Na Hong-jin’s The Chaser (추격자 Chugyukja) is now recognized as part of an elite club of hit Korean thrillers such as Old Boy and Memories of Murder (살인의 추억 Sarinui Chueok).

A recent study by the Ministry of Education & Technology says the government’s attempts at curbing hagwon spending (which tops $30-billion by the way) are not working. Parents still spend as much as they can so that their children are afforded the very best (if not the most) English education for their futures.

Such is the free market, eh? It’s like telling Americans to stop buying SUVs because the economy and environment have tanked. Falling on deaf ears.

[HT to Korea Beat]

Yes, it’s winter and it’s going to be a cold one Friday! Seoul City Hall is hosting its annual ice rink. It costs W1000 for skates and access for one hour. If you skate towards the City Hall end, you might catch glimpse of an old guy–roughly 70-80 years old–who skates so gracefully we wouldn’t be hard pressed to think he was a former winter Olympian. All in all great fun.

“Honey, my steak tastes great, but it’s like I’ve eaten this over and over again.”

With genetically modified cows offering up identical cuts of beef with identical flavors, that’s likely what we’ll be saying in the near future.

The latest indication of the declining economy is that many people are hitting the books, especially English language ones.

For those rare highways where vehicles actually move, this is one way to keep a driver alert.

In 2000, there were fewer than 4,000 international students completing coursework at major universities in Korea. That number has now rocketed past 23,000. Each year Korean universities like Yonsei and SNU are attracting more students (both undergraduate and graduate) as they compete for talent in the global education economy.

Korean singer BoA is currently debuting her single, “Eat You Up” in the U.S.