Seismic Shift in Korean Churches? Pastors Flock to Verify Shincheonji's Teachings
Titled "Bible Seminar on the Fulfillment of Revelation," the event reflected growing interest in Shincheonji's teachings among pastors, even those who had previously regarded the group as heretical.
At the seminar, Chairman Lee testified to the prophecies and fulfillment of all 22 chapters of Revelation. He shared how he came to faith without formal theological training and why he now preaches the fulfillment of Revelation as witnessed firsthand. "Everyone wants to go to heaven and gain eternal life, but Revelation warns that altering the text leads to curses and prevents entry into heaven (Revelation 22:18–19). Shouldn't this be addressed?" Lee emphasized, "What I intend to convey is the reality of the prophecies recorded from Revelation chapter 1 to 22—what I have seen and now testify to."
"Let's put aside pride and think objectively. Be honest with yourself. More than anything, be confident that you are worthy of entering heaven," Lee added. "Is belonging to a traditional denomination what makes one orthodox? Jesus didn't belong to any denomination of his time. We must know the Bible clearly. If anything I've said is wrong, please point it out."
Many pastors were reportedly shocked by Lee's ability to explain the entire Book of Revelation without opening a Bible, despite lacking formal theological education.
One pastor who had previously considered Shincheonji a cult said, "Now that I've examined it for myself, I realize it isn't. If the teachings align with the Bible, we must acknowledge them." He added, "We must not repeat the mistake of rejecting God's work, as people did during Jesus' first coming."
As more pastors seek direct verification of Shincheonji's teachings, a shift in perception appears to be spreading across the religious community. According to Shincheonji, 858 Korean churches have signed MOUs for scriptural exchange, and 100 have adopted the Shincheonji name.
Chairman Lee concluded, " Jesus ' promises have always been fulfilled, and Revelation will be no different. Let's become one in the Bible and one family under God."
Shincheonji expects that the rest of 2025 will see an even greater wave of follow-up education and religious change across Korea.
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SOURCE Shincheonji Church of Jesus
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Delicious Ways To Season Your Fried Eggs
Cooking a fried egg is a basic life skill every adult should know. It is a delicate process that requires some skill, but avoiding these common mistakes will make it well worth it in the end. Fried eggs are a staple in the classic American breakfast and a versatile ingredient. Whether used to top a gourmet burger or slide onto a tangy bed of Korean kimchi fried rice, perfectly seasoned fried eggs elevate many dishes. The fried egg is a beloved comfort food with endless seasoning options from straightforward salt and pepper to elaborate spice blends and obscure oils. Plain fried eggs can become mundane, but there are many interesting ways to jazz up this classic staple. Frying them in different oils and fats and adding a variety of herbs and spices can both alter the egg's crispiness and drastically improve its flavor. Read along to learn what seasoning is good on fried eggs so you can spice up this breakfast classic. Read more: 12 Store-Bought Bacon Brands Ranked Worst To Best Fry Your Eggs In Butter Butter is an easy egg-frying hack to instantly infuse your fried eggs with rich flavor. It heats up quickly in your pan, allowing the egg to get extra crispy for a satisfying fried crunch. You have options when selecting butter for fried eggs. Unsalted allows you to control your final flavor more, but salted butter is an extra decadent choice that packs plenty of flavor and fat. The higher-quality butter you choose, the better results you'll achieve. It's no wonder why butter-fried egg is a restaurant classic and is beloved by chefs and home cooks alike. From creamy pasta carbonara to breakfast hash there are so many delicious dishes that benefit from the addition of a runny yolk. Add these crispy butter-fried eggs to your cooking repertoire and impress your next breakfast date with your skills. Spice Them Up With Chili Crisp Chili crisp is all the rage in the culinary world, and for good reason, as it can be the perfect, unexpected addition to many dishes, including fried eggs. A staple in Chinese cooking, chili crisp is sesame oil infused with toasted spices, peppers, and MSG that packs a punch and is great for use in savory dishes like fried eggs. You can easily find pre-made chili crisps in your local supermarket, or you can make your own from scratch. To make chili crisp fried eggs begin by heating the oil in the pan, allowing the spices and peppers to bloom and become fragrant. Next crack your egg over the heated oil and allow the egg to cook in bright red chili crisp. The result will be a vibrant, red, crispy, and crunchy fried egg packed with the smoky flavor of sesame oil and the delightful