Melbourne guys and girls...墨爾本帥哥美女 メルボルンの美男美女

(The photo on the left is one of my favourite Korean actress, Soo Ae)
I just realised melbourne has tons of good looking asian guys and girls...despite having lived here for ages, i only realised like this past yr.....there are just so many good looking guys and pretty girls here...i don't notice caucasians and have never understood why some asians find westerners attractive cos i don't....its just a personal thing, NOT an attack on westerners, merely my personal preference...
there are alot of pretty chinese girls in melbourne and they are really pretty, nice body, nice smooth skin and wear fashionable clothes...and alot of hot korean and japanese guys around too...i will leave it to another post to describe my thoughts on the amazingly attractive and sexy masculine qualities that korean (and japanese) men have...this post will focus just generally on asian guys and girls....there are also alot of good looking chinese boys around although of cos i never find them attractive even the good looking ones, cos i just feel the chinese (and this incl singaporean and malaysian and other chinese bckgrds) men lack that 'masculine something' which is abundant in korean men....however, i may be biased for some unknown reason and i do admit that i have noticed a few cute ones around law school...like that china guy who was in my summer subject..he was very well dressed too in form fitting shirts, and short pants....and also that aussie-bred malaysian guy in my other class who was pretty good looking and really funny and had a great personality....not to mention the International Law Students Society members, some of whom look like they are part of the Stepford Husbands club...law students, prob rich, good looking, nice built,etc

Anyways, i find asians tend to have nicer,smoother and fairer skin which is important to me and something i find appealing....asian women also tend to have nicer bodies and although ppl say caucasian men have better bodies than asian men being bigger, i tend to disagree given that i think men don't have to be that big to be attractive and asian guys tend not to be as hairy which is good and also are just the right size...my ideal woman would be someone kind hearted, have nice smooth skin and independent at the same time as being feminine whilst my ideal guy would be the same as for women in terms of nice fair smooth skin, kindhearted, gentle, caring,and also masculine, short spiky hair, likes sports at the same time as is a romantic who is intelligent and hard-working in his career, i also love boy-next- door types and not a big fan of bad boy types....but these are just ideals, ideals can always change....the photo is of the korean actress Soo Ae, someone i like alot since she is just so innocent looking and pretty, the kind men would go gaga over to protect...i like her and wish she really went out with Jo Hyun Jae them having filmed a drama years ago called 'Love Letter' but sadly they are only friends (JHJ is this korean actor i absolutely adore, pics of him in my June archives..)

Modern Korea 現代韓國 現代韓国

As anyone who has read my blog must know by now, i love korean stuff and so hope to allow my readers more insight into current events and issues of concern to koreans as well as current trends, popular culture and thinking of koreans and korea..so i've included in this post some articles from the national Chosun Ilbo 朝鮮日報 which indicate the progressive nature of much of Korean media which i've picked up despite Korean society being generally conservative in nature. These articles show how korean society is changing and also show how more is being expected from korean men...enjoy...

The 10 Commandments for Men in Love
You have no trouble meeting women, but do you have trouble keeping them? Ever asked yourself why? Perhaps it is because you pay not nearly enough attention to the little things that can be make or break for a relationship at the all-important early stage. With the help of these simple rules from the Chosun Ilbo, perhaps you too can find longer-lasting happiness with the woman of your dreams, or the next but one’
1. Always Say ＆My’＊ When Introducing Her
When you introduce her to a friend, say, ※This is my girlfriend,§ rather than just mentioning her name. Especially if your relationship has just begun, this is a good way to bring the two of you closer. It will definitely spice up the chemistry between you. The little word ※my§ makes all the difference.
2. Catch What She Really Means
Most men think when a woman says ※no,§ she really means ※yes.§ Well, sometimes she does. But women don＊t always express their opinion in a paradoxical way. Try to understand what she really means. Catch the subtle nuances in her mood.
3. Never Ask Why She＊s Crying
The worst thing you can say to your girl when she＊s crying is, ※Can＊t you stop with the sniffling?§ You＊ll just make matters worse. When a woman cries, it＊s because she wants you to comfort and cuddle her. Don＊t ask why: there are 101 very good reasons, none of whom men will ever understand. So just hand her a handkerchief and put your arm around her shoulder.
4. Compliment Her on Old Pictures
The moment you see the little girl in the picture smiling broadly at you, you＊ll notice that time has changed the smile. But when you learn to accept all her past life just as it is you＊ll find yourself loving her more than ever. Even when you spot the telltale traces of plastic surgery, never mention the difference until she＊s ready to tell you herself. Just offer compliments that tell her she is just as beautiful to you now as she was then. Being too honest can chill your relationship.
5. White Lies Are Forgivable
Of course she knows you＊re lying, but she＊s still delighted to hear your sweet lies. With white lies like ※You＊re my everything,§ ※You＊re the most beautiful girl I＊ve met§ or ※I＊ll love you till the end of the world§ you can＊t go far wrong. You＊ll never know how happy these words will make her. It＊s not so bad to be the boy who cried wolf for a day to make your girl happy, is it?
6. Fight the Urge to Snoop
You have secrets, and so does she. Let each other keep them. Knowing every single thing about her won＊t make you as happy as you think. A woman with her own mystery is actually more attractive.
7. Be a Gentleman
Women can never resist a man with good manners. Always walk on the street side of the sidewalk when walking together, lead the way up the steps and never hang up the phone fist. Always ask her what she thinks. You＊re sure to score high points from her.
8. Become a Memory Artist
The first day you met, her birthday, the day you first kissed: she will really appreciate it if you remember those special days. Love lives on in these happy romantic memories. No woman can forgive a forgetful boyfriend.
9. Do the Things She Likes
Though you may personally prefer action movies to romantic comedy, gamjatang (boiled potato and pork bone soup) to spaghetti and Internet cafes to coffee shops, you should have the patience to do something she likes. Respect each other＊s thoughts and tastes and you＊ll find happiness in just doing things as a couple.
10. Here＊s Lookin＊ at You, Kid
This is the most important thing. Women like to look into their man＊s eyes during intimate conversation and feel the love in his eyes. It＊s easier to win her heart with a single loving glance than a hundred sweet words.

January 25 2006

Most SNU Students Say Yes to Pre-Marital Sex Jan 25 2006
Three out of 10 freshmen at Seoul National University think sex before marriage is fine if they are in love, a survey published Monday suggests. The poll of 2,421 first-year SNU students in 2005 shows that the largest number or 28.1 percent agreed with the premise.
Another 24.3 percent think sex is fine if it does lead to marriage, while 23.5 percent thought pre-marital sex unacceptable under any circumstances and the rest had no opinion. The gender gap was as usual reflected in the answers, with 37.7 percent of male respondents saying sex was fine before marriage and 38.1 percent of women saying no under any circumstances.


Get a Rippling Torso for the Beach February 20 2006
Koreans have never been so obsessed with the toned torso as they are now. TV ratings depend on how long Kwon Sang-woo shows off his chest, and Rain is famous for his combination of a baby face with an improbably bulging masculine body. In fact, torsos are a dime a dozen, and the Korean entertainment business is studded with stars that have perfected a dream body.
The Internet, too, is awash with pictures of ordinary people showing off washboard abs and pecs. A recent photo of an elementary schoolboy with a magnificent six-pack made skinny guys even more self-conscious about their body. But never fear: help is at hand. Double H Multi Gym team manager Yang Deok-il (29), motivator to the stars, says anyone can get into great shape for the summer if they start training now.
Of course the results may differ from person to person, but if you work hard and steady enough, you’ll be ready to show your girlfriend a great chest in just five to six months. Yang warns there is no good in hurrying. Set an achievable goal. Work out with a trainer three to five times a week and learn the right postures and moves. Use the right amount of weights and start with the larger muscles and then slowly focus down to the smaller ones. Intensify your workouts gradually after you get well used to the exercise. And remember: always drink enough water and get plentiful sleep. These are the keys to getting faster and more effective results.
If you want to add volume, nutrition is another major issue. To build a muscular body, a man in his 20s weighing 70 kg and normally taking in 2,500 kcal per day needs 2,800 kcal (carb : protein : fat = 65 : 15 : 20). Aerobic exercise like walking and jogging is more effective in getting rid of belly fat than starving yourself. Protein such as egg whites, milk and chicken breasts are good for you. But if you go without any fat or carbohydrates, you’ll end up looking really starved, like Lee Seong-jae playing an escaped prisoner in the movie “Holiday.”
Also remember that the stars tend to look more muscular in the pictures than in real life due to the posture, lighting and a quick workout just before shooting. Reports tell of teenage boys overseas eating steroids to grow muscles, and some even go under the knife for a thicker and broader chest. Others go on a special diet and a special speedy bodybuilding program for a month or two. But muscles made that quickly don’t last long.
There are about five months to go until the summer vacation. Start with the abdomen, which beginners want the most. Rule no. 1: never forget to stretch your muscles before exercise. You must do three to five sets repeating the same movement at least 15-20 times for each set. If the workout is a little too strong for you, rest more between sets (one minute) instead of doing fewer repetitions.
The photo is also from the Chosun Ilbo article and not something i just grabbed of the net!

