Scribblings of the Metropolitician

Oh, Chosun Ilbo -- You're Sucking.

I've blogged this over at Korean Media Watch.

What does it take to write a story about foreigners molesting children?

Apparently, no evidence or cited sources whatsoever.

Michael Jackson in Korea

MJ came to Korea four times that I know of, first in 1996, then every year after that until 1999. Here he is popping, locking, and moonrocking out in a concert in 1999. I always loved the effect they did with the sheet for Billie Jean. Awesome. RIP.

Michael Jackson Dies!

Wow. Kind of in shock. Dead? 50? When my friend told me on the phone, I didn't believe it. Michael Jackson, dead at 50 because of a heart attack. So ends an era.

I guess it'll go down something like this:

[Source]

Whew. Cueing up my MJ songs in the iPod tonight.

Weed for the Korean Masses!

"Actress Under Fire for Backing Marijuana"

You go, girl! And not just for the Mary Jane itself, but peoples in this "democracy" need to understand that speaking one's mind is one's right -- folks here are too used to sanitized discourses controlled by dictators. MBC should issue an apology for airing her opinion? It's called freedom of speech. But I can't blame people too much -- there wasn't REAL democracy in Korea until the 1990's.

Kind of disappointing, the public's reaction being to simply try to muzzle her. And she's right -- WEED has been around and used in Korean culture since forever, and was only illegalized in the 1970's under Pak Chung Hee, who feared it would lower workers' productivity.

Well, if there's one thing that I betcha Chinese medicine might agree with me on, it's that Koreans smoking weed would be MUCH better for the country than Koreans getting blasted on soju to ease the pain of this competitive and stressful society.

Weed for the Korean masses -- a modest proposal!

Seriously, even the language about "illegal drugs" is warped in the Korean language, as the term "mayak" has such bad connotations, in the way one thinks of doing heroin straight to the vein in the US. And with the strict ban on drugs and information on drugs in Korea (note, John Cho, one of the most famous persons of Korean descent in the US, was an unknown until Star Trek, since neither of the Harold and Kumars could be showcased here since they so unabashedly advocated marijuana use), there is a lot of ignorance about what these basic drugs even do.

One commentator in the article said: "If marijuana is an Oriental medicine, is methamphetamine a Western medicine? It is not right to justify narcotics even though it is a minority opinion." Huh? Marijuana is marijuana. Even in the legalization-averse US, some states approve its medical use because the proof of its medical properties is so overwhelming. And the pressure to illegalize marijuana not only came from Pak Chung Hee's idea that it would reduce productivity, but from direct US pressure to illegalize it.

Koreans had been smoking out for generations, people! Or did you think that was just tobacco people were putting in the old long pipes in those old pictures? With as much hemp use as there has been for clothes, observed from my time spent living in the Korean countryside, I know for a FACT that people out there burn hemp, smoke the weed, and secretly plant stashes in rural areas.

Marijuana has only been illegal in Korea for the span of my own lifetime, people. Koreans act like the Devil himself inhabitant that curious weed, but it's been a part of Korean culture for centuries. People who don't think so are simply unaware of historical facts, like them or not.

And back to the quote -- marijuana is marijuana. It calms you, isn't narcotically addictive (like nicotine in cigarettes), and the worst side effects are generally extreme hunger pangs. Meth? It makes you fucking crazy, stop eating, and a sniveling remnant of a human being, akin to Chris Rock's character Pookie in New Jack City. And no one needs a nation of Pookies.

But I'd say that given the average Korean's tendency -- especially in men -- to drink soju and other hard liquor to excess at least 3-4 times a week, all the pissing in the streets, barfing on the sidewalk, cursing in public, fights started between friends, not to mention the fact that many fathers in this country would rather stay out drinking most nights than return home to their families, not to mention the role alcohol plays in other related issues such as the well-known high rate of domestic violence and acquaintance rape in this country --

Why is Korea against marijuana again? Does anyone think that a nation that must be nearly half alcoholic by the puritanical American definition of the term has a reasonable argument against marijuana use?

