I've been an avid fan of the current 108-episode Korean drama "Be Strong, Geum-Soon!" that's running on Channel U, Mondays - Fridays at 7 pm. Occasionally, when Louis is home in time to catch the show with me or when we view the recorded episode after putting Faith to sleep, he would be commenting or lamenting about some of the scenes.
Yesterday, the episode featured the father-in-law of the lead character absolutely seething and furious with his eldest son becos the latter hid the truth from his parents and did not tell them he married a woman who was a divorcee with a son (whom her ex has custody of). The father was so disgraced and humiliated that he refused to talk to his son and daughter-in-law and even asked them to move to stay on their own asap.
My dear hubby was next to me and asking if Koreans are still fundamentally conservative and consider a divorce woman to be social stigmas or pariahs, who not only brought disgrace upon her parents but is doomed to a fate worse than the lowest of human form and never to remarry. I certainly don't profess to know any better.
However, I once heard from our Korean friend that in S.Korea, if an old lady deign to scold or lecture a person on the streets (i.e. a stranger), one should be grateful becos the elder cared enough to want to help correct the person's behaviour.
Anyways, the long and short of it was that my hubby was curious enough to drop an email to our Korean friend after the show and asked her about it. I'm curious myself to know too. While I'm a Singaporean Chinese, its not an unknown fact that we're much influenced by Western (more American, I suspect) cultures so much so that the Chinese think of us as bananas (yellow on the outside, white on the inside). Even though the government is concerned about rising divorce rates, I believe the society is tolerant of remarriages for divorcees.
As soon as our friend replies, we'll share whether the scene from the show depicts real or reel Korean values and culture.
3 comments:
I didn't know you're also a K-drama fan? Geez, I have discovered my knack for K-drama in my days of being a SAHM and every 2 weeks I complete a DVD box set which I swop with another K-drama addict fren. So if you're keen, I've still got some titles with me, the last being Green Rose - really nice plot. From what I observe from K-drama, Koreans are very conservative folks with aged ideas (read as Stick-in-the-mud machoistic ideas).
No really a big fan but would enjoy watching them now and then. Sure, now that I'm a SAHM, would appreciate free swopping of K-dramas to save Louis some money. Bring them on or pass them to my mom, ok?
I have on hand 2 K-dramas - My Lovely Samsoon and Only You :)
I love that My Lovely Samsoon - courtesy of my K-drama friend. I finished the full set in 8 days cos the plot was engaging and it was funny too. The male lead Hyun Bin is a real head turner. I've not watched Only You. Currently asking my fren to pass me the latest title "Snow Queen" which has been sold out. Btw, found out that Videoezy sells K-drama DVD sets at 15% discount at selected branches which is cheaper than Bluemax.And this K-drama fren of mine is currently taking Korean lang classes too... we both watch in Korean dialogue with English subtitles, hence only DVD sets and not the VCD sets.
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