Apparently there is. Meet Seo Kyoung-duk, who has managed to parlay his degree from one of Korea’s top universities into a life of part-time jobs to support, well, this:
Seo Kyoung-duk is a man of solitary hope.
He invests his life savings to publish ads about his native Korea in major American newspapers.
He was an advocate for Korea on its territorial claims to Dokdo in the New York Times in 2005.
That ad was followed by two others printed in The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post in 2005 and 2007.
They concerned the issues of the marking of what’s known locally as the “East Sea” as the “Sea of Japan” on world maps and the rights of “comfort women,” or the sex slaves who were made to serve to the Japanese army during World War II.
Despite his propagandist tasks, one factor clearly sets him apart from other Korean nationalists ― his objectives are not entirely political, as some commonly think.
“I identify myself as a freelance Korean public relations expert,” says Seo, a 34-year-old graduate student of landscape architecture at Korea University.
“My job is to make the country known to the rest of the world.”
[...]
“Some people look at him with pity, a young man without a proper job,” says Jung Kwang-hoon, a graphic designer who works closely with Seo on his Web site.
“But he takes the fact that he was born in Korea very seriously. You could call that patriotism. But it’s like a child from a poor family who acknowledges his parents without being ashamed of what he was born into.”
And I thought I’d underachieved.
This, BTW, is probably all you need to know:
His life’s transformation came when he left on his first backpacking trip to Europe during his third year at university.
There, it came as a shock to Seo that no one he met in Europe really knew about South Korea.
His pride suddenly crumbled to ashes, he says.
“I was eating gimbap [rolled rice] on a street in Italy one day, and people who passed me asked if it was Japanese sushi,” he says. “I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.”
Let no one fault his purity of motives, though:
Seo’s political motives for the ads, however, still remain a bit unclear.
“The day I close my eyes, I want my people to be as powerful as the Jews and the Chinese,” he says.
Now we know why Jews go to Chinese restaurants — they’re conspiring with the owners to rule the world!
Let not Mr. Seo’s wasted life be in vain — visit his website at www.forthenextgeneration.com.
91 Comments
While no doubt I commend him for his patriotism towards the country, the one thing that bothers me is that he’s going a little overboard.
I mean, seriously, how difficult is it to get laid these days?
The Wall of Jews will never allow that to happen. I know. Using cunning subterfuge - I put on a yamaka - I sneaked into the weekly meeting of the Jews. It’s mostly about the Koreans - who knew? - and rarely about Arabs. The Arab issue is just a cover story to deflect attention away from the real target. The Koreans.
BTW, the subterfuge thing likely won’t work anymore unless you plan better than I. There’s now a spelling test. It’s spelled y-a-r-m-a-k-u-l-e.
Actually, it’s “yarmulke”, but that’s all you’re going to get from me until you show the secret handshake.
Note the irony in that sentence. The Joongang feels the need to explain gimbap to its audience.
When word of this gets out to the Netizens, he’ll be welcomed back the the motherland with a parade and lucrative speaking tour on all the TV stations. Who said this guy isn’t smart?
““I was eating gimbap [rolled rice] on a street in Italy one day, and people who passed me asked if it was Japanese sushi,” he says. “I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.””
I’m trying to imagine how I would feel if some ignorant bastard mistook the Montreal smoked meat sandwich I was eating for a pastrami on rye. As a true patriot, I think I just might have to start my own website.
#7. As a true patriot, I am going to take out an ad in the Chosun Ilbo to notify all good Korean citizens that the Gulf of Mexico should really be called the Gulf of Texas. I demand this blatant insult be changed on all world maps immediately.
“’Some people look at him with pity, a young man without a proper job.’”
Hey, that’s me!
Didn’t R. Eglin blog about this guy a couple of months ago?
I don’t know about any posting by R. Elgin, but I’m pretty sure Robert beat Occidentalism to the punch. Well done.
#7,
Literally ROTFL.
Oh, and I take offense at the fact that Americans call ham ‘Canadian bacon’. I say you and I should should start our own internet lobby group, Global. We’ll call it Vanc (pun totally intended).
Uhhhh actually, Kimbab is “Mazuki Sushi” — In the Korean government’s massive renaming campaign from 1946-1948, this was one of the many things “renamed,” regardless of the fact that it was obviously a food from Japan (laver itself is a traditional Japanese food). Though Korea may have added or changed a few of the ingredients in mazuki sushi/kimbab, does this make it “Korean”?
Yes, it does. As much as pizza and hamburgers are American or spaghetti and polenta are Italian.
