I like Super Junior !!!!

Ok team,  Its time to fill you in on another little Korean pop number that I enjoy.    Its Super Junior !!! This is indeed a real catchy little number indeed I feel !! Its called ROKKUGUH !!!! Have a listen to it and enjoy !!!!

Interesting things to do in Korea

Well team its not long now until I head back to the Land of the Morning Calm !! My visa is in hand, my contract signed and I am just waiting for my ticket to arrive and then its up, up and away !! I just hope that I get to fly Singapore Airlines this time ( I really want to try them - I have tried cathay pacific and Malaysian, so now I have got to travel with Singapore from my home town in Adelaide, Australia.  ) .  I also want to charm Singapre girl hehehe !!

All in all, I am really quite excited to be going back.    I feel that, even though I have already lived in Korea for 3 years, there is still so much for me to see and do.    I really want to open my mind a lot more to this wonderful country and experience more and more of what it has to offer.  

I really want to try and cross Korea a few times and capture all of it.  From the temples, to Apkujeong, to various festivals, to maybe even trying some differing foods; I want to do a lot.   So lets get started on what I want to do yes !!!! Okay ... ready ... set... and here we go !!!!!

Well, lets start off with where I will be staying.   I will be staying in a place called Songpa-gu, a part of Seoul that has been touted as a major economic development hub.    One place that I really want to visit is the Garden 5, one stop shopping distribution hub with over 8,300 shops.   It is widely required as the biggest shopping mall in Asia.   You can see it here




Thanks to 박미례 and wikipedia for this image.    This place looks pretty good in the picture hehe.   It might just even make me like shopping after all hehehe.

Another place I would like to vist in Songpa-gu is the Garak Market.   Garak Market is a major distribution point for maritime and agricultural produce, much of which is completely eco-friendly.   Sounds like somewhere for me to visit yes !!!

Aaaahhh !! I have just seen somewhere else I wish visit in Songpa-gu -- The Seokchon Lake area !! I have just seen a picture of it and I think that it looks really, really good indeed !! And while I am there I really must visit Lotte World amusement park !! Oh I can see it now I will feel happy, excitable, and just like a little kid again running around on all the rides. tides and fun things to do there ! I hope I can see Mickey Mouse there yes !? Oh damn man .. hang on Mickey is in Disney World yes ... Oh poop !!! Hehehe ! Check this out





This is a picture of the Seokchon Lake area in Songpa-gu.   If you look a little closer, in the top half of the lake lol, you can see Lotte World right in the middle of the water.    Check it out here.




Theres nothing like a little indoor theme park to get you in the mood for some fine yes !!! Thanks to Khitai, 박미례, and wikipedia for the above pictures. 

Hmmm this just makes me want to stay in Songpa-gu - BUT ALL SONGPA-GU AND NO WHERE ELSE WILL JUST MAKE JAMES A BORING PERSON LOL !! I think I know just the place to fix this little ill..........

APKUJEONG !!!!!

Seriously team, this place rocks.   I was lucky enough to get to Apkujeong and neighbouring Kangnam when I was living in Seoul, but trust me, my appetite has been seriously whetted and I want to see more !!! Put simply team, Apkujeong is the centre of opulence in Korea.   Period.   If you want to go Lamborghini, celebrity, Louis Vitton, Dolce and Gabbana, Latte, and lots-a-dollar-ama watching, the Apkujeong is your place !!!

Put simply, Apkujeong is known for 2 things - HIGH END SHOPPING AND A HIGH END NIGHTLIFE scene.    It is the home base for exclusive European brands such as Prada, Gucci and D and G, and Rodeo street is the home of Haute Couture fashion in Seoul.    Its nightlife compliments it day life nicely.    Absent are the dingy, dirty, basic clubs you may indeed find in SIncheon and Hongdae, being replaced by cool, suave jazz clubs, exclusive night spots for celebrity spotting, and some really high end stuff indeed.  

Here is a basic picture of Apkujeong team.   



However, if you want a really cool description of Apkujeong along with some great pics, then I seriously recommend you check out this article from Grace Travel.   Its succinct, pleasant, informative and pretty much direct and straight to the point.   Check it out here.

http://english.triptokorea.com/english/viewforum.php?f=352

Another place I really want to visit again is Kangnam.   This is pretty much located next door to Apkujeong, and is often talked about in the same high level of esteem that Apkujeong is.   Kangnam is pretty much the business capital of Korea, and houses many of the noted business houses in Korea, including AMI Korea, Google, and IBM.  

