Ethnic Koreans in Central Asia are reportedly inspired by Korea’s first astronaut, Yi So-yeon:
If Yi So-Yeon represents everything that is youthful and optimistic about her homeland, the ethnic Koreans resident around Baikonur cosmodrome are testimony to a painful period of uprooting and hardship under the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.
“My soul is rejoicing! It’s even better that it’s a woman. I’ll be watching the launch of course,” said Larisa An, 48-year-old owner of Ginza, a popular restaurant that serves up spicy Korean specialities in Baikonur, the centre of Russia’s manned space programme.
You want to know what’s painful? Naming a Korean restaurant “Ginza.”
(HT to reader)
41 Comments
if i had 20 million i could call myself an astronaut to
Inspiration from a space tourist. Can’t help shaking my head whenever I think about that.
One question though, besides Koreans and ethnic Koreans, how many other nationalities are “inspired” by space tourists?
If she’s so proud, maybe she should give her restaurant a Korean name instead of “Ginza.”
Wow! Let’s slag off anyone who has ever done anything of note. For the record, I’m proud of Yi So-Yeon. You go, girl! It’s not just ethnic Koreans who are inspired. It’s many of us, including old, burnt-out guys who’ve done nothing remarkable their entire lives.
astronaut she’s not, but let’s stop belittling the koreans with all this “space tourist” description. did she not have to qualify among 30,000 plus applicants? what’s inspirational to some is that she was able to beat out all those applicants to finish in the top 2. and however insignificant her experiments are, she is doing something rather than just taking pictures and sipping on pina coloda (or vodka).
i mean really, if you think korea is anti-america, talk to them and ask why. most will say that they are not, but most say that they hate being treated like inferior people.* i would always tell them if there’s one group of people who don’t it’s the americans. but if you look at the language around the k-blogsphere, is it any surprise that koreans feel that way? (no, i’m not saying koreans read blogs here and formulate their opinions. rather, the general feelings about koreans here probably translate through media and/or in real life.)
with the exception of few, are the english teachers in korea really teachers? or should we always quote “teacher.”
*yes, i know koreans treat others like inferior people but that’s for another discussion. i’ve pointed this out many times to koreans.
Yes, but on the other hand why did the Korean government bother with accepting 30,000 applicants when they obviously had the image of the perfect “astronaut” in their heads, ie. healthy, strong, with scientific background.
Of course she has to do something. The Korean government along with SBS coughed up 25 million USD so she can hitch a ride on a Soyuz to the ISS. Everyone would look like fools if she went to the ISS and didn’t do any experiments.
“If she’s so proud, maybe she should give her restaurant a Korean name instead of “Ginza.””
Yeah,I agree.But then again,we are living in a world where Chinese guy runs a Teppan-yaki joint in England and refuse to serve a Brazillian.The fact a woman in Kazakhstan using the name of Tokyo shopping distirct for Korean restaurant doesn’t surprise me a bit.
BTW,the best sushi offered in Ulaanbaatar,Mongolia is made by North Koreans with badges using fish from China,but I’m not offended…
You guys remind me of Ken Titus in the show Titus…
“Hey Dad, Dad, I got a B on my report card!”
“But it’s not an A, is it, son? Now that the smile has left your face, I’m off.”
“Hey Dad, I graduated high school!”
“But you didn’t make valedictorian, did you, boy? When your confidence returns, so will I.”
“Hey Dad, Dad, Dad, I got my first job!”
“First job, huh? Well you ain’t manager yet, are you, boy? And a real man would own his own business.”
Man, why are Koreans so excited over this landmark in domestic history that’ll probably be included in the future history books? I mean, it’s just a gigantic step forward for their space program - what’s the big deal? It’s so pathetic how they fawn over the first Korean in space, which is a feat usually followed by face on stamp in other countries.
Seriously, what’s up with the negativity here lately?
It’s hardly a “gigantic step” for their space program. She’s a passenger, not a pilot. Should we applaud the first person who rode shotgun in an airplane or the one who flew it?
Agreed, it isn’t exactly a “gigantic step.”
Heck even the Korean media isn’t paying much attention to the mission. Except for SBS, of course, but these guys coughed up 5 million USD for Soyeon’s ride.
Korea’s first ‘astronaut’ is about as monumental as the Malaysian dude who hitched a ride on the same rocket last year. OOOOOOOH take that korea! beaten in the space-race by Malaysia! Yeee-haww!
Man, how cynical do you have to be to dismiss “First person ever to [blank]“? Besides, some of the experiments that she is conducting up there definitely sounds like questions that some of the space program folks in SK would love to have answers for. Considering they would get actual access to outer space now (as opposed to speculation, simulation, and research papers), I’d say it’s a gigantic step. Maybe not Armstrong giant step, but definitely Gagarin (of course, in the context of the history of SK space program).
