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No Skin Required: Healthy Images of Couples in the Korean Media

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Han Ji-hye So Ji-sub Bang BangMuch as I’d like to always present a sophisticated and hard-hitting persona on the blog, I’d have to admit that the following two commercials from Bang Bang (뱅뱅) are very sweet and endearing, and put big smiles on my wife’s and my faces.

More to the point though, they also provide a timely reminder that if presenting healthy images of couples is the deliberate intention, and (much needed) ones of romantically assertive women in particular, then you don’t need to have them lounging around in their underwear or “accidentally” falling into awkward sexual poses to do so. Ironically however, the first two commercials in this series with Han Ji-hye (한지혜) and So Ji-sub (소지섭) featured precisely that, which makes one wonder if Bang Bang mixed the order up.

Here’s what was said in the first video, a little stranger than it looks:

용감한 데님

[Her] Brave Denim Jeans

난 아직 그녀를 안아줄 용기가 없습니다.

Ji-sub: I haven’t had the courage to hug her yet.

이때 그녀의 데님이 내게 속삭입니다.

But this time, her denim jeans whispered to me.

대신 나를 살짝 잡는거예요.

Ji-hye’s jeans (to Ji-sub): Instead, [you should] softly grab me (the jeans).

그녀의 친구는 나보다 용감합니다.

Ji-sub: Her friend [the jeans] is braver than me!

Be my best, 뱅뱅

Be my best, Bang Bang.

And in the second one from Ji-hye’s perspective, which came out at the same time:

친절한 셔츠

[His] Friendly, Warm-hearted Shirt

이 남자, 아직 내 손도 잡지는 못해요.

Ji-Hye: This man, he hasn’t [even] been able to hold my hand yet...

이때 그의 셔츠가 내게 말합니다.

But then, his shirt spoke to me.

“먼저 내 소매를 잡아봐요.”

Ji-sub’s shirt: First, try grabbing his sleeve.

그의 친구는 내게 친절합니다.

Ji-hye: His friend [the shirt] is very friendly to me!

“Be my best, 뱅뱅”

Be my best, Bang Bang.

So Ji-sub Han Ji-hye Bang Bang( Image Sources: Paranzui )

All together now: awwwwwww! But seriously, are any readers aware of any earlier Korean commercials featuring couples in which the woman…or her clothes…took the lead in becoming (slightly) more intimate with her partner, like in the first one here? Not that it’s that radical of course, nor – even if it is the first of its kind – that by itself it will make serious dents in Korean social expectations of romantically meek and passive women. Hopefully it is the start of a trend though, and that would indeed make a difference.

Or am I projecting too much from Koreans’ sexual behavior onto their dating behavior? It is true that many Korean women are so concerned about maintaining virginal appearances as to make them feign lack of knowledge of contraception for instance, and so either not provide nor insist on their partners using it, so it seems reasonable to suppose that this passivity would also be the case at earlier stages in their relationships. But this is a generalization of course (which didn’t even apply to my own wife and former girlfriends), and I haven’t actually dated in 9 years either (sigh), so I may be a little out of touch. I’d appreciate it then, if more experienced readers could pass on their own impressions!

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Posted in Korean Commercials, Korean Media, Korean Men's Body Images, Korean Sexuality, Korean Women's Body Images Tagged: Bang Bang, 뱅뱅, Han Ji-hye, 소지섭, 한지혜, So ji-sub
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Beer Ahoy!

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It didn't take long for Sarah and I to discover another Vietnamese institution: the Bia Hoi.

These street bars are located all around Hanoi, and supply the basics - cold beer and a seat from which to watch Hanoi whizz by.

The beer is based on chezch pilsner, and brewed on rooftops all across the city. It has a fresh, hoppy taste, and most importantly, it is cheap - one glass will set you back no more than about 10p.

All this makes it incredibly easy to simply sit back, run up a tab and let the chaos get on without you.

Which is exactly what we did.

Korean Photoshop Disaster #1: Magic Hole

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Naturally, the unfortunate name of Anycall’s new phone has already led to a great deal of speculation as to what was meant by it exactly. But as a former astronomy major (or at least, before an ankle injury forced me into Korean sociology that is),  and considering how stretched and warped poor UEE (유이), Lee [...]

Joke from Expacked - using big words

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Definitely the funniest joke I've read since... the last joke in Expacked:

A group of new entrants were trying very hard to become accustomed to primary
school. The biggest hurdle they faced was that the teacher insisted on NO baby
talk!

“You need to use ‘Big People’ words,” she was always reminding them.
She asked John what he had done over the weekend?

“I went to visit my Nana”.
“No, you went to visit your GRANDMOTHER. Use ‘Big People’ words!”
She then asked Mitchell what he had done.
“I took a ride on a choo-choo.” She said.

