[Billie Johnson]

From our discussion the final week you mentioned that it is the scene when he found his sister which was the scene that got me.  It's not that my district is super picky I could use this with my elective class but have to figure out how to work it in to the curriculum.  Can we download the film to our computers?  The film covers so much that it would be a great movie to analyze with students...so many conversation starting moments.

[Billie Johnson]

Honestly, when I have to get up and go to work every day I am in a state of shock initially. It is great that hours are being cut back, but I am curious if there is a worker shortage or something.  I know there is a lot of talk about implementing a 4 day work week which would help local economies big time. We need to evolve in the US as well with flex schedules etc. I found it interesting that the perks of extra time were seen almost immediately such as:

• After-work activities have increased, such as exercising and learning hobbies.
• Spending on private education and entertainment grew at the fastest pace in nine years and seven years, respectively, in 2018, according to central bank data.

However, the work still needs to be done so while there are mandates in place requiring people not work a certain amount of hours people are completing work offline. This isn't anything foreign to the lives of teachers.  I think what really needs to be kept in the minds of employers is balance and that the workplace needs to evolve. 

[Billie Johnson]

Isn't it something how that issue crosses so many racial boundaries? I found this article with some alarming information: 

Asia’s addiction to whiter skin runs deep – but the backlash has begun - https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/2184747/asias-addiction-whiter-skin-runs-deep-backlash-has-begun

I also found this article about skin bleaching in Africa which has so many harmful side effects but colorism is still huge today.

Paying a high price for skin bleaching
https://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/april-2019-july-2019/paying-high-price-skin-bleaching

I know this isn't unique to Korea and Africa, but isn't it amazing how beauty standards are pushing people to take these drastic measures?

 

[Billie Johnson]

K-pop deaths of Goo Hara, Sulli and Jonghyun leave industry with blood on its hands

https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3039225/k-pop-deaths-goo-hara-sulli-and-jonghyun-leaves-industry

Wow, I had no idea how much pressure is on these young stars.  Between the intense training, fanatic fans, and societal pressures it's not a surprise that these unfortunate events have taken place. This young woman was subject to online bullying and already attempted suicide once before being successful. Do you know of any measures being put in place to help? Seems like the group dynamic is still relatively new when the US had NSYNC and Backstreet Boys were popular 20 years ago...we could go back even more than that.

[Billie Johnson]

This seminar has provided me with a wealth of information that I already have incorporated into my classroom. We have been able to have conversations and research additional information to add to the conversation.  I also have topics galore to choose from as well. The best part of all is that I am a more informed resource for my students. I have many students who are aware of what is going on in the world and Korea has come up more than once. Topics that have been brought up are traveling to North Korea, World War II, and the North Korea missile testing in relation to the United States in current day. This course has helped me reflect on my own bias based on western propaganda and I also heard that bias from my students. Reflecting on my own bias has helped me in being more aware of how information is presented to my students. I am making a concerted effort to talk about Korea with facts and not so much with my opinions built in. The website review that we completed at the culmination of the seminar was helpful in finding great resources to incorporate into instruction. Also, Professor Kim said she would visit my class to speak to students which would be amazing. The information of greatest relevance to my Communications class is talking about the relationships between Korea and the US. I’m excited to share some of the movies with this class and much of the economic power of South Korea and the potential of North Korea. The lesson that I have planned for this seminar is also something that I will implement in my classroom. I want my students to see Korea in a different light and discuss the arts, Korean cinema, and K-Pop. All of these activities can be done in a virtual collaborative space with an activity demonstrating their understanding of the lesson.

[Billie Johnson]

https://www.koreasociety.org/index.php

THE KOREA SOCIETY

is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) organization with individual and corporate members that is dedicated solely to the promotion of greater awareness, understanding, and cooperation between the people of the United States and Korea.

THE KOREA SOCIETY

is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) organization with individual and corporate members that is dedicated solely to the promotion of greater awareness, understanding, and cooperation between the people of the United States and Korea.

This website is informative and there are so many resources readily available for consumption.

[Billie Johnson]

I can't believe we are already at week 6! The presentation this week was intriguing as the documentaries on North Korea seemed a bit one-sided and the films for South Korea look like something out of Hollywood. Ode to My Father had it all: laughter, tears, great cinematography, relateable characters, etc. I haven't been affected by a movie in a really long time.  Anyway, the way North Korea is seen by outsiders is what we discussed this evening and what the clips of documentaries showed...chaotic. However, as I questioned during class, is this viewpoint on North Korea what outsiders want us to see? Even though South Korea uses balance in its approach when depicting North Korea in film or in writings it seems to be done in a way that is trying to convince the North Koreans to come towards the light. I know that this course has open my mind to the very little I knew about North Korea. 

