A Poisonous Apple Tastes Better.

'Myeon' is a Korean word that contains all types of thin and long flour-made food also known as 'noodle' or 'vermicelli', etc.
People say that Korea, China, Japan have their original way to make myeon from kneading(dough). Korea slices, China lengthens, and Japan pulls out. By the way, in Korea, 2 misterious myeon foods made without slicing--a Korean way to make myeon--are Koreans' favorites.
One is Jajangmyeon. I might say every Korean calls it a representative Chinese food. Because it has been selling only in Chinese restaurants in Korea, and Jajang is a sort of Chinese sauce. However, there hasn't been the very Jajangmyeon in China for real--recently news said some Koreans started Jajangmyeon business in China. According to Encyber, Jajangmyeon was initially invented in Incheon, Korea. Also Wikipedia has more about it.
The other is Ramyeon. Mass media have told Korean people to know that Ramyon came from Japan's 'Ramen'. But at the same time, they have delivered news about Korean Ramyeon with a particular market share in Japan due to its different style from Ramen's.
These two don't have only one thing in common that 'imported in a way, but evolved to an originality', but also have the other common point that they are asked to sit at the table with an arguable issue of 'health'.
Last week, a TV show insisted Jajangmyeon has a great deal of MSG(Monosodium L-Glutamate) which can cause an imbalance of human immune system. Right after the show, the audience started talking, arguing about it on the Internet.If Jajangmyeon is a student of the school named 'arguments', Ramyeon is already a graduate. there is a longer story about Ramyeon's MSG, artificial flavors, chemical seasonings, industrial suet(beef oil) use, etc.
At the end of those arguments over Jajangmyeon and Ramyeon, I might have a conclusion they are not that good for my health. However, I find myself still loving them regardless of how they are bad for our health. Because I eat them not when I want to be healthy, but when I want to feel pleasure with extremely great taste. In other words, for Jajangmyeon and Ramyeon, if they taste great, that's it.
I don't expect my friends to be rich or looking nice at all. They are just my friends.Likewise, I don't expect Jajangmyeon and Ramyeon to be good for my health at all. They are just my friends--not too often for my health, though.

'Shoot With A Rice'

Koreans usually call a meal 'a rice'. Because a bowl of rice is essential on the meal table although others vary.

Normally, Korean meal has one bowl of rice, one bowl of soup([guk] or [ji-ge]), and other plates. A Rice bowl places right near the person, and a soup bowl does right of the rice bowl--a spoon and chopsticks follow them.

If you have a Korean friend or just a Korean around a you who you want to be familiar with, I suggest one thing that works very good--Treat a meal.

I know that it is human nature to love to get any favor from others. However, if you are thinking about giving a good impression to your Korean friends, I can say 'a rice' will work more efficiently than other presents which in some situations cannot show your real heart as it is.

There even is a slang that means 'to treat a meal'--'To shoot with a rice'. When a good thing just happens to a Korean near you, you will hear this word in Korean "I'll shoot all you guys with dinner!" from the person. It means "I'll treat you." or "It's on me."

Literally, it might be right expressing 'to treat' as 'to shoot' in a way in Korea. Because the people treated by whom would start talking 'positive' stories about whom immediately as if they got shot. Even though some didn't like whom, they could change their mind a bit more positively at least.

If you made your mind to 'shoot' your Korean friends 'with a rice', don't worry about money. Usually, it doesn't matter how much you pay when you 'shoot', but your action to 'shoot' and the situation to have dinner together just count. You can try out with a little 'Deokbokki'(photo available above) or other 1000 won (approx. 1 dollar) streetfoods. Though I'm not denying this proverb "The more, the better!"

Once you 'shoot', the others would 'shoot' back at the next time. That's the mysterious symmetry of how familiar relationships grow in Korea.

*Thanks to miwooc.com for the photo use authorization

Look Up, Private!

