shamanism

shamanism, religious phenomenon centred on the shaman, a person believed to achieve various powers through trance or ecstatic religious experience. Although shamans’ repertoires vary from one culture to the next, they are typically thought to have the ability to heal the sick, to communicate with the otherworld, and often to escort the souls of the dead to that otherworld.
The term shamanism comes from the Manchu-Tungus word šaman. The noun is formed from the verb ša- ‘to know’; thus, a shaman is literally “one who knows.” The shamans recorded in historical ethnographies have included women, men, and transgender individuals of every age from middle childhood onward.

As its etymology implies, the term applies in the strictest sense only to the religious systems and phenomena of the peoples of northern Asia and the Ural-Altaic, such as the Khanty and Mansi, Samoyed, Tungus, Yukaghir, Chukchi, and Koryak. However, shamanism is also used more generally to describe indigenous groups in which roles such as healer, religious leader, counselor, and councillor are combined. In this sense, shamans are particularly common among other Arctic peoples, American Indians, Australian Aborigines, and those African groups, such as the San, that retained their traditional cultures well into the 20th century.

It is generally agreed that shamanism originated among hunting-and-gathering cultures, and that it persisted within some herding and farming societies after the origins of agriculture. It is often found in conjunction with animism, a belief system in which the world is home to a plethora of spirit-beings that may help or hinder human endeavours.

Opinions differ as to whether the term shamanism may be applied to all religious systems in which a central personage is believed to have direct intercourse with the transcendent world that permits him to act as healer, diviner, and the like. Since such interaction is generally reached through an ecstatic or trance state, and because these are psychosomatic phenomena that may be brought about at any time by persons with the ability to do so, the essence of shamanism lies not in the general phenomenon but in specific notions, actions, and objects connected with trance.

jewelry

jewelry, objects of personal adornment prized for the craftsmanship going into their creation and generally for the value of their components as well.
Throughout the centuries and from culture to culture, the materials considered rare and beautiful have ranged from shells, bones, pebbles, tusks, claws, and wood to so-called precious metals, precious and semiprecious stones, pearls, corals, enamels, vitreous pastes, and ceramics. In certain eras artist-craftsmen have sometimes placed less emphasis on the intrinsic value of materials than on their aesthetic function as components contributing to the effect of the whole.

Throughout the centuries and from culture to culture, the materials considered rare and beautiful have ranged from shells, bones, pebbles, tusks, claws, and wood to so-called precious metals, precious and semiprecious stones, pearls, corals, enamels, vitreous pastes, and ceramics. In certain eras artist-craftsmen have sometimes placed less emphasis on the intrinsic value of materials than on their aesthetic function as components contributing to the effect of the whole. Thus, they might fashion a brooch out of steel or plastic rather than gold or platinum. Furthermore, in addition to its decorative function, during much of its history jewelry has also been worn as a sign of social rank—forbidden by sumptuary laws to all but the ruling classes—and as a talisman to avert evil and bring good luck. During the Middle Ages, for example, a ruby ring was thought to bring its owner lands and titles, to bestow virtue, to protect against seduction, and to prevent effervescence in water—but only if worn on the left hand.

medical tourism

medical tourism, also called health tourism, surgical tourism, or medical travel,  international travel for the purpose of receiving medical care. Many patients engage in medical tourism because the procedures they seek can be performed in other countries at relatively low cost and without the delay and inconvenience of being placed on a waiting list. In addition, some patients travel to specific destinations to undergo procedures that are not available in their home country. Examples of such procedures include stem-cell transplants and sex-change operations.

History and growth of medical tourism

Throughout history people have traveled long distances for health care. In ancient Greece, for example, worshippers of Asclepius, the Greco-Roman god of medicine, would make pilgrimages to his temple in Epidaurus, where they would undergo healing through “incubation rituals,” which were rooted in prayer, fasting, and ceremony. Likewise, spas and public baths have long been popular destinations for those seeking medical cures. In the 17th century the emergence of spa towns in appealing settings like the Pyrenees attracted wealthy people from all over Europe. In later centuries, as travel and tourism increased, spas and health resorts in countries worldwide often attracted clientele from overseas. In addition, the establishment of facilities such as the nonprofit Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., provided new opportunities for patients in need of treatments and surgical procedures not available elsewhere.

