Wow that's awesome. It's such a privilege to be able to run with the flame. Not surprised that there was controversy.

I have to agree that while I believe that the Olympics shouldn't be used as a platform for political agendas.....it's no surprise S.Korea had protesters....after Europe - did China think Asia would be any different? Nonetheless, trying to publically humiliate China into doing things is not going to work anymore than it did in the past...

Anyway, Bada DOES look great...she should try looking more like this on stage more often ^^ Though I am surprised of the all the celebrities in Korea, Bada was chosen to carry the flame...

I think 65 South Korean celebs took part in the passing of the torch, not just Bada, maybe Dramabeans liked her the best..:-). Jang Nara was also there, She got good coverage from the Chinese Press and of course no comment on any Troubles just the normal Chinese line, all smiles and proud of their country.
What is happening in Tibet is a bad thing, I do not think anyone can refute that. And you can not blame those supporting Tibet to take this chance to push their compliants into world attention, the way they are doing.

@bjharm
ohhh...I should look up who else carried the torch...:D!

Yeah...I have mixed feelings about the 2008 Olympics. It's just so much more controversial than any other I remember (by consequence of taking place in China I suppose ^_^). I mean on one hand, I believe the Olympics are just a really bad time to highlight China’s issues because it will only alienate China from the rest of the world and make China feel like they HAVE to forcibly exert power to prove it’s position in the world. But on the other hand, the Olympics lend the perfect amount of publicity to each country to announce it's feelings about certain issues especially Tibet.

So the question is, how will China react to the world’s protesting? So far, the answer is obviously – not the way we hoped. China’s policies towards Tibet have not changed (if anything they have become more determined to prove its “right” over Tibet as evidenced by the onslaught of “One China” campaigning) and all this protesting has only put Chinese on the defensive against practically the world at large (evident even on a collegiate level in America: my uni had a series of Opinion columns written by Chinese-American students protesting against the articles published the previous week advocating the stripping of the Olympics from China/China shaming the Olympic symbol – all, coincidentally and rather unfortunately, written by non-Chinese). So to me, my main criticism about the Olympics protests is that is simply NOT WORKING.

And where do we draw the line between publicly coercing a stubborn country's gov to change it's ways for the better and publicly condemning and indeed depriving a country’s people the joy of exercising the right to host the Olympics, a symbol of international unification and respect?

In the end, it’s all semantics ;) Btw, I’m not trying to pick a fight or anything…..I’m just musing ^_^

@sf

I've also feel that the protests are definitely not working.

Full disclosure: I'm Chinese from Taiwan, so I can definitely sympathize with Tibet. However seeing how China is being portrayed in the American (and I guess Western) media really gets on my nerves.

I guess I'm taking things a bit personally, kinda like you know something is wrong with your family but when someone else points it out you get upset :)

Actually quite a few of my mainland-Chinese friends were quite sympathetic towards Tibet before. However, after the protests, they did a complete 180 and feel their government is taking things to lightly!

Anyway, I just hope everyone involved can be a little more level-headed and meet somewhere in the middle.

i find this whole issues displays the amazing way in which the government and media propagate news or more appropriately propaganda to sway public opinion. Why did the people not protest when for example the Olympics were held in Sydney? Australia has a disparaging human rights record not only against refugees but also the Aborigines. But the media focus was not on protesters or politics at all.
I don't at all support China's policy on Tibet but i do think that had China been a desired ally to America and Britain and Europe the coming Olympics would not be surrounded by such controversy.

http://www.narajjang.com/sub/gallery/new/img/080427/01.jpg
from a chinese site rather rather korean witch is where javabeans likely gets info from. No mention of any trouble of course.. though Jang Nara did kind of mention in it in a round about way on her chinese blog site.
China in a no win situation in regards to Tibet and the Olympics. you can almost feel the rest of the world stepping back waiting for the s**t to hit the fan and then point the finger. Of course Tibet not the only issue there the pollution thing too

Love the Look on Bada. I wish I was there for at least one of the olympic torch passing.. too bad though.. :D

I read that the protest in S. Korea was mostly by N.Korean defectors protesting the ill treatment of N.Korean defectors in China not so much about Tibet.

I don't think the Olympics should be boycotted, but I think the protesters should be heard. I think that any worldwide event is an open venue for protest and demonstrations. Yes, the Tibet issue has been around forever, but this is a great opportunity to bring it back to the attention of the world. Unfortunately, China has put their own spin to the protests to the Chinese public, as well as blocking internet access, so the Chinese people gets only what the government wants them to hear and see. Which is too bad. If China really wanted to open up to the world, they should allow the people to see and hear what the world is saying.

Thank you for having a blog that's not about trivial things!!! I think you are the only one. Even when you talk about celebrity culture you put a positive spin instead of a negative one like everyone else.

i'm with sf... unfortunately political protest is not an effective way to deal with the chinese government.. diplomacy or some kind of reward for improved policies maybe.. but not protest.. the chinese gov doesn't take s#@% from no one.. btw bada does look great here.. i always get depressed by the ajumma jokes on popseoul..

i am not surprised that there was controversy in seoul when the olympic torch arrived. But im sick and tired of listening to arguements of people constantly bringing up China's poor human rights record - i admit it is not great but still the olympics should not be taken over by politics. It has a long thousand year history of it celebrating the talents of althetes and it should be kept that way. Boycotting the olympics would be punishing the athletes who have trained so hard for this event. Furthermore, people making uninformed statements on the issue Tibet frustrate me. Do you know there are more Han Chinese in Tibet than Tibetans?

---ahh i think i finished my rant for the day lol~~

Controversy regarding the Olympic games in China was bound to happen. The Olympics although a sporting event is one which represents liberation and unity. I have mixed feelings on the Olympics and this matter in general. I believe that whilst politics should not interfere with the event it has in the past and probably will do in the near future. Some examples of political interference includes the Olympic games in 1936 in Berlin and in the 1968 olympics in Mexico City. This event is one which is a great opportunity for many, especially those whose voices are supressed to bring about many controversial issues due to the wide media coverage and scope of the event. Whilst the behaviour and treatment towards Tibetans and Tibet by the Chinese government past and present is terrible they have not appeared to openly acknowledge any wrong doing nor any remorse or much concern. This is I believe a contributor to much of the controversary. In response to Anonymous in regards to the Sydney olympics, I myself am from Australia and although my nation has had a bad past record in regards to racism and performed terrible actions towards Indigenous Australians, the nation is actively taking measures to address this issue including education and creating more awareness. For many years protests regarding unfair treatment and reconciliation have occured on a consistent basis. My government much unlike the Chinese government has acknowledge this unfair treatment, made efforts to correct past wrongs and is worker towards a less ignorant, open minded, multi-cultural society. I am not saying Australia has solved these issues or that unfair treatment does not still occur however many citizens endeavour to make the nation a fair, liberated nation. We cannot deny that China is not a nation which has had especially in the past a bad human rights record. In saying this however no nation in the world at some point in time has not disregarded basic human rights.

For those of you interested in understanding how the mainland Chinese people (not the government, but the people) see the Tibet issue, check out this article:

Tibet Through Chinese Eyes
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/199902/tibet-china

It brings up some interesting points, like how many Chinese see what they're doing to Tibet as humanitarian aide. And many of the teachers, doctors, and also social workers are willing to risk their health and possible career advancement to work in Tibet instead of the larger cities.