heat of the peppers. Chili crisp eggs are delicious when topped with fresh chopped green onions and served over rice for a complete and satisfying meal. Sprinkle On Paprika For A Smoky Kick If you aren't looking to reinvent the wheel and just want to add a simple upgrade to your everyday fried egg recipe try using paprika. It is an aromatic red spice originating in Central Mexico, made up of ground red peppers such as bell peppers and mild chilies. Paprika has sweet and smokey-tasting notes that complement a large array of savory dishes. Paprika is a common household ingredient that most people already have in their cupboards, making this cooking tip a simple and affordable way to elevate fried eggs. When used in fried eggs, paprika adds a satisfying warmth to the dish without being spicy. You can sprinkle them on top or even toast your paprika in frying oil before adding the egg for added depth of flavor. Add salt, pepper, and a dash of smoked paprika for a slightly smoky, nutty-flavored fried egg. Keep It Traditional With Salt And Pepper Salt and pepper are the original seasonings for just about every dish known to man. If you are short on time, money, or creativity use this easy seasoning combination to create a quick, delicious meal. After all, salt and pepper is a tried and true seasoning combo that's perfect for classic fried eggs. There is a fair amount of controversy surrounding the best time to season fried eggs. Some professionals recommend seasoning the bottom of the pan before adding the eggs. Others suggest adding a sprinkle of seasoning to the eggs after cooking due to the salts' ability to break down the eggs' protein structure. Ultimately, when you add the seasoning to eggs is up to you, and it most likely won't affect the end quality of the dish either way. Using just salt and pepper to season your fried eggs makes them incredibly versatile, perfect for topping a variety of dishes such as burgers, rice bowls, and avocado toast. Use Bacon Grease As A Shortcut Eggs and bacon are a timeless American breakfast classic that fit together perfectly. Since you are probably already frying up some crispy crunchy bacon to pair with your eggs, make sure to save the leftover grease in the pan after cooking, as tossing it is a huge mistake. Saving it not only avoids the trouble of washing an extra dish, but it is also a quick and easy way to upgrade fried eggs. Saving the bacon grease is less wasteful and adds a hearty flavor to the dish. Heat the bacon grease in the same pan in which you previously cooked the bacon and add the eggs to fry. Bacon grease gives the eggs a nice golden brown color around the edges and makes the underside of the eggs super crispy. You can additionally season your eggs with pepper and lightly salt. Remember, bacon is already salted, so don't go overboard with extra salt. Also, don't forget to scrape all the tasty fried bits out of the bottom of the pan when serving as they are utterly magnificent breakfast flavor bombs. Keep It Light With Olive Oil Fried eggs are a complete protein and a great dish to start your day with a balanced breakfast. If you are looking for a way to keep the eggs low-calorie and nutritious, try frying them in a healthy fat such as olive oil. Frying eggs in olive oil is a staple in the Mediterranean diet, and for good reason. Olive oil is non-stick and is ideal for flipping eggs with ease without fear of breaking the yolks. It is also highly nutritious and imparts a mild earthy flavor to the eggs. Olive oil has many proven health benefits such as lowering high cholesterol and encouraging weight loss. It also contains omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants such as vitamin K and possesses anti-inflammatory properties. Another perk of frying your eggs in olive oil is its relatively high smoke point. With a smoke point above butter, cooking with olive oil gets the edges of the egg extra crispy and delicious. Bring The Heat With Hot Sauce Hot sauce is a cheap and easy way to dress up plain fried eggs in seconds for a satisfying breakfast. From mild heat to extremely spicy, there are innumerable kinds of hot sauce to choose from. With all the options a question arises, is there a "best" hot sauce for fried eggs? It depends on preference, of course, but certain hot sauces are nearly ubiquitous with breakfast. Cholula works great with eggs because of its medium spice and high salt content, though Tabasco is another classic big-name favorite if you prefer a spicier hot sauce in the morning to wake up your taste buds. Hot sauce also has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties for an added nutrient boost to your fried eggs. If you are feeling adventurous, try making a homemade version, or for the easier route, simply purchase one of the hot sauce brands that are worthy of your pantry space. Get Creative With Pesto Pesto fried eggs are a popular food trend across social media, especially on TikTok. Pesto is an Italian sauce made of pine nuts, olive oil, basil, lemon juice, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. It is a vibrant