Online Critisms cause U;Nee to commit suicide

How powerful can the internet get, even causing a person to die? Since Korea has the highest Internet penetration, as Hui states, there are certain sites that people gather and word-of-mouth becomes most effective if one thing is started on that site. In Korea, Yahoo is one of most popular hubs Koreans go to (the other is Naver), and one can leave comments on the things they liked and hated to give feedback and rant. When this innocent singer, U-Nee, was about to release her next album, people left negative comments about her revealing sexuality and the such. The easy access to millions of people's personal thoughts over the internet was the last straw for her existing depression and thus committed suicide. Now, the internet has become a murderer. What other roles can the internet become?

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S Korean pop singer U-Nee commits suicide 2007-01-22 10:13:37 http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-01/22/content_5635782.htm

South Korean actress and pop singer U-Nee was found dead from hanging in her home in Seo-gu Incheon, Sunday afternoon.

BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- South Korean actress and pop singer U-Nee was found dead from hanging in her home in Seo-gu Incheon, Sunday afternoon.

U-Nee's grandmother found the body of the 26-year-old singer hanging from a door frame after she returned from a church service.

Police investigating the death have announced the case was an apparent suicide, though the singer left no note or will. U-Nee's mother has testified that U-Nee had been suffering from depression.

U-Nee's third album "Honey" is due for release on February 1. People have speculated U-Nee was suffering from the huge pressure associated with the release of the new album and was upset by online criticisms and attacks.

U-Nee came to the public's attention under the name "Lee Hye-ryeon" with her 1996 debut in the KBS TV drama "Grown-ups Just Don't Understand". She appeared in the movie "Seventeen" in 1998, then in the TV dramas "Theme Game" and "Tears of the Dragon".

Her debut album "Go" was released in 2003 and she gained even greater popularity with the 2005 release of her second album "Call Call Call." Her sexy dance moves and revealing fashions made her the favorite of teenagers across Asia.

The Internet and Popular Music

The internet is certainly one of the most powerful and sometimes controversial mediums for distributing music. There are numerous web sites with English versions that sell Korea's popular music like yesasia.com and annyoung.com. There are also sites or forums where entire Korean albums have been uploaded and are available for downloading. This of course has been a subject of heated debate in the United States where the Recording Industry Association of America has tried to crack down on the sharing of copyrighted music.

I think that in Korea's case, the issue is more complex and interesting. The rapid growth of Korea's economy has created and interconnection between popular music and the internet. I think it is taken as a given that the internet is a place to explore music. There are forums where people tell others to download music, delete it after experimenting with it, and then go out and buy the music to support the artists. Although it is usually the most loyal fans who propose these procedures, I still think it is a unique and effective internet business model. I'm not sure if music companies in Korean have tried to stop illegal downloading but I have read about artists who promote the internet as an essential tool to help spread their music.

The sitauation in America is different because record companies remember the golden days when people had no choice but to buy the physical copies. For Korean on the other hand, the internet is extrememly effective in reaching audiences around the world who otherwise would have never even known that pop music exists in Korea. So because the Hallyu wave is as much about the rise of the internet as it is the rise of popular music, Korean record companies and artists have a distinct advantage in that the internet seems like the natural vehicle in which their music can make a name for it self.

Pros and Cons of the Internet

Hello Class. Today's lesson will be on the internet. Yes, most of us would be very bored and not-well connected with the world with out the internet. And if you think about it, we have very few restrictions regarding the internet. Although the inception of the internet is not that recent, in relative terms, it is. Other than blatant offenses, most people can post anything to everything on the internet. One can easily go into google and learn access any type of information from how to make pipe bombs to how to cook an authentic Cajun Jumbo soup in 15 minutes. However, as more and more people start to take advantages of the internet "freedom" I feel that just like the restrictions on porn (So-Jin's blog), there will be more and more restrictions to come in the future. One way the government can impose such marxist ideals to control what's popular in the mass is by forming a business for everything. I found and article talking about how people can now watch movies on the internet by subscribing to this site. Before, savy techies would upload bootleg versions for free that lacked in quality; however, with the advent of these new internet businesses that offer legal products of high quality, more people are willing to pay for such novelties. This causes a problem for some whose business depends on non-internet accesss products: Korean video stores. Even our class, we watch bootleg versions of Korean dramas without paying for them. So I leave the class with a question. Are people going too far with this internet access products? Should there be some limitation to what things can be sold on the internet and some things that must be acquired through physical means? I feel like with everything at our fingertips with the internet, peopel are getting so lazy. True, technology is convenient but I personally think it also kills society. The popular culture of today's youth is not to go out and exercise but try to level up in a fictional computer game. So yea, don't spend too much time living in cyber world and go out peoples! This world has so much to offer.