If marijuana were legalized, and there were bars where you could smoke out in socially-acceptable ways, I think that would be one of the best things to happen to Korea in a long time. People need to CALM THE FUCK DOWN, not get riled up into the violent, drunken idiocy caused by that evil spirit known as soju. Which the old dictators wanted to keep cheap, by the way, to keep the masses usefully soused, to some extent. But Mary Jane would have been too much relaxation. And maybe they were right.

But seriously -- in present-day Korea, who would argue that marijuana wouldn't vastly improve the quality of life here? Whom would I rather meet in a large group in a dark alley -- a group of ajussis ready to fight for their honor, blasted on soju and whiskey, or floating happily home, smoked out on weed?

Ask fucking John Cho, Korea, who has become a new household word. But don't miss out on the fact that his REAL claim to fame is being one of the first Koreans to comedically SMOKE THE FUCK OUT, and help make weed all the more popular and funny to Americans -- who definitely know that marijuana does NOT equal METH.

Ferchrissakes.

July Photo Classes!

Know how to use that DSLR of yours? Want to buy one but fear not knowing how to use it? Then you've found the right place -- the only regular source of photo classes in Korea, taught by one of the most experienced working photographers in Korea, the Metropolitician -- owner of this site.

Most popular are the Basic Photo I class, where you learn how to operate your camera and the basics of proper exposure over a 4-week period, 3 hours per session. Next in popularity is the Basic Photo II class, which continues from a Basic Photo I by placing the students in more peculiar and challenging photographic situations that allow for the photo knowledge learned in the first session to settle in more, to lock itself in. We also have had a lot of interest in the "Photoshop for Photographers" class, which will also be offered next month.

Basically, if you are interested, each class costs 175,000 won, with the Basic Photo I class being offered 10-1 on Saturdays OR a weekday to be determined. The Photoshop class will likely be on a Sunday early afternoon from 2PM.

To guarantee a spot in either a weekday or Saturday Basic Photo I class, get in touch directly to get instructions as to paying and reserving your spot. If you can make Photoshop classes on Sunday, please also drop a line for more info on paying and getting your spot.

There's a nice little review of our class in the Korea Herald, as well as information on the instructor -- me, Michael Hurt. To prepare for the class, please refer to a few links to get you oriented you can prepare for the classes and get some good photo info from my "Photography in Korea" series:

"Photography in Korea, Part 1: Buying a Digital Camera"

"Photography in Korea, Part 2: Basic Photo Knowledge"

"Photography in Korea, Part 3: The Photo Essay"

For more information and registration, drop an email through the link at the upper right corner of this page, get ready to transfer 175,000 for the one-month session, and bring your camera on Saturday! Remember, the Basic Photo I class is Saturdays from 10-1, and we are gathering a weekday evening class as well, although Saturday session is the more popular and preferred one.

Drop a line and found out more if you have any questions!

Still Going Strong at Korean Media Watch

We're just getting into the swing of things, and are still looking for a possible editor and translator from Eng into Korean. Come on over to KoreanMediaWatch.com and check out how we're getting this site started, as well as how it can be a real check on Korean media shenanigans.

And if it ever gets its sea legs and the cooperation of a few Koreans, I'd like to see it tackle other bad journalism, such as the articles I've seen written that completely make up witnesses and stories out of thin air, or continue utilizing single, biased sources for coverage.

Posts Going Up at "Korean Media Watch"

Go check them out and support the news site, and spread the word.

And pitch in if you can, or pass the word to someone who can.

"Korean Media Watch" -- with your help, we're gonna start something big.

I Call Bullshit.

HT to Brian for this one.

So this politician wants to pass a bill based on the assertion:

"E-2 visa holders, once caught for taking drugs or sexually harassing children, were often found to be rehired at another school or hagwon,'' said Yeo Jun-sung, an aide for Rep. Choi. ``The proposed bills are to remove these loopholes from the current immigration law.''

That's funny. According to the government's own statistics, there hasn't been a single case of any foreigner getting caught molesting kids, and you KNOW had there been, the press would have had a field day, Olympiade, and one-month gaming holiday.

