Podcasts about Jeju Island

This episode we are looking at the early years of the official reign of Naka no Oe, aka Tenji Tenno, including the building of a brand new capital on the shores of Lake Biwa. For more information, see: https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-126 Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 126:  New Beginnings The local farmers couldn't help but talk.  There was so much construction, but it wasn't entirely clear what was being built.  The land between the mountains and the lake had been neatly groomed fields, but now that the government workmen had moved in, all of those fields were being cleared.  This new construction was much larger than anything that people had seen before.  Rocks were coming in from far flung quarries, and local kilns were being set up to create tiles, while woodcutters were sent into the forests to bring logs to the site. There were various stories about what was going on—a new provincial government office, or perhaps a new temple, but perhaps the most outlandish was that this was going to be some kind of royal palace.  The sovereign himself was taking in interest in this little slice of Afumi, and he was going to abandon the Home Territories of Yamato and bring his entire court to the shores of Lake Biwa. What a far-fetched story!  …Wasn't it? Last episode we recapped a lot of the history of Prince Naka no Oe and how he had come to this point: the Isshi Incident, the Taika reforms, as well as the reigns of his uncle, Prince Karu, aka Koutoku Tennou, and his mother, Takara Hime, aka Saimei Tennou.  With Takara Hime's death, Naka no Oe was now – finally, as he might have thought -- running things officially.  He had prosecuted the war in Baekje, and with that loss, he had turned his focus back to the archipelago.  He now had refugees to settle, and defenses to set up.  And then there were the embassies that would be coming, in an apparent attempt to normalize relations post-conflict.  That could only go so far, however, given that Tang and Silla had simply turned their war efforts against Goguryeo.  So one imagines that any diplomatic discussions were held with the understanding that the international order was still in flux. And so we arrive in the 8th month of 665, as some of the first defensive castles were being erected.  That same month, Tamna—the kingdom on the modern island of Jeju—sent ambassadors to the Yamato court.  The diplomatic ties between Yamato and Tamna were a relatively recent occurrence, but with Baekje gone, one wonders if Yamato wasn't feeling out a new alliance on the continent.  That said, Tamna does not appear to have been a major player on the international stage.    They had been a tributary of Baekje, and may have even been one of the last holdouts of the proto-Japonic language for a long time.  Indeed, a 15th century Joseon history records a foundation myth of Tamna that emphasizes close early ties with the Japanese archipelago. The following month saw another visit by Tang ambassadors, only a year after Guo Wucong had come to the court.  Guo Wucong had been wined and dined, and things seem to have gone well, as this time he returned, but he wasn't the one leading the embassy this time.  That honor went to Liu Degao, sub-prefect of Yizhou, among his many titles.  Yizhou is the same location where the previous missions from Yamato to the Tang court had made landfall.  Presumably, Liu Degao would have had experience with the embassies that passed through Yizhou, so he seems a logical choice to be sent over to the archipelago. This seems like an escalation, with a more titled ambassador leading the party. It is possible that the Tang were trying to not only reset their relationship with Yamato, but also attempt to woo them to their side.  The Tang likely knew that if they defeated Goguryeo, then they would have another problem to work out:  The alliance with Silla.  At the moment both Tang and Silla were in a partnership of convenience, but the Tang empire didn't get where it was by just giving up territory. And Silla was, itself, ambitious.  It would be in the Tang dynasty's best interest to have Yamato on its side in case Silla became a problem.  At the very least, the Tang court could have just been trying to make sure that Yamato would stay out of any continental entanglements, such as by supporting Goguryeo. Within the Yamato court, it is unclear which way, exactly, they were leaning at this point.  The court was clearly building defensive positions—fortresses and more.  At the same time, there were likely those who welcomed any return to stable relations with the Tang.  After all, there were still Wa in Chang'an and elsewhere, and there was still a hunger in the archipelago for the books and other goods that the Silk Road could provide.  On the other hand, they may have felt more at home with Goguryeo, or even Silla.  The bonds with the Korean peninsula were older and likely stronger.  And, as long as the Tang Empire was busy with other states, then perhaps they would be too preoccupied to attack Yamato. Liu Degao and his entourage had arrived at Tsushima on the 28th day of the 7th month.  They would have been put up there for a time, and entertained.  If this embassy followed later conventions, they would have likely pulled into a harbor, like the one near Kofunakoshi.  This is a narrow spot between the two parts of Tsushima, where we know that in the 9th century, ships from the Tang empire would stop, register goods and people, and likely have them transferred to Japanese ships.  All of the checking and cataloging would happen  at nearby Bairinji temple. Even if they didn't have to transport everything to another ship, it is likely that they would held at Tsushima for a while for security purposes.  Tsushima was ideal, both for its distance, halfway between the Korean peninsula and the Japanese archipelago, but also for its shape, with numerous places that ships could sit at anchor in secluded bays away from any weather or rough seas that could otherwise cause problems. We don't know exactly what the Tang embassy's stay was like, but we know that they were at Tsushima for roughly two months, which was probably the time it took to get a message to the Yamato court and back.  We know how long it was because we learn that it is on the 20th day of the 9th month that they finally made landfall at Tsukushi, or Kyushu, and two days later they forwarded a letter-case to the Yamato court. Two months later, we know they were at the court, as there was a banquet held for Liu Degao on the 13th day of the 11th month, and then a month after that, Liu Degao and the rest of the mission were presented gifts, after which they left and returned to the Tang court.  We are also told that Mori no Kimi no Ohoishi, along with Sakahibe no Muraji no Iwashiki and Kimi no Kishi no Harima all went to the Tang court that same month, no doubt traveling with Degao and Wucong. On the first month of the following year, Neungnu of Goguryeo was sent to the Yamato court to offer tribute.  On the same day, the 11th day of the first month, Tamna also sent someone identified as Prince Siyeo to offer presents.  Immediately, I'm wondering about the way that this is presented.  Both of these states – Goguryeo and Tamna - were allies of the former Baekje kingdom.  I have to wonder how the Goguryeo ships made their way—did they come down the western side of the peninsula, through the Bohai sea, and thus past possible Tang patrols between their peninsular and continental territories, or did they head through the East Sea, aka the Japan Sea, where they would have to pass by the coast of Silla, whom they were also not on great terms with?  The fact that both missions are mentioned at the same time suggests that maybe the Goguryeo embassy sailed down to Tamna, on Jeju Island, and then the two groups made their way over to Yamato together from there. Other things about this entry to note is that the Chroniclers use different terms for these visits to the Yamato court.  Goguryeo uses a term that Aston translates as “offering tribute” while Tamna uses a different term indicating that they were “offering presents”.  This may be as simple as the difference in the various relationships between the polities, as viewed by the Chroniclers.  After all, there was a long relationship between Yamato and Goguryeo, which was considered one of the three Han, or Samhan.  Whether true or not, I could certainly see the Chroniclers feeling that Goguryeo was in a subordinate relationship with Yamato.  Tamna, on the other hand, was a more recent addition to the Yamato diplomatic sphere.  As such, it would be understandable, to me if the Chroniclers still saw it as a more independent entity. It also may hint at different messages being communicated.  As far as we can tell, Tamna wasn't under direct threat by the Tang empire—though they may have been feeling a little bit of heat, given the fall of Baekje and the Tang empire's new outpost on the peninsula.  Goguryeo, however, was under more direct threat, and had been in conflict with the Tang for years.  On top of that, based on what we can tell, it seems that Yeong Gaesomun, the despot who had been ruling Goguryeo and helping it defend against the Tang, had just passed away.  It may have been that the Goguryeo court was seeking support against Tang and Silla, as they were in a moment of instability, themselves.  As such, “Tribute” might indicate that they were more formally petitioning Yamato for support. Goguryeo envoy Neungnu left about 5 months later, on the 4th day of the 6th month but then another envoy, this time Minister Eulsyang Oemchu, arrived a little more than four months later.  Much like with the Tang, this feels like Goguryeo was upping the ante, sending higher ranking officials to negotiate with Yamato.  That lends some credence to the theory that there was something of a bidding war going on for Yamato's involvement in international affairs.  For Yamato, however, it would seem that getting involved in continental affairs was hardly something they were itching to do.  Instead, they continued their moves to fortify. In local events, we know that on the 11th day of the 10th month of 665, while the Liu Degao delegation was still in Yamato, there was a great “review”, by which they seem to mean a sutra reading, at Uji.  It is unclear just where this was held, as I haven't found reference to any particular temple.  However, it does indicate that there was activity in the area. Uji is probably most popular, today, for its role as a setting in the Tale of Genji.  There indeed numerous reminders there of the Heian period, including the hall of Ujigami Shrine, and the famous Hou-ou-do, or Phoenix Hall, of the Byoudouin. In 1053, Fujiwara Yorimichi inherited the villa from his father, Fujiwara Michinaga, and he converted it into a Pure Land temple.  Michinaga is thought to have been one of the people on whom Murasaki Shikibu based the character of the Shining Prince, Hikaru Genji.  That's all too late for this moment in the Chronicles, of course., but we do have earlier references to Uji as a place, as well as in various names.  It seems to have been part of the territory of the Hata, who controlled much of the area of modern Kyoto and environs.  There is a temple, Houjouin, also known as Hashidera, which claims to date back to the 7th century, and may have been the site of the above-mentioned sutra reading in 665.  According to the Temple's own legend, it was built around 604, when Hata no Kawakatsu built the famous Uji bridge, or Hashi, on the orders of Prince Umayado, aka Shotoku Taishi.  Other sources give the date as 646.  The temple was rebuilt in the 13th century, and as far as I can tell, nothing remains of the original temple, but it is possible that it was the site of this review. The next non-Diplomatic record of the Chronicles is from the 3rd month in 666.  The Crown Prince went to the house of Saheki no Komaro no Muraji, paying a sympathy call as Saheki appears to have passed away after having been gravely ill.  Saheki no Komaro no Muraji was one of those who had helped Naka no Oe in the Isshi Incident.  He had been introduced to the plot by Nakatomi no Kamatari, and then critical in the literal execution at the court.  He later led forces against Furubito no Oe, assuming that “Sahekibe no Komaro” is the same as “Saheki no Muraji no Komaro”.  There is also a relative, possibly his son, Takunaha, who was one of the Yamato court's overseas envoys.  Thus, one can understand that he had some importance to the Royal family, and we can probably assume that he had been involved in much more.  The Crown Prince, we are told, lamented him on account of his loyal service from the very beginning. One of the confusing things in this part of the Chronicle is the term “Crown Prince”.  It doesn't help that the Chroniclers were pulling from different records, and sometimes using anachronistic titles for individuals.  Naka no Oe had been known as the Crown Prince since the time of Takara Hime, whether he actually was or not.  Now he was in charge of the government, but it isn't clear that he had been formally invested as tennou.  More than that, there is mention of an investiture in either 667 or 668, several years after his quote-unquote “reign” had begun.  This makes some sense.  After all, when Takara Hime passed away, there was a foreign war to prosecute, and that probably took a fair bit of resources.  Plus, Naka no Oe had been running things for a while before that, or so we are told.  It would make sense if things just kept on going as they had been, and they held the actual investiture when they got around to it. We also know that he was busy with building projects: not just for the defense of the archipelago, but even a new capital and a new palace.  We'll talk about it a bit more, later, but suffice it to say that he may have been taking his time and gathering everything together. All of this makes the Chronicles themselves somewhat confusing.  They throw around the terms “Crown Prince” and “Sovereign”—well, “Sumera no Mikoto”—almost interchangeably.  Meanwhile, they've also stated that the Crown Prince was Prince Ohoama, Naka no Oe's younger brother. Based on my read of things, I believe we can distinguish between the two by whether or not it specifically calls them out as just “Crown Prince”, or “Crown Prince, younger brother to the sovereign”.  The latter is clearly Prince Ohoama, and the first is most likely Naka no Oe.  After all, in this instance, why would Prince Ohoama be the one so struck by the death of Saheki no Muraji?  Based on the story the Chronicles have told us, wouldn't it make more sense that it was Naka no Oe lamenting the death of one who had helped put him on the throne, rather than sending his brother? So keep that in mind as we go through the narrative.  I'll try to point out whom I believe they are speaking about, at least until we reach the point where Naka no Oe actually is invested. Getting back to the Chronicles, in the 7th month of the year 666, some four months after the illness and death of Saheki no Komaro no Muraji, another disaster struck—this time a natural disaster.  Great floods were reported—how widespread we aren't told.  This is often a problem in a land with many mountains that often gets large rains.  It is especially problematic when much of your agriculture is based on being just at or below the level of the rivers and streams so that it can be flooded on purpose.  We are told that the government remitted the land-taxes and commuted taxes that year, likely as a form of disaster relief to those affected by the flooding. In 666, we are also told a story that actually links this reign to the previous.  We are told that a monk, named Chiyu, gave the sovereign something called a south-pointing chariot.  I'll talk about what this was in another episode.  What's important here is to note that there was a previous entry in the era attributed to Saimei Tennou, aka Takara Hime, where a monk named Chiyu, or something similar, using different characters, also created a south-pointing chariot.  Likewise, we are later told in this reign how Naka no Oe installed a clepsydra, a water clock.  This is also mentioned in the previous reign.  It is possible that these reference completely different accounts.  Or they could be connected in some way. The south-pointing chariot is probably not something that we'll have evidence of, as it would have been mobile and probably deteriorated over time.  However, the water clock would have been a fixed installation with some clear architectural remnants, and indeed we think we know where at least one was built in Asuka.  Both of the water clock entries say that it was the “first” time, so make of that what you will. Also in 666, we see that some 2000 people of Baekje were settled in the East, possibly meaning the Kanto region, though this could be anywhere between modern Nagoya out to the far eastern edge of Honshu.  They were maintained at the government expense for three years, after which they were expected to have built new lives for themselves. In later periods, there is much to be said about “Men of the East”.  There are those that point to this region as being the origin point of many of the warrior traditions that would arise and become the military samurai.  Some of the weapons and fighting styles, especially some of the horse-riding archery seems to point to continental influences that made their way to the Kanto region and beyond.  One has to consider just how much did they bring with them and how did it grow, often beyond the view of the court and the court chronicles.  For now, though, it seems to have largely been a form of a refugee program, since the Baekje no longer had a kingdom to return to. Finally, we have an omen.  In the winter of 666, the rats of the capital, in Asuka, headed north to Afumi.  As with previous entries about rats departing a capital for a direction, this is again meant as an omen.  It probably didn't happen.  But it does foreshadow an account in the following year, when, on the 19th day of the 3rd month, the capital, surprise-surprise, moved to Afumi. And perhaps I shouldn't be flippant.  It was a surprise to have the capital move to Afumi.  There are accounts of legendary sovereigns that had their palace outside of the Nara Basin or Kawachi area, but at this point Yamato had been really building up those areas.  So why would they suddenly relocate to Afumi, of all places? Well, probably because of the same thing that had been driving the rest of their large-scale building projects during this period—from the Water Castle protecting the Dazai to the various Baekje style fortresses from Tsushima down to the Nara Basin.  Afumi was a naturally defensive position.  And in such an uncertain time, having a well-defended capital must have seen like a very good idea.  In fact, though they didn't formally change the capital until the 3rd month of 667, they probably had started work on it as soon as they got back from the loss at Hakusukinoe. As far as locations go, it wasn't necessarily a bad choice.  There were still routes to the port at Naniwa, which could still house various delegations when they arrived.  There were also routes to the east, leading to Owari and the rest of central and eastern Honshu, as well as mountain passes to get to the Japan Sea.  The area where the new palace was located was in the district of Ohotsu.  Ohotsu means something like “Big Port” and I don't know if it was already a major port along the banks of Lake Biwa or if that was a name that came from having the capital there.  Ohotsu was a long-inhabited area, even well before the 660's, and an important site for trade.  In the southern end of modern Ohotsu city is Ishiyama-dera, the stone mountain temple, it which was built in the 8th century, but in front of the temple are the remains of the largest freshwater shellmound in Asia.  As you may recall from some of our earliest episodes talking about the prehistoric period in the Japanese archipelago, shell mounds are typically evidence of ancient settlements, remnants of dump sites where they could throw their detritus.  This probably included a lot more than just shells, but shells, bones, and sometimes things like pottery sherds, would remain.  And while much of the wood and waste of the period would have disintegrated over time, shells do not.    These shell mounds accordingly provide important insight into the lives of people back in that day, and the size can also help us understand things about how large a settlement might have been or how long it was there.  The sheer size of the shellmound at Ishiyama-dera likely indicates that the region had been settled for many centuries prior to the 600's. In addition to the shellmound, and more closely related to the current times we are discussing, is evidence of a rock quarry found at the temple site and showing evidence of techniques familiar to people of the 6th to 8th centuries. You see, Ishiyama is a source of a particular white stone called wollastonite.  The quarry sits below the main hall of the temple, and so it probably would not have been quarried after the hall was built, which was in the 700s, so the site is believed to have been active before that.  From the composition of the stone and the markings on the remnants, we can see similarities to stones in the base of one of the buildings at Kawaradera, in Asuka, which we've talked about before and which was one of the pre-eminent temples of its day.  So this demonstrates a link between the region and the court even before the construction of the new Ohotsu palace. Speaking of the palace, we've known of its exact position since 1974,  when archeologists found evidence of the foundation of a large complex in a residential district in Nishikori.  While some initially suggested it was an old temple, further evidence makes it pretty clear that it was the dairi, or inner sanctum, of a palace.  This is very much in the same mould as the Toyosaki Palace in Naniwa and the various palaces in Asuka from around the same period.  In front of the dairi would have been the actual government buildings, but that area has not been excavated. That brings up another question: was this a full-on capital city, Ohotsu-kyo, or just a palace, the Ohotsu-no-miya?  So far we have only found the palace, But since the area is fairly built up, it may take time to find more, assuming it hasn't been destroyed by previous urban development in the area.  There are some hints that there was more: while there were already at a couple of temples that had been built by the mid-7th century, we see several temples built in ways that not only borrow features from important Asuka temples, like the layout of Kawaradera, but they also match the alignment of the Otsu palace ruins, hinting that they were built at the same time.  For example, there is are the ruins of an abandoned temple in Shiga-Minami – actually once thought to have been the Otsu palace. There was also Soufukuji, a temple in the mountains nearby meant to protect the Northwest from malign influences, likely based on continental geomantic concepts, part of what we might today think of as Feng Shui. This same kind of protective temple building is what we see in later capital cities. Of course, we know that this would not be a permanent capital for the nation of Yamato or of Japan—we aren't that far off from the Nara period, and then, a century later, the capital at Heian-kyo.  But that couldn't have been known at the time.  There was no way to know how long tensions with the continent would last, and it was just as possible that people at the time expected this to be a permanent move.  Its preeminence lasted, too: we do have evidence that even centuries later, the region was still known as an ancient “capital”. No matter what Naka no Oe's intentions were in moving the capital to Afumi, however, it didn't exactly go over well.  It was apparently quite unpopular—so unpopular that the move was mocked in song of the time.  That said, Naka no Oe's mind was made up, and the move took place regardless.     Before moving the capital, however, there was still business to attend to.  Takara Hime and Princess Hashibito were reinterred together in the Misasagi on Wochi Hill.  We are told that men of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla all mourned along the processional route.  The Crown Prince—I'm assuming Naka no Oe, this time given his connection to both of these women—apparently had started the work on a stone sarcophagus.  By this was probably meant the actual stone vault of the tomb, rather than just the coffin, which was also likely made of stone.  This was in Kuramaki, in Takatori, in the Takaichi District of the Nara Basin. Three months after the move to the new capital, the district of Kadono, in the west of modern Kyoto, presented to the sovereign a white swallow—an omen of some sort. The following month, on the 11th day of the 7th month, Tamna sent another embassy, led by a Minister known as Cheonma, with presents for Yamato.  This may have been the first envoy to actually visit the new Ohotsu capital, but certainly not the last. Cheonma stuck around for a few months.  In the intercalary 11th month, which is to say the extra 11th month of 667, inserted to keep the lunar and solar calendars at least partially aligned, Cheonma and his companions were presented with brocade and other cloth, as well as axes, sickles, and swords, presumably to take home to Tamna. While Cheonma was at the court, there was apparently another bit of diplomatic ping-pong going on.  Liu Jenyuan, the Tang general in charge of Baekje, sent Szema Facong and others to escort Sakahibe no Iwashiki and those with him to the Dazai in Tsukushi.  They didn't stay long, though—we are told they arrived on the 9th day of the 11th month and left only 4 days later, on the 13th day of the same.  When they left, however, they, themselves, were given escorts of Yuki no Muraji no Hakatoko—the same one whose memoirs we relied on for that previous trip to the Tang court—as well as Kaso no Omi no Moroshi.  So I guess they were escorting the escorts?  At what point does it end?  Hakatoko and others made it back about three months later, on the 23rd day of the first month of 668, and reported on their own escort mission.  That suggests that they didn't escort them that far.  They may have just seen them back to the Korean peninsula and that was it. Hakatoko's escort mission did mean that he missed a rather important event—the Crown Prince assuming the dignity.  That is to say, Naka no Oe finally took the title of sovereign.  A note in the text suggests that there were other sources that said it was the third month of the previous year—the same time that the Otsu capital was built.  Four days later they held a banquet in the palace for all of the court ministers. A little over a month later, his wife, Yamato bime, was appointed queen.  We are then told of his other wives and consorts. To be clear, Naka no Oe had been collecting consorts for ages.  So let's talk about a few of them. To start with there was Yamatobime, the Yamato Princess, daughter of none other than Naka no Oe's half-brother, Prince Furubito no Oe, his former rival to the throne. Then there was Wochi no Iratsume, aka Princess Miyatsuko, the daughter of Soga no Kurayamada no Ishikawa Maro.  She had a son, Prince Takeru, who died in 651 at the age of 8.  That suggests that she and Naka no Oe had been together since at least 643, two years before the Isshi Incident.  Another one of her daughters, Princess Uno, would go on to marry Naka no Oe's younger brother, Prince Ohoama, the new Crown Prince. Wochi no Iratsume seems to have died of grief in 649, after her father and much of her family were destroyed on the orders of her husband, Naka no Oe.  We are told that Naka no Oe also married Wochi no Iratsume's younger sister as well, Mehi no Iratsume.  She had two daughters, Princess Minabe and Princess Abe.  At this point Abe was only about 7 or 8 years old, herself, but she would eventually be married to Prince Kusakabe, the son of Prince Ohoama and Princess Uno, whom we just mentioned. Naka no Oe also had two other consorts.  Tachibana no Iratsume was the daughter of Abe no Kurahashi no Maro no Oho-omi—he was the first Sadaijin, or Minister of the Left, at the start of the Taika reforms, immediately following the Isshi Incident.  And then there was Hitachi no Iratsume, the daughter of Soga no Akaye. Soga no Akaye is an interesting figure.  You may recall the name from Episode 118.  Soga no Akaye was the acting minister in charge in Yamato when Prince Arima tried to start up a revolt against Takara Hime.  It was in his house where Prince Arima laid out his plan, but a broken armrest convinced Soga no Akaye to turn against the conspirators and turn them in.  And so it is interesting to hear that his daughter was married to Naka no Oe. We are also told of four “palace women” that Naka no Oe is said to have had children with.  The implication seems to be that these were women at the palace but they were not formally recognized with the same status as that of the formal consorts and, of course, the queen, his primary wife.  This fits in with at least one theory I've seen that Naka no Oe was something of a ladies' man.  It seems he got around even more than Murasaki Shikibu's fictional “Shining Prince”, Hikaru Genji.  We are told that there were at least 14 children among the nine official wives—and one has to consider that they were unlikely to record many of the women whom he may have slept with that he didn't also have children with.  And there is a theory that one of those not mentioned, may have been his own sister, full blooded sister.  Specifically, his sister Princess Hashibito, who was married to none other than Naka no Oe's uncle, Prince Karu, aka Jomei Tennou. To be clear:  we have no clear evidence that they were anything other than close siblings, but as you may recall how we mentioned back in Episode 114 that there was something that caused a falling out between Prince Karu and Naka no Oe, such that Naka no Oe disobeyed the sovereign's direct order in moving himself and the royal family back to Asuka.  That meant Naka no Oe, his wives, his mother, AND his sister, Princess—now Queen—Hashibito.  So, yeah, he absconded with Prince Karu's wife who was Naka no Oe's full-blooded sister.  And, as we've noted before, ancient Yamato's concept of incest was pretty narrow.  It was only if you had the same mother that you were considered full siblings—even if the father were someone else.  I suspect that this is related to the matrilineal nature of succession as well, which is why it was so important to insist that the ancient sovereigns had a direct lineal connection to the royal line through their mother as much as through their father. So if Naka no Oe and his sister were having any kind of relationship that was considered wrong or scandalous, then that could also help explain why he didn't take the throne sooner, and why it passed over to his mother.  But now, both Takara Hime and Hashibito were quite literally dead and buried, and Naka no Oe had ascended to the throne. Of the so-called “Palace Women” that  are listed as being likewise married to—or at least in a relationship with—Naka no Oe, I'd like to focus on one:  Iga no Uneme no Yakako.  For one, she is specifically mentioned as an uneme—one of the women sent to the court specifically to serve in the palace.  But her parentage isn't further illuminated other than the name “Iga” which is probably a locative, possibly referring to the area of Iga. This is also interesting because we are also told that she gave birth to a son named Prince Iga, also known as Prince Ohotomo.  Despite his mother's apparently unremarkable status, Prince Ohotomo seems to have been quite the apple of his father's eye.  He was born in 648, so in 668 he was about 20 years old, meaning that around this time he was probably just coming into his own at court.  He was married to his cousin, Princess Touchi, daughter of his uncle, Crown Prince Ohoama.  He was also married to Mimotoji, who appears to have been a daughter of Nakatomi no Kamatari, meaning that he was pretty well connected. But we'll get into that in a future episode.  For now, I think we'll leave it here: with the move of the capital to Ohotsu and the formal ascension of Naka no Oe to the throne. We'll talk about what that might mean in the future.  Until then, thank you once again for listening and for all of your support. If you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