green color and tastes cool and refreshing. The light herby taste of pesto pairs well with the richness of fried eggs. For a quick and savory breakfast smear pesto on a thick slice of toast and top with a runny fried egg for a delightful Italian treat. Another twist on this recipe is cooking the eggs in the pesto. Simply heat the pesto in the pan and once thoroughly heated add the eggs and cover to cook to the desired consistency. This cooking method allows the eggs to absorb all the flavors of the pesto while cooking. When cooking fried eggs in pesto be sure not to salt the dish because the pesto contains plenty of salt as it is. Pesto-fried eggs are an easy topping to elevate many dishes such as avocado toast, burgers, or roasted potatoes. You can also make your own pesto from scratch for an extra luxurious breakfast experience using this bright and fresh pesto recipe. Turn Up The Heat With Red Pepper Flakes Red pepper flakes are a common cooking ingredient and a flavor staple in the average household cupboard. Simple and effective red pepper flakes are a straightforward way to spice up fried eggs. You can purchase a bottle of red pepper flakes for under $5 at most local supermarkets making them an extremely cost-effective way to season food. Red pepper flakes are commonly made from dried cayenne peppers that can be quite spicy so be sure to use them sparingly at first. Using red pepper flakes to season your fried eggs is easy — simply fry your eggs how you normally would and sprinkle the flakes on top after cooking. You can also explore homemade red pepper flake recipes. Making red pepper flakes from scratch allows you to control the kinds of peppers that go into it and customize the heat level. You can go mild and use just chili peppers, or, if you prefer extreme heat, you can even add dried Carolina reapers into the mix. Get creative by making your own red pepper flake recipe or stick to the tried and true grocery store brand for delightfully spicy fried eggs. Add A Middle Eastern Flare With Za'atar Za'atar is a versatile spice blend made up of marjoram, oregano, cumin, sesame seeds, black pepper, salt, and sumac. The exact spices in za'atar vary slightly between regions but the base remains consistent. The ingredient that separates za'atar from other common spice blends such as poultry seasoning and Italian seasoning is the inclusion of sumac. This spice has a tart citrus flavor that is a bit astringent which makes it perfect to season hearty dishes such as fried eggs. You can find za'atar in your local Middle Eastern stores or high-end grocery stores. You can also make a homemade za'atar blend from scratch which allows you to control the ratio of spices in the blend. Sumac adds a nutty and herby flavor to fried eggs that sets them apart. A za'atar-flavored egg would pair nicely with lemon yogurt and naan, though they are also delicious eaten on their own. Freshen Up Your Breakfast Plate With Cilantro Want to add fresh herbs to your fried eggs? Try cilantro for a pleasant nutty and peppery flavor that compliments fried eggs well. Depending on preference, you can chiffonade the cilantro into thin strips or garnish with the whole leaf. It's best to add cilantro as a garnish rather than before cooking — otherwise, it will wilt and turn brown quickly in the pan. Cilantro is available in most local grocery stores and is cheap to buy, making it an easy way to jazz up fried eggs. Because cilantro is often sold in a giant bunch that is hard to use before it turns bad you will likely have leftovers. If you want to craft a more time-consuming cilantro fried egg recipe that explores the flavor of cilantro in-depth, try repurposing leftover cilantro stems. You can use the stems to make infused cilantro butter. Then, heat the butter in a non-stick pan and fry your eggs in the gourmet, cilantro-infused butter for a decadent restaurant-quality fried egg. A cilantro-fried egg is perfect for topping a burger or an Asian-inspired dish. Take An Unexpected Turn With Dill Pickle fried eggs, anyone? This TikTok trend may seem curious to some, but it is actually a riff on a culinary classic — fried eggs topped with dill. Using pickle brine is an easy shortcut to achieve these delicious, trendy fried eggs with juice that would otherwise be poured down the drain. Start by cooking your eggs normally in a pan then adding the brine at the very end and letting the juice heat through. Make sure the eggs are covered completely in the brine for maximum flavor and then cover them to complete cooking. At first glance, the combination of pickle juice and fried eggs doesn't seem overly appetizing, but it is a common flavor combination in dishes such as egg salad and deviled eggs. The salty brine from the pickles adds an unexpected zing. Experiment with different flavors of pickles such as hot pickles, sour pickles, or even bread and butter pickles for different flavored fried eggs. Pickle juice is also thought to replenish electrolytes which makes this a great add-on for a nourishing breakfast. Add a pickle-flavored egg to a juicy burger or just