The practice of traveling internationally for surgery, however, is a relatively recent phenomenon. For example, Costa Rica experienced an influx of foreigners seeking cosmetic and dental surgery in the 1980s. By the 1990s physicians there actively worked to attract foreign patients, offering various types of plastic surgery, from face-lifts to liposuction, at low cost. Near the end of the first decade of the 21st century, an estimated 20,000–25,000 medical tourists visited Costa Rica, representing a significant increase over previous years. That growth appeared to parallel the worldwide boom in medical tourism that took place in the early 21st century. In 2010, for example, nearly 1.5 million Americans traveled outside their country for medical care—nearly twice the number from just three years earlier.

Destinations and services offered

Medical tourists may be citizens of developed or developing countries, although affluent individuals from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom account for a large proportion of the consumer base. Popular destinations for medical tourism include Brazil, Costa Rica, India, Mexico, Panama, Singapore, South Africa, and Thailand. The types of health and medical clinics that cater to medical tourists are often state-of-the-art facilities and are staffed with physicians who possess advanced medical degrees. Medical tourism Web sites and travel agencies typically offer package deals, with recuperation from surgery advertised as vacation-like. Services offered range from cosmetic, cardiac, eye, dental, or orthopedic surgeries to psychiatric services and procedures such as sex-change operations that may be socially or culturally unacceptable and hence unavailable in other countries.

Social and ethical issues in medical tourism

Inconsistency in quality of care is a major source of criticism for the medical tourism industry. One of the primary mechanisms implemented for the standardization of international health care is accreditation. Accreditation attempts to ensure that medical tourism facilities meet basic safety standards, are staffed with trained personnel, and have appropriate medical equipment to perform the procedures offered. Among the major accreditation organizations for international hospitals are the Joint Commission International (JCI), a branch of the U.S.-based Joint Commission Resources; Accreditation Canada International; and the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards International. Those organizations charge fees to clients who want to have their facilities surveyed for accreditation, and each organization maintains a list of accredited hospitals to help persons wishing to travel internationally for health care select a facility that will meet their needs.

Another issue in medical tourism concerns the illegal trafficking of organs. Countries with indigent or vulnerable populations frequently have a greater availability of organs for medical use, since members of these populations are often tempted to risk their health and give up an organ with the promise of monetary compensation. Combined with the lack of adequate resources for donor care, the practices surrounding organ obtainment have been targeted as an aspect of medical tourism in need of greater regulation and oversight. Likewise, the exploitation of medical procedures for which efficacy is unproven or for which safety is unknown is a point of discussion for standardization and regulation.

In addition, in all countries, medical tourism could polarize national health care policy, creating or furthering disparities in health care services made available to citizens versus foreigners. Because the latter bring money into countries and hence bolster national economies, they often enjoy greater access to doctors and medical resources than do the actual citizens of the country.

Kara Rogers

Seoul vows to strike origin, command posts of N.K. attacks

The South Korean military notched up its defense posture on Wednesday and vowed stern punishment against North Korea’s provocations after Pyongyang warned of retaliation for imminent U.N. Security Council sanctions and Seoul-Washington joint military drills.

North Korea’s military leadership late Tuesday threatened to launch “nuclear strikes,” annul the inter-Korean truce, close its office in the border village of Panmunjom, and cut off its military hotline with the United Nations Command.

 “The drills are, as the North was informed, annual South Korea-U.S. joint exercises for the defense of the Korean Peninsula,” said Maj. Gen. Kim Yong-hyun, the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s head of operations, at a news conference at the Defense Ministry in Seoul.

“If North Korea nonetheless pushes ahead with provocations that would threaten the lives and safety of our citizens, our military will strongly and sternly punish the provocations’ starting point, its supporting forces and command. We are making it clear that all preparations are completed.”
The heightened threat was carried in a statement by the Supreme Command of the (North) Korean People’s Army and announced by Kim Yong-chol, the hard-line chief of North Korea’s Reconnaissance General Bureau. He was lately reinstated to a four-star general three months after being demoted to two-star rank.

 The RGB is believed to have masterminded a series of attacks against the South including the sinking of the corvette Cheonan and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island, both in 2010, and a 2011 cyber attack that paralyzed the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation’s banking system for several weeks.

