man more content with life (The Economist)

Pop Culture:

— Doll People: Compendium on the Doll Motif in K-Pop (The Mind Reels)

— Double Standard: Dancing in Kpop (YAM Magazine)

— Little women of Korean cinema (The Korea Times)

— K-pop Diets and the Logical Disconnect (Seoulbeats)

— 80% of K-Pop’s sales come from Japan (Arama)

— Comment Of The Day: Japanese Are Perverted Monkeys, Koreans Are Innocent Angels (Asian Junkie)

Crime:

— Domestic abuse rates soar (The Korea Times)

— Outrage grows over sexual harassment in subway train (The Korea Times)

— KakaoTalk Used as Evidence in Rape Case (Korea Bang)

— Government Regulation of the Idol Industry: Is It Enough? (Seoulbeats)

— Brit tourist sexually assaults Chinese woman in Beijing, anti-laowai cyber hysteria ensues (Shanghaiist)

— Ex-band member speaks out about sexual assault charge (The Korea Times)

— Go Young Wook Of Roo’ra Accused Of Sexual Assault, He Admits To Sex But Denies Rape (Asian Junkie)

— 2 More Victims Allege Sexual Assault by TV Personality (The Chosun Ilbo)

— Go Young Wook has two more alleged victims come forth in his sexual assault case (Asian Junkie)

— Korean Fishing Crews Accused of Sex Crimes against Indonesian Workers (The Hankyoreh)

The English Spectrum Series at Gusts of Popular Feeling:

— Part 22: No putting brakes on ‘Internet human rights violations’

— Part 23: “They branded us as whores, yanggongju and pimps,” part 1

— Part 24: “They branded us as whores, yanggongju and pimps,” part 2

Economics/Politics:

— An Easy Economic Boost: More Women at Work (Korea Realtime)

Misc:

— Debito Arudou’s “Micro-Aggressions”: What Really Drives the Highly Sensitive Expat Crazy (Gord Sellar)

— Ladygate Special: What’s With All These Ladygates? (Korea Bang)

Finally, some Shout-outs:

— Gay-rights Petition: Protect the constitution of South Africa – AS IT IS!

Next, an anonymous reader seeking some help and/or information:

I was wondering if you had any info on the Korean culture’s perception of mentally disabled and handicapped women. I have searched on my own, but have limitations as I am still a beginner learning the language. I am curious how they function in society. I ask because I am a Korean adoptee who recently found out my mother had an ‘intellectual disability,’ which is not totally reliable, but I am trying to research what her life in Korea may have been like.

Just thought I would reach out and say I enjoy your blog, and wondering if you knew anything that could help me contextualize my research. Thanks!

And finally an email from Jaehak Yu (slightly adapted by me):

…two of my friends and I are participating in what is called the Mongol Rally in 2013. It’s basically a 10,000-mile drive from London to Ulanbator, Mongolia. The main focus of the rally, however, is to raise money and aid for both the Mongolian people and a charity of our choice. Our charity is the Children’s Hospital of Orange County — a great nonprofit that is devoted to taking care of children in need.

Currently, we are in an “awareness” stage — trying to gather attention to our causes and our journey….Naturally, I’m sure readers would want to read more before they promise any sort of involvement. Our website should detail the specifics of our journey as should our Facebook page. If anyone has any other questions and/or is interested in a possible collaboration, I’d love to talk to you some more. My email is jaehak.yu93@gmail.com or I can be reached by cell at (949) 648-1519.

Thanks for your consideration!

(Links are not necessarily endorsements)

(Source)

First up this week, a run-down of all the sex crimes in the entertainment industry that have recently emerged:

April 19 – Open World Entertainment and The Ugly Side of K-pop (Seoulbeats)

April 25 – Sex crimes in showbiz industry jolt society (Korea Times)

April 25 – Manager reveals that there are brokers connecting actresses with “sponsors” (Allkpop)

April 25 – Anonymous Actress Says Sexual Harassment is Common in the Biz (Enewsworld)

April 29 – Open World Entertainment artists cleared of all charges + Company’s future uncertain (Omona)

April 30 – Sixth Grader Trainee Sexually Abused by Head of Entertainment Agency (Omona)

May 3 – Witness Says Sexual Abuse Goes On At 80% Of Agencies + A Sixth Grader Was Targeted (Asian Junkie)

May 8 – Open World Entertainment CEO officially charged with rape, accused idols get off scot-free (Omona)

May 8 – Open World Entertainment’s Jang Seok Woo charged with rape + idols get off on technicality (Asian Junkie)

May 8 – Police investigating former Roo’ra member Go Young Wook for alleged sexual assault (Allkpop)

May 9 – Korean government steps in to prevent entertainment agencies from defrauding trainees (Allkpop)

May 9 – Tackling the Entertainment Industry’s Dark Corners (Korea Realtime)

