Haeundae Beach and Guinness Records???

Stop the Presses!!! Well, maybe not. Since I used to live a stone's throw from Haeundae Beach, I thought this was an interesting, yet VERY sad bit of news.

Haeundae Beach to Bid for Parasol Record at Guinness
In summer, sand is hardly seen at Haeundae Beach in Busan as most of it is covered by numerous colorful parasols. Officials will apply for a listing in the Guinness World Records for the largest number of parasols on a beach.

Haeundae Ward Office plans to seek the registration this summer together with the Korea Record Institute, the agency responsible for arranging registration for Koreans.

The number of parasols set up on the 1.5-kilometer beach stood at 12,000 during the peak season last summer.

The ward office said it has recently asked the institute whether the cluster of parasols could be listed as a world record. In response, the institute said, ``very likely.''

Beaches in other countries do not have such scenes of parasols, so the Guinness World Records does not have a category concerning the number of parasols on a beach yet.

``Setting up parasols like that is very unique in Korea. The Guinness World Records registers an item that shows a unique culture. The parasol is also worth applying,'' Kim Deok-eun, president of the institute, said.

He said, for example, a Korean singer has been registered for performing ``pansori'' (Korean traditional narrative songs) for more than nine hours.

Following this positive perspective, the Haeundae office plans to apply for the world record in August after counting the exact number of parasols with the institute.

``We decided to apply to promote tourism at Haeundae. We will hold a large-scale event in which vacationers can participate and make a record number of parasols,'' a ward office official said.

The beach began to be covered with parasols in the early 1990s. They are available for 5,000 won for a day. Original...


I personally think that would be a rather dubous record. I think "The Least Realxing Beach in the World" would be slighlty more fitting! Here's a picture I took at Haeundae Beach the summer I was living in Busan (well, I was actually there for a year and a half...my only summer season though).

That's what it is really like there in July and August...tight man-shorts and all!!!


Here's a little vid to give things there another perspective.




Can YouTube make it in Korea?? Apparently, many are skeptical...


English education reforms mean good business for tutors
Contrary to its stated aim, the incoming administration’s education reform plan cheered the private education business yesterday, while some students, parents and teachers could not hide their frustration over the changes, particularly the emphasis on practical English-language education.

In an attempt to free Korea’s youngsters from the notoriously competitive battle to enter universities, the transition team of President-elect Lee Myung-bak announced Tuesday its three-stage measure to overhaul education policy. By 2013, universities will be given complete independence in choosing their freshmen. The plan also aims to reinforce public education while lowering parental spending on private tutoring. Read More...


And...in the spirit of Giant Vegtables and all things strange on TV in Asia. I came across this the other day on Japanprobe.

Big Daikon Video

BTW....a Daikon is type of Chinese raddish popular in Japan.