KTB girls, aerobic exercise, corporate culture

South Korea’s KTB Investment & Securities has released a video of some girls (presumably the firm’s female employees) doing some simple “aerobic exercises”…

Reminded me of my old Japanese employer, where staff would get together in the morning to do some stretching exercises. We didn’t have much girls (95% male) in our department though, unfortunately… else I might have stayed there a bit longer ;)

Group exercise is a common corporate culture in Japan (and Korea to a lesser degree). Besides whatever benefit it brings, missing an exercise session – usually the first thing in the morning – literally means that someone is late for work, it’s serious matter.

Asian Funeral & Cemetery Industry Expo

The 2011 Asian Funeral & Cemetery Industry Exposition is currently held in Hong Kong with over 100 of exhibitors from 13 countries. Some “interesting” stuff here…

Asian Funeral and Cemetery Industry Exposition in Hong Kong

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Liu Fang – Ambush pipa solo

Chinese pipa virtuoso Liu Fang playing a traditional classic, Ambush from All Sides (十面埋伏), during a 2002 show in Canada. Pipa is a four-stringed musical instrument invented some 1800 years ago. Video via Moremusicale@YT

Liu Fang is one of the world’s most prominent pipa player. She’s born in China, but is residing in Canada. She’s performing mainly in western countries these days.

Ambush is about the final battle of General Xiang Yu in 202 BC, in which he was ambushed and defeated by Liu Bang, who later founded the Han Dynasty. The classic is believed to be written during Tang Dynasty (618–907), it’s widely played in Chinese orchestras and has been used as theme song for some movies.

Hadaka Matsuri – Japanese naked festival

The annual Saidai-ji Eyo hadaka matsuri (裸祭り, nudity festival), a ritual said to have originated in the Muromachi Period (1338-1573), was held Saturday night at the Saidai-ji Kannon-in temple in Okayama’s Higashi Ward.

Thousands of men dressed in traditional loincloth packed into the temple grounds and grappled for a pair of shingi (sacred pieces of wood), each measuring about 20cm long, and tossed from the window of the temple’s main altar.

According to local belief, those who manage to get their hands on the wooden amulet and race out of the temple’s precincts will be blessed with good fortune for the rest of the year. Info and video via Asahi.

I’ll rather have bad luck instead of facing the armpit torture, lol?

Korean New Year @ Namsangol Hanok Village

It’s Lunar New Year’s eve, best wishes to everyone who’s celebrating it. I’ll be taking a blogging-break, updates will resume by around February 14.

Till then, sharing some photos from last year’s Seollal (Korean New Year) when I was in Seoul, at the Namsangol Hanok Village in Jung-gu…

Korean New Year at Namsangol Hanok Village, Seoul
Traditional performances at Namsangol Hanok Village during Seollal

Namsangol Hanok Village is a cultural village with five restored traditional Korean houses and huge garden. Visitors can experienced various traditional stuff (arts & games etc.) on normal days; and it’s a popular place for the locals to celebrate Seollal, with extra activities being held during the festive period.

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Bangladesh, Bishwa Ijtema, crowded train

This is what I call crowded. Tens of thousands of Muslims trying to ‘board’ a train near Dhaka after the end of Bishwa Ijtema, or World Muslim Congregation, on January 23, which was attended by millions of pilgrims from around the world.

Bangladesh Muslims on crowded train after Bishwa Ijtema

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