Korean work life
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The most recent Korea-Japan trade conflict
Korea and Japan may be many things but close friends is not one of them. Every year, some conflict arises and it usually originates from Japan’s lack of apologies and sincere repentance for war crimes committed during the occupation of Korea from 1910-1945. Since the anti-Japanese movement is very strong in Korea, Koreans often ask…
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Self-care Sundays
I’m back in Seoul and busy as ever. I’m teaching two classes and have to deal with more than 200 students over the summer. It’s great to feel busy and tired in a good way again. With my weekdays filled up with classes, office hours, and grading – my weekends are my off-time. Saturdays are…
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Korean buzzwords: Gapjil
Korean media have been reporting heavily on gapjil (갑질) over the past few weeks. The word is a fairly newly coined term consisting of the word 갑 (甲) literally meaning the “first party in a contract” and 질 which refers to demonstrating a certain behavior. Put together as a colloquial expression it means the arrogant or…
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Well-intentioned(?) Korean racism
Disclaimer: This blog post is not intended as a criticism of Korean society, nor am I in any way implying that Koreans are racist in general. It’s merely a compilation of racially biased experiences that I have had while living in Korea. Having gone from being an ethnic majority in Denmark to definitely being a…
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Writing emails in Korean – A quick guide
Several of you have requested that I do a blog post on writing emails in Korean. So, naturally, I’m happy to accommodate your kind request. I write emails in Korean almost every day, and while that alone does not make me an expert, I do have a few tips and points that I find shareworthy.…
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Teaching ethics in Korea
This week I attended several workshops on teaching methods and teaching ethics here at Sogang University. We’re still in the middle of the winter break, which is always unusually long in Korea. For about 10 weeks between Christmas and early March, there are no regular classes. Only the super-intense winter season, which I taught in…
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End of the year traditions in Korea
While Christmas is stealing the picture everywhere in Korea with Christmas trees, Christmas music and Christmas gift sets all over, it has limited significance to the Koreans. Those who identify with Christianity may go to church and have a small family celebration, but the big picture remains that Christmas in Korea is reserved for friends…
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My speaking engagement at the Korean National Assembly
When I’m not busy going all out on Korean fashion shopping in Edae, makeup browsing in Myeongdong, listening to Kpop music (I’m turning into a diehard BTS ARMY girl!), binge-watching Korean dramas, and swooning over anything cutesy Korean, I’m actually a Ph.D. in economics, and I’m currently teaching undergraduate micro and macroeconomics at Sogang University here…
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The ordeal of young Koreans
Whenever I tell people here in Korea how I got my job at Sogang, most people have a hard time believing my story. I sent an unsolicited application with all my information, my diplomas and certificates, and my reason for wanting to work temporarily in Korea. I pretty much got accepted with the first email…
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My second visit to the Korean parliament
While I was in Denmark over the summer, I received an unexpected invitation from Mr. Hong Young Pyo, a Korean member of parliament and chairman of the Korean labor committee. I first met him when I acted as interpreter for a Danish delegation of politicians in March. This time, he invited me to come and…
Sofie to Korea 