Fan Death

Summer has arrived with a vengeance and time for one of my favorite Urban Legends in Korea: Fan Death. Although this story has made the rounds in Korea and has been proven to have some validity, it is still worth reading. This was originally written in 2006.
There was a time in Korea, when the dog [...]

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Shanghai’d in Shanghai

No, I am not talking about that rockin’ Nazareth tune (hear below) but what I am referring to is the meaning of the verb “shanghai” or “shanghaiing.”
The word came up in class the other day; actually, I brought it up when I was explaining—after I learned that one of the students lived in Shanghai, China—how [...]

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Yep, it’s Changma

Summers in Korea.
Hot, stifling heat. Humidity. A constant state of wet. Tropical nights.
Cicadas (mae-mi) whirring away in trees. Children chasing after dragonflies with large nets.
Special summer treats—a Korean-style sundae called pat-ping-su (a cool, sweet concoction of red beans over shaved iced topped with fruit cocktail, jujubes, and syrup); sam-kae-tang (broiled chicken stuffed with rice and [...]

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