One of the major streets in Kangnam is the Teheranno, or simply Tehran Street.   As I said just prior, Kangnam is the the major business district in Korea, and Tehran Street really does opitimize this.   Teheranno is the home of internet giants such as Daum, Naver and Yahoo; electrical giants Samsung and Hynix, and noteable financial institutions such as POSCO, Standard Chartered and Citibank.   As a little footnote, its believed that somewhere in the vicinity of $200,000,000 in venture capital money has been invested in Teheranno ( You can see this on wikipedia too heheh .. right here...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teheranno

Heres a little visual of Teheranno and Kangnam







Another place I really want to visit is Jogye-Sa, one of the chief Buddhist temples in Korea.    Its located in Jong-no, which pretty much located in the central part of Seoul.   

Jogye-Sa is also probably the most well known of the temples amongst foreigners and it has several attractions to bring people to the temple.    Visitors to the temple can here Buddhist Dharma talks, can take part in retreats, and participate in daily buddhist ceremonies.

You can see a little more on the temple site.

http://en.jogyesa.org

One other thing I also really want to this time around is finally catch some Baseball, Basketball and Soccer whilst here in Korea !!!!I seriously didnt catch any before, even though I lived really close to the home the Samsung Lions Baseball team and the Daegu World Cup soccer stadium !!!!  Mind you being in Seoul will be good in that I will be living right near Jamsil Baseball stadium, and not too far away from Seoul World Cup Stadium.   I am so looking forward to seeing some good old fashioned sports this time around !!! I also really want to try and get to see some K-1 and UFC this time around if possible also, and more so if Remy Bonjarsky and Mirko " Crocop " Filipovic are in the ring pounding the crap out of opponents.   I might even try and get down to Busan and hit up Giants stadium to watch some Lotte Giants baseball in the summer time.   Peek here



Daegu World Cup Stadium

Jamsil baseball stadium



Incheon Munhak stadium



Munhak Baseball Stadium, Incheon

Another place I really want to go to this summer is Haeundae Beach in Busan.   Haeundae Beach is widely regarded as one of, if not the most popular beach in Korea, and has been heavily commercialised in the last few years.   You can have a little look here. 



Thanks to SJ Yang and wikipedia for the above pic.  


Okay !!! Lol its time for me to rest up now hehehe.   This of course is by no means an exhaustive list of where I wish to go this year, but hey - it is a start !!!! I will eventually get around to telling you more about the places I wish to go to, and will soon even tell you in more detail about my favourite city in Korea-DAEGU !! Daegu is a really cool place team and I really do look forward to letting you know about it ! seeya !!!

Whee Sung - Insomnia

Finally I have got back to my favourite Korean songs !!! Hmmm I must have been disturbed by other things -- GOOD THINGS OF COURSE !

So you know already that I have a strong liking for Clazziquai and Yiruma.   Two very nice little choices I do feel.    Now its time to add to that list.   I REALLY LIKE INSOMNIA BY WHEE SUNG !!!!!   Admittedly I am not familiar with his other stuff but if it is as good as this, then I shall be duly sampling it indeed.   

However, back to the song in question.   If you had been listening to the various charts around the world, barhopping around the clubs, cranking up the car stereo and bopping to your I-Pod, you would have no doubt come across the Craig David version of Insomnia.   Yes team, Craig David did the original, a fine tune I must add, and Whee Sung did the Korean remake, a tune that in my honest opinion is just as fine, and maybe even finer.   Sorry Craig !!!

Actually it may indeed be natural that some people may feel Whee Sung did a better version, as Craig David apparently actually asked Whee Sung to do the Korean version of the song.   Smart move I say, as Whee Sung really did justice to it. 

Whee Sung brought a really relaxed feel to his version of Insomnia.   Whereas Craig David has a very drum and groove orientated, Whee Sung provides a more ambient feel which I feel is much more suited to Korean audiences.  

I tell ya what.   If you can find the Craig David version, pull it out and have a listen.   Then sample the Whee Sung version below and decide for yourself which one you like more.  

Whichever version you choose, heres to some happy listening !!

I am a Castaway on the moon !!!!!!

Well not in real life I am not, but this delightful little Korean movie might just make me seek to reconsider that !! I mean hey, what could indeed be better then living on the moon right ??? Hmmm definitely something to investigate I feel.    Just need to raise the cash first hehehe.

You know what though team ? Its actually ironic that I wasn't on the ground when I saw this movie.   I was most likely somewhere over the China/Taiwan region in a Malaysian airlines jet on route from Seoul, Korea; to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.   I guess its not quite the moon but its indeed as close as most of us will actually get in our lives lol.

I must say though that if a movie could actually take you to the moon, then this one would be it.    I simply found this movie delightful, quirky, amusing, Kookie, simple, intellectually stimulating, and just a fun movie all round.    Thats quite a pleasant recollection yes !!?? Good !! Lets find out why. 

