Koreans’ strange love of chicken
My old neighborhood in Yongsan, Seoul, is famous for quaint patisseries, specialty coffee shops and authentic, hole-in-the-wall Japanese bistros. Oddly enough, a modest diner that sells good old casual Korean food is a rarity on this narrow strip that likes things lush. But last month, in came two new businesses challenging the existing snobby mix. […]
Obama’s Asia policy and Korea
For a first foreign trip after his re-election, President Barack Obama chose Asia last week, starting with Thailand, making a first ever trip to Burma as the U.S. president to go there, and concluding his tour in Cambodia, where he attended the East Asia Summit as part of his effort to rebalance toward Asia-Pacific. Obama’s […]
Now is an age of integrated thinking
Winter has begun, but let me get back to this summer for a moment. During the vacation, though it was not a desirable time to do so, one of my school’s administrators decided to trim all the trees tall and small, around the campus into the same shape. He did not consider their different characteristics, […]
Era of uncertainties
In about three weeks, Korea will decide who will lead the nation for the next five years. Last week, the world witnessed the emergence of new leadership in China headed by Xi Jinping. Prior to that, President Barack Obama was reelected for his second term in the U.S. Japan is expected to experience a political […]
Search for identity
Some say that politicians and entertainers are similar in that both have a flair for the stage and a superb appeal to the public that enables them a “public” life in the literal sense. The three leading contenders for the Dec. 19 presidential elections are vibrantly successful people with a singular appeal that smacks of […]
Living with my name in globalizing world
I’ve long held my parents accountable for naming me what they named me. My name carries a heavy load of over- and undertones, and I like none of them. I, of course, did not ask my parents to bestow this name upon me. Like almost everybody else on this globe, I was too young to […]
Beatles vs. Girls’ Generation
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan getting their start in the music business. It was in 1962 that the Beatles signed their first record contract, the Rolling Stones had their first hit single (fun fact: it was written for them by John Lennon and Paul McCarthy), […]
Dr. President
This is the third and last part in a three-part series fictionalizing the election of each of three presidential candidates. ― ED. President Ahn Cheol-soo was alone at his chief executive office in the heart of Cheong Wa Dae. Ahn appeared to be relaxed with his feet up on the big mahogany table. Having grown […]
The death of Korean cities
Amid the flurry of interest in the upcoming presidential election, a new issue is emerging: the death of Korean cities. The results of a recently developed “Decline Index” showed that of the 144 cities and districts in the country, 96 are experiencing decline. The index was based on twelve components, including population growth and change […]
Syrian civil war
Syria now has a new government-in-exile that allegedly unites all the groups seeking the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad’s murderous regime. But if this is the best that they can do, Assad will still be in power next year, and perhaps for a long time afterwards. It took a week of haggling in Qatar to […]
Media in Tie-up with The AsiaN 
Trump, Kim, and the Three P’s of Summit Diplomacy: 