“Korea’s first ‘astronaut’ is about as monumental as the Malaysian dude who hitched a ride on the same rocket last year. OOOOOOOH take that korea! beaten in the space-race by Malaysia! Yeee-haww!”
How does that Malaysian guy impact the value of the topic at hand again? Because last time I checked, we were talking about how it was a big deal to Koreans and Korean domestic history… I wonder if French history books say “Well, our revolution was an extremely important event in our history, but in reality, it’s not. Americans beat us to it by 13 years.”
Essentially, what’s happening here is this.
Koreans: First Korean in space? Awesome!
You guys: She’s just a ’space tourist’. Stop making a big deal out of this.
Koreans: Still, this is the first time in history where a Korean made it to outer space! Yi is an important part of Korean Space program history!
You guys: She’s not even piloting the damn thing. Besides, a Malaysian guy went last year.
Try to figure out which part looks like a complete asshole. It shouldn’t be that hard.
Conclusion? A lot of complete assholes commenting on this particular post.
I kind of wonder whether the kyopo is in tune with the going ons of Korea.
Some if not many Koreans don’t think Soyeon’s mission is a big deal, heck some of them are even calling her a “space tourist”, and questioning the logic behind the 20 million USD of taxpayer money given to the Russians for her ride.
Some advice: Look before you leap.
Or look before you call other commentators assholes.
# 15,
I was commenting on # 12. Everyone needs to relax. I don’t know why people have to sh*t all over So-Yeon’s flight into space by calling it insignificant, touristy or whatevers. Yeah, $25M bucks. It’s their’s to spend. Did you know that the U.S. Navy spent $330M on smart artillery shells for amphibious landings? You wanna talk about a waste of money??? When was the last time Marines landed on a contested beach???
Maybe some people live pretty boring and uneventful lives and they need to dump on others to feel better… I dunno.
Oh, I forgot, but the U.S. Navy cancelled the entire smart beach assault munition project when they found out that it wasn’t worth it to have $15,000 artillery shells when each costs only $50 today.
Lol… so some people in Korea disagree and say it is insignificant. Yeah, I saw those comments on articles too. Glad to know that’s how census and survey are done in Korea now.
The events that are occurring as we speak in Soyuz is a remarkable moment in Korean space program history. Calling it ’space tourism’, ‘insignificant’, etc., etc., I’d say, is a very dicky move when obviously quite a number of people are excited over it.
Suppose that it was insignificant… like a small town cheering loudly because it’s celebrating the anniversary of the town’s first modern windmill. Someone passing by goes “This much big deal for a frigging windmill? What a joke.” while another one goes “Oh yeah? The town next door over has three windmills. Why are you guys so excited?” Even if the celebration was over something insignificant, the comments are still asshole-y.
One can always depend on the Hole kyopo to make everything in Korea sacred.
And the funny thing is the things in Korea that the kyopo hold sacred isn’t sacred in the eyes of the Korean.
The Kyopos of the Hole are surely not in tune with the going ons of Korea and yet they pretend that they know everything about Korea.
Anyway, I don’t think anybody here is shitting on Soyeon, however there are a lot of people who are shitting on the program. And it’s obvious because it is stupid to say the least. And stupid program does have its supporters and detractors.
If some people are critical of the program, so what I say, let them be critical. Who said Soyeon’s exursion into space is sacred?
25mil is theirs to spend, WK? Well as someone who doesn’t pay ROK taxes you can easily say something like that. But for someone who does pay ROK taxes,….you get the idea.
Ah, reverting back to Pawi-mode, I see. Well, I guess that signals the end of any hope for meaningful discussion.
Please, continue with “The KyopoTM” bashing.
#21.
Who said I was bashing the kyopo? I was just stating the obvious.
bottom line shes a space tourist
no more comments!
“25mil is theirs to spend, WK? Well as someone who doesn’t pay ROK taxes you can easily say something like that. But for someone who does pay ROK taxes,….you get the idea.”
As I recall, there were some Space Shuttle missions with equally dubious “experiments.”
This one time they took bees into outerspace to see if they could create a bee hive in zero g. Who gives a hoot. That’s what my tax dollars went to…
I thought mcnut closed the thread with his comment.
call it what you like. I think it’s awesome that Korean elementary school girls now have Soyeon to aspire to, instead of just the plastic surgery clones.
be cynical if you want, but Korea’s the first country to have its first person in space be a woman. (yeah, I know they kind of backed into that distinction thanks to Ko’s indiscretions, but so friggin’ what?)
I’m thrilled that a Korean woman is winning fame and distinction for being friggin’ smart and damn competent and a scientific achiever, instead of for having great abs, a good choreographer, and a so-so singing voice.
Go Soyeon!
Ah, WK…..
I see your point. You like wasting taxes!
