Make no mistake, reading the quarantine blogs (1, 2) shows us an upbeat group of teachers who have bided their time sun-tanning, reading, chatting, and generally acting like kids at camp. They appear to be well fed, healthy, grateful and respecting their hosts’ house rules.

But both bloggers inside have now reported that their quarantine regime is tightening despite negative flu symptoms. (more…)

This would have been an exciting week for about 30 new teachers starting a new term for Chungdahm Learning, the publicly traded English academy with over 60,000 students and 121 locations across the nation.

But the standard butterflies and worries about sweaty palms and shuffled papers instantly transformed to back-chatter as the prospect of high fevers, tongue depressors, and N95 masks came roaring to the forefront. This was most definitely not in any training manual. (read more…)

The North Korean regime has done it again. The AP and other news agencies are reporting that North Korea has detonated a second nuclear test device, this time near the northeastern town of Kilju, near where the first test was conducted in October 2006. (more…)

A Tennessee dad whose son is half Korean-half Caucasian weighs in on the advantages and disadvantages of raising a kid in the American or Korean education system:

An excerpt:

“Educational Advantages of Korean Public Schools
Schooling is taken very seriously in Korea, as students are required to study a variety of subjects, including two foreign languages. When classes end in the afternoon, the students supplement their knowledge at hagwon, or private institutes, sometimes studying past 10 p.m.

You have friends who claim to know the best Mexican food in Seoul, and after bouts with Dos Tacos, On the Border, and others you’ve been disappointed. If it’s Mexican food in Seoul it probably tries too hard, leaving you with a burrito that’s too salty, or drenched in bland oozy cheese, or lacking punch. Well, here’s a new option in Jongno to try out. Could this be the one you’ve been looking for? Review from Cathy Rose A. Garcia of the Korea Times:

“The menu includes tacos (3,800 won), burritos (6,800 won), quesadillas (6,800 won), and tostada (5,500 won). You can choose what kind of meat you want: beef steak, beef bulgogi, chicken, pork pineapple, fish, vegetarian, or egg, bacon, cheese and potatoes.”

Read the rest at the [Korea Times]

Major television news sources, KBS and SBS, have reported that the former South Korea president, Roh Moo Hyun, 62, was found earlier this morning (approx. 7:30am) at the base of a cliff behind his home, unconscious with injuries to his head. He was transferred to Busan National University Medical Center between 8-8:30am and attempts to revive him failed. He was pronounced dead shortly afterward. (more inside…)

The eleventh Star Trek is off and running a 95% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Didn’t expect this from a J.J. Abrams film. This is the guy who single handedly left fans of the Mission Impossible series screaming re-start, and so for a while fans of the Star Trek brand were thinking: He’s going to feature Kirk drinking spritzers with Sydney Bristow in Manhattan when the monsters come out. For fans of Alias and Cloverfield you should be chuckling at this point. (more…)

The Seoul Fashion Report, an eagerly anticipated photographic extravaganza of Seoul youth, vibrancy, and fashion, will be rolled out on Friday, May 22. The event will be opened with a conversation by Michael Hurt and celebrated with an afterparty featuring DJ Shannon. It begins at 7pm at Platoon Kuntshalle, located in Cheongdam-dong.

[Hub of Sparkle]

Kim Jong Nam, the eldest son, was passed over for succession after he tried to sneak into Japan with a faked passport. Now it appears, according to a source who recently defected from the North, that the youngest son, Kim Jong Un, is also out of contention for the top leadership post of North Korea. It is currently held by an ailing Kim Jong Il whom many watchers speculate may pass on sooner rather than later.

That leaves the middle son, Kim Jong Chol, 29, who is currently in training for succession. As the HuffPost reports:

Wednesday’s report contrasts with widespread media speculation that leader Kim considers the middle son too “girlish” to become leader, and is grooming the third and youngest son, Jong Un, 26, as his successor.

Media reports have said the Swiss-educated middle son is suffering from an excess of female hormones.

This gives us entirely new ideas of what “grooming” might mean for the middle son.