Do free divers of Jeju Island have a 'superpower' in their genes? Guest: Dr. Melissa Ilardo, Evolutionary Geneticist at the University of Utah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should Canada allow more AI in court? Guest: Ryan Fritsch, Toronto-Based Lawyer who Specializes in AI Criminal Justice How qualified is the new Provincial Forest Advisory Council? Guest: Kim Haakstad, President & CEO of the BC Council of Forest Industries Do free divers of Jeju Island have a 'superpower' in their genes? Guest: Dr. Melissa Ilardo, Evolutionary Geneticist at the University of Utah Is Canada failing its women physicists? Guest: Dr. Alannah Hallas, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at UBC's Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute How Sidney McIntyre-Starko's death is reshaping BC programs Guest: Lori Culbert, Reporter for the Vancouver Sun Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First Korean lesbian dating reality show to stream on Wavve진행자: 최정윤, Tannith Kriel기사 요약: 국내 최초 레즈비언 연애 리얼리티 프로그램 '너의 연애'가 베일을 벗고 티저 영상을 공개했다.[1] South Korea's first dating reality show featuring exclusively lesbian participants is set to premiere later this month. Korean streaming platform Wavve announced it will exclusively launch a new reality dating series,“ToGetHer,” on April 25, releasing the show's teaser on YouTube. The teaser has English subtitles for global audiences.feature: 선보이다exclusively: 독점적으로premiere: 개봉하다[2] “ToGetHer" follows participants searching for romantic connections through various activities, such as going on dates and writing letters to one another, while living together in a shared house called the ToGetHerHouse on Jeju Island.follow: 따라가다[3] The new series follows Wavve's gay dating reality show “His Man.” That series, which centered on gay participants seeking love while cohabiting for eight days, included elements such as daily phone calls for participants to express their feelings and a catfish twist, where a new contestant was introduced midseason to disrupt the group dynamics. “His Man," the first season of which streamed in 2022, has so far had three seasons.center on: ~에 초점을 맞추다catfish: 메기, 사기꾼[4] According to Wavve, “His Man,” the first gay dating reality series in Korea, became its top-performing content in terms of attracting new paid subscribers following the release of its first season.in terms of: ~의 측면에서기사 원문: https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10465671

In this episode, Kiho reviews a new Korean drama "When life gives you tangerines" that has Jeju Island as background. IU and Park Bo-gum acted as main players. Enjoy his thoughts!! This show was broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin - oar.org.nz

Fluent Fiction - Korean: Inside Manjanggul: A Day of Bats, Bonds, and Blunders Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ko/episode/2025-04-22-22-34-02-ko Story Transcript:Ko: 제주도의 유명한 만장굴 용암 동굴 속으로 들어간 날, 현주는 커다란 배낭을 메고 설레는 마음을 감추지 못했습니다.En: The day they entered the famous Manjanggul lava cave in Jeju Island, Hyeonju couldn't hide her excitement as she carried her large backpack.Ko: "오늘은 드디어 그 희귀한 박쥐를 찾을 수 있을 거야!" 그녀는 소리쳤습니다.En: "Finally, today we'll be able to find that rare bat!" she exclaimed.Ko: 민규는 배낭을 조심스럽게 정리하며 말했다. "글쎄, 그게 있을지 모르겠는데. 그리고 우리 길 잃어버리면 어떡하니?"En: Mingyu cautiously organized his backpack and said, "Well, I'm not sure it will be there. And what if we get lost?"Ko: 수연은 조금 엉성한 지도를 펼쳤습니다. "걱정하지 마, 이것 봐. 이 지도만 있으면 아무 문제 없어!"라고 했지만, 그 지도는 계획보다는 낙서에 가깝게 보였습니다.En: Suyeon unfolded a slightly sloppy map. "Don't worry, look at this. As long as we have this map, there won't be any problems!" she said, but the map looked more like doodles than a plan.Ko: 현주는 잠시 생각하다가 그룹을 나누기로 했습니다. "우리는 더 많은 곳을 탐색해야 해. 나와 수연은 한쪽으로, 민규는 반대쪽으로 가자."En: Hyeonju thought for a moment and decided to split the group. "We need to explore more areas. Suyeon and I will go one way, and Mingyu will go the opposite way."Ko: 동굴은 어두웠고, 시원한 공기가 돌 틈새로 흘러들어왔습니다. 세 사람은 각각 다른 방향으로 걸었습니다.En: The cave was dark, and cool air flowed through the gaps between the rocks. The three of them walked in different directions.Ko: 수연과 함께 하던 현주는 돌을 하나 넘어뜨리며 넘어졌고, 수연은 박쥐 그림자를 보고 크게 소리쳤습니다. "박쥐다! 박쥐!" 하지만 가까이 가보니 단순한 그림자였죠.En: While with Suyeon, Hyeonju tripped over a rock, and Suyeon shouted loudly at the sight of a bat shadow. "It's a bat! A bat!" But upon getting closer, it turned out to be just a shadow.Ko: 한편, 민규는 우연히 동굴 관광 가이드의 발표에 참가하게 되어 쑥스러움을 감추지 못했습니다. "아, 저... 여기 있는 게 아닌데요..." 민규는 말했습니다.En: Meanwhile, Mingyu unexpectedly joined a cave tour guide's presentation and couldn't hide his embarrassment. "Ah, uh... I'm not supposed to be here..." Mingyu said.Ko: 그리고 가이드는 웃으며 "그럼에도 불구하고 환영합니다!"라고 했습니다.En: The guide laughed and said, "Nevertheless, welcome!"Ko: 결국, 세 사람은 동굴의 끝에서 다시 만났습니다. 현주는 박쥐를 찾지 못했지만 미소를 지었습니다. "가끔은 찾는 것보다 함께 하는 게 더 중요하더라구," 그녀는 말했습니다.En: Eventually, the three reunited at the end of the cave. Hyeonju didn't find the bat, but she smiled. "Sometimes, being together is more important than finding something," she said.Ko: 민규는 주저하던 여행에서 벗어나 자신이 좀 더 담대해진 것을 느꼈습니다. "정말 재미있었어. 다음에는 더 많이 돌아다녀봐도 좋을 것 같아."En: Mingyu felt that he had become bolder than before in the hesitant journey. "It was really fun. Next time, it might be good to explore even more."Ko: 마지막으로 수연은 지도를 접으며 웃었습니다. "다음 번에는 더 계획적으로 해야겠어. 하지만 오늘은 정말 특별했어."En: Finally, Suyeon laughed as she folded the map. "Next time, we should be more organized. But today was truly special."Ko: 그러나 그 날, 만장굴에서의 모험은 누구도 잊지 못할 경험이 되었고, 그들은 서로에 대한 새로운 이해를 얻게 되었습니다.En: Yet that day, the adventure in Manjanggul became an unforgettable experience for everyone, and they gained a new understanding of each other. Vocabulary Words:excitement: 설렘rare: 희귀한cautiously: 조심스럽게unfolded: 펼쳤다sloppy: 엉성한explore: 탐색하다dark: 어두운tripped: 넘어졌다shadow: 그림자embarrassment: 쑥스러움presentation: 발표organized: 계획적인unforgettable: 잊지 못할experience: 경험understanding: 이해hesitant: 주저하던bold: 담대해진adventure: 모험gap: 틈새rock: 돌tour guide: 가이드reunited: 다시 만났다important: 중요한bold: 담대해진laughed: 웃었다special: 특별한nevertheless: 그럼에도 불구하고bold: 담대해진flowed: 흘러들어왔다eventually: 결국

What connects CNN, Coldplay, Bollywood, The White Lotus, Bluey, Minecraft and K-dramas? All are linked to the burgeoning trend of representing tourism destinations in TV series, movies, videos, documentaries and computer games. This week, Gary and Hannah assess the top 8 TV and Movie Tourism talking points in ASEAN, Asia Pacific and beyond. The global journey takes us from Jakarta, Koh Samui and Singapore to Seoul, Jeju Island and Okinawa - and beyond to the UK, New Zealand and Australia. En route, we discuss the influence of micro-dramas, Ne Zha 2 and Black Myth: Wuking on domestic tourism in China. We look at the darker side of tourism on screen, including No More Bets, The Beach, Iseltwald and the filming issues around The Expats in Hong Kong. Plus we tap into the changing role of tourism boards and travel suppliers in destination placement, assess the surging growth of on-location cookery shows, and explore how Netflix is financing local TV productions to promote culture, heritage and tourism in Indonesia and South Korea for domestic and regional audiences. 

Comment on this episode by going to KDramaChat.comToday, we'll be discussing Episode 5 of When Life Gives You Tangerines, the hit K Drama on Netflix the hit K Drama on Netflix starring IU as Oh Ae-sun and Park Bo-gum Yang Gwan-sik. We discuss:The song featured during the recap: Spring in a Heartbeat by Park Sung-il, a beautiful instrumental piece that plays during the heartwarming scene of Ae Sun and Gwan Sik on their boat with their growing family.The complex and emotional back-and-forth between two timelines—Ae Sun and Gwan Sik's love story and their daughter Geum Myeong's journey—and how it adds depth to the drama.A powerful conversation about shame, gender roles, and vulnerability inspired by Gwan Sik's struggle to provide for his family and Brene Brown's research on shame.Ae Sun's desperate visit to her grandmother, who gives them money to buy a boat—a game-changing gift that symbolizes hope and a fresh start.The emotional weight and cultural significance of the language used between Ae Sun's grandmother and Gwang Rye, especially words like 어머니, 애미야, and 아가.Gwan Sik and Ae Sun's christening of their new boat and the ceremonial offerings to the Dragon King, an important sea deity in Korean mythology.Ae Sun's rising confidence and new role as Deputy Chief of the village, and how her wardrobe changes reflect her rising status and better life.The scandal at the social dance club and how Ae Sun saves Bu Sang Gil's wife and daughter from humiliation, revealing unexpected layers of solidarity and empathy.The symbolic act of Ae Sun boarding the boat and painting the name “Geum Eun Dong” after their three children—gold, silver, and bronze—and what it reveals about their dreams and values.Ae Sun's hilarious and sarcastic comments about Gwan Sik's jeon-making skills and ancestral rites, poking fun at traditional gender norms while asserting her power.How the couple buys Ae Sun's mother's former house, making it a warm and beautiful home, and how the mother-of-pearl wardrobe becomes a lasting symbol of their pride and love.A sweet kiss between Ae Sun and Gwan Sik as they celebrate their love and achievements, with Ae Sun taunting the Dragon King and embracing her role as the family's lucky charm.The ominous foreshadowing from grown-up Geum Myeong, warning us that this happy chapter may soon come to a tragic end.The real-life couple who inspired the story of When Life Gives You Tangerines, especially Hong Kyung Ja and her devoted husband, who was honored for his love and support.Next week, we will discuss episode 6 of When Life Gives You Tangerines. We'll also talk about Jeju Island, the popular tourist destination and setting for many hit K Dramas!ReferencesPark Sung-il list of songs on K Drama OSTsBrene Brown's TED Talk: Listening to Shame

Fluent Fiction - Korean: Escape from Manjanggul: A Daring Quest for Freedom Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ko/episode/2025-04-11-22-34-02-ko Story Transcript:Ko: 천장을 향해 흐르는 물방울 소리가 상공에 퍼졌습니다.En: The sound of droplets flowing towards the ceiling spread across the air.Ko: 지수, 민호, 그리고 은지는 제주도의 만장굴 용암 동굴 안에 갇혔습니다.En: Jisoo, Minho, and Eunji were trapped inside the Manjanggul Lava Cave in Jeju Island.Ko: 봄볕이 비추는 제주 풍경과는 달리, 이곳은 차갑고 어두웠습니다.En: Unlike the sunlit landscape of Jeju, this place was cold and dark.Ko: 석순과 종유석이 매월 지키고 있는 듯 위협적으로 서 있었습니다.En: Stalactites and stalagmites stood menacingly, as if they guarded the cave every month.Ko: 지수는 모험을 좋아하지만, 좁은 공간이 두려웠습니다.En: Jisoo loved adventure, but she was afraid of confined spaces.Ko: 그럼에도 불구하고, 그녀는 용기를 내어 말했습니다.En: Nevertheless, she mustered up the courage to speak.Ko: "우리는 안전하게 나가야 해.En: "We need to get out safely."Ko: " 민호는 손전등을 높이 들며 주변을 둘러봤습니다.En: Minho raised his flashlight high and looked around.Ko: 지질학에 대한 열정은 있으나, 그 길을 계속 걷지 못한 것에 대해 미련이 있었습니다.En: He had a passion for geology but regretted not pursuing it further.Ko: "독특한 구조야.En: "It's a unique structure.Ko: 길을 잘 찾아야 해.En: We need to find the right path."Ko: "은지는 웃으며 동의를 표했습니다.En: Eunji nodded in agreement with a smile.Ko: 그녀의 발걸음은 가벼웠지만, 주의를 잘 잡지 못했습니다.En: Her steps were light, but she was not able to keep her focus well.Ko: "너희만 믿을게!En: "I'll trust you guys!"Ko: " 그러나 물이 점차 차오르고 있었습니다.En: However, the water was gradually rising.Ko: 지수는 심호흡을 하며 자기 자신을 달랬습니다.En: Jisoo took a deep breath to calm herself.Ko: "괜찮아, 우린 나갈 수 있어.En: "It's okay, we can make it out."Ko: "그러나 동굴은 갈림길에 이르렀고, 물은 더욱 빨리 차올랐습니다.En: But the cave reached a fork, and the water rose even faster.Ko: 지수는 고개를 숙이고 무서울 법한 사방을 둘러보았습니다.En: Jisoo ducked her head and looked around the intimidating surroundings.Ko: "어느 쪽으로 갈까, 민호?En: "Which way should we go, Minho?"Ko: " 그녀는 두려움을 이겨내고 친구들을 믿어야 했습니다.En: She had to overcome her fear and trust her friends.Ko: 민호는 잠시 생각에 잠겼습니다.En: Minho paused in thought.Ko: "이쪽이야.En: "This way.Ko: 물이 낮아 보이네.En: The water looks lower here."Ko: " 그는 신중하게 길을 가리켰습니다.En: He carefully pointed out the path.Ko: 지수는 친구들과 함께 그 길을 택했습니다.En: Jisoo chose that route with her friends.Ko: 그들은 물살을 헤쳐 나갔고, 결국 물은 서서히 뒤로 빠져나갔습니다.En: They pushed through the current, and eventually, the water slowly receded behind them.Ko: 가슴이 떨렸지만 희망은 사라지지 않았습니다.En: Though their hearts were pounding, hope did not fade.Ko: 빛이 보이기 시작했고, 그들은 마침내 햇살 가득한 제주도의 봄 공기 속으로 나왔습니다.En: Light began to appear, and they finally emerged into the sunlit spring air of Jeju Island.Ko: 지수는 숨을 크게 쉬며 웃었습니다.En: Jisoo took a deep breath and smiled.Ko: "우리가 해냈어!En: "We did it!"Ko: " 민호와 은지도 환호했습니다.En: Minho and Eunji cheered as well.Ko: 그동안 지수는 자신의 두려움을 극복하고 친구들을 믿는 법을 배웠습니다.En: During that time, Jisoo learned to overcome her fears and trust her friends.Ko: 그들은 서로의 손을 붙잡고, 해변을 향해 발걸음을 옮겼습니다.En: Holding each other's hands, they headed toward the beach.Ko: 이는 그들의 하루를 특별한 모험으로 만들어주었습니다.En: It was an adventure that made their day special. Vocabulary Words:droplets: 물방울ceiling: 천장trapped: 갇혔다stalactites: 종유석stalagmites: 석순menacingly: 위협적으로confined: 좁은mustered: 용기를 내다flashlight: 손전등geology: 지질학pursuing: 좇다structure: 구조focus: 주의fork: 갈림길intimidating: 무서울 법한receded: 빠져나갔다pounding: 떨리다overcome: 극복하다trust: 믿다emerged: 나갔다adventure: 모험flowing: 흐르다sunlit: 봄볕이 비추는landscape: 풍경gradually: 점차current: 물살calm: 달랬다pointed: 가리켰다unique: 독특한regretted: 미련이 있었습니다