In New York, the U.N. Security Council will approve its fourth batch of sanctions as early as Thursday in punishment of Pyongyang for its nuclear test on Feb. 12. The newest measures are expected to include asset freezes, tighter cargo inspection, travel bans for core individuals and restrictions on the transfer of bulk cash.

Seoul and Washington started their Foal Eagle field training program on March 1 for a two-month run and are scheduled to launch 10-day computer-simulated drills named Key Resolve on Monday.

The North is also predicted to stage a nationwide military exercise next week, mobilizing a standing army and backup forces including laborers and farmers.

Late last month, Pak Rim-su, the North Korean military representative at Panmunjom, sent a telephone message to U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. James Thurman and warned against “a war of aggression by staging the reckless joint military exercises.”

“When the war exercises reach their main phase after March 11, the Korean War armistice agreement, which has existed in its name only, will come to an end,” the KPA statement reads.

To better cope with escalating tensions, Cheong Wa Dae said it will hold a chief secretary meeting every morning under Chief of Staff Huh Tae-yeol.

Concerns are rising over President Park Geun-hye’s ability to handle the high-stake issue with the much-touted national security office still not in place amid festering partisan disputes over her overall government reshuffle plans and an ensuing administrative vacuum.
The Tuesday meeting took place without Kim Jang-soo, a former defense minister who was named to steer the organization. He is being separately briefed on the situation and related developments, government sources said.

“We are under abnormal conditions in which Kim is unable to attend the senior secretary meeting because of delays in passing the government reform bill,” presidential spokesperson Yoon Chang-jung told reporters early in the day.

“But the National Security Office is substantively examining and responding to the situation in close cooperation with the administration including the Defense Ministry and military.”

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)

U.N. approves new sanctions against North Korea

The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Thursday for tough new sanctions to punish North Korea for its latest nuclear test, and a furious Pyongyang threatened a nuclear strike against the United States.

The sanctions drafted by North Korea's closest ally, China, and the United States send a powerful message that the international community condemns Pyongyang's ballistic missile and nuclear tests _ and repeated violations of Security Council resolutions.

“Adoption of the resolution itself is not enough,” China's U.N. Ambassador Li Baodong said. “We want to see full implementation of the resolution.” Li also urged calm and a resumption of the stalled six-party talks aimed at denuclearizing the Korean peninsula.

“The top priority now is to defuse the tensions, bring down heat ... bring the situation back on the track of diplomacy, on negotiations,” Li said.

North Korea's nuclear test in February was the first since the country's young new leader, Kim Jong Un, took charge amid questions of whether he would steer the country on a different course. The North's threats sharpened Thursday with the first reference to a preemptive nuclear attack.

Immediately before the vote, an unidentified spokesman for Pyongyang's Foreign Ministry said the North will exercise its right for “a preemptive nuclear attack to destroy the strongholds of the aggressors” because Washington is “set to light a fuse for a nuclear war.”

The statement was carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency, which issued no immediate comment after the Security Council vote.

In Pyongyang, Army Gen. Kang Pyo Yong told a crowd of tens of thousands that North Korea is ready to fire long-range nuclear-armed missiles at Washington, which “will be engulfed in a sea of fire.”

The White House responded by saying the U.S. is fully capable of defending itself against a North Korea ballistic missile attack.

Although North Korea boasts of nuclear bombs and pre-emptive strikes, it is not thought to have mastered the ability to produce a warhead small enough to put on a missile capable of reaching the U.S. It is believed to have enough nuclear fuel, however, for several crude nuclear devices.
The United States has long been concerned that North Korea could eventually pose a missile threat to U.S. territory. The Defense Department first began to operate a ground-based missile defense system in late 2004 with such a potential threat in mind.

“North Korea must wake up from its delusion of becoming a ... nuclear weapons state and make the right choice,” said South Korea's U.N. Ambassador Kim Sook said. “It can either take the right path toward a bright future and prosperity, or it can take a bad road toward further and deeper isolation and eventual self-destruction.”


(AP)

N. Korea says will sever hot-line with Seoul, nullify

North Korea will sever its hot-line with Seoul and nullify non-aggression agreements between the countries, the state-run news agency said Friday amid escalating tensions over the North's nuclear test last month.