" Castaway on the moon " centres around the quirky adventures of the two main characters,  Kim Seung-keun, ( played by Jeong Jae-Yeong ) and Kim Jeong-Yeon, ( played by Jeong Ryeo-Won ).   These two characters really do a great job in carrying the movie forward, and really do keep the movie very simple and pleasing indeed.

Jae-Yeongs character sets the ball rolling on this quirky little number.    Seung-keun starts as a young man in a crisis.  He is not happy in life, he is despondent in his job, and well.. everything seems to be going wrong.    Oh yes, debt, a common trigger for woe, also emerges as a huge problem for Seung-Keun, and this is the final straw for him.   His residence in dark mental place in his life is confirmed when he recieves a phone call one day that says he has racked up a huuuuuuuuuge debt and sets him for the worst.   It also directs him to a bridge crossing over the Han River in Seoul, which in his ideal plan and plot, is now the last bridge he will ever cross, stand on, and walk across ... ever.    Period.   Yep, suicide seems to be his way out, so he ...well... duly follows through with this ideal, with the end of it all in mind, jumping into the waters of the Han River........

..........and duly managing to get himself onto a deserted little Island in the middle of the Han River.

Seung-Keun is duly unamused by this situation.    He feels that he can not live, yet is now compounded by the reality that death obviously doesn't want to come easily to him also.   He truely is a clutz yes !!! He just simply can not seem to get things right lol.    Ah the complexities of it all.   Thankfully though for him, life actually gets quirky, amusing and simplier from here.

Especially with the introduction of Kim Jeong-Yeon.

To say that Seung-Keun and Jeong-Yeon are 2 vastly different characters is quite an understatement indeed.  They are at vastly opposite ends of the scale.    Seung-Keun, on the surface, has potential to succeed.  He was working in a big company and well.... if he had his life together ... maybe could have gone on to bigger and better things.    A real case of inner turmoil killing off outer potential you could indeed say.   Jeong-Yeon, on the other hand, is a completely visible alternate and, in the eyes of society, a total and utter reclusive nut so to speak.  

Yet it is not her outside look and appearance that sets her up in this movie.   Her outer lack of conformity hides an inside that has a strong concern, care and curiousity about things.    Yes, she ie reclusive and struggles with the outside world, but its the outside world that helps her develop an inate sense of curiousity about life.     Particularly her life when Seung-Keun enters it.    Even if it is unintentional, inadvertent and purely circumstantial.

Lets look at Jeong-Yeon a little more for the minute.   Jeong-Yeon lives in clutter.    Seriously.   She basically hoards a lot, and one of those things hoarded is a telescope, which she regularly uses to look out of her room and gaze into the outside world.   She is quite curious about the outside world and seems to show interest in many of the things in it.

As this is going on, Seung-Keun is gradually settling into his new life on the desserted little island.    He is fending for himself, enjoying his freedom, and rediscovering a zest for life.   Jeong-Yeon is spending much more time behind the computer, looking out of her binoculars more, and really getting curious about the world.    Seung-keun is starting to wish to connect with others again.   Jeong-Yeon is getting more curious about the world.    Seung-Keun tries to communicate with the world through various means.    Jeong-Yeon seeks something interesting in the world.

And then she finds Seung-Keun.

Seriously.   Yep.   Her telescope spent so much time looking for something and yes it found Seung-Keun.    And so the connection between the two began.

Jeong-Yeon was completely intrigued by Seung-Keun, and so they begin communicating.   Seriously.    One in a cluttery bedroom.   The other on a desserted island.    Communicating via messages in the sand and in bottles.    Establishing a very unlikely connection indeed.  
 
Seung-Keun and his life on the island becomes an all consuming thought for Jeong-Yeon.   She takes photos of him also.    She puts him up in her room.    Seung-Keun begins to really love a solitary life on the island, and this really does intrigue Jeong-Yeon.    She is especially interested in how he cooks and gets food for himself.   So much so that she if even sends him home delivery noodles !!!!!Seriously !!! She sends a little noodle delivery man on his scooter to the island to feed him !!!!


However, its here where things take a turn.    The police are eventually alerted to Seung-Keuns presence on the island and they go there to remove him.   Jeong-Yeon is alarmed by this and actually decides to leave her room and go looking for him.    Meeting him now becomes inevitable.   

And guess what team... I AINT GONNA TELL YA WHAT HAPPENS NEXT !!!!!!

You have to come and watch it !!!!

You can see it here with english subtitles..

www.DLAznMovies.com

You can also see the trailer here




Team, you really need to watch this movie.   Its truely a delightful take on how two people from completely different backgrounds, and on completely different levels, can connect on such a high level with each other.   Its a nice take on how communication takes place on not just a verbal level, but also a spiritual level also.  