If he's going to propose a bill, I want to see evidence, not racist scaremongering. This sort of stuff hurts Korea, because it's not addressing a problem, only leads to measures that punish good, law-abiding teachers, and makes foreigners despise this place for equating foreigner with being a criminal.

On top of absolutely no statistical justification for any of these reputations as drug fiend, child molester, or bail jumper. This has got to stop.

I hereby announce the formation of a group/website that can at least call bullshit in public. I DO think that will help. Whenever you see a specious media report involving another scapegoated group in the Korean media, I'd like to see it translated, and I want to see its claims backed up with evidence, which a decent reporter should be able to provide, even if specific sources aren't named.

I want to see media analysis along the lines of great groups I've seen in the States such as "Media Matters," the show "On the Media," or the first show I ever saw on the subject, "Counterspin", which is sponsored by FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting).

The Korean media doesn't seem to be possessed of any effective self-critical tool or group, which defined its own sort of problem. But as far as foreigners are concerned, it's time to fight back directly, with a voice. I've made a simple little blog:

Korean Media Watch

I don't have the time or energy to do this myself. I would need fellow bloggers who already do media reports to simply crosspost, if that's all they can do. For those of you who don't blog but wouldn't mind translating the occasional newspaper article into English for the sake of commentary, please also volunteer a bit of your time. And if you are bilingual and wouldn't mind a little phone duty to the newspaper or public figures, that would also be immensely helpful.

To join, sign up for a username and send an email to editor@koreanmediawatch.com and tell me who you are and what you can do. If you have a story, send a link and any contact info you can find along as well. If you did a little digging yourself before calling it in, that would be all the more helpful.

All this group wants to do is to make the truth clearer. I'm sick of being seen as some diseased, criminal deviant because this society wants to make the outsider the scapegoat for its ills. And you know what? It hurts this society by lowering the level of accepted discourse in the media, for vilifying a group of teachers that doesn't deserve it, and these people then go out into the world and say nothing good about Korea.

One of the reasons I was sent to Korea in the first place as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) in 1994 was to be an "ambassador" for my country and to make for better relations between nations. That's what the Fulbright exists for -- the assumption was to give young, bright Americans a taste of the outside world, and in Korea's case, to raise the profile of Korea amongst America's young elites who might go on to be lawyers, doctors, diplomats, or politicians. That's why Korea was, along with Taiwan, one of the few countries in the world to have a specific ETA program.

But the link between teaching in Korea (the ETA program was created as an extension of the Peace Corps and before the English hagwon industry exploded) and becoming its good or bad news ambassadors hasn't ended. When I was an ETA in 1994, both the American and Korean governments saw fit to fund 27 of us as grantees; now, there are almost 20,000 E-2 visa holders alone in Korea, who come experience Korea raw and unfiltered.

Does Korea think these people are any less likely to talk about Korea once they go home?

Does the Korean National Tourism Organization realize that blogs and message boards define the English-language discourse about Korea, far more than some lame campaigns or informational web sites no one really goes to?

Using the logic that goes behind funding the Fulbright ETA program, one should be worried about making its nearly 20,000 good teachers, who are the most intimate and ongoing points of contact between a lot of Koreans and non-Koreans, be made to feel like criminals and sociopaths. There IS NO problem with foreigners being a sexual threat to children, or abusing drugs, or any of the other things being said about us. Not in terms of a statistical trend requiring discriminatory laws or regulations.

So, it's time to speak back, against the source.

Join the fight by adding just a little bit of your translation talents, writing time, or ability to make a few phone calls.

I'll coordinate it if you guys pitch in. If you've always grumbled about it, now's the time you can do something concrete.

Join up!

June Photo Classes!

Know how to use that DSLR of yours? Want to buy one but fear not knowing how to use it? Then you've found the right place -- the only regular source of photo classes in Korea, taught by one of the most experienced working photographers in Korea, the Metropolitician -- owner of this site.

Most popular are the Basic Photo I class, where you learn how to operate your camera and the basics of proper exposure over a 4-week period, 3 hours per session. Next in popularity is the Basic Photo II class, which continues from a Basic Photo I by placing the students in more peculiar and challenging photographic situations that allow for the photo knowledge learned in the first session to settle in more, to lock itself in. We also have had a lot of interest in the "Photoshop for Photographers" class, which will also be offered this month.