enjoy it on its own. Give Parsley A Go Parsley often gets a bad rap in the culinary industry as a stuffy outdated herb. It's frequently underutilized as just a garnish to add a pop of color to monochromatic dishes, but it can be used for much more. It's also widely available and fairly cheap, which makes grabbing a bunch even easier. Chopped parsley brings a clean, herby flavor to your fried eggs that can lift the dish's flavor and appearance. You can use fresh parsley for a lighter flavor or sprinkle your fried eggs with dried parsley for a more concentrated herb flavor. Making a parsley-fried egg is simple. Start by heating the oil in the pan then add the herbs and allow them to become fragrant. Next crack the egg on top of the herbs and cook it to the desired doneness. You can also sprinkle parsley on the top of cooked eggs after they are fried to preserve the freshness of the herbs and elevate a simple breakfast dish. Fry Your Eggs In Heavy Cream Finally — a good use for the tiny amount of heavy cream in the carton at the back of your fridge. Skip the oil and butter and opt for heavy cream to make fried eggs. This trend has been circulating on social media for a while now and is a quirky take on brown butter fried eggs. Cooking fried eggs in heavy cream results in indulgent, crispy-edged eggs. Start by adding 3 to 4 tablespoons of heavy cream to a frying pan and allowing it to heat up. The heat will evaporate the liquid from the cream leaving a decadent brown butter in which to fry your eggs. Once the extra liquid has evaporated, cover the pan and allow the eggs to cook to the desired doneness. Season the eggs as you wish and enjoy your decadent cream-fried eggs sure to make you swoon. They make a great creamy topping for toast or an appetizing addition to a Korean bibimbap bowl. Boost Your Brunch Plate With Steak Seasoning Putzing around on Sunday mornings calls for a mean steak and eggs, a breakfast icon that's ridiculously filling and decadent. But if you don't have the red meat? Turns out, steak seasoning makes a killer addition to fried eggs, too. It might not be the standard choice, but a basic steak seasoning, at its core, mainly consists of classic table spices you'd embrace for a rib-sticking breakfast, including salt, pepper, garlic, onion, and paprika. Additionally, robust and peppery steak seasoning has good textural payoff, and reinforces the lacy edges eggs get when fried on the griddle-top. You probably have a container of Montreal Steak Seasoning (but did you know about its fascinating history?); otherwise, any brand of coarse spice rub will do the trick. It's an inexpensive way to boost your brunch plate, as a bottle of the stuff can go a long way in the kitchen. If you are employing steak seasoning for actual steak, fry your eggs directly after the meat so they pick up the delectable flavor scraps lingering in the pan. Otherwise, shake it on your fried egg to your heart's content. Play With Old Bay What exactly is in Old Bay, you might wonder? Enshrined in Maryland cuisine, this spice mix consists of paprika and celery salt, along with red and black pepper to conjure its orange color and signature taste. Unsurprisingly, a large range of foods respond to its smoky, warming notes, though its usage from cooks defaults the most to seafood dishes. Those seeking to expand beyond crab boils will find its hearty depth brings a lot to the table for fried eggs. Who would have thought a spice agent associated with the classic fish fry could be so versatile in wake-up fare? We like Old Bay for its savory pop and the convenience of so many tasty spices packed into one jar. Preparation is all but zero when it simply takes scrounging your cupboard space for the all-in-one blend before dousing your pan-fried eggs on the stove. You can add as much or as little as you want, in return for granting your protein a spicy kick. Don't fret over when to apply the seasoning -- as long as the eggs are thoroughly heated, a dash at the beginning or end will do just fine. Try Salsa For A Zesty Spin Salsa isn't just for tortilla chips — not when there's yolks ready to hit your skillet. Practically any variety and spice level is a game-changer for perking up a fried egg breakfast no matter how old-school. Nutritionally-speaking, it tends to be light in calories, while never sacrificing on a punchy kick of flavor to really make eggs crave-worthy. Green or red, habanero or mild pico de gallo, the spice and heat combine to imbue a zesty flair to your morning. For one idea of how to show off your eggs, consider breakfast nachos to feed a crowd. Jarred salsas are popular, of course, but feel free to opt for fresh homemade salsa to impart a zesty twist on your eggs. It's simple: After completing the cooking to personal preference, spoon the desired amount on the side or coating the fried eggs. This is perfect for that leftover bit still in the fridge waiting to be used up. Or for a different and no-less tasty tack, you could allow the eggs to simmer in the salsa, basting occasionally. This mirrors a Middle Eastern shakshuka, giving the