I loved it and you will too team.    You owe it to yourself to see it.   

The Korean Wave.

Welcome back team.    Welcome to another weekly muse ! I figured that as I had already started up a little section on Korean Pop, I might as well make my weekly muse an introduction, a description, and/or a general overview of what has become a cultural phenomenon generally referred to as " the Korean Wave ". 

For the longest og times now, Western Culture has had a strong fascination in things Asian.    After all, we are forever loving the cute Geisha, the crazy gadgets, and the delightful sushi of Japan; the panda bears, the kung fu, and the lion dance of China; the beaches of Thailand, the " truely Asia " in Malaysia, Indian Curry, the humble nature of the Pinay ad Pinoy in the Phillipines, and of course the lovely Singapore Girl that serves us when we fly aboard Singapore Airlines.  

Now that should almost cover it shouldn't it ? Yeh I think so.    Aaaahhhh the delights of the Orient and its neighbours.....

But hey hang on.    Oh dear.   I think we have forgotten something here, haven't we.     Hang on.   I wonder what it is... Let me see...

Ah yes.. We didnt mention anything about the good things in Korea !!

How could we overlook such a thing ??? Well..... to be perfectly honest with you.....

Quite easily.  

Its actually been only recently that Korean culture has started to gain some exposure in the world.    Reports generally show that it has only really been since the year 2000 that Korean culture has generally started to expose itself to the world.    This exposure has been given the name " The Korean Wave ".

I guess the next question to ask is ... well.... what exactly is the Korean Wave ??  Well, in a nutshell, the Korean Wave, or Korean Fever, refers to the new found interest that the rest of the world is placing on Korean Youth culture, TV, food, popular culture and generally all things Korean.    From humble expansive beginnings in the Asian countries, interest in Korea culture is now also evident in the Middle East, Russia, India, Iran, Turkey, and Israel, and is also spreading as far a field now as North,  Central and South America; the UK, Europe and Australia.  

One of the initial instigators of the rise in popularity of Korean culture was its TV content.   Korean TV shows, for the longest of times, were strongly regulated and censored by the Government, and only those shows that were of good character and good representation of Korean values were presented on TV, hence signalling the birth of the Korean Melodrama, a brand of show that is still very dominant on Korean TV screens today.  

Globalization was able to carry that what is seen on Korean TV to other parts of Asia, therefore increasing the interest in Korean TV culture from it neighbours.    Perhaps the most striking evidence of this came from a TV show named " Winter Sonata ", whose main male character is played by Korean Old Ladies heartthob Bae Yon Joon.   Hehehe I say old ladies heartthrob because, well..... old ladies love him.   Period.    Young women dont like so much.   Double Period.   So there you go.   

Korean TV content is only the start of the ball roll.   Korean Popular Music has already been given much stronger global exposure now, as many Korean acts, once only glued to the Asian pop market, are now starting to expand their horizons, particularly under the guise of making forays into the US Popular Culture Scene.  

Female singer BoA, All girl pop group The Wondergirls, and singer Jeong Ji-Hoon ( commonly known as RAIN ) have been at the forefront of this movement.   

BoA is a young Korean entertainer who has been on the Asian scene now for a long time, and she made her her first official move into the US music industry in October 2008 with the release of her single EAT YOU UP.    The song actually charted at #8 on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Charts, and along with this, was also released online to 31 other countries including the UK, Korea, Japan and countries in Europe in Oceania.

Wondergirls were soon following in BoA's steps, releasing their single " Nobody " onto the American Market, landing a place in the Billboard top 100.    On the back of this, they also got a spot as a support act for the Jonas Brothers on one of their recent US tours. 

Popular music and TV have not been the only mediums by which Koreans have been exposing themselves to the rest of the world.  

Korean sports stars have also made positive impressions globally also.  

Perhaps the 2 most notable of these are Manchester United Soccer Star Park Ji-sung, Pittsburgh Steeler Hines Ward, a Korean-American, and Kim Yu-Na, who is currently the number one womens figure skater in the world.  

South Korea's exceptional performance in the 2002 Soccer World Cup resulted in a much stronger interest in Korean soccer talent than had ever been seen previous.    Scouts from around the world came over to look at Korean talent, and it was not long after that Park Ji-sung, Lee Yeong-Pyo, Seol ki-yeon and others were on the march abroad.   Park is generally seen as the most successful of the Koreans to go abroad.   