May 10 – Former idol group member assaults aspiring teenage singer (Korea Joongang Daily)

May 10 – South Korean government to crack down on sexual exploitation in the K-pop industry. Sure. (Angry K-pop Fan)

May 11 – Go Young Wook refutes allegations concerning his sexual assault case (Allkpop)

Next, a continuation of the English Spectrum Series at Gusts of Popular Feeling:

— Part 14: Segye Ilbo interview with the women from the party, part 2

— Part 15: Web messages draw Koreans’ wrath

— Part 16: Thai female laborers and white English instructors

— Part 17: ‘Regret’ over the scandal caused by confessions of foreign instructors

— Part 18: “Korean men have no excuse”

— Part 19: “Unfit foreign instructors should be a ‘social issue’”

— Part 20: ‘Clamor’ at foreigner English education site

— Part 21: Foreign instructor: “I want to apologize”

And now for the regular categories:

LGBT/Sexuality:

— Controversial TV Priest claims Korea ‘Free from Homosexuality’ (Korea Bang)

— The Meet Market: For Queers and Their Allies (Chincha)

Pop Culture:

— “Heavy” Girls in K-pop (10 Confessions)

— ‘Sasaeng’ fans: who and why Part 1, Part 2, Extended Discussion (Angry K-pop Fan; see Maddie Loves K-pop here and here also)

— Making Over Asia: Hallyu and Medical Tourism (Seoulbeats; also see Korean Bodega)

— South Korea Tops Plastic Surgery Tables Again, Netizens React (Korea Bang)

— Sexy Zone: This isn’t it (Appears)

— SHINEE ignites racist scandal with anti-Native American performance (Omona)

— Korean Entertainment and the War on Women (Seoulbeats)

— What it’s like to work in (American) entertainment as an Asian female (Thick Dumpling Skin)

— Female Stars’ Abused Feet from Kill Heels Captured (Soompi)

— AV star Aoi Sora to debut in Korea as a singer and actress (Kpopseven)

— Ladies Breaking the Idol Stereotype (Seoulbeats)

— The Lost Monarchy (My Musings)

— Cinderella Stories Don’t Exist: How K-dramas Got it All Wrong (Seoulbeats)

— Pop Girls: J-Pop and K-Pop (The F-Word Blog)

— What’s Wrong With Co-ed Groups? (Seoulbeats)

Dating/Relationships/Marriage:

— Here Comes the Bride? Marriage, Dating and Korean 30 Somethings (Inconseoulable)

— Could a single pill save your marriage? (io9)

— The average number of people in a Tokyo home has dropped below two for the first time (AlJazeera)

— Spouses share their tales of life wedded to Koreans (The Korea Herald)

— Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Shanghai Shiok! (Shanghai Shiok)

— “Skins” Star Kaya Scodelario and Kim Soo-hyun for J.ESTINA (Seoulbeats)

Crime:

— Police Gain Legal Right to Forcibly Enter Homes of Domestic Abuse (KBS)

— Is domestic violence taken seriously in Korea? (The Korea Herald)

— Electronic anklets have little effect on sexual crimes (The Korea Times)

— How Effective are the Korean Police? (The Korea Herald)

— Working to Death at Samsung (Global Voices; The Hankyoreh)

— Redefining Rape in South Korea (The Korea Herald)

— ‘Sexual Harassment Grandpa’ Asks Girl for Gangbang On Subway (Korea Bang)

— Kim Lee: Chinese law has failed to protect me (Shanghaiist)

Pregnancy/Childbirth/Parenting:

— [Q&A] Do you intend to speak Korean language to your children? (Loving Korean)

— On the Physicality of Motherhood (On Becoming a Good Korean [Feminist] Wife)

— On Adventures in Feminist Parenting (On Becoming a Good Korean [Feminist] Wife)

— More Kids from Cross-Cultural Marriages Start School (The Chosunilbo)

— A Day For Forgotten Moms of Korean Adoptees (Korea Realtime)

Economics/Politics:

— What’s the Difference Between a “Gender Quota” and “Gender Balance”? (Feminist Law Professors)

— The Gender Gap (Infidelworld)

— More Korean women working abroad for construction companies (The Dong-a Ilbo)

— Finance Ministry to Staff: Go Home (Korea Realtime)

Misc:

— New laws on smoking in Korea. News that affects nearly half of all Korean males. (Korea Law Today)

— Military Service is a Privilege, Not a Duty (The Korea Herald)

— ‘Korea’s Helen Keller’ Turns Adversity into Opportunity (The Chosunilbo)

— Full Frontal (Busan Mike)

— Koreans Shop for Bigger Bottoms (The Chosunilbo)

— South Korean women are surprisingly avid watchers of sporting events (Campaign Asia-Pacific)

— A Korean Comic Wows Arab Crowds With an Insider’s Touch (The New York Times)

(Links are not necessarily endorsements)