eggs a richer consistency on account of absorbing the hot, bubbly sauce. Go Gourmet With Truffles Truffle is the bougie addition you should start adding to your fried eggs. It's hyper-trendy, and not exactly frugal, yet there's no doubting your brunch will get a serious boost with these rich, funky mushrooms. Whether you opt for black or white fungi, you don't need to add a lot of it to elevate your morning grub to a five-star affair. Don't forget to compliment the strong aromas with additional flourishes -- truffle-adorned fried eggs would pair deliciously with herbs like parsley or chives, and a splash of your favorite hot sauce. Truffle tends to show at the end for a final, show-stopping effect. You can lightly garnish your plate with truffle shavings upon frying your eggs to the desired consistency. Obviously, getting your hands on real truffle mushrooms might not come as easily as other delicious seasonings. Your next best bet is truffle oil. High temperatures, some argue, can strip the oil of its potency, so you might consider treating your eggs to a light drizzle once they've heated to completion. And whatever you do, consider opting for brown butter as your cooking fat -- the combo is simply divine. Sizzle Your Eggs In Garlic A one-and-done ingredient like garlic is transformative, especially when it comes to versatile foods like the fried egg. Peel off the papery skin and chop the cloves, opting for a fine mince or larger slivers depending on your preference. Then in a pan, sauté your garlic in the hot oil to let the aromatics permeate. When you crack the eggs in to fry, they'll soak in the glorious infusion, developing that powerful burst of umami. Just make sure the burner isn't set too high so you don't scorch your garlic, a mistake that could make your dish taste off. Garlic is the backbone to just about any appetizing dish we can imagine. Never mind these little bulbs contain a good number of vitamins and antioxidants, so they're stupendously ideal for key health benefits as well as imparting foods with strong flavor. For early birds, serve the garlicky eggs with a slice of toast and bacon, or incorporate it into a stir-fry with vegetables for dinner. Even when rushing to fit a nourishing meal into your day, it's only an extra step towards fried eggs at their peak. Sprinkle On Everything Bagel Seasoning Assuming you're frying eggs for a protein-packed avocado toast, you're likely anticipating a nice garnish to tie it together. Try Everything Bagel seasoning. This speckled seedy blend sounds odd, but it's exactly the ticket to jazzing up your morning breakfast. It's composed of the crunchy tidbits affixed to a real Everything Bagel -- poppy and sesame seeds, garlic, and kosher salt -- and unlocks a strong blast of flavor when incorporated into plainer dishes. Nothing is more effortless than sizzling your egg and, once cooked, dusting on the salty-crispy goodness to make it even more magical. Generously sprinkling Everything Bagel seasoning onto your fried eggs is so incredibly easy now that it isn't fringe; tons of grocery stores, most notably Trader Joe's, jar and sell the breakfast topper. Those who maintain a well-stocked spice rack will find it's also easy to recreate at home from scratch. If you really want to step out of your comfort zone, try toasting the seasoning in oil. When you plop the egg in, it'll form a crackly crust on the bottom that's truly delectable slapped onto sourdough (or a bagel). Read the original article on Chowhound. Solve the daily Crossword
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Los Angeles Times
Americans may aspire to single-family homes, but in South Korea, apartments are king
SEOUL — For many Americans, the apartment where 29-year-old IT specialist Lee Chang-hee lives might be the stuff of nightmares. Located just outside the capital of Seoul, the building isn't very tall — just 16 stories — by South Korean standards, but the complex consists of 36 separate structures, which are nearly identical except for the building number displayed on their sides. The 2,000-plus units come in the same standardized dimensions found everywhere in the country (Lee lives in a '84C,' which has 84 square meters, or about 900 square feet, of floor space) and offer, in some ways, a ready-made life. The amenities scattered throughout the campus include a rock garden with a fake waterfall, a playground, a gym, an administration office, a senior center and a 'moms cafe.' But this, for the most part, is South Korea's middle-class dream of home ownership — its version of a house with the white picket fence. 'The bigger the apartment complex, the better the surrounding infrastructure, like public transportation, schools, hospitals, grocery stories, parks and so on,' Lee said. 'I like how easy it is to communicate with the neighbors in the complex because there's a well-run online community.' Most in the country would agree: Today, 64% of South Korean households live in such multifamily housing, the majority of them in apartments with five or more stories. Such a reality seems unimaginable in cities like Los Angeles, which has limited or prohibited the construction of dense housing in single-family zones. 