Park started his career abroad with Kyoto Purple Sanga in the Japan League.   His next move, after being seen in the 2002 World Cup, was to follow the then Korean coach Guus Hiddink to PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Eredivisie.    It was his play in the Dutch League that brought him under the eye of Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, and it was in the 2004-2005 English Premier League season that Park made the move to Old Trafford.    Since this time, Park has earned the respect of many judges in the EPL, and has really become a strong staple in the Manchester United Line up. 

Hines Ward has become one of the NFL's most prominent wide receivers.   Born in Seoul, South Korea in 1976, he went on to become the first Korean to ever play in a Superbowl championship team when the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Superbowl back in 2006.    He also went on to win another Superbowl with the Steelers in 2009, and amongst other things, has used his bi-racial background to become a strong advocate for social change by working with other Bi racial Korean and American Kids to cultivate political and social awareness to the various plights that many bi-racial kids do indeed face in life. 

Perhaps the athlete on everyones lips in Korea at the moment is figure skater Kim Yu-Na.   If there is one Korean athlete that presently has the weight of a nation on their shoulders, it is her.    Kim is currently the #1 Womens figure skater in the world and Korea has very high hopes for her to take home the Gold Medal at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.   On a less pressurable note, Kim Yu-Na has really stamped a very positive mark on Youth Culture in Korea.   She is a leading exponent of Korean Youth Fashion, recreation, and youth culture, and is generally seen as the kind of youth with an image that Korea wished to expose to the world.  

One other Korean sportsman to make it onto the world stage is the Korean K-1 fighter Choi Hong-Man.   He is the lone Korean K-1 fighter and he has done quite well on the world stage.    He is 7 ft 2 in height, and although a little slow on his feet, he is quite powerful.   He has also made his mark in singing ( he likes hip hop ) and can be seen on some quite quirky advertisements on TV.    He is pretty popular yes !!!!!

Korean products have also made favourable inroads on the world markets.   Prominent Korean brands that are leading in the world stage include Samsung, LG, car giants Hyundai and Daewoo, Kumho tires, Hankook tires, Asiana Airlines, Korean Air, Cyworld, Daum, and Naver are continuing to expose Korean prowess to the world.    Hehehe hmmm and I didnt even need to mention Kimchi and Taekwon-do here !!!!!!!!

As you can see team, Korea really does have a lot to show the world.   I know that I really hope that Korea continues to keep working on showing itself to the world, as the world has now woken up to take notice of what Korea truely has to offer.    Korea certainly looks like it wants to keep this avenue very much open, and I am sure the rest of the world would love this also.    

Pop Music - Korean Style !!!!

" I'm so sorry but I love you....."   Ahhhhh !!!!! Big Bang .... WHAT  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!    " I've got youuuuu under my......." Whoa TVXQ !!!!!!! " Tell me, tell me ....T-TT-TT Tell me.... "  Why you WONDERGIRLS !!! " Girl, Girl, hey you go girl !!!" Yes Lee Hyo Ri I know !!! " Rokkuguh Rokkuguh !!" Oh my God SUPER JUNIOR !!!  " Your're the one ........................"

Yes ! Thankyou EPIK HIGH !! I know I am the one !!

Whoooosh !!! Wow.    The Korean pop acts must be indeed playing with my head I think ... they are trying to spin me round and round so they are !! But I will be good team so don't worry......PHEW !!!!

Alright here we go..

So team, what do you think I am going to blog about here ??? Hmmmmm.  I really do wonder ..... do you think it could be the start of a little section on Korean Pop culture, the Korean Wave and maybe even Korean pop music generally ? Hmmm.... I think you could indeed be quite right if you feel I am going to be blogging about it !!!! You smart-o yes !! Good .. I know you are ;)

Having already lived in Korea for 3 years,  I know what I think about when I hear anything related to Korean Popular Music.    I think of positive adjectives, warm fuzzy words, warm hearted feelings - AND LOTS OF THEM TOO !!! Korean Popular Music ( K-POP and indeed K-POPPU !!! )  is cute.   Its soulful.   It's crazy.    It's comical.   It's sexy.  It's eclectic.   It's amusing.   Oh yeh .... it's also GOOOOOD !!!!!

My personal favorites include Whee Sung ( damn he does a good version of Craig Davids INSOMNIA !! ), Super Junior, Epik High ( Yes .... I'm the one !!! ), KARA,  BoA, 2NE1 ( doo doo da doo-doo doo doo da doo-doo doo doo 21 !!! ) and the two I am going to tell you about tonight.    I will go into stuff by these and other artists in the next couple of days or so.

Tonight though team,   I want to introduce/talk about/reminisce about/bloginisce about/gloat about two Korean artists that really do put me in a very pleasant place when I listen to them.

