In January 2015, the South Korean government raised the price of a pack of cigarettes from 2,500 won to 4,500 won. The justification of such a policy that the government revealed was that an increase in cigarette prices would reduce the number of smokers, which would lead to better national health. However, whether the policy…
Author: Chan Yoo Sohn
Victim-Centered Approach to the ‘comfort women’ Issue: Adding Sincerity to the Apologies
Unfortunately, one of the very few remaining comfort women has passed away. The 93-year-old died without a sincere apology from Japan. The issue surrounding comfort women is one of the most problematic yet important topics in Northeast Asia. As many victims of forced military sex slavery have passed away, the urgency of settling the matter…
Controversy Over Screen Monopoly Ignites
On July 26th, the Korean film “The Battleship Island”, had a record-breaking premier. Almost a million tickets were sold on the opening day, the highest number in Korean cinema history. However, the movie has also sparked controversy because it is monopolizing screens throughout theaters. There were about 2000 out of 2758 movie screens in the…
How Good Is Your Cell Phone Etiquette?
In every movie theater, before the movie starts, there is always a short video that plays, kindly requesting that the audience turn off their mobile phones during the movie. Since sound and light emitted from a mobile phone may disturb other audience members, people are recommended to keep their phone usage to a minimum while…
South Korea in “Bbopgi Bang” Fever
Recently in South Korea, especially in downtown areas, the number of “Bbopki Bangs” and their popularity are rapidly increasing. “Bbopki Bang” is a popular type of gaming center where patrons can play a large variety of claw machine games. The typical cost for one attempt usually ranges from one to two thousand won. (an equivalent…
Serious Teen Smartphone Addiction in South Korea
Recently in South Korea, as the number of teenagers who own smartphones is increasing, the seriousness of the teen smartphone addiction is increasing as well. If you approach a middle or high school, it is not difficult for you to see students looking at their smartphones and texting their friends while walking. The time it…
Seriousness of Teenagers’ Lack of Sleep
A huge number of students in South Korea lack enough sleep. They tend to stay up until late at night and don’t get their needed sleep, which is 6 to 9 hours, due to their heavy school and extra-academic works. It is recently a serious concern since such an issue will potentially harm them. To…
South Korea in “Overwatch” Fever
Currently in South Korea, a game called “Overwatch” is enjoying immense public popularity. Overwatch is a team-based multiplayer first-person shooter video game that was developed by Blizzard Entertainment. Soon after May 24th, the day it was released, Overwatch overtook League of Legends, a former top game in South Korea, and has become the most played…
Breakfast: To Skip, or Not to Skip?
With higher school workloads and much more pressure put on a student to perform well, students are finding it harder to eat breakfast and opt to skip breakfast for more sleep. Students are staying awake until late hours and sleeping more in the morning. However, skipping breakfast is proving to be less beneficial for the students in their performance and also in the long run. In the end, it is always better to eat breakfast.
Superhero Movies Are Among the Year’s Best Films
They now have good plots, realistic characters