'Los Angeles is often seen as an endless tableau of individual houses, each with their own yard and garden,' Max Podemski, an L.A.-based urban planner, wrote in The Times last year. 'Apartment buildings are anathema to the city's ethos.' In recent years, the price of that ethos has become increasingly apparent in the form of a severe housing shortage. In the city of Los Angeles, where nearly 75% of all residential land is zoned for stand-alone single-family homes, rents have been in a seemingly endless ascent, contributing to one of the worst homelessness crises in the country. As a remedy, the state of California has ordered the construction of more than 450,000 new housing units by 2029. The plan will almost certainly require the building of some form of apartment-style housing, but construction has lagged amid fierce resistance. Sixty years ago, South Korea stood at a similar crossroads. But the series of urban housing policies it implemented led to the primacy of the apartment, and in doing so, transformed South Korean notions of housing over the course of a single generation. The results of that program have been mixed. But in one important respect, at least, it has been successful: Seoul, which is half the size of the city of L.A., is home to a population of 9.6 million — compared with the estimated 3.3 million people who live here. For Lee, the trade-off is a worthwhile one. In an ideal world, she would have a garage for the sort of garage sales she's admired in American movies. 'But South Korea is a small country,' she said. 'It is necessary to use space as efficiently as possible.' Apartments, in her view, have spared her from the miseries of suburban housing. Restaurants and stores are close by. Easy access to public transportation means she doesn't need a car to get everywhere. 'Maybe it's because of my Korean need to have everything done quickly, but I think it'd be uncomfortable to live somewhere that doesn't have these things within reach at all times,' she said. 'I like to go out at night; I think it would be boring to have all the lights go off at 9 p.m.' *** Apartments first began appearing in South Korea in the 1960s and 1970s, as part of a government response to a housing crisis in the nation's capital — a byproduct of the era's rapid industrialization and subsequent urban population boom. In the 1960s, single-family detached dwellings made up around 95% of homes in the country. But over the following decade, as rural migrants flooded Seoul in search of factory work, doubling the population from 2.4 to 5.5 million, many in this new urban working class found themselves without homes. As a result, many of them settled in shantytowns on the city's outskirts, living in makeshift sheet-metal homes. The authoritarian government at the time, led by a former army general named Park Chung-hee, declared apartments to be the solution and embarked on a building spree that would continue under subsequent administrations. Eased height restrictions and incentives for construction companies helped add between 20,000 to 100,000 new apartment units every year. They were pushed by political leaders in South Korea as a high-tech modernist paradise, soon making them the most desirable form of housing for the middle and upper classes. Known as apateu, which specifically refers to a high-rise apartment building built as part of a larger complex — as distinct from lower stand-alone buildings — they symbolized Western cachet and upward social mobility. 'Around the late 1990s and early 2000s, almost every big-name celebrity at the time appeared in apartment commercials,' recalled Jung Heon-mok, an anthropologist at the Academy of Korean Studies who has studied the history of South Korean apartments. 'But the biggest reason that apartments proliferated as they did was because they were done at scale, in complexes of five buildings or more.' Essential to the modern apateu are the amenities — such as on-site kindergartens or convenience stores — that allow them to function like miniature towns. This has also turned them into branded commodities and class signifiers, built by construction conglomerates like Samsung, and taking on names like 'castle' or 'palace.' (One of the first such branded apartment complexes was Trump Tower, a luxury development built in Seoul in the late 1990s by a construction firm that licensed the name of Donald Trump.) All of this has made the detached single-family home, for the most part, obsolete. In Seoul, such homes now make up just 10% of the housing stock. Among many younger South Koreans like Lee, they are associated with retirement in the countryside, or, as she puts it: for 'grilling in the garden for your grandkids.' *** This model has not been without problems. There are the usual issues that come with dense housing. In buildings with poor soundproofing, 'inter-floor noise' between units is such a universal scourge that the government runs a noise-related dispute resolution