Chuo Law Students in Melbourne 中央大學法學生交流 中央大学生との交流

Just to update whats been going on with my life recently since i haven't updated in a while...i did two summer subjects, Civil Litigation and Issues in Japanese Law. I really enjoyed Issues in Japanese Law alot as my interest in Japan got boosted further after my exchange last yr in Tokyo and this is such an interesting subject. We had many guest lecturers coming in to speak to us and this subject also has an annual program of inviting Chuo University 中央大学law students from Tokyo come over to study at melbourne university for 1-2weeks. Thus this year 18 law students came over to study at melbourne law school and we had 2 classes together. This subject basically deals with issues in Japanese law and NOT the substantive law itself given the intensive nature of this course of 2 weeks. (this is usually offered as a summer subject) Topics dealt with this yr included the new jury system to be introduced by 2009, children and juvenile law, the Japanese Constitution and Article 9, the legal profession in Japan including regulations concerning foreign practices and lawyers in Japan,etc. The lecturer is a lawyer at Bakers and McKenzies and has perfect Japanese having studied for many years Japanese including 18 months at Tokyo University. She is extremely intelligent and well learnt knowing many issues concerning Japan such as Zainichi Koreans and their legal problems, Japan's post war war compensation issues, environmental law, Japanese insolvency law,etc.
The highlight of this subject was of cos the interaction we had with the Chuo law students. I got to practice and brush up on my Japanese conversational skills which was fantastic and realised i could sort of hold normal conversations with Japanese people without much problem. I also found out about just how tough it is to become a lawyer in Japan....in fact it is RIDICULOUSLY TOUGH!!!! Lawyers have to pass the National Bar Exam 司法試験 in Japan which has a passing rate prescribed by the exam council of 3.24% or so which means that if 4000 candidates took the exam in 2005 only 130 would pass it!!! So it is NORMAL for people to fail the first time they take it even though they have studied for years to prepare for the exam. In Japan, to be a lawyer u need to be both rich and smart. Rich so that u can afford to go to the good schools as well as pay for tuition lessons 塾費 for the bar exam meaning u pay for university fees and tuition fees until u pass the exam. Smart cos u need to pass the junior high entrance exams to get into a good jh and then pass the extremely difficult university entrance exam to get into a good university and then pass the MOST difficult bar exam.
On average, the chuo law students have all sat at least 4 times for the bar exam before they passed which means they have tried at least 4 years since the exam is held only once a year...if it were me, i would have gone crazy and given up on the thought of becoming a lawyer after 2 tries but i dun know whats in their heads....i know one guy who sat 7 times and still HAS NOT passed meaning he first attempted when he was 21 and now he is already 27 and he has still not worked yet with his parents supporting him...another tried 7 times and failed also and another was 'lucky' he passed on his 4th attempt, he said he may have gone crazy if he failed again, and i don't blame him! I mean to study for a whole year and know u failed the exam and then having to study again til the next yr and fail again and study again and fail again is simply crazy...i mean u would think after having failed 4-7 years, u would stop trying but these law students....anyways, they are really the cream of the crop being extremely talented and intelligent to even get into Chuo Law School which is in the top 5 of the Japanese law schools the others being (1) Tokyo University 東京大学 (2) Keio University (my Japanese exchange uni!!) 慶應大学 (3) Waseda university 早稲田大学 (4)Kyoto University 京都大学. I realised i am knowing all the elite of Japanese society, myself having studied at Keio last yr and gettin to know ppl there and now getting to know Chuo students who will one day, hopefully, become lawyers and judges, so i try to keep in touch with them...and then i know this guy who is at Melbourne University expenses paid for by his company Tokyo Electric Company 東京電力会社 and he was a Tokyo law graduate which is like THE BEST university in Japan and so prestigious that everyone would practically be in admiration if u said u came from there. And i know this japanese judge here paid by government as well...so good for me to keep in contact with them。。。。。。took some of the japanese students to brunswick street and we had assam fish, belachan spinach, lamb curry and gula melaka at Blue Chillies Malaysian restaurant on Brunswick Street....they were really nice and gave us melbourne students chocolates as presents and their teacher even gave us japanese pouches from japan for taking them around...how nice...the pouch in the picture is the present from their teacher....
PS prinzj mayb u can take this subject if u get the chance, its highly recommended.

Wanting to 'Talk About Love' 開始想談戀愛 恋に落ちたい

I have kinda realised although i call my blog a 'personal blog', i have tried to keep it as non-personal as possible cos i am not someone to write about my stuff on the internet and share with millions of strangers in the blogsphere but i thought i would make an exception with this post, just to spice things up abit, make it abit more interesting and also to allow my readers to know just abit more about myself....well, talking about love is the literal translation of the Chinese word 談戀愛 which means to fall in love. Yes, i wanna fall in love.....ever since knowing some stuff and knowing how other people's romances are just like in the Korean dramas and that pure love and what i had previously thought existed only in the movies actually happens in real life, a part of my heart has opened up and there is a yearning, however much i want to deny it, for love.
It would be nice to kiss someone in the alleyway whilst no one is watching, hold hands, hug, have someone to cuddle in bed with, especially during winter, have someone hug you acting as a heater during the cold days in Melbourne, knowing someone cares about your every move and feeling, knowing someone will call u at night to wish u goodnight, have someone hug u from behind, have someone cook a meal for u knowing that the meal is filled with love and tenderness, have a shoulder to cry on when times are bad,
someone for you to care about and cherish, someone u would go out of your way to make that person happy, someone u would be happy if that person was happy and you would be sad if that person was sad, someone to do an eskimo kiss with (in case u r wondering what this is, it is the rubbing of noses, an act which though simple, i have always liked), someone to hold and to hope with, ok i better stop now cos i am REALLY going into fantasy land, alot of the above are already happening with lovers around the world......sigh, i guess a Chinese saying would be appropriate in these circumstances..愛情真的是可遇不可求 ( Love is something you can only hope for, but not something you can ask for).

Korean Film Pick: You are My Sunshine 你是我的命運 君は私の運命だ

This was a box office and critically applauded film in 2005 in Korea dealing with a prostitute and a farmer in a village in rural Korea. The film dealt with many issues SPOILER ALERT (please do not read on from this point if u do not want to know some of the issues that come up, i will however not divulge the ending nor the major plot, just touch on the issues that comes up)
namely, AIDS, prostitution and the oppression of women in Korea. It starred the capable Jeon Do-yeon and the first half was extremely melodramatic and romantic and you would think that this film would be one of those boy meets girl and both happen to be at the bottom of society and will live happily ever after, well you would be wrong. The second half of the film had a complete change in tone and many things occur as you discover that the prostitute has a past which comes back to haunt her and she had escaped to the village to get away from her past. Further, the topic of AIDS was seriously dealt with especially the discrimination against people with HIV in Korea. The status of women and how prostitutes and women were treated in Korea was also broached upon in the film, showing the unacceptable treatment meted out to them. I also found interesting the prostitution business which was shown in the film whereby the brothel is actually a coffee shop which dones the usual coffee and cakes business but had a 'special coffee delivery' service whereby customers would 'order coffee' by ringing in and the girls would deliver the coffee on their bikes to the motel and of cos the men were not really after the coffee and so they would have a transaction and thus the coffee delivery was a cover for them. I wonder whether this kind of prostitution service really occurs in Korea, cos its the first time i've heard of this kinda 'take-away service'. The film is one of the best Korean films i've seen from 2005, indeed, one of the best films of 2005, dealing with a whole range of issues such as AIDS, women, domestic violence(this is the scene where one prostitute remarks about the 'art' done on another woman's face),prostitution,etc....it was really very melodramatic and kinda cliche but it worked so well that it was emotionally draining on me and i ended up crying not once but TWO times and my faith in the male gender once again took a nose dive....there was one particular scene which traumatised me deeply, it was a short 30 sec scene but it truly made me disgusted. However, for some men, i am pretty sure they would consider that scene rather tame given the kinda things they watch in their spare time (yuck!!). However, besides that particular scene, the entire movie is not too violent nor sex-riddled and is incredibly realistic and frank in its portrayal of the characters at the same time as being incredibly melodramatic. I know its difficult to understand how it can be frank and yet melodramatic at the same time but it is a carefully crafted film which manages to effect the perfect balance between the two. Recommended!!! Five stars out of Five (basically any film that can make me cry, esp cry twice, will get five stars from me).

Male Discrimination in Korea 韓國男性歧視 韓国における男性に対する差別

This is an interesting article on discrimination against men in Korea, a society well known for its confucianistic oppression of women. It appeared in the Chosun Times Newspaper recently.

