Café S is not only one of the most idyllic coffee shops in a city that boasts thousands of cafés, it must also be one of the most photographed by visitors. For my second video, I arrived early in the morning, when the owner had just switched on the steam jets around the artificial stream that winds... Continue Reading →
Café S
Café S in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City is one of the most elegant coffee shops I've visited in Vietnam. They serve food as well, and the Singapore noodles I tried were quite good. http://youtu.be/1BVnthcatT8
Washed-Out YouTube Videos?
Perhaps you've noticed that your videos on YouTube are a pale version of what you saw on your camcorder's LCD screen. Whether you're exporting your movies to QuickTime first or uploading directly from iMovie, the colors appear less saturated, blacks a dark gray. Below is a comparison between the original .MTS file and the same... Continue Reading →
Outtakes
Here's another video of old downtown Daejeon, shot during the hottest summer on record. An LED neon roof is being constructed down the main shopping drag, so walkways were even more congested than usual. Be sure to watch in HD! http://youtu.be/kod47Q-eIXg Free background music from JewelBeat.com "Taso's Hasapiko" by Raya Brass Band
Summer Music Festival
Every weekend during the summer, old downtown hosts an outdoor music festival. The shots are all handheld, as you can see in a few frames where I start to get tremors! http://youtu.be/mncQlNi1KKY
The Adventures of a Couch Potato in Eunhaeng-Dong (II)
Not one to be intimidated by the scorching heat or scowls from passersby, I've been revisiting my favorite haunts in old downtown to seize as much as I can of Korea before heading for Vietnam next month. Be sure to watch in HD! http://youtu.be/4HSsz9ZX__E Free background music from JewelBeat.com
The Adventures of a Couch Potato in Eunhaeng-Dong
Eunhaeng-Dong is Daejeon's old downtown. This video was mostly shot in the early and late evening with the lens at telephoto (around 350mm-400mm). Be sure to watch in HD! http://youtu.be/hc36FCgvv-o Free background music from JewelBeat.com
The Adventures of a Couch Potato in Busan
Last weekend, I returned to Busan for the first time since coming to Daejeon two years ago. The city has changed quite a bit since I lived there, especially the subway system. The record shops I used to hang out at that used to sell a few sets of earbuds for $10 now carry hundreds... Continue Reading →
The Daejeon Orphanage
Ever since my first trip to Vietnam, I'd been thinking of doing some type of community service. So when Joseph Chon, the director of the SolGeo Dormitory, asked if I'd like to lead a group of student volunteers at the Daejeon orphanage, I jumped at the opportunity. http://youtu.be/ESs985gPkMQ Free background music from JewelBeat.com
The Adventures of a Couch Potato in Itaewon
Although I've lived here for five years, I hardly ever get around to going to Seoul. Many friends couldn't believe I'd never even been to Itaewon. Well, this weekend I went with a few co-workers and of course, I brought along my camcorder to share all the hoopla with my faithful readers. http://youtu.be/InYg1r0VTy8 Free background music... Continue Reading →
SolBridge Culture Day 2012
On Friday afternoon, SolBridge International School of Business celebrated its annual culture day. Naturally, your intrepid local correspondent was there to capture all the ruckus and excitement. Students wore traditional clothes, performed on stage and invited attendees to sample their local cuisine. In the clip below, you can see some of the colorful outfits worn by... Continue Reading →
Im Sang-Soo to Press: “Only Koreans Can Understand My Film”
Has Korean director/provocateur Im Sang-soo gone off his rocker? First, he lashed out at the Korean film industry, which he says is only interested in churning out Hollywood-type blockbusters, and now he's gone and trashed the Cannes film festival for not recognizing the obvious genius of his latest potboiler, The Taste of Money. Im told... Continue Reading →
Vietnam Winter 2011-2012
I just published the pictures of my last trip to Vietnam using Apple's iPhoto. For my sixth visit to the country, I travelled from Can Tho in the south on up to Hanoi. I'll be moving to Ho Chi Minh City in September. Download the PDF file here.
Yonsei Prof Accuses Kim Yu-na of Playing Hooky
The unfavorable attention Kim Yu-na has been receiving in the press lately, far from discrediting her brilliant career, rather illustrates the fickle nature of fame and success in Korea, and can only tarnish whatever esteem her renown has brought to the "land of the morning calm". Since May 8, Kim has been teaching at a... Continue Reading →
‘Café Noir’ 2-DVD Release Date
Mark this date in your calendars - June 9th. Yes, that's the day Café Noir will at last be available on DVD. Admittedly, we're not a little disappointed that we won't be getting a shiny Blu-ray in our greedy little mitts, but hey, this isn't The Avengers or anything! There have been petitions for a limited edition Blu-ray by... Continue Reading →
Hangeul
If you ask anyone what the single greatest innovation to come out of Korea is, you’re likely to hear many responses - hallyu, kimchi, Samsung’s blazingly fast Galaxy Note, “Sandglass”, the towering masterpiece of Korean television drama that transfixed an entire nation back in 1995, or even Kakao Talk, the amazing mobile messenger service I... Continue Reading →
Dentistry in Korea
Korea has exceptional dental care, but beware of aggressive treatments that are primarily cosmetic. While fillings are covered under health insurance plans, root canals and crowns are not, and unscrupulous dentists often perform unnecessary procedures on unwitting patients. I'm publishing a letter I sent to my dentist back home a couple of years ago after I... Continue Reading →
Buy Korean? No Way!
When I moved to Korea five years ago, I was impressed not only with how convenient everything was, I was also struck by how inexpensive everything - from food to transportation to medical expenses and the postal service were. What I didn’t realize at the time was that the cost of living in Busan is... Continue Reading →
Ulrich Seidl’s ‘Paradise: Love’ to Compete for Palme d’Or
I've been a huge fan of Ulrich Seidl ever since seeing the Austrian director's Import/Export, so when I learned that Paradise: Love will be competing at Cannes, my little heart started to race. Here's the synopsis: On the beaches of Kenya they're known as Sugar Mamas: European women to whom black beach boys offer sex... Continue Reading →
The Busan Chronicles, Part 1
I found the first of my letters chronicling my initial impressions of Korea. I have to cringe when I read it now. October 26, 2007 Hello everybody! At last, here's a brief report of everything that's happened to me since arriving in this fair country. Read on. THE JOURNEY The flight to Tokyo was the... Continue Reading →
The Daejeon Chronicles 