“Space hub of Northeast Asia”
btw #26,
couldn’t agree with you more there. especially the first bit
Not only is she the first Korean, it’s also the first Korean space Korean banquet prepared by a Korean using real Korean Korean food produced in Korea by Korean companies that employ Korean workers that live in Korea.
Take that, naysayers!
On Monday: the Korea Herald will do a full three-page write-up about the Korean Wave reaching all the way to space!
roboseyo, #26, I’ve pointed this out before on this blog, but Korea is not the first country to send a woman into space first. Helen Sharman
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Sharman
She’s only slightly more famous in the UK than I am and I certainly wouldn’t recognise her walking down the street (actually, she’s infinitely more famous in the UK than I am).
I don’t expect everybody to read my comments, but it would be nice if someone did…(and by the way, I agree with your comments about inspiring the kids).
If people want to talk about a giant waste of money for nothing but national pride, anyone want to guess how much the Gemini and Apollo programs cost in total?
Wow, andy thought that since mcnut said no more comments that we would all simply vanish. That was funny!
Oh, and Andy, if you’re really bitter about the tax money you expended, I’d be glad to cough up the five hundred won or so that was ripped from your sofa cushions and tossed into space.
thanks for the info, Eujin. Now that my facts are straight, I stand by what I said.
# 27,
No, I’m not a democrat… However, republicans also like to waste money, it’s just in different parts of the budget.
roboseyo,
That’s an interesting point. I do think that the young Korean girls out there do get bombarded with images of women that inspire a more, how shall we say, a more “superficial” assessment of what it means to be Korean and female.
I think it’s cool that the heads of a nation decided to put her in space, and the experience she gathers should be a big step for their space program; she can tell them what design factors should be expected and maybe even tips to improve conditions.
At the same time, it’s not like she proved some million dollar math formula or introduced some revolutionary idea, so I don’t really get why girls would look up to her. I mean, is it really that appealing to go to space such that girls would think, “I’m a girl and also well in school and have a big ass melon head, so I, too, have a possibility of going to space one day!”?
#34
Uhm…Maddlew, who said I was bitter about the tax money? Besides I don’t pay ROK taxes. I was simply needling WK about his “25 mil is theirs to spend” remark.
And oh if you want to meet a “bitter Korean taxpayer”, I’m sure you can find lots of them in the streets of Seoul or any other region in Korea.
#37: even
“I’m a girl and do well in school and have a big ass melon head, so I, too, have a possibility of going to space one day!”
is better than
“The movie ‘200 Pound Beauty’ and Korean pop music videos taught me that because I’m a little overweight and less than perfectly gorgeous, I can never be happy or get anything I want out of life, despite my talent, and intelligence and diligence, unless I get plastic surgery to ‘correct’ my physical shortcomings”
Korean girls need more heroes than Shin Saimdang 신사임당 (whose role as a good mother is emphasized, as if that’s the highest attainment a woman can reach) and Yu Gwan-Sun 유관순 (who kicks ass, but whose story also taps that ugly vein of ugly anti-Japanese nationalism that makes me uncomfortable), so if SoYeon cracks the list for being smart and hard-working, without falling into either that “be a good dutiful mother” box OR the “define Korea’s national identity by sticking it to the outsiders” box, I’m all for it.
So that’s the criteria? If you aren’t a melon headed young girl you can’t be inspired by SoYeon? I’m not black so being inspired to want to make back to the plate catches on the warning track like Willie Mays was out of line?
This woman worked her ass off, I’m sure harder than you ever have and you concentrate on the shape of her dome. Everybody who doesn’t meet arthjm’s aethetic standard might as well not try. He’ll make a remark on your appearance that will negate any accomplishment.
#39, True, but I think if one decides their role model from said movie, they’ll need more than Soyeon’s help.
#40, Easy their pardner, I hope English ain’t your first language ’cause that’s some terrible reading comprehension, and it’s quite awful if I have to point that out. I’m guessing you too have got a melon head eh, though considering your hostility, I’m guessing you consider that a bad thing. Odd, since Koreans consider it a sign of intelligence, too bad you haven’t shown it. You’ve made some assumptions on my accomplishments without even knowing me, I’ve neither questioned hers or yours. It’s amusing and interesting that among the comments you’d spaz out over as negating her accomplishments, from space tourist and what not, you’d choose a comment from me about her head (which can also be a compliment) to make your assumptions…I’d say between you and me, you’d be the more superficial.
I was simply saying that I don’t see why she should be a role model, I don’t doubt that she’s worked hard at all (never have or alluded to this either), but I’ve actually witnessed the times when many ajumma’s (and ajossi’s) worked tooth and nail for scraps of food and education in a wasteland, and so simply working hard (in nice sanitary conditions no less!) does not place her over as a role model. Though, between some movie character that robo mentioned and Soyeon, the latter would be a better choice, but c’mon, those aren’t the only people that females these days know of :/