Could the clown in the current hit movie 'The King and the Clown' sue the King for raping him? Not under Korean law he can't. The penal code limits victims of rape to women.
The Korean Women's Development Institute last week published a report showing that many laws closely related with everyday life are sexually discriminatory. At the request of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the institute carried out a three-month investigation into 17 areas of Korean statutes including the Constitution and concluded that 159 regulations favor, exclude, discriminate against or cause damage to a particular gender for no good reason.
The majority discriminate against women, but a good few disadvantage men. Half of the 159 articles were related to the Hojuje or patriarchal family registry system and are thus automatically amended once that is abolished in 2007 But the articles discriminating against men still remain. KWDI researcher Park Seon-yeong says, In the past, concern about sexual discrimination was focused on protecting women. But as women gain economic power and the viewpoint on equality has changed, we now focus more on the equality of the sexes.
﹣Men as Rape Victims
One of the most obvious laws to point to is Article 297 of the Criminal Code: Those who rape a female by violence or threat shall be sentenced to jail for no less than three years. For men who have been raped, the prosecution can bring charges of assault, and culprits face prison terms of up to 10 years or a fine of up to W15 million (US$15,000), potentially a much lighter penalty.
Prof. Kim Elim of Korea National Open University points out that it is meaningless to stick to the term ※female§ from the article, which was written in 1953, and that violation of an individual's sexual rights can also occur by way of oral or anal sex, while sexual abuse must be viewed as a violation of human rights instead of an issue between man and woman. The suicide of a soldier who suffered sexual abuse in the Army in 2003 shows that such abuse of men in the military or in prisons is on the increase. Last year, the National Human Rights Commission estimated that 15.4 percent of soldiers experienced sexual abuse in the Army.
﹣Beauty vs. Virility
Current law is less concerned with the appearance of men than of women. A regulation related to election laws shows this aspect very well. Women with visible scars are given disability grade 4 while men are given grade 6. Men would have to lose both testicles to be graded 4. Prof. Kim says, This is a trace of the old social values of the 60s that highlight facial appearance for women and reproductive ability for men.§
﹣Why Can't Men Marry at 16?
According to the Article 807 of the Civil Code, men can get engaged or married when they reach the age of 18 while women can marry at 16. The article was added in a 1960 revision based on the presumption that girls mature mentally and physically earlier than boys and that men should at least have a high-school diploma to be able to earn money and take care of a family. But Park So-hyeon, a researcher at the Korea Legal Aid Center for Family Relations, says, Maturity differs between individuals not genders, and since men and women are both responsible for the family, such regulations do not reflect reality.§Park points out that Germany, Russia and the U.S. once set the legal marital age at 18 for men and 16 for women, but as inequality issues were raised, now the legal age is 16 or 18 for both men and women in most states in the U.S.
I thought this article reflected many of my own thoughts on this issue, things like male rape which is not recognised in many countries. In Malaysia, for example, if a male is raped, it comes under the unnatural sex offences and not rape. Similarly if a woman is raped anally or orally in Malaysia, it comes under the unnatural sex offences as well. I think rape laws must be reformed to include anal and oral rape and not be restricted to just vaginal rape given the fact that both occur frequently as well. Further, it is time to recognise that men can be raped and to give men equal protection too. Further, i was really shocked by the statistics provided in the article that about 15.4% of Korean conscripts and personnels experience sexual abuse in the military. That is a surprisingly large number, and if the definition of sexual abuse meant only rape then it is a truly worrying figure. I think rape of men in the military and in prisons by gay men (and maybe even straight men??) must be dealt with properly and the taboo must be broken as i currently think many men who are sexually abused do not speak out out of shame of having being raped by another man or being accused of actually being gay himself. I also have always been dumbfounded by why men and women had different marriage legality ages, i mean why is a girl allowed to marry earlier than a guy?? I think it is pure partriarchal thinking allowing men to marry 'pure virgin' girls and should be abolished. I will also introduce the box office and critically acclaimed Korean gay-themed film 'The King and his Clown' mentioned at the beginning of the article when i get the chance to watch it.

Gay Japan 同志日本 ゲイ日本

Below is an article from the Japan Times including useful resources on gay Japan.

Finding space in gay Japan 'Rainbow Imperialism' conflicts with concept of 'don't ask, don't tell' By THOMASINA LARKIN
At first glance, homosexual life in Japan can seem quite repressed. Public displays of affection are next to nil, gay Japanese men often live secret lives and it's hard to notice a gay presence at all unless by venturing into Tokyo's "gayborhood," Shinjuku Ni-Chome.
But by taking a deeper look past the surface of society and crossing the linguistic barriers that surround the word "gay," the system in Japan often provides a more relaxed environment for men who sleep with men.
To many, "gay" evokes images of homosexual men out twirling their rainbow flags and proudly expressing themselves with an "I'm here and I'm queer" attitude.
Brought up with this stereotypical understanding of gay life, some foreigners think Japanese men who live in a hushed gay culture should liberate themselves through similar actions.
"My term for that is 'Rainbow Flag Imperialism,' " says Greg Dvorak, an American PhD candidate at the Gender Relations Centre of the Australian National University (ANU) and a visiting research fellow at Tokyo University.
"It's like its own form of colonization. The word 'gay' in English carries a lot more baggage than we think it does. It includes some people but it excludes others.
"There are many men who if you ask if they're gay, they may say no. But if you ask if they've had sex with men or desire men, they may say yes."
Being "gay" in Japan has totally different parameters than what has become accepted in mainstream Western cultures.
The word itself was imported after World War II ended, when American soldiers scoured the streets in search for sexual relations with either Japanese women or men.
Shortly after, one of the first gay bars opened in Shinjuku.
Today, over 200 gay bars are crammed into a maze of streets in Shinjuku Ni-Chome, each catering to a very specific clientele such as "debu-sen" (those who seek fat men), "fuke-sen" (men who love older men) and "gai-sen" ('gaijin' chasers).
Japan has enjoyed a history of open sexuality dating back to the Heian period when samurai and Buddhist monks practiced sex with young male pages. In more recent days, saunas provide meeting places for gay men.
Straight men, as in most of Asia, touch each other affectionately as friends. And Japanese men don't have any qualms about calling another guy cute.
But as would probably be done in the West, none of this is has been stigmatized or labeled as "gay" or "queer" or "homo."
"People don't come out in Japan, they come in," says Dvorak. "The tendency is to find your own space. You don't need to come out to your parents or boss, it's not about how exposed you can be. It's about coming in, like joining a club. You find your own niche. That's what mainstream Japan is like with sexuality."
Unlike Western societies, where people are urged to talk about everything, Japan has an unwritten law of "don't ask, don't tell," where much is left unsaid as a form of respect and politeness to eliminate many embarrassing or potentially dangerous predicaments.
"At home, I've felt very threatened in some situations where if I said I was gay I might lose my life," says Jonah from America.
"Gay bashing doesn't happen here. Gay life here is much more comfortable because being in a non-gay environment is much less threatening."
Another notable disadvantage of the vibrant and open gay scene in other countries is that it can foster pretentious attitudes within queer communities.
"At bars in the States, guys sit around with these looks on their faces like they're too pretty to be approached," says Jonah. This rarely, if ever, happens in Japan, he says.
Gays abroad may feel they have to fit into a perfect pretty mold that has been created by society. As long as they are interior designers, good cooks, witty and stylish, they are accepted into the mainstream. Those are the types represented on TV and in the media. A fat gay South American making breakfast in bed for his lover isn't likely to get much airtime.
"It's a pre-packaged vision of marriage that looks like heterosexuality. That's repression. People who don't fit that model can't find themselves in that. The people who made this rainbow flag kind of world didn't make space for Asians," says Dvorak.
"This liberation idea is very important, the need to be visible and appreciated. But globalization is only taking one particular brand of gayness and selling it to the whole world."
Because many foreigners in Japan don't feel the same pressure to conform to the ideals of "perfect gayness" that they experience back home, they often feel less inhibited when approaching Japanese men.
"If I see somebody I think is cute, I'll just walk right up and tell him or say 'Hi. What's your name?' In America, everyone has so much attitude, I would never do that.
"The guys I meet here are way younger, better looking and in better shape, but I don't feel like they're out of my league. Dating has become a much easier endeavor," says Jonah. Those who want to build same-sex relationships with Japanese into something long-term usually feel it's an impossible feat.
"I can never tell my parents about my sexuality. They could never accept homosexuality," says Ko-Ko from Tokyo, who is currently involved in a long-term relationship with a foreigner.
"They see gay people on TV but they never believe it could happen to them. So I'd never tell them, to keep them happy."
And the gay people they see on TV are never regular gay Japanese men, such as a businessmen or politicians, who have come out to provide a public role model.
Since Japan has yet to pass legislation for job protection against gay discrimination, it's little wonder why Japanese "don't come out, they come in."
While it's easy to be invisible in Tokyo, where many gay men marry and have children, but lead a secret life to satisfy their sexual appetite, it can be especially lonely in the countryside where everybody is connected.
"Outside of Tokyo, foreigners or Japanese can feel very isolated," says a volunteer at a gay hotline in Japan. "I've taken many calls from foreigners entering young adulthood at the same time as they're sent to nowhere-ken, Japan to teach English and they feel very alone. That could be a disadvantage of a 'don't ask don't tell' society where when they never tell, they'll never know."
In addition to the lack of public role models who could help others feel like they're not alone, most media depicts stereotypical gay characters with the aim to entertain the straight public.
For example, TBS's personality Razor Ramon HG (Hard Gay), is a straight man pretending to be gay by wearing leather bondage and cruising around thrusting hips all over the place. And last month, toy company Tomy released "Kurohi-gei Kiki Ippatsu," a game where Razor Ramon hides in a barrel in which the player stabs plastic swords until he pops out of the top. Some believe if there is ever a hope of gaining same-sex legal rights in Japan, Razor Ramon isn't the best image to portray the gay community.
"We're correcting the false stereotypes like Razor Ramon that show a lack of respect and understanding and we are trying to educate Japanese people about the advances in gay rights around the world," says Hiroshi Mochizuki, editor in chief of Gay Japan News, an online media service established about a year ago that currently gets about 50,000 hits per day.
"The lack of knowledge is the biggest problem. At this point we're bringing people together."
Mochizuki also founded a body called Equality, which he expects will be registered by the government as a nonprofit organization within the next two months.
While Equality's first aim is to disseminate information to both the gay and straight community, its long-term goal is to achieve antidiscrimination legislation and rights for same-sex marriages.
He says to do so, he hopes to strengthen the economic muscle of the gay community by bringing together the support of local business.
So for those gays in Japan who don't feel so happy, Equality may be their pot of gold waiting at the end of a rainbow.
(Names in the article have been changed to protect privacy)
On the Web and in print
Gay Japan News: www.gayjapannews.com
Gay Japan and Japanese Gay Resources and Travel Tips by Utopia: www.utopia-asia.com/tipsjapn.htm*
Japan AIDS Prevention Awareness Network: www.japanetwork.org*
McLelland, Mark; Queer Japan from the Pacific War to the Internet Age McLelland, Mark; Male Homosexuality in Contemporary Japan: Cultural Myths and Social Realities*
Saikaku, Ihara (Schalow, Paul, trans.); The Great Mirror of Male Love*
Leupp, Gary; Male Colors* Pflugfelder, Gregory; Cartographies of Desire: Male-Male Sexuality in Japanese Discourse, 1600-1950* Summerhawk, Barbara; Queer Japan: Personal Stories of Japanese Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Transsexuals
I emailed the journalist telling her what a great piece she wrote and got a reply bck from her telling me that she appreciated my encouragement. The commentary by the American was kinda interesting when he talked about Japanese gay men not having 'the attitude' and that he could get guys 'way beyond his league' in terms of looks and age but i think he missed out the important consideration of whether it was due to internalised racialism on the part of the Japanese gay men and that maybe japanese gay men had as much 'attitude' towards other japanese gay men as in happens in America but that they were making an exception for the white gaijin (foreigner) and maybe if the white man was NOT white but japanese, the same young hot japanese guys after him would not be interested at all...food for thought...

