Kim Tae Hee sindrome

Kim Tae hee is the most famous star in Korea. Indeed, she is the most wanted actress for TV
commercials. Although she is not a good enough actress she sells the product really good with her unique attractions. She may be also thought as an ideal girl to the Koreans. First of all, she not only looks pretty but also pure. She also graduated from Seoul National University, the number one university in Korea. As you know, Koreans care a lot about what kind of University you have graduated. Thus, Kim Tae Hee has the two most wanted aspects that other actor and actresses lack.

http://www.pandora.tv/my.startoday/31587623

Artistic Ads

http://cafe.naver.com/djungle.cafe

Sorry I couldn't post the ads here since, it wouldn't let me to.

However, the ads are really brilliant!

Assignment II: print Ads

Here are three ads for you to de-construct. The first two are legitimate ads. Discuss the images, the message, the ad hook, any idiom that might be involved or the arrangement within the frame.
Ad a:


Abercrombie and Fitch: Spring Break 2008


Ad 2:



Ad 3: (this is a spoof ad)

Advertisement 1

I found this advertisement in 'May 2008, InStyle'. Isn't it interesting? It took several minutes for me to figure out the meaning. Can you guess the connection between plastic surgery and vodka? Enjoy the pleasure of discovering.


I like the wit of this sign. It's much betteeeeer than 'Danger, Thin Ice. You'll be drowned'.

`Gold misses` in Korea dump men for Fendi bags

"I buy designer goods as a reward for having worked hard," the 31-year-old freelance interpreter says as she caresses the bag`s purple and gold spangles. "I`m happy with my life. Why give up all that by marrying?"
Kim, who earns $100,000 a year, is one of a new generation of women who are forsaking marriage to pursue professional careers, upsetting the country`s patriarchal order. These so- called gold misses have attracted the attention of banks and retailers who offer special accounts and wine-tasting classes to win their business.
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/ read the rest

The number of gold misses, defined as single women aged 30 to 45 with college degrees and annual income of at least $40,000, soared. They don’t want to marry and no longer have to rely on men for a happy and comfortable life. In fact, a marriage forces woman to sacrifice lots of things.
People say, men and women are equal. But as you know, it is certain that there is a glass ceiling for women in our society. Especially, Korea has been historically influenced by the teachings of Confucius. Therefore, the entire society is not free from his teaching that men are superior to women, making women`s role peripheral and subordinate to men.
I think it is also related with the social and economic status of women because Korea ranked 64th last year for the level of female participation in society, behind the Philippines and Vietnam. Though the trend is changing nowadays, most people still don`t understand women can make that much money through their own efforts and capabilities, instead they assume there must be something fishy behind woman’s wealth. We have to dismiss this prejudice and acknowledge women have the same right and ability to make a more mature society.

Money, crucial to be happy

“행복 조건은 돈” 21.4% 1위…유전 행복, 무전 불행

2008년 한국인의 행복 키워드 1위는 단연 ‘돈’ 또는 ‘돈과 관련된 것’이었다. ERISS의 성인 남녀 1000명 대상 HSI 조사에서 ‘행복 키워드(행복에 필요한 조건이 무엇이라고 생각하십니까?)’ 1위는 ‘경제력·풍요’였다.

http://news.khan.co.kr/kh_news/khan_art_view.html?artid=200806151700015&code=940100

The Gyeonghyang daily newspaper says that the foremost important condition to be happy is money for the Koreans. "Health" took the second place, family the third, friends and relationships the fourth and religion, mindset came the last. Work, job, fame and success became are traditional keywords to this generation. People now put more value on practical things such as wealth and human relations.

People have different things they think it is important. However, I thought it was rather sad that people are becoming more and more cold minded and practical. Is money the most important thing to become happy?

Father's day.

By Jenifer Goodwin STAFF WRITER
June 15, 2008

“It's nice to know all I have to do is say the word and you're all over it!” reads the greeting card. On the inside: “Especially the sofa!”
One guess whether that's a card for Mother's Day or Father's Day.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080615/news_1n15father.html to read more.

Today is father's day in US. This article tells about how Father's day is originated and current tendency; somewhat different way of celebrating Mother's day.
After I read this article,even though we don't have a separated celebration day of each parent
(we just have a 'Parent's day') I could have same opinion with a writer considering the other events like birthday, Christmas that I had to show my love and thankfulness. Like writer says that general people in America, have tendency to show their thankfulness to them less them than they do on Mother's day. Unlike the past, many fathers do as many as mothers do in taking caring children. Nevertheless, many people especially children thinks that fathers would not really care about the thing we give him or think of this day as a big day but actually it is not true; fathers also care about this as much as our mothers do. Reflecting the time when I prepare small gifts for mother and Father, to tell the truth, I could much spend much time thinking about what I could buy for mother than a father because I used to think that mother is more sensitive in the way of celebrating her day and on the other hand, father would not take it seriously.
After I read this article, I could realized the truth and I regret and feel sorry for Father.

For English Studies, Koreans Say Goodbye to Dad

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — On a sunny afternoon recently, half a dozen South Korean mothers came to pick up their children at the Remuera Primary School here, greeting one another warmly in a schoolyard filled with New Zealanders.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/world/asia/08geese.html?ex=1213675200&en=bc5859d06a170c78&ei=5070&emc=eta1

This article shows well how a lot of Koreans are obsessed with having good abilities in English. It
is talking about one of the booming trends; that is going to English speaking country to study in early ages. Sending young children to other country alone makes parents always anxious about them so this problem in the end lead to one of the parents ( most of cases, mothers go together with their children)follow their children and live separated. It is true that exposing a language in early age is much more efficient to absorb language naturally. However, to get a valued asset, many fathers who mostly support financially in reverse feel isolated, lonely. Moreover, by living apart, the relationship between the couple become estranged and even worse, it bring the result of divorce, family disorganization. In my opinion, the main charge of this tragedy is to lacking quality of English education in Korea. Even though, Korean learn English in their regular education more than ten years, unfortunately, it is really hart to find person who is fluent in English. If the people became fluent in English from only public education, many parents would not consider to send their children to the other country seriously. As new government declare English education in Korea needs to undergo innovative changes of the way of educating Korean students.