"The DPRK abrogates all agreements on nonaggressions reached between the North and the South," the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea, a propaganda organ against the South, said in a statement.

"The DPRK will close the Panmunjom liaison channel between the north and the south," said the English statement carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency. DPRK is the short for the country's official name Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The statement came hours after the United Nations unanimously adopted a resolution to punish the communist country for its internationally-condemned underground nuclear test on Feb. 12.
(Yonhap News)

``Sido Island``"Full House" Shooting place

Tour Course:Sammok Ferry Warf(삼목선착장)-Sindo Ferry Warf(신도선착장)-Sido Salt Field(시도 천일염전)- Drama Shooting Place(드라마 촬영지)-Modo island(모도)

Full House Setground

Full House Setground

Myeongdong

Myeongdong ( 明洞, literally 'bright town') is a dong in Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea between Chungmu-ro, Eulji-ro, and Namdaemun-ro. It covers 0.99 km² with a population of 3,529 and is mostly a commercial area, being one of Seoul's main shopping and tourism districts.

Characteristic

 

Seoul's financial hub is divided between here and Yeouido where the Korea Stock Exchange is located. Major insurance, securities, financial services companies, and investment firms with headquarters in Myeongdong include Citibank, SK Corporation, Kookmin Bank, Korea Exchange Bank, Lone Star Funds, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, AIG Korea Insurance, Hana Bank, and HSBC. The Bank of Korea is also in the vicinity.
Other notable landmarks in Myeongdong include the Chinese Embassy, which was first opened on January 4, 1949. YWCA headquarters, UNESCO Hall, Myeongdong Theater, and the oldest Catholic cathedral in Korea, Myeongdong Cathedral.
Except for early morning and late night delivery hours, the main street and most of the alleys are blocked off for pedestrians to roam freely without being hindered by traffic.

Shopping

 

Myeongdong is one of Seoul’s main shopping districts featuring mid-to-high priced retail stores and international brand outlets, including Lacoste, Polo Ralph Lauren, Forever 21, Bulgari and Louis Vuitton, as well as Korean cosmetics brands such as Nature Republic, Missha, The Face Shop and Skin Food. It is a particularly popular area for young people and tourists as a center for fashion and sight-seeing. Several large shopping centers and department stores are in the district including Lotte Department Store, Shinsegae Department Store, Migliore, M Plaza, and Noon Square.
In August 2012, as part of Lotte Department Store's expansion programme into China, a replica of the street of Myeongdong is featured in its new store in Tianjin, with outlets of Missha, The Face Shop and Skin Food.

The floating population of Myeongdong is estimated to be around 2 million a day and in terms of floorspace rents, Myeongdong is one of the most expensive shopping districts in the world. Many hotels, restaurants, cinemas, theaters, and historical sites complete the diverse mixture of the area. In a poll of nearly 2,000 foreign visitors, conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in November 2011, stated that 13.4 percent named shopping in Myeongdong as their favorite activity in Seoul.

Apgujeong-dong

Apgujeong-dong is a residential, fashion, shopping, and educational district in the Gangnam district of Seoul. The dong originates from a pavilion with the same name founded by Han Myeong-hoe ( 한명회,  韓明會 1415-1487), a high-ranking government officer during the Joseon dynasty.
It is served by Apgujeong Station and Sinsa Station on the Seoul Subway Line 3.

Characteristics
The area contains upscale department stores, shops, boutiques, private educations, cafes and restaurants. It is also the location for the headquarters of K-pop entertainment agency S.M. Entertainment. The Caffè Pascucci coffee chain in Apgujeong was used as one of the main filming locations for Seoul Broadcasting System's 2001 drama Beautiful Days, starring Lee Byung-hun, Choi Ji-woo, Ryu Shi-won, Shin Min-a, Lee Jung-hyun and Lee Yoo-jin.

Apgujeong is an affluent area located in northern part of Gangnam district in Seoul. Apgujeong, well acknowledged as one the most affluent (nouveau riche) part of Seoul, must be looked at in two different aspects. The first is the luxury shopping and day-time activities one can find only in Apgujeong. The second is the unique nightlife that has sprung up in this high-class neighborhood.