“No, you took a ride on a TRAIN. You must remember to use ‘Big People’ words.” She then asked little Alex what he had done?
“I read a book”, he replied.
“That’s WONDERFUL!” the teacher said.
“What book did you read?”
(ya gotta admire this …..)
Alex thought real hard about it, then puffed out his chest with great pride, and said,
“Winnie the SH*T”


Expacked is a weekly news digest in online format. Check it out.

Creative Commons License © Chris Backe - 2009
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A little change of pace

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Greetings all my wonderful readers,

A little change of pace around the blog will be coming soon - just my way of getting back on topic or in my niche, if you will. That niche is travel and about life in Korea - editorials and blockquotes from news stories are interesting as well, but I've found I spend so much time on them that I'm getting away from the things I truly want to write about. That means you'll see a few less posts every week - I trust quality will keep you coming back rather than quantity.

Don't worry, you'll still see the occasional editorial / opinion or news story, especially if it pertains to life in Korea or how foreigners are treated in Korea. If you need the up-to-the-minute fix, check out Brian in Jeollanam-do's blog. Seriously, I don't know how he updates 5+ times a day - what's your secret, man?

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming :)

Creative Commons License © Chris Backe - 2009

Destination: Bomunsa

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Correction: The Bomun order is Korea's only order of Buddhist nuns (HT to Gomushin Girl), not Asia's. See the comments for more.

The high temple of Asia's Korea's only order of Buddhist nuns welcomes you . Originally founded in 1115 during the Goryeo dynasty, this temple has seen its ups and downs as they all have. Above is 호지문, also known as the temple's front gate. It's quite elaborate - and shouldn't simply be passed through while seeing the rest of the area.

Like most temples in the country, Bomunsa has been renovated many times, and it's difficult to tell how old the current buildings are. According to one sign, the grand hall (대웅전) has survived since King Yeongjo's time (reigned from 1721-1776); other buildings are a little more vague about their age.



It's worth noting that Bomunsa is very much a practical place where the nuns live; as a result, some buildings aren't precisely beautiful or open for viewing. Some areas, however, are still beautiful without needing anything special about them.



Along the side of one building is a long list of names - since it's not precisely a tourist destination, there's no sign indicating what these people were known for. Based on the number of names, my guess is a list of nuns that have lived here over the centuries.



The Bomunsa Bell - note the painting on the ceiling and elsewhere. Quite beautiful.



With eight angles and nine stories, this reliquary stone tower claims to house the "teeth relics" of Buddha, and is an example of Goryeo (918-1392 A.D.) architecture.



Some unique rock arrangements built into one of the walls - quite a few of these were visible amongst the walls as you walked up or down the stairs. Other designs included flowers and Buddhist icons.

Out of respect for the religious and religious icons, I took no pictures of the Buddha figures or the altars. Climbing up the steps and through the four gates brings me to the Buddha. Each gate, according to the brochure has a name - the gate of circumnavigation, deliverance, moral strength, and the gate of the Four Guardian Spirits of the sky. In any case, it did seem appropriate to reflect in the Buddha's presence. Whether Buddhist or not, things certainly seem more peaceful after some quiet reflection on the figure. People were also welcome to perform obeisance (deep bowing) or burn incense at the altar.

Before long, it was time to discover the unusually large forest inside the temple's walls:


Although walking through the forest is not feasible (there's no path, anyway), following the trail around the perimeter of the wall is still quite enjoyable.



The walk around the perimeter isn't that long - perhaps a kilometer and a half - and isn't too difficult of a walk.

As we were leaving the temple, we saw this odd watering hole:



It's worth coming by on a peaceful afternoon to see the sights, although the nuns were almost nowhere to be seen. We saw a couple conversing with other Koreans, and presumably the rest were busy with their lives as nuns.

Worth noting: Every Saturday afternoon is a mini-templestay from 2pm to 5pm. Learn about the Korean tea ceremony, making a lotus lantern, and practicing obeisance for 10,000 won. It's open to both foreigners and Koreans, and is a great opportunity to learn more about the Buddhist faith. For more information, check out their website (link in English) or call at 02-928-3797.While it's not a full-fledged templestay, it's certainly interesting for those interested but don't have a full weekend.

Directions to Bomunsa: Take line 6 of the Seoul subway system to the Bomun station. Take exit 1 to street level. Bear right and look uphill instead of going through the tunnel. Buses 103, 142, 152, 272, 273, 1014, and 1162 also stop nearby.

