Sales of condoms jumped five-fold in South Korea as fans celebrated after the nation’s football players rose to the occasion in their opening World Cup game against Greece.

About a million red-shirted fans nationwide, including 200 000 in Seoul, packed boulevards, stadiums and parks on Saturday to cheer the side’s 2-0 win over Euro 2004 champions Greece.

The biggest winners were convenience stores and fried chicken outlets as fans took to the streets, the JoongAng Daily reported on Monday.

It said Bokwang Family Mart chain stores saw a near doubling of sales in spots where fans had gathered.

Stores in residential areas also did well as those tuning in at home bought three times the beer and more than twice the number of snacks.

After the game, fans in celebratory mood bought five times more condoms than during the team’s lacklustre 2006 World Cup performance, the paper said.

Source: Super Sport

According to the New York Times, the South Korean government is considering using the voices of Kpop girl bands to broadcast propaganda at the North Koreans.  This is for real.

In response to the sinking of one of its ships, South Korea recently erected speakers along its demilitarized zone with North Korea — to be used for propaganda broadcasts.  A South Korean newspaper reports that the government is also considering using “songs and music videos by manufactured girl bands such as Girls’ Generation, Wonder Girls, After School, Kara and 4minute in so-called psychological warfare against North Korea.” Wonder if they’ve considered Barry Manilow?

Source: NY Times

The Brazilians are considered the team to beat along with Spain in this year’s World Cup, and today they begin the quest for their 6th World Cup against North Korea in the group of death.   North Korea is the lowest ranked seed in the tournament but they have an interesting history, having defeated the Italians in 1966 for one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history.  Could history repeat itself against the almighty Brazilians?  Odds are no but commentators have suggested that there is a sliver of hope for North Korea to pull it off with their recent performances the last couple of years.  We’re not suggesting you root for North Korea.  Though some friends have said they would because the North Koreans have the same ethnicity as the South Koreans…. true.  However, politically and historically, we are diametrically opposed and therefore it complicates our feelings towards North Korea.  The New York Times gave us a quick history lesson about North Korea and the men that conquered Italy in 1966.  The BBC actually profiled them and it revealed personalities that we would not expect from men under a suppressive regime.

That 1-0 victory for North Korea stands alongside the United States’ 1-0 win over England in 1950 as one of the two biggest upsets in World Cup history. And there is something else about that famous result from 1966, something that runs counter to many commonly held perceptions of North Koreans as a people. The men who won that match were funny, dignified and, above all, just like the sportsmen of any other nation — as we learn from a remarkable 2002 BBC documentary called “The Game of Their Lives.”

Check out the BBC Documentary below.

ESPN decided to do a poll on the best World Cup inspired song since every country has one and guess who ended up #1 by an overwhelming majority.  When I mean overwhelming, they had over 90% of ALL VOTES!!!  That would be Super Junior’s “Victory Korea.”  The next closest song only had 2% of the vote.  Wow!  Check out Super Junior’s “Victory Korea.”  For the results, go to ESPN.com.

This is rather funny.  A friend of Korean Beacon had this on his Facebook.  A company is selling t-shirts that has printed the names of players that are participating in the World Cup for a particular country.  So the U.S. shirt has the names Beasley, Altidore, Dempsey and Donovan listed.  But for the fun of it, someone created a faux shirt of what the Korean team’s t-shirt would look like.   The Choi’s, Lim’s and other roots are pissed off for being excluded.

It’s the start of the biggest sporting event in the world and are you ready for the World Cup? Billions of people will have their eyes glued to their television sets for the next month, ready to root for their country. The question is, who are you rooting for as a Korean-American? We have a Korean heritage and ancestry, but we’ve grown up in the United States. Are you conflicted? In my personal opinion, we have the freedom to cheer for either South Korea or the U.S, hence the beauty of being a Korean-American. And why not cheer for both, because we have grown up with the values of both cultures, inside and outside of the house. The beauty of the World Cup is the passion and pride of one’s identity, and the freedom to celebrate it. I hope you can enjoy this great sporting event and appreciate that you are a Korean-American!