center while discouraging people from angrily confronting their neighbors, a situation that occasionally escalates into headline-making violence. Some apartment buildings have proved to be too much even for a country accustomed to unsentimentally efficient forms of housing. One 19-story, 4,635-unit complex built by a big-name apartment brand in one of the wealthiest areas of Seoul looks so oppressive that it has become a curiosity, mocked by some as a prison or chicken coop. The sheer number of apartments has prompted criticism of Seoul's skyline as sterile and ugly. South Koreans have described its uniform, rectangular columns as 'matchboxes.' And despite the aspirations attached to them, there is also a wariness about a culture where homes are built in such disposable, assembly line-like fashion. Many people here are increasingly questioning how this form of housing, with its nearly identical layouts, has shaped the disposition of contemporary South Korean society, often criticized by its own members as overly homogenized and lockstep. 'I'm concerned that apartments have made South Koreans' lifestyles too similar,' said Maing Pil-soo, an architect and urban planning professor at Seoul National University. 'And with similar lifestyles, you end up with a similar way of thinking. Much like the cityscape itself, everything becomes flattened and uniform.' Jung, the anthropologist, believes South Korea's apartment complexes, with their promise of an atomized, frictionless life, have eroded the more expansive social bonds that defined traditional society — like those that extended across entire villages — making its inhabitants more individualistic and insular. 'At the end of the day, apartments here are undoubtedly extremely convenient — that's why they became so popular,' he said. 'But part of that convenience is because they insulate you from the concerns of the wider world. Once you're inside your complex and in your home, you don't have to pay attention to your neighbors or their issues.' Still, Jung says this uniformity isn't all bad. It is what made them such easily scalable solutions to the housing crisis of decades past. It is also, in some ways, an equalizing force. 'I think apartments are partly why certain types of social inequalities you see in the U.S. are comparatively less severe in South Korea,' he said. Though many branded apartment complexes now resemble gated communities with exclusionary homeowner associations, Jung points out that on the whole, the dominance of multifamily housing has inadvertently encouraged more social mixing between classes, a physical closeness that creates the sense that everyone is inhabiting the same broader space. Even Seoul's wealthiest neighborhoods feel, to an extent that is hard to see in many American cities, porous and accessible. Wealthier often means having a nicer apartment, but an apartment all the same, existing in the same environs as those in a different price range. 'And even though we occasionally use disparaging terms like 'chicken coop' to describe them, once you actually step inside one of those apartments, they don't feel like that at all,' Jung said. 'They really are quite comfortable and nice.' *** None of this, however, has been able to stave off Seoul's own present-day housing affordability crisis. The capital has one of the most expensive apartment prices in the world on a price-per-square-meter basis, ranking fourth after Hong Kong, Zurich and Singapore, and ahead of major U.S. cities like New York or San Francisco, according to a report published last month by Deutsche Bank. One especially brutal stretch recently saw apartment prices in Seoul double in four years. Part of the reason for this is that apartments, with their standardized dimensions, have effectively become interchangeable financial commodities: An apartment in Seoul is seen as a much more surefire bet than any stock, leading to intense real estate investment and speculation that has driven up home prices. 'Buying an apartment here isn't just buying an apartment. The equivalent in the U.S. would be like buying an ideal single-family home with a garage in the U.S., except that it comes with a bunch of NVIDIA shares,' said Chae Sang-wook, an independent real estate analyst. 'In South Korea, people invest in apateu for capital gains, not cash flow from rent.' Some experts predict that, as the country enters another era of demographic upheaval, the dominance of apartments will someday be no more. If births continue to fall as dramatically as they have done in recent years, South Koreans may no longer need such dense housing. The ongoing rise of single-person households, too, may chip away at a form of housing built to hold four-person nuclear families. But Chae is skeptical that this will happen anytime soon. He points out that South Koreans don't even like to assemble their own furniture, let alone fix their own cars — all downstream effects of ubiquitous apartment living. 'For now, there is no alternative other than this,' he said. 'As a South Korean, you don't have the luxury of choosing.'
