Thursday, October 29, 2015

Seoul gets a new slogan-I.Seoul.U



A new slogan, I.Seoul.U, was chosen for Seoul on October 28, 2015. I.Seoul.U replaced the current slogan, Hi Seoul, which was used since 2002. The winning entry was chosen from an online vote of 16,000 entries. The winning entry was created by a Korean philosophy student named Lee Ha-rin.

The slogan is already being criticized. A lot of people don't really understand the meaning. The city says the slogan means that the two individuals can coexist in Seoul.

The slogans were narrowed down to the top 3. The other 2 were Seouling and Seoulmate.

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Korea's slogans never make sense!

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Sincheon Station to be renamed

In Seoul there is always confusion around 2 similarly named subway stations. Sincheon and Sinchon sound similar and both of the stations are on the green line #2. If you end up at the wrong one it will take over 30 minutes to reach the correct station.

They voted on new station names and the one with the most votes was Jamsilsaenae Station. The first part 'Jamsil' is the area where the station is located. The second part 'saenae' is the pure Korean version of Sincheon in Chinese characters.

Music Video: Got7 "If You Do" (English Subtitles)

I think I'm becoming a Got7 fan. This music video has been out for a while. I didn't really think anything of it at first, but now the song is stuck in my head!!


Sunday, August 30, 2015

Non-Natives Can Become English Teachers

Read the article here: http://m.koreatimes.co.kr/phone/news/view.jsp?req_newsidx=36881

To be an English teacher in Korea you have to be from one of seven approved countries where English is the official language. Those countries are: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland.

But starting next year things are changing. People from other countries where English is used as an official language will be able to work in primary and secondary public schools. About 50 countries have adopted English as their official language, but not all of those countries qualify. Only countries with trade agreements with Korea will be eligible. Those countries are: India, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

The requirements for the new countries will be more strict than those from the 7 approved countries. Non-native applicants must have at least a Bachelor's degree in English studies and have a teaching license from their country.

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Music Video: Super Junior "Devil"

Super Junior is one of my favorite groups. They usually have cool music videos. I like this one.


Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Friday, June 19, 2015

Music Video: Bumkey "My Everything" (English Subtitles)

I really like this video. I like the message and the video itself.  I like how the words of the song are written in hangul. I can read the hangul and then look at the English subtitles at the same time.

It makes me think of my boyfriend. He is my everything.

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Cheaters' website explodes after adultery is made legal

Read it here: http://nypost.com/2015/06/12/cheaters-website-explodes-in-south-korea-after-adultery-made-legal/

Ashley Madison is a website that allows people to meet up for affairs. Its marketed as a dating site for married people. The website was shut down while adultery was illegal in Korea. Now that adultery is now legal the website is very popular. The company executives think South Korea could be one of the top 3 markets over the next 5 years behind the USA and Canada.

Ashley Madison was opened to South Korea in April of 2014. There were 50,000 signups in the first 2 weeks before the website was shut down because of the adultery law. The site was reopened when adultery was no longer criminalized. 100,000 people signed up in the first 2 weeks after reopening.



Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Music Video: Brooklyn "Go Brooklyn"

Featuring Jay Park

How cute is this! Its neat to see such a young rapper. The special effects are pretty cool too.


Music Video: MBLAQ "Mirror"

Mblaq was one of my favorite groups. Now they are a trio after losing 2 of their members-Thunder and Lee Joon. I'm not sure how I feel about the new group minus 2 of the original members. I think it takes time to adjust to changes. I'll just have to hear more of the new music.

I like the new song. I think my favorite part is Mir's rap solo.


Saturday, May 23, 2015

Music Video: Nu.D "Perfume" (English Subtitles)

I like this song. Its a sweet song and he has a great voice. Its a different style from his last song. I like when artists try varying styles of music.




Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Subway/Bus Fares to Go up in Seoul

Read the whole article here: http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2015/04/17/2015041701504.html?utm_content=buffer75b19&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Next month the Subway and bus fares will rise.

For the first time early birds will get a discount. If you use your transportation card before 6:30am there will be a 20% discount on fares.

The city government proposed two plans for fare raises.

Plan A: subway fares will rise from 1,050W to 1,300W which is a 250W increase. Bus fares will rise from 1,050W to 1,200W which is an increase of 150W. Youth and children's fares will stay at 720W.

Plan B: Subway fares will rise from 1,050W to 1,250W which is a 200W increase. ($1USD=$1,090W at time of article)

The last fare raise was February 2012. The government needs to raise the fares to make up for the loss they suffered due to discounted fares for transit passengers and a growing population of older people which receive free rides.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Music Video: J.Y. Park "Who's Your Mama?" (English Subtitles)

Feat. Jessi.

This video is funny. J.Y. Park likes a big booty. But the women in the video don't really have big a big booty. ha. It's Korea's version of the big booty.


Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Music Video: JiHwan (2bic) "Hug" (English Subtitles)

I like this. The video is really simple, but his voice is great. (JiHwan is a member of 2bic-one of my favorite groups!)


Friday, March 20, 2015

English Teacher Fired For Making Students Taste Detergent

Read the full story: http://www.koreaobserver.com/english-teacher-fired-for-making-students-taste-detergent-27151

An English teacher was fired for making students taste detergent as a punishment for speaking Korean in class.  The teacher was a 32 year old female from South Africa.The students were warned that if they spoke Korean they would have to taste Charm Green, an organic detergent or Onix, a nail biting deterrent.

Some of the mischievous students kept speaking Korean and actually wanted to taste the detergent or Onix.

The teacher left Korea after being fired. She wrote an apology letter to the school (the letter is on the news article site)

_______________________

She should have found a better punishment! Why would anyone think that making students taste detergent would be okay?

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Music Video: Planet Shiver "Rainbow" (English Subtitles)

Feat. Crush

I love Crush's voice. This music video is cool. I like when their face starts to glow and they become happy.




Friday, February 27, 2015

Adultery is now legal in South Korea

Read about it here: http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20150226000762

The law criminalizing adultery was created in 1953 and violators could be jailed up to 2 years for marital infidelity. The law has been deemed unconstitutional.

About 100,000 people were convicted under the 1953 ruling.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Visa Rules Eased for Foreign Graduates

Read it here: http://m.koreatimes.co.kr/phone/news/view.jsp?req_newsidx=173345

South Korea is easing up on visa rules to attract and keep international talent.

Foreigners who have at least a bachelor's degree can get an E-7 (designated activities) visa even if their job has nothing to do with their major. In the past their major had to be related to their job.

The D-10 (job seeking) visa rules have also changed. Foreigners aren't required to have a GPA of 3.0, a national certificate, and recommendation letters from professors anymore. The length of the visa has also changed from 1 to 2 years.

It has also become easier to gain permanent residency.

Foreigners who have earned science or engineering degrees in Korea and have lived in Korea for 3 years and have an income higher than the gross national income are allowed to gain residency.

Foreigners who have earned master's degrees in Korea, have lived in Korea for 3 years, and have an income higher than the GNI are allowed to gain residency regardless of their major.

The government also plans to relax the points-based system for foreigners.

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Imagine Your Korea CF

Josh is a YouTuber from England who speaks Korean. On his YouTube Channel he calls himself the Korean Englishman. (I subscribe to his channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/koreanenglishman/)   The tourism department invited him to Korea to film this commercial.

Imagine Your Korea is one of Korea's new tourism slogans.


Friday, January 9, 2015