Byunghwan 'Ben' Son
@textvulture.bsky.social
- Associate Prof. of Global Affairs. GMU
- Director. Korean Studies Center. GMU
- 🌐: https://textvulture.github.io/
- Political Economy. Politics in Asia.
#Parenting #Yonsei #Mizzou #ROKAF #GSW #AKPS #KPSC
- Director. Korean Studies Center. GMU
- 🌐: https://textvulture.github.io/
- Political Economy. Politics in Asia.
#Parenting #Yonsei #Mizzou #ROKAF #GSW #AKPS #KPSC
For a second, I was like: 'sure, post-doc really is a crime.' 😅
.
.
.
It's a NBER postdoc opportunity if you're interested: www.nber.org/calls-papers...
.
.
.
It's a NBER postdoc opportunity if you're interested: www.nber.org/calls-papers...
October 16, 2025 at 1:47 PM
For a second, I was like: 'sure, post-doc really is a crime.' 😅
.
.
.
It's a NBER postdoc opportunity if you're interested: www.nber.org/calls-papers...
.
.
.
It's a NBER postdoc opportunity if you're interested: www.nber.org/calls-papers...
Think lines represent backsliding cases. Thin red lines are everything else. Few downward trends.
August 26, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Think lines represent backsliding cases. Thin red lines are everything else. Few downward trends.
A random history pic on Korea's Independence Day:
At the end of WWII, OSS and the Korean Liberation Army trained on Eagle Project (dispatching Korean soldiers into Korea for behind-the-line special ops). The war ended before the op could pan out. But I sometimes think abt what would've happened.
At the end of WWII, OSS and the Korean Liberation Army trained on Eagle Project (dispatching Korean soldiers into Korea for behind-the-line special ops). The war ended before the op could pan out. But I sometimes think abt what would've happened.
August 15, 2025 at 1:16 AM
A random history pic on Korea's Independence Day:
At the end of WWII, OSS and the Korean Liberation Army trained on Eagle Project (dispatching Korean soldiers into Korea for behind-the-line special ops). The war ended before the op could pan out. But I sometimes think abt what would've happened.
At the end of WWII, OSS and the Korean Liberation Army trained on Eagle Project (dispatching Korean soldiers into Korea for behind-the-line special ops). The war ended before the op could pan out. But I sometimes think abt what would've happened.
Lee Jae-myung is poised to win the presidential election in S. Korea, according to the exit polls conducted by the three major news networks. Many aspects of this election deserve extensive discussion. What stood out to me immediately is the gains Lee made from the conservative stronghold. 1/2
June 3, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Lee Jae-myung is poised to win the presidential election in S. Korea, according to the exit polls conducted by the three major news networks. Many aspects of this election deserve extensive discussion. What stood out to me immediately is the gains Lee made from the conservative stronghold. 1/2
The Constitutional Court upholds Yoon's impeachment (consensus). He is immediately removed from his position. Korean democracy proved resilient.
April 4, 2025 at 2:26 AM
The Constitutional Court upholds Yoon's impeachment (consensus). He is immediately removed from his position. Korean democracy proved resilient.
Kids’ sports schedule dictates when we have dinner. 4:30, today.
February 15, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Kids’ sports schedule dictates when we have dinner. 4:30, today.
For those following Korean TV shows:
January 16, 2025 at 5:57 PM
For those following Korean TV shows:
In a Constitutional Court session, Yoon's lawyer:
"If he really meant a military coup, he would've cut the power and water and silenced the media **unless he was a fool**."
(rough translation)
I don't know. Is he trying to say something? 😂😂😂
#SKorea #insurrection
"If he really meant a military coup, he would've cut the power and water and silenced the media **unless he was a fool**."
(rough translation)
I don't know. Is he trying to say something? 😂😂😂
#SKorea #insurrection
January 16, 2025 at 5:53 PM
In a Constitutional Court session, Yoon's lawyer:
"If he really meant a military coup, he would've cut the power and water and silenced the media **unless he was a fool**."
(rough translation)
I don't know. Is he trying to say something? 😂😂😂
#SKorea #insurrection
"If he really meant a military coup, he would've cut the power and water and silenced the media **unless he was a fool**."
(rough translation)
I don't know. Is he trying to say something? 😂😂😂
#SKorea #insurrection
YTN captured a nano-second moment from a near-impossible angle.
January 15, 2025 at 2:25 AM
YTN captured a nano-second moment from a near-impossible angle.
Just for a record to keep.
January 15, 2025 at 2:11 AM
Just for a record to keep.
Yoon desperately avoiding to be spotted, trying to leave no image of arrest.
He released a video, perhaps taken a bit ago, claiming that the legal system in South Korea 'collapsed' because, you know, he was arrested for an insurrection that the whole world watched live.
He released a video, perhaps taken a bit ago, claiming that the legal system in South Korea 'collapsed' because, you know, he was arrested for an insurrection that the whole world watched live.
January 15, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Yoon desperately avoiding to be spotted, trying to leave no image of arrest.
He released a video, perhaps taken a bit ago, claiming that the legal system in South Korea 'collapsed' because, you know, he was arrested for an insurrection that the whole world watched live.