Some thoughts on Sze Hui's paper and the Internet

I found Sze Hui's paper extremely interesting. Two aspects I am especially interested are is the PC bang and gaming addiction.

My previous ideas of cybercafes were dark, sketchy places like the one I saw in China many summers ago. It was completely dark from the outside and you couldn't see inside with the exception of two lights and smelled of cigarette smoke. Therefore I found it interesting to see that the cybercafes can be a valid and much utilized social arena in Korea. The comment about a place to meet for dates was really interesting...how people who meet online can meet in person at the love seats in the PC bangs... Also interesting is how groups of friends would just go hang out there, and play online games together which brings me to the second aspect of the article I found interesting which was gaming addiction.

Gaming addiction is not just a problem in Korea but perhaps all over the world. Whenever I watch the Chinese news there always seem to be an article or report about parents worrying about their kids who are literally living at cybercafes gaming all the time. The anecdote about the person who died from gaming in the paper was one that I actually heard before and one used by my parents to prevent my little brother from gaming too much.

In addition, I have some comments about the internet in general. The internet seems to be a great way to get products of Asian (Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan) popular culture products. For Korean dramas with Chinese subs and other chinese language material http://bt.btchina.net is hard to beat. For Korean dramas in english http://www.d-addicts.com/forum/ is really good. Both of the above use Bittorrent, personally, I like to use the Utorrent Client (http://utorrent.com/) for english torrents and Bitcomet (http://www.bitcomet.com) for Chinese torrents. And for really rare stuff emule is really good.

Finally, let's talk about some recent sites and services that I liked relating to Korean pop culture. One interesting Korean service I found recently is clubbox which is like an online FTP. Though its totally in Korean the speeds are relatively nice at 52k and I use it to download Korean dramas. Also interesting is the website is the Soompi Forums (http://www.soompi.com/forums/) which has threads topics on Korean music, drama, and movies in English which I am also using for my paper because sometimes they translate excerpts about a drama from Korean news.

Korean government showing interest in Linux

These two articles deal with an interesting issue that made a little bit of noise in 2006, but since Microsoft has recently released Vista, it will become relevant again.

The heart of the issue deals with the choice of which operating systems the world’s computers will run. Windows naturally owns the largest share of the OS market, but there are several curious issues that cause concern among countries that consume large amounts of these products, such as Korea.

Without digressing into an open source vs. proprietary software debate, there are several potential problems for Korean consumers of Windows, whether individuals or governments. The first and perhaps most serious issue is that Windows is not transparent: the source code for Windows is not viewable users. This is hardly a problem for personal use, but this may be an unsatisfactory policy for government agencies that use this software for critical issues. When these article were written, a sizeable portion of Korean Windows users were operating on Windows 98, and an announcement was made that Microsoft would no longer be offering security updates for this platform. This created a serious security issue for anyone using Windows 98, with very little recourse other than buying a more recent (and expensive) version of Windows. Lastly, all proprietary operating systems are embroiled in an endless battle with the latest malicious software being written all over the world. There is thus a small, but growing demand for an alternative, open source operating system.

The Korean Ministry of Information and Communication has developed a pilot project dubbed the Linux city/university. In this, they are attempting to increase the interest in open-source projects, which benefit from grassroots style development which allows anyone with programming knowledge to contribute. This is not a panacea for the problems listed above, but it bypasses the most serious issue of relying too heavily on what essentially amounts to a black box. Open-source systems are still a long way from becoming mainstream, but they are gradually gaining visibility.

