BoraInKorea

National Museum of Korea meets its 100th Anniversary!

It has been a long time since I last posted on this blog.

Beginning my life as a sophomore changed a lot of things.

It made me busier...

Today, I saw a TV programme called "PR Korea"

Various celebrities of Korea flew abroad in order to

promote Korea to other nations and to correctify

some of the mistaken information about South Korea.

For example, in England students learn Korea as one of the poorest, less economically

developed nations, while in reality, it is certainly not.

South Korea established its most civilized and developed culture and economy.

Also, more surprisingly, in Argentina, the nation's most widely used geographical

textbook is stating that Korea is part of China!

Outrageous!

Korea is a nation, not a part of Korea.

Plus, we learn Korean as our mother-language, not Chinese.

To foreigners, Asian countries and their culture may seem familiar, but that is not genuine.

Japan, China, and Korea each nation has his own distinct culture and lifestyles.

It is believed most commonly throughout the world that Koreans are "Dog Eaters".

Only very little proportion of Koreans eat dogs, but the mass media from abroad are

generalizing this fact as a inherent characteristic and food culture of Korea.

This kind of wrong information is one of the factor that stains Korea's reputation.



Writing materials about information that is not even closest to the truth is worse than

not mentioning about Korea.

But this kind of pointing fingers to aloofness to Korea of foreign countries cannot be tolerated.

The blame liest to Korean government, for not doing its best to promote Korea.

There are calls from companies, factories, and book publishers and even governments from

abroad, information about korea.

However, government is not working hard enough, or according to the content of the programme

not working at all to correctify the mistaken facts.

This kind of government's laziness and aloofness is slowly spoiling the nation's value and image.

Even in this very moment, without knowing about the government's dawdling, our nation's true

identity, true value is slipping away from our hands.

This has to be stopped.



So, Korean celebrities went abroad to change such false information and to convey Korea's

messages for telling the truth and to give out materials such as books and DVDs about Korea.

I, myself, as one of the proud members of VANK, an organization where ordinary students like

me volunteer to work as cyber diplomats, have been working hard to promote Korea

to my penpals and even further ask for some of the renowned book publishers to correctify the

wrong information of Korea on their websites.

But everytime I carried out my job, I found it very stressful and oppressed that things are

not changing enough.

That even if the strength of so many VANK members gather to speak out the truth concerning

Korea, the power was not powerful enough.

But, with the help of famous celebs of Korea, visiting the publishers to amend the truth,

the sign of change is sparkling so brightly.

I am not saying that their one time volunteer job is exceeding people's individual effort to

advertise Korea.

I am simply approving of the impact of celebs' work.

With extra help from Korean celebrities, things would advance and change much faster.

Watching the show for nearly 2 hours, I realized that grass root action has to meet with

help from other people, that if every Koreans stand out and cooperate,

things can change at a fast speed and eventually our history will change.

Shortly after our arrival at JeJu Island, we went off to taste the traditional food.
On the left is hard boiled mackerel. It is quite spicy.
And on the right is also boiled pork. Since the women of Je Ju had to work as well as men, the boild pork is their common dish.

Koreans have been eating meat with vegetables and mainly they consume lettuce with pork, some rice and special sauce called "doenjang". This food is called "Ssam" which most Koreans love. "Ssam" is very healthy eating since we not only eat meat but also fresh greens:)



Now, my friend Sora is eating the "Ssam". It looks like her mouth cannot bear such big full Ssam!

What is JeJu Island, you might ask.
JeJu Island is located at the very north of South Korea.
However, since it is a island and there was not enough cultural interaction between the JeJu
and South Korea, many differences can be found which is very interesting!!


Over 20 people including me and other VANK memebers and VANK staffs went aboard airplane at 10:25 to explore the mysterious island:)

However, Jikji is not mentioned as the world's first ever matalloid type in many of foreign websites. Some even states that Gutenberg's Bible was the first ever made matalloid type. Yet, this Jikji was devised 78 years before Gutenberg's invention.
So, VANK, a voluntary organization where students carry out missions to correctify wrong information about korea and make Korea better knonwn to the world, is also doing its best to correctify those incorrect historical records. Frankly, I didn't know much about Jikji either before participating in this campaign.

However, after I read the whole website about our Jikji, I figured that this invaluable invention of Korea should not only be known to korea but also to the whole world. Due to the movable metal type printing technique, it helped people to publish several books in one time. With this technique, it became probable to lower the high book price and spread thoughts and knowledges through the books to many people.