Basically, if you are interested, each class costs 175,000 won, with the Basic Photo I class being offered 10-1 on Saturdays OR a weekday to be determined. The Photoshop class will likely be on a Sunday early afternoon from 2PM.

To guarantee a spot in either a weekday or Saturday Basic Photo I class, get in touch directly to get instructions as to paying and reserving your spot. If you can make Photoshop classes on Sunday, please also drop a line for more info on paying and getting your spot.

There's a nice little review of our class in the Korea Herald, as well as information on the instructor -- me, Michael Hurt. To prepare for the class, please refer to a few links to get you oriented you can prepare for the classes and get some good photo info from my "Photography in Korea" series:

"Photography in Korea, Part 1: Buying a Digital Camera"

"Photography in Korea, Part 2: Basic Photo Knowledge"

"Photography in Korea, Part 3: The Photo Essay"

For more information and registration, drop an email through the link at the upper right corner of this page, get ready to transfer 175,000 for the one-month session, and bring your camera on Saturday! Remember, the Basic Photo I class is Saturdays from 10-1, and we are gathering a weekday evening class as well, although the Saturday is the more popular and preferred one.

Drop a line and found out more!

Never, Ever Work for Racist and Reactionary "Avalon English" (아발론교육) Hagwon

Brian informs us that this hagwon chain -- Avalon English -- is the worst of the worst in terms of overreacting to the swine flu outbreak, and seems to be under the impression that only foreigners coming into Korea are the main vectors for its spread, and we are somehow a direct threat to the people and their children.

It just adds to my argument that in fact, according to the terms and conditions of most hagwon contracts, you are a 21st-century indentured servant. You have nearly no legal rights in this country in reality, little recourse in case of contractual or work-related disputes, and now, the media is even saying you are a threat to society's well-being, even as they desperately ship in more of you.

I'm NOT being facetious -- that's what you ARE. Check out a standard copy of a term of indenture on the previous link, then compare it to the terms under which you came here.

And now, some hagwons, namely Avalon English, are doing what evil hagwons in the 1990's used to do, which is "require" you to relinquish your passports to them, effectively taking away your right to freedom of movement. Or for daily health checks to make sure you're in prime work condition; and then, they wash down the classroom after you leave it, as if you were ACTUALLY a member of the swine family, as opposed to the human race.

You'd never voluntarily work for a hagwon that turns you effectively into a SLAVE, would you?

If you'd like to tell these Avalon people just what you think, call them at 031-717-0047 and/or webmaster@avalon.co.kr.

And even AFTER they cave and change their policies, or this blows over -- if you've found this page by Googling 아발론교육 or Avalon Enlglish, along with possible keyword string searches such as "teach English in Korea" or "English language institutes in Korea", you know you'd never want to work for an employer like this, would you? One that actually TREATS you like the foreign animal, the walking dictionary that most other places may assume you to be, but would never dare cross that line of actually treating you as such?

This must be one of the worst places to work as a foreigner in Korea, if their reaction to the slight swine flu problem is the racist scapegoating of foreigners. Whoever made this policy sounds like one of the most ignorant, uneducated, misinformed, incompetent, and racist idiot who ever popped a placenta on the Korean peninsula. I say "one of the most" because there is a sizable contingent of company when it comes to certain stupid ideas or practices on the Korean peninsula, so it's not that tough to join the club. Most of the ninnies and simpletons at Immigration or the Tourism board would also make the list.

But since this is the private sector, hit 'em where it hurts: post about Avalon English, create content for Google to track, and make sure that this bullshit comes up whenever some poor kid looking for a job after college does a search for their company name, or even a general search for English-teaching positions.

Hurt them, take food off their plate, starve out the stupid. Let the market work it out by spreading the news.

At Avalon English, you're not just an indentured servant, but a semi-slave not even possessed of the right to travel as one pleases, as a carrier of dread diseases.

Work there at your peril.

Slave.