Clazziquai is a group that really does it for me.    They are eclectic,  smooth, and they have a lot of polish and class about them.   Clazziquai is made up of DJ Clazzi, Alex Chu, and Ho Ran,   and I do believe they were formed in 2001,  I think in Seoul.    They started out as a " project " group that has gone on to release 4 albums that have done quite well.    They also have a very tactical advantage in that they are all quite fluent in English, and they even sing alot of their stuff in both Korean and English.     My favorite song of theirs is " Come to me ".    Damn it is smooth !! You can check it out here.....



Man it is good.   It flows so nicely indeed.    I can't hear enough of it.

Another Korean song I can't hear enough of is " River flows to You " by the Korean pianist Yiruma.    This simply is very lovely, soft, and relaxing.    I do believe it is part of the Twilight soundtrack but I can't confirm that for sure.   Not that it matters.    It's a very simple yet haunting melody which gets right under your skin and moves you.   Damn its so good and I really do love it.   Here it is....



This is simply beautiful.   Aaaahh it just puts me in the mood. 

I tell ya what team.    I am gonna sign off now.   I will cover some more K pop artists in the near future.    Until then, sit back, relax, and allow your soulful musical desires to be fully satisfied.    You would be missing something if you didnt I can assure you. 

weekly muse .... the first one !!!!

Hi team, and welcome to the first of what will become a weekly muse on my blog !!! Aint it cool !!! There are plenty of cool topics on Korea to talk about so each week I will pick a topic that may be of interest and will put pen to paper ( or indeed fingers to keyboard ) about it.

I began thinking about this little section on Friday so I did. You know I was just tinkering about on my computer, going through some ideas and potential things to write about for my Korean Blog. I really wasn't centering around any particular topic for tonight as this is the first one. Kind of ironic that, in the complete, total and utter throws of an open mind on this, I happened to come across the following article on www.ninemsn.com.au......

Rapper questioned over 'obscene' performance

" South Korean rapper G-Dragon is under investigation for a risque performance during which he allegedly feigned sexual intercourse with a female dancer, prosecutors say.

The 21-year-old star, a member of hip-hop group Big Bang, was questioned Thursday for 90 minutes by prosecuting authorities in Seoul, they said.

G-Dragon, whose real name is Kwon Ji-Yong, allegedly mimed sexual intercourse with a female dancer in a bed during a concert in December. He also sang two X-rated songs before a crowd which included many under-age fans.

"I didn't think I was conducting an obscene performance," the singer was quoted as telling prosecutors. He also said he was not aware the two songs had been X-rated, meaning they cannot be performed in front of, or sold to, minors.

An obscene performance is punishable by a jail term of up to one year or $4937 in fines.

Prosecutors said they would decide in a week or two whether to press charges. ""

( www.ninemsn.com.au Feb 5 2010 )


Yep team, its basically another pop star performing in such a public manner that the powers that be in the relevant state where the performance took place deem to be of a ..well.... questionable nature.

Obviously, I was not in attendance at this performance so I will refrain from labelling the performance to be obscene as the headline has indeed suggested. I will indeed put forward some thoughts on the matter in a little while, but first I think it would be good to do a little background on who G-Dragon is and where he has evolved from as an artist ( well, according to what the net says about him anyway ).

G-Dragon is the stage name given to Kwon Ji-Wong, a 21 year old rapper from the successful Korean Boy band Big Bang. Big Bang rose to prominence back in 2006, and they are part of the YG Entertainment stable, which also has other acts such as 2NE1, Se7en, and Gummy, which have all had some form of success in the Korean Pop Arena.

Amongst driving forces within the Korean Pop arena, Big Bang have indeed been a leader of the pack, a mantle I believe they share well with other acts such as TVXQ, Wondergirls, BoA, Lee Hyo Ri, and Epik High to name a few.

Big Bang have also been seen as culturally impactual upon the social and cultural norms of Korean Youth and Pop culture. Basically, many of the fashion trends present among Korean young people have arisen in some way due to the trend being exposed by members of Big Bang. From Corn Rows to tight jeans, from skinny jeans to high top sneakers, from big bang scarves to shutter shades. Yep they have had a hand in it.

They certainly have stretched boundaries. Only this time, well.... questions are now being raised about the appropriateness of the boundaries being pushed.

This isnt the first time that G-Dragon has been in the headlines for questionable reasons. But for the purposes of this blog, we will just keep it centered on the latest issue.

Allegations have been levelled at G - Dragon centering around a supposedly implied public sexual act that took place on stage at his first solo concert late last year, in front of an audience containing a fair amount of minors.

The alleged sexual act basically involved bedding a female member of his dance team so as to imply sexual intercourse on stage.

