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North and South Korean Language Split: Can They Understand Each Other? Posted by Tony Kitchen on Nov 6, 2015
Over sixty years after North Korea and South Korea agreed to a ceasefire (along with the United States and United Nations participants), the two countries have taken different political pasts, clearly. But this has transferred into the linguistic fear as well, with North Korean defectors struggling to adjust to South Korean hangul. Imagine trying to adjust…
North Koreans Defecting: Not Simply a Better Life Posted by Tony Kitchen on Oct 31, 2015
The number of North Korean defectors has been increasing, most notably with the recent report that 20 diplomats, including high ranking army officer, defected to South Korea. However, not all North Koreans living in South Korea and China or even the United States have a rosy life once they leave. And some North Koreans find…
A Practical Guide for a Trip to Korea Posted by Tony Kitchen on Oct 30, 2015
There’s the DMZ, the Blue House (청와대), the temples, and monuments. You could (maybe should) do that. But when planning a trip to South Korea, no one would blame you if you wandered among the neon, snacking at street food stands. Or if explored alleyways and followed the locals for samgyupsal (쌈겹살) or into hofs (호프)…
Seoul, Gangnam, and the Best Partying Spots in Korea Posted by Tony Kitchen on Oct 16, 2015
Seoul (서울), the massive capital of Korea, and its trendy Gangnam (강남) neighborhood, is more (and better) than PSY galloping through it. The city hosts some of Korea’s best universities and has a large expatriate community, not to mention nighttime roaming from the contentious American military presence. So there is no shortage of people looking…
Happy Chuseok! How to Celebrate Korean Thanksgiving Posted by Tony Kitchen on Sep 27, 2015
Have fun on your Chuseok holidays! (여러분 모두 즐거운 추석 연휴 보내세요!) Today (Sept. 27) is the iconic Korean holiday of Chuseok (추석), which means Korean Thanksgiving Day. Each year, the holiday falls on a different day based on the Lunar Calendar. The holiday celebration is actually three days long, which means yesterday and tomorrow…
Pig’s Feet: A Korean Culinary Must Posted by Tony Kitchen on Aug 22, 2015
One must not be shy when entering into Korean cuisine–or alleyways for that matter. A walk down a neon-lit street or back-alley full of steam will most likely show tanks with unknown seafood piled upon each other, a full pig’s head, and a wooden block of steamed intestine and blood sausage. But one of the best…
Korean Film Essentials: A Guide Pt. 2 Posted by Tony Kitchen on Aug 21, 2015
Korean film is still on its upswing, and from a film or movie-going experience, from Seoul to Cannes, it is not merely a string of hits. Three Korean movie directors are at the forefront of the movement. What makes Korean film punch above its weight internationally? If it is not his actual films, then it…