In this episode, we speak with Jeju-based peace activist Sung-Hee Choi, who has spent more than 15 years resisting U.S. militarism, weapons manufacturing, and the construction of a naval base on Jeju Island, South Korea.Sung-Hee is a board member of the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space and a participant in the Pacific Peace Network. She speaks with us about the long legacy of anti-militarist resistance on Jeju Island, from the 1948 massacre to the ongoing corporate-led militarisation of land, sea, and space.We also trace the role of Hanwha as they open a new space centre on Jeju Island, South Korea's largest weapons company, in global war profiteering, including their new weapons facility in Avalon, Victoria, developed with Australian government support, and subcontracting Elbit Systems an Israeli arms company complicit in the genocide in Gaza.

Sung Jinwoo's journey from E-rank to S-rank continues in Solo Leveling Season 2 as he faces powerful new enemies including demon monarchs and the formidable Ant King on Jeju Island.• The mysterious "System" allows Jinwoo to level up unlike other hunters in this world• Jinwoo's shadow army gains powerful new additions including a wyvern named Kaisel and the Ant King, Beru• The season reveals the existence of Monarchs and Rulers, powerful entities locked in conflict over Earth• Fight choreography and animation quality reaches new heights, particularly in the Jeju Island raid battle• Differences between the anime adaptation and original manhwa provide interesting discussion points• The panel unanimously rates the season 10/10 despite adaptation changes• Jinwoo's father is revealed to have been trapped in America after escaping a gate 10 years agoCheck out our upcoming "Anime Lightning" reviews for underrated shows that deserve more attention, and stay tuned for full reviews of Sakamoto Days and Sentai Red Isekai.Text us for feedback and recommendations for future episodes!Support the showWe thank everyone for listening to our podcast! We hope to grow even bigger to make great things happen, such as new equipment for higher-quality podcasts, a merch store & more! If you're interested in supporting us, giving us feedback and staying in the loop with updates, then follow our ZONE Social Media Portal!DISCLAIMER: The thoughts and opinions shared within are those of the speaker. We encourage everyone to do their own research and to experience the content mentioned at your own volition. We try not to reveal spoilers to those who are not up to speed, but in case some slips out, please be sure to check out the source material before you continue listening!Stay nerdy and stay faithful,- J.B.Subscribe to "Content for Creators" on YouTube to listen to some of the music used for these episodes!

Soriquete is a "Flamenco × Traditional Korean Music Crossover Performance Team" formed on Jeju Island by flamenco guitarist Park Seok-jun, soriggun(traditional Korean pansori singer) Jeong Ae-sun, flamenco dancer Choi Yoomi, and percussionist Kim Seong-jin. Their repertoire ranges from authentic flamenco, reinterpreted through the expressive phrasing of the soriggun, to pieces like Saetaryeong, Sarangga, and Heungboga, which meld flamenco melodies with Korean traditional music. Through these exquisite crossovers, they craft a sound that is both unfamiliar and familiar, exotic yet deeply rooted in tradition. They also deliver powerful live performances enhanced by dynamic flamenco dance. Beyond a mere genre fusion, they strive to establish a uniquely Korean musical identity through the interplay of flamenco and traditional Korean music.

Discover South Korea's top eco-tourism destinations, from Seoul's green spaces to Jeju Island's natural wonders. Explore national parks, UNESCO heritage sites, and organic cuisine while making sustainable choices. Experience responsible travel through scenic hikes, cultural heritage, and eco-friendly stays for a greener journey. Ever Wonder Adventure City: Singapore Address: One Oxley Rise Website: https://www.everwonderadventure.com

On The BIG Show today, we talk about the record-breaking weather last year, black pork from Jeju Island and what the female equivalent of "bro" is. Most importantly, Glenn and Shalini are finally back in the studio! Connect with us on Instagram: @kiss92fm @Glennn @angeliqueteo Producers: @shalinisusan97 @snailgirl2000See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I hiked up Halla mountain over ten years ago.

