Friday's Link Attack: Kimchi Chronicles, Priscilla Ahn, Margaret Cho

Marja Vongerichten Snacks on String Cheese, Gives In to Her Soda Weakness
New York Magazine’s GrubStreet

The Kimchi Chronicles host takes NY Mag through five days of food.

Friday, June 24
I’m not much of a breakfast person, but I had cold Korean cucumber noodles. It’s a dish I make a lot in the summer. I do it with soba noodles. It’s cool and refreshing, and if you don’t have an appetite for anything, it’s a good filler.

Later that day I ate a handful of chips and some chicken wings at karaoke with my mom. Then Jean-Georges came and joined us, and we went to Don’s Bogam. It’s a Korean restaurant on 32nd Street. So I went with JG and my karaoke crew. We had galbi, which is marinated beef, and naengmyeon, which is like a water noodle. It’s a chewy noodle that they put in this broth and season with mustard and vinegar. Oh, and sake.

Priscilla Ahn: When You Grow Up (review)
Popmatters

What is perhaps most remarkable about this sophomore full length from Priscilla Ahn is the artist’s ability to craft contemporary confessional songs that are honest without being abrasive; gentle yet capable of achieving maximum emotional impact.

A photographer’s day trip to grounds of Korean War
Korea Herald

Here is an interesting profile of Mark Edward Harris, a photographer who has made 10 trips to the Korean peninsula including four trips to North Korea. Harris focused on the “Iron Triangle” a region between Cheorwon, Gimhwa and Pyeonggang where the most ferocious battles took place during the Korean War.

S. Koreans win five prizes in world’s top classical music competition
Yonhap News

South Korean artists won five prizes at one of the world’s most prestigious classical music competitions. The International Tchaikovsky Competition is held every four years in Moscow and is the Olympics of the classical music scene.

Park Jong-Min, 24, and Seo Sun-Young, 27, captured the top spot in the highly-competitive male and female solo vocal categories. Meanwhile, pianists Son Yeol-eum, 25, and Jo Seong-jin, 17, secured second and third place, respectively, while Lee Ji-Hye, 25, took third in violin.

Park and Seo were the first Koreans to win a first prize in the competition after baritone Choi Hyun-soo, better known as Hans Choi, won victory in male solo vocal during the 9th competition in 1990.

“I really feel like I am in a dream,” Park told reporters after receiving the prize. “I came to cherish a hope of participating in this competition when I was a high-school student after watching a video clip of my teacher singing in the 1990 competition. But I have never thought that I would succeed him as the winner.”

Margaret Cho Gives Her Take On Things
Star

On Anthony Weiner:
I’ve totally taken pictures of myself! I’ve definitely done it but have only sent it to people over 50 who can take it and have bad eyes anyway

Chinese faked photograph leaves officials on street of shame
The Guardian (U.K.)

Officers in Huili, Sichuan apologize for a badly doctored picture of men inspecting new road on local government Web site.

Bul Gol Ki Power
Black Athlete Sports Network

Black Athlete takes a look at why Korean female golfers have been dominating the LPGA.

In Korea, parents motivate their children to excel at their craft unlike American children who are allowed to play until they enter high school. The mindset is completely different in Korea, You must be successful at everything, even their hobbies. Korean children become responsible at the age of 12 to 14 which is unthinkable in the United States.

Quick Fix for Diabetes: Korean Grilled Beef with Green Rice
Bellingham Herald (Wash.)

Here’s a diabetes-friendly recipe for a variation of Korean-style beef.

Steak plays an important role in Korean cooking, unlike other Asian cuisines. Invading Mongols brought beef to Korea in the Middle Ages. Rice cooked with Spinach and Bean Sprouts is another Korean staple. I have adapted these recipes to showcase the intriguing flavors of Korean cooking while reducing preparation time.