----------------------------

Apgujeong is an important high-priced shopping district in Seoul. The Cheongdam Fashion street houses some of the most famous brands from around the world like Prada, Gucci and Giorgio Armani. Department stores, shops and boutiques which abound in this neighborhood are devoted to the goods of fashion and beauty. Rodeo Street in particular is a sort of fashion mecca that leads fashion trends with its friendly shops and high quality products. Those who love shopping will find it hard to pull themselves away.
At night Rodeo Street is transformed. Apgujeong has a booming nightlife, but unlike the types of environments one might find in Hongdae or Itaewon, Apgujeong focuses on high culture. Many bars are expensive wine bars or jazz clubs. Most nightclubs are more exclusive than other areas leading to long lines as party goers wait patiently in hoping to get in. Theaters and centers for culture and art have also recently started emerging giving the neighborhood additional flare.

Cheongdam-dong

Cheongdam-dong is a ward of Gangnam-gu in Seoul, South Korea. It is referred to as "Fashion and Art Street" of Gangnam, "Rodeo Street" (a reference to Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California) or "Yuppie Street" with a clientele of professionals in their 30's.

Characteristics
This area was originally named Chungsutgol for a clean pond that existed here during the Joseon Dynasty. It was underdeveloped up till 10 years ago, during which time, galleries moved to this area and formed the existing gallery street. It is now known as an upscale residential area, especially for Korean celebrities such as actors and K-pop artists. The area has shops of imported foreign brands, local fashion designers, and galleries near the upscale Galleria Department Store in Apgujeong-dong towards Cheongdam Park.
The major characteristics of the population of this area include experience living abroad, financial affluence, and a tendency to enjoy paintings and art products. Many children of rich parents studied abroad during their 20's. They returned to Korea and began work as high wage earning professionals. They migrated to Cheongdam-dong because of the galleries and first class fashion shops. The foreign brands, modern galleries, fusion restaurants, and exotic cafes seemed to satisfy their cultural needs. However, Cheongdam-dong is also criticized for its high prices for clothes and coffee which can be 3 or 4 times as much as in other places.
This region has created an inner circle for the upper class that is separated from outside.

The area is the location for the headquarters of K-pop management companies JYP Entertainment and Cube Entertainment.
In June 2012, luxury bridal gown designer Vera Wang opend her third global and first Asian flagship store 'Vera Wang Bridal Korea', helmed by President Jung Mi-ri, in Cheongdam-dong.

World Trade Center Seoul (WTC Seoul) , commonly known as the COEX, is a building complex centered around the COEX Convention & Exhibition Center on Teheranno in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu district of Seoul.

It contains the ASEM Tower, the Trade Tower, and the COEX InterContinental Seoul.
The 54-story building Trade Tower was built in 1988 with a height of 228 meters (748 feet), and is one of the tallest buildings in South Korea.
The 836-meter (914-yard) section of sidewalk along Yeongdong Boulevard from exit No.5 of Samseong Station on Seoul Subway Line 2, outside Convention & Exhibition Center and ASEM Tower is designated as a smoke-free zone by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Bongeunsa Buddhist temple

                                          Main Hall of Bongeunsa temple

                                         Night scene of the temple
Bongeunsa is a Buddhist temple located in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu in Seoul, South Korea. It was founded in 794 during the reign of King Wonseong by the monk Yeon-hoe (연희), then the highest ranking monk of Silla, and originally named Kyongseoungsa (견성사: 見性寺). It is located on the slope of Sudo Mountain, across the street from the COEX Mall.

History

During the Joseon Dynasty, Buddhism in Korea was severely repressed. However, Bongeunsa was reconstructed in 1498 under the patronage of a Joseon Queen. With the support of Queen Munjeong, who revived Buddhism in Korea for a short time in the mid-16th century, it became the main temple of the Korean Seon (Zen) sect of Buddhism from 1551 through 1936. Monk Bo-wu was appointed head of the temple in 1548 by Queen Munjeong but was killed soon afterwards as the anti-Buddhist factions regained dominance in Korea towards the end of Queen Munjeong's rule.

 From 1552-1564 it was the center of the Buddhist National Exam.
A fire in 1939 destroyed most of the buildings, and other parts of the temple were destroyed during the Korean War. Fortunately, one of the very few halls which escaped destruction during the Korean War continues to hold the woodblock carvings of the Flower Garland Sutra, completed in 1855 by monk Young-ki .The temple has undergone many repairs and renovations, and is now once again a large, thriving complex. The reconstruction efforts are being waged even today.