Korean Drama Pick韓劇推薦 コリアドラマおすすめ: My Name is Kim Sam Soon 我的名字叫金三順わたしの名前はキムサムスンです

Just finished watching this fantastic drama which had the highest ratings in Korea last year. It is absolutely hilarious and made me laugh uncontrollably. Really love Sam Soon, she is just such a refreshing change from your usual petite, soft spoken female characters in korean dramas who all look so perfect and beautiful...in fact, sam soon is just the opposite, down to earth, has a temper (unlike the average korean drama female protagonist who never seems to fight bck against her evil mother- in -law -to- be), overweight,average looking, no make-up, swears, farts, eats as much as she wants, is selfish when it comes to love and down right lovable. This is another example of Korean dramas being extremely progressive when it comes to portrayals of women. It is ironic that korean society being THE most confucianist in East Asia, has a media that is surprisingly progressive towards women, even more so i would say than western countries like America where women are still sexualised and objectified, eg Desperate Housewives and Sex and the City both of which feature gorgeous looking women leading upper middle class lives and looking nothing like the average american woman. My Name is Kim Sam Soon however managed to gain immense popularity in Korea due to the female audience being able to identify with her, as her character was realistic and had flaws and viewers could feel a connection with Sam Soon, being able to think 'yeah, i can relate to that'...Even her love rival Yu Hee Jin is not your usual kind hearted lass who sacrifices her love, instead although she was just the kind of girl men would want to protect, given her innocent sweet looks in the drama, she was also selfish in wanting to pursue her love and even expressing her flawed side as well which i found extremely refreshing given that the producers could have easily made her role into one of pure innocent love rival suffering from sickness. Instead, she had a credible and believable character which i could definitely relate to. Daniel Henney, the Korean-American model-actor, who plays Yu Jin's American doctor who steadfastly follows her bck to Korea and is satisfied just being besides her even though he loves her, is also very good in his role. Very believable, they made him the perfect guy, tall, great body, dashing looks, a doctor, has a heart of gold wanting Yu Jin to be happy even if it means he can't have her and wanting to work for Medicines Sans Frontiers an NGO medical group operating in third world countries.
Also liked Sam Soon's english name, Sophie, which she made up for Henry (Daniel Henney) as he couldn't speak Korean, i somehow found the name 'Sophie' really amusing....also liked alot of the things Sam Soon said in the drama which resonated well with me such as 'Don't worry about things before they happen, enjoy the moment' in relation to how when you think you are the luckiest person in this world when you find someone you love and that person loves you, some would start to panic and worry that this is all a dream and that someday you may end up losing and breaking up with that person....her realisation was that ppl should simply enjoy the moment and not worry about the future so much thst it spoils the present....highly recommended Korean Drama so go watch it!!

Koreans in Melbourne 韓國人在墨爾本 メルボルンの韓国人

Given my love for Korean dramas, films, popular culture and just Korean stuff in general, i am going to introduce some Korean places in Melbourne. There has been an influx of Koreans into Melbourne in the past 2 years for some reason and there are now more Koreans here than was visible a mere 2 years ago....for some reason, there are so many korean backpackers,tourists,students and also many Korean groceries, restaurants and businesses have opened as well. I will introduce these places and update them when new ones appear. I have actually seen Korean students/visitors on many occasions, once even meeting like 5 to 10 koreans a day on the street which surprised even me. Obviously there are still much more Chinese around but it seems that the no of koreans have surpassed the japanese just from general observations of the city area.
I am really happy given that i am one of the Korean Wave fans (i was a fan even before this korean wave started way bck in 2000) and so more koreans and businesses is good news for me!

List of Korean Establishments in Melbourne:

(1) City Mart Korean Grocery/DVD rental
This is a well known Korean grocery store amongst both koreans and non-koreans selling your average Korean fare of ramyun, kimchi,etc AND it also rents out the latest Korean films, variety shows and dramas having one of the most up-to-date collection of Korean films in Melbourne. Moreover, most of the Korean DVD films have english subtitles and the k-dramas tend to have Chinese subs too, many being pirated versions from China. I frequent this place to borrow Korean films very often cos they have eng subs so i understand....many korean students come here too..LOCATION: Right Across the well known Queen Victoria Market,City. The storefront has large korean characters displayed.

(2)Family Mart Korean Grocery/DVD
This is another Korean grocery again selling all the kimchi,imported korean foodstuff, etc and also allows rentals of Korean films, however, the collection is quite small compared to City Mart's DVD collection. LOCATION: Lonsdale Street, City

(3)Kashin Internet/Games/DVD/Comics
This is situated on Hardware Street and is an internet cafe which provides online games as well as has a rental section for comics and Korean films. Owned by Koreans and frequented by Koreans and some non-Koreans. LOCATION: Hardware Street ,City

(4) Vora Cafe
Situated also on Hardware St just a few shops away from Kazen store is Vora cafe which opened like many of the Korean restaurants and businesses only last year. It sells Korean food and is owned by Koreans with your staple kimchi, bulgogi, bibimbab, and it also sells Ja Jaeng Myun (Chinese Black Sauce Noodles). Tried it but i still prefer the Ja Jaeng Myun i had in Tokyo's KoreaTown Shin Okubo where in one of the restaurants owned by Koreans, the chinese noodles were DELICIOUS! In comparison, the one here is not that good ( in my opinion anyway). Frequented by korean students and australian office workers nearby. LOCATION:Hardware Street, City

(5) Grandma Kimchi
This has three branches and is one of the most well known Korean restaurants in Melbourne. It sells all your average Korean dishes like bulgogi, bibimbab, cold noodles, kimchi hotpot,etc. It has branches in Boxhill, Carnegie and in the city near russell street. I would recommend this place as the food is good and the interior design of the branch in the city is really nice and classy.
LOCATION: city, boxhill,carnegie

(6)Seoul Garden
One of the most established Korean restaurants in Melbourne located on Russell St serving all your normal Korean dishes including, kalbi tang, ginseng chicken tang (yummy!), kimchi soup, noodles,etc. Apparently i heard that when the film crew of the TV drama 'Sorry I Love You' came to Melbourne to shoot some scenes, the cast and crew had meals at this place. LOCATION: Russell Street, City

(7) Seoul Palace
Located in Chinatown and serving again everything you'd expect to find in a Korean restaurant and they have Korean KTV too. LOCATION: Market Lane, Chinatown

(8) There are two korean restaurants on exhibition st which i can't remember the name of and both sell korean food.

(9) The street beside Queen Victoria Market on the side of the Australian Sheep/Wool Tourist Centre has alot of Korean internet cafes and most importantly Korean-style BBQ restaurants where you cook your own meat and have soju. I can't remember the name of this street but it is right beside QV Market, if u walk down you will see the Korean restaurants all clustered up.