According to #13 the name kimbab orginated in 1946-48. Is this historically correct?
I think the full page ads will make a difference. We should all pitch in. Full page ads in the Wall Street Journal & NY Times:
Korean Kimbap is Superior because it has Sesame Seeds! Japanhole monkeys make worst fake Kimbap!
And freedom fries are Belgian, btw.
And the “Gulf of Mexico” is a total insult to us Merikins.
And the English Channel isn’t English, it’s the West Channel!
And the Persian Gulf is Arabian, fools.
And Jews are genetically predisposed to like Chinese food because it’s so slippery, part of God’s Master Plan leading up to the Rapture, you see. As corn is diverted away to ethanol, higher prices for corn starch — the slippery agent in Chink fare — will lead to world war, which Korea will win! It’s preordained! Guaranteed #1!
“As much as pizza and hamburgers are American or spaghetti and polenta are Italian.”
Hamburgers are almost certainly American. New York and Chicago style pizza are also American (goes without saying, I guess) but pizza was originally Italian - Naples, maybe - and has been around for many centuries. Anyway, nothing to start a website over, right?
When was the last time you were walking down the street anywhere eating anything and passersby stopped to ask you questions of confirmation about it?
Supposedly, this guy walked along a street in Italy, and several people stopped him to confirm that what he was eating was sushi - ‘Japanese sushi’ at that. ‘Say, sir - excuse me, sir - is that, um, Japanese sushi that you’re eating? It really looked like it to us, as we were passing by.’
I’m calling bullshit on Seo’s supposed recollection.
Obviously, we see many such stories about the next so-called cultural ambassador of Korea. None of them has accomplished a thing because the things they care about simply don’t concern the rest of the world. This obsession with attempting to wrest a degree of respect from the outside world is one of the saddest things about Korean culture.
Rubes like Seo and brownshirts like the VANK outfit DO propagate an image of Koreans on the world stage. It’s just about 180 degrees off from the image they aspire to.
#14,
Is it reasonable to expect non-Koreans to know the difference between kimbap and sushi?
He should count himself lucky people didn’t ask him if it was a ‘California roll’.
#13
not “Mazuki Sushi” but #Maki(rolled) Sushi”. Mazuki means tasstless in Japanese.
#13: Having lived in Japan and bought the stuff many times from the local “combini,” I had the same thought when reading the above. Hell, for all we know the guy was eating the Japanese version of it and the Italian had it right. All this shows is that this poor sap is one ignorant dude.
correction: tasteless
Maki Sushi is also pronounced Makizushi.
“Though Korea may have added or changed a few of the ingredients in mazuki sushi/kimbab, does this make it “Korean”?”
“Yes, it does. As much as pizza and hamburgers are American or spaghetti and polenta are Italian.”
The difference is that Americans acknowledge the heritage and do not engage in self-deceit about the reality of it.
The problem lies in the fact that Koreans want to be exclusive and separate, but always seem to be looking for favors from the rest of the world, whether it be military protection, special trade favors or unearned respect
yeah the first thing that comes to mind here is idiot
not patriot
after taking my wife to NYC a few years ago we asked the doorman where the nearest sushi restaraunts were
the guy says
“go out the front of the hotel 7th ave take the first left and go straight down and you cant miss it. its all sushi place”
unfortunately he gave us directions to korea town
First of all, how does this guy get Kimbap in Italy? Did he freakin keep it in his carry on bags for 15 hours? Day old, unrefrigerated kimbap…. braver man then I thought.
#27.
He could make them on site. Laver itself one can carry around without worrying about it perishing so soon, rice, well we have the wonders of 햇반 thanks to CJ, and the ham, eggs, veggies, and vinegar can be bought on site. Heck I’ve seen some Korean tourists carry boxes of Korean ramen and soju when they go overseas, so what’s preventing this guy from using ingenuity to make his own kimbap in Italy?
For starters, here (also one in Milan);
http://www.dprkstudies.org/images/roma-452.jpg
Or here;
http://www.dprkstudies.org/images/roma-058.jpg
#29.
I have visited several countries and stopped by in Korean restaurants, but I haven’t seen a single one which offered kimbap as part of the menu. So I doubt this is where he got them from.
On the other hand, you never know.
Even in the U.S.? Surely you jest.
Thanks natto for the correction.
I had two sources for this info:
my father-in-law and an old professor,
so my brain mixed up the spelling.
