I'm Korean, AMA

[NightsIn]

I'm a Korean mum of one. I used to live in the UK for two years.

If you have any questions about culture, life, coronavirus, education, politics, language, child rearing, food or amything else in Korea, let me know!

(I'm not really up to date with the latest music/dramas, so might not be able to answer much about that but I can try!!)

Name changed for this. I have been to NK and read several books from defectors. What is the view of defectors from the North to South?

"Name changed for this. I have been to NK and read several books from defectors. What is the view of defectors from the North to South?"

It varies a lot. They face a lot of discrimination. I think they struggle to fit in. I have never really met anyone from the north, just one woman and her way of acting was so different. It made me feel sad that our countries have truly become two countries and not one. She didn't feel Korean to me.

If anyone come here from the north, I hope they can be happy. But I think it is hard.

"She didn't feel Korean to me."

I just want to explain this more that obviously I know she was Korean but her way of acting was so different that it was like meeting someone from the other side of the world and that made me sad.

This is a fantastic thread NightsIn thank you for starting it! We often discuss these things over on the kdrama threads so it is good to hear the answers direct from SK!

If the following questions are too personal/identifying just fib

Do you live in Seoul?

Where is your favourite place to go on holiday?

How did you meet your husband? (obv I am hoping he rescued you from a white truck of doom, kdrama style, or from a random biker going past too fast, or you both knew each other in childhood but have forgotten due to a dreadful event)

What would you most like to see change about current life/politics in SK?

How do people feel these days about military service? Is it accepted as unavoidable, are they in favour of it or do they try to get out if it?

No questions but thank you for a fascinating thread

There’s been quite a bit in the British media about the burgeoning feminist movement in SK, particularly the protests about molko (sp?, covert voyeuristic filming of women) but also younger women not wanting to marry because they don’t agree with taking on the daughter in law obligations (eg prep for ancestral rites etc) or the division of domestic labour & impact on employment status with childrearing if they have kids. What does it look like on the ground in SK? Is there a growing trend of women opting out of marriage & kids in favour of careers?

How are mixed race marriages/partnerships perceived generally?

We have a lot of small businesses too though, I think I read we have the highest number of small businesses in the OECD. So while Samsung and Hyundai have a lot of power, there are other small companies too.

I notice this in Chinese (Mandarin) dramas as well as Korean ones. Do you think people are more entrepreneurial in SK (and other Asian countries) than in the UK? Does the economy support start-ups and small businesses well?

Incidentally, from the outside, SK’s progress to such a developed and advanced economy in just a few generations looks amazing from the outside looking in. I can totally understand what you meant when you talked about your grandfather’s sacrifices.

Great thread. Why do defectors face a lot of discrimination and from whom? Isn't it a good thing that they've escaped an oppressive regime?

Korean drama has taken off here quite a bit. Do Koreans get any UK TV and if so what are the favourites?

Korean drama has taken off here quite a bit. Do Koreans get any UK TV and if so what are the favourites?

Ooh yes I'd like to know this too! For example I was amazed when I went to Scandinavia and found "Midsomer Murders" seemed to be on a permanent loop, they love it so much (this was few years ago so apologies if my info is out of date)

Referring back to the spam discussion earlier, I made the budaejjigae (army base stew) recipe in my Korean cookbook and was horrible. The spam and the hot dogs just ruined it. Everything else in the book has been great, though I’m not sure I’ve nailed the anchovy stock used in some of the soups yet. I also wish I could get my seafood jeon to taste like ones in my local Korean restaurant. Mine are always too soggy.

@boatyardblues - thanks. 💐

Fascinating thread.

No questions just interesting reading through.

There was a question in amongst the food musing. Is there a way to stop the anchovy stock tasting bitter? Are you supposed to remove the heads from the dried anchovies or something? The ones I bought in the Korean grocers are about 4-5 cm long, so probably quite a bit of grotty stuff in the heads & bowels.

Thanks for your answer to my question re hiking.

