TESL Korea News

Welcome to TESL Korea News. By now you've probably heard the news - America's war in Iraq is over! It doesn't exactly pertain to Korea directly, but since it has involved the aid of various countries around the world, maybe even one of your own, I figured it deserved precedence. This week: elephant butts, palaces, soccer, and Korea - F*@# YEAH! Happy end of ... Read More

By Brooke Petersen Break open that bottle you stored all those years ago for end of Operation Iraqi Feedom, because the war is officially over. O-V-E-R! President Barack Obama gave the good news on August 31, telling war-weary Americans their new mission was to restore the U.S. economy. He omitted to declare who won the war but made sure to mention he had ... Read More

By Brooke Petersen At the end of August North Korean leader Kim Jong-il made a five day visit to China, snobbing former U.S. President Jimmy Carter who was in Pyongyang to get the release of a jailed American citizen. While in China he took on board the message of China’s President Hu Jintao, to not raise tensions on the Korean Peninsula and ... Read More

Surfing the internet, I was directed to this youtube clip by a friend of mine. He was so stoked with his find he simply couldn't contain it. Suffice to say I was the same. Taking a leaf out of Team America's: World Police book, this skit hilariously glorifies and embodies everything about Korea. Everything from hagimas, side dishes, kimchi, E-mart, Rain ... Read More

September is a great month to get out and catch the last of the summer festivals in Korea. Be sure to check out the Seoul Drum Festival, Chungju World Martial Arts Festival, Andong International Maskdance Festival and the Bucheon International Comics Festival. Also get in early to get tickets to Korea's debut Formula 1 in Mokpo next month. Details are ... Read More

By Andrew Farrell So, after fifty-three weeks of blood, sweet, tears and beers, the Korean teaching adventure comes to an end. Worth it? Most definitely. Life changing? Sure. Would I do it again? Absolutely. I write my goodbye speech from the eight floor of the Full House Motel in Gwangju. It would seem appropriate that my final Korean destination is one of those establishments that ... Read More

By Jonathon Corrado More than a few Koreans have mentioned that I bear a striking resemblance to Adam Sandler, but I can’t help but think that I’m probably just the first Jewish person they’ve ever met. The conspicuous absence of Jews also explains why they don’t have a developed sense of sarcasm, and seem resistant to its modal cousins: irony and cynicism. ... Read More

By Darrell Slater The 2010 - 2011 European soccer seasons are up and running again and with them come great interest from Korea; not only in the English Premier League, but this season Korean eyes are also now being treated to regular viewing of the French League 1 and Scottish Premier Division. Korean favorites such as Park Ji Sung and Lee Chung ... Read More

By Maggie Nancarrow One of the up and coming trendy vacation spots in Korea is the North-Eastern city of Sokcho. Once just a grimy port city, a tourist boom in Sokcho has caused a lot of development and a lot of excellent, traditional accommodation to pop up. Stooped women search the bus stops, prowling for young groups of friends or couples to arrive, ... Read More

By Brooke Petersen Low and behold, Gyeongbok Palace is a history geeks’ ultimate home-away-from-home. The fantastic compound, 419,100 square meters, is rich in culture and tradition, even more so with the changing of the guard. For about 600 years this building has remained the seat of power for Korea kings and queens. It was built at the beginning of the Chosun ... Read More