{Topics on 12.17} Please Make Sure to Study Hard in Advance & Post a Comment＜정참,지참,불참＞

[ana(효정)]

TOPIC 1> Who is the real comedian?

A legislator is drawing fire from netizens and Twitter users for filing a defamation suit against a comedian for his remarks ridiculing lawmakers.

Rep. Kang Yong-seok filed the suit Thursday against comedian Choi Hyo-jong, 25, claiming that his comments during a comedy show collectively defamed lawmakers, according to the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office.

Not only comedians, but citizens and even fellow legislators are criticizing Kang for taking the joke too seriously. Kang recently received a suspended prison term for his sexist remarks against TV announcers.

In KBS’s popular comedy show “Gag Concert” on Nov. 2, Choi said, “It is easy to become a lawmaker. You only need to get close to ruling party leaders, become a candidate under the party’s ticket and run for election in a district which is the ruling party’s stronghold.”

He continued, “Then you go to traditional markets you’ve rarely visited before, shake hands with senior citizens, and eat soup with rice, which you don’t usually eat, at a shabby restaurant.”

On campaign pledges, Choi said, “You can promise to establish a bridge or open a subway station. Is it impossible to keep the promise? Don’t worry, you don’t need to keep it but just say you will.”

Kang said such remarks are subject to collective defamation, for which up to a one year of prison term or 2 million won fine can be handed out _ a crime which was first acknowledged in Korea in Kang’s case on defamation of announcers.

But the public doesn’t seem to agree with Kang, as people have denounced him for not accepting it as a joke, with some saying Kang’s behavior is like “the pot that calls the kettle black.”

Culture critic Chin Jung-kwon said via Twitter, “Kang sues Choi? I don’t know who is the comedian, Kang or Choi? Choi, you can lodge a counter suit against Kang for business interference.”

Comedian Kim Mi-wha also said on Twitter, “Hyo-jong, let’s file a countersuit. Lawmakers often insult other lawmakers by saying, ‘you are joking like a comedian,’ and that is a defamation of comedians!”

Some tweeters are holding a campaign to have Choi collect 100,000 followers, saying they will make him the most popular comedian in Korea.

After Kang’s suit, the number of Choi’s followers has passed 13,000 from about 3,000 a month ago.

Rep. Cho Jeon-hyeok of the ruling Grand National Party, who previously sued a comedian for defamation, said on Twitter, “I like Choi’s comedy. Cheer up.”

< Questions >

1. Rep. Kang Yong-Seok filed the suit against comedian Choi Hyo-Jong. Do you think whether it makes sense or not?

2. Kang recently received a suspended prison term for his sexist remarks against TV announcer. Is this related to the Kang's suit against Choi?

3. After Kang's suit, the number of Choi's followers in twitter has passed 13,000. Why did people support him?

Topic 2> More Koreans Do Eating, Watch Movies Alone

One thing new foreign expats to South Korea soon find out about the nation is that here people hate to do things alone. Eating alone during lunch hours at a restaurant, for example, is simply strange.

In a society that highly favors grouping, eating alone during lunch hours looks awkward. So is going to see movies. You seldom see Koreans going to a cinema alone. So is drinking. Unlike in Western society, Koreans don't have a habit of going to a bar and drink ``soju'' alone. Koreans also avoid travelling alone either.

But things are shifting now, according to Chosun Ilbo. It said an increasing number of Koreans now do things alone. For example, in Mapo district in Seoul, there is a noodle shop, Yichimen, which has 23 tables. Eleven of them are for a single-person.

"Every day, we have 250 people eating at my restaurant. About 110 of them come here by themselves," said Lee Myung-jae, the manager.

There are also coffee shops in Seoul's Gangnam area that have seats facing walls. Here, many people don't come to meet their friends. Rather, they come alone and use their notebook computer while sipping a coffee latte.

Chosun Ilbo added there are an increasing number of people who go to movies alone and travel alone.

This change, while normal in Western society that is often characterized for its emphasis on individualism, is pretty unusual in Korea.

In Korean society that attaches a great import!!!!!!ance to group activities, eating alone, going to a movie alone could even imply that you don't have friends or you don't belong to any social group, a great disadvantage in Korea. One could be even perceived as a "loser" for that matter.

The new trend, according to the newspaper, is mainly driven by members of young generation who find it comfortable and even efficient to do things alone.

"When I eat with other people, it takes more time and inefficient," said Kim Yu-na, 21, a college student in Seoul. "It's same when you go to a movie with other people. You could get distracted."

Young people looking for job opportunities in the ever-shrinking employment market want to save time, the newspaper said, citing it as one reason for the trend. It didn't mention whether it is also a reflection of greater social change amid Korea's deepening integration into globalization, including Western influence.

<Questions>

1. Is it uncomfortable for you to have lunch or watch movie alone? If so, tell us why.

2.These days, lots of people go to coffee shops alone and use their laptop computer or read a book with a coffee. What do you think about that? Do you think that they just want to show off themselves? Do you still see them like 된장남 or 된장녀 If you go to coffee shop alone what do you do?

3. What will be the effect of the trend and phenomenon of having a meal or coffee alone? For example, People are losing the opportunity of conversation. Because they don’t talk, but just do web surfing.

4. Have you ever been to travel alone? What do you think about it?

And let’s share what you usually do when you are alone.

[Teddy(두희)]

영화 혼자보기~ 식사 혼자하기~ 아아아아아~ 혼자하기는 너무 뻘쭘해 to me~~ ㅎㅎ 그래서 둘이서 스키타러 갑니다~ 하하 뒷풀이에는 참석 가능할꺼에용~~ :)

[Mia~]

두희~~!! 누구랑 둘이??^^

[Teddy(두희)]

밑에 썼당,,, 연기 ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

[sujiQ]

혼자할 수 있는 시간이 있어야 난 같이 있을때 두배로 더 행복해 지던데...
테디 드디어 돗자리 사용할 기회가...둘이 간다믄서요?? ㅋ ㅋ 추워도 사랑의 힘으로 극복하세요!

[Teddy(두희)]

>>ㅣ야~~~ 무주에 슬로프 1개 밖에 운영안한대서 약속 연기되었어요~ 우와아아아앙~ 스터디 갈수있다~ ㅠ)ㅜ

[violet]

영화장르에 따라 가끔 평일저녁늦게 혼자보러가는것도 괜찮은듯,,, 관람인원이 적으니까 몰입이 되는 ㅋㅋ

[Jae-Heon (이재헌)]

오~ 주제 둘다 좋아요~ 정치적 주제와~ 내 생활을 돌아보게 만드는 주제~ 아나 감사요~

[jaguar]

야밤에 쏘우 3를 혼자 봤었는데, 혼자 영화 보는 것 참 괜찮더라구요...^^

[Eunice]

항상 혼자 봐야하는 영화는 씁쓸하겠죠 ...ㅎㅎ

[티나Tina]

오랫만에 참가합니다ㅜ_ㅜㅎ

[NightHawk]

둘이 안되서 혼자서 하는걸요....

[Kelly(박현희)]

참석하겠습니다.

[Lilac0703]

I think the question in Topoc 2 are worth to answer or concern. I often go to coffee shop with my laptop for my essay. I felt odd in the first period. But now, that it is normal, at least I can enjoy coffee culture. Coz when I take a break, I can search athe origin of coffee latte across the internet. Others go to the coffee shop, lab or cinema alone. This phenomenon can not reasonal enough to say they are no friends. Their friends may busy at that time; or they have appointment at another time. So, just feel relax.

[Jason(노진영)]

트렌디한 주제 좋아요^^

[Gerrard]

잘봣습니다 ^^