Bongeunsa under Japanese rule
Bongeunsa was made one of Korea's 14 major temples in 1902. During the Japanese occupation the temple became the headquarters of 80 smaller Buddhist temples around Seoul. In 1922 and 1929, the head monk Cheong-ho saved over 700 people from drowning in the Han river, an act that inspired a monument of recognition. After colonial rule Bongeunsa became subordinate to the Jogye order, the largest Buddhist sect in Korea.

Tourism
The temple is a notable tourist destination, offering "Temple Stay Program" in which visitors can lead the life of a monk for a few hours.
The area on the main street from the Temple to Park Hyatt Hotel, has a large concentration of vegetarian and other upscale restaurants that serve Korean cuisine with a modern twist.

Samsung Group

Samsung Group (삼성그룹, 三星그룹) is a South Korean multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul. It comprises numerous subsidiaries and affiliated businesses, most of them united under the Samsung brand, and is the largest South Korean chaebol.

Samsung was founded by Lee Byung-chull in 1938 as a trading company. Over the next three decades the group diversified into areas including food processing, textiles, insurance, securities and retail. Samsung entered the electronics industry in the late 1960s and the construction and shipbuilding industries in the mid-1970s; these areas would drive its subsequent growth. Following Lee's death in 1987, Samsung was separated into four business groups - Samsung Group, Shinsegae Group, CJ Group and Hansol Group. Since the 1990s Samsung has increasingly globalised its activities, and electronics, particularly mobile phones and semiconductors, has become its most important source of income.
Notable Samsung industrial subsidiaries include Samsung Electronics (the world's largest information technology company measured by 2012 revenues), Samsung Heavy Industries (the world's second-largest shipbuilder measured by 2010 revenues), and Samsung Engineering and Samsung C&T (respectively the world's 35th- and 72nd-largest construction companies).Other notable subsidiaries include Samsung Life Insurance (the world's 14th-largest life insurance company),Samsung Everland (operator of Everland Resort, the oldest theme park in South Korea),Samsung Techwin (a surveillance, aeronautics, optoelectronics, automations and weapons technology company) and Cheil Worldwide (the world's 19th-largest advertising agency measured by 2010 revenues).
Samsung has a powerful influence on South Korea's economic development, politics, media and culture, and has been a major driving force behind the "Miracle on the Han River". Its affiliate companies produce around a fifth of South Korea's total exports.

Lee Kun-Hee

Lee Kun-Hee,  (born Jan. 9, 1942, Ŭiryŏng, South Kyŏngsang province, Korea [now in South Korea]), South Korean businessman who was chairman (1987–2008) of the conglomerate Samsung Group and chairman of its flagship company, Samsung Electronics (2010– ).
Lee was the youngest son of Lee Byung-Chull, who founded Samsung in 1938. He majored in economics at Waseda University, Tokyo, and earned a master of business administration degree at George Washington University, Washington, D.C. An active sportsman, Lee spent his leisure time riding horses, racing sports cars on a private track, and raising dogs. In addition, he was president of the Korean Amateur Wrestling Association and was involved with a professional baseball team and amateur athletics.

In 1968 Lee joined Samsung, which was involved in electronics, machinery, chemicals, and financial services. He served as the quiet understudy of his father, who exercised absolute control over the conglomerate and decided against making two older sons his successors. After his father’s death in 1987, Lee became chairman of Samsung but left management to a corporate staff. In June 1993, however, Lee launched a dramatic revolution from the top to make Samsung—the largest Asian conglomerate outside Japan—internationally competitive. Declaring that Samsung was “second rate” by global standards, he called on each employee “to change everything but your family.” Lee attributed the shortcomings of Samsung to basic weaknesses in Korean society, including an educational system that stressed learning by rote and an authoritarian style of leadership. He ordered radical reforms. Under what Lee termed a “new management” concept, Samsung insisted that subordinates point out errors to their bosses. It also stressed quality of products over quantity, promoted women to the ranks of senior executives, and discouraged bureaucratic practices.