(10) Green Mart
Another new Korean grocery which just opened a month or two ago selling Korean imported frozen foods, kimchi, korean snacks as well as Japanese food. LOCATION: LaTrobe St, City Opposite Melbourne Central

(11) Korean Bridal and Make-Up Shop
There is now even a Korean Bridal shop where they provide make-up and services for brides!! It is a really classy place and prominently located at Melbourne Central shopping Mall. LOCATION: Melbourne Central, City

(12) Korean Hand Therapy Institute
In case u're wondering what the heck 'hand therapy' means, don't worry i was completely mystified myself when i came across this on the 2nd flr of Paramount Centre, Chinatown. Basically, after asking the Korean lady inside, i found out it means hand acupuncture. My my my, the range of korean services has really expanded in Melbourne, from the usual grocery stores to hand acupuncture shops now? LOCATION: Paramount Centre, Chinatown

(13) QUA Korean Apparel
Also located inside Paramount Centre selling Korean imported fashion. Has a branch in Boxhill. LOCATION: Paramount Centre, Chinatown

(14) Korean Lunchbox
This is a counter at the Paramount Centre foodcourt selling one of the best Korean Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup i have ever had and i go there often till the point where the owner knows me and knows i always order her spicy noodle seafood soup such that once she sees me, she will know what i want. Offers the best bargain in Melbourne for Korean food i reckon given that its in a foodcourt, the food sold there would cost double in a restaurant i think. Very popular with office workers, non-Korean students as well.LOCATION: Paramount Centre FoodCourt, Chinatown

(15) Oriental Spoon Korean Restaurant
Located on LaTrobe Street right across the Korean bridal shop i mentioned, this place offers all the usual korean fare with nice kimchi hotpots,bibimbab,etc. Right next door is this Korean karaoke place called 'M' and this just goes to show the significant korean population now with many korean karaoke joints popping up around Melbourne. LOCATION: LaTrobe Street, City

(16) BakPak Hotel
This place has many backpackers from all over the world but it also has, i realised, a significant number of korean backpackers all yr round. LOCATION: Franklin Street, City

(17) Melbourne BackPackers Hostel
This place and the many hostels around this area has many korean tourists. LOCATION: Franklin Street,City

(18) State Library of Victoria
A popular studying place for many Korean students of English. You can find at least one or two koreans on any given day. LOCATION: City

(19) Korean Beauty and Hair Salons
One of the most popular businesses that koreans in melbourne engage in is the hair and beauty industry with many korean beauty centres and hair shops opening in boxhill and the city area.

(20) Koreana
This is a Korean hair shop with branches in Little Lonsdale Street and Bourke Street. LOCATION: Little Lonsdale Street, Bourke Street


There are also several more restaurants and korean education consultant centres all over Melbourne, too many in fact, for me to list here. A tip is that most of the Korean eateries advertise as Korean/Japanese places and this is common all over Australia. I just ate at this place called Sushi Max which i had initially thought was Japanese owned but turned out to be korean-owned and they sold one korean dish, pork bulgogi, amongst their sushi and tempura sets. So if you ever see a Korean/Japanese restaurant in Australia, you can be sure it is almost guaranteed to be Korean-owned. I think they are afraid that Korean food is not as popular as Japanese and thus advertise themselves as both. There are also two (or maybe more) free Korean magazines (one is called Korea 21) available at Korean groceries and establishments advertising the numerous Korean services available in Melbourne such as Korean owned education and immigration centres,beauty parlours, restaurants etc. MANY korean students now come to Melbourne to learn English and many language schools are filled with Koreans now. Their numbers i would say have surpassed the number of Japanese students in Melbourne but no doubt still way behind the huge chinese student population here.

I also had a pleasant surprise last week when as i was walking home, this Korean guy (a tourist i think, there being many Korean tourists nowadays in Melbourne) suddenly stopped me and asked me in Korean if i was Korean. I couldn't believe it, it was the first time i had been mistaken for being a Korean and there were so many people walking on the street but he stopped me out of all those people. I was really happy (not that i wanna be korean cos i love being of chinese heritage but I was thrilled anyway) and said in english what, and he repeated in english asking whether i was korean. I said no and asked if he was lost hoping to get to know him better cos i REALLY WANT a korean friend but he said he just mistook me as a fellow korean and so sadly i had to let him go.....but it would have been weird anyways even if i was korean, i mean you don;t just stop ppl in the streets cos u think they are from the same country as you, i mean if he wasn't lost what would he have said to the korean person he stopped? Like 'can you take me around cos i am touring melbourne alone?' That would seriously be kinda weird but in my case, I wouldn't mind one bit given my desperate attempt to find korean friends.

SO IF ANY KOREANS ARE READING THIS OR ANYONE WHO HAS KOREAN FRIENDS IS READING THIS AND PREFERABLY STAYING IN MELBOURNE, PLEASE (I AM BEGGING) CONTACT ME BY LEAVING A COMMENT AND UR CONTACT DETAILS AS I REALLY WANT KOREAN FRIENDS BUT DON'T KNOW HOW TO MEET THEM GIVEN THAT MOST ARE IN ENGLISH SCHOOLS>THANKS, KAMSAMNIDA!

Happy Chinese New Year! 農曆新年快樂﹗春節 中国のお正月おめでとうございます

Been a long time since i last celebrated CNY in Melbourne.....went to Chinatown to see the lion dances and fire crackers celebrations,was really crowded, i think CNY is the only time when Chinatown gets this crowded! Well, just wanna wish all my readers Happy Chinese New Year, Wishing you all Good Health and Prosperity in the coming year!
祝 大 家 新 年 快 樂 ﹐
身 體 健 康 ﹐
萬 事 如 意 ﹐
心 想 事 成 ﹗