So this is kind of a hot topic… But I’m gonna go there~ Koreans and Plastic Surgery

Koreans get a lot of Plastic Surgery.
It seems that about 70% of women in their 20′s-30′s have undergone Plastic Surgery. (Don’t quote me on the stats… Just trust me.. It’s a lot!)
* Almost everyone you see on Korean Dramas/Movies/Music Videos has had some sort of Plastic Surgery.
* Koreans are getting Plastic Surgery to further their career.
* I’ve even heard about parents getting their children Plastic Surgery as a Graduation present.

Personally, I’m all about people doing whatever they want. You only have one life~ Live it the way you want.
However, it does make me think when someone wants to get Plastic Surgery…or when a whole nation so wholly accepts permanently altering your face/body.

Perhaps you may see it ironic that I, a Makeup Artist (who’s profession is to change the way someone looks), am saying this….
Here’s the thing~ Makeup washes off.
Maybe getting the double eyelid isn’t that much different than the fact that I put on thick eyeliner every day, everywhere I go… but the idea of Plastic Surgery scares me.
[ Mind you, I am a big chicken who still screams when I'm at the Dentist/Doctor (True Story)... but doing something so permanent is REALLY scary to me]

A lot of Korean women get the Double Eyelid Surgery.
I hear it’s not really a big deal…. I care to disagree.
You’re SEWING/CUTTING YOUR EYELID! How can that not be a big deal?
Nose Jobs and Cutting of the Chin (?) are also pretty common.  Breaking your nose and slicing your face does not sound pleasant to me.
Yes, with all that Plastic Surgery, you may have “prettier” features… but can you still recognize yourself when you look in the mirror?

Plastic Surgery also seems to play a part in getting jobs.
I’m not going to lie and say that looks don’t have an influence or play a factor in society.
OF COURSE everyone likes looking at an attractive person.
And yes, unfortunately, people may judge others based on their looks… but this is a temporary thing.
Initially a person who is attractive may stand out more, but if there’s no substance… the beauty fades.
Some of the most attractive people in the world have the ugliest hearts… and that makes them an ugly person.
If you have the qualifications, the confidence, and the personality, you’ll most likely get the job.
If you have to have surgery to get a job… find another job!

I’d previously written about how Korean Adults can make negative comments, which can make you feel bad about yourself….  but what does it say when parents encourage their children to change the way they look by suggesting, giving as a gift, or forcing their children to get plastic surgery?!?
“Parents make their kids get plastic surgery,” says Dr. Shim Hyung Bo, a plastic surgeon practicing in Seoul, “just like they make them study. They realize looks are important for success.” Which means that in today’s Korea, getting your eyes done can be easier than getting the keys to dad’s car” (http://www.time.com/time/asia/covers/1101020805/plastics.html)
* To me, it’s always really sad when a parent can’t accept their child for who they are.
When they can’t accept something as personal as the way their child looks… what kind of message is that sending?
Instead of teaching children that they need to change the way they look to fit into society’s ideal of beauty, how about teaching children the value of their self-worth and showing them love and acceptance?

It truly makes me sad that South Korea has become a country that accepts, embraces, and even encourages Plastic Surgery so easily.

• First of All~ It’s Permanent! You will never have the same face you had before. NEVER!   NEVER EVER!
• Secondly~ What if you don’t like the results? God Forbid something goes wrong, or you’re not happy with the way you look.
• Thirdly~ It can become an addiction

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Hang Mioku is a 48 year old woman who became obsessed with plastic surgery. She started getting plastic surgery at the age of 28. After having multiple operations, her face was left enlarged and disfigured.  After surgeons refused to work on her anymore, she resorted to injecting cooking oil into her face.  She became known as “Standing Fan” by the neighborhood children because of her large face and small body.

*********************************************************************************************************************

Apparently, the number of Plastic Surgeries has declined since the Recession hit. I think this is a good thing.
I hope that Korea stops looking at Plastic Surgery so lightly.

To me, Plastic Surgery can seem like a loss of Ethnic Identity and a loss of Self.
But I don’t know….. maybe that’s just the way I see it…

I don’t want to make people that have had Plastic Surgery feel bad about themselves.
If you’ve done it…. I’m sure you had your reasons, and I hope you like the results.
If it’s made you happier, more confident, feel more beautiful… that’s wonderful!  Do what you gotta do~*

I just hope that people realize that Plastic Surgery IS a big deal.
It’s not just something that everyone does, something that will make you a better person, and it is most definitely NOT an appropriate graduation gift!

But those are just my thoughts…. What are yours?

