The Seoulite

The Seoulite is expanding his online offerings… now all kpop fans can unite… and date each other! Tired of so-gae-ting? Want to find someone new? Need to just waste some time online by flirting with fellow kpop fans? Well, well, well… go to my new website: www.kpopsingles.com.

Everything is free. You can chat, send messages, do video conferencing and even browse through the kpop zone. We’re just getting started so if anyone wants to volunteer to update the kpop pages with more recent stars, let me know. I only put up my favorites from back in the day…!

A love like this... how romantic.

Miley Cyrus… Hannah Montana… bigot.
She made chinky eyes in a recent photo.
Another Asian guy was in the group picture.
Americans said it’s no big deal because everyone does it.
Who exactly is ‘everyone’?
‘Everyone’s’ proof that it wasn’t racist?
There was an Asian guy in the photo!
That must mean all Asians think it’s ‘okay.’

I’ve been in pictures like this more than once before.
And never once did I think it was ‘okay’ after I saw the photos.

America… please use some of the economic stimulus package for ignorance education.
If you’re going to send the country into massive debt.
Please get rid of some of the stupidity in the process.
There may be a rising division between rich and poor.
But the war on poverty should include the starving intellect of the middle class.

Imagine if she offended blacks or Jews.
She’d make more than a half-attempted apology.
People should just admit Asians have no power in America.
The debate centers around whether Asians have the ‘right’ to be upset.
That’s scary.
Everyone should have the ‘right’ to have an opinion in a democracy.
Except Asians.
For now.

Below is poignant advice on how to call someone out in these modern times. Well said brotha!~

How do you get national attention at the age of 31, get thrown into jail, and be accused of causing $2 billion dollars worth of damage to the Korean economy? Start a blog and call yourself Minerva! If you haven’t heard… the famous ‘anonymous’ Minerva who made Nostradamus-esque predictions about the global economy has been unveiled to be Park Dae-sung. According to the Korea Times, he wrote more than 200 online postings criticizing the government’s economic policies.

This is what he looks like. Maybe he's getting a hard time because he hasn't gone to the plastic surgery center yet. Seoulites are much more patient towards a pretty face. His arrest and indictment has sparked a furious debate over freedom of speech.

The Seoulite has been a little ‘anti’-Seoul lately. The horror! Well, they say it’s natural at the one-year mark. The little extra shoves on the subway and cultural misunderstandings explode from under your skin they say. From my own personal experience… the ‘one-year anti’ comes when you suddenly realize when you’ve been duped into being nice! Being a Seoulite requires constantly shifting etiquette and rudeness. It’s often opposite of Western culture… but that’s why the Seoulite is here in Seoul. Now it’s time for him to get his ‘rude’ on. Post your favorite Korean phrases in the box below and he will let you know how they work out. He goin’ to get his experiment on.

Anyhow, this is not the time to be nice. Minerva's arrest is quite an embarrasment for the nation. But people are puzzled... because maybe he did have the effect of which he is accused. But if that's the case... others point out that you shouldn't blame the bloggers. The public has gotten so wary over mainstream media in Korea that blogs are more trusted sources of news in Korea. Ain't that the Seoulite truth! This is a painting of Minerva.

The name “Minerva” is likely imported from the Etruscans who called her Menrva. In Etruscan mythology, Menrva was the goddess of wisdom, war, art, schools and commerce. She was the Etruscan counterpart to Greek Athena and to Roman Minerva. Like Athena, Menrva was born from the head of her father, Tinia.

Her name has the “mn-” stem, linked with memory. See Greek “Mnemosyne” (gr. μνημοσύνη) and “mnestis” (gr. μνῆστις): memory, remembrance, recollection. The Romans could have confused her foreign name with their word mens meaning “mind” since one of her aspects as goddess pertained not only to war but also to the intellectual. Minerva is the Roman name for Athena the goddess of Wisdom and Virginity. She is also depicted as an owl.

Be wise people. Be wise!

