KELCEY LORENZO WRITES – In late March, CL, leader of K-Pop girl group 2NE1, was nominated for TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2015. CL, whose birth name is Lee Chaerin, was the only Korean out of the 158 figures nominated for the list. Other individuals that were nominated for…
Category: South Korea
CHINA, SOUTH KOREA, and JAPAN: To Face the Future, Respect the Past
LEXIE TUCKER WRITES– If China, South Korea, and Japan were humans instead of countries, you might say their relationship status would be “It’s Complicated.” The three are geographical neighbors, and treat each other as such – they are cordial when they need to be, but behind closed doors are not…
K-POP KORNER: Crack the Code with EXO’s Pathcode Teasers
KELCEY LORENZO WRITES – After almost a year away and the departure of two members, boy group sensation EXO is officially back on the K-Pop scene. The now ten-membered group began releasing teasers for their new album “Exodus” on March 18th through the YouTube page of their entertainment company, SM…
K-POP KORNER: “Make It Pop” or Make it Stop?
KELCEY LORENZO WRITES – The Korean Wave, or Hallyu, will be crashing over mainstream American television through Nickelodeon’s new TV musical comedy, “Make It Pop.” The television network and co-producers Nick Canon and Thomas W. Lynch describe the show as “a comedic, music-infused daily strip about three unique girls who…
NORTH KOREA: A Slice of Justice?
RYAN LIPPERT WRITES – At an event where a peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula was being discussed on March 4, U.S. ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert was attacked by a knife-wielding activist who demanded the reunification of the two Koreas and expressed opposition to the annual U.S.-South Korean…
K-Pop Korner: Bad Weather “Rains” on Eric Nam’s First U.S Tour
KELCEY LORENZO WRITES – Atlanta-born K-Pop solo artist and YouTube sensation Eric Nam recently announced that his first U.S. tour would have to be put on pause. The one-week showcase tour was supposed to kick off on February 20th in New York, continue on to Atlanta and Dallas, and finish…
K-Pop Korner: Web Dramas – The Next Big Hit (or Miss)
KELCEY LORENZO WRITES – Korean entertainment companies are always looking for the newest and freshest way to market and promote their idol-singers through means other than just the group’s music. Idols can be seen guest starring on variety and radio shows, endorsing products and companies, and modeling in magazine pictorials.…
JAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA: Rumor Has It…
LEXIE TUCKER WRITES – Journalists need to grab the attention of their readers, and what better way is there than reporting on a possible scandal? Unfortunately, even in a so-called free media system, a simple rumor can get you into big trouble. Sankei Shimbun reporter Tatsuya Kato’s is now on…
ASIAN GAMING: Korea’s G-Star 2014 Wows the Crowd
ALEX QUEJADO WRITES — The 10th Annual Game Show and Trade All-Round, stylized as G-Star, took place from November 20- 23 in Busan, South Korea. G-Star, a major gaming convention showcasing upcoming projects from Korean and foreign developers alike, is widely regarded as the fourth most popular game convention in…
EVENT: Social Justice in North Korea
On Monday November 10th, the Asian Pacific Student Services’ program S.P.E.A.C (Supporting, Promoting, Empowering, Asian Communities) will be hosting a discussion about the ongoing social justice issues in North Korea, the experiences of refugees, and the historical background of the division of the two Koreas from 7:30PM-9:30PM in Malone 112…
ASIAN GAMING: Battle of eSports v. Traditional Sports – Who Emerges the Victor?
ALEX QUEJADO WRITES — Sports are one of the most popular media-covered events in the world. But what really qualifies an event as a sport? Would video games make the cut? If you were to mention this, say, ten years ago, you would be ridiculed. Today, however, Electronic Sports (often…
NORTH KOREA: Miracle on the 38th Parallel
RYAN LIPPERT WRITES – Miracles happen every day, and the Korean Peninsula’s latest political development proves this. How else can you explain the fact that North and South Korea appear to be discussing a return to peaceful negotiations? At the Asian Games’ closing ceremony earlier this month, North Korean officials…
SOUTH KOREA: INFINITE-ly Popular?
KELCEY LORENZO WRITES – K-Pop boy band Infinite became the first Korean music group to chart No. 1 on Billboard’s Twitter Emerging Artists chart for the week of Sept. 20, 2014 with their song “Last Romeo,” the promotional track off of their second full album entitled Season 2. According to the…
NORTH KOREA: Human Rights Capital of the World?
RYAN LIPPERT WRITES – Certainly a country with the title “The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea” is all about freedom and equality…right? Earlier this year, the United Nations published a report on the state of human rights in North Korea. It found that the country has one of the worst human…
JAPAN: Revealing the Facts or Covering Tracks?
LEXIE TUCKER WRITES – Retracting a story is a bold move in the field of journalism and tends to suggest a lack of research. On August 5, The Asahi Shinbun decided to retract not one story, but all stories that included a quote made by a Japanese man who claimed…