Last year when I was living in Camp Humphreys in Korea which is a US Army base. On a day, it was lunch time when I was passing by my battalion building. Meters far from me, there were 2 officers and 2 enlisted soldiers. 2 enlisted were talking to each other so that they couldn't pay attention to the officers. All of a sudden, one of the officers just stopped the enlisted and said, "Hey hey, look up, private!" Then the enlisted could recognize the officer's rank on the beret and saluted. It was a rule that enlisted soldiers render a salute to the officers, outdoor. (I'm not talking about the event above was how, which is not common. Most officers I've seen were humble for sure.)

If the Republic of Korea were one of those privates, it might not have missed to be careful of higher ranks.
From years of my accumulated experiences of news watching, I found a certain pattern of Korean journalism's news making. That is, a 'quotation'--to translate news from other 'powerful' countries related to a special issue of Korea.

Korean press tends to study powerful countries' face. Suppose there was a soccer game between Korea and France, news with the headline 'responses abroad' suddenly appear. It might be made of a translation of news from AP, AFP, UPI, Reuters, CNN, BBC, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Japanese press. For relatively big issues in Korea, Korean press rather worries about how 'they' talk upon the issues.

What isn't good is, a translated news can be used for somebody's favor. Also, sometimes it can cause an illusion that the issue is now being evaluated more positively and bigger than it really is. So Korean people have a big chance of taking in and believing forever a distorted point of view as if it is really true in quality and qualtity.

Korea wants to be 'Korea in the world' as soon as possible. I understand it is very important to keep up with the international sense. However, whenever I see translated news such as "World Praised Korea Highly", I feel subtle and wonder if it was because of a sort of toadyism.

Pusan? Busan? Taegu? Daegu?

Last year on May, I went on a military mission as a translater in Gwangyang, Korea for months. One of my US Army friends asked me, "Why did Korea change its names of places?" "What do you mean?", I said. "I know Busan used to be Pusan, and Daegu, Taegu..." Then I got the point.

"Oh, It didn't change names. Names are still same but the expression... I mean......."

There is a specialized way called 'Romanization System'() for Korean expressions of foreign languages based on alphabets in Korean, due to Koreans using just one mother tongue. I know the system has had various issues related with all around Korea, among scholars and citizens. So I will talk about a little 'chaos' around certain pronunciations and expressions.

It has been a history of confusions between the 2 different systems in the past and of now. The Romanization System in the past was based on phonology, the linguistic study of speech sounds in a particular language. In plain words, it is academically right at least.

For example, when Koreans pronounce '', they think it is Busan. However, when Americans listen to the sound of Koreans reading '', they think it is rather similar to Pusan than Busan.

In Korean, '' and '' are bilabial (two-lip) consonants. Koreans tell one from the other owing to if it is aspirated.

But in English, [b], [p], [v], [f] are them. If somebody asked an English user why [b] is different from [p], he or she would answer that [b] is voiced, but [p] is unvoiced.

According to phonology, it is hard for English speakers to understand voiced sounds spoken unvoiced by Koreans, who are not used to tell voiced sound from the unvoiced. Instead, they are used to aspiration which isn't that 'decicive' in normal English conversations.

Let's come back to the system. Koreans are supposed to express English pronunciation with it. That is, they should speak [b], [p], [v], [f] with '' and '' when they speak in Korean. Doing 4 with 2 seems uneasy.

Since the Romanization System has been set in 1984--the first national scheme was set in 1959--many Koreans have felt uncomfortable for those Pusan and Taegu. Because they thought [pusan] is just [pusan], not [usan] as well as [taegu] is not [aegu].

That is, Korean people imagine the pronunciation as [] (aspirated p) exactly, not [p] (non-aspirated p), when they see the alphabet 'p'. The same rule goes with the alphabet 'd', too.

So, New Romanization() was released in July 2000. it substituted Busan and Daegu for Pusan and Taegu. Koreans got to feel comfortable. However, English speakers could not only find any 'voiced [b]' from that 'Busan', but also voiced [d] from Daegu.