Having emerged from a shy figurehead to an assertive chief executive, Lee pushed Samsung into many new activities, such as automobile manufacturing. Bolstered by a surge of investment, he aimed to make 20 percent of Samsung’s products outside South Korea by the year 2000. Consequently, he built an electronics manufacturing complex in Wynyard, Eng., and semiconductor plants in both Austin, Texas, and Suzhou, China. He also acquired such companies as the U.S. computer maker AST Research, Rollei Camera in Germany, and Lux, a Japanese manufacturer of audio products. By 1996 Samsung Electronics ranked as the world’s leading exporter of memory chips, and the entire group’s revenues in 1995 totaled $87 billion, equivalent to about 19 percent of South Korea’s gross domestic product.

In 1996 Lee was also among 11 prominent South Korean businessmen drawn into a political scandal over corporate contributions to former president Roh Tae Woo. A court ruled that such payments—though customary in South Korea—were bribes. In August 1996 Lee was sentenced to two years in prison, but the punishment was suspended for three years. He was later pardoned by Pres. Kim Young Sam. In the late 1990s, Lee guided Samsung safely through the Asian financial crisis, and at the start of the 21st century it was one of the largest conglomerates in the world. In April 2008, however, Lee was indicted on charges of breach of trust and tax evasion, and shortly thereafter he resigned as chairman of Samsung. In July he was convicted of tax evasion, and he was subsequently fined approximately $80 million and sentenced to three years suspended jail time. Lee was pardoned by the South Korean government in December 2009. In March 2010 Samsung Group executives made Lee the head of Samsung Electronics, the conglomerate’s largest division.

Louis Kraar

YG Entertainment

YG Entertainment  is a record label and talent agency founded by Yang Hyun-suk and based in Seoul, South Korea. It specializes in producing R&B and hip hop music. YG stands for Yang Goon and are also the initials of the chief executive officer, Yang Hyun-suk.^[2 Records release through YG Entertainment's distributor, Mnet Media. Avex Entertainment and YG Entertainment have recently formed a new project in Japan called YGEX.

Once the home of hip-hop groups Jinusean and 1TYM, its current roster of recording artists includes K-Pop idols such as Big Bang, 2NE1, PSY, Se7en, Epik High, Lee Hi and Gummy. Artists under the agency had grown to be the front runners and leaders of Hallyu and the Korean music itself around the world. Videos of YG Entertainment and its artists have cumulatively more than 3 billion views and are subscribed by over 5 million users in YouTube alone, making them the most viewed and subscribed artists and entertainment agency in Asia-Pacific.

Since the early 2010s, the record label and management agency has earned worldwide recognition after BIGBANG edged out Britney Spears to win Best Worldwide Act at the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards, fuelling YG Entertainment's rise to one of the "big three" K-Pop record labels in South Korea alongside SM Entertainment and JYP Entertainment, both of which have strong market share and whose international operations have helped spread the Korean wave across the globe.
In 2012, YG Entertainment's share prices saw a year-over-year increase of more than 50% due to the increase in publicity following the numerous achievements of its music artists in recent years.^[5]

S.M. Entertainment

S.M. Entertainment  is an independent Korean record label, talent agency, producer, and publisher of pop music, founded by Lee Soo-man in South Korea. Initially, "SM" was an abbreviation of the agency founder's name, but now stands for "Star Museum." Its current CEO is Kim Young-min. The label is one of the "big three" record companies of Korea along with YG Entertainment and JYP Entertainment because of strong market share and international operations. SM is credited for starting and leading the Hallyu Wave throughout Asia and internationally.

Once the home to the original Korean Idol groups like H.O.T., S.E.S., and Shinhwa, its current roster of recording artists include Kangta, BoA, TVXQ, TRAX, The Grace, Super Junior, Zhang Liyin, Girls' Generation, J-Min, Shinee, f(x), and EXO, all of whom enjoy great success both domestically and internationally. It is also home to actors like Go Ara, Kim Min-jong, Lee Yeon-hee and Kim Ian. SM Entertainment also co-publishes Avex Trax releases for Japanese artists such as Ayumi Hamasaki, Namie Amuro, and Koda Kumi, as well as Johnny's Entertainment acts like Arashi and KAT-TUN.
In 2012, the company's market capitalization rose to ₩1.38 trillion (US$1.24 billion), reaching the status of a mega-corporation.