The Lighter Side

Okay, so I realize what is going on here. My messages are rapidly turning into a pooh-poohing of all things Korean. That's why I am dedicating Monday's (Tuesday this week) to the theme of "What I Like About Korea" or What is Good About Korea": you get the idea.

This past weekend was a long weekend. That is good. March 1 in Korea is the day in which they remember the National uprising against the Japanese occupation. The uprising was a failure in the sense that it did not remove the Japanese, but signifies the spirit of the Korean culture. The whole city was littered with Korean flags: two for every lamp post and the huge apartment complexes had Korean flags flying out of almost every window. It was quite a site to see.

The pains of this occupation are still overwhelming to the Korean population. Many hold a deep grudge towards Japanese people. Recently, while out for dinner with some Korean friends, we were watching the news. There was a segment with a woman crying and apologizing to elderly Korean women who were screaming at her. The young woman was apologizing for posing nude in a photo in front of a Japanese soldier. After the apology, they burned all the pictures and the negatives in the street. The scars of that occupation have not faded in Korea.

Sorry, I guess that wasn't all good, but did you learn something? I hope so. Please join me next time when we will discuss... I don't know.