Rescue and patchwork relationship.B Book 3 in 18 parts, y FinalStand. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels.Loving your enemy is easy, you know precisely where both of you stand(Right where we left off)The closest Marine had been waiting for me to finish my bonding moment with Menner before speaking. He walked and talked like an officer."You are certainly Mr. Cáel Nyilas," he nodded. "I'm Lt. Robeson, United States Marine Corps. I would like to take you and your party home. What is the situation?""Lieutenant, this young lady is Aya Ruger. She was kidnapped along-side me and managed to kill over twenty of our enemies, so be careful around her." I was deadly serious about what I said. Aya should get proper credit for all the people she sedated then drowned. Dead was dead, even if it was accidental."These two," I pointed to Zhen and Mu, "are Lúsìla ninda and Amar, Taiwanese nationals suffering some shock from the abrupt crash landing of the aircraft. They don't seem to know why they were kidnapped, but they were instrumental in aiding Aya and me making it to shore during the typhoon.""If you say so, Sir," he nodded. He did believe me, yet a soldier was taught to be skeptical of anything a civilian told him about a military situation. "The bodies?""Those are the corpses we found after the storm. I decided we should attempt to place them in your custody so you can figure out who they are," I suggested."Sir, I don't think we can let civilians keep their weapons aboard the flight," the Marine Lt. stated since I had both a pistol and submachine gun, Aya had her pistol and Zhen had her and Mu's blades. A Marine NCO sent a party to gather the dead."Marine, I am Cáel Nyilas, Irish diplomat, freebooter and Champion of the worst possible causes," I began my spiel."You probably have some orders concerning bringing me in alive. I am not so constrained and am more than willing to steal this aircraft and fly back to Hawaii without you. My team keeps their weapons, or you give me your best shot, right now," I met his gaze. He mulled over his options. Two Romanians and two Marines were starting to load the ad hoc body bags aboard the C-37B."Normally I don't take that kind of crap from a civilian and I don't want you to think I'm making an exception because of your Security Clearance. I'll let your people keep your weapons, but if something goes wrong, I'm shooting you first," he assured me."Done deal," I offered my hand and he shook it."Oh and Happy Tibetan Independence Day," he congratulated me."What?" I gasped. Rescue and patchwork relationships{6 pm, Sunday, August 17th ~ 22 Days to go}{11 pm Sunday, Aug. 17th (Havenstone Time)}{And just this once, 11am Monday, Aug. 18th Beijing Time}"Oh and Happy Tibetan Independence Day;, nice work.," the Marine congratulated me."What?""How is that possible?" muttered Mu."Yippee!! No more burning monks," Aya fist-pumped. Personally, I think she did that for the enjoyment of our guardians and to piss off Zhen and Mu just a tiny bit more.(Mandarin) "Brother," Zhen studied her brother's pained expression. "What has gone wrong?"(Mandarin) "The province of Tibet apparently has broken away," he groused. In English, to the Marine Lieutenant he repeated, "How is this possible?""I take it you didn't know Peace Talks had broken out?" he grinned. I doubted the Lt. bought my 'these are my two Taiwanese cobelligerents' story, but belief was above his pay grade, so he didn't give a shit."Yes," Mu mumbled, "we knew of the proposed cease-fire.""Yes, you mean both sides actually honored it?" I added. I really had been out things for a while."Nearly two days ago, noon, Peking Time, the People's Republic of China and the Khanate put a six month cease-fire into effect which has remained intact for forty-one," he looked at his watch, "forty-one and a half hours." He was being a cock to the petulant Mu. No one called Beijing 'Peking' anymore. I had even ordered Beijing Duck on several menus. Peking was the height of Western Imperialist thinking, or so it looked to Mu.(Mandarin) "He is yanking your chain, Mu," I explained. "You are looking pissed off at being rescued, which isn't doing my alibi for you much good.""My apology," Mu nodded to the lieutenant. "Is there any news from the Republic of China? Are they free as well?" That was nice of Mu to call Taiwan by its pet name, the ROC."Not yet," he patted Mu's unwounded leg, "but with the utter shellacking the Khanate put on the People's Navy (really the People's Liberation Army Navy, but the Marine was getting his shots in) it is only a matter of time."I had been translating in a low voice to the V nători de munte in order for them to keep up with the conversation. They all started laughing. The Marines joined in. There was a huge joke here that we had missed out on while stranded.(Romanian) "So, ask them if they know where their aircraft carrier is," Menner chuckled. Most Romanians had grown up knowing of only one China.Me: (Romanian) "What!"A Naval Corpsman who didn't know Romanian, but knew 'aircraft carrier' just fine jumped in: "Oh yeah, the missing Chinese Aircraft carrier," she chortled.Mu: "What!"I'd only been gone two and a half days. What the hell had been going on?(What had transpired in my absence and the subsequent consequences)(Notes:P R C = People's Republic of China; PLA = People's Liberation Army;P L A N = People's Liberation Army Navy;P L A A F = People's Liberation Army Air Force;R O C = the Republic of China {aka Taiwan, aka Chinese Taipei, aka the "other China"};The First Unification War {aka what the Khanate did to China in 2014};Truce lasts from August 16th 2014 until February 15th, 2015 = 183 days)There are several classic blunders grownups should know to avoid: never fight a land war in Asia, never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line, and, if you are going to cross a master thief, first make sure you have nothing of value. For the land war in Asia, check with my partner, the Khanate. Substituting Black Hand for Sicilian ~ check with Ajax, use an Ouija board. So far, destiny was batting .500.The last blunder I created entirely on my own, but I felt it was the true and right response for the circumstances. So witness the Six Families of the Ninja and the greatest theft in all of recorded history.In the closing hours of the First Unification War, as in many wars, some serious theft was going on; mainly it was the People's Republic getting fleeced.The most obvious and immediate blows came in the Spratlys and Parcel Islands where Khanate forces (actually, elements from all the JIKIT players) seized the key island in the Parcel chain, Woody Island, and secured the P L A N base the Chinese had created there, including the 2,700 meter runway built there in the 1990's. The 1,443 Chinese civilians and 600 military inhabitants in the area were incidental complications and the survivors were about to be 'repatriated' to the mainland anyway; the Khanate didn't want them hanging around as they prepared for the inevitable end of the six-month truce.Yes, the Khanate had stolen the most important island airfield ~ an unsinkable carrier really ~ in the South China Sea. It was also the northern end of the potential People's Republic of China's stranglehold on the east-west sea lanes between East Asia and the rest of the World, i.e., roughly 25% of all global trade.The southern end? That would be the Spratlys. There are few 'real' islands in that 'island group' and only two worth having: the artificial one the P L A N was building and the one the ROC has a 1200 meter airfield on. That artificial island and every other PRC/P L A N outpost in the region was also stolen by the Khanate between 4 a.m. and noon of that final day of active conflict.Every geological feature that had been the basis for the PRC's claims to all of the South China Sea was now in Khanate hands. Considering how much the P L A N had bullied everyone else in that portion of the globe, the Khanate taking over their geopolitical position was incredibly awkward. It was going to get worse.Technically, the Khanate hadn't stolen the P L A N 'South Sea Fleet' (SSF); they'd blown the fuck out of it, including sinking the sole fully-functioning P L A N carrier Liaoning as well as five of the nine destroyers and six of the nineteen frigates in her battle group. The Liaoning and one destroyer had died in those last few hours as the SSF was racing for the relative safety of Philippine waters ~ so close, but no cigar.So the Khanate had stolen the ability of the P L A N to project power in the South China Sea until February 15th, 2015 when the U N brokered truce ended. But that was not the epic theft, though. That distinction went to the Ninja. What did they steal? A semi-functional Chinese nuclear powered super-aircraft carrier still under construction.The beast had no official name yet, but she was a 75,000 ton engine of Global Domination laid down in 2011 and clearly complete enough to float and to be steered under her own power. (To be on the safe side, the Ninja included stealing four tugboats to help in their getaway.) So, you may be asking yourself, how does one 'steal' a nuclear-powered, 1000 foot long, 275 foot wide and ten-story tall vessel?For starters, you need a plan to get on board the sucker. We had begun with the Black Lotus. They wanted to sneak onboard, exit the dockyard the ship was being built in, then sink it off the coast so it couldn't be easily salvaged. That was plan A.Enter the Khanate and their plans; they too wanted to sink this vessel, and destroy the dry docks while they were at it. That was plan B. Actually, the Khanate desire was to contaminate that whole section of the port city with fallout from shattered reactors. They knew they would have to apply overkill when they smashed that bitch of a ship because the PLAN had hurriedly put on board its defensive weaponry ~ ensuring that the Khanate couldn't easily destroy it. For their approach, Temujin's people wanted the Black Lotus' help with the on-the-ground intelligence work. But the Black Lotus didn't want to help anyone irradiate Chinese soil.Enter JIKIT as referee. All those islands the 'Khanate' was busy stealing were actually part of a larger JIKIT mission called Operation Prism. Another object that was a part of the overall plan was Operation Wo Fat, the sinking of the Liaoning ~ again GPS direction and distance to be courtesy of the Black Lotus.JIKIT absolutely needed the Black Lotus. The Black Lotus wouldn't help anyone planning on poisoning any part of China for the next thousand years. Sinking the unnamed and incomplete vessel off the coast in deep waters meant no nuclear leakage and plenty of post-war time to salvage the wreck before it did start to hemorrhage. The Khanate wanted to kill this potential strategic nightmare no matter what it cost the Chinese ecology.JIKIT went to the Ninja to help them adjudicate the issue. All the lights flared brightly in Ninja-Town when they heard of that delicate dilemma. They could make everybody happy and send a clear message to the Seven Pillars expressing how unhappy the six surviving families were about the 7P's trying to annihilate them when all of this 'unpleasantness' began.The Khanate was already going to blast the shipyards and docks, the Black Lotus was already going to sail the ship into deep waters, so why not take it one step further, sail the ship into Japanese waters and declare it Khanate property as a colossal Fuck You! to the PRC, PLAN and specifically the Seven Pillars, all at the same time?Now normally, you can't steal a ship that big. The owners will notice it is missing and come looking for it. And you can't sell or hide the damn thing. So, you steal it at the tail end of a war before the players can capture, or sink it. It just so happened the Ninja had access to a war and such a time table.The next problem: where do you put it? The Khanate's closest safe haven was 8,000 km away at the Eastern Mediterranean Seaport of Izmir.But wait!The Khanate was about to steal an island airbase with its own (albeit small) harbor. The Khanate was confident that a few weeks after the truce, an alternate port, or two, would become available for the two-to-three year process it would require to prepare the vessel so it could be commissioned as the true warship it was meant to be.So, how do you steal a well-guarded, humongous ship with its skeleton crew of 500? You need a distraction ~ a big one. Remember those Khanate airstrikes? They intended to destroy the dockyards anyway. Now all they had to do was 'miss' the carrier.They could do that. If you recall, to dissuade the Khanate from sinking the ship in the final days of the war, the PLAN had hastily put teeth on the thing by giving it all its pre-designed defensive weaponry and added jury-rigged radar and sonar systems. The carrier could defend itself if needed. With the new plan (C), the airstrikes could avoid those teeth, thus reducing the risk of losing their precious planes and pilots.A series of bombing runs and missile hits near the carrier would convince the PLAN admiral in charge to hurriedly put some distance between the ship and shore, Not out to sea. That would be stupid. Within the harbor, his weaponry could adequately defend his ship. And if she took serious damage, he could run her aground, so the vessel wouldn't really sink.The only problem was that out in the harbor, with everything exploding, he was away from the only ground security support available. That was when the Amazons, Black Lotus, Ninja and JIKIT mercenaries would make their move. How could they sneak up on such a big, important ship? By using the submarines the US Navy, the British Royal Navy and Japanese Defense Force were providing, of course.Note: As I stated earlier, Lady Fathom, Addison and Riki had wandered way off the reservation . By this time, if you were a Japanese, British, or American submarine commander in the Yellow Sea and you weren't part of this madness, you were insanely jealous of those who were.The missions JIKIT was sending them on were:-definitely Acts of War if they were ever discovered,-far more dangerous than any war game exercise they'd ever been part of, and-the ultimate test of their crews and equipment.These people weren't suicidal. They believed they were the best sneaks under the Seven Seas and now they could prove it ~ in 50 years when this stuff was declassified (if it ever was).For the one American, two British and four Japanese submarines inserting the assault teams, this whole mission had a surreal feel to it. They were transporting a packed assortment of women of Indian, Malaysian and Indonesian descent along with some very lithe Japanese ladies and gents, none of who talked a whole lot.There was a third group with the spooky women and spookier Japanese teams, and that group was scared shitless about the sudden turn their lives had taken. They were all former American and British servicewomen (to not tick off the Amazons too much) with carrier and/or nuclear reactor experience who had been RIFed (Reduction in Force, aka fired) in the past five years from their respective national navies.Around a week ago, they had all answered an advertisement by a logistics support corporation that was going to do a 'force modernization' in an unnamed country. They all knew that mean the Khanate. The job had been laid out as 'basically your old job with the addition of training the natives' and it included the promise of no combat.It was a guaranteed five year contract with an option for a year-to-year extensions for another five years if you desired to stick around. For that, you received your 'pay grade upon retirement + 20%', free room and board, private security, judicial protections and a $10,000 to $10,900 signing bonus. For many struggling military families, it was manna from Heaven and thousands were signing up.Then 72 hours ago, a different group from the same company came knocking on the women's doors. If you could come with them right then and there, they had a satchel of money, $100,000 to $109,000, tax free, and a Non-disclosure Agreement for you to sign. Sure, the deal sounded shady, but the money was very real.Twenty-four hours later those who accepted the money found themselves in a small fishing village on Ko Island, Japan. There some rather fiercely intense people outlined the job they were needed for. From a submarine, the assault teams would sneak aboard the carrier, neutralize the crew and then the new crew (them) would sail it to Jeju, Jeju Island, South Korea.At that point they would be allowed to stay with the vessel (preferred), or depart for a non-war zone of their choice. Both options came with another $100,000 to $109,000 payment. Anyone who declined this particular job would remain incognito on Ko Island for another 48 hours then be allowed to leave without the need to return their initial payment.Of the 312 job applicants, 293 volunteered for both the first and second parts of the assignment. With the technical and linguistic expertise of the Amazons and 9 Clan members that would be enough to get their prize to Jeju Island's temporary safety and then make the last leg to Woody Island and a more permanent anchorage.Besides the airstrikes to goad the carrier away from the wharves, all the Khanate had to do with the carrier was put three or four clearly Mongolian faces onboard when the various nations of the world came calling. After all, what was the public going to believe:, the Khanate had pulled off yet another daring (i.e., mostly JIKIT) Special Forces coup, just as they'd managed to do throughout this short war, or that 'Ninjas stole my Battleship, umm, carrier' stuff some PRC leaders were claiming? Forty-eight hours later the whole globe was able to watch the newly named Khanate supercarrier, the  z Beg Khan, passing through Japanese territorial waters while being escorted by South Korean and Japanese warships.The PRC did complain to the United Nations over the 'theft' of both the carrier and 'their' islands, but the Security Council, led by the UK, could and would do nothing about the 'latest round of injustices heaped upon the People of China'. By the time the UN got around to doing nothing, the next round of JIKIT diplomacy was causing the PRC even greater headaches.That greatest theft, while remarkable in its own right, was really a sideshow to the reordering of the political order in Southeast Asia. The big winner wasn't the Khanate. And it certainly wasn't the mainland Chinese. No, the nations to immediately prosper were an unlikely pair, the Republic of India and the People's Republic of Vietnam (PRV). The Republic of China (R O C) was also getting its own small boost as well.By gambling their precious navy, India had become the largest power broker in the South China Sea's resource bonanza. She went from a minimal presence to being the critical ally of the Khanate and the 'big stick' (naval-wise) of Asia's new dynamic duo. The Indians had the only two functional aircraft carriers in the region and the Khanate had Woody Island with a mega-carrier number of planes sitting on it.Their combined naval aviation was not something any of the others powers wanted to mess with. The duo then sealed their supremacy by making the duo a trio. That third member was the PRV. Vietnam was the land-based logistical anchor of the three regional powers.Not only did Vietnam gain the prestige denied it for over two centuries, it redressed the P L A N humiliating treatment of their own navy for the past thirty years. The Khanate's naval aviation would shield Vietnam's economic exploitation of the Parcel Islands. The Indian Navy could counter anything the P L A N South China fleet could come at them with.Yes, the P L A N had two other fleets, the Northern and Eastern, but both had been put through their own 1001 levels of Hell by the Khanate's air power, plus they had to protect the Chinese heartland from Russia and North Korean ambitions. The South Koreans and Japanese were suddenly a very real threat from the East too. But for the time being, the Indians had the decisive edge.The final location for the  z Beg Khan was an old familiar haunt for some Americans, Da Nang, PRV. It had the facilities, courtesy of the US military from the 1960's and 70's, to be the new base for the Khanate's Eastern Fleet and logistical hub for their naval aviation forces in the Parcel Islands.The Vietnamese were thinking with more than their testicles, as were the Indians. Sure, geopolitical clout was nice, yet that was only the icing on the economic cake that was the Parcel Island Accords. That hasty bit of JIKIT backroom dealings gave a 50% stake in the Parcels to the PRV.India got 20% of something she had 0% in a month ago. The Khanate gained a 20% stake for their audacity and the ROC gained 10% because the other three would protect its share from the PRC. Something was better than nothing and the three legitimate powers agreed to the deal because in less than six months, the PRC would be back in the game.The Indians and Vietnamese wanted the Khanate to stay interested in the region and the Taiwanese wanted to forge closer ties to the Khanate. That treaty was a 'no-brainer'. Within one week, the Vietnamese were strutting like peacocks and internal political opposition to the Indian intervention into the South China Sea in the Indian parliament was silent.The Spratly Islands was a tougher deal to work out within the six month timetable. There were more players ~ the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Thailand (who had a non-functional carrier). The JIKIT deal gave everyone but the Indians a 10% piece of the huge natural gas, oil and fisheries pie and the Indians got 20% once more.The Philippines and Malaysia were both very opposed to this treaty; they believed they deserved a far larger portion of those regional resources. Indonesia and Thailand also felt they could hold out for a bigger slice and weren't happy with India getting so much for basically having a double handful of ships (34 actually) sailing about.That 'handful of ships' was the point JIKIT was trying to make. If the PRC beat the Khanate next year, did any of the players think the PRC would give them anything, even if they promised them more right now? Really? When the PLAN had the biggest guns, they hadn't respected any other claims to the region. Why would that change in the future?The reality was this: India would only stick around if they had the economic incentive to remain. Vietnam, the Khanate and the ROC were watching the clock and realized this was the best deal they would get. Brunei and the Philippines were also coming to that understanding. Brunei was tiny (thus easy to defend), very rich already and a good ally of the British.The Philippines had a very weak navy and a non-existent naval air force. They couldn't even enforce their current claims versus Brunei, much less confront the PLAN, or any other nation's current military. The Philippines was, sadly, relatively big and very poor. Its big traditional ally was the United States, and the US was currently busy doing 'not much' about the South China Sea situation.The world's biggest navy was partially taking up its traditional (and treaty bound) role of interposing itself between the North Koreans, PLAN/PLAAF and Russians arrayed near Japan and South Korea, or busily not 'ratcheting up tensions' in the region by sending more forces into the front lines.President Obama was urging dialogue and 'stepping back from the brink' even though every country in Southeast Asia felt the brink had already dissipated the moment the PRC was forced to accept the cease-fire. In this context, the Philippines had good reason to be feeling lonely at the moment.Bizarrely, both New Delhi and Hanoi were singing the praises of US Secretary of State John Kerry and the Rt. Honorable Phillip Hammond, Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for the UK, for their deft handling of the crisis, thank you, Riki Martin and Lady Yum-Yum.Riki wasn't expecting any thanks. She was certain she'd be fired and imprisoned for the rest of her life. Lady Fathom Worthington-Burke was sure she'd get two additional knighthoods out of the deal, which would look very nice engraved on her tombstone. Javiera had long ago decided to face the music and go down with the ship, so to speak.The CIA's Addison Stuart already had her exit strategy. She was going to go work for the Khanate, building up their clandestine service when this whole mad scheme collapsed into recriminations and 'extreme sanctions'. Mehmet, Air Force Sr. Master Sgt. Billings and Agent-86 had all decided to go with her. Katrina had their escape plane on standby. Mehmet's family was already 'vacationing' in Canada.Anyway, the Republic of India, the Khanate, the Republic of China, the People's Republic of Vietnam (the Vietnamese were happy to already be getting half of the Parcel Island windfall), the Sultanate Brunei (Lady Fathom 'knew' some people and the Sultan was an autocratic Muslim ruler, just like the Great Khan) and the Philippines (because they had no other true choice) were all coming around to signing the Spratly Accords.Indonesia and Thailand were kind of waiting for a better deal. Malaysia was downright hostile, having gravitated toward the PRC over the past decade and been assured by the PRC a better apportionment would be their reward for upsetting the treaty process.The Great Khan's answer was simple. He publically threatened the Malaysian Federation in general and both the King (Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah) and Prime Minister of Malay (Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak) in particular with military action if they kept dragging their feet.He even told them how he'd do it. He'd butcher or expel every living thing in the states of Perlis and Kedah (~ 2.1 million people) and give those empty lands to Thailand to settle along with the added sweetener of Malaysia's 10% of the Spratlys. He would also invade Eastern Malaysia, taking the island state of Labuan for himself while giving Sarawak to Indonesia and Sabah to the Philippines if those to states agreed to the split.He'd also decimate their navy & air force before devastating every port city, just like he'd done to China. He'd already killed more than two million Chinese. What was another two million Malays to him? Also, Indonesia wanted Sarawak and the Philippines had claims on Sabah. While they were openly and publically defying the Great Khan's plan, could Malaysia really take the chance?What would India and Thailand do while this was going on? Thailand stated that it would protect its territorial integrity, whatever that meant. India wasn't returning Malaysia's phone calls while showing their populace re-runs of Malaysian violence against their Hindu minority, the bastards!To the world, the Indian Navy proclaimed it would 'defend itself and its supply lines' which was a subtle hint that they would shepherd any Khanate invasion force to their destination. Why would the Indians be so insensitive? The Malaysians were screwing up their deal to get 20% of both the Parcel and Spratlys wealth, that's why.If the Khanate went down, there was no way India could defend their claims (which they'd won by doing nothing up until now). Oh yeah, Vietnam began gathering up warplanes, warships, transport ships and troops for the quick (710 km) jaunt across the Gulf of Thailand to north-eastern Malaysia to kill Malaysians because Vietnam needed the Khanate to ensure their own economic future as well.That military prospect had a cascade effect, especially among the Indonesian military. If the Indian Navy remained active, the vastly more populous Western Malaysia couldn't reinforce the state of Sarawak. Sure, the Philippines was unlikely to conquer Sabah on their own, but all the Indonesians needed was for Sabah to be kept pre-occupied while their army took their promised territory, fulfilling a fifty year old dream of conquest/unification.The United Nations blustered. It wasn't that they didn't care, they did. They also cared about the deteriorating situations in Libya, Nigeria, Syria and Ukraine. The situation was complicated by the unwillingness of the permanent members of the Security Council, namely the PRC and Russia, to recognize the Khanate.In reverse, when those two tried to stick it to the Khanate, the UK stoically vetoed them. Why? Well, more on that later. Let's just say the Khanate was good for business in the European Union in general and the United Kingdom in particular because the Khanate was prepared to economically befriend the British. Ireland was being treated in a promising manner too. The United States,the United Nations?Let's just say that in the two months following the cease-fire, the Khanate bloodily and brutally solved the ISIS conundrum and the Donbass Crisis. When the smoke cleared, the Khanate had reintroduced the practice of impalement to the modern battlefield, driven the separatists from the Ukraine and was on the border with Israel and Jordan.Sure, the Ukrainians were stun-fucked by the Khanate's 'peace-keepers' going on a bloody rampage through the eastern rebellious regions, but they had delivered up peace by mid-September. Yes, the Russians were in an uproar about the impalements.As the Khanate spokesperson said, 'if they aren't your people, then it is not your problem' and 'there are no more Russians left alive in the Ukraine'. In fact, fewer than a thousand people, all armed insurgents, were executed in such a manner, but the terror created by the highly publicized killings had the effect of sending a hundred thousand people stampeding over the frontier into Russia proper.Next, the Khanate said it wanted to 'reexamine' the Crimean situation. There were Turcoman in that area and they weren't being treated well, or so it was claimed.Even as Russia and the Khanate were posturing in the Donbass, the Khanate struck in the Middle East. By the end of September, Syria and Lebanon had ceased to exist as organized entities. Most of those two countries as well as portions of western Iraq became Turkish provinces in the Khanate infrastructure. Northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq became the Khanate state of Kurdistan.It was a campaign reminiscent of the 13th century Mongol conquest, not a modern military struggle. Whole villages were eradicated. The entire Arab population of Mosul was exiled to the new territories in the East. The city was repopulated with Kurds from Turkey. Back in Turkey, those Kurds were replaced by Armenians from Azerbaijan, cauterizing another internal issue within the Khanate.Jordan was cautiously hopeful. Israel? "We don't seem to be having problems with Hezbollah anymore," with a shrug and "it could be worse." As for ISIS; there really was an Islamic State controlling more than half of Iraq and all of Syria now and it allowed no other pretenders to that distinction. By the time the world woke up to that reality though, the Great Hunt had happened and I was dealing with the consequences of that.A larger ideological and political matter was occurring in the United States, the United Kingdom (and to a limited extent Australia and Canada). The Ramshackle Empire (aka the Khanate) was just that ~ a Frankenstein nation fueled more by nationalistic pride and nostalgia for a Super-State (that only two living people had firsthand experience with) than an integrated armed forces and infrastructure.It may have been built upon more than a 13th century creation and two hundred years of real and imagined oppression. It did have long term planning and real genius driving it forward. Having throttled the PRC into giving them six precious months of peace to 'tidy up the backyard' (aka the Middle East and Russia) and forge a true nation, the Khanate was now hiring experts to aid them in the task.First and foremost, Temujin and the Earth & Sky had envisioned an armed state built upon military principles and discipline. Fate had delivered to them the means of their own salvation in the form of NATO's policy of disarmament and 'Reduction-In-Force' levels (RIFed).The US and UK had trained tens of thousands of male and female volunteers in their Armed Forces in infrastructure creation and management for the Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns. From 2010, those militaries had informed those experts that their services were no longer required. Unlike the shrinking militaries of the 1990's, there was no private sector to 'soak up' the majority of those personnel.The Earth & Sky had been working on the problem of nation-building on a time table and they kept coming up short. They had to fight to create their state first, so the all-important after-battle had been something their leaders dreaded. Temujin had been understanding about not everything being 100% ready. Few wars were fought that way.Then a young male Amazon of mixed Magyar ancestry talked history with the Earth & Sky representative to a seemingly inconsequential personage's funeral. A few critical E&S leaders (a minority, to be sure) immediately sought ways to cultivate this man into what was a ten year plan to open doors to the Amazons. Then that man saved the Great Khan's life and everything changed.Before the E&S had even remotely considered directly approaching the Amazons for help, the Amazons came knocking on their door. The Seven Pillars of Heaven had tried to kidnap a camp full of Amazon children ~ an assault on their future. The two secret societies were bound by one unique, fortunate idiot and a mutual thirst for vengeance.They were also directed by two incredibly foresighted, ambitious and brilliant people. In Katrina of Epona, the E&S elders found someone who equaled their hope to see the Seven Pillars humbled and humbled immediately. Moreover, these were the Amazons they were dealing with. Amazons always sought both lightning decisions and long term solutions.From the moment Iskender left his third meeting with Cáel Nyilas, Katrina put the fruits of the First Directive (the Amazons efforts to recruit militant outsider women) into overdrive. Havenstone had the apparatus in place to screen potential inductees. All they had to do was add a "can you suggest any other people who might be interested in this line of work" box to their employment forms.That brought men into the process in surprising numbers. The market was flush with military veterans having trouble readjusting to the civilian community. The Khanate wasn't hiring killers. They wanted ex-military and civilian police officers to create a national police force.They also wanted engineers and builders, cadres for their cadet corps and a whole range of specialist in jobs most of the Western World took for granted. The money came from off-shore accounts funded by Havenstone International. The employment opportunities came from Earth & Sky front companies operating in the UK and the US (and Israel, but that was another matter).They had already started hiring scores of civilian English-speaking experts to help build their newborn nation's infrastructure before the first blow landed. English hadn't been chosen out of any cultural bias. Relying on Russian and Chinese sources wasn't feasible, the Khanate wasn't overly linguistically gifted where distant tongues were concerned and, as pointed out, the English-speaking world had a glut of applicants.Now to the problem, there were people in the US and UK who weren't happy with their citizenry going to the Khanate and helping them to survive and thrive. These power groups wanted the Mongol-Turkish Empire to keep the resources flowing to the West, without any reciprocal commitment on their part.Imagine their surprise when some wonks at the State Department and Foreign Ministries found bundles of expedited passport requests to the (former) nations of Turkmenistan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Mongolia (and later Afghanistan and Iraq). The Department of Defense  Ministry of Defense were discovering their former military personnel and civilian contractors with Security Clearances were heading the same way.Of all those destinations, only Mongolia and Kazakhstan were under any kind of 'Restricted Travel' advisories. Barring any coherent anti-Khanate strategy from their administrations, the bureaucracies were doing their jobs, with Havenstone exerting just enough influence to get the job done while flying beneath the radar.After JIKIT was created, the group had a US Senator greasing the wheels to get the requests expedited. In England, Lady Worthington-Burke shamelessly used the people at the other end of the O'Shea hotline to get the job done overseas. She did have to sell out a teammate, but that was what good boys were for ~ taking one for the team. (That would be me, if there was any misunderstanding.)When Cáel Nyilas was kidnapped under the watchful eye of the FBI (I wasn't sure how they got that bum-wrap), the whole situation exploded. The PRC didn't have me, yet promised they might produce me if certain concessions were made. According to Addison, I was worth 5,000 barrels a day of refined fuel oil and 50 tons of coal a month, and the Great Khan agreed to pay! Woot! I was loved by somebody who was a somebody.All that attention drove home some salient points. I was a noble scion of Ireland, Romania, Georgia and Armenia (in no particular order) and they all wanted to know why the US had let me be kidnapped. Didn't my president know I was a sacred national treasure? After JIKIT tracked down the bribes and clandestine activities to Chinese shell corporations, those powers wanted to know what sanctions would be applied.'But wait, wasn't I a private citizen?' my national leaders pleaded. Then the PRC made a case which boiled down to 'I had it coming for being a fiancé to Hana Sulkanen and a brother to the Great Khan', while ignoring me being snatched in the territorial US of A. Of course, they didn't claim to have actually done the kidnapping.Javiera was waiting on that one; 'What was their excuse for kidnapping a little US girl to force my compliance?' The furious Federal authorities even found two dead adult bodies and two digits from said child to add to the media frenzy. To prove I had migrated to fantasy land, the CNN journalist got it right ~ they had tortured the girl and I had killed two of them for it. Just ask the Romanian Army how lethal I could be.In a rare comment, Temujin informed the international press that he believed I was still alive. Why did he believe that? If I wasn't, they would have been able to spot the pile of dead enemy around me and my 'boon companion' (go Aya!) from orbit. Until they discovered this carnal pit from Hell, I was surely still alive.Just at the cusp of turning publically against the Mongol barbarians, the world suddenly got angry with their enemy, the PRC. The principal two Western regimes were paralyzed with indecision until my miraculous cry for help from the middle of the Pacific showed the world I was alive, had punished my enemies and rescued others from under the opponent's cruel thumb.Clearly if I started ranting against the People's Republic of China, my government would be rather peeved with me. I hadn't screwed a dozen poli-sci majors to miss out on that obvious situation. I behaved and hoped they wouldn't make me die from an embolism, or some other equally implausible cause.(DC is a marvel. 9 pm, Monday, August 18th. 21 days)I'd been dragged to DC, to honor promises made in Rome a week ago. I had another choice; I could have justifiably said I was still getting over my kidnapping ordeal. But that choice fucked over Javiera Castello, my boss at JIKIT (Joint International Khanate Interim Task force).That was how I ended up in a 'secret and secure' meeting with Tony Blinken, Deputy National Security Advisor (DNSA) and his experts. He was someone I didn't know. The rest, I'd had a verbal run-in with them after the Romanian bloodbath. I'd been cranky. I would hardly consider us to be on good terms now.All four experts were from the US State Department. They were foregoing their usual group of flunkies because this meeting wasn't really happening. All the participants were officially somewhere else, mostly not even in D.C. Had this soiree 'really happened', the Congressional sub-committees would have been able to request the minutes of Tony's meeting with members of JIKIT and:·         Victoria Nuland, Ass. Sec. of State for European & Eurasian Affairs (ASSEEA)·         Robert O. Blake Jr., Ass. Sec. of State for S & C Asian Affairs (ASSCAA)·         Daniel R. Russel, Ass. Sec. of State for E. Asian and Pacific Affairs (ASSEAP)·         Bill A. Miller, Director of the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) (aka Big Willy)We made stiff, formal introductions (which signaled the utter lack of trust in the room.) Javiera hadn't wanted to put me through an interrogation this soon after my near-death experience, considering my snarky nature when stressed. The White House was putting the squeeze on her. The main player was Tony, who talked with the Leader of the Free World on a weekly, if not daily, basis.The Diplomatic Security Service people had successfully peeled off Pamela and my SD Amazons only after they agreed I could keep Aya. They tolerated me keeping the nine-year old girl despite the obvious fact she had gone through worse hardships than I had endured and was still packing her Chinese QSW-06 suppressed pistol.I had already fabricated and submitted my report on how I'd overcome a plane-full of rogue delinquents from the Forumi i Rinis  Eurosocialiste t  Shqip ris  (Euro-socialist Youth Forum of Albania) bent on recruiting impressionable European socialites by accessing my Twitter account.That's right, the Albanians had it out for me. I reiterated that critical bit of data to the Department of Homeland Security when they questioned me on the veracity of my memories. The two ethnic Chinese I was found with? I thought they were from Taiwan, and they both appeared to be suffering from amnesia.I was already suffering repercussions from my pathological refusal to take life seriously. Javiera believed I was about to get a formal apology from Ferit Hoxha, Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations. Damn it! Now I had to do something nice for the Albanians. Maybe I'd offer them membership in the Khanate, full-statehood with an economic package to sweeten the deal.Yes, that was how Albania and Kosovo joined the Khanate, a product of my love for exaggeration and a little post-Ottoman solidarity over Tarator (cold soup made of yoghurt, garlic, parsley, cucumber, salt and olive oil with a side of fried squids), Tav  Kosi (lamb meatballs) and Flia & Kaymak (a dessert I highly recommend).We had toasted the Pillars of Kanun (Albanian oral law and tradition): ~ Nderi (honor), Mikpritja (hospitality), Sjellja (Right Conduct) and Fis (Kin Loyalty), ~ and he promised to tell his people that I had Besa which was an Albanian-ism for being a man who would honor his word of honor (despite us being brought together by my lie). The shit-ton of financial and military aid I asked the Great Khan to sweeten the pot with might have helped as well.Later, Lady Yum-Yum told me that the military leaders of NATO called it a 'master-stroke' in neutralizing Comrade Putin's Russian-backed 'Greek threat

Eunhae Grace Jung is an eco-artist and art therapist based on Jeju Island. During her teenage years, she moved to Canada, where she developed a deep connection with nature—an experience that shaped her lifelong love for the natural world. Later, she worked as an art therapist at a psychiatric hospital and a youth treatment center in Chicago, USA, witnessing how people enduring their most painful times found healing through art. Art, which draws strength from the darkest places, has become a key theme in her life. For over 10 years, she has been living in a small village near the Gotjawal Forest on Jeju Island, working as both an art therapist and an eco-artist. Her published books include , , and .