Why is the price of diesel getting higher?

The growing global demand for diesel affects its price
June 10, 2008

Have you heard in recent news reports that making a living is becoming more difficult because oil prices are getting higher?
The price of diesel, in particular, which oil refiners supply to gas stations, has risen above the price of gasoline for the first time.
In the past, gasoline prices were always higher than diesel prices in Korea. To help companies that are using more diesel than gasoline, Korean government reduced the tax on diesel.
But since the international diesel prices have been soaring, the ratio of diesel prices to gasoline has become higher. Diesel prices are now higher than gasoline prices. Accordingly, drivers of trucks with diesel engines are demanding the government should cut the tax on diesel again. The government has not reached a conclusion on this issue.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2890888


The Korean Peninsula produces no crude oil. The prices of oil products in the Korean market depends on international price changes. If the international prices of diesel rise, the domestic prices of diesel also rise in turn. Though the government still imposes less tax on diesel than on gasoline, it can't control price hikes. The hikes in diesel prices are ailing not only refiners, gas stations and truck drivers, but also general businesses and common people. I'm really concerned about the future of our economy.

Beef

"http://news.hankooki.com/lpage/politics/200806/h2008060902565821080.htm"
http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSOD&mid=sec&sid1=108&oid=044&aid=0000074432

The article is about the ongoing hot issue regarding the imported beef from the United States to Korea. The article is criticizing the Korean president Lee for neglecting the health of the people. He said that "When the good qualified U.S beef is imported the people get to eat the beef at a cheap price. If they do not like it they should consume less." The people who advocate for importing the beef from the U.S said that the issue became controverstial due to the people who oppose to FTA. Indeed, they said that when the negotiation has been completed conflicts with the Korean beef company was expected. However, they did not expect to have another issue to come up related to the mad cow disease. In fact, there are ongoing rumors about the imported beef that made even the teenagers to hold up a candle and to demonstrate against the government.

The U.S president Bush promised president Lee to only export the beef that is younger than 30months. (I don't believe his words.....hahahaha) He said he understands how much the korean people are worried about it and assured them again that the U.S would not export unqualified beef to Korea

I believe the beef issue would not be solved until the Korean government gives out clear proof that the imported beef would be safe. The people would not back off until the government renegotiates for an evident law that would protect from the Koreans to consume beefs that are older than 30months. If this issue is not to be solved clearly there would be ongoing problems with having FTAs with other countries and in other arenas. Thus, the government should show sheer proof and trust to the people.

The features of the press in Korea

I believe that the press in Korea is on the turning point. Indeed, although it is heading towards a pure freedom of press, it still takes great concerns about the pressure from the government. Moreover, lately the government have tried to prohibit journalists from getting into the meeting rooms. From this incidence, I believe that the press does not have the total freedom yet to publish whatever they like to.

Additionally, the daily newspaper also have to think about the advertisement payment. For instance, the SISA Journal which is a well know journal in Korea once was willing to print a article regarding the evil administration of Samsung. The editor allowed to print it but the CEO of the SISA Journal cut it out eventually due to the pressure from Samsung. It is know that the press is operated with 20% of the subscription and 80% of the advertisement fee. Thus, the Korean press has to still work on to gain the true meaning of freedom of press.

The problems that KBS confront.

There are three major television stations: KBS, MBC, SBS in Korea. Except KBS, the rest of two television stations are private television stations. In my point of view, because KBS is run by government, is has much more restrictions than other ones in reporting news, running the programs, etc. In reporting news, because it is run by a government the time when they report bad things about what the government did, it doesn't blame directly and moves to the other topic rapidly. In running the programs, because they are one of the branches from the government, they have strict regulations than rest of broadcasting station. I think especially in rating the programs and controlling the status of announcers, KBS has more strict regulations. Because of strict regulations, maybe anything that is not familiar or has a little thing that can attract people’s attraction in bad ways have tendency to be accepted at the latest for KBS. Moreover, the people who work at KBS are considered as same as government officers. Even though especially for announcers they are already done many tasks in reporting, they have to do the other task assigned. Because of these poor work condition, there days many well known announcers quit working in KBS and they declare to work as s free lances. Indeed, most of ex announcers who declared to work as a free lances are from KBS.
In my opinion, because it represents national broadcasting system, it is right to have certain regulations but it is not reasonable to skip the thing that is related with government rapidly and assign more tasks over the what the announcers primarily have to do.

The relationship between presidents and press

There are three major daily newspapers in Korea. They have supported the conservative party, Grand National Party, from the beginning until now. For last four years, while the progressive party was ruling, they had spoken the worst of the ruling Uri party. At last the president, Mr. Roh, closed the pressroom in the Blue House, because he thought the reporters always had defended their owner’s benefits against the policy of the government. The press protested that government's plan seriously damaged the freedom of the press in Korea by restricting reporters' entry to government offices and preventing public servants from talking with journalists freely, thus also limiting the public's right to know.

The criticism of the president and the government in these newspapers has reached to the highest level right before the presidential election. Every day they poured the malicious remarks about the president, Mr. Roh and the failure of the government’s policies in their newspapers. So lots of people were taken in by the news. In addition, the papers are so friendly to the candidate of GNP, Mr. Lee, even though he had a big scandal of a financial fraud, they spared comments about it. Therefore they played a big role for Mr. Lee to be elected as a president.