The Status of Women... 婦女的地位 婦女の地位

The status of women and women's rights have always been a huge concern of mine and today i shall write down some of my thoughts and opinions on this issue. It is my first post regarding this issue since i started this blog and hope for comments and feedbck on what fellow readers and bloggers think... a healthy debate is always good...
I have always felt lucky to have been born and grew up in times when women's status and women's rights were and are improving dramatically and am glad that after thousands of years of unjustified and ridiculous oppression of women, in the past decades, the world has finally come to its senses and women have been gradually liberated from the 'second-class status' imposed on them since time immemorial. Indeed, women were denied education and employment opportunities for thousands of years throughout ALL civilisations around the world encompassing the West and the East. When enlightenment came and Western ideas of female emancipation and liberation developed and spread around the world in the early 20th century, hope finally dawned. However, in Asia, old habits died hard. Boys were still prioritised by families in terms of education and employment and girls could only go to schools after the education of their brothers were paid first. Even when girls were educated, in Chinese speaking areas at least, it was thought undesirable for girls to be educated beyond primary school or at most secondary school until the late 1960s as it was thought that too much education would make a girl too argumentative and too independent and thus render her undesirable for marriage and being an obedient wife....sons were also treasured in Chinese families (and i am sure many other Asian families too) and it was widely known that newly married women had incredible pressure to bear at least one son to satisfy the in-laws and be deemed a woman with 'luck'. This pressure and preference for sons lasted amongst Chinese families well into the 1980s and early 1990s.
Thankfully, times have changed since then.However, if Asian women are now sitting back and comfortably thinking that all is relatively equal now, they are DEAD WRONG....cos things are still nowhere near being relatively equal between the sexes....
I have realised alot of women nowadays don't care about the feminist movement nor women's rights and think that the feminist movement is a thing of the past, taking for granted the rights they enjoy today, indeed many girls of my generation (20s) simply do not care much about women's rights when they should since it affects them directly...
i say that things are still a long way off from even 'relative equality' cos of what i have observed...i shall list just some of the more significant inequalities that still exist between the sexes in Asia-Pacific Nations in the 21st Century:
(1) Men still get the top jobs and higher level positions in companies and CEOs of companies are still OVERWHELMINGLY men....this is simply disproportionate to the gender ratios....either this proves men are biologically smarter and more capable than women or that there exists gender discrimination when promotions are given...(let's not forget, since most high level posts and decision-makers men, they could well be unconsciously selecting their fellow male workers for promotions)
(2) The top government posts are still OVERWHELMINGLY occupied by men with cabinet positions being occupied 70% or more in most Asian countries and men occupying more than half of the legislature in ALL Asian countries.
(3) Women are still overwhelmingly the victims of rape, molest,domestic violence and sexual harassment and men overwhelmingly the perpetrators..Laws have been put in place in recent yrs in many asian countries criminalising domestic violence and sexual harassment but the long twisted road it took them with opposition from many male legislators just goes to show the chauvinistic and selfish attitude of many Asian men.
An example of how many Asian men have still not progressed in step with the times and still hold latent chauvinistic views can be seen from the examples of Malaysia and Japan. These are just 2 example countries and it is not accurate to say that these two countries' men are the worst....its just that i am more familiar with them...
in Malaysia, a new Islamic law has been passed making it even easier for men to get a second wife whilst retaining the limited no of reasons a wife can divorce her husband. Further, there is still no sexual harassment law, only a sexual h. code of prac which is non-compulsory and merely advisory in nature. I can't even remember the ludicrous reasons that were given by employer associations on why they opposed any sexual harassment laws, i think it was something to the effect that it would 'encourage' female workers dissatisfied with their employers to falsely accuse them of sexual harassment...yeah yeah, heard all that BS before, women lie and like to falsely accuse men of rape and sexual harassment, whatever...
Then in Japan, after years and yes i mean YEARS of female commuters in the densha (trains)having to bear with the HUGE problem of chikans (molesters) who take advantage of the rush hours where commuters are literally packed like cans of sardines (believe me, i have personally experienced Tokyo rush hour and it is UNBELIEVABLY crammed), the train companies finally started to tackle the problem from 2004 where women's carriages were introduced such that during morning rush hour ONE or TWO carriages on SPECIFIC lines would be off-limits to men. This is hardly an adequate response to the problem as one or two carriages in a train is simply not enough given the number of female commuters which means that not all women would be able to get into them making those in the mixed carriages even more vulnerable. Given that these women-only carriages only occupy one to two of every line AND only for a specific time period such as 7am to 10am after which they revert back to mixed carriages AND given that the chikan problem has been a HUGE problem for women passengers for many years now, you would think that Japanese men would be more supportive of these new measures.....BUT there has been complaints from some selfish Japanese men that it is 'discriminating' towards them as they can't get into the carriages during rush hour, for example the women only carriages may not be that cramped as many women still choose to ride in the mixed one, and that it is a great inconveniece for men to have to walk to the mixed carriages esp if they are in a rush....i mean how selfish can they get!!!! of course these japanese male complainers don't feel the need for women's only carriages , i mean why would they? They are not the ones having to put up with the weird ojisan or middle aged balding businessman fondling up your skirt or his paws brushing against your bum which japanese women commuters have been putting up with years....they can enjoy their unharassed journey to work everyday whilst their female co-workers have to worry about the possibility of being molested everyday to work, i think what these men need is, and believe me, it would work, put all the straight selfish men who are complaining into a carriage FULL of gay men, make them commute with these gay men and be harassed by the gay men like touching their behinds and bumping into them and rocking up to them and i am sure they would be asking for all-straight male carriages in no time!
Then there is also the age-old habit of men which is having an extra-marital affair, seriously, many men still engage in affairs, and i mean MANY, i have heard of it from my mother's social circle which is wide and many of her friends have had husbands who were less than faithful(women also do commit adultery around the world but the rates are still no where near the prevalence amongst men)....and the thing that makes me angry is the way these women tolerate their husbands' unacceptable behaviour, i mean many women of my mother's generation simply do not want divorces and will try everything to 'win' their husbands back and try to be even nicer and obedient towards their husbands after finding out. I mean there is still a certain acceptability for men to go out and 'fool around' as long as they provide financially for the family and do not divorce the wife...people will actually encourage the wife to 'treat the husband nicer' and that the husband 'doesn't love the other woman, he is just fooling around, you know men, its just a sexual relationship'...i mean what kinda of rubbish is that, if an Asian woman were to go out to just have a 'sexual relationship' with another man but not love him, i doubt many people would advise the husband to 'treat her nicer' , in fact people would be thinking she is 'a whore, a loose woman' and if her husband forgave her, ppl would be 'he is not a man, how can he accept his wife having had another man?' I always encourage women to divorce their husbands immediately if they ever found out that their husbands were cheating, i mean the same standards should apply to both sexes, why should one apply for women another for men? I think women are incredibly stupid to try to 'win' bck their husbands, i mean they are already 'broken goods' why would u want him bck? I mean if it were me, i would be thinking of the best way to hit him where it hurts, how to sap the most money for alimony outta him when we get the divorce....it is also ridiculous how in asian societies all the hatred and condemnation is focused on the 'other woman'...how wicked she is, how she is breaking up a family, how she seduced the family man who would never do such a thing on his own accord...i mean shouldn't all the anger and blame be directed towards the guy?? HE is the one with a family and who swore the vows of marriage, HE is the one most morally guilty as he has emotional feelings and gone thru so much with the wife, HE is more than capable of refusing any seduction from the other woman even if she did seduce him. On the other hand, the other woman often only finds out the man is married AFTER he has deceived her into thinking he is single when he was trying to get her into bed, she is usually single and has no emotional feelings for the wife and so is less guilty as she can sleep with whoever she likes....i mean there are so many cases like this taiwanese legislator who hired a prostitute and it got onto the media and his wife forgave him, the thing was he was interviewed recently and you could see the way he said it was like he has already been 'punished' by his wife and didn't want to talk about it, i mean hello? his attitude was one of 'yeah i made a mistake and my wife has already punished me so lets get on with the marriage' other legislators also kept joking with him on the affair and i got really pissed off, i mean if it was his wife who had hired a male prostitute, i sure know that no one would be joking bout it and it would be treated seriously....then there was jackie chan who made the infamous speech regarding his affair ' i made a mistake that all men on earth have made' and he even went on to criticise the woman (a HK actress btw) for coming out and disclosing their relationship after she got pregnant with his baby and even going so far as to say he felt 'tricked' by the actress and felt she had deliberately got herself pregnant with his baby...i mean hello?? I would like to know just how she had tricked Jackie Chan into sticking his thing into her vagina...
In these affairs it is women who suffer the most,
the wife obviously suffers as she had contributed her youth and energy for the family only to be betrayed in such a painful way by the man she loved the most and who she thought had loved her the most.....she would have to accept the cold cruel fact that all the sweet memories they had in the yrs of their marriage could mean nothing now as her husband no longer loved her (contrary to popular Asian belief, most men who have affairs DO love or have feelings towards the other woman, they may be bastards, but they are still human)
the other woman suffers as she usually has to be kept in the dark and hide the relationship from her family and friends as well as lose her real chance for a relationship with a single male as she is with the married man, many men do NOT leave their wives as in Asian society, it is considered irresponsible for men to divorce their wives, affairs are tolerated only if they do not threaten the family unit, and also men generally do not want to risk their reputation and so the woman suffers as she will be left with nothing in the end and have to find someone else whilst the guy has just enjoyed free sex with a fresh woman 'holiday period' and retains his family and career....
the man suffers only in terms of punishment from his wife and having to arrange his time bw the two women and having to come up with clever lies to keep his wife in the dark, wow, he is so pitiful...as if!! sometimes he doesn't even suffer punishment from his wife as his wife treats him even nicer than before as many women pretend not to know even when they find out in the hope that if they do not make a big argument with their husbands the affair will end (in fact my own mother has said that a smart woman will 'open one eye and close the other' and 'should pretend not to know or argue with the husband if she finds out' and a friend of my mother has also said that 'a woman who divorces without a fight with the mistress is dumb as she is handing over all the money and assets to the other woman if she divorces which she helped her husband make by looking after him all these yrs'.....i really worry when many women (my mother's generation)think this way...this will only encourage men to go out and 'have fun' knowing very well that they have their wives under their control...
some common excuses used by Asian husbands to the other woman:
'I really can't stand my wife, we do not have love anymore, we sleep in separate bedrooms' {In a few yrs time, he will think the same way about u}
'i love you, i hate my wife, she is not as gentle as you' {of course she is not as gentle, i mean how can one expect someone to treat you as if it were still the honeymoon period}
'my wife is so demanding and so not understanding of me, she doesn't know my needs' {he means his sexual means}
'i will get a divorce if i could but my children are still small and i don't want them to have a broken family' {he should have been thinking about his children before he got himself into this situation and sticking his thing into places he shouldn't be}
'I love you and you mean more than anything in this world, please understand the pressure on me and how it will affect my career if i divorce my wife' {he doesn't love you as much as you love him, thats one thing for sure, he loves his career and reputation more which is why he is not divorcing his wife}
Thus i always advise women not to give up their careers once they get married as it is simply not a smart choice. A woman should have her own career and have her own independent income as it puts one in a weaker position even in arguements as one knows who ultimately is paying for everything. And given the track record of the male gender, women simply can't depend on their husbands to be faithful to them (this actually applies to men as well, no one can trust anyone else fully cos the only person who is not gonna betray u is yourself)and it makes it extremely difficult for women to get a divorce if she has no income of her own, as i put it, a man has his own career and the woman looks after his family and his children for him, but who looks after the woman's career for her then? If the man gets a divorce, he still has a career, if a housewife gets a divorce, she has nothing. However, it really is a personal choice and i respect women who stay at home as someone has to do it but i hope more men become house husbands supporting the wife and her career as now its like 95% of homemakers are women and less than 5%are men...which is SO OBVIOUSLY disproportionate to the gender ratios, i would hope that it becomes something like 70% women 30% men in the future....which would be tough nonetheless. There are those who think a woman who does not need to work is a 'lucky woman' (my mother's generation) and that a man who does not work is a 'useless man'...i mean why the double standards?? can't a housewife be seen as 'useless' as well and a 'househusband' be seen as 'lucky'??There is simply no reason for this.
There is also the issue of porn, admittedly men need porn (and maybe prostitutes??)and it would be futile to try to ban them, there is just a biological difference between men and women and i am different from some feminist who refuse to see this biological difference and argue for the prohibition of porn. I however do admit that porn often depicts women as sexual beings without subjectivity and that (in Japanese especially) porn, storylines of rape, gang rape, anal rape, etc, sexual torture of women and girls are abundant. I would argue for porn but to set limits such that certain things can no longer be shown in porn which are still being allowed now. For example, gang rape scenes should be banned, sexual torture as well, there should be a limit as to how many guys can have sex with the porn actress, i mean popular gang sex scenes where one woman has to deal with 20 or even 30 men is simply inhumane and absurd, there should also be more of a focus on the male actors as opposed to this sole focus on the womans' body, there should be more attempts to get better looking actors in Japanese porn which i heard love to put ugly men with pretty girls to satisfy (what i see as perverse) the spectators imagination as well as other limits. I guess it would be a give and take, such that men can still have outlets for their lust but there will have to be more acceptable limits on what can be shown in the porn out of respect for women.
For those who have read this far, thanks, i do know this is a loooong post, I just want to clarify that I am not a man-hater, these are just some of the realities which occur even now which i have observed and which i feel are so unjustified. I am not asking for equal rights for men and women, something i used to beleive in but which i no longer think is possible, i am just aiming for a 'fairer, relatively' equal society where the gendered power imbalance is not as great. For example, women do not have to make up EXACTLY half of the government or exactly half of all top positions, what should be achieved is somewhere 'near' half like 40% or 45% as opposed to the current 10% to 25%. I believe it is achievable.
I also hope more men become concerned, involved and angry at the gender injustice and not feel that women's rights ( i would prefer to call it human rights) are 'women's issues' or feel embarassed about being involved in 'women's rights'. I do understand there is an underlying feeling in society that it is abit weird for a man to be concerned about women's oppression and discrimination but i think the only men who should be ashamed are those who do not care about women's issues and the unequal status of women still prevalent today.