It comes down to this. Koreans think aspiration important but, English speakers consider voicing more. The New Romanization is rather for Koreans to recognize English in Korean more conveniently.


*For those who are interested in the international phonetic alphabet (click here)
*Busan is the second biggest city in Korea.
*Daegu is one of 6 metropolitan cities in Korea.

Disappointed Chopstick Pride

I had felt proud a bit of myself using chopsticks before. As I saw my chopsticks picking up a very tiny bean up on the dinner plate, I used to be fascinated by my skillful fingers like Wing Biddlebaum's from the novel "Winesberg, Ohio" of Sherwood Anderson.

On a Saturday, years ago, I volunteered for a goodwill guide for a group of 4 Americans. After showing Changdeokgung (Palace), a tourist site, I lead them to Sadong Myeonok in Insa-dong, Seoul, a famous restaurant where is good to have lunch together. As we were waiting on what we ordered (Mandu Jeongol), I imagined they might have troubles with using chopsticks so that I prepared my own instruction to show them how to use chopsticks.

Meal was served, and I was about to 'begin' to teach it.
However, 3 of them already knew how to use them. And then, those 3 taught the other for sure. It took only 2 minutes for the last man to get used to it. I just saw what was happening out of my plan, and sealed my lips just glancing at the chopstick genii.

I thought chopstick world is all about Asians only. Yes. It is. According to the Chosun Ilbo, about 1,500,000,000 people are using chopsticks in the world. And more than 80% of it is by Koreans, Japaneses, Chineses. But I couldn't help admitting their chopsticks for fun almost looked like mine for more than 20 years.

As a matter of fact, there are differences of chopstick achievements between Koreans. I am in a poorer group. Because I don't follow the known 'FM' (field manual) correctly. While in the desirable method 4th finger should support second chopstick, I support it with 3rd finger. Chopstick users might know how big difference it causes. I can't pick up 'a grain' of rice with my way even though I can do any bigger thing than that. However in reality, many people think it is enough if chopsticks can help eating at least. So less people are trying so hard to be 'expert level' chopstick user with the 'best' method. DJ DOC, a korean group, sang in the song "Dance with the DOC."(lyrics / song) like below.

젓가락질 잘해야만 밥을 먹나요
잘못해도 서툴러도 밥 잘먹어요
그러나 주위사람 내가 밥먹을때 한마디씩 하죠(너 밥상에 불만있냐?)
옆집 아저씨와 밥을 먹었지그아저씨 내 젓가락질 보고 뭐라 그래
하지만 난 이게 좋아 편해 밥만 잘먹지 나는 나예요 상관말아요
Can we have a meal only if we are great at chopsticks?
Even bad or poor at them, there's nothing to deal with my meals.
But when I have a meal people around me say a word 'Do you feel any bad at the dining table?'
I had rice with the man (Ajeossi) next door.
He blamed my chopstick using.
But I like it and feel this way comfortable. No problem at all.
That's just me, myself. None of your business YO!
(translated by me, the rest omitted)

I still prefer my way to the way it is originally supposed to be.
In my chopstick life, I feel uncomfortable only when needed to pick up 'a grain' of rice that normally doesn't happen a lot. But I will toss this job to my children to do it correctly^^a.

Here comes the correct chopstick use. (source: How to use Chopsticks)


1. Hold the stationary stick with slight pressure between the second
joint of the thumb and the index finger.
Support it with the ring finger and little finger.


2. Hold the moving stick between the thumb, index and middle fingers as you would hold a pen.


3. To open the ends of chopsticks, lift the middle finger up.
If you can't do it, please push the supporting point of the ring finger with the other index finger.


4. Drop the middle finger down to shut the ends of the chopsticks.
If you can't do it well, please push the supporting point on the ring finger with the other index finger.



OK, heroes. Let's show your skillful chopstick movement and dissappoint other Koreans!

Important Guests

Though I'm ready to go bed now at the end of a very tired day, I have to leave some lines before sleeping.