The Korean Ministry of Family, Health and Welfare sought Prosecutor help and are seeking to determine whether the performance is deemed harmful to Korean youth, and whether the performance broke any laws relating to illicit acts being shown to minors, violating any youth protection laws, and indeed any public performance laws on the whole.

As a side note, I wish to thank http://myonlinehaven.wordpress.com for the above info. For the actual article on the above, you can access it here.

http://myonlinehaven.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/g-dragon-was-secretly-summoned-for-public-prosecution/

So there you have it team.

Personally, I feel that 2 very strong questions do arise, and they form here .. IS IT ILLEGAL AND UNETHICAL v IS IT ARTISTIC EXPRESSION ??

Obviously there is certainly division on this issue. Some say its illegal and to be frank I feel they have very strong grounds to feel this way. Some say that G-Dragon was using the act as a form of artistic expression, and believe it or not, I also do sympathise with this argument also.

The one very important consideration that needs to be acknowledged here though is that the act took place in front of minors, and its as a result of this that I really feel that G-Dragon has gone too far here and has crossed the line.

I basically think that he should not have acted that way in front of an audience that contained people under the legal age of consent. I might have felt differently had the audience been over the legal age of consent and fully capable of understanding the nature of the performance. However, young, impressionable, unsure and potentially confused minds may have been unduly influenced by such actions. I understand that youth are sexually explorative, pubically developing, and discovering who they are and their place in the world, but boundaries are in place for reasons.

Youth Protection is paramount I believe, and the more we can take this on as responsible adults, the better society we will indeed create.

I must admit though that I am not sure about what the prosecutors should do to G-Dragon and his team. I would, however, like to see some form of reformation go on. I honestly believe that G-Dragon has the potential to be a good, well liked and respectable entertainer, and yes at times he will screw up and make mistakes. He will cause controversy. He will also incite rage from time to time. What his team amy need to do in future is be fully aware of the potential ramifications of what happens on stage and to maybe be a little more diligent in understanding the potential consequences of certain actions.

Another thing I would like to see happen is to maybe introduce policies for what can and can't happen at all - age events, so as to separate any potential issues and contain them, as appropriate, for shows and performances that are only attended by those of suitable age.

Hmmm...... just a thought......

More Kimchi !!!! Well....I mean.....almost.......

Should I talk about Kimchi again ??? You think so ?? Yeh ?? No ?? Not sure ?? Don't Know ?? Don't Care ?? Don't give a damn ?? Oh ...... You do give a damn ?? Well ... what do you think ?? Should I or shouldn't I ?? Hmmm.....

Well I tell ya what. I will let you decide that one okay ?? Good.

And while you think about the notion of me oodling you with more Kimchi, I will actually tell you about some of my other favourite Korean foods. Yes team. You got it - KIMCHI IS THE DOOR TO A KOREAN FOOD OASIS. And a plentiful one at that.

Admittedly team, I am not going to go through every single delight and delicacy here, but what I will do is direct you to some other useful websites to help you on your gastric journey to Korean food Utopia.

Let the journey begin....


http://korean-cuisine.blogspot.com/

This site actually looks pretty cool I think. I haven't met the site author personally, but her description states that well... shes a Korean American Mom who..well...loves to cook !!! And by the way the blog is presented it sure does indeed look like it. The site is not cluttered, there are some really nice pictures there to illustrate the different kinds of foods, ingredients and what nots, and it looks really accessible for every one to peruse through from the first time Korean cook to something that veterans and maybe even the odd Cordon Bleu chef might find tickling their fancy.

http://www.zenkimchi.com/FoodJournal/

Now this site really does set a standard for broadcasting in various forms the delights, highlights, sunlights, bright lights and well... any other useful lights .... the Korean cuisine has to offer. The thing that really captures me about this site is just the obvious love and passion that it generates towards Korean Cuisine. The pics look great, the site looks informative, the ideas generate fusion of thought ( gotta try that tandoori tteokboggi !! ) and ..... well......heed my advice. CHECK IT OUT !!!!!!

www.seoulstyle.com

This site is a real mecca for all things Seoul - AND THAT INCLUDES RESTAURANTS !!!!!! Yep you can see it all here team. The suave, the delectable, the delightful, the saucy.... its all here team !!!! Have a look and you shall no doubt see !!!

Okay team, enough of the free ads for other stuff yeh. Lets get onto some of the foods that I like here in Korea.

One food I really like is Doenjang Jiggae. And yes I hear you asking... WHAT ON EARTH IS DOEN-WHAT ???

Well on earth its... DOENJANG JIGGAE !!!! Now lets practice shall we...... DOEN-JANG-JIG-GAE !! Gooooood !! Nows lets repeat it again yes !! DOEN-JANG-JIG-GAE !!!! Excellent !! We shall have you speaking Korean in no time at all !! Oh yes.. Now .. heres the answer to your question ...