Comfort Women Stories (2) 慰安婦的故事(二) 慰安婦の物語(二)

A continuation of the series whereby i put up stories of the ordeals of comfort women (Asian sex slaves of the Imperial Japanese Forces during WW2). Part One is in the archives so please have a look thru earlier posts...
Hah Sang Suk's Story:
I was born in Sosan, South Chungchung Province in 1928.I had one younger brother and one younger sister.My parents made and sold yot(Korean sweet).I was sent to primary school but hated studying.In my third year of primary school, my father contracted pneumonia and died.My family was left with no money and my mother sold the inn she had managed to her sister, remarried, and moved to Yesan.At the age of twelve, I began work taking care of children in Jinnampo.After doing childcare for a year, I went to work in a factory.One day in 1944, when I was sixteen, I went to play at a neighbouring friend’s house and found the older girl wearing nice clothes and makeup.I asked how shed had earned the money, and she answered that she had gone to work in a Japanese factory.I suggested that this time, when she went to Shanghai, we go together.She agreed, and two days later a Korean man came looking for us at home.The man asked whether we wanted to go to China or Japan, and we answered China.my mother said Manchuria was too far and told me not to go, but I insisted on going.It was sometime in June when I left.The Korean man took us as far as Kyongsong, and we went to an inn near Jangchungdan.The inn was run by a couple, and there were already five other young women there who were older than me.Later, there was a total of about forty women, most of whom came from Kyongsang Province.The older ones said that women who went away did welcoming calls of “heitai (soldier)”, sang, and made condolence visits.The couple who ran the inn gave me the name “Kimiko”.I got on a train carrying soldiers and left Kyongsong.I went through Pyongyang and Tenjin and arrived at Nanjing.Because I had had to transfer trains in Tenjin, I slept all night. I spent about two weeks in Nanjing, rode on a boat, and spent another two weeks in Wuhu, before finally going to Wuhan.There were also soldiers on the boat, but all of the civilians were Korean.It was around December 1944 when I got out at Hankou.After a thirty minute walk, I and the other forty women arrived at Jokgyong village.Twenty of us went into some kind of house, named "Sanserio".The proprietors were from Pyongyang.When we first entered, we were examined by a doctor.We were given medicine, and injections to prevent pregnancy.We were presented to the the military department reponsible for ‘comfort stations’, and with the permission slip stating that women had to be older than eighteen was presented, my age was raised to eighteen.The ‘comfort station’ had two storeys, and was the third house in Jokgyong village.There were about twenty rooms, all with tatami floors.First, three Japanese soldiers came in, and after that, it was only soldiers.Usually, ten to fifteen soldiers came each day.If the soldiers gave money to me, I gave it to the owners in exchange for condoms and tissue.The amount was about one or two Chinese yuan, and the managers kept record of it in an account book.On Sundays the soldiers waited in lines outside.Each soldier was alloted about one hour.When I refused to allow a soldier to go twice, I was sometimes beaten.¡¡Some soldiers showed up drunk and threatened to kill me.¡¡I fought with those who refused to wear a condom.If a soldier was dissatisfied with any of the women, he complained directly to the proprietor who then beat and kicked that woman.Of the military units of the time, I remembers "Sakura unit".There was a bathhouse. After servicing a soldier, I went to the bathhouse and washed with medicated water.Every Monday I went to a hospital in Jokgyong village and was checked for sexually transmitted diseases.On the day before the examination, the groups of women examined each other with a device that resembled a duck’s bill (a speculum).The owner hated it if anyone had contracted a disease so they covered cotton wool with dust and swabbed themselves.This way, even if there was an infection, it was possible to pass the examination.Women who contracted syphilis were hospitalized and treated with the 606 injection.They usually recovered within fifteen days.There were no rest days, and the women couldn’t leave the brothel.Once a month, we went to a bathhouse outside the Jokgyong village’s iron gate.We were fed by Chinese people twice a day.The proprietors of the ‘comfort station’ bought us clothes and makeup but gave us no money.At first, I borrowed money for trainfare and clothing from the Korean man who brought me.He said that it would take three years of work to repay the loan.¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡Then, one morning, I heard that Japan had lost the war.The Japanese women in the next house were crying.The moneyIhadreceived from the soldiers became useless and I threw it away.koreans gathered in Jokgyong village. I could now return to Korea, but wondering what I could do after going back with this body, I decided not to go.I remained in China, married a Chinese man who already had three children, and became their stepmother.I kept my Korean citizenship and still lives in Muhan, China.I wishes to visit my hometown, but because of citizenship problems it is a difficu¡¡lt process.
A link to a 20 min docu in Korean on the Korean Comfort Women: www.womenandwar.net/video/001/wmv

Countdown 2006! 倒數 2006！カウントダウン 2006！

Thanks to my friend Jeff, who invited me to countdown for the new year at Gurney Plaza (Penang's Premier shopping mall) i got to experience countdown party in Penang.....i had never seen Penang so crowded in my life.....the Gurney Drive area was packed with ppl and it was said that 50,000 people attended the countdown at Gurney Drive@@







More photos at:
http://hcpen1111-decemberphotospenangmalaysia.buzznet.com/user/?id=2075285

Penang, My Hometown 檳城﹐我的故鄉 ペナン、私のふるさと

(pic on the left was taken by me as i flew off on my Malaysian Airlines plane, the city, Georgetown, is the area on the far north- right corner, whilst the bridge across the water is Penang Bridge, connecting Penang Island to the Malaysian mainland)
I went bck to Penang (a beautiful island situated north of the Malaysian peninsular and just south of Thailand) during my summer break and would just like to introduce to readers this island which probably doesn't come into the radarspan of most ppl who live outside of South East Asia. Penang got its name from the Pinang tree.
Penang was one of the Straits Settlements along with Malacca or Melaka and Singapore that was directly governed by the British colonials starting from the 1700s. The other states of Malaysia(then known as British Malaya)had there own Malay sultans (Kings) and only cooperated with the British but were not wholly controlled by the British. Only the Straits Settlements were directly controlled by the British and flourished throughout the 19 and early 20 century. As the British needed labour, and having a policy of 'divide and rule', the British imported large numbers of ethnic indians and ethnic chinese from india and china respectively thus paving the way for the multiculturalism of malaysian society. By the early 20th century, Malaysia's ethnic composition had become roughly 40% Chinese, 15% Indians and the rest local Malays, meaning that the local Malay population made up less than half the population by the 1940s.

Penang, like the rest of SEA and indeed Asia, was occupied by the Japanese Imperial Forces during WW2,and suffered 3 years and 8 months of Japanese Occupation. Many people were killed,especially the chinese (who had supported China against Japanese invasion) and quite a number of Chinese boys from the well known Chung Ling Chinese HighSchool were murdered for supporting the Chinese Resistance Effort. Comfort women were also taken to Penang and women, like women in other Japanese occupied areas, suffered as well. It is also said that there are a few schools in Penang which are supposed to be haunted as they were POW camps during the war.

After WW2, the British returned but by 1957, Penang was incorporated into the newly independent and formed Malaysia. Singapore joined Malaysia as one nation briefly between 1963 to 1965 and Penang lost its Free Port status in the 1970s. Currently Penang is the only state in Malaysia with a Chinese population that is more than 50% with all other states having a Malay majority. The ethnic population of Malaysia is now roughly Malay 60%,Chinese 24%,Indian 7%,aborigines 9%, thus showing the non-Malay population has declined considerably from its peak in the 1940s when non-Malays made up the majority in the country.

Penang is apparently the most popular domestic travel destination for Malaysians, given that it has arguably the second biggest economy in Malaysia, after KL, and its local food is undisputedly the most famous in Malaysia with people from even the capital city and Singapore going north to sample its delicacies like char koey teow, Siam Laksa, Penang Prawn Noodles, Lor Mee, etc...Being an island, it also has a tourist beach belt called Batu Ferringhi where foreigners enjoy the beach, sun, seafood feasts, watersports, and the natural environment. Penang is also famous for its Nyonya Food, being the cuisine of people of mixed malay-chinese parentage. The Nyonyas have a distinct culture marrying malay with chinese culture. They are also found in Melaka and Singapore. So for my readers, do visit this lovely island sometime....if i am bck, i may even take u around for a tour....
Enjoyed my stay back home in Penang with the yummy local food, nice ppl, and cheap DVDS!!

Now time to study again as i just got bck yesterday....and pleasantly surprised at how cold it was (normally its supposed to be very hot at this time of the year) ...still cold today, though i heard it was extremely hot just last week,hope this kind of weather continues. What can i say, this is TRULY Melbourne weather, always unpredictable, always exciting...

