The Hub of Sparkle!

I do not give myself over to those who would hate one based on my race. Nor do I find myself in a position where I aim to dislike the people I’m surrounded by. The Korean culture, as a whole, has had their own almost-emo-like phase of 한 (han), however you’d like to define it. The definition from Wikipedia, while admittedly open-sourced, is certainly one of the easier to read definitions:

Han is a concept in Korean culture, attributed by some as a national cultural trait. Han denotes a collective feeling of oppression and isolation in the face of overwhelming odds. It connotes aspects of lament and unavenged injustice.

The minjung theologian, Suh Nam-dong describes han as a “feeling of unresolved resentment against injustices suffered, a sense of helplessness because of the overwhelming odds against one, a feeling of acute pain in one’s guts and bowels, making the whole body writhe and squirm, and an obstinate urge to take revenge and to right the wrong — all these combined.”[1]

The Korean poet Ko Eun describes the trait as universal to the Korean experience: “We Koreans were born from the womb of Han and brought up in the womb of Han.”[5]

At least the article cites some sources to examine further. However you define han, it is fairly clear that the recent stories regarding foreigners in Korea has warranted a closer look. For background, see this story from Yonhap (original article in Korean), as translated by Korea Beat and commented on by many a Korean blogger. Once you’re up to date, read on.
It’s becoming clear that the symptoms of han, that “collective feeling of oppression and isolation in the face of overwhelming odds” is among us as well. Only the naive or those who don’t keep up with the news could avoid it. Those who has been in Korea for a long time have seen many examples – time and time again – of slanted news stories, bad statistics, or statistics ignored in favor in favor of whatever tack the reporter wishes to take.

Perhaps you might say ‘ignorance is bliss’. Perhaps you can ignore the double standards of your Korean teachers, ignore the discrimination felt against you based on your nationality, conform to the system’s difficult to impossible demands, and give up any civil liberties that might otherwise be yours in another free country. Perhaps you can feel safe in your position and responsibilities and don’t have any immediate concerns worth protesting over. Or perhaps you believe, I’ll just leave Korea if things get that bad. Fair points – but to use an expression from The Matrix, how far down does the rabbit hole go? At what point does an employer cross the line? How much are you willing to give up to keep the peace or status quo?

The cultural gap between Koreans and foreigners often leaves us in worlds apart. With deference to those in a multi-cultural relationship, virtually the only time Koreans and foreigners come together is in the classroom. Perhaps at a bar or dance club, but in those environments the ‘two worlds’ are as reinforced as in the rest of the country. Beyond the cultural taboo of speaking to someone not in your social group rests more reasons to hesitate – the uneasiness that is the unknown, the lack of self-confidence in speaking English, and yes, the stories you’ve read or heard about ‘those English teachers’. Perhaps a parent has given such strict warnings that even looking at a foreigner might be punitively dealt with. May whatever God you believe in help you if you’re seen holding hands with one.

What, then, is a community of foreign English teachers to do? Are we to accept whatever the media says about us, with no recourse? Are we simply expected to suffer through the humiliation of stereotypes or guilt by association? Shall we play their game, reporting stories of Koreans behaving badly as such stories come up? The answer, I think, is a more aggressive form of action than this community has seen in quite some time.

Thanks to bad media, combined with xenophobic tendencies and a distrust of a recently elected government, Koreans dealt with months of protests over American beef and a supposed ‘mad cow disease’. To be fair, the media’s ability to overhype and sensationalize a miniscule issue is not limited to Korea; too many American stories once sensationalized AIDS without soberly looking at the statistics of the time.

Other major issues have sparked protests of various sizes and natures. 15,000 truck drivers are striking, yet supposedly no major disruption has occured. Women’s groups have fired off words at the Korean court’s recent decision over Choi Jin-sil (the actress who was sued because she failed to maintain her dignity after she was beaten by her husband). 100,000 have recently demonstrated for the right to use a public space. More than 500,000 people attended former president Roh’s procession – filling the streets in the heart of Seoul for several blocks. I should mention that some or most of those protests (or protestors) could easily be considered breaking the law in the eyes of the law / current government.

