On Korea and Korean-Americans

This represents my views on Korea as a Korean-American as of now.

Korea is shrouded for me somewhere between a mythical Eden and my own self-constructed experiences, fragments of inchoate memories that never focus. That is Korea for me. However, Koreans are not from that land. Koreans, and if you're Korean or a particularly perceptive foreigner, you'll understand me when I say this, Korean-Koreans are for the most part alien to me; the social-hierarchical etiquette is irrational (age never equates to respect, though there might be a general correlation), their pop-culture is for the most part simply embarassing, and though I feel it in me as well, its inclusivity and introspection, largely hailed as a remnant of past backward generations, seem to makes itself felt experientially, though it is not embedded within belief-systems. In other words, Korean think too much about other Korean and does not seem to be comfortable in a cosmopolitan world; it is simply a form of mental sadaejuii.

I was joking on the car ride to retreat and a Korean female singer came on, sounding exactly like Alanis Morisette. Another female group, the "Afterschool" (so hot) group is boldly and explicitly proclaimed as a "Pussycat Dolls" derivative. Another group, "Stony Skunk" is clearly a ludicrous crossover between Jamaican reggae and Korean lyricism. (Just realized all my examples pertain to music) This is a form of cultural theft, stealing from a dominant culture without reciprocating.

(TBC)