Another question I have is about the Koreans and humour. Do Koreans generally have a good sense of humour and is it valued/viewed as a positive thing? I'm interested because my daughter's piano teacher is Korean and she has an excellent sense of humour. It's quite a wry/dry sense of humour with lots of irony and gentle self-mockery, so fairly similar to the British one (except she definitely hasn't learned it from the UK because she doesn't speak English at all). My daughter adores her (in fact, I often have the feeling that I'm paying for an hour of gossip and laughter therapy rather than piano lessons ).

Macavity - one of my favourite things about kdrama is the Korean sense of humour. Your description “It's quite a wry/dry sense of humour with lots of irony and gentle self-mockery, so fairly similar to the British one” pretty much nails it. I also think there’s a strand of the absurd which makes me laugh a lot because its so well done. I’d say Korean humour is more similar to British humour than American humour. Plenty of poo/fart jokes too, so some it can be quite broad.

This is so interesting!

OP, when you lived in the UK, what were the best and worst things about the UK in your opinion?

"Do you live in Seoul?"

No, I live in Gyeonggido which is the suburbs around Seoul.

"Where is your favourite place to go on holiday?"

In Korea, I love Gangwondo, mountainy area on the east side with lots of beaches. Outside Korea, the UK of course! (But it's so far away)

"How did you meet your husband? (obv I am hoping he rescued you from a white truck of doom, kdrama style, or from a random biker going past too fast, or you both knew each other in childhood but have forgotten due to a dreadful event)"

We met through a friend.

"What would you most like to see change about current life/politics in SK?"

I wish women had more opportunity for employment after having a baby. And I wish working life were simpler here, there's a lot of stress.

"How do people feel these days about military service? Is it accepted as unavoidable, are they in favour of it or do they try to get out if it?"

Men hate it. They all complain about how tough it is and feel like they waste their time. It's impossible to avoid if you aren't rich. But it is much easier and shorter than when my husband did it. They even have cell phones now, that was not allowed in my husband's time.

"There’s been quite a bit in the British media about the burgeoning feminist movement in SK, particularly the protests about molko (sp?, covert voyeuristic filming of women) but also younger women not wanting to marry because they don’t agree with taking on the daughter in law obligations (eg prep for ancestral rites etc) or the division of domestic labour & impact on employment status with childrearing if they have kids. What does it look like on the ground in SK? Is there a growing trend of women opting out of marriage & kids in favour of careers?"

People are really upset about molka. It is a big problem and quite scary. Recently, one actor stopped a man filming a woman and that was nice to read. Sometimes men don't care about this things.

I can see that so many young women don't want to marry and have children. Of course it is hard sometimes. I think they have more freedom than my generation and I am proud of them.

"How are mixed race marriages/partnerships perceived generally?"

It's very very unusual. My husband's friend's sister is married to an American and we were all surprised to hear that. And one ex colleague is married to a Japanese lady. I don't know much about it but of course no problem for me, if my son wants to, he can marry someone from overseas.

Are you a good cook? If so please could I have a jigae recipe that is hot but not sweet.

Are you gosu at Starcraft?

"Do you think people are more entrepreneurial in SK (and other Asian countries) than in the UK? Does the economy support start-ups and small businesses well?"

I am really not sure. I have to say I know nothing about business at all. Some of my friends started small businesses and they get some government money I think.

"Why do defectors face a lot of discrimination and from whom? Isn't it a good thing that they've escaped an oppressive regime?"

Isn't it similar in the UK? Many people complain about Syrian refugees there. I think it's similar.

Korean drama has taken off here quite a bit. Do Koreans get any UK TV and if so what are the favourites?"

Netflix is so popular here so we have some British shows on that. Me and my husband loved The IT Crowd. We didn't understand The Office. I watched a lot of British TV and movies when I lived there but most Koreans prefer American dramas.

"Referring back to the spam discussion earlier, I made the budaejjigae (army base stew) recipe in my Korean cookbook and was horrible. The spam and the hot dogs just ruined it. Everything else in the book has been great, though I’m not sure I’ve nailed the anchovy stock used in some of the soups yet. I also wish I could get my seafood jeon to taste like ones in my local Korean restaurant. Mine are always too soggy."

Budaejiggae is yummy.

If you put potato powder (not sure of the name) in jeon, it will be crunchier. Or use a lot of oil (hella oil, my flatmate used to say)