Comment on this episode by going to KDramaChat.comToday, we'll be discussing Episode 1 of When Life Gives You Tangerines, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring IU as Oh Ae-sun, and Park Bo-gum as Yang Gwan-sik. We discuss:The song featured during the recap: Midnight Walk by d.ear. The song feels nostalgic and represents Ae-sun's longing for the past.The deeper themes of family, love, and survival that make this show feel unique compared to other historical K Dramas.The emotional opening with an elderly Ae-sun reflecting on the word "eomma" (mom) and how it carries deep significance throughout her life.The realistic and historical setting of Jeju Island, which makes this drama feel different from the more fantastical K Dramas we have covered before.The contrast between the English title, When Life Gives You Tangerines, and the Korean title Pokssak Sogatsuda, which means "You've worked hard" in Jeju dialect.The introduction of young Ae-sun and Gwan-sik and how their childhood relationship sets the foundation for the story.The significance of Ae-sun's mother, Gwang Rye, and her fierce independence as a haenyeo, a female diver of Jeju Island.The rich cultural history of haenyeos, their role in Jeju's matriarchal society, and the challenges they face today due to environmental changes and declining numbers.The economic and social struggles of Ae-sun, who is orphaned at a young age and left to raise her younger siblings, with only Gwan-sik standing steadfastly by her side.The role of gender and social hierarchy in the drama, as Ae-sun is denied opportunities simply because she is a girl.The heartbreaking yet powerful portrayal of Ae-sun's mother, played by Yeom Hye-ran, and her impact on Ae-sun's resilience.The dynamic between Ae-sun and Gwan-sik—his unwavering devotion and her initial indifference, which mirrors her mother's tough love.The visual storytelling of the marketplace scenes, where Gwan-sik quietly supports Ae-sun while she remains oblivious to his sacrifices.The grandmother's disapproval of Ae-sun, believing that daughters inherit their mothers' fate, and how this reflects traditional Korean beliefs.The poetic meaning of the episode title, Spring in a Heartbeat, which speaks to the fleeting nature of youth and the rapid passage of time.Next week, we will recap and analyze Episode 2 of When Life Gives You Tangerines and explore the fascinating topic of Korean drama writers—are most K Drama writers women, and can we tell their gender just by their names?ReferencesHaenyeo - WikipediaThe Last of the Sea Women - Wikipedia 

This is the Winter 2025 Rundown, where we discuss these 3 shows!1) Shangri La Frontier Season 2 2) Solo Leveling S23) Sakamoto DaysTo join the Discord, follow us on our socials (we're on Threads / Insta, Twitter (X), Bluesky / Hive and Tumblr): https://Linktree.com/animedegensInterested in ANIME WATCH PARTIES? We're doing a watch party for 2-3 eps of a new show that is chosen by discord every Friday @ 830pm Eastern ( 730pm Central) in our Discord! So join up and join us! https://discord.gg/Q9WhAkGRtEThe Degen Videos are on YouTube & Spotify now! So, Make sure you follow and like the videos over there at https://Linktree.com/animedegensPlease Rate us on your listening platforms and don't forget to tell your anime friends about us! its the best way to support us and we really do appreciate y'all! Thanks for listening!!If you have any Feedback that you'd like to share or have Topics that you'd like for us to discuss on the Degen Episode, Please reach out to us on any of our Socials, Discord or click here! Interested in being a guest or vice versa? Reach out to Tyler on Discord or Twitter / Threads!Fun suggestion / Recc Episode for Degen this week! Time Stamps:Intro: 00:00Shangri La Frontier S2 Ep 22: 02:30Sakamoto Days Ep 9: 29:45Solo Leveling S2 Ep 10: 49:05 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Come on in and let's talk Anime... ish.  Covering: #NERDSoul #Invincible #SoloLeveling . Starring: Blerdish: https://linktr.ee/blerd.ish Gamma Rae Cosplay: https://instagram.com/GammaRaeCosplay Mark Dub: https://instagram.com/markdub Ninja Sama Cosplay: https://instagram.com/TheNinjaCosplay .

When the world told them to sit down, they danced. When their voices were silenced, they sang. When religion and government tried to erase them, they thrived in the shadows. Welcome to the story of mudang (무당), the women who shaped and preserved Korean shamanism (or Musok 무속) against all odds. This episode dives into their centuries-long defiance and the magic, rebellion, and resilience that kept their traditions alive. ✨ How Korean shamanism became a lifeline for women cast out by Confucian society

Comment on this episode by going to KDramaChat.comToday, we'll be discussing Episode 12 of See You In My 19th Life, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Shin Hye-sun as Ban Ji-eum, Ahn Bo-hyun as Moon Seo-ha, Ha Yoon-kyung as Yoon Cho-won, Ahn Dong-goo as Ha Do-yoon, and Cha Chung Hwa as Kim Ae-gyeong. We discuss:The songs featured during the recap:Star by ColdeStarlight by Max ShinEurope by Kim Jin AhChildhood by Kim Jin AhThe satisfying, bittersweet ending where Ban Ji-eum chooses to forget her past lives, ultimately freeing herself from the curse she placed on herself in her first life.The emotional weight of Ban Ji-eum's decision — giving up her memories to protect her loved ones — and how it mirrors the choices we sometimes have to make in life to move forward.How Moon Seo-ha steps up in this final episode, taking on the role of comforter and guide for Ban Ji-eum, showing his growth from passive and traumatized to a strong, supportive partner.The beautiful inyeon between Ban Ji-eum, Moon Seo-ha, Yoon Cho-won, and Ha Do-yoon — how their fates have been intertwined across lifetimes, and how that deep connection ultimately brings them all together in the end.The tender and heart-wrenching scene between Ban Ji-eum and Yoon Ju-won's mother, where Ban Ji-eum hugs her, offering comfort while Ju-won's spirit watches on — a moment that embodies the power of love across lifetimes.The long-awaited romantic resolution between Yoon Cho-won and Ha Do-yoon — his slow realization that love is worth the risk, capped off with a swoony confession and kiss.Kang Min-gi's poignant arc — from mysterious guide to tormented soul — and how Ban Ji-eum's forgiveness perhaps allows him to begin his own journey toward peace after 23 lives.The surprising lightheartedness of the final scenes, with Moon Seo-ha, Yoon Cho-won, and Ha Do-yoon conspiring to bring Ban Ji-eum back into their lives, complete with a meet-cute at the braised kimchi restaurant.The importance of braised kimchi, the dish that symbolizes home, love, and memory, and how food plays such a key role in grounding Ban Ji-eum even after she loses her memories.The stunning cinematography throughout the episode, from the dramatic Dutch angles on the Mujinjeong bridge to the soft, glowing scenes of Ban Ji-eum's memories fading away.The reversal of roles in the final confession scene, with Moon Seo-ha as the pursuer, mirroring Ban Ji-eum's relentless pursuit of him at the beginning — a beautiful bookend to their love story.The deeply touching message at the heart of the show: that forgiveness — of others and of ourselves — is the only way to truly move forward, and that holding on to hate only chains us to the past.The special 1 episode review of When The Phone Rings that we will do next week!The announcement of K Drama Chat Season 11, where we will recap and analyze When Life Gives You Tangerines, the highly anticipated Netflix drama starring IU and Park Bo-gum, set on Jeju Island and spanning decades of history and romance.ReferencesIncarceration Rates by Country 2024Nakhwanori: A Traditional Korean Fireworks Festival

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Kendra Winchester discuss Nobel Prize winner Han Kang's latest novel, a haunting story focused on the friendship of two women. Greta Jung performs the story of Kyungha, who receives an urgent request from her friend, Inseon, to come see her at a hospital in Seoul. Inseon asks Kyungha to care for her bird, Ama, at her home on Jeju Island, and Kyungha arrives just as a snowstorm consumes the island. Jung's wistful narration evokes the dreamlike prose and wintery atmosphere as Kyungha trudges through the snow, trying to reach Ama. As the plot unfolds, Jung's pacing is impeccable, and she maintains the mysterious tension of the story until its rapturous conclusion. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Random House Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile's website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview with NPR's Scott Simon, Han Kang says the idea for her latest novel came to her in a snowy, haunting dream. The Nobel Prize-winning author's We Do Not Part is itself dreamlike. The novel follows narrator Kyungha as she tries to rescue a friend's beloved pet bird in the midst of a snowstorm that has hit South Korea's Jeju Island. As the story goes on, Kyungha is confronted with the taboo, hidden history of a 1948 massacre that took place on the island. In today's episode, Simon and Han discuss how censorship by the South Korean government contributed to the obfuscation of that violent history, as well as the author's interest in finding lightness in themes like animals and snow.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

How do we honour and protect our ancestors and cultural traditions while embracing our post-modern world and lives? If you are interested in how we can protect people and the planet in these rapidly changing times, listen to my guest Sue Kim, Korean-American filmmaker & director of The Last of the Sea Women. The first feature from Malala Yousafzai's new production company, Extracurricular Productions, the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the NETPAC Prize for best film from the Asia-Pacific region. The documentary highlights the haenyeo—or female divers of South Korea's Jeju Island who for centuries, have been diving to the ocean floor without oxygen to harvest seafood for their livelihood. Today, this ancient culture is disappearing with most divers now in their elderly years. With environmental threats looming, the haenyeo‘s way of life is in imminent danger.Sue makes films that celebrate people and ways of life that reflect the dynamic interplay of humanity and the world around us, and show us what we need to be aware of in these changing times so that we look after what is essential to our wellbeing and longevity on a healthy and sustainable planet.She shows us a world that is held in a delicate balance- where our decisions matter, in order for us to create a future that supports all people and the planet.You can watch Sue's film The Last of the Sea Women on  Apple TV+And follow her on Instagram on @suebaccaFollow Host Lou Hamilton: Instagram @brave_newgirl & Linkedin @LouHamiltoncreatelabLou helps you transform your health & wellbeing: LOU'S LIFE LAB SERVICES HEREFor Lou's creative transformation and art practice go to ART HIVE or LOUHAMILTONARTJoin our Brave New Girls retreats to reset and reconnect with what really matters to you. HEREMusic licensed from Melody Loops.Support the showBrave New Girls podcast is an Audio Archive Art Project with pioneering, creative & entrepreneurial women at the head of the curve, who are inspiring us on the airwaves, to work towards the health & wellbeing of ourselves and the planet. Brave New Girls podcast ranks in top 2.5% globally, and No 7 in the "45 Best UK Women's Podcasts to Listen to, in 2024", with Host Lou Hamilton, artist, author & wellbeing coach. Thank you for listening and please subscribe to keep up to date on new episodes as they're released.Lou is the founder of Brave New Girl Media- bringing you inspiration, support and growth. 1. INSPIRATION from courageous, creative women on Brave New Girls podcast working for the benefit of people and the planet. ️2. SUPPORT with 1:1 creative transformation coaching and our holistic, healthy, creative wellbeing retreats www.bravenewgirlmedia.com/wellbeing-retreat 3. GROWTH blogs to help you THRIVE.Sign up to our emails for inspiration, support & growth and LOU'S LIFE LAB free downloadable guide https://bravenewgirlmedia.comInsta @brave_newgirlBooks: Dare to Share- bestselling guide to podcast guesting FEAR LESS- coaching guide to living more bravely Brave New Girl- How to be Fearless Paintings & Public Art www.LouHamiltonArt.comInsta @LouHamiltonArt

Seven Korean words added to Oxford English Dictionary 진행자: 최정윤, Tannith Kriel  기사 요약: 한국의 영향력이 커져가면서 한글 단어들이 영어 사전에 공식적으로 추가되었다고 하는데, 어떤 단어들이 있을까요? [1] The Oxford English Dictionary just got a K-culture upgrade. In its December 2024 update, the dictionary added seven Korean words — "dalgona," "hyung," "noraebang," "maknae," "jjigae," "tteokbokki" and "pansori" — reflecting the growing presence of Korean culture in the English-speaking world. reflect: 반영하다 presence: 존재감 [2] Among this year's seven new additions, dalgona is defined as “a Korean confection made by adding baking soda to melted sugar, typically sold by street vendors in the form of a flat disc with a simple shape such as a heart, star, etc., carved on its surface.” confection: 당과 제품 vendor: 판매소 [3] The dictionary also introduced an October 2022 Boston Globe article as an example of how the word is used in a sentence, which says “Netflix had just released ‘Squid Game,' the Korean smash hit that made fans flock to dalgona candy. Many took to TikTok to recreate the inexpensive sweet treat.” smash hit: 대성공, 큰 히트 *flock to: ~로 모여들다 [4] First published in 1884, the Oxford English Dictionary is updated online every three months to capture ways English adapts to cultural influences. According to local news reports, the dictionary is already eyeing more Korean words for future updates, including "haenyeo" (female divers of Jeju Island), "ajumma" (middle-aged women), and "bingsu" (shaved ice dessert). *capture: 포착하다 *eye: 눈여겨보다 기사 원문: https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10385065

Fluent Fiction - Korean: Snowy New Year: Balancing Tradition and Modernity Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ko/episode/2025-01-07-08-38-19-ko Story Transcript:Ko: 하늘은 회색으로 뒤덮이고, 눈이 천천히 내리고 있었다.En: The sky was covered in gray, and snow was falling slowly.Ko: 제주도의 겨울은 그렇게 왔다.En: That's how winter came to Jeju Island.Ko: 한라산은 눈으로 덮인 장관을 보여주고 있었다.En: Hallasan presented a magnificent snow-covered sight.Ko: 지수는 서울의 바쁜 생활에서 벗어나 가족과 함께 설날을 제주에서 맞이하기 위해 여기 왔다.En: Jisoo had come to Jeju to escape the busy life of Seoul and celebrate the Lunar New Year with her family.Ko: 올해 그녀의 목표는 가족 모임을 완벽하게 준비하는 것이었다.En: This year, her goal was to prepare the family gathering perfectly.Ko: 특히 삼촌 동현에게 깊은 인상을 주고 싶었다.En: She especially wanted to make a good impression on her uncle Donghyun.Ko: 지수는 가족 전통을 아주 중요하게 생각했지만, 항상 현대적인 생활과의 균형을 찾는 것이 어렵다고 느꼈다.En: Although Jisoo valued family traditions highly, she always found it challenging to strike a balance with modern life.Ko: 지수의 사촌 혜진은 항상 실용적이었다.En: Jisoo's cousin Hyejin was always practical.Ko: "우리 전통이 너무 낡은 건 아닌가요?" 혜진은 질문하곤 했다.En: "Aren't our traditions a bit too outdated?" Hyejin would often question.Ko: 지수는 이러한 의견들이 때때로 이해가 되지 않았다.En: Jisoo couldn't always understand such opinions.Ko: 그러나 이번에는 그런 혜진의 걱정을 마음에 두고, 전통적인 새해 음식을 동시에 새로운 요리와 함께 준비하기로 결정했다.En: However, this time, she took Hyejin's concerns to heart and decided to prepare traditional New Year dishes along with some new recipes.Ko: 그리고 가족의 소중한 추억을 비디오로 만들어 함께 나누기로 했다.En: She also decided to create a video of precious family memories to share together.Ko: 행사 당일, 하늘이 흐려지기 시작했다.En: On the day of the event, the sky started to become cloudy.Ko: 지수는 하얀 눈을 바라보며 두려움을 느꼈다.En: Jisoo felt a fear while gazing at the white snow.Ko: 눈보라가 가족들이 도착하지 못하게 할지도 모른다는 생각이 들었다.En: She worried that the blizzard might prevent her family from arriving.Ko: 모든 준비가 끝났지만, 가족이 오지 않을 수도 있다는 사실이 그녀를 근심에 빠지게 했다.En: Everything was prepared, but the thought that the family might not come filled her with anxiety.Ko: "기다려야 할까요, 아니면 시작할까요?" 지수는 자신에게 물었다.En: "Should we wait, or should we start?" Jisoo asked herself.Ko: 드디어, 가족들이 도착했다.En: Finally, the family arrived.Ko: 추운 눈길을 뚫고 삼촌 동현을 포함한 가족들이 속속들이 들어왔다.En: Breaking through the cold snowy road, the family, including Uncle Donghyun, gradually came in.Ko: 따뜻한 한옥 집 안, 전통음식과 현대음식이 어우러져 풍성한 향기를 내고 있었다.En: Inside the warm hanok house, the traditional and modern dishes mingled to create a rich aroma.Ko: 어두운 저녁, 밝은 조명 아래에서 가족들이 모였다.En: On the dark evening, under bright lights, the family gathered.Ko: 비디오 영상이 방에 흐르자, 서로의 얼굴에 미소가 퍼졌다.En: As the video played in the room, smiles spread across their faces.Ko: 동현은 지수의 손을 잡으며 말했다. "이렇게 좋은 방법으로 새해를 시작하게 해줘서 고맙수다."En: Donghyun took Jisoo's hand and said, "Thank you for starting the New Year in such a wonderful way."Ko: 지수는 전통과 현대가 함께 할 수 있음을 깨달았다.En: Jisoo realized that tradition and modernity could coexist.Ko: 그녀는 가족 모임의 의미를 깊게 이해하게 되었다.En: She came to deeply understand the meaning of a family gathering.Ko: 따뜻한 분위기 속에서, 모두가 함께 웃고 대화하며 한 해의 시작을 축복했다.En: In a warm atmosphere, everyone laughed and talked together, blessing the start of the year.Ko: 이제 지수는 행복한 미소를 지으며, 가족의 사랑과 전통이 미래에서도 계속 이어질 것임을 믿었다.En: Now, with a happy smile, Jisoo believed that the love and traditions of her family would continue into the future. Vocabulary Words:gray: 회색magnificent: 장관escape: 벗어나다impression: 인상strike a balance: 균형을 찾다practical: 실용적outdated: 낡은concerns: 걱정blizzard: 눈보라anxiety: 근심mingle: 어우러지다aroma: 향기coexist: 함께 하다modernity: 현대적realize: 깨달았다gathering: 모임blessing: 축복atmosphere: 분위기laugh: 웃다precious: 소중한memories: 추억cloudy: 흐려지다fear: 두려움gradually: 속속들이including: 포함한observations: 의견prepare: 준비하다new recipes: 새로운 요리imminent: 다가왔다wonderful: 좋은