I was so surprised that 2 comments were added to my post for real.

Because I didn't believe somebody who I didn't invite comes here.

One was the first person who left a comment to me in my blogging life.

I might not forget today of Paul's the first comment.

I would be very happy if my first reader would come time to time.

The other was the one named Joel.

Let me see, where do I know the name...............

I want to say more stories that I recall now, but I'm too much sleepy to type. I'll just make it short. Yawn......

1. Last year, I was working with US Army as a ROKA(Republic of Korea Army) soldier.

2. Then, I really enjoyed reading 2 blogs--flying yangban, about joel.

3. Those have really moved my heart to make me decide to start a blog in English.

4. The host of one of them came to leave a sharp message.

5. I say Hooah...





Zzz.........

Only Male Babies Can Show What

A few years ago in the States, a Korean lady who had a lovely grandson so loved him that she humored his little symbol. An American saw that and made police to take care of it. She was accused for child abuse. How sad it is. (I agree what Joel said--"this might be an urban legend.")

In Korea, grandparents can show how they think their grandchildren cute as touching a little 'teenie winnie'. This custom is disappearing slowly but it's still not a 'crime' at all. Korean parents who politely want to show they have a 'boy' would let their infants naked or barely-naked with a T-shirt on. They think it looks natural and OK as a baby. Then others can see if the baby is a boy. Nobody worries then.

Most Korean parents have a prejudice that 'a boy is required at least'. Because there is tradition 'the memorial service' for ancestors in Korea, which can be performed by only male. Traditionally, once a daughter gets married, she was considered to help not her original family's memorial service but her husband's. A boy rather than a girl should be 'the man' to take care of the parents. Those are a few reasons why a boy can show that he's a boy on public--actually parents make him to do so though.

This is absolutely against the gender equality of today. However, I still hear the stories about the families with children as daughter-daughter-son or daughter-daughter-daughter-daughter-son. You might guess why now--they just have been a long long way to have one 'the at-least' son.

Road to being smart: university rush

Do you remember what 'Sa-nong-gong-sang' is about? If not, you may refer to the link right with the title.

The thing is, office workers have been considered as the most valuable.
Korean students ready to go to high school need to choose the type of it.
One is to go on to university of college, the other is to go on to the business world just after the end of high school.

There is an issue when students choose the type. Korean parents still have a tendency to look 'business, industry, commerce' down while. They also have a prejudice that smart students must go to university. They would think their kids (even at the end of teen) should normally want to go to university, as that is the only one way to be a winner.

Once the students choose where to go, another choice should be taken when they are about to be in the 2nd grade of high school. Liberal art track, or science track. The former course is to prepare a grounding for university majors like business administration, economy, language, psychology, etc. The latter is to do it for majors such as math, engineering, science, etc. Then, bloody competitions begin.

As far as I know, Americans don't think 'everybody wants to go to university'. But Koreans do. The way of thinking from the past still works. It causes way of life. Many Koreans admit that there is 'a few' ways to have a succesful life. So, young children are 'strongly recommended' to think about how to defeat others, although it is too early for them to do it. People have different talents to do different roles in society. That's what it is supposed to be like. But Korean parents' enthusiasm for their children's education is one of the highest in the world on average. They usually don't stop stressing their children as they excuse "All is for them. I can't help it."

There is a national exam named College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) on November every year for all those who are in 'such' high schools getting students ready to go to university. Somebody calls it the Korean SAT. It looks OK despite some diffecences. On the D-day, almost everything looks focused on the test. airports halt not to make noises annoying the exam takers in the listening part of it. Business people start working later then normal to lessen traffic jam to let students be on time for the test. Each high school's 1st, 2nd graders show cheering performances in the early morning in front of the test place. Imagine how festive the scene! After the CSAT, many exam takers feel they failed to achieve what they wanted. So they decide to try it again next year. While they try once, twice, three times again, one, two, three years--or more and more!