(It is a funny spelling mix-up on my part though; and
it may be a bit of a subconsciuous critique of kimbap/makizushi
on this side of the Sea of Japan/Korea/etc.
I’ve spoken with several older Koreans–
our grandma being one of them–who still refer
to kimbap as “sushi” (in the midst of casual Korean
conversation.)
Would anyone happen to have a written source
which might also support this information?
Let’s welcome Mr. Seo to the real world.
When I visited San Jose CA in 2005, my colleague and I ate at this Korean restaurant just beside Southern Comfort Restaurant near Great Mall. They were serving Korean dishes ala buffet style, and surprise surprise: there was gimbap!
Seriously. I stayed in Orange County for six months, and since our boss couldn’t live without Korean food, we were regular Korean restaurant patrons. There were kalbi, bulgogi, soondubu, bibimbap, etc. but no kimbap.
The only thing close to kimbap were the Calfornia rolls and sushi served in Japanese restaurants that were run by Korean Americans.
Is this guy also paying for the silly google ads promoting the East Sea as being the historically correct name for that unfortunately located ocean between Korea and Japan?
I hope other Koreans start telling him to shut up, he is hurting Korea’s good standing in the international community.
And he wants Koreans to be like the Jews or the Chinese?
The argument cannot get more convoluted than that.
#35.
OK Korean style buffet, yeah, kimbap is always included in a Korean style buffet, which explains it. Now to think about it, we didn’t go to a Korean style buffet, during our stay there….
But still, it’s not something that you can take out and eat, unless of course you are sneaking it out while the owner wasn’t looking.
True, but if it finally gets me my knish, I’ll take it.
Twenty years ago, in Los Angeles, I was able to order 김밥 off the menu of any number of 분식집 run by Koreans, not to mention that 김밥 was sold at the food counters of the major Korean supermarkets there. Anyhoo…the dude was in Italy, he should have been enjoying some authentic Italian cuisine rather than second-rate 김밥, much less worrying about what random people thought it was. A major nutcase — that article in the Joongang Ilbo was far too flattering.
And, it should have mentioned that anyone can buy an ad in the New York Times if they just cough up enough money. Lyndon LaRouche, Zionist fringe organizations, even Kim Jong-il!
LOL of course not. They’d have these CCTVs (with matching posters on the front window) watching your every move.
Robert is still looking to gnash a knish!
Jeffery Hodges
* * *
Well, if this guy was eating kimbap in Italy instead of enjoying his time in Italy and trying out the local food rather than something that’s more like peasant fare back home you can eat any old day… it tells you something.
Anyways, why doesn’t he just fight his battles on wikipedia like I do? Cheaper, less time consuming and you reach a pretty good demographic… U.S. college students!
I was thinking the same thing, WangKon. Another traveler in a great culinary center who has to stick to basically the kids menu of his home country.
Well there are some Koreans who cannot live without Korean food.
What would cause otherwise fairly bright person, who after all, came out of a decent university (as Korean universities go) to spend so much effort and money promoting a cause most would find ridiculous?
Reminds me of some evangelical types I know. Nationalism or religion, pick your poison.
Touche. Looking at in from the other side of the coin, I guess they’re looking for some form of comfort in a strange land where they are a stranger, whether that be in the form of food or fellow kin.
Thing is, ain’t a backpacking trip a bit too early for him to miss home? I mean, ain’t there anything else there in Europe that can keep his attention to?…beautiful views, booze, or babes?
Somebody finaly noted it, but I want to make point of it.
WTF!
This guy is on vacation in one of the culinary capitals of the world, and he decides to eat Kimbap? No wonder the Italians were looking at him going “What he hell are you eating?”
The funnier thing to me is I wonder how many just thought he was eating some form of Arancini (Italian rice balls). Of course I wonder even further if the guy could wrap his head around that concept (Italians eating rice?!?).
# 47,
Guys, I don’t know how to answer that. The funny thing is, there are Korean tour buses in Koreatown all the freak’in time. It’s obvious that the tour guide is giving a presentation of all the sites of Koreatown. Why do that? Those tour bus should avoid Koreatown all together (maybe just for the restaurants?) and not waste one single minute in exploring the vastness that is America.
What would the world be like if Korea were suddenly as powerful as the United States?
# 48,
Well, you could be Japanese eating Tonkatsu in Germany and have the locals think you are actually eating a wiener schnitzel.
This guy–like many his age–is another lost soul in “jobless” Korea. He sounds like a good guy, went to a good school, and is trying his hardest to enhance his (country’s) reputation.