This is a blog ranting by my first contributor, J. Kim. He didn’t ask to contribute, but I thought it showed honest sentiment… and in Korean style, I’m just gonna post it up. He was responding to this article… remember these are not my words or thoughts… exactly. I been in Seoul so long that I don’t know if that’s messed up or not a big deal. http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/01/117_38339.html

Freedom of expression anyone?
by J. Kim

This guy made some correct predictions, some wrong predictions but the entire government is trying to use him, one ANONYMOUS blogger, for causing the Korean government to spend $2billion to keep the local currency afloat.

Come on… own up to your mistakes. If the government cannot garner the trust of the people over an internet blogger, they should maybe change the way they do things instead of arresting this guy and prosecuting him for simply writing a blog and expressing his opinions on the economy. This is an embarrassment for the Korean government and the Korean people.

The government is always talking about attracting foreign investors and businesses, but when foreign companies and investors see news like this, they’ll see how backwards and incompetent the government is here and who would want to invest in a country like this? You write a blog that goes against the wishes of the government and bam! you are in the slammer. Why don’t we just dust off the old military uniforms for the military dictatorships of the 60s, 70s and 80s… While we are at it, bring back the law that makes miniskirts, long hair and after-hour clubbing illegal. Let’s continue to step backwards and devolve into a third world country.

This is an embarrassment, a disappointment and an absolute tragedy for South Korean democracy that the government always tries to trumpet as a “model” for other developing countries in the region. Welcome to South Korea everyone… it’s democracy is kinda like Communist China, but hey, their economy is kicking our ass, so maybe our government wants to be more like them. Bring me the YUAN!

This rant does not reflect the Seoulite’s point of view. He is a LMB fan. But this is not a glorious moment.

A new president cannot have too much good advice, so BBC World News America is asking personalities from various walks of life to tell president-elect Barack Obama what they think he should do when he takes up his new job on 20 January.

But where is PRESIDENT LEE MYUNG BAK’s invitation! Well, after seeing other people give their comments on theseoulite.com blog right here… he decided to send us his special message for Obama! Here are the other two dudes thoughts…. as if they can hold a light to the honorable President of South Korea!

Notes to Obama: Jorge Ramos

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/world_news_america/7820540.stm

Jorge Ramos
Mexican-born anchor for Spanish-language Univision News
Author of several books, including The Latino Wave
One of the most influential Hispanics in the US

Notes to Obama: Joseph O’Neill

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/world_news_america/7821443.stm

Joseph O’Neill is the author of three novels Netherland (2008), The Breezes (1996), This Is The Life (1991), a number of short stories and a non-fiction book, Blood-Dark Track: A Family History, which was a New York Times Notable Book for 2002 and a book of the year for the Economist.

President Lee Myung Bak

Leader of a $1 Trillion Dollar a Year Economy
Military Head of the longest war conflict in modern history.
Mayor of Seoul
Hyundai CEO
Poor peasant boy
He is one tough bad ass mofo..!!!

Below is his ‘Note to Obama’ exclusively given to theseoulite.com.

Good speech. Good plan. But President Lee Myung Bak… please call Tony Robbins for a Personal Power session and get your mojo back!

Even President Bill Clinton has gotten counseling from the master of inspiration!

The President has some lofty goals to go into ‘crisis mode’ to dodge the economic crisis, take care of the poor, and reposition Korea emerge ahead after the smoke clears. But he needs some of that old charisma and confidence he had before his travails in 2008. I hope he has someone like Tony Robbins on his special ‘hotline‘ for 2009!

My first world news broadcast of the year at Arirang started with some good news… increased Iraqi sovereignty. Perhaps it will hasten the departure of US troops and tax dollars. You know if Koreans were rebuilding Iraq it would be done by the end of this month… with a Samsung flat-screen tv in every living room. Let’s hope for peace in 2009. It actually doesn’t seem like an empty platitude to say that these days… more like a desperate plea!

People sang it. Do they know what it means? Auld Lang Syne means in the days of ‘old long ago’ or rather in the good old days in Old Scots. So on New Year’s you’re supposed to remember the good from the past year while you move into the next year.