Yet, our Jikji is currently not in the right place. It is secured in France. Many Koreans were taught that French stole it from Korea during France's invasion in Choseon Dynasty. However this is not correct. One Frencheman collected this Jikji as a antiques and took it back to his country. Nevertheless I and Koreans strongly believe that Jikji should be returned to its rightful place.

Last year, a historic and historical drama called "TaeWangSaShinGi" was broadcasted in success.
The drama called Legend, gained a great deal of popularity over both Korea and Japan. First, it starred the internationally famous star Bae Yong Joon.
Korea's famous star "Bae Yong Joon" starred in this drama as the main character who later becomes Great King Kwanggaeto, who drew a significant line to Goguryeo's history.
Besides, the other characters acted so well and lively that the drama seemed so real and funny.
Every scene is incredible for they put a lot of money into it, the drama looks so real.

The plot is based on the life of the Great King Kwanggaeto, who expanded Korean territory to the far North, to where it is now China. He is also known as Damduk.
Damduk, who never would have imagined he would later become king, lived happily with his father. Then, oneday, four gaurdians of King woke up and both the good side and the bad side began to search for the 4 sacred objects.


In his teenage, Damduk becomes the king of Koguryo and depite many attacks from his enemies, he finds his way through such tough times with the help of his friends. With his intelligenece, Kwanggaeto king rules his nation so well and expands the territory to the extent of the South of China. He and his enemies from the North fought to obtain the 4 sacred objects because according to a legend a king who possesses the 4 objects will have the complete power to rule the world.

During Damduk's life he met "Sujini" and "Giah", the two sisters. He fell for "Giah" first and she gave birth to Damduk's son who will later become the king JangSoo. Then, when "Giah" had turned her back on Daumduk because she thought that he abandoned her, Damduk meets this "Sujini" who later finds out that she was the younger sister of "Giah". Those two women share the power of Fire. And the two women and other three men called "HyunGo" who possesses the power of Water, "Jumuchi" the guardian of Wind and "Cheoro" the gurdian of Rain are the guardians of king. They fight for Dumduk sacrificing themselves to protect him.


The handsome Great King Kwanggaeto in his youth(teenage)


Bae Yong Joon, acting 10's in his 30's...






Sujini. Who later falls in love with King Kwanggaeto. Her parents were killed by the HwaChun. She was raised by "HyunMu". He was her guru. She is very funny, easy going and quite... alcoholic. Yet, she fights well along with other male fighters and contributes a lot to Damduk's plan.









Giah. Damduk's first ever crush. She is the sister of Sujini but she doesn't know the fact until her very end. She turns to bad side after she thinks that her lover Kwanggaeto abandoned her.




The Guardians of King.

On the left is Sujini, the second to left is "Cheoro"


On the left is "HyunGo" and to his next is "Jumuchi" who nearly died for saving Damduk.








This men is the enemy of Damduk. Because he thinks that Damduk killed her mother with a poison, he hates Damduk so much and intends to kill him. His name is "Yeon Ho gae". Then, he finds that he loves "Giah" and feel anger for he also notices that "Giah" loves Damduk.






On the left is HwaChun's leader who controls Giah 'til the very end.
Hwachun is a secret, dark organization who have waited for the 4 guardians to wake up and get hold of the 4 objects in order to take the power to rule the world.
With his dark intelligence and magic, he tries to stop Damduk obtaining the objects and guardians.
He also separates Giah from Damduk .

This is "YeonGaRyo" the father of "YeonHoGae".

"YeonGaRyo" who is the noted noble of Goguryeo, abondons his country and king to make his son become the king. Because of his guilt, he poisons himself and dies.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This drama is one of the best damas I've ever seen. It still is in my mind even a year have passed since its last broadcast. I think that many Koreans and Japanese enjoyed the drama because the drama covers the Great King Kwanggaeto we've never that well known before. Also, this drama not only focuses on his accomplishments but also his humanity.

I really hope that a leader just like Damduk, who knows how to rule the country well, has a strong leadership and tenderness in him at the same time. Who listens to other people's opinions and tries to help his opponents if his people are in danger.

In the time when the cyber democracy is very active and the current president being attacked for every little bits of mistake, we need a strong, but considerate ruler and also very helpful and understanding companies and citizens around him.