Oh, it's been longer so far than I expected, that's it for today.

Road to being smart: an old story

There was Joseon Dinasty (a.k.a Chosun Dinasty) on the Korean peninsula for 512 years (1392-1910). It was a father-to-son monarchy, and its governing philosophy was Confucianism.
Based on that 'ism', there was a way to rate jobs. 'Sa-nong-gong-sang' is the term in Korean.
FIrst, 'sa' looks almost like 'white-collar workers'. They had to pass a national exam applying for a government officer. The exam was to test how deeply the applicants understand Confucianism. The exam takers made a poem as well as an essay about the subject. Students had to prepare the exam for 10 years on average--some genii used to shorten it, though.
'Nong' means agriculture. As it was before the industrial revolution, they knew how farming is important. So, they said 'Nong-ja-cheon-ha-ji-dae-bon', Farmers form the basis of all. However, farmers were still lower than 'white-collars'.
'Gong' says about industry. Craft workers were relatively considered less important. They had to show appropriate manners when meeting with, talking to the 'sa'.
'Sang' at the bottom is to merchants. Workers in commercial areas were considered low-born. They were often called as 'things' that it was normally natural for them to be treated bad.
Then, the order of status was 'office workers-farmers-craft workers-merchants'.
I'm not talking about 'discrimination' but giving you a background to understand what 'being smart' is like in Korea. Let me go on a bit later.

Not likely to love Japan

All Korean people might know they aren't likely to love Japan which is right next country to their's. However, almost the rest of the world might not.
As you know, Japan is one of the best-known Asian country to all round the world. Not merely I would rate Japan as 2nd ranker on the world ladder, but also many other Koreans would.
So, In public, it looks natural that they say Japan is leading this world in fact, Japan is showing a great performance in many areas it takes part in, and Japan will be on top otf the world, etc.
Though, a different thing happens in reality. Korean people have a tendency to pretend as they are cool seeing Japan's achievement. But they are really aggressive especially on things with Japan.
Japan has been seeking a 'gate' to get out of the island, because they wanted better living conditions like weather, fertility, and land stableness--earthquakes usually prefer Japan to Korea, China.
So, if Japan wanted 'a step to the land', the first one would always be on the Korean peninsula. Needlessly to research history, you will imagine how many bloody events had happened between Korea holding the the key to the land and Japan desiring it.
The historical atmosphere is like above in brief. Let me go on telling about Korea catching up Japan. What Koreans have deep in mind is to beat Japan up eventually. When it's time for a soccer game Korea vs. Japan, it becomes a nationally-serious event. Koreans lose other concentration than that to this game, the game winner is almost evething winner who holds the samile in the very next morning.
In the industry, If Sony is leading the world electronics market, Samsung quickly outruns. Japan used to be the no.1 in LCD(liquid crystal display) market, but it's not like that anymore thanks to Korea. Sometimes Japan is too busy competing with top 5s to worry about Korea way back there. But Korea would rather want to take the present no.1 Japan down to sit there.
Korean people take the fact that they are now in about 10th or lower, the while Japan is in 2nd or 3rd. But they don't lose the pride as if they're already no.1. They believe they are the smartest in the world. Next article will be about 'being smart' in Korea.

Standards

Before I start posting articles, I want to talk about some standards:

What I write is what I saw with my eyes, heard with my ears, smelled with my noses, tasted with my tongue, touched with my hands, and thought with my brain.

I said too long above, but actually it just means my 'opinion'.

Opinions can be right or wrong as you know.

When needed, I will try to inform that it is negotiable.

One more thing, if you are just a bit interested in the country named Korea, all I'm going to write will be FUN, I guarantee.

"To begin is a half."

There is a saying "To begin is a half." in Korea.

It means to begin is so hard that if you kick off something you already have done it a half.

What's going to happen here is that I will talk about the Republic of Korea and its people, Koreans as I observe day by day.

Hope those who are interested in my stories from now enjoy.