While I personally cannot foresee myself using an open source OS in the near future, I can absolutely understand the desire of the Korean government (or any government) to shun the use of opaque software. There were some conspiracy theories when Vista came out about how it had some contingencies to allow the CIA/FBA/NSA etc… to monitor activities. This is an unlikely scenario, but any governmental system that handles sensitive or potentially secret information should naturally be suspicious of anything other than an open source OS.

The Internet is for ____?

Well, for the starter, here's a song from one of my favorite musicals:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtiGd58J0bY

I often wonder what my life would be like without the internet. The internet in my room has been acting up for the past couple of weeks. It's as slow as the highrise elevators or maybe even slower. I saw myself get frustrated over little things because the internet wasn't working. Then I realize how dependent I have become on the internet. I communicate with other people through the internet, I get all the news from the internet, watch tv on the internet, and waste time surfing the web. What is it about the internet that people are so addicted to? It could very well be the instant gratification that we get. It's definitely the quickest way to obtain all sorts of information, and it's only a click away. Convenience becomes a huge attraction factor. When I was reading Sze's paper, I wondered what would happen if the internet connections were to shut down for a day in Korea. It probably would bring the country into an utter chaos.

Recently, when two korean actresses committed suicide, articles circulated on the web blaming the "netizen" for egregious comments made on those actresses, which may have pushed them over the edge. Their managers and other celebrities targeted the netizens (net citizens) for leaving comments, on their home page or on other news portal sites' comments section, intentionally to hurt them. For other celebrities, anti-fans have emerged as a huge obstacle with the booming of the internet. It became easier for people to aggregate to support whatever cause they favor. When you watch Korean television shows with celebrities as guests, they will often discuss about how the internet has affected them. Also, for those celebrities who maintain their own personal websites, the number of hits you get per day or in total matters greatly. In essense, your popularity depends on the number of visitors. The internet, in Korea, has emerged as an integral part of the mass media.

The increase in demand and dependence on the internet isn't unique to Korea. Last year, the Time magazine named "You" as the persons of the year, in honor of one of the most frequently visited websites - youtube. Personally, I think we have come too far from going back to the time when internet was a novel thing. I know I have let it consume my life to some extent (as you can see, I'm blogging), and I probably won't be able to function normally in this world without the internet or my phone. Besides fostering my laziness and depleting my patience, the internet deals with graver and more serious areas as well. From Lucie Shin's essay, the question of freedom of speech in Korea surfaced as one of the issues with the burgeoning of the internet dependent society. The idea of selective dissemination of information goes back to Raymond Williams' cultural theory. The government functions as an agent that decides the appropriateness of information on the internet as well as other media outlets. The existence of media censorship (and even on the internet) confirms the fragmented nature of what we perceive as culture. Before reading her essay, I was not aware of the fact that censorship was imposed on the internet. The agencies with power then discriminately blinds you, but what is even worse is that you do not realize that you are being fooled.

And this last one's in honor of Dubya: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MunMCO3uNdA

