i flirt with you

the supreme leader waves at ladies and they wave back

VERY EXCITED TO MEET YOU

kate middleton says, "yeah kim, but wheres the jumbotron??"

look at the rest of these insane pictures.

faith, mike and i wanted to show you this video

a lady president for South Korea

Park Geun-Hye has won the election to be the nation's first lady president. She is a member of the conservative party, and her father was former President (slash dictator) Park Chung-hee who was assassinated in 1979. Read the CNN report, it sounds like an interesting election.

last night every person in korea went to a PSY concert

those koreans look so happy.

hey mom ive got an idea for something fun we can do next time i come home

it was flim's idea.

my new obsession with korea

Last night I watched this (netflix streaming) BBC documentary called "A State of Mind." In 2003, the film crew followed the daily lives of two young North Korean rhythmic gymnasts as they prepared for the annual MASS games, which is sort of like North Korean political theater mixed with the Hunger Games. Remember how awesome the Beijing opening ceremonies were? Its like that. North Korea is so highly secretive of what goes on inside, so it was really fascinating to get a glimpse at the daily lives of these girls and their families.
They hate Americans, they have nightly blackouts and air raid drills, they have state radio speakers installed in every apartment that can't be turned off, and only one tv channel that is also state run. Did you every read  Brave New World?

Then today, I got a little taste of South Korean insight when I read this article about the subtle social commentary embedded in the pop hit Gangnam Style. I realized that I know hardly nothing about this little Asian peninsula, but that I am definitely missing out. There is this new breed of consumer there "called Doenjangnyeo, or "soybean paste women" for their propensity to crimp on essentials so they can over-spend on conspicuous luxuries, of which coffee is, believe it or not, one of the most common." Who wants to go to koreatown for some karaoke and BBQ?

we'll see about this

 Faith: have you seen the gangnam style video?
me: no i dont think so
 Faith: (see above)
me: i dont understand what im looking at
 Faith: it's the newest internet sensation
me: we're doomed
 Faith: in 2 seconds you're going to love the song

NeRd AleRT

Friend of Toops Lindsay brought this installation to my attention. Korean Do Ho Suh set thousands of plastic figurines in resin support this plexi floor. read more here

nErD aLeRt!

GT Tower East, by ArchitectenConsort, Seoul South Korea
vis a vis

things are happening...

....in south korea:

The South Korean military went to “crisis status” on Tuesday and threatened military strikes after the North fired dozens of shells at a South Korean island, killing two of the South’s soldiers and setting off an exchange of fire in one of the most serious clashes between the two sides in decades. (via)

careful, y'all.

thx joey.

south korea...you are a genius

[via]

happy north korea invading south korea day!

60 years later and they still don't get along.

NeRd aLeRt!

new morphosis hotness in seoul. i die.

i want to see this one built like now.

thirst

tonight i went with 2Pz reader Jaime to the Landmark Sunshine theater on houston to watch Thirst, the Korean vampire flick.

i dont want to give away too much of the plot, but the story is about a priest, who through an act of atonement ends up becoming a vampire. Through his interactions with a family from his past, he begins to act upon his repressed desires with dangerous consequences.

this movie has some great moments of dark humor, but is ultimately a morality play about the basic decency that keeps us human. stripped of his humanity, can this fallen priest maintain his soul?

anyway, the film is visually stunning, and tells a complete story that remains engaging. if it is showing in your neighborhood, go see it in the theaters. otherwise, queue it up. vampires are so hot right now. werewolves too.

11 biscuits!!!

korean twilight book covers!

oh yeah right.

give me a break.

NeRd aLeRt!

i thought it was a joke when i read about this OMA project, too unfeasible... but apparently it is going to open next month. click the headline above for the full article from the korea times.