Little Big Things

Although it is not technically part of Seoul, Namiseom (a.k.a. Nami Island) is a place I would highly recommend for any tourists going to the city. It's completely doable as a day trip: just take a train to from any of Seoul's main stations (I used Yongsan) to Gapyeong (shown below), then it's just a matter of hailing a taxi. (The island is a popular enough attraction for both locals and tourists that, even with limited or no Korean, it shouldn't be hard to tell the taxi driver where you want to go. Just bring up "Namiseom" - pronounced "Na-mee-some" - or "Nami Island" and things will work out.) The thing about Namiseom is that, really, this is unlike any other place I visited during my trip, and there are a number of reasons why. First of all, it is, in a way, its own little world. Namiseom actually styles itself as a micronation called the "Naminara Republic", and attempts to make it distinct from other pla

For the first time in a very long time, an American drama is coming that has actually caught my eye: ABC's The Good Doctor . Just from its premise, this drama already strongly appeals to me. In a media sphere seemingly filled with dystopia, The Good Doctor promises heartwarming inspiration: Dr. Shaun Murphy (played by Freddie Highmore) is a young genius with autism who must work his way uphill against prejudice in the hospital where he is working as a surgeon. However, on top of that, there is another reason why I am excited for The Good Doctor . It also happens to be an American adaptation of one of my favourite Korean dramas: KBS2's 2013 production, Good Doctor . (Note: to minimize confusion, I will use The Good Doctor to refer to the ABC show, and Good Doctor for the KBS2 show.) Now, I have not yet had the opportunity to watch The Good Doctor , so I don't know if it will adhere strongly to Good Doctor 's story-line. From the show's trailer,