P.S. You’d be amazed at what a little eyelid tape and makeup can do~*

*~ Have a Beautiful Day! ~*

http://irenekimmakeup.com
http://irenekimmakeup.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/irenekimmakeup

Men are more satisfied with their marriage than women, a survey suggests. Statistics Korea on Wednesday said 70.6 percent of husbands surveyed were happy with their spouses, compared to 60.8 percent of wives.

Eight out of 10 men surveyed said marriage is a must, as against only six out of 10 women.

Similar bias was evident in attitudes to divorce, with 71.7 percent of the men surveyed but only 58.6 percent of women saying married couples should not go their separate ways. The data come from a broader survey conducted in 2009.

Meanwhile, more men wanted their wives to work, with 81.5 percent in favor of women working, compared to only 65.3 percent who favored double-income families in 2006. But husbands still devote little time to household chores. Only 6.1 percent of the men surveyed said they help out around the house at weekends or on holidays, while 34.6 percent said they watch TV or videos during their times off. In contrast, 31.9 percent of the women surveyed said they do the housework in their time off.

Source: Chosun Ilbo

Time Magazine released their top 100 list of most influential people in the world and there are two Koreans who are in the top 100. Kim Yu Na captivated the world with her elegance and power at this past Winter Olympics.   She had the pressure of a country on her shoulders and she not only survived but she triumphed wonderfully with a near perfect performance that brought everyone to tears.

I couldn’t have been more surprised or honored last summer when Korean figure skater Kim Yu-Na told me that as a 7-year-old, she was so inspired by my skating at the 1998 Winter Games that she memorized my skating routines, pretending to be at the Olympics. Twelve years later, she no longer had to pretend. I have never seen a skater with such a combination of artistry and athleticism. From the first notes of her sassy James Bond medley to the closing Gershwin strains, Kim’s inspiring performances in Vancouver changed the face of figure skating forever. Those 6½ minutes on the ice left not only a mark in the record book but also an indelible impression on millions of young girls around the world. For Kim, the dream that began as a 7-year-old has been realized. For these girls, thanks to her, a dream and journey are just beginning.

Kwan is the most decorated figure skater in U.S. history

David Chang is the genius chef who makes kimchi butter and drizzles it onto one of his famed dishes that even impress chefs of the world. David runs the Momofuku empire in New York and has served dishes to some of the most famous people in the world. His inventive cooking is truly influential.

The cold pink fluff looks like cotton candy and seems entirely tasteless. But soon it begins to melt, seducing your mouth with such creamy richness, it is impossible not to gasp. Beside it sits a fragrant fruit, smooth as pearls. Only David Chang would grate frozen foie gras and serve it with lychees.

When Chang, 32, opened Momofuku in New York in 2004, he reinvented the casual restaurant and changed the game. Turning his back on the high-end kitchens in which he had been working, he started off with a bare-bones place his peers could afford. At first he offered a few simple dishes — pork buns so soft they practically swallowed themselves and memorable ramen made with organic ingredients — but Chang soon began pushing the boundaries, combining a passion for Asian food with his classic European training and serving the kind of challenging dishes once relegated to expensive establishments. He trusted his customers — who trusted him. Whipped tofu with sea urchins and tapioca? Bring it on!

The profane, irreverent Momofuku cookbook, published last fall, brings Chang’s exuberant style right into your kitchen. What he’s feeding is an appetite for adventure, and the ride has just begun.
Reichl, a former restaurant critic for the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times, was the last editor of Gourmet magazine

Source: Time Magazine

Apparently in South Korea, there’s a bit of an uproar about being known as an ajumma.  Huh?  When did this all come about?  According to a LA Times article, ajumma, is a word long applied to married women with children but most recently has taken on a pejorative connotation.

Among many South Koreans, it’s now often used to conjure an image of homemakers who disdain full-time jobs to while away afternoons on park benches, in coffee shops and at social clubs, bragging about their children and, if they’ve got the money, go on shopping sprees.

Kim Yong Sook of South Korea who is an ajumma was so annoyed by the negative evolution of ajumma that she formed a support group called “Ajumma are the Pillars of the Nation.”  Since then, she has attracted thousands to her declaration of independence. She’s written a book and consults with business and government.

Her message: Ajumma unite! Don’t take the snickers, behind-the-back finger-pointing and jibes lying down!

For the full article, go to the LATimes.com.