Explore "Chokepoint 2.0," an alleged crackdown on Bitcoin and crypto by U.S. regulators, including the FDIC, DOJ, and Biden administration. We unpack Ripple's U.S. hiring surge, Jeju Island's NFT tourism push, Solana's market moves, and massive Bitcoin acquisitions planned by MicroStrategy and Metaplanet. Crypto's future faces both challenges and opportunities.RESOURCEShttps://x.com/btc_archive/status/1875299375800610974?s=46https://decrypt.co/299648/pro-crypto-lawyer-deaton-calls-for-congressional-probe-into-fdic-activityhttps://www.theblock.co/post/333137/ripple-ceo-says-75-of-open-roles-are-now-us-based-due-to-trump-effect?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rsshttps://www.theblock.co/post/333151/south-koreas-jeju-island-taps-nft-program-to-attract-young-tourists-report?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rsshttps://www.coindesk.com/markets/2025/01/06/sol-worth-227-m-moved-to-centralized-exchanges-clouds-bullish-technical-outlookhttps://www.coindesk.com/markets/2025/01/06/micro-strategy-metaplanet-want-billions-more-in-bitcoin-as-btc-nears-100-khttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-06/bitcoin-btc-approaches-100-000-as-congress-set-to-certify-trump-win?embedded-checkout=trueSecure your Business & Digital Life with Cyber Strategy Institute https://www.thegrowmeco.com/course/https://cyberstrategyinstitute.com/warden/https://csi-store.samcart.com/products/wardenvault-personal-managed-1device-annual?coupon=DCN_Warden WHERE TO FIND DCNhttps://substack.com/@dcndailycryptonewshttps://twitter.com/DCNDailyCrypto Trader Cobb X: @TraderCobb——————————————————————***NOT FINANCIAL, LEGAL, OR TAX ADVICE! JUST OPINION! I AM NOT AN EXPERT! I DO NOT GUARANTEE A PARTICULAR OUTCOME I HAVE NO INSIDE KNOWLEDGE! YOU NEED TO DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH AND MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS! THIS IS JUST EDUCATION & ENTERTAINMENT! ©Copyright 2024 Matthew Aaron Podcasts LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fluent Fiction - Korean: Jeju Island: Jisoo's Journey from Independence to Acceptance Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ko/episode/2025-01-03-23-34-02-ko Story Transcript:Ko: 제주도의 겨울, 맑은 공기가 코끝을 스친다.En: In the winter of Jeju Island, the crisp air brushes against the tip of the nose.Ko: 하늘은 맑고, 바다는 얼마나 푸른지.En: The sky is clear, and the sea is so blue.Ko: 모든 것이 잠잠하지만, 시장 거리에서는 설날 준비로 활기가 넘친다.En: Everything is calm, but the market street is bustling with preparations for the new year.Ko: 이곳에 있는 지수는 그적그런 바람을 느끼며 혼자 있음을 만끽하고 있었다.En: Jisoo, who is here, was enjoying the solitude, feeling the gentle breeze.Ko: 지수는 스스로의 독립심을 확인하고자 제주도로 혼자 여행 왔다.En: Jisoo came to Jeju Island alone to confirm her sense of independence.Ko: 하지만 그녀의 마음 한편에는 불안함이 자리 잡고 있었다.En: However, a part of her heart was filled with anxiety.Ko: "잘 할 수 있어," 그녀는 속으로 되뇌며 작은 식당에 들어갔다.En: "I can do it," she repeated to herself as she entered a small restaurant.Ko: 지수는 메뉴를 훑어보다가 한 번도 먹어본 적 없는 음식을 선택했다.En: Scanning the menu, Jisoo decided to try a dish she had never eaten before.Ko: "오늘은 새로운 것에 도전해보자," 그녀는 스스로 다짐했다.En: "Let's challenge something new today," she promised herself.Ko: 그러나 음식을 조금 먹자마자, 지수는 갑자기 목이 간질간질하고 얼굴이 화끈거렸다.En: However, as soon as she ate a little of the food, her throat started to itch suddenly, and her face became hot.Ko: "무슨 일이야?" 지수는 당황했다.En: "What's happening?" Jisoo panicked.Ko: "이 음식에 알레르기가 있는 건가?" 그녀는 심호흡을 하며 침착을 찾으려 했지만, 증상은 더욱 심해졌다.En: "Am I allergic to this food?" She tried to calm herself by taking deep breaths, but the symptoms worsened.Ko: 걱정이 밀려왔다.En: Worry washed over her.Ko: "어떻게 해야 하지? 혼자선 안 되겠어."En: "What should I do? I can't handle this alone."Ko: 끝내 지수는 결심을 한다.En: Finally, Jisoo made up her mind.Ko: 허둥거리며 식당 직원에게 도움을 요청했다.En: Hastily, she asked the restaurant staff for help.Ko: 직원은 당황하지 않고 바로 119에 전화를 걸었다.En: The staff, without panicking, immediately called 119.Ko: "걱정 마세요, 바로 병원으로 가시면 돼요."En: "Don't worry, you just need to go to the hospital," they said.Ko: 앙상한 겨울 나무들 사이로 앰뷸런스 사이렌 소리가 가까워졌다.En: Between the bare winter trees, the sound of ambulance sirens drew closer.Ko: 지수는 자신의 결심이 옳았다는 것을 깨달았다.En: Jisoo realized her decision was right.Ko: 도움이 필요할 땐 받아야 한다.En: When in need, help should be accepted.Ko: 스스로를 너무 몰아붙이지 않아도 된다.En: There's no need to push oneself too hard.Ko: 병원에서 적절한 치료를 받은 후, 지수는 침대에 누워 있었다.En: After receiving appropriate treatment at the hospital, Jisoo lay on a bed.Ko: 제주도의 하늘은 더욱 맑아 보였다.En: The sky of Jeju Island looked even clearer.Ko: 그녀는 생각했다. "혼자서 모든 것을 해내지 않아도 괜찮아."En: She thought to herself, "It's okay not to manage everything alone."Ko: 도움을 받는다는 것이 꼭 약하다는 것은 아니라는 것을, 그녀는 알게 되었다.En: She realized that receiving help doesn't necessarily mean weakness.Ko: 여행의 막바지에서 지수는 스스로에게 더 솔직해졌다.En: At the end of the trip, Jisoo became more honest with herself.Ko: 독립심은 필요하지만, 때로는 다른 사람들에게 의지할 수도 있다는 것을 배웠다.En: Independence is necessary, but sometimes one can rely on others too.Ko: 그녀는 더 이상 혼자라는 것을 두려워하지 않아도 됐다.En: She no longer needed to fear being alone.Ko: 제주도의 겨울은 그렇게 지수에게 따뜻한 깨달음을 남겼다.En: The winter of Jeju Island left Jisoo with a warm realization. Vocabulary Words:brisk: 상쾌한solitude: 고독independence: 독립심anxiety: 불안함scanning: 훑어보다challenge: 도전symptoms: 증상worsened: 심해졌다hastily: 허둥거리며appropriate: 적절한honest: 솔직한realization: 깨달음confirm: 확인하다itch: 간질간질하다decision: 결심ambulance: 앰뷸런스rely: 의지하다worry: 걱정treatment: 치료panic: 당황하다manage: 해내다bare: 앙상한bustling: 활기가 넘치다throat: 목breeze: 바람encounter: 만나다hospital: 병원clear: 맑다reluctance: 꺼리는 것warm: 따뜻한

Fluent Fiction - Korean: From Shyness to Stardom: Minji's Artistic Awakening in Jeju Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ko/episode/2024-12-31-08-38-19-ko Story Transcript:Ko: 서울 공립 고등학교의 교실은 학생들의 수다로 가득 찼다.En: The classroom of the Seoul public high school was filled with the chatter of students.Ko: 오늘은 학기마다 있는 제주도 수학여행을 가는 날이었다.En: Today was the day for the school trip to Jeju Island, which happens every semester.Ko: 교실 한쪽에는 민지가 조용히 앉아 작은 노트에 스케치를 하고 있었다.En: In one corner of the classroom, Minji was quietly sitting and sketching in a small notebook.Ko: 그녀는 제주도의 풍경을 그려서 다가올 미술 대회에 출품하고 싶었다.En: She wanted to draw landscapes of Jeju Island and enter them in an upcoming art contest.Ko: 그러나 내성적이고 자신감이 부족한 그녀는 그 일을 하기엔 용기가 부족했다.En: However, her introverted nature and lack of confidence made her hesitant to take on the challenge.Ko: 민지의 옆에는 지수가 앉아 있었다.En: Next to Minji sat Jisoo.Ko: 지수는 친구들 사이에서 언제나 밝고 활달한 성격으로 인기가 많았다.En: Jisoo was popular among friends for her ever-bright and lively personality.Ko: 지수는 민지에게 말했다, "민지야, 제주도에 가는 게 너무 기대돼!En: She said to Minji, "Minji, I'm so excited to go to Jeju Island!Ko: 우리 거기서 멋진 그림 그리자!En: Let's create some amazing art there!"Ko: " 민지는 웃으며 고개를 끄덕였지만, 마음 속 깊은 곳에서는 불안감이 커져만 갔다.En: Minji smiled and nodded, but deep down, she could feel her anxiety growing.Ko: 제주도에 도착한 첫날, 학생들은 성산일출봉에 갔다.En: On the first day in Jeju Island, the students visited Seongsan Ilchulbong.Ko: 바람이 시원하게 불고, 겨울 하늘은 맑고 파랬다.En: The wind was refreshingly cool, and the winter sky was clear and blue.Ko: 하지만 민지는 그림을 그릴 생각에 긴장됐다.En: Yet, Minji felt nervous at the thought of drawing.Ko: 그때 인기 많고 모든 것을 쉽게 하는 것처럼 보이는 서진이 다가왔다.En: It was then that Seojin, who seemed to do everything with ease and was quite popular, approached her.Ko: "민지야, 너 그림 그리는 거 잘하잖아.En: "Minji, you're good at drawing.Ko: 여기서도 멋진 그림 그릴 수 있을 거야," 서진이 부드럽게 말했다.En: You can create something amazing here too," Seojin said gently.Ko: 민지는 순간 당황했지만, 서진의 격려가 조금 힘이 됐다.En: Minji was momentarily flustered, but Seojin's encouragement gave her a small boost of confidence.Ko: 저녁이 되면서 학생들은 숙소 앞 잔디밭에 모여 불꽃놀이를 준비했다.En: As evening came, the students gathered on the lawn in front of their accommodation to prepare for fireworks.Ko: 새해 전야답게 설레는 분위기가 감돌았다.En: The atmosphere was exciting, fitting the eve of the new year.Ko: 지수는 민지에게 속삭였다, "이번 기회에 네 그림 실력 모두에게 보여줘, 민지야.En: Jisoo whispered to Minji, "This is your chance to show everyone your drawing skills, Minji.Ko: 넌 할 수 있어.En: You can do it."Ko: "마침내 시간이 되자, 민지는 떨리는 마음으로 화구를 꺼냈다.En: Finally, the time came, and Minji anxiously took out her art supplies.Ko: 친구들이 불꽃놀이를 즐기는 동안, 민지는 하늘을 향해 눈을 떼지 않았다.En: While the friends enjoyed the fireworks, Minji couldn't take her eyes off the sky.Ko: 색색의 불꽃이 하늘을 가득 채우자, 민지의 손은 캔버스 위에서 멈추지 않았다.En: As colorful fireworks filled the sky, her hands never stopped moving on the canvas.Ko: 불꽃놀이가 끝나고, 모두가 민지의 그림을 보러 왔다.En: When the fireworks ended, everyone came to see Minji's drawing.Ko: 제주도의 밤하늘과 불꽃놀이의 역동성이 민지의 그림에 생생하게 담겨 있었다.En: The dynamism of the Jeju Island night sky and the fireworks were vividly captured in her artwork.Ko: 모두 감탄했고, 민지는 그 어느 때보다도 자랑스러웠다.En: Everyone admired it, and Minji felt prouder than ever.Ko: 서울로 돌아온 후, 민지는 자신의 작품을 미술 대회에 출품했다.En: After returning to Seoul, Minji entered her artwork in the art contest.Ko: 지금, 그녀는 결과보다 자신의 노력과 성장을 더 중요하게 생각했다.En: Now, she considered her effort and growth more important than the results.Ko: 지수와 서진도 그녀를 진심으로 응원했다.En: Jisoo and Seojin sincerely supported her.Ko: 그들은 각자의 문제와 불안을 이해하게 되었고, 세 사람의 우정은 더 깊어졌다.En: They came to understand each other's issues and anxieties, and their friendship grew deeper.Ko: 민지는 자신을 흔드는 두려움을 이겨내고, 진정한 자신의 목소리를 찾았다.En: Overcoming the fear that shook her, Minji found her true voice.Ko: 그녀는 이제 다른 사람의 평가를 두려워하지 않고, 자기만의 색깔로 세계를 그려나갈 준비가 되어 있었다.En: She was now ready to paint the world with her own style, unafraid of others' evaluations.Ko: 그리고 그 그림 속에는 그녀의 이야기가 담겨 있었다.En: In her paintings was her story.Ko: ✈️

Jeju Island's Oslated closes out the year with 아름다운 사실 (Beautiful Facts), an 18-track compilation that feels like a gathering of old friends and new acquaintances. It's a collection that stretches across continents—featuring artists from Japan, Spain, Canada, the U.S., and more. Despite the diversity of origins, the compilation shares a unifying thread: a deep, hypnotic sensibility. Beautiful Facts balances introspection and movement with precision, whether it's the reflective ambiance of a meditative piece or the steady propulsion of a track made for shadowy, late-night dance floors. Today's premiere, “Mutation,” comes courtesy of Japanese producer Hiromi Hayashida, better known as Lindamann. The track opens with a restrained, minimal groove, where sharp hi-hats cut through like a blade while shimmering glassy pads create a sense of anticipation. But this is no slow burner—it transforms quickly, as a powerful bassline surges in, commanding the spotlight like an imposing wave in a high-stakes drama. Think of it as a scene from a thriller where a calm surface suddenly gives way to unrelenting tension. Lindamann's playful manipulation of envelopes and textures keeps the track dynamic, particularly after a brief breakdown that reintroduces a biting acid line—an essential element that gives “Mutation” its character. “Mutation” thrives in the murky hours, perfect for dance floors that favor the unconventional. Look for it alongside the rest of Beautiful Facts when the compilation drops on December 30. https://soundcloud.com/lindamannn https://soundcloud.com/oslated https://www.instagram.com/lin_da_mann/ https://oslated.bandcamp.com https://linktr.ee/oslated write up by: https://soundcloud.com/gilleswasserman Follow us on social media: https://soundcloud.com/itsdelayed https://linktr.ee/delayed https://www.delayed.nyc https://www.facebook.com/itsdelayed https://www.instagram.com/_____delayed https://www.youtube.com/@_____delayed info@delayed.nyc