He seems to have had an epiphany in Europe when he finally realized that his steady diet of Korean TV corn and nationalistic cheese may have been misleading, and that the possibility of him being viewed by Europeans as yet another Japanese tourist pretty much castrated his ego. It was probably a five soju carton night. He realized his country’s rep did not live up to his expectations and that everybody does not know of Dae Han Min Guk because of the 2002 World Cup, Hines Ward, Park Chanho, the 88 Olympics, and, of course, Yongsama.
(Note: I’m sure if you asked him about any other European country besides the UK, Germany, France, and Italy, he would probably know jack f*** all.)
My summary…unemployed Korean guy who was slighted by being implicitly called a Japanese over a food reference runs homes to the almighty internet to spread his heavily biased (read: nationalistic) understanding as seen on KBS, MBC, and EBS to the ignorant foreigners so…later…they will heavily respect him as Koreans are well-respected in Pakistan, Mongolia, and the Philippines. He is totally convinced people don’t know Korea because Korea is relatively not that famous…it’s because the rest of the work is ignorant.
N.K., your point being?
It’s obvious what his point his. If Korea is as powerful as the U.S. then one wouldn’t see all these critical comments regarding Korea. Although IMO, just because a country is powerful doesn’t mean people won’t critically blog/comment about that country in question.
N.K., your point being?
My point being that obviously there’s lots of fellows like Mr Seo who bemoan Korea’s relative stature in the world and wish it was more powerful. So let’s carry this thought experiment to its logical conclusion. What would the world be like if Korea was as powerful, if not more, than the United States?
#33,
I sometimes have lunch with this older Korean gentleman who was born and raised in Japan before emigrating to the US and then finally settling down in Korea. He never refers to the old lady in the kitchen as ‘Ajumma’ but rather as ‘Mama-san’ despite the fact he speaks Korean fluently. It doesn’t seem to offend the old girl one bit. I don’t know, maybe it has some kind of flirtatious connotation amongst the older generation that I’m not aware of.
Let me take a stab. Several years of people beating eachother over the head with shoes and then a big mushroom cloud?
…Leaving the only remaining evidence of human civilization the satellites circling the Earth, beaming out messages to space in praise of King Sejong, the turtle ship, sundials and movable type.
If Korea was as powerful as the U.S., they probably wouldn’t make goofy commercials like the one we are talking about.
Btw… I thought the commercial was cute and I really didn’t think it’s subject matter was a big deal.
Speaking of goofy commercials, did you guys know that Hankook Tire bought broadcast time in the States to show commercials straight from Korea with subtitles. There I was watching Saturday afternoon TV in California and there was a commercial with a bunch of ajushis in a car talking about how “uri nara ga tie yor man du ra jah” with corresponding English subtitles. Now I had an issue with THAT commercial!
Sorry, I missed the last few episodes of The Korean History Channel. “So peaceful, sooo peaceful.”
Oops…. it’s late here…. I got this post confused with the Cuckoo rice cooker posting.
# 36,
Plenty of Kimbap at the Hannam Chain Supermarket on Malvern and Beach Blvd. in Buena Park, OC, CA.
WangKon, I’ve been there. Isn’t that just off the 5? I thought I was still in Anaheim when I was there. My ex took me there one time. Quite a variety of semi fresh fish.
#62.
Hmmm… I don’t remember seeing kimbap at the Hannam. Well it was seven years ago, so….
My logical conclusion is that if that were so, half of all the other nations of the world would despise Korea for not using its power enough and the other half would hate Korea for using its power too much. The sayings and doings of anti-Korean movements and coalitions would therefore fill the daily newspapers. Do you see this as a desirable situation for Korea?
Being “powerful” is not as much fun as you think it is, i must suspect.
“And the English Channel isn’t English, it’s the West Channel!”
Actually to the French who share it, it’s “La Manche” literally The Sleeve, and I don’t know further back, but I certainly don’t recall anyone ever giving a damn except as an answer in a pub trivia quiz…
“First of all, how does this guy get Kimbap in Italy? Did he freakin keep it in his carry on bags for 15 hours? Day old, unrefrigerated kimbap…. braver man then I thought.”
You ever think that some people can actually make food without involving a restaurant.
Having been in the Korean community in Europe I can assure you you can always get the ingredients, and any Korean community event comes up with an overload of gimbap and other Korean goodies made at home.
Most large European cities have oriental supermarkets which provide gim and other Korean/Japanese etc ingredients, and there’s (or at least was) a nice little Korean one in Rome near the Santa Maggiore….