Creative Commons License © Chris Backe - 2009

[Four] More side dishes please! 여기 반찬 더 주세요 :)

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Today, I am going to introduce everyone to 반찬 (pronounced "ban chan") or also known as Korean side dishes. Side dishes are essential in Korean cuisine. What exactly is it? It's basically the equivalent of pickles or pepper when eating hamburgers. One could also compare it to ligonberry jam when eating Swedish meatballs.


ligonberry jam with meatballs
Korean side dishes serve the purpose of adding a bit of spice to your dinner, if your main dishes are bland- or vice versa. Koreans like combining different flavours together.
Here are some of my favorite side dishes:
#1) kimchi ("김치")
-The world famous spicy fermented cabbage! In Korea, kimchi is also used to make popular dishes such as Kimchi hot pot (김치찌개) or Kimchi fried rice (김치 볶음밥). Interestingly, although kimchi is used widely in restaurants and in homes as a side dish, people like to make the kimchi dishes mentioned above at home, rather than order it in a restaurant. 
kimchi hot pot (kimchi jjigae 김치찌개)
#2) White kimchi ("Baek Kimchi" 백김치")
-This is another type of kimchi like the one above, except that it's not spicy. It has a cold "soup" which is refreshing in the summer!
                                     
                                     
Here's a picture of a waitress throwing away leftover side dishes in front of the customers. This is a way for restaurants to show customers that they do not re-use leftover side dishes.
#3) marinated potatoes (kamza jorim 감자조림)
-You can't go wrong with potatoes! This side dish is slightly sweet and is well liked by kids 
I could really go on and on about side dishes because there are really so many! For instance, there is a restaurant in Jeon Ju city 전주시 where you can order four soup dishes and get thirty one different side dishes for $6000 won! (approx. $6 US) If you're in Korea, you have to check it out. The restaurant is called "Han Guk Sik Dang"한국식당 which means Korean restaurant. For pictures and directions to the place (in Han Gul/Korean), click here.
Thirty one??? Now that is incredible! Why? Side dishes are included in the meal price. This means, whether you order one dish or twenty, you will still get side dishes. And if you ask nicely, refill is free too. Next time you go to a Korean restaurant, try saying,
" banchan jo geum man duh joo say yo"
"반찬 조금만 더 주세요".
This means, please give us a little bit more side dishes.
word for word translation:
banchan=반찬 side dishes
jo geum man= 조금만 a little bit
duh=더 more
joo say yo=주세요 please give us
(*tip* the sentence structure in Korean is different from English. The verb usually comes after the phrase.)
So you've tried Korean side dishes? What to do next? Here are two awesome ideas:
#1) Buy more side dishes!
You can find side dishes in department stores in Korea. If you're living outside of Korea, try going to Korean supermarkets, they will definitely sell them too
 Look at all the different kinds of packaged kimchi!




 
#2) Share Korean side dishes with your family, friends, and neighbours
a table full of side dishes!
All smiles while cooking for the poor
Korean ladies making kimchi for a campaign to help the poor in Dae Jun (대전) 
Everyone lending a hand
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mmm.... All this talk about food is making me hungry!
Hope you enjoyed this week's blog entry about Korean side dishes =) Let me know which one is your favorite!
*
Is your favorite fried spicy anchovies? 멸치볶음

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Poor Man's Liquid Nitrogen

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Liquid nitrogen is useful for snap freezing cells ready for storage. Our lab doesn't order it in because we don't use enough, so whenever I need it, I have to go to the other labs and 'borrow' it. I cycle between 3 labs, the mycotoxin lab, the virus lab and the fungus lab. They're usually nice enough to give it to me but I always feel bad, because liquid nitrogen is an ever-diminishing commodity.

The other day though, I came across a recipe for Poor Man's Liquid Nitrogen. It's not as good, but works as a substitute. What you need is some dry ice (easier to get than liquid N2) and isopropanol, which is rubbing alcohol. Dry ice comes in chunks that look a little bit like white Cheetos and it tends to stick to things in an unpleasantly cold way. Kind of like a tongue on a frosty pole.

So what you do is punch some holes into a few paper cups and get a small styrofoam box.

Put the cups inside the box and pack the gaps between them with dry ice. Then pour the isopropanol over everything so that the cooled fluid will fill up in the cups. If you don't have isopropanol, you can use 95% ethanol. If you don't have 95% ethanol, you could probably make do with Bacardi 151. Soju would not work, as the lower alcohol content would cause the bath to soldify.

This is what it should look like if things are going well. The alcohol stays as a liquid at very low temperatures, which allows you to dip things in it and snap freeze them. Right now the alcohol is bubbling from the carbon dioxide gas, but is extremely cold. If you put a flower in it and then drop it on the ground, it will shatter. Be careful not to get it on your skin though, because unlike liquid N2, it will cling and give you frostbite.

You can do a regular liquid nitrogen science show with it if you are an elementary to middle school teacher. Use things like rubber bands, super balls and fruit. To make mist like I have in the photo above, just add hot water. Adding detergent will create an endless supply of bubbles, which at first is very entertaining, but later becomes worrisome.

You should refrain from doing these sorts of things in the presence of your lab professor. Unfortunately they're only interested in the kind of science that you can publish. If you do get busted though, just do what I do. Smile and say "Gee, Korean CO2 is really strong!"

Good luck!

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