Martial Law. One Word. Three Syllables.
As most of the 50 million South Koreans are about to begin their Wednesday (it being nearly 7am in Seoul), the world has watched its President essentially throw the largest tantrum of the past four decades.
All posts tagged: History
From Joseon to Today: Koreans Women’s sexuality, repressed
Cruise-themed party at a club in Gangnam Image source: Club Octagon Thought there’d be no slut culture in Korea because of the Neo-Confucianism and the Protestants? Think again! See the clubs at Itaewon, Hongdae and Gangnam lined up with girls wearing dresses barely covering their crotch area! See the couples make out in dark alleys shamelessly! See my neighbour dry-hump by the security gate on the first floor! (No, actually, don’t, it’s painful enough for the other residents as is) I live in a university area. Most students live in “one-rooms”, studios as they are called here. Since the students who live alone mostly do so because their home is far away, it means that for the first time in their lives, they are free to run their lives as they see fit. And this is when people sometimes go crazy, especially women who are sexually suppressed and taught to “be discreet” for the first 19 years of their lives. Story 1: A girl in my building (we took some courses together at university) lives with her …
No! You’re Not Allowed To Talk About Colonization
[Image description: Koreans rejoice by waving their flags on August 15th, 1945.] Unless you come from a country that was once colonized. It’s like this: I had Stage 4 cancer, and miraculously came back to life after extensive surgery and chemo that took all my hair, health, and life. My partner of 5 years also left me because he couldn’t handle the pain I was in. And then you say “Hey, you used to be overweight, now you’re all thin! Looking great, mate, you should totally get a better guy now, forget about that loser!”. I now reserve the right to slap you with my hand, which shall be studded with sharp metal rings. Some real life examples for you: “Yes, but Japan did bring modern law and railways, which really helped the Korean economy”. You can’t say “But now that Indians all speak English well and all, isn’t it better? You guys can all go to Silicon Valley and work, as soon as you get a job and a visa!”. You can’t say “You …
Do (South) Koreans Really Want Reunification?
Photo source: Yonhap News (Feb 22nd, 2014) Short answer: No. To be precise, it’s “Don’t really care“, not “Don’t want”. Reunification doesn’t carry the note of passion it used to in my parent’s generation – back then, if you were asked “Do you want tongil?”, and you said no, you were a complete treacherous, unpatriotic, heartless brat. But now, we’re too busy thinking about other things, the memories of having once been a single nation are fading, and most of all, Koreans most definitely do not want to carry the economic burden reunification will entail. Despite the avid propaganda from the South Korean government – Reunification will allow us to tap into the North’s invaluable mineral resources, we will gain direct access to cheap and disciplined (disciplined, for lack of a better word…) labour force, we are of the same blood and are one people – People’s enthusiasm has grown thin with the crazy outbursts of “We will see Seoul burst in flames if you don’t give us what we want and respect us” tantrum …
REAL KOREANS 