New Year’s over the past few years have been transitions for the Seoulite. So he’s gonna take a moment to make up for December 2007 along with December 2008. He went from San Francisco to Los Angeles to Seoul in the span of two new year’s celebrations. It turns out that during New Year’s 2007 to usher in 2008 - which he spent in Korea - this horrific article was printed in the San Francisco Chronicle! Always the last to know… a year later too!

Well, he’ll just take it as a compliment that his departure from San Fran was so tragic to the industry that it qualified as the ‘lowest’ moment in 2007! Oh Bobby Hurwitt… why were we always your favorite company you loved to bash.

The Seoulite was never able to properly say good-bye to the precious memories of being an activist in the States. He is glad to leave this hat for a while. It can be such a mindscrew to be in America. The Seoulite will tell you it is such. a. relief. to be in Korea... so Auld Lang Syne to that baby!

Above and below are videos of two of his role models and mentors… David Henry Hwang and Philip Kan Gotanda. May they keep thriving in their artistic endeavors and find great success in 2009!

Rob Hurwitt… a concession since it is the new year… and it appears you had redeemed yourself in late 2008 with this article. Much love and best wishes for a successful new year for Asian American Theater Company and the Chronicle.

And of course Rob… I am very grateful for your support at the beginning… kicking it back to 2003!

And I forget how sassy I was. See my sassy quotes:
Sassy Article #1
Sassy Article #2

Sandra Oh just hits it on the nail. Christina Yang. Rocks. The Anatomy.

The Seoulite doesn’t have many pictures from his time at AATC on his computer in Seoul but he was able to find a couple on the internet… why aren’t there more photos?

A montage of one of the many magical moments of working together towards a mission to better the world. For real. It feels good. Everyone at AATC… the Seoulite misses you!

Here’s an Australian’s take on racial politics… maybe if Asian Americans all had Australian accents things would immediately change. It’d be a mindscrew back in the other direction!

And the Seoulite was happy to discover on Youtube that the student theater group (originally started by David Henry Hwang in 1979), which he helped revive while at Stanford, is still alive and so funny! This is a spoof the Asian American Theater Project did on ‘The Office’. The more things change… they really do stay the same.

Regrets for 2008… I had a few… but then again really really too few to mention. More grateful than anything else. Many prayers for a roaring 2009! It’s an 11 year!

Oh… and Auld Lang Syne. We need to hear someone sing it. Sing it Mary Poppins!

Is it really more than meets the eye? Pizza Hut is now Pasta Hut… or at least that’s what they’re trying to figure out. Worldwide, the company is turning thirty of its Pizza Hut locations into Pasta Huts to gauge customer response to the name change. And guess what, three of those locations will be in Korea! Ten percent! According to eye-witness accounts, the said restaurants have already been transformed… but since the Seoulite allows himself Pizza Hut only a once a year… he wouldn’t know!

The entrance to the Pizza Hut in Myeongdong is in a little door. You have to take an elevator up. Sometimes there is a doorman. Oooh... like getting into an exclusive club.

But don't knock it! Upstairs there are so many cute girls floating around.

It really does feel like you're aloft in the clouds... above the busy fashion district.

This so wrong. But so right. Who knew Pizza Hut gave it their best to make fancy pizza? This would have been unthinkable in the 1980s. You know they are really struggling when every inch of the pizza is scrutinized to provide more value... like stuffing the crust with cheese!

And then providing a sauce to dip it in!

People who like to gorge on multiple extra large pizzas will be sorely disappointed or spend more at Pizza Hut than a 3 star Michelin restaurant. A medium supreme pizza with that cheesy crust was approximately 30,000 won... this would normally translate to 30 dollars, but with the exchange rate as it is... pizza lovers can come with US dollars!

You know the Seoulite’s all about name changes for the better, but does ‘pasta’ really signal a healthier lifestyle? This isn’t the 1990s. Can’t fool us with ‘fat-free’ carbs! We are in the post-South Beach Diet era so everybody knows that these are definitely not carbs of the ‘good’ variety… even if we were eating carbs.

