South Korean girl band P.O.P performs during a showcase for its debut album, “Puzzle of POP,” at a performance center in southern Seoul on July 25, 2017. (Yonhap)
Via a reader tip comes this story of a Korean drama supposedly promoting Islamaphobia:
New Korean comedy-drama Man who Dies to Live has caused an uproar among netizens who have accused it of misusing Islamic values and portraying a false image of Muslims in its scenes.
According to yonhapnews.co.kr, the drama, which has been broadcasted on MBC TV since July 19, tells the story of Jang Dal-goo who travels to a fictional country in the Middle East, gets rich, receives a “count” title and then becomes a citizen under the name of Saeed Fahd Ali.
He later returns to Korea to reunite with his long-lost daughter and her husband.
The actor who plays the main character of Jang Dal-goo, Choi Min-soo, appears as a stereotypical Arab man by wearing thawb, headscarf and black robe. (……..)
“That drama is sharing the wrong image of Islam and Muslims in general. It’s a total piece of garbage,” wrote Twitter user @mayssemgh, who also created a series of tweets on why MBC should not air the drama. [Asia One]
Here is my favorite quote in the article:
“It’s literally just ruining Islam’s image and making fun of Muslims.”
I would say mass terrorism, ISIS, Al Qaeda, suicide bombings, oppression of women, slave markets, beheadings, etc. have done a fine job of ruining Islam’s image well before this stupid drama ever aired.
I don’t know the details for each case so maybe it is bullying, but I have to wonder how much of this bullying is actually strict military discipline being put on mandatory service draftees that are not used to such discipline?:
Army sergeant, who went on a shooting rampage at a base in Goseong, Gangwon Province, leaving military court after his first hearing on Sept. 18, 2014. / Yonhap
The recent suicide of a conscript in 22 Infantry Division has again put the spotlight on the division’s cycle of suicides because of alleged bullying.
The private first class jumped to his death on July 19 during a visit to the Armed Forces Capital Hospital.
In a suicide note, he said that every moment of his life had been agony. He apologized to his mother for his actions.
There has been a public outcry since Military Human Rights Korea (MHRK) claimed that the infantry division knew about the bullying, but did little to stop the soldier from killing himself. [Korea Times]
Minister Park plans to create his welfare state with steep tax hikes:
Health and Welfare Minister Park Neung-hoo speaks during his inauguration ceremony held at the government complex in Sejong, south of Seoul, on July 24, 2017. (Yonhap)
Health and Welfare Minister Park Neung-hoo said Monday he will strengthen the country’s social safety net and establish a foothold for a welfare state for the next five decades.
During his inauguration ceremony held at the government complex in Sejong, south of Seoul, Park said the country should be able to embrace the vulnerable people and become an inclusive society that can bring about growth from all walks of life.
“To make an inclusive welfare state, there should be harmony between a sound market economy and a strong social safety net,” he said, vowing to come up with detailed plans for such a society. [Yonhap]
Andrew Wiggins of Minnesota Timberwolves dons a traditional Korean imperial robe worn by former kings at a press event in Seoul on July 23, 2017. Wiggins, a rising star in the National Basketball Association, is visiting South Korea on a corporate tour by Adidas. (Yonhap)
It looks like the next missile test for North Korea could occur on July 27th the anniversary for the signing of the Armistice Agreement ending the Korean War:
“North Korea seems to be boasting of its plan to develop Pukguksong-3 submarine-launched ballistic missiles that have become shorter but have higher engine output.”
Concerns of another ballistic missile test are looming as CNN recently reported satellite imagery and satellite-based radar emissions indicate Pyongyang may be testing components and missile control facilities for an intercontinental ballistic missile or intermediate range missile launch within the next two weeks.
There are forecasts Pyongyang could forge ahead with another provocation sometime around July 27th, the day of the signing of the 1953 Armistice Agreement that brought a ceasefire in the Korean War, and which is also the day when South Korea’s military said they will wait until for a response on proposed inter-Korean military talks. [Arirang]
It looks like everything turned out alright for Lee Boo-jin’s divorce. Her ex-husband was trying to get a billion dollars out of her and instead the court orders her to pay him $7.6 million. She probably has that amount of money lying under her mattress:
The Seoul Family Court granted a divorce Thursday to Hotel Shilla CEO Lee Boo-jin and Im Woo-jae, former adviser of Samsung Electro-Mechanics, ordering Lee to pay Im 8.6 billion won ($7.6 million) as part of the division of their assets.
The court gave Lee, the eldest daughter of bedridden Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee, custody of the couple’s 10 year-old son.
The Thursday ruling is a setback for Im, whose 15-year-old marriage with Lee unraveled in 2014 when Lee sued for divorce. He had asked for 1.2 trillion won in dividing their assets.
The couple was represented at the court’s ruling by their lawyers. Under the ruling, Im will have visitation rights with his son only once a month between 11 a.m. on a Saturday and 4 p.m. the following day. [Joong Ang Ilbo]
Keep this study in mind the next time you see the anti-US groups out protesting; they don’t speak for the silent majority of South Koreans:
Today, a global median of 49% hold a favorable view of the U.S. This is a considerable drop from the median of 64% recorded across the same countries in the final years of the Obama administration.
In just four of 10 EU countries surveyed is the public positively inclined toward the U.S. The most widespread support is found in Poland (73%), Hungary (63%) and Italy (61%). In spite of the “special relationship” between America and the United Kingdom, only 50% of the British see the U.S. favorably. The most negative views of the U.S. are in Germany (62% unfavorable), Spain (60%) and the Netherlands (59%). And in the past year the share of the Spanish public that expresses a very unfavorable opinion has roughly tripled from 7% to 23%.
Only about four-in-ten Canadians (43%) and Russians (41%) express a favorable view of America.
There is strong support for the U.S. in Vietnam (84%), the Philippines (78%) and South Korea (75%). A majority of Japanese (57%) agree. But Australians are evenly split (48% favorable, 48% unfavorable). And roughly half of Indians (49%) have a positive view, although 42% express no opinion. [Pew Research Center via Reddit]
