[Helen Kang]

This presentation of Japanese films was a big treat for me as I have never had any information or introduction to such films before. Learning aboutn Yasujiro Ozu, one of the top 3 film producers, was very interesting. In his film, "Tokyo Story", I found his use of indoor camera placement, about 2 and 1/2 feet from the ground, and his artistic shots where one frame would hold so many details in a very organized geometric manner to tell the story of the setting, very beautiful and fascinating.  I can see that it is deservedly voted "Greatest Film of All Time" in Sight and Sound (UK) Magazine's 2012 director's poll.

[Helen Kang]

Being born and raised to just 9 years old before immigrating to U.S. with my family, I would expect to maybe see my parents watching some of these North Korean films or at least hear them mention about it in their social meetings with their other 1st generation Korean-American friends but I have NO recollection or remembrance of it.  It may have been because our famiy was about work, work, work all the time in our typical Korean immigrant life or maybe the S. Korean government wasn't very keen on showing film works by the North dictators and it was not accessable by the average Korean family let alone a Korean immigrant who has left their motherland.

Whatever the reason was, I had no knowledge that there were such films produced in North Korea, and it leaves me with a feeling of a homework I need to get done, like discovering a random hidden talent that shows a human side to an embarrassing distant "cousin" of sort,  and give a fair amount of time to watching some of the more notable ones.

[Helen Kang]

During Professor Berry's presentation of Chairman Mao and his legacy on Chinese culture, I see many similarities to the original N.Korean dictator Kim l-Sung's images. The unrealistic depictions of the dictator portrayed as a benevolent and peace-loving person surrounded by a seemingly happy and perfect surrounding of people flocking to him. Even the reference of everyone being referred to as "comrade" is the same of North Koreans calling one another "dong-mu", which means exactly that, a comrade.

I remember when I was about 8 years old, I found a small leaflet on the ground that looked like a comic strip but when I read it, it was a propaganda leaflet that said what a perfect place North Korea was. I remember the teachers at school often telling us to watch out for those and if we were to ever find them on the ground, to bring it to the nearest neighborhood police stations. So I remember taking it in to the station and handed it to the adult I saw behind the counter, and they briefly inspected it and nodded to eachother and sent me off with a "
Good job for bringing it in".  I left feeling I had done something special, to have interacted with someone at the police station and handing in something to them that was significant enough to be commended for it. Then later someone asked me if they had given me anything for it, and had learned that another who had found and turned in the same type of leaflet was given something equivalent to a quarter or a dollar and I felt jipped. It's so funny think about it now and I think the monetary compensation was probably given out of the pocket of the police station staff just to reward the kids for even being able to recognize what it is and being vigilant enough to bring it into the station.

What is unsettling now that I think about it is to think that there may be so many intruders in our average neighborhood in Seoul Korea for it to be not uncommon to find such propaganda material strewn on the ground for regular citizens to encounter.

[Helen Kang]

Thank you Nira, for explaining the meaning of the Mahjong game. I do not know how to play it so when I saw that scene in the movie I knew there was some significant meaning hidden in the game and now after reading about the single key piece that Rachel gave up, I recall the scene in my mind to the part where she reveals her pieces and it absolutely heightens the impact of
Rachel's actions in a very profound way.

[Helen Kang]

Hi everyone, I am very excited for this week of learning about East Asian Cultures and to meet my new classmates with whom I will be studying with. 

I teach Korean language and choral music at North Hollywood High School, and this week’s seminar will add further depth to my understanding and knowledge to enrich for my Korean language curriculum. 

I am thankful for the opportunity to be able to participate and learn with all of you. 

See you all very soon!

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