The Wave

I found Sze Hui’s research paper entitled “Wired and Wireless Korea: Information Technology and its Effects on Korean Culture” very interesting and a good encapsulation of a phenomenon that is soon to sweep other countries as the Internet already has begun to.
One point which indicates that literacy in Korea facilitated the ease of the internet spread is noteworthy on a globalist scale. Although the infrastructure in 1996 was not there this made spread very feasible. This extends to other countries like China, Thailand, or other Southeast Asian Countries as although they may have the capability to actually build the fiber optic lines necessary for ICT, their languages may not easily support the catch on. As Hui pointed out, in China there are too many characters to represent on the keyboard for ease, but I was thinking more globally as literacy among citizens may not be set up to even read the emails they are sending to a potential client!
I think that also it is important to note that when “selling” or trying to get the internet to catch on in certain areas, it is important to phase it in as an essential utility as Hui brings up. Internet would be considered part of utility in the United States in most populated areas. Just consider how your cable company bundles high-speed internet as part of your TV package. It is important to stress to Koreans how the internet will facilitate unprecedented communication and essential.
PC Bangs are so cool! I have been to an internet café in Japan but nothing like what Hui describes in his paper. What intrigued me was how these places facilitated meeting in person places, almost like Starbucks. Instead of asking the girl next to you to join you for a cup of coffee you can IM computer #23 and ask her to join you on a love seat or for a cup of noodles. I disagree with how Hui organized the paper because in reality although people are less and less likely to spend face-to-face contact, the system is already setup in these PC Bangs to take breaks and actually meet face to face with the surrounding people.
In conclusion, Hui sheds light on a unique community and developing phenomenon. Possibly the best example of this explosion are the PC Bangs which point to the next generation, the youth who as the ultimate users will carve the way towards a more and more wired Korean future.

No online porn for you! (if you're Korean)

Lucie Shin's paper on how the South Korean government regulated access to North Korea-related websites on the Internet prompted me to write about the recent news that South Korea will now ban access to pornography of foreign origin on the Internet (see also here and here).

A few things struck me about this situation:
1. This fits in very neatly with the ideas that Lucie brought up in her paper. The Korean government can't say that they're "censoring" anything because that would be unconstitutional, but they can "monitor" illegal activities. Issues about privacy and free expression can also be circumvented when dealing with youth since protecting them is of utmost moral import. In an attempt to connect this to the discussion about Marxism from last class, whatever myth is being supported--as part of an ideology the government (as an Ideological State Apparatus) is trying to defend-- definitely does not reflect reality. There are people who want to download porn and probably don't want to be "protected" by the government from its damaging content.
2. I found it interesting that private companies are joining with the government to uphold this new ban. This seems to reflect the close relationship that Internet companies have had with the government in the past (governmental investment in bulking up the IT industry in Korea) and the connectedness they still share.
3. I was intrigued by the specific incrimination of foreign porn sites, which makes me wonder about what domestic sex industries are like. Although we live in a time of globalization, and I can definitely believe that the sheer number of foreign porn sites would outnumber any Korean output, I don't believe that Koreans aren't and won't produce their own material.
4. This also makes me think about the nature of popular culture in South Korea. Keith Howard talked about how certain scandalous things that singers and musicians were doing or wearing were banned from TV broadcasts in the 1990s. It is easy to think about popular culture as things ordinary people do or consume, but we can't forget how bigger social, political, and cultural institutions affect what people have access to and how they can participate in popular culture. I wonder how Koreans will negotiate this new ban on online porn.

Korean BARBIE???!?

A few weeks ago we watched the drama, "Beautiful Girl Choon H'yang". As it turns out the main character, Han Chae-young is planning to get married in a few months. What shocked me about this article was not the fact that she is getting married, but that she is called the "Barbie" of Korea. I had previously heard about this so called "Barbie Doll" of Korea, but definitely was shocked to find out it was her. She supposedly adopted this nickname due to her gorgeous figure, but I personally still don't understand how the name fits. Other than her chest area, she seems to mimic the body of just about 99 % of all other Korean actresses. I was especially shocked because while watching the drama, I just never noticed that she had a nice body. Is it just me or does everyone else find this nickname to be shocking as well??!??! O.O

[Talk of the town]KOREAN ‘BARBIE DOLL’ TO TAKE HER VOWS

Television actress Han Chae-young is planning to get married in May to a financial professional working in a Korean investment company, according to her management agency, Star J Entertainment.Known as the “Barbie Doll of Korea” for her glamorous figure, the 26-year-old actress has been spotted enjoying a recent vacation with her fiance in the United States. “Ms. Han and Mr. Choi Dong-jun met in 1998 when she had just debuted and they have been close friends for eight years,” the agency said in a release. “But it has been six months since they discussed marriage and engaged in a serious relationship. They are planning to hold the wedding in May or June when her movie is done.”Mr. Choi, 30, the son of a wealthy family in Seoul and a graduate of UC Berkley, currently runs a business of his own aside from his post as a financial professional at an investment firm. “He is a sweet man, sincere and reliable,” Han also said in the release. “I watched him for years and I came to believe I could spend a lifetime with him.”