He released a video, perhaps taken a bit ago, claiming that the legal system in South Korea 'collapsed' because, you know, he was arrested for an insurrection that the whole world watched live.
Dude got arrested while I was doing the dishes. I missed a critical moment.
January 15, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Dude got arrested while I was doing the dishes. I missed a critical moment.
It's 2025, so I am trying on Quarto-based HTML syllabi, ditching PDFs. Not sure how students will react to it, but tired of revisions made on the syllabus not being communicated well.
Global Affairs Capstone Research: textvulture.github.io/syllabi/GLOA...
Global Affairs Capstone Research: textvulture.github.io/syllabi/GLOA...
January 12, 2025 at 3:17 AM
It's 2025, so I am trying on Quarto-based HTML syllabi, ditching PDFs. Not sure how students will react to it, but tired of revisions made on the syllabus not being communicated well.
Global Affairs Capstone Research: textvulture.github.io/syllabi/GLOA...
Global Affairs Capstone Research: textvulture.github.io/syllabi/GLOA...
Myung, a political broker, has been the biggest bombshell in S. Korea in recent months. It now seems to be a good bet to assume a possible tie with him when anyone makes a head-scratching move, particularly in defense of the insurrection: when it blows out, they all go down. Shame.
January 10, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Myung, a political broker, has been the biggest bombshell in S. Korea in recent months. It now seems to be a good bet to assume a possible tie with him when anyone makes a head-scratching move, particularly in defense of the insurrection: when it blows out, they all go down. Shame.
A typical headline of (most) Korean press: "Kwon (ruling PPP) said DP destroys the rule of law ... Lee (DP): Choi is another insurrectionist."
Not different from saying 'flat-earthers noted the earth is flat while others suggested that it is round.' 🤦😱
#bothsidesism
Not different from saying 'flat-earthers noted the earth is flat while others suggested that it is round.' 🤦😱
#bothsidesism
January 6, 2025 at 9:49 PM
A typical headline of (most) Korean press: "Kwon (ruling PPP) said DP destroys the rule of law ... Lee (DP): Choi is another insurrectionist."
Not different from saying 'flat-earthers noted the earth is flat while others suggested that it is round.' 🤦😱
#bothsidesism
Not different from saying 'flat-earthers noted the earth is flat while others suggested that it is round.' 🤦😱
#bothsidesism
The far rightwingers gathered around, while annoying, never posed any serious threat to the authorities. Nowhere near 'dramatic.'
January 3, 2025 at 3:32 AM
The far rightwingers gathered around, while annoying, never posed any serious threat to the authorities. Nowhere near 'dramatic.'
Without downloading any new pics what’s your energy going into 2025
December 28, 2024 at 2:23 PM
Without downloading any new pics what’s your energy going into 2025
Back to my 'day job':
South Korean currency (KRW) basically as weak as it was in the Global Financial Crisis. Probably the combination of:
- uncertainty around the impeachment (Constitutional Court)
- less than expected rate cut (FOMC)
- weak fundamental since 2022
South Korean currency (KRW) basically as weak as it was in the Global Financial Crisis. Probably the combination of:
- uncertainty around the impeachment (Constitutional Court)
- less than expected rate cut (FOMC)
- weak fundamental since 2022
December 19, 2024 at 12:39 AM
Back to my 'day job':
South Korean currency (KRW) basically as weak as it was in the Global Financial Crisis. Probably the combination of:
- uncertainty around the impeachment (Constitutional Court)
- less than expected rate cut (FOMC)
- weak fundamental since 2022
South Korean currency (KRW) basically as weak as it was in the Global Financial Crisis. Probably the combination of:
- uncertainty around the impeachment (Constitutional Court)
- less than expected rate cut (FOMC)
- weak fundamental since 2022
So tired of cooking, so all frozen food (early) dinner tonight.
December 15, 2024 at 9:54 PM
So tired of cooking, so all frozen food (early) dinner tonight.
Otherwise a great article, but this part bothers me quite a bit. If compelling evidence arises, it would be the oppositions' (and media's) responsibility to take on it. Besides, the Korean media didn't do enough in going after Yoon's obvious authoritarian turns until the insurrection.
December 15, 2024 at 3:03 PM
Otherwise a great article, but this part bothers me quite a bit. If compelling evidence arises, it would be the oppositions' (and media's) responsibility to take on it. Besides, the Korean media didn't do enough in going after Yoon's obvious authoritarian turns until the insurrection.
This was in like 2005, right? I was serving the Korean Air Force. I remember talking about how the army sucks just like that and the air force would never even try it because of the innate laziness.
December 15, 2024 at 3:31 AM
This was in like 2005, right? I was serving the Korean Air Force. I remember talking about how the army sucks just like that and the air force would never even try it because of the innate laziness.
And of course, a more generic democracy index tells a similar story. Basic stuff, really.
Blue=Dems; Red=Conservatives. South Korea.
Blue=Dems; Red=Conservatives. South Korea.
December 10, 2024 at 7:53 PM
And of course, a more generic democracy index tells a similar story. Basic stuff, really.
Blue=Dems; Red=Conservatives. South Korea.
Blue=Dems; Red=Conservatives. South Korea.