In a nutshell, it is this -



Once again, I do intend thank the wikipedia contributor for this pic, which is ZenKimchi !! You can see the pic here -- http://www.zenkimchi.com/FoodJournal. I love this stuff team. Its hot, spicey, and its basically stew with Korean Red bean paste, tofu, seafood and some other vegetables indeed. Its jolly good stuff indeed !!!

I also have to give a shout out to Tteokboggi too. This stuff is good indeed !!! The particular version of it that I really tend to like and devour is this one ...



Thanks to jetalone, http://flickr.com/photos/jetalone/753029139/, and wikipedia for this pic. Basically team, this dish is a mix of rice cake, meat, bean paste sauce, and maybe a little egg thrown in there too. Its really good and satisfies the eating soul when satisfaction is desired !!!!!

Finally for tonight team, you gotta eat this ...



Its Tteok !!!!! Basically its Korean rice cake and is a real Korean nicety, particularly at Lunar New Year time, where the making of Songpyeon, a type of Tteok, is a traditional thing to do. You can make it by steaming mung bean and red bean paste along with some other dried fruits. Its really good. Once again, thanks to takoradee and wikipedia for this pic.


So there you have it team. A few little extras for you to feast your eyes and your tastebuds on no doubt !!! Its okay if you don't want me to go over Kimchi again. Its pro.... WHAT !?!? YOU WANT MORE ON KIMCHI ??? AAARRGGGH !!!! Well .... then you have to wait for that one so I say !!! I do need to take a time out you know !!! seeya !!!!!

Dude !!!!! Where's my Kimchi !!??

You better not have nicked my Kimchi !!!!! If you did I will come after you with a stick and have you running around the room ... and don't worry.... I will inform my Korean ' netizen ' friends about your crime and then you will have 6.000 angry netizens chasing you also !!!!!! Yep .... It will be one happy team - CHASING YOU ABOUT !!!

And why will we chase you, you ask ?

It's simple.

I, and just about everyone else in Korea love KIMCHI !!!!

Don't know what Kimchi is ?? Well, just have a look here...



Full credit for the above picture goes to Nagyman and I got it from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gimchi.jpg. Nagymans pic is also situated here at http://www.flickr.com/photos/nagy/23219340/.

Thanks Nagyman, you have given the world a glimpse of this very unique food to Korea.

What ?? A food unique to a country you say ?? You bet ya, and Korean People are very happy to let you know it too.

And with very good reason also. Kimchi, as with Korean Cuisine generally, takes some unusual, interesting, obscure and unique food sources and gives them a special uniqueness in taste, culture, and general health value.

Kimchi actually refers to the fermentated taste of vegetables with a dollop of spices attached. The most common vegetable used for fermentation in Kimchi is Cabbage, as you can indeed see above. This isn't to say that other vegetables arent used in Kimchi, as you can see here.

Ggakdukki is a Kimchi made with cubed radish. It also uses chilli powder, springs onions and ginger. Have a look....



Thanks to Milkchug and

http://www.flickr.com/photos/milkchug/156256657/

for the above. I have tried this one before guys and I must say its really good. Its really hot and spicy, and sure to cure a cold and indeed warm you up on a cold january day.

Another very common form of Kimchi is white Kimchi. Its basically fermented Cabbage without the hot chilli sauce. Its Korean name is Baek Kimchi. You also have another variation called " Dong Chimi ", which is a Kimchi using spring onions, green chilli, Korean Pears, and brine. Generally, this dish is eaten in the winter time.

To see pictures of the above, you can check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimchi and scroll down to Kimchi varieties. I hope it teases your appetite as much as it teases mine !!!!!

I must say though team, if I were to name 2 Kimchi Dishes that really make me want to eat, feel good, and be very happy, then I must name Kimchi Jiggae and Kimchi Bokkumbap.

Kimchi Jiggae is basically Kimchi stew. Its full of ingredients such as cabbage, scallions, onions, tofu, some seafoods, and even pork. Check this out ...

The above was taken from http://flickr.com/photo/92283658@N00/2508066891.

Trust me team you will love this. You will also love the Kimchi Bokkumbap. Basically this is a Kimchi fried rice, with an assortment of meats and vegetables to go. Wet your taste buds here.

The above is just delicious !! I really love the Kimchi Bokkeumbap !!!! Thanks to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Korean.cuisine-Kimchi.bokkeumbap-01.jpg for that pic.

Hmmmm it just makes me wanna eat more dinner now !!!!!! BUT MY STOMACH IS FUUUULLLLLL !!!!

Now I just have to think of all the other korean foods I like !!!!