This week we talk about Yoon, martial law, and impeachment.We also discuss the PPP, chaebol, and dictators.Recommended Book: Starter Villain by John ScalziTranscriptIn the wake of WWII, Korea—which was previously held by the recently-defeated Japanese Empire—was split into two countries, the north backed by the Soviet Union and the south backed by the United States and its allies.North Korea had a guerrilla fighter and staunch Soviet-style communism activist, Kim Il Sung, placed at the head of its new government, while South Korea was to be led by a longtime local politician named Syngman Rhee, who had run the country earlier, from 1919 until 1925, at which point he was impeached, and then again in 1947-1948, as head of the country's post-war provisional government.Rhee was a hardcore Korean independence activist during a period when the Japanese were clamping down on their mainland holdings and doing away with anyone who caused trouble or sparked anti-colonial protests, so he spent some time in exile, in China, returned to the US, where he was educated, for a bit, and then the US military returned him to Korea to run that provisional government once the dust had settled and the Japanese had been ousted from the area.Rhee was an ideal representative in the region by American standards, in some ways, as he was vehemently anti-communist, even to the point of killing and supporting the killing of something like 100,000 communist sympathizers during an uprising on South Korea's Jeju Island. He was president when North Korea invaded, sparking the Korean War, and then refused to sign the armistice that would have formally ended the conflict in 1953, because he believed the only solution to the conflict between these nations was a military one, and he held out hope that the South would someday conquer the North and unify Korea as a nation, once more.Rhee then won reelection in 1956, and changed the country's constitution to allow him to remain in office, getting rid of the two-term limit—which was not a popular move, but it worked, and he was able to run uncontested in 1960, because his opponent died of cancer in the lead-up to the election—though his opposition protested the results, claiming a rigged voting process, and this led to a huge movement by students in the country, which became known as the April Revolution; students were shot by police while protesting during this period, and that ultimately led to Rhee stepping down that same year, 1960.So Rhee was a western-educated, christian conservative who was vehemently anti-communist, though also living in a part of the world in which an aggressive communist dictatorship recently invaded, and was threatening to do so again—so it could be argued his paranoia was more justified than in other parts of the world that had similar frenzied moments and governments during the cold war, though of course the violence against innocent citizens was impossible to justify even for him and his government; his authoritarian rule was brought to an end following that shooting of student protestors, and that left a power vacuum in the country, and South Korea saw 13 months of infighting and instability before a General named Park Chung Hee launched a coup that put him in charge.Park positioned himself as president, and he did pretty well in terms of economic growth and overall national development—at this point the South was way behind the North in pretty much every regard—but he was also an out-and-out dictator who ruled with an iron fist, and in 1972 he put an entirely new constitution into effect that allowed him to keep running for president every six years, in perpetuity, no term limits, and which gave the president, so himself, basically unlimited, unchecked powers.The presence of a seemingly pretty capable, newly empowered dictator helped South Korea's economy, manufacturing base, and infrastructure develop at an even more rapid pace than before, though his nearly 18-year presidency was also defined by the oppression he was able to leverage against anyone who said anything he didn't like, who challenged him in any way, and who spoke out of turn against the things he wanted to do, or the constitution that allowed him to do all those things.In 1979, he was assassinated, and there's still a lot of speculation as to the why of the killing—the assassin was in Park's orbit, and was seemingly doing okay as part of that all-powerful government entity—but alongside speculation that it might have been planned by the US, in order to keep South Korea from developing a nuclear weapon, that it might have been the result of political jealousy, and that if might have been just an impulsive act by someone who was done being pushed around by a bully, it's also possible that the perpetrator was a democracy activist who wanted to get a successful and long-ruling dictator out of the way.Whatever the actual catalyst was, the outcome was more political upheaval, which by the end of the year, we're still in 1979, led to yet another military coup.This new coup leader was General Chun Doo-hwan, and he implemented martial law across the whole of the country by mid-year, as he ascended to the role of president, and he cracked down on democracy movements that erupted across the country pretty violently.Chun held onto power for nearly 8 years, ruling as a dictator, like his predecessor, until 1987, when a student democracy activist was tortured to death by his security forces.This torture was revealed to the country by a group of pro-democracy catholic priests in June of that year, and that sparked what became known as the June Democratic Struggle, which led to the June 29 Declaration, which was an announcement by the head of the ruling party—so the head of the party the dictatorial president belonged to, the Democratic Justice Party—that the next presidential vote would allow for the direct election of the president.That party leader, Roh Tae-woo, very narrowly won the election, and his term lasted from 1988 until 1993; and during his tenure, the country entered the UN, that was in 1991, and his presidency is generally considered to be a pivotal moment for the country, as while he was technically from the same party as the previous ruler, a dictator, he distanced himself and his administration from his precursor during the election, and he abided by that previously enforced two-term limit.By 1996, things had changed a lot in the country, the government fully recalibrating toward democratic values, and those previous rulers—the dictator Chun and his ally-turned-democratic reformer, Roh—were convicted for their corruption during the Chun administration, and for their mass-killings of pro-democracy protestors during that period, as well. Both were pardoned by the new president, but both were also quite old, so this was seen as a somewhat expedient political maneuver without a lot of downsides, as neither was really involved in politics or capable of causing much damage at that point in their lives.In the years since, especially since the turn of the century, South Korea has become one of the world's most successful economies, but also a flourishing example of democratic values; there are still some remnants of those previous setups, including the government's tight ties with the so-called chaebol, or “rich family” companies, which were business entities propped up by government support, which were often given monopoly rights that other businesses didn't enjoy, as part of a government effort to pull the country out of agrarianism back in the mid-20th century; companies like Hyundai, Samsung, and LG thus enjoy outsized economic power, to this day, alongside a whole lot of political influence in the country, as a result of this setup, which is a holdover from those earlier, dictatorial times.But South Korea has generally erred toward rule of law since the late-1990s, even to the point of punishing their most powerful elected leaders, like President Park, who was accused of corruption, bribery, and influence-peddling, by removing her from office, then sentencing her to 24 years in jail.What I'd like to talk about today, though, is a recent seeming abuse of power at a pretty staggering level in South Korean governance, and the consequences of that abuse for the country and for the abuser.—In March of 2022, Yoon Suk Yeol, a conservative candidate of the People Power Party, who was hoping to oust the incumbent Democratic Party from office, won the narrowest victory in South Korea history.In his previous role as the chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office, Yoon was partly responsible for convicting former President Park for her abuses of power, and his public disagreements with President Moon, who appointed him as Prosecutor General of the country in 2019, led to his popularity in conservative circles, in turn leading to his ascension as a candidate in 2021.Yoon ran on a conservative platform that's become familiar in elections around the world in recent decades; basically deregulation paired with culture-war issues, like doing away with government support for gender equality and other often politically liberal efforts of that nature.He won the election by less than a percentage point, and his tenure is office has not been favorably reviewed by democratic watchdogs, which have noted various sorts of corruption and democratic backsliding under his watch, and economic and policy analysts consider his administration to have been a somewhat ineffectual one.Yoon's tenure, like his candidacy, was also plagued by gaffes and seeming missteps.He tried to raise the country's maximum weekly working hours from 52 to 69, though he pulled back on this idea after a huge wave of backlash from young people.He was also criticized for having just three women in his government, and two among his vice-ministerial level officials. He added two more after those criticisms, but one of them quit about a month after being appointed, following her attempt to implement massively unpopular school system revisions—and the entire government's approval rating collapsed around this time, due to that proposed revision, which was criticized as being half-baked and nonsensical, but it was also partly the result of her ascension to the government in the first place, as she had a record of drunk driving and academic plagiarism; the president brought in a woman to placate the masses, basically, despite that woman being just a really, really bad choice for the position, which by some estimates further demonstrated his disdain for and ignorance about the whole conversation about women in government.Yoon also tried to create an agency that would provide more oversight of the country's police force, but this led to protests by police, who saw it as an attempt to take control of law enforcement and use it against the president's enemies; the president's office then worsened matters threatened to punish protesting officers.By 2024, leading into the country's parliamentary elections, Yoon's government was incredibly unpopular with just about everyone, because of those and other decisions and statements and gaffes. Even his wife has been under investigation for accepting bribes and having undo influence on who takes positions of power, alongside comments she's made about seeking revenge against people who say not nice things about her, including journalists.The opposition swept that 2024 parliamentary election, which had the practical impact of making Yoon's government something of a lame duck, unable to get anything done, because his party only controlled 36% of the National Assembly. He then boycotted the inaugural session of this new National Assembly, seemingly because he didn't like the outcome, becoming the first President to do so since democracy returned to the country in 1988.All of which leads us to what happened on December 3, 2024.Late that night, President Yoon declared martial law, which would give him, as president, wartime powers to do all sorts of dictator-like things.He said he declared martial law to unfreeze a frozen government that was paralyzed by his opposition: Assemblymembers had stymied a lot of his efforts to pass laws favored by his party and constituents, and had tallied a large number of impeachment efforts against people in his administration, while he, in turn, used more vetos than any other democratically elected president in the country's history—so the executive and legislative branches were at a standoff, and this was freezing the government, so he says he declared martial law to basically get things done.The opposition, in contrast, says his move was unconstitutional, and that he tried to launch a coup.That latter claim seems to be backed by the fact that Yoon accused his political competition of collaborating with North Korean communists and engaging in anti-state activities, which he said were intended to destroy the country—this seems to be based, again, on the fact that they didn't approve the stuff he wanted to get approved.As part of this martial law declaration, he also declared a prohibition on all political activities and all gatherings of the National Assembly and local representatives, and he suspended the freedom of the press.He apparently also ordered the arrest of many of his political opponents, alongside some people within his own party who might oppose him and his seeming power-grab.Both parties, his own included, opposed this proclamation, and there were some dramatic standoffs following his announcement at 10:30pm local time, as protestors took to the streets and legislators gathered at the National Assembly Proceeding Hall, where they do their job, because members of the military were ordered to stop them; there are videos of these soldiers standing in the way of these politicians, trying to keep them from entering the building where they could vote to do away with the martial law declaration, and in some cases pointing assault rifles at them. The legislators didn't backing down, and in a few cases wrestled with the soldiers while thousands of citizens protested behind them against the military action.Eventually, the Assembly members made it inside and voted to lift martial law; this happened at 4:30am that morning. And over the next few days they began impeachment proceedings against the president, saying they would keep doing so until he resigned.A bunch of people resigned from Yoon's administration following his seeming attempt at a coup and, and on December 7, a few days later, he issued a public apology, saying that he wouldn't try to do that again, though on the 12th he backtracked and defended his declaration of martial law, saying that he had to protect the country from these anti-state forces, accusing his opponents, once more, of being on North Korea's side.On December 14, Yoon was impeached and booted from office, following another, failed vote; his party sticking with him for a while, though seemingly distancing themselves from him, following his doubling-down on the “my political opponents are communists” stance.The leader of his party the PPP, stepped down shortly after that successful vote, having changed his vote from being against impeachment to supporting it, saying basically that there was no other way to remove Yoon from office, and Yoon's Supreme Councilmembers all stepped down, as well.South Korea's Constitutional Court will now have to decide, within the next six months, whether Yoon will be formally and permanently removed from office, or if he'll be reinstated.In the two previous instances of a president being impeached, the court has taken 2 and 3 months to make their decision, and they reinstated one president, while allowing the impeachment to stand for the other.If Yoon is removed by the court, the country will have to elect a new leader within two months, and in the interim, the country's Prime Minister, the number 2 person in the government, is serving as president; Yoon has been stripped of his powers.Yoon has a broad swathe of immunity against criminal charges due to his position as president, but that doesn't apply to rebellion or treason, which could apply in this case.He's been banned from leaving the country, but there's a good chance if he tries, he won't be stopped, due to a potential conflict between state security forces and presidential security forces—it would be a bad look to have them fight and maybe kill each other.Yoon's presence was requested by prosecutors over the weekend, but he didn't show up to be questioned, and there's a chance that if this happens again, him deciding not to show up and ignoring these requests, he'll be arrested—though that same issue with presidential security fighting with police forces applies here, too, so it's an open question what will happen if he just ignores the whole process and keeps claiming he did nothing wrong.A preliminary court hearing date has been set for December 27, and though the court only has six of its total nine members at the moment, it has said it's fine to move forward with an incomplete court, though the government has said they'll likely be able to get another three judges approved by the end of December.So things are complicated in South Korea right now, the former president disempowered, but seemingly refusing to participate in the proceedings that will help a new government form, if his dismissal is upheld by the court, that is, and that means the interim government is even more of a lame duck than he was, at a moment in which the world is very dynamic, both in the sense of geopolitics and North Korea becoming more active and antagonistic, and in the sense that economics and tech and everything else is roiling and evolving pretty rapidly right now; a new paradigm seems to be emerging in a lot of different spaces, and South Korea is in a terrible spot to make any moves in any direction, based on that—and that seems likely to remain the case for at least a few more months, but possibly longer than that, too, depending on how the court case plays out, and how the potential next-step election turns out, following that court case.Show Noteshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_South_Korean_martial_law_crisishttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/03/world/asia/south-korea-martial-law.htmlhttps://www.yahoo.com/news/heres-whats-going-south-korea-213322966.htmlhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/12/03/martial-law-south-korea-explained/https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-protesters-photo-gallery-yoon-b17f96063a2635ebc87f35ed9ab5ac5bhttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/14/world/asia/south-korea-president-impeached-martial-law.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/12/04/world/asia/south-korea-impeachment-vote-president-yoon.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/13/world/asia/south-korea-protest-feliz-navidad.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/12/14/world/asia/skorea-yoon-timeline.htmlhttps://apnews.com/article/south-korea-martial-law-yoon-impeach-6432768aafc8b55be26215667e3c19d0https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-koreas-yoon-faces-second-impeachment-vote-over-martial-law-bid-2024-12-14/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/14/south-korea-president-yoon-suk-yeol-downfall-analysishttps://www.wsj.com/world/asia/south-korea-president-yoon-suk-yeol-impeached-49b0779chttps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/12/14/south-korea-yoon-impeachment-vote/https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1054103.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoon_Suk_Yeolhttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/01/world/asia/south-korea-first-lady-dior.htmlhttps://www.economist.com/europe/2024/12/12/why-romania-cancelled-a-pro-russian-presidential-candidatehttps://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20241215050041https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2pl4edk13ohttps://www.cnn.com/2024/12/14/world/video/south-korea-yoon-second-impeachment-watson-cnntm-digvidhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/15/south-korea-president-yoon-suk-yeol-reportedly-defies-summons-in-martial-law-inquiryhttps://apnews.com/article/south-korea-yoon-martial-law-investigation-constitutional-court-8ec38d61f0ea5c48b3bd1f683b5e9c8dhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syngman_Rheehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Koreahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Park_Chung_Heehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coup_d%27%C3%A9tat_of_December_Twelfthhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaebol This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

Fluent Fiction - Korean: A Winter Proposal: Love Shines Bright in Jeju's Snow Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ko/episode/2024-12-05-08-38-20-ko Story Transcript:Ko: 제주의 겨울은 특별합니다.En: Winter in Jeju is special.Ko: 차가운 바람이 코끝을 스치지만, 따뜻한 기억을 만듭니다.En: The cold wind may brush past your nose, but it creates warm memories.Ko: 이번 크리스마스, 준은 큰 계획을 세웠습니다.En: This Christmas, Jun has made big plans.Ko: 사랑하는 민지에게 청혼하는 날이죠.En: It's the day he will propose to his beloved Minji.Ko: 준은 설렘과 걱정으로 가득했습니다.En: Jun is filled with both excitement and worry.Ko: 혹시라도 민지가 거절하면 어쩌나 하는 불안이 있었습니다.En: What if Minji says no?Ko: En: That anxiety lingered in his mind.Ko: 민지는 제주의 바다가 좋았어요.En: Minji loved the sea in Jeju.Ko: 겨울 바다는 고요하고 깊이가 느껴졌어요.En: The winter sea felt calm and deep.Ko: 그래서 준은 제주 섬에서의 청혼이 완벽하다고 생각했죠.En: So Jun thought proposing on Jeju Island would be perfect.Ko: 그런데 날씨가 조금씩 나빠지기 시작했습니다.En: However, the weather started to turn bad.Ko: 하늘에는 구름이 끼고, 바람이 점점 강해졌습니다.En: Clouds began to gather in the sky, and the wind grew stronger.Ko: 준의 가장 친한 친구 승은 이 계획에 함께했습니다.En: Jun's best friend Seung was involved in this plan.Ko: 하지만 승은 결혼에 대해 회의적이었어요.En: However, Seung was skeptical about marriage.Ko: 그런 승은, 그래도 친구를 돕고 싶다는 생각에 함께 제주로 왔습니다.En: Even so, he wanted to help his friend and came to Jeju with him.Ko: 그날, 준과 민지, 그리고 승은 함께 해변으로 갔습니다.En: That day, Jun, Minji, and Seung went to the beach together.Ko: 그때 갑자기 눈이 내리기 시작했습니다.En: Suddenly, it started snowing.Ko: "이럴 줄 알았어!" 준은 마음속으로 걱정했지만, 결심합니다.En: "I knew this would happen!" Jun worried internally, but he was determined.Ko: 계획을 포기하지 않을 거라고.En: He decided not to abandon his plan.Ko: 해변은 눈으로 덮여, 마치 하얀 융단처럼 변했습니다.En: The beach was covered in snow, transforming into a white carpet.Ko: 눈이 내리는 그 순간, 준은 무릎을 꿇고 반지를 내밀었습니다.En: At that snowy moment, Jun knelt down and presented a ring.Ko: "민지야, 나와 결혼해 줄래?" 준의 목소리는 떨렸지만 진심이었습니다.En: "Minji, will you marry me?" Jun's voice trembled but was sincere.Ko: 민지는 잠시 놀랐다가 미소를 지었습니다.En: Minji was briefly surprised, then smiled.Ko: "네, 준. 이렇게 아름다운 순간에, 당연하지!" 그녀는 대답했습니다.En: "Yes, Jun. In such a beautiful moment, of course!" she replied.Ko: 두 사람은 함께 웃으며 포옹했습니다.En: The two laughed and embraced each other.Ko: 눈은 멈췄고 하늘에는 별이 가득했습니다.En: The snow stopped, and the sky was filled with stars.Ko: 그 순간 준은 깨달았습니다.En: In that moment, Jun realized something.Ko: 완벽함은 누군가와 함께하는 그 자체라는 것을.En: Perfection is being with someone you love.Ko: 사랑하는 사람과의 순간이 가장 중요하다는 것을.En: The moments with a loved one are the most important.Ko: 제주의 하늘 아래, 사랑의 약속은 눈 속에서 더욱 빛났습니다.En: Under the sky of Jeju, the promise of love shone even brighter in the snow.Ko: 그래, 준은 자신감을 얻었습니다.En: Yes, Jun gained confidence.Ko: 민지와 함께라면 어떤 바람도 이겨낼 수 있을 거라는 확신을요.En: With Minji, he was certain they could overcome any storm. Vocabulary Words:special: 특별합니다brush: 스치지만beloved: 사랑하는anxiety: 불안linger: 가득했습니다calm: 고요하고depth: 깊이가perfect: 완벽하다고gather: 끼고skeptical: 회의적이었어요abandon: 포기하지transform: 변했습니다tremble: 떨렸지만sincere: 진심이었습니다embrace: 포옹했습니다overcome: 이겨낼confident: 자신감을promise: 약속은shine: 빛났습니다storm: 바람filled: 가득했습니다plans: 계획proposal: 청혼determine: 결심합니다sky: 하늘moment: 순간surprised: 놀랐다가confidence: 자신감을certain: 확신을요important: 중요하다는

This episode explores the enduring power of storytelling to shape our world and illuminate the human experience. Writers Neil Gaiman, Ada Limón, Jericho Brown, E.J. Koh, Marge Piercy, and Max Stossel discuss creativity, resilience, and the power of words to heal and bring people together.Neil Gaiman (Writer, Producer, Showrunner · The Sandman, American Gods, Good Omens, Coraline) explores the secret lives of writers, reflecting on the masks they wear in the pursuit of truth and beauty.Jericho Brown (Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet: The Tradition · Editor of How We Do It: Black Writers on Craft, Practice, and Skill) shares “Foreday in the Morning”, highlighting the hard work and resilience in Black America. He examines the vernacular of his poetry and how it intertwines themes of race, nationality, and familial love.Ada Limón (U.S. Poet Laureate · The Hurting Kind, The Carrying) presents an "apocalyptic love poem" that questions the intersection of despair and hope in today's changing world. She reflects deeply on the personal and universal struggles of finding beauty amidst environmental and existential crises.Marge Piercy (Award-winning Novelist, Poet & Activist) delves into the emotional weight of words and memories, the terror of child separation, and the impending doom facing our world due to environmental destruction and political negligence.E.J. Koh (Award-Winning Memoirist & Poet · The Magical Language of Others · A Lesser Love) recounts a haunting family history from Jeju Island in Korea, emphasizing the lasting impacts of trauma and the collective memory of ancestral sufferings.Max Stossel (Award-winning Poet, Filmmaker, Speaker, Creator of Words That Move) uses the metaphor of a boxing ring to discuss the complexities of human conflict and connection, encouraging a shift from adversarial relationships to collaborative problem-solving.To hear more from each guest, listen to their full interviews.Dive Deeper with Feature Article & Story Highlightswww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

This episode explores the enduring power of storytelling to shape our world and illuminate the human experience. Writers Neil Gaiman, Ada Limón, Jericho Brown, E.J. Koh, Marge Piercy, and Max Stossel discuss creativity, resilience, and the power of words to heal and bring people together.Neil Gaiman (Writer, Producer, Showrunner · The Sandman, American Gods, Good Omens, Coraline) explores the secret lives of writers, reflecting on the masks they wear in the pursuit of truth and beauty.Jericho Brown (Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet: The Tradition · Editor of How We Do It: Black Writers on Craft, Practice, and Skill) shares “Foreday in the Morning”, highlighting the hard work and resilience in Black America. He examines the vernacular of his poetry and how it intertwines themes of race, nationality, and familial love.Ada Limón (U.S. Poet Laureate · The Hurting Kind, The Carrying) presents an "apocalyptic love poem" that questions the intersection of despair and hope in today's changing world. She reflects deeply on the personal and universal struggles of finding beauty amidst environmental and existential crises.Marge Piercy (Award-winning Novelist, Poet & Activist) delves into the emotional weight of words and memories, the terror of child separation, and the impending doom facing our world due to environmental destruction and political negligence.E.J. Koh (Award-Winning Memoirist & Poet · The Magical Language of Others · A Lesser Love) recounts a haunting family history from Jeju Island in Korea, emphasizing the lasting impacts of trauma and the collective memory of ancestral sufferings.Max Stossel (Award-winning Poet, Filmmaker, Speaker, Creator of Words That Move) uses the metaphor of a boxing ring to discuss the complexities of human conflict and connection, encouraging a shift from adversarial relationships to collaborative problem-solving.To hear more from each guest, listen to their full interviews.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

This episode explores the enduring power of storytelling to shape our world and illuminate the human experience. Writers Neil Gaiman, Ada Limón, Jericho Brown, E.J. Koh, Marge Piercy, and Max Stossel discuss creativity, resilience, and the power of words to heal and bring people together.Neil Gaiman (Writer, Producer, Showrunner · The Sandman, American Gods, Good Omens, Coraline) explores the secret lives of writers, reflecting on the masks they wear in the pursuit of truth and beauty.Jericho Brown (Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet: The Tradition · Editor of How We Do It: Black Writers on Craft, Practice, and Skill) shares “Foreday in the Morning”, highlighting the hard work and resilience in Black America. He examines the vernacular of his poetry and how it intertwines themes of race, nationality, and familial love.Ada Limón (U.S. Poet Laureate · The Hurting Kind, The Carrying) presents an "apocalyptic love poem" that questions the intersection of despair and hope in today's changing world. She reflects deeply on the personal and universal struggles of finding beauty amidst environmental and existential crises.Marge Piercy (Award-winning Novelist, Poet & Activist) delves into the emotional weight of words and memories, the terror of child separation, and the impending doom facing our world due to environmental destruction and political negligence.E.J. Koh (Award-Winning Memoirist & Poet · The Magical Language of Others · A Lesser Love) recounts a haunting family history from Jeju Island in Korea, emphasizing the lasting impacts of trauma and the collective memory of ancestral sufferings.Max Stossel (Award-winning Poet, Filmmaker, Speaker, Creator of Words That Move) uses the metaphor of a boxing ring to discuss the complexities of human conflict and connection, encouraging a shift from adversarial relationships to collaborative problem-solving.To hear more from each guest, listen to their full interviews.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