The Hankyoreh talked briefly about protests:

Political figures in the Democratic Party and other opposition parties are currently unable to block the Grand National Party in the National Assembly, where it holds an overwhelming majority of seats. Observers suggest that it is problematic for them to depend upon haphazard “politics in the streets” methods as civic and social groups learned all too well during the last candlelight vigil demonstration that nothing can be changed with direct action.

As a result, civic groups are planning to hold a nationwide meeting in Daejeon on June 19 and 20 to create a system of solidarity to unite their capabilities. As many as 200 groups plan to participate in the meeting to formulate a long-term, systematic response to what they see as the Lee Myung-bak administration’s arbitrary methods of governance.

In short, being outraged and willing to protest is part of the Korean way of life. How many democracy movements were started with the same fiery mindset? How did the Korean people historically survive occupations whilst fighting back for the slim hope of a better place? The American people have protest in their genetics, even if there hasn’t an outrage strong enough to send an unified message in quite some time. Anyone else remember reading about the Boston Tea Party in their history books?

We foreigners, of course, are legally unable to show our political feelings towards or against something, regardless of how much it affects us personally. Those groups that aim to assist foreigners find their hands tied on some levels since they themselves have little leverage to make change come about.

I submit that words aren’t nearly enough, especially those written in English language blogs or publications, my own included. Even words written in Korean – if written by a foreigner – will be seen as suspicious based on the perceived lack of credibility we hope to move beyond. Those precious few advocates who can bridge the gap may not be willing to risk their reputation / standing against the seemingly endless mob of Korean netizens, ready to pounce on whatever they can find regardless of common sense. No, limiting ourselves to words only serves to remind us of our impotence in creating change.

America’s legacy of freedom include Declaration of Independence, several amendments (the 14th and 15th come to mind) and the Emancipation Proclamation are some important words – yet had those words not been accomodated by strong action, they would have found themself simply taking up room in a dusty law book while the laws they proclaim went unfollowed. How many Koreans have been willing to be arrested, charged, and willing to die for their own beliefs in even the last year? It makes me wonder about our own convictions. Are too many of us too comfortable that we’re willing to bow our head, say 네 (yes), and accept that which fate hands us?

Taking control of our own actions and words is the first step. Being assertive (but not necessarily aggressive) may well be a good step that begins to build awareness to what is right and what isn’t. Ask questions when something is required – and be willing to temper the storm when you’re expected to keep quiet. Communicate within your community over those injustices and unfairnesses in the Korean way of things. Remember that too many things that have set in stone for centuries in America have only very recently began here in Korea. Things can change, have changed, and will continue to change. Naysayers might do well to peek out from the cave they live in to look up at the new skyscraper, the store that closed, the new people in the neighborhood, and so on. Mindsets and influences change all the time, although in some cases the messages stay the same.

Being involved in a community of people may well be the next step. One’s actions, when taken by themselves, have only as much influence as that one person can muster. A well-organized group of people has the ability to have their voice heard in more channels and in more ways than one person could hope to accomplish on their own.

Third, political action may well become a last resort. My mind ceases to picture specifics, but I can imagine a wave of Korean mothers paying far too much money for school wanting to know why the native teacher isn’t there. Remember that these are the women who arguably helped make the ‘flower boy’ a phenomenon – if they can unleash that sort of power when it comes to themselves, imagine what might happen when their attention focuses on their children. Again, it should be considered only as a last resort – not the thing to do at the first sign of a problem.

But we are far past the first sign of a problem. As far back as the history of foreign teachers go, Koreans have found something to complain about when it came to foreigners – possibly to further their own xenophobic goals, or possibly to perpetuate the thought of their own superiority. Whatever the case, it has to stop – and the time is now.

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