Business Insider
6 days ago
- Business Insider
I gave up my US passport and changed my name — all for my love of basketball and Korea
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lee Seung-jun, a 47-year-old retired professional basketball player who represented South Korea internationally. His words have been edited for length and clarity. A mix of my American dad's height and my Korean mom's identity took me places — literally. I was born in the US and grew up as Eric Lee Sandrin, but after moving to Korea and giving up my US passport, I became Lee Seung-jun. I went on to play professional basketball and on the Korean national team. Both sides of my family shaped me in different ways. Settling down in Seattle My dad is 6-foot-7 and played basketball through college, then later for the Army team. He met my mom while stationed in Korea. After completing his service, they moved to Washington state to settle down. My dad loved the mountains, and my mom liked being closer to Korea. My younger brother and I were raised in the suburbs of Seattle, although we often spent summers in Korea. Over the years, we started bringing other members of the family to the US, my grandmother, uncles, and aunts. Little by little, almost all of them ended up moving to the Seattle area, opening up small businesses like grocery stores and karaoke bars, similar to other Korean immigrants in the area. In between cultures At school, we were usually the only Asian kids in class. At home, everyone looked like us. It created a constant push-pull: Korean at home, American outside. At school, kids would say, "Are you guys Chinese?" And we'd say, "No, it's a different country." And they would say, "Oh, Japanese?" When we visited my dad's family in Michigan, our cousins didn't know what we were; they hadn't seen people like us in the Midwest. My mom worried about prejudice, so we didn't grow up speaking Korean. She wanted us to be American first, even as she struggled to learn English herself. Court vs. classroom I started shooting hoops when I was around six. In our early teens, we'd just head to the park and play. It wasn't until high school, when coaches started sending letters and offering scholarships, that I thought, "Wow, I might actually get to play basketball in school." I ended up enrolling at the University of Portland, and later, after a knee injury, transferring to Seattle Pacific University — I played for both of the schools' teams. After graduating, I got a teaching certificate and lined up a job teaching at a high school. Change of plans Then I chose basketball instead. My mom thought I was throwing it all away. My brother was planning to be a lawyer, and she had dreams of bragging about us to her coffee group. But by then, basketball had become my life, my brother's too. When I didn't make it to the NBA, I started building an international career, including a brief stint with the Harlem Globetrotters. I was still chasing the NBA dream when a Korean agent suggested I try out for teams in Korea. I suggested that my brother go first. He loved it and told me, "You have to come." So I did. To play for the South Korean team, I had to give up my US citizenship. My dad, a military vet, wasn't happy. He reminded me that family members had died fighting for the US. He thought it was rash. But after we talked it through, he understood. For me, it was about finding a better opportunity, just like his grandparents had done when they came from Italy. Restarting in Korea When I arrived in Seoul, I had just turned 30. At first, Korea felt familiar. The faces and food reminded me of my mom. But once I got deeper into the culture, I realized how different I was. I didn't speak the language and hadn't done military service. Basketball practice in Korea felt like military training. We practiced four times a day: 6 a.m., 10 a.m., 4 p.m., and 8 p.m. That's also when I started realizing just how many unspoken rules there are in the Korean language and culture. I remember one of my first practices, I walked in, sat down, and started lacing up my shoes. I was sitting in the head coach's chair, but I had no idea that was a big faux pas. So I was sitting there when the coach walked in. I went, "Oh, what's up?" I didn't even greet him properly. I didn't know any of this stuff. The whole team was like: "How can he be so rude? How does he not know this?" That moment really pushed me to start learning the unspoken rules and study the language. I eventually changed my name to Seung-jun, a name crafted with my mom's help. It means "beautiful victory," and links to my brother's name Dong‑jun — he grew up as Daniel. When I was growing up in the States, my grandma used to talk to us for hours, but we could hardly understand her. After learning to speak Korean, it was like meeting my grandma for the first time. I could actually talk to her and understand what she was saying. Off the court, still in the game In 2017, I retired, although I knew I wanted to stay in Korea. It felt like home. The healthcare system is amazing. My wife, who's half-Korean, half-Romanian, is also a basketball player and is still playing. A year after retiring from basketball, before my brother eventually got a green card and moved back to the States, we started Prism Hoops Academy. The youth sports company is focused on making sports fun for kids. In Korea, education is intense and regimented. Our goal was to create a space where kids could just play. I'm now running the school with Im Won‑jun, another Korean American who, funnily enough, also grew up in Seattle. We offer basketball, soccer, and chess. It's not about drills or perfection; our goal is just helping kids build positive memories. Coaching young kids has become a real passion of mine, and my plan is to go back to school for a higher degree in education or administration. So it looks like my mom will get her teacher after all.
