via Oranckay, here’s Georgy Bulychev in an OhMyNews piece imagining North Korean transformation.

Another link from Zarq, this one to an image gallery of old money. I’ve linked here to the South Korean money site, and would like to direct your attention to the P-11b Korea South 1953 One Won bill. It’s the pink one that has lettering on the back that looks straight out of the Old West, ie. it looks like cowboy money. That was a lettering style I never expected! The whole archive is cool, and worth a look if you have some time to spare.

Lunar new year, that is. It’s the first of the year for East Asia, everyone. May oodles of good fortune be yours this new year. 새해 복 많이 받으세요! Since I didn’t make any new year’s resolutions for the solar calendar, I may try to do some up for the lunar one instead… we’ll see what I feel like tomorrow.

After a long day of researching Korean-specific geomancy (for my novel, something I hadn’t anticipating needing to know so much about for the rewrite), I found a look at a totally different side of Korea quite interesting. The Digital Chosun Ilbo has a photo-essay about a female special forces team that’s worth a gander. Thanks to KimcheeGI of Budaechigae, who, yes, got it from someone else…

Just a question, but does the Korean government actually recognize freedom of religion? Is one free to reject Confucian beliefs, for example, and is this freedom explicitly recognized in any critical legislation? Because this news report passed on by KimcheeGI suggests you may forfeit your rights to own property if you aren’t a good Confucian. Well, actually, if you fail to be a good Confucian after promising to be one: A son who failed to mow the grass around the graves of his ancestors and properly show respect to his ancestors will forfeit his rights to a valuable patch of …