If there is a large enough community in smaller cities then the big city goes out on a weekly/monthly rota to camp outside the Korean church on a Sunday…
They can, they just don’t want to.
typos..”overload” and “gimbap”
“Well, if this guy was eating kimbap in Italy instead of enjoying his time in Italy and trying out the local food rather than something that’s more like peasant fare back home you can eat any old day… it tells you something.”
Hands up who goes to MacDonald’s, Burger King et al…..
“Well, you could be Japanese eating Tonkatsu in Germany and have the locals think you are actually eating a wiener schnitzel.”
Why not, tonkatsu is european in origin, and tonkatsu sauce is basically english fruit sauce as reflected by the major “Bulldog” tonkatsu sauce brand…
Arghaeri, the point is that it seems strange that he cites that particular incident (in Italy of all places!) as the revelation that made him want to explain Korea to the world. Previous commentators already called his bluff.
Also, have you seen his website? If you are Korean, don’t you feel slightly ashamed of his illogical statements? And he wants Koreans to be as powerful as Jews?
mins0306,
I’ve seen kimbap in a few European countries, and can easily find it in Honolulu (some entire business devoted just to kimbap) or Northern Virginia (which may call it kimbap or sushi). Not sure where you go on your trips, but I find it all over the place. Find it, but don’t buy it in Europe as it’s usually way overpriced.
‘If you are Korean, don’t you feel slightly ashamed of his illogical statements? And he wants Koreans to be as powerful as Jews?’
why should a korean feel shame? do you feel shame when a member of your group acts the fool? you mean, because i’m korean, i got to feel shame for the actions of another korean? do you feel shame about the columbine two?
don’t tell koreans what they need to feel.
your comment was just racist.
Racist?
1) I don’t know if he is Korean or not, since he prefers to blog anonymously.
2) I didn’t tell him how he should feel, I asked.
3) Yes, I do feel shame if Swedish people act like idiots, but I would not really call it “racist” as we are a pretty creative, diverse group of people; perhaps that is different from your experience?
4) Who are you?
#74,
So, you agree that nationalism is often BS? Finally, for once you aren’t trying so hard to be an antagonistic ass and instead show a bit of your real, almost likable, self. Don’t deny it. You can’t shut that door once you’ve opened it.
# 62 and 63,
Yes, the Hannam just off the 5 freeway. That area has changed a lot. The Petmart and Blockbuster have gone out of business and have been replaced by a Paris Baguette and a Hanmi Bank. YES… a Paris Baguette, they have invaded U.S. shores in Korean ethnic enclaves with their mass produced faux European, Japanified and Koreanized pasteries. They have established a beach head in Pasadena with an affiliated business called “Wheatberry” that caters to wae guks. God help us all…
There’s kimbap all over southern California, though it’s slightly harder to find in the Bay Area (you might have to travel a mile or two). I think you can get pretty much any Korean food here.
Americans I talk to seem to be turning on to Korean food in a big way. There’s opportunity for more Korean restaurants (instead of just sushi joints and pho joints run by Koreans) that actually stoop so low as to print English versions of the menu. Santa Barbara could use a good Korean restaurant, for example. Supposedly Korean food in LA is *better* than Korean food in Korea. This from several Koreans during their trips here. Maybe it’s the ‘cornmone’-fed beef?
Meanwhile, if you go to LA, you should do yourself the favor of visiting Dan Song Sa on Vermont Ave (and 6th?) in K-Town. It’s like a wonderful old pochangmacha, and they play Korean rock ballads from the seventies and have all the authentic accoutrements from the shigol. Really fun. Not a pick-up joint.
If Korea were to wake up tomorrow and suddenly find itself as powerful as the United States, here’s what would happen:
First of all, the world’s de facto language would definitely not be one of the most hopelessly irritating and impossible hodge-podge of relics like anglo-saxon, old norse, latin, greek, medieval this and that, with a psychotic grammar system to tie it all together. Instead, the world’s de-facto language would be what a world’s de-facto language should be, which is, rational, easy, and just makes sense.
Japan would have the privilege to be the first to be part of the Greater Dae Han Min Guk Co-Prosperity Sphere. Korea would also probably find it necessary to help itself to large portions of territory north of the Yalu River, Manchuria, and Far East Siberia. None of this bullshit about “containment”.
