Feb 2, 2015 | Writing
SEOUL, South Korea — Of course, China is renowned as a tough place to do business. But world’s biggest brand names have a long history of investing major bucks in booming South Korea — only to whiff. Chalk it up to consumer demands, a failure to understand the market,...
Feb 2, 2015 | Writing
SEOUL, South Korea — A wave of national mourning has swept Japan after a gruesome video released over the weekend, apparently showed the Islamic State beheading celebrated journalist Kenji Goto. If confirmed, Goto would be the second victim during the 19-day crisis,...
Jan 26, 2015 | Writing
SEOUL, South Korea — In a trendy Gangnam high-rise, a whiz-kid professor named Lee Sihan urges his classroom of 28 students not to fret. The big exam you’ve been preparing for — the one that could land you a Samsung dream job — won’t be that bad if you put the hours...
Jan 19, 2015 | Writing
SEOUL, South Korea — In the wake of the Charlie Hebdo killings, three million people marched in France to defend free speech. But in South Korea — a staunch US ally — free speech is fraught, particularly for anyone caught praising the Kim Jong Un regime. American...
Jan 15, 2015 | Writing
SEOUL, South Korea — Last month’s Sony hack was a national debacle, nearly canceling “The Interview” and denying moviegoers a fruitful two hours of butthole and gay jokes. But the uproar ended with a victory for free speech — at least if you think The...
Jan 8, 2015 | Writing
SEOUL, South Korea — Is change brewing in North Korea, one of the world’s most totalitarian nations? At first glance, it would seem unlikely. For more than two decades, the fortress-like regime has evaded predictions of collapse and chaos, surviving war, famine, and...