This episode explores the enduring power of storytelling to shape our world and illuminate the human experience. Writers Neil Gaiman, Ada Limón, Jericho Brown, E.J. Koh, Marge Piercy, and Max Stossel discuss creativity, resilience, and the power of words to heal and bring people together.Neil Gaiman (Writer, Producer, Showrunner · The Sandman, American Gods, Good Omens, Coraline) explores the secret lives of writers, reflecting on the masks they wear in the pursuit of truth and beauty.Jericho Brown (Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet: The Tradition · Editor of How We Do It: Black Writers on Craft, Practice, and Skill) shares “Foreday in the Morning”, highlighting the hard work and resilience in Black America. He examines the vernacular of his poetry and how it intertwines themes of race, nationality, and familial love.Ada Limón (U.S. Poet Laureate · The Hurting Kind, The Carrying) presents an "apocalyptic love poem" that questions the intersection of despair and hope in today's changing world. She reflects deeply on the personal and universal struggles of finding beauty amidst environmental and existential crises.Marge Piercy (Award-winning Novelist, Poet & Activist) delves into the emotional weight of words and memories, the terror of child separation, and the impending doom facing our world due to environmental destruction and political negligence.E.J. Koh (Award-Winning Memoirist & Poet · The Magical Language of Others · A Lesser Love) recounts a haunting family history from Jeju Island in Korea, emphasizing the lasting impacts of trauma and the collective memory of ancestral sufferings.Max Stossel (Award-winning Poet, Filmmaker, Speaker, Creator of Words That Move) uses the metaphor of a boxing ring to discuss the complexities of human conflict and connection, encouraging a shift from adversarial relationships to collaborative problem-solving.To hear more from each guest, listen to their full interviews.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

This episode explores the enduring power of storytelling to shape our world and illuminate the human experience. Writers Neil Gaiman, Ada Limón, Jericho Brown, E.J. Koh, Marge Piercy, and Max Stossel discuss creativity, resilience, and the power of words to heal and bring people together.Neil Gaiman (Writer, Producer, Showrunner · The Sandman, American Gods, Good Omens, Coraline) explores the secret lives of writers, reflecting on the masks they wear in the pursuit of truth and beauty.Jericho Brown (Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet: The Tradition · Editor of How We Do It: Black Writers on Craft, Practice, and Skill) shares “Foreday in the Morning”, highlighting the hard work and resilience in Black America. He examines the vernacular of his poetry and how it intertwines themes of race, nationality, and familial love.Ada Limón (U.S. Poet Laureate · The Hurting Kind, The Carrying) presents an "apocalyptic love poem" that questions the intersection of despair and hope in today's changing world. She reflects deeply on the personal and universal struggles of finding beauty amidst environmental and existential crises.Marge Piercy (Award-winning Novelist, Poet & Activist) delves into the emotional weight of words and memories, the terror of child separation, and the impending doom facing our world due to environmental destruction and political negligence.E.J. Koh (Award-Winning Memoirist & Poet · The Magical Language of Others · A Lesser Love) recounts a haunting family history from Jeju Island in Korea, emphasizing the lasting impacts of trauma and the collective memory of ancestral sufferings.Max Stossel (Award-winning Poet, Filmmaker, Speaker, Creator of Words That Move) uses the metaphor of a boxing ring to discuss the complexities of human conflict and connection, encouraging a shift from adversarial relationships to collaborative problem-solving.To hear more from each guest, listen to their full interviews.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

This episode explores the enduring power of storytelling to shape our world and illuminate the human experience. Writers Neil Gaiman, Ada Limón, Jericho Brown, E.J. Koh, Marge Piercy, and Max Stossel discuss creativity, resilience, and the power of words to heal and bring people together.Neil Gaiman (Writer, Producer, Showrunner · The Sandman, American Gods, Good Omens, Coraline) explores the secret lives of writers, reflecting on the masks they wear in the pursuit of truth and beauty.Jericho Brown (Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet: The Tradition · Editor of How We Do It: Black Writers on Craft, Practice, and Skill) shares “Foreday in the Morning”, highlighting the hard work and resilience in Black America. He examines the vernacular of his poetry and how it intertwines themes of race, nationality, and familial love.Ada Limón (U.S. Poet Laureate · The Hurting Kind, The Carrying) presents an "apocalyptic love poem" that questions the intersection of despair and hope in today's changing world. She reflects deeply on the personal and universal struggles of finding beauty amidst environmental and existential crises.Marge Piercy (Award-winning Novelist, Poet & Activist) delves into the emotional weight of words and memories, the terror of child separation, and the impending doom facing our world due to environmental destruction and political negligence.E.J. Koh (Award-Winning Memoirist & Poet · The Magical Language of Others · A Lesser Love) recounts a haunting family history from Jeju Island in Korea, emphasizing the lasting impacts of trauma and the collective memory of ancestral sufferings.Max Stossel (Award-winning Poet, Filmmaker, Speaker, Creator of Words That Move) uses the metaphor of a boxing ring to discuss the complexities of human conflict and connection, encouraging a shift from adversarial relationships to collaborative problem-solving.To hear more from each guest, listen to their full interviews.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

On episode 91, Micah and Brian continue their discussion of Brian's trip to Korea and return home via San Francisco.  But first, we hear from Listener Rich who writes to IAmReallyOffended@Yahoo.com. However, it turns out he really isn't offended. Listener Ernie also writes in and talks about the golf course at Pease Air Force Base. Then Listener Lu wants to know our thoughts on JetBlue's decision to stop serving hot food on transatlantic flights.  Micah and Brian then talk about the rest of Brian's trip to Korea and the return flights home. They also discuss another visit to a National Park and a side trip to Jeju Island and how Listener Matt provided some additional activities for the Korean adventure.  There is also a mini review of the three Asiana and Singapore Airlines lounges at Inchon airport. The show closes with some lessons learned and a not so surprising flight / schedule change by United.  The opening and closing music is provided by the Madalitso Youth Choir as they sing their Welcome song and their Good By song, recorded at the lobby of The Royal Livingston Hotel in Zambia. And if you would like to hear them sing live, get in touch with us at Brian@TheJourneyIsTheReward.ORG to learn about the the group trip we are planning in late September or October, 2025. We hope you enjoy the show!

This episode explores the enduring power of storytelling to shape our world and illuminate the human experience. Writers Neil Gaiman, Ada Limón, Jericho Brown, E.J. Koh, Marge Piercy, and Max Stossel discuss creativity, resilience, and the power of words to heal and bring people together.Neil Gaiman (Writer, Producer, Showrunner · The Sandman, American Gods, Good Omens, Coraline) explores the secret lives of writers, reflecting on the masks they wear in the pursuit of truth and beauty.Jericho Brown (Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet: The Tradition · Editor of How We Do It: Black Writers on Craft, Practice, and Skill) shares “Foreday in the Morning”, highlighting the hard work and resilience in Black America. He examines the vernacular of his poetry and how it intertwines themes of race, nationality, and familial love.Ada Limón (U.S. Poet Laureate · The Hurting Kind, The Carrying) presents an "apocalyptic love poem" that questions the intersection of despair and hope in today's changing world. She reflects deeply on the personal and universal struggles of finding beauty amidst environmental and existential crises.Marge Piercy (Award-winning Novelist, Poet & Activist) delves into the emotional weight of words and memories, the terror of child separation, and the impending doom facing our world due to environmental destruction and political negligence.E.J. Koh (Award-Winning Memoirist & Poet · The Magical Language of Others · A Lesser Love) recounts a haunting family history from Jeju Island in Korea, emphasizing the lasting impacts of trauma and the collective memory of ancestral sufferings.Max Stossel (Award-winning Poet, Filmmaker, Speaker, Creator of Words That Move) uses the metaphor of a boxing ring to discuss the complexities of human conflict and connection, encouraging a shift from adversarial relationships to collaborative problem-solving.To hear more from each guest, listen to their full interviews.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

This episode explores the enduring power of storytelling to shape our world and illuminate the human experience. Writers Neil Gaiman, Ada Limón, Jericho Brown, E.J. Koh, Marge Piercy, and Max Stossel discuss creativity, resilience, and the power of words to heal and bring people together.Neil Gaiman (Writer, Producer, Showrunner · The Sandman, American Gods, Good Omens, Coraline) explores the secret lives of writers, reflecting on the masks they wear in the pursuit of truth and beauty.Jericho Brown (Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet: The Tradition · Editor of How We Do It: Black Writers on Craft, Practice, and Skill) shares “Foreday in the Morning”, highlighting the hard work and resilience in Black America. He examines the vernacular of his poetry and how it intertwines themes of race, nationality, and familial love.Ada Limón (U.S. Poet Laureate · The Hurting Kind, The Carrying) presents an "apocalyptic love poem" that questions the intersection of despair and hope in today's changing world. She reflects deeply on the personal and universal struggles of finding beauty amidst environmental and existential crises.Marge Piercy (Award-winning Novelist, Poet & Activist) delves into the emotional weight of words and memories, the terror of child separation, and the impending doom facing our world due to environmental destruction and political negligence.E.J. Koh (Award-Winning Memoirist & Poet · The Magical Language of Others · A Lesser Love) recounts a haunting family history from Jeju Island in Korea, emphasizing the lasting impacts of trauma and the collective memory of ancestral sufferings.Max Stossel (Award-winning Poet, Filmmaker, Speaker, Creator of Words That Move) uses the metaphor of a boxing ring to discuss the complexities of human conflict and connection, encouraging a shift from adversarial relationships to collaborative problem-solving.To hear more from each guest, listen to their full interviews.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

This episode explores the enduring power of storytelling to shape our world and illuminate the human experience. Writers Neil Gaiman, Ada Limón, Jericho Brown, E.J. Koh, Marge Piercy, and Max Stossel discuss creativity, resilience, and the power of words to heal and bring people together.Neil Gaiman (Writer, Producer, Showrunner · The Sandman, American Gods, Good Omens, Coraline) explores the secret lives of writers, reflecting on the masks they wear in the pursuit of truth and beauty.Jericho Brown (Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet: The Tradition · Editor of How We Do It: Black Writers on Craft, Practice, and Skill) shares “Foreday in the Morning”, highlighting the hard work and resilience in Black America. He examines the vernacular of his poetry and how it intertwines themes of race, nationality, and familial love.Ada Limón (U.S. Poet Laureate · The Hurting Kind, The Carrying) presents an "apocalyptic love poem" that questions the intersection of despair and hope in today's changing world. She reflects deeply on the personal and universal struggles of finding beauty amidst environmental and existential crises.Marge Piercy (Award-winning Novelist, Poet & Activist) delves into the emotional weight of words and memories, the terror of child separation, and the impending doom facing our world due to environmental destruction and political negligence.E.J. Koh (Award-Winning Memoirist & Poet · The Magical Language of Others · A Lesser Love) recounts a haunting family history from Jeju Island in Korea, emphasizing the lasting impacts of trauma and the collective memory of ancestral sufferings.Max Stossel (Award-winning Poet, Filmmaker, Speaker, Creator of Words That Move) uses the metaphor of a boxing ring to discuss the complexities of human conflict and connection, encouraging a shift from adversarial relationships to collaborative problem-solving.To hear more from each guest, listen to their full interviews.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“The Last of the Sea Women” sounds like it might be a B movie classic in the mold of “King Kong vs. Godzilla.” But while Sue Kim's fascinating and sui generis feature directorial debut shares very little in common with that movie genre, it does spotlight a group of extraordinary women from South Korea who have been living like real-life superheroes for centuries.   Sue joins Ken on the pod to talk about the remarkable haenyeo divers, who for many generations have been free diving off the coast of Jeju Island and other places in South Korea to harvest seafood and live as successful independent entrepreneurs. In the process, the haenyeo, most of whom are in their 60s and 70s, have formed a powerful bond and created a culture that has become legendary. Now, due to climate change, pollution and other factors, the haenyeo's way of life is under threat. As the haenyeo become active in the fight to preserve their culture and protect the environment, a new generation of haenyeo has emerged. But, with most haenyeo aging out of the profession, can this way of life survive? If this sounds like the plot of a superhero movie, then you wouldn't be far off.   “The Last of the Sea Women” is currently streaming on Apple+   Follow: @suebacca on Instagram @topdocspod on Instagram and X   Hidden Gem: “Liquor Store Dreams”   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

In collaboration with renowned activist, Malala Yousafzai, Director & Producer, Sue Kim presents “The Last of the Sea Women,” an extraordinary band of feisty grandmother warriors who wage a spirited battle against vast oceanic threats. Often called real-life mermaids, the haenyeo divers of South Korea's Jeju Island are renowned for centuries of diving to the ocean floor—without oxygen —to harvest seafood for their livelihood. Today, with most now in their 60s, 70s, and 80s, their traditions and way of life are in imminent danger. But these fierce, funny, hardworking women refuse to give an inch, aided by a younger generation's fight to revive their ancestral lifestyle through social media. Sue sits down with me to discuss the mental and physical fortitude that it takes to be a haenyeo and the protective factors that come from being part of a community of strong and supportive women.  The documentary, The Last of the Sea Women will premiere on Apple TV on October 11, 2024. 

Carlos Gorito is many things but most in Korea would have first come across him when he appeared on the hit television show 비정상회담 in 2015. Discussing a wide-range of topics in Korean, his personality and passion saw him gain many fans and win respect from the nation. He has worked with the Brazilian Embassy in South Korea and does a fabulous job of promoting relations between the two countries. When you listen to him speak, he says "us" and "we" when talking about Korea, and is now a public relations ambassador for Jeju Island. I first met him when we were both appointed by the Ministry of Justice to help people acclimatize to life here, a position he still proudly holds. Find him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlosgorito/ Thank you to Bhavya for joining the Patreon as a paid member. I try to put free stuff there for members so you can see things with or without money. Because the studio and everything else involved costs a fair bit, any contribution certainly helps, but is not required. Discussion Outline 0:00 비정상회담 10:44 The Korean Language 18:20 Korean Culture 25:10 Our 애국심 33:40 Korean History 36:50 North Korea 43:20 Multiculturalism in Korea 51:30 Beauty Standards in Korea 54:55 Misconceptions about Korea 1:05:20 Advice for Coming to Korea 1:11:00 Korean Korea Deconstructed (한국어로...)   Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ David's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/datizzard/ ▶ KD Insta: https://www.instagram.com/koreadeconstructed/ ▶ Kim Soyoon: https://www.instagram.com/celinesoyoon/ ▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873 ▶ Watch us on Youtube: www.youtube.com/@UCXcdboOUCnCFnrAOF5dV1sg ▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128 ▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE ▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com ▶ Song by Radical Gary (David): https://youtu.be/AAkVRbH8eyg?si=FYtMqj2YfmJcmPPI

The Haenyeo, or sea women, from Jeju Island in South Korea are a community of respected older women who free dive for sea creatures for food. We dive into their long history, traditions, examples, dangers, culture and future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we'll be discussing Episode 8 of Crash Landing On You, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Hyun Bin as Ri Jyeong hyeok, Son Ye-jin as Yoon Se-ri, Seo Ji-hye as Seo Dan and Kim Jung-hyun as Gu Seung joon. We discuss:The song we featured during the recap: Season of Us by Nam Hye Seung and Park Sang Hee and Time of Jeong Hyeok for Se-ri by Nam Hye Seung and Park Sang Hee.This is the pivotal episode 8 and it ended on such a cliffhanger!How Captain Ri feels compelled to save Se-ri and help her get home. He made a promise to get her home AND this is his penance for failing to protect his brother, Ri Mu Hyeok.He wants to save Se-ri, not so they can be happy together, but so SHE can be safe and happy back in Seoul.Gu Seung jun and Seo Dan are making the same argument: Se-ri should stay away from Captain Ri to keep him safe.Gu Seung jun asks Se-ri to marry him so he can keep her safe and bring her back to South Korea. Even if Se-ri would consider this a fake marriage, he would like to make it more than that.But nothing can keep Captain Ri from Se-ri. He goes alone, unarmed and injured to save her.How their eyes spoke volumes when they said goodby on Gu Seung jun's balcony.Se-ri makes another fateful choice when she takes the car and goes after Captain Ri.Our new element 48 is talk of first loves.Captain Ri is out to get Captain Ri, especially now that Gu Seung jun has let Se-ri escape. He wants to get Se-ri convicted as a South Korean spy and take down Captain Ri and his father.Se-ri pawned Gu Seung jun's engagement ring and gave everything in the pawn shop to the village ladies. She took the designer men's watch she had spotted earlier; she intended to give it to Captain Ri as a Christmas present.We have a double cliffhanger at the end of the episode.The first was when Se-ri taken at gunpoint. She was asked to make a phone call to Captain Ri to say she was leaving North Korea. She says I love you, a gun goes off, and then the line goes dead.The second was when Hong Chang sik, Se-ri's assistant, and Park Su chan, the insurance agent, try to convince Se-ri's father that she is still alive.The K Drama elements we see in this episode, including the confession, talk of a first love, lots of crying, lots of wrist grabs, and protecting someone you love at personal cost to yourself.The filming locations for Crash Landing On You, which includes Jeju Island, multiple locations in Switzerland, a department store in Incheon, and Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia.The shows we're watching now: Lovely Runner for Sung Hee and Itaewon Class for Joanna.References18 Crash Landing On You Film LocationsCrash Landing On You Film Locations in Seoul and IncheonFilming Locations for Crash Landing On YouChristmas in South Korea 

Ghosts are everywhere, so they say. But perhaps no place in Korea is more haunted than Jeju Island. But these aren't just ghosts. They're goddesses. Join our Patreon to get more stuffhttps://patreon.com/darksideofseoulBook a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.comCreditsProduced by Joe McPherson and Shawn MorrisseyMusic by SoraksanTop Tier PatronsAngel EarlJoel BonominiShaaron CullenDevon HiphnerGabi PalominoSteve MarshMitchy Brewer Eva SikoraRon ChangMackenzie MooreHunter WinterCecilia Löfgren DumasEmily UmbaughJosephine RydbergDavid WeatherlyJanice SongDevin BuchananAshley WrightKorea's #1 ghost and dark history walking tour. Book at DarkSideOfSeoul.com Get your comic at DarkSideOfSeoul.comSupport the Show.Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Pitch your idea here. https://www.darksideofseoul.com/expats-of-the-wild-east/ Credits Produced by Joe McPherson and Shawn Morrissey Music by Soraksan Top tier Patrons Angel EarlJoel BonominiShaaron CullenDevon HiphnerMinseok LeeGabi PalominoSteve MarshMitchy Brewer Ron ChangMackenzie MooreHunter WinterCecilia Löfgren DumasEmily UmbaughJosephine RydbergDavid WeatherlyJanice SongDevin Buchanan Facebook Page | Instagram

"It was daytime, so there were no stars or moon for me to collect, but I took something of Jeju into my heart that day, some secret that Hallas imparted to me with as much slyness as a young girl fluttering away from home to meet her lover at twilight, a secret I could only begin to feel the shape of, even without knowing its name."   The Korean Vegan Vegan Podcast returns with stories from Joanne's recent family trip to South Korea's Jeju Island.   Visit the episode page on The Korean Vegan website for photos from Jeju, a Comprehensive Guide to Traveling Vegan in Korea, a written version of this podcast, and more.   Connect with Joanne The Korean Vegan Website The Korean Vegan Kollective The Korean Vegan Cookbook My Amazon Storefront YouTube Instagram Facebook TikTok