Because Korea is a first and foremost a Christian nation, Korea will continue to send proselytizers abroad to save the lost in heathen regions such as Western Europe and the Middle East. Korea will find it necessary to get involved in the Middle East due to the Taliban kidnapping and killing some Korean proselytizers. Korea will invade both the Middle East AND Israel. Korea would actually take the OIL whether anyone likes it or not. Korea would put an end to the Sunni-Shite violence by killing off both of them. Korea would actually FIND OBAMA.
Isn’t he in Nevada right now?
Isn’t he in Nevada right now?
Yeah, I spotted him in Vegas last night.
When did you change your citizenship, Pawi? I thought you were a real live nephew of our Uncle Sam and your first words were “Mama,” not “Umma.” Nevertheless, I agree with your point that we need not feel ashamed about the words or behaviors of a person who shares our citizenship, ethnicity,race, or religion.
And BTW was there a sequel to the Columbine shootings?
See, this is why the US is the best custodian of hegemony in the world. Every other old-world myopic culture would be hell-bent on yet another doomed bid for world domination. Didn’t you learn anything from Japan’s example? Co-prosperity spheres don’t work, buddy.
I love how you continue to make us foreigners in our own country.
Let’s hope our next president has his/her head screwed on straight.
#79: “…Instead, the world’s de-facto language would be what a world’s de-facto language should be, which is, rational, easy, and just makes sense…”
Only the most hard-core English football hooligans can disagree with that. But– in this political season, you showed a rare moment of tact and discretion by not specifying which replacement language you propose in its stead.
I can’t allow that to go unchallenged. What is your proposal O King of Korea?
Bring back the lingua franca? Or do I need to start memorizing thousands of characters and the subtly different intonations that go with them — at the risk of losing my head?
Bluejives was obviously trying to be funny — it was a pretty good effort this time.
I’m honestly struggling with how much of this is Koreanized baking and pastry.
you see, I was kind of shocked when I walked into a Japanese bakery/pastry and found essentially the same items for sale.
I’m not sure why Korea continually models after Japan to Busan to Seoul, like Mexico is always busy copying US ways of pretty much anything and everything.
Come on Korea, have some balls. The latest hit, I understand is, a popular Korean variety show, copying 100% of a Japanese variety show. I think it was Moo Han Do Jun.
this type of pastry/bakery fits my lips better than the authentic, and you’ll see that Americans like it, too.
But, the question is,
Do Koreans deserve to slap on the label, “Koreanized”?
show something different from Japan, then.
I think I’ll be further miffed if pat-bing-soo was somehow Japanese.
Have you even ever been to Japan? 팥 is an incredibly common ingredient in baked goods.
I don’t know of any non-Asians who prefer the “Paris Baguette” style of baked goods to the European/American style, but such individuals may exist — I certainly can’t argue with the success of Pinkberry among non-Koreans. Anyway, it’s good to see Paris Baguette chain in the U.S.; more food choice is always good — Koreans take note.
On another note, I read in National Geographic today how Japanese astronauts in the ISS take with them traditional Japanese food, such as ramen, that has been developed to be eaten in space. I for one don’t see any reason why the Korean astronauts of the future shouldn’t be able to enjoy space kimchi as well.
# 87,
Check the map lately? Japan is just a short ferry ride away from Korea. It’s easier to get to Japan, and it’s more affordable for Koreans in learn in Japan. Plus, it’s a little less foreign there. It’s natural for a less developed country to learn from a more developed immediate neighbor.
You sound like you think that makes absolutely no sense…
Being in Italy and eating kimbob? Nothign against kimbob - god knows I eat heaps of it- but c’mon Mr. Patriot. You can have some pasta and still love Korea,can’t you?
We Koreans are just delusional attention-seekers, that’s all. (Grins)
Seriously, no one really gives a damn about Dokdo island or our status among Europians- our economy’s good, our country’s crowded but we can still shove our way through the mobs, our culture is something we’d all like to quietly put behind us (Hanbok, seriously. And gimchi- it might be healthy, but I don’t eat it. Many Koreans are addicted to it, though, and I know a few foreigners who hated it at first but grew to really like it) and when we introduce ourselves as Korean, everyone nods cluelessly and are polite because they don’t want to let on that they don’t know. It’s not too bad.
National pride is all moot, anyway. We’ve got gimchi, we’ve got this scientific language no one’s ever heard of and sounds seriously weird when translated into English, and we’ve got a burned-down national treasure that wasn’t all that great to begin with. Who cares about the crap.
Or maybe I’m just upset that we haven’t really got anything to brag about, right…
Part of me just feels sympathetic- there’s a small spark of national pride and whatnot in my semi-functional heart and the other part feels that he’s making a big fat fuss out of nothing.
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