KL Trip Dec 05 基隆玻之旅 クアラルンプールの旅

Went bck to Malaysia for holidays and i went to the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, (commonly called KL by malaysians) during my trip bck home this time.....i really liked it, went shopping and bought alot of clothes, Malaysian designers are THE BEST as far as i know cos Malaysian labels are just as chic, trendy and stylish as any other international labels PLUS they are SOOOO CHEAP! I like asian fashion so basically all European and American brands don;t suit my taste but even for those who like Western fashion trends, malaysian labels are the best cos they are just so cheap....i live in australia most of the time and so am familiar with the western style of fashion and prices here and having been to Tokyo to live for a few months last year, i am also well aware of Tokyo fashion and prices, i must say, based on designs and pricing, Malaysian brand labels are every bit as stylish as Aussie or Japanese labels BUT with a HUGE PRICE difference....ppl may think malaysian clothes could not possibly compare with japanese or aussie ones but they are every bit as good (though maybe the number of labels to choose from maybe abit less compared to aussie and definitely japanese labels) and for the same or similar kind of clothes, the price is HUGELY different. For example, the price of a top could be around A$120-200 or Y10 000 but in malaysia, a similar top of similar quality would cost only RM50-100 which would be equivalent to A$40 or Y3000 only. Thus, i never buy clothes in australia and only bought a few items in Tokyo during the summer sale....
Obviously went to the Twin Towers KLCC, MidValley MegaMall, Berjaya Times Square, Lot 10, Sungei Wang, etc for shopping and ate at Madam Kwan's for the 1st time as well as the Mandarin Oriental Chinese Restaurant. Both were good, liked Madam Kwan's Nasi Lemak (malaysia's most representative dish) as well as Mandarin Oriental's interior decorations....
Visitors to KL must visit the KL Twin Towers, formerly the world's tallest building but now second tallest after Taipei 101. Its architechural design is simply amazing and a photo opportunity....In fact i personally think it is SO much BETTER than the Taipei 101, which i have also been too, as in terms of design, it is extremely eye catching and unique whereas the Taipei 101 was kind of a dissapointment when i first saw it as it just didn't look that grand, it actually kinda looked quite dull, maybe cos KL TT is made of shiny steel which is shiny be it day or night. More importantly, the shopping mall inside the KL Twin Towers, KLCC, is packed with ppl and energy every day with officeworkers, tourists, families, teens,housewives,etc whereas the Taipei 101 mall leaves much to be desired being mostly empty during the weekdays and even having much less shops compared to KLCC. That doesn't mean that my readers who haven't been to Taipei 101 should stay away from it, its just my opinion, who knows, some ppl may disagree with me...
something about Malaysian democracy too.....i was surprised as i casually switched on the TV one morning in the hotel and tuned into local tv (which i seldom do since i watch cable almost all the time) and found a local program discussing malaysian civil rights and human rights and even having a malay human rights lawyer criticizing shortcomings and infringment of human rights in malaysia and callers calling in complaining about police brutality,etc...i mean this surprised me as only a few yrs ago, there would not have been this type of programs on air, furthermore, in Malaysia's top English newspaper, The Star, there is also a column by Marina Mahathir, Malaysia's ex-Prime Minister Mahathir's daughter,who is also active in the AIDS campaign, where she writes critical comments on some govt laws, one time being on a new Islamic law which would diminish the rights of muslim women in malaysia....this is all a positive step towards greater freedoms and rights for all Malaysians and something which makes me more proud of being Malaysian....

Chinese Dress...旗袍 チャイナードレス

As mentioned in my very first post, i am really passionate about the Chinese dress called the QiPao or Cheongsam...It is an exquisite dress born out of a fusion of the East and the West, being at once sexy and modest. It exudes elegance and composture and eccentuates the feminity of a woman. Its defining features are a high collar covering the neck which was traditionally regarded as a sensual area of a woman which had to be covered but which also emphasizes its sexiness,fastening at the sides, as well as high slits on both sides of the legs.

The modern Chinese dress had its origins in the costume of the Qing dynasty in China and was originally a Manchurian costume, with China being ruled by the Manchus during the Qing Dynasty. With the collapse of the Qing dynasty in 1911, the Chinese dress also underwent changes. Initially women did not wear the QiPao/Cheongsam and wore a 2 piece set whilst men wore a loose fitting garment similar to the Chinese dress. However, by the late 1920s women also started to wear garments similar to the QiPao/Cheongsam and by the early 1930s, especially in Shanghai, the Chinese Dress became a popular daily wear for women. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, the QiPao/Cheongsam grew in popularity as women in all walks of life adopted it as their preferred garment of choice, from teachers to politicians' wives, from film actresses to prostitutes. In the 1930s-40s the QiPao/Cheongsam was loose-fitting, had a low collar, and the hem went from mid-calf to the ankles. Frog buttons and piping at the edges were used and women alternated between collar sleeves that hung just over the shoulders to 3/4sleeves to long sleeves.

However, with the establishment of the PRC in 1949, the Chinese Dress fell out of popularity with Chinese women as it did not fall in line with the new Communist ideology which promoted utilitarianism and plainess which the Qipao/Cheongsam was in conflict with given its feminine image and excessive beauty. The Qipao/Cheongsam was worn less and less by women in Mainland China that by the 1960s, few women in China wore it at all.If there were still any Chinese dress wearers in China by the 1960s, they went virtually extinct during the 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution in China which virtually banned the Chinese Dress along with scores of other traditional culture which were all deemed as 'bourgeious decadence and feudalistic'.

The Chinese Dress is making a comeback nowadays in China with it being the official costume worn by women in many official ceremonies as well as worn by many Chinese women during weddings or parties.

As for the Chinese communities outside China, such as in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore, the QiPao/cheongsam had a longer lifespan. It grew much tighter and body hugging in the 1950s in line with western influences and trends of the time, and the collar gradually rose such that by the end of the 1950s, a high stiff collar became the indisputable fashion of the day. Chinese style buttons also dissapeared with fasteners replacing them and piping also gradually went out of fashion. Like in the earlier decades, a Qipao/Cheongsam was often worn with a matching jacket and high heel shoes as well as a necklace made of pearls and handbag. Movie stars of that era frequently wore it further glamourising its image and variations were made according to the status of the women such as looser plainer Chinese dresses for teachers and elite social circle wives whilst prostitutes wore tighter, high slit ones. By the end of the 1960s however, the QiPao/Cheongsam lost popularity as well in the overseas Chinese communities, as cheap western style mass produced clothing became widely available and women found the Qipao/Cheongsam unduly restrictive on their movements due to its body hugging nature.

Now, the QiPao/Cheongsam can mainly be seen in TV dramas,films as well as is worn by some politician's wives, occassionally by film actresses when attending award ceremonies, beauty pageants, as well as in a handful of schools in HK as girl's uniforms. It is also the uniform of Taiwan's China Airlines Air Hostesses.
In 2000, the film, 'In the Mood For Love' by the acclaimed director Wong Kar Wai and starring extremely well known Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung brought a new explosion of interest in the QiPao/Cheongsam given the countless number of beautifully made cheongsams adorning Maggie Cheung's body in the 1960s set film. It is hoped that one day, women, and not only Chinese women, will come to appreciate the elegance of the QiPao/Cheongsam and that there will be another boom in the QiPao/Cheongsam again.....

Singaporean Series...Portrait of a Family 同心圓

I have been watching this Singaporean serial called 'Portrait of a Family' on cable TV Astro in Malaysia recently, and really enjoy it...i find the Singaporean serials are so much better than the Chinese or Taiwanese ones (mainland Chinese serials are either boring and serious or just commercial wannabes with tons of violence and twists and Taiwanese ones have bad actors who cannot act, look ugly and storylines which are so lame) and they really seek to retain chinese culture through the emphasis in many series on food and big families....i like this drama as it is nice and revolve around food and big families just like Holland V which i enjoyed....further, this drama has tried to include several characters which are relevant to Singaporean society currently such as prostitutes from China and Vietnamese Brides which i really like.....however there seems to be some complaints by SGs that there is too much repetition of themes such as the focus on big families and food in many serials, however i really enjoy this format and also feel it represents chinese culture...which brings me to another topic on the status of culture in Singapore....although many Singaporeans criticize the SG govt for emphasizing too much on the 'mother tongue' policy, i feel it is one of the few non-democratic good policies of their govt. Basically this policy promotes and encourages the three main ethnic groups in Singapore to learn their own language which means Chinese students must compulsorily take Chinese language, Malay students Malay and Indian students Tamil in schools. Further, Mandarin for chinese is widely promoted....this is reflected in the TV dramas where though there are English language TV serials in Singapore, it is the Mandarin language TV serials which produce the big stars and which catch the attention of audiences. It is obvious that the govt has placed more money and effort into the Mandarin serials in part of its efforts to retain 'Chinese language n culture' amongst the increasingly westernised chinese population of Singapore. Thus, all actors and actresses who want to make it big like Fann Wong (the girl in Jackie Chan's Shanghai Knights) have to be able to speak Mandarin which is good in my opinion...i feel many Singaporeans, especially the younger generation, have become sooo westernised that many nowadays despite the compulsory chinese language lessons and exams they must take, still have a poor grasp of Mandarin and prefer to speak english amongst their peers. I mean if it were not for govt policy and compulsory mandarin study , can one imagine the state of Mandarin?? if younger sg;s are already not able to speak and write good Mandarin now, what would happen if the 'mother tongue' policy of compulsory mandarin were to be abolished?? There also seems to be a certain strain of racism running through a large segment of singaporean society(this is true of other Asian societies as well though like Hong Kong)that knowing English somehow elevates one into a 'higher', 'more prestigious' strata of Society whilst Mandarin-speakers are 2nd class and dialect speakers like Hokkien are 'bottom or working class' people. I strongly dislike this kind of mentality though it still seems to be true even now...Therefore i always show great respect for ppl who have a good command of Chinese as i feel sometimes too much emphasis is placed on learning English all across Asia when we should, especially in highly westernised Asian countries such as Singapore, stop to ponder what is being lost in the non-stop race towards modernity...