This what the Seoulite thinks… there was some zippy MBA grad who thought of the change to pasta… and supported with his/her evidence of a terrifying drop in market share, graphs of shifting consumer choices to a healthier lifestyle, and fancy terminology from whatever supply chain logistics course he/she just took.

This is an actual zippy Stanford MBA grad. Andrea Wong is her name... and she is credited with saving the US-based cable network, Lifetime TV. Taking something bland and giving it more zest. Hmmm... maybe MBAs really can save the Hut.

Then he/she got a team together with his/her graphic designer boyfriend/girlfriend to create Pasta Hut… only to be blocked and vetoed by the curmudgeon-y CEO or senior vp-squad!

This is GM CEO Rick Wagoner. Even white-haired politicians think he is behind the times and want to kick him out of General Motors as part of the federal bailout plan. Have a say in how Congress spends your tax money!

After bawling over failure, his/her girlfriend/boyfriend sends his powerpoint preso to the chairman and lead stockholders who think it’s an amazing idea. And then they fight with management. And then they all can’t decide.

Hubris. Don't go there.

And then their on-retainer PR firm comes up with this idea to ‘test out’ Pasta Hut with a huge marketing blitz to only transform a scant portion of their stores. And here we go. Another medicore story from corporate America that we’ve spent too much time thinking about. Aaaaah!

The firm handling the Pizza Hut / Pasta Hut extravaganza is UK firm AMV BBDO. They were the funnies behind the latest Mister T Snickers commericals.

Here are some other hot shot PR companies.

Edelman is the largest independent PR agency. Most PR agencies used to be independent too. But now most of the serious ones have been bought up by large media conglomerates like Omnicom or WPP Group. Edelman raked in $400 million last year. Pretty hot stuff.

Ogilvy PR is just sexy all around. They didn't even break $30 million in revenues for last year, but their B/W/R subsidiary is where you go for a publicist if you're one of Hollywood's hottest stars.

Burson Marsteller. They need a better logo, but they are tough as nails when it comes to Public Affairs. Got a PR issue in the world of politics and diplomacy? Go here. Their new worldwide CEO used to be the chief strategist for Hillary Clinton's 2008 Presidential Campaign. And they're currently representing Blackwater in the investigation against their employees killing unarmed Iraqi civilians. They certainly work both sides of the aisle! They were the first PR company to break $300 million in revenue in 2000. The Seoulite worked here one summer in the DC office. Sizzling place. They also rep Philip Morris so the office of course had to come with smoking or non-smoking sections.

The ‘Big Three’ American automakers are asking for a $25 billion dollar bailout. Republicans argue these companies should be allowed to fail in the ’survival of the fittest’ free market economy. Democrats argue that the loss of jobs will be catastrophic. Either way, damage will happen and it will be today’s 20 and 30 somethings that will foot the bill through taxes.

The shaky health of US car makers puts pressure on the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement because the Democrats don’t like the quota of American cars that are allowed into the Korean market. Years of hard work and sweat of quid pro quo negotiations have gone into this agreement. You tinker with one thing, then you have a house of cards falling down. Earlier this year the US said it would not pass the FTA unless Korea opened up its beef market again. So it did. Caved into beef. But beef we will eat. It’s tasty. American cars? The quality is now worse than Korean cars. So no. Probably won’t sell anyway.

But politics aside, for those young US taxpayers barely able enough to remember the 1980s when US carmakers still had some muscle left, here are some commercials to take us back to the magic of what once was the US auto industry.

Well, you can’t blame a fool for trying. Here’s a story on GM’s strategy in China.

Hi, I’m Sean Lim, an American expat living in South Korea.  This is my blog about becoming a Seoulite.

What is a Seoulite?
A ‘Seoulite’ (서울깍쟁이) is a citizen of Seoul, just as a ‘New Yorker’ is a citizen of New York. Of course the label ‘Seoulite’ doesn’t simply denote a place of residence [...]