How I Self-Published My First Book as a Writer Mom in Japan Who says that motherhood and writing have to be mutually exclusive? savvytokyo.com/how-i-self-p...

Koreans’ willingness to ‘give birth’ spikes, but more among men than women Unmarried Koreans’ intention to have children jumped from 30% to 41% in two years, but structural problems remain koreapro.org/2026/05/kore...

"Not one of these new homes is mine": Women left behind by Seoul's red-light district closures Redevelopment turns brothels into high-rises, but offers no clear path for sex workers www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/s...

We would be a lot better off as a country at the moment if more of our institutions had said, "Fuck you, make me" over the past year and a half

“Hey man has anyone told you you’re a bird?”

wild azaleas with melting snow

While young Korean women’s greater use of condoms in recent years is—you go girls!—definitely something to be celebrated, their continued disdain for long-term contraceptive methods, particularly the pill, sends mixed messages about female empowerment.

Apparently, Koreans *Like* to Have Sex Now? thegrandnarrative.com/2026/05/08/k...

[Japanese] Women’s Right To Voluntary Sterilization (or lack thereof) www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V6S...

In arguing for clarification on Korean abortion, esp. the right of refusal on religious grounds, this Catholic source ironically adds to the cacophony of voices clamoring for its *legalization* in Korea, a whole SEVEN YEARS after its decriminalization news.cpbc.co.kr/article/1172...

"Mother of GOD, a grown ass woman who is attractive, feels good in her skin and wants to flaunt it, HOW DARE SHE." www.asianjunkie.com/2026/05/04/k...

‘A couple like any other’: Parents appeal to Korean court in lesbian couple’s fight for marriage equality www.hani.co.kr/arti/english...

A Must-read on Japan’s (and Korea’s) #MeToo Korea’s #MeToo movement was much more successful than Japan’s. This must-read 2025 interview from "Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus" suggests some of the differences responsible. thegrandnarrative.com/2026/05/05/j...

In some pre-industrial societies that scored highly for female power in previous scholarship, it turns out that most women in them barely had any power at all www.ggd.world/p/female-pow...

China Never Actually Removed Homosexuality From Its Official List of Mental Disorders thediplomat.com/2026/05/chin...

Me: "Huh. She looks *really* familiar...Oh yeah—she was in that cosmetic surgery ad I used in my body image lecture in March." 🤓 Also me: "Hmmmm....maybe I need to get out more. Put my phone down? Smell the roses? See a friend?" 🤔

Korea's erotic film festival breaks down long-standing taboos www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/g...

Book Talk: “The Narrowing Sea: Fukuoka, Pusan, and the Rise and Fall of an Imperial Region” (2025) by Dr. Hannah Shepherd, 9am Tuesday May 5 (KST) thegrandnarrative.com/2026/05/04/t...

NASA just dropped more than 12,000 photos from the Artemis II mission. It'll take me a few days to go through them all, but so far it's one stunner after another. Link: eol.jsc.nasa.gov/SearchPhotos... Credit: NASA/Artemis II Crew (h/t @jonostrower.com)

We have an *extremely* important announcement to make. From Wednesday, we will be launching our puffin live cam, coming to you from the Farne Islands. So you can watch puffins all day long. In celebration, please enjoy this clip of puffins being really busy for 39 seconds straight.

No idea why Kahi is dancing at USC, but cool. www.tiktok.com/@yunahsuh/vi...

The South Korean authors rising above a tide of hate to become bestsellers bbc.com/news/article...

I wrote a thing🙆‍♂️... "Atomic Bombshells: How Plastics Shaped Postwar Bodies" (2026) by Dr. Isabelle Held thegrandnarrative.com/2026/05/01/a...

“Emotions, Affect, and Narrative in Korean History and Culture”, edited by Jisoo M Kim asianreviewofbooks.com/new-book-ann...

21 Soaplands Shut Overnight, Leaving Japanese Sex Workers High and Dry unseen-japan.com/japanese-sex...

Once taboo, now on view: Seoul debuts major queer art exhibition www.koreaherald.com/article/1072...

10 Japanese Books in Translation to Read in 2026 savvytokyo.com/10-japanese-... #10., "Sisters in Yellow" by Mieko Kawakami, is busy sitting in my mini bedside-bookcase at the moment 😉

“The Young Will Remember” by Eve J Chung asianreviewofbooks.com/the-young-wi...

Korean Air Ends 57-Year Heel Mandate, Allows Sneakers for Attendants Policy shift, applying to Asiana Airlines post-merger, prioritizes safety and comfort for 10,000 combined flight attendants www.chosun.com/english/indu...

Will Female Graduates Break Chinese Patriarchy? open.substack.com/pub/dralicee...

At the tender age of 50, someone finally just bought a flower for me, for the first time in my entire life 😊 IT'S A PITY THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE WAS A STUDENT FAILING MY CLASS. But still! 🤷‍♂️

Hopefully some of my students might actually look up from their phones tomorrow 🤔

A court struck down Korea’s abortion ban 7 years ago. For many women, it remains a dangerous choice www.hani.co.kr/arti/english...

New gov't app to allow victims to monitor stalkers' locations korean-vibe.com/news/newsvie...

"American Han" by Lisa Lee asianreviewofbooks.com/american-han... via @BookReviewsAsia

Bitch (complimentary) www.girlonthenet.com/blog/bitch-c...

Weird-ass sociology lecture I'm giving later today! 😆

MOAR BOOKS! 🐈🐈🤓

Gov't to provide free sanitary pads in public facilities Korean government launches pilot program to give free sanitary pads, plans to roll out full program next year www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/s...

As a huge book reader and owner, I'm often struck by how *little* I post about them on social media. Time to change that! I'm really enjoying this one, "Career and Family" by Claufia Goldin (2021), at the moment, and can't in good conscience *not* edit some of my PPTs for my "Intro to Korean.../1

New show tests ethical limits of Korean divorce reality television www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainmen... As a divorcee, I appreciate how some shows have try to challenge stigmas and taboos, which remain shockingly strong in Korea—I regularly encounter 30 and 40+ women on dating apps who refuse...1/

Deokhu - How Shared Identity Shapes K-pop Research #kpop youtu.be/x7o9_pawyhc?...

Japan’s Political Paradox: Why Young Liberals Backed a Conservative Landslide thediplomat.com/2026/03/japa...

I found a place where I could work even if I revealed my identity “Transgender X Labor” Series: Lawyer and Activist Park Han-hee ildaro.blogspot.com/2026/03/i-fo...

FINALLY, the algorithm provides an ad that's relevant to me... 🤔😆

I'm not Korean. But I am a single mother. Living in the western world I don't receive outward judgement as such. But when I was pregnant and after having my son 'that's brave!' And 'you don't regret it?' Were things said to me. Even in our 'progressive' society there is still stigma.

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY! 🎉📚 K-POP FANDOM is officially out! 🙌🏻 Available via print and open access! (Free for viewing online via www.fulcrum.org/concern/mono...) Many thanks to @uofmpress.bsky.social for believing in and supporting this project 💚

South Korea's slow shift for single mothers, through their eyes Still rare and stigmatized, nonmarital births on the rise as support systems expand to encourage parenthood www.koreaherald.com/article/1067...

The Great Wall - How Hollywood's China Obsession Led to Disaster youtu.be/eRHYJjZb3gY?...

We had sex in a Chinese hotel, then found we had been broadcast to thousands - www.bbc.com/news/article...