There was also another right underneath this one that talks about Kim Yun-Jin, or better known as Sun from the TV show Lost. I just thought it was interesting to post this since we were discussing in our previous class about whether foreign actresses change their names for the purpose of publicity. Kim Yun-Jin has clearly not changed her birth name and has still been able to be successful in the US. This article states that she has even been awarded within top 30 of world class beauties. If Kim Yun-Jin can do it, why can't Jun Ji-Hyun, especially since she's a lot prettier.

ACTRESS KIM YUN-JIN A ‘WORLD CLASS BEAUTY’Korean actress Kim Yun-jin has been named as one of MSN’s 23 “World Class Beauties.”In an article entitled, “Hollywood is alive with cultural diversity, and these mega-talented stars have us in a trance,” the writer Kati Johnston described Kim as a doe-eyed actress with depth, an accomplished dancer and martial-arts practitioner. “Kim first became well-known to American audiences for her role as Sun on “Lost,” but she was already a huge star in her native Korea, where her nickname is ‘Woman Warrior,’ based on several spy-caper films she’s starred in,” the article said. Other beauties included on the list were Jessica Alba, Jennifer Lopez, Salma Hayek, Halle Berry, Thandie Newton and Penelope Cruz. Among Asian stars, actresses Lucy Liu, Ziyi Zhang, Michelle Yeoh and Gong Li have been named.Kim has previously appeared on Barbara Walter’s talk show “The View” and demands to interview her are increasing in the United States, according to her agency. Kim immigrated to the United States with her family at the age of 10. Kim earned her diploma at the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. From there, she studied drama at the London Academy of Performing Arts and later earned her acting degree at Boston University.

By Lee Min-a Staff Writer

The Internet and Your Mom

I found a 2004 study on internet use in South Korea which showed that the most important factor determining whether or not a South Korean person used the internet was not their wealth, gender, or even age, but whether or not their family members use the internet. While this seems surprising at first, upon further consideration I believe this is actually a very logical outcome. The family, especially in Korea, is one of the most critical subgroups of society and can have enormous influence on the behavior of its individual members. Internet usage by a family member can encourage use by other family members in a variety of ways.

The family is characterized by many mechanisms by which to spread internet adoption. The first is easy access to expertise, in the form of parents being able to ask their children to show them how it works. Consider a family in which the eldest child, a teenager, is a frequent internet user. Seeing their sibling using the internet, younger childer in the family will naturally become interested, and then of course the parents will want to see what all their children are looking at. If the children can show the parents and even grandparents something interesting to them on the internet (the news, the weather, etc.) then there is a good chance that the parents and grandparents will want to use the internet again. As long as the children are willing to help their elders learn how to use the internet, or the parents can find help elsewhere, they are able to become frequent users themselves.

Having a source of free, easily accessible technical support (the kids) is a simple way to encourage the adoption of new, unfamiliar technology. In addition, if one family member is using the internet in the home, that means that the technology itself is easily accessible and can be used whenever desired. Once family members start using the internet more often, the family acts as a unit of social support for other family members. The internet becomes a integral part of the family's daily operations as both generations come to rely on it (Kid: "How do we get to the movie theater again?" Mom: "Google it.").

So although I was surprised at first that this study, unlike so many others, didn't conclude that youth is the main factor dictating internet adoption, I believe that the results of the study make sense. The more the people you are surrounded with on daily basis - and whose opinions you likely value the most - support a certain activity, the more likely you are to partake in that activity. I think this conclusion actually makes more sense than those which just say that kids use the internet and don't really explain why (beyond "that's what kids do"). I think without some level of support from parents (even if it's only financial - paying for internet access) youth could not have become as technology savvy and dependent as we are today.