BBC Actually Aired This? John Sweeney’s Unethical, Horrible North Korea Hack Job

John Sweeney on his North Korea trip
Just about anyone not holding a select diplomatic or South Korean passport can travel to North Korea. All it takes is money, which you give to a tour agency. They’ll even take you to the countryside if that’s what you’re after. It’s only the hucksters who try to dress up their North Korean trip as... Read more »

Kobe Bryant’s Legion Of Chinese Basketball Fans Flood Social Media To Wish Him Well

Kobe Bryant injury
On Friday, the Los Angeles Lakers’ torturous season suffered another calamity when star guard Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles tendon, ending one of his most impressive statistical seasons on a down note. Though the 34-year-old Bryant has his detractors, his work ethic and ability to battle through injuries are legendary, moving opposing fans and Lakers... Read more »

North Korean Situation “A Tragedy,” Psy Says Before Performing His Newest Single, “Gentleman”

Psy - Gentleman
Psy unveiled his newest single, "Gentleman," at midnight on Thursday, then christened it on Saturday at a solo concert at Seoul's World Cup stadium in front of 50,000 fans. That should tell you exactly how worried the people of South Korea are about its neighbor's threats, and offers more context for the phrase "heightened tension." Before the concert, Psy, i.e. Park Jae-sang, was asked about the situation on the Korean peninsula.

Beijing Has Its 2nd Case Of H7N9, Though Carrier Has Yet To Show Symptoms

Red feather H7N9 bird flu
Intrigue in the bird flu saga. A four-year-old boy in Beijing tested positive for H7N9 yesterday, according to the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau, but he has yet to show any symptoms. The boy’s parents, traders of poultry and fish, voluntarily went in to Beijing’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for tests recently. Only the boy’s came... Read more »

People’s Daily’s New Headquarters Is More Than A Little Phallic

People’s Daily new headquarters penis
There's phallic -- the Washington Monument, skyscrapers, ice cream drumsticks -- and then there's penis. Behold the above, purportedly the new headquarters of People's Daily. As Hug China explains: Pictures of the People’s Daily new headquarters that is under furnishing at the moment have gone viral on Chinese social media. One of the picture taken by a netizen from a special angle on April 11 when the top part of the building was framed with construction racks makes the construction look like a colossal human male genital.

Friday Night Musical Outro: Demerit in the USA

Demerit in USA
Long time no see, Beijing Creamers. Hope you all had a nice holiday last week. Yep. Welp. Weather is nicer, festival season approaching, lots of interesting and wonderful bands and bullshit coming to Beijing soon, blah, blah, blah. Zzzzzzz. God, who can even muster the energy anymore, eh! So, um… yeah. Here's another Chinese punk band for you to get into. Another bunch of reprobate Chinese kids playing that punk rock.

If The Chinese Made Sleepless In Seattle: “Finding Mr. Right,” Reviewed

Finding Mr. Right featued image
I’m imagining myself walking a fictional waterside street in my hometown of Seattle, Washington. I pass a pregnant Chinese woman, a plethora of designer handbags laid before her on a table. “Sale! Sale!” the woman is shouting. What do I think of this woman? What assumptions do I make about her life in China and her journey to America? What do I think of her after learning she is in the country to give birth to her baby at an illegal birthing center for wealthy Chinese who want their children to be American citizens?

Chinagog: The Importance Of Graded Speech

Chinagog 3 - The Importance of Graded Speech
It’s been a stressful day for you, the stared-at, harried, overworked (up to 30 hours this week, for chrissake!), hungover foreigner. Your Chinese is just good enough for you to order an 二号套餐 at McDonald’s, but the girl at the counter just stares at you blankly when you order 谁比. You repeat: 雪笔. 水碧. Nothing... Read more »