I got a kick out of North Korea's girl group. It seems like the appearance of these women would be a shock to what I think is a very conservative society.  The readings this week were insightful and very much enjoyable.

[Billie Johnson]

It works for me. I will post the link directly since I hyperlinked it the last time. Please copy and paste this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vxXQyk2T7g&feature=youtu.be

[Billie Johnson]

Using this film in the classroom: I just finished watching the movie and my goodness it is an amazing film. I do think that many of the topics in this film would be lost upon my 6th graders. However, I do think this would work with 8th graders. There were so many topics touched upon in this movie: Shattering gender roles; Dynamic family compositions; Migrant workers; Race relations; Poverty; Nationalism; and more.  This film could be used as a way to see the similarities of the issues that were being addressed in the film and how those same issues intersect today. In many ways, the only thing that has changed is time.  I tell my students that history is a story of progress that it is on a continuum...that what they think is new has probably been done before. We could research the topics that I mentioned early in that time and then find more recent articles to compare and contrast.  Perhaps we could hold a film discussion where groups between 4-5 students research an issue that was displayed in the film and then report out how that issue was addressed during that time.  I also think a Socratic Seminar would be great as well. I know that I am completely over the word count, but I would also ask my students to draw or create something to demonstrate how this film made them feel.

[Billie Johnson]

I looked this up and it is unfortunate that this project has gone uncompleted. Even based on the conversation we had in class it appears that it is all about the image of success but not actual success. For a building that was supposed to open in 1989 perhaps completing this project and opening it up for business could be symbolic of opening up North Korea...who knows. It would be nice to see more economic development and enterprise opportunities for the people of North Korea. 

[Billie Johnson]

In terms of the denial of visas, I'm curious what the benefit would be for the Chinese government or are they just being difficult. I found this quote interesting: “If, as people say, we are refusing to issue visas to South Koreans due to the Thaad issue, how did these several millions of people come?” Mr. Geng said at a regular news briefing in Beijing. What were the terms of these millions of South Koreans who visited China? Alson, if the visas denials were intentional as believed, how incredibly petty. Perhaps China knew that this denial would garner national attention because of these students' affiliation with an American institution. I think I am curious about the back story.

[Billie Johnson]

Hi Genny,

Your class sounds really interesting! I didn't know K-Pop was a thing until taking this class.  I'm going to bring this up as a discussion topic in class and see where it goes.  Feel like I need to get caught up with the times.

Thank you.

[Billie Johnson]

The video and readings from this week really highlighted the stark differences between North Korea and South Korea.  South Korea is a much more open society unlike that of North Korea which also has its pros and cons. Quick question: Is this open society a result of the relationship between South Korea and America? The society is very much partiarchal but with the #MeToo and 'Escape the Corset' movements, there appears to be a shift and change in mindsets.  Women taking ownership of their bodies and prioritizing their careers has had a direct impact on birthrates as well. I wish I could say I was surprised by the scandalous behaviors by many men in power, but America has desentized me to what should be shocking. When you mentioned the 'Train to Busan' I smiled because it is such a good movie.  I watched it a couple months back and have been bugging my husband to watch it for some time.  He finally watched it and he loves it too.  In many ways, I'd say that South Korea reminds me of America. Also, in terms of multiculturalism the South Korean government is making efforts to increase its birthrates by becoming more open to foreigners. Thinking about the obsession with the standards of beauty, #MeToo movement, fight for womens' rights and equality, balancing multiculturalism, and how power and money can sometimes be a dangerous combination.  

Reading that even 'Koreans are not very good at explaining their own culture' was something that I found shocking. With the decline in birthrates and men marrying foreign women there has been that disruption in the passing on of culture because of the differences in language and even making traditional Korean meals.  I'm certain that in the years since South Korea Redefines Multiculturalism was written that there has been much more progress in the realm of what it means to be South Korean. However, it seems that their is a shift in the county towards becoming very much Americanized. There may be off shoots of groups who define what it means to be South Korean to them.  In America you will get many different answers when you ask about the culture because we are not a homogenous nation. More research is warranted on my part to see how things are shaping out now, or maybe I will learn more from our call.

[Billie Johnson]

Video

[Billie Johnson]

Hi Jennifer,

I really enjoyed this session because there are so many different dynamic personalities at play here. Also, I had some of the same thoughts and questions as some of the other participants. It does seem to me that Kim has one foot in the old world and one in the new world.  He has traveled and is familiar with the world outside of North Korea and I am sure that he wants to open up North Korea more than it is but politics is holding back progress perhaps.  I wanted to mention that Japan is a good example of retaining its culture and embracing the 21st century, or am I incorrect with that frame of thinking? If the concern is that opening up North Korea will lead to a revolt (of course I cannot read his mind) then he must know this this way of living is not right for his people.

[Author]

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