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Jennifer Jung-KimHi Everyone,
There is a lot of info in these two PPTs so don't try to understand everything. For our Zoom session, please feel free to ask any questions you have. But I would like to focus on sharing how we might incorporate Korea into your curriculum, even if you don't teach history/social studies. See you soon!
Jennifer Jung-KimChreyl, thank you for your post. I agree it's not enough to just give money and make an Instagran post in support of BLM. I hope that this is the start of genuine dialogue and positive change. I look forward to our Zoom session to hear more from you and the other participants.
Jennifer Jung-KimNorth Korea tries not to use English loan words, so whereas in South Korea, they say "handphone" for cel phone, in North Korea, they say "son jeonhwa" which is the Korean translation of "handphone" -- while this doesn't bar communication between the two, it does require one to think twice when hearing a term.
Jennifer Jung-KimI just saw this announcement about a virtual event related to this topic.
I’m writing to announce The Unended Korean War: 70 Years, part of Third World Newsreel’s Organizing and Filmmaking: Then and Now series of free virtual screenings followed by Zoom conversations with filmmakers and activists.
From July 24-31, TWN will present four films about the Korean War and its legacies on the organization’s Vimeo Channel:
Grandmother’s Flower, Jeong-hyun Mun, 2008, 89 min
“Combining substantial interviews with archival photos, Grandmother’s Flower offers invaluable insights into contemporary Korea’s struggle to move beyond the dark periods of Japanese colonial rule, the Korean War, and subsequent division of the country. Highly recommended.”
-Video Librarian Magazine
Repatriation, Dong-won Kim, 2003, 149 min
Winner of the Sundance Freedom of Expression Award. Kim followed North Korean political prisoners in South Korea over ten years after their release, documenting how they survived decades of brutality and their quest to return to the North.
Homes Apart: Korea, J.T. Takagi & Christine Choy, 1991, 56 min
“A moving account of the ongoing tragedy of families separated since the Korean national division... anyone who sees the film will go away with an empathetic understanding of the losses.”
- Asian Educational Media Services News and Reviews
North Korea: Beyond the DMZ, J.T. Takagi & Hye Jung Park, 2003, 60 min
This documentary follows a young Korean American woman to see her relatives in North Korea, and through unique footage of life in the D.P.R.K. and interviews with ordinary people and scholars, opens a window into this nation and its people.
The second part of the exhibition will happen on July 28 at 6 PM with a virtual panel featuring filmmakers and activists who will speak on the films and the current efforts to finally end this 70-year-old war. Speakers include Minju Bae, Hyun Lee and Hye-Jung Park. The panel event is cosponsored by Nodutdol for Korean Community Development and the Korea Policy Institute.
RSVP on Eventbrite to get links to the films and panel:
eventbrite.com/e/the-unended-
Jennifer Jung-KimThe common theme in the Sunshine Policy-era films about NK is that NK is not the enemy. In Shiri, it's rogue NK agents, not the official NK, that tried to thwart inter-Korea relations. (Please see my reading on the topic.)
Fast-forward to today, and there were people in SK who criticized Crash Landing On You as violating the National Security Law for its positive depiction of NK.
These are just commercial films or dramas, but I think they still go a long way in swaying public opinion and sometimes public policy.
On another note -- after Parasite's success, the SK government said they were making grants available to people who live in semi-basement units so they can improve ventilation, etc. In Korea, the basement units have terrible ventilation and humidity issues. My aunt built an in-law unit in her basement but no one wanted to live there because of the hunidity, despite running a large huindified 24/7. I'm not sure why East Coast/Midwest basements in my friends' homes seem more tolerable when their climates are similar to that of Korea. I'm guessing it has to do with construction methods.
Jennifer Jung-KimKorea invested early in broadband so it's really ubiquitous, but phone usage is really amazing. Even when we had monthly minute limits, Korea didn't charge for incoming calls, so people used to give out their numbers to people readily. Even years ago, you would have full bars in Korea on a beach or in the mountains.
And because the phones could handle it, Koreans had "webtoons" many years ago and people watch a lot of video content on their phones. They were using their phones to pay for purchases way before ApplePay. Even if you pay cash, you can have your receipt texted to your phone so you have a record of it. Oh, and there are more cel phone lines in Korea than people (because some people have more than one). It's common for elemntary schoolkids to have phones.
Jennifer Jung-KimHi, Everyone,
If you would like to read more about K-pop and BLM, here are two different takes:
Please feel free to post responses here, but we can also discuss in our live Zoom session next week.
Jennifer Jung-KimI think the elites woudl atetnd special schools only for the chidren of elites -- not private schools in actuality but in function.
As for the military, this BBC article says women must serve in the NK military and sexual violence and harassment are rampant:
https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-41778470
This article talks about sexual harassment and discrimination in genearl:
Jennifer Jung-KimI am sure this is on the forum, but I am posting it here again. Therea re numerous resources that should be more appropraite for your classroom.
Jennifer Jung-KimThe German scholar whose name I couldn't remember is Rudiger Frank.
Jennifer Jung-KimYeonpyeong Island is occupied by South Korea, but NK says it falls within their Northern Limit Line (which goes not by distance from the costline, but conitnues the DMZ on the same trajectory out to the ocean. Since NK is alone in that assertion, the people there are South Korean.
Interesting analogy about Hunger Games!
Jennifer Jung-KimQuick share --Tom Mueller's lesson on North Korea and Nuclear Weapons was chosen as one of the winners of the World History Digital Education Competition. There are also many other lessons on Korea at all levels, so please check them out!
https://www.worldhistoryde.
Jennifer Jung-KimInfant daycare doesn't seem that common in Korea, perhaps because many people think babies should be cared for at home. I think relatives may fill in the gap but often families may subsist off just the dad's income. Grandparents and extended family also may help more -- whether it's living in intergenerational families or helping out with childcare or financial support.
Korea does also have a complex maternity/paternity leave system with the government giving subsidies to the company so an employer does not bear the full cost of family leave.
Jennifer Jung-KimI really like the simplicty of the infographics but you're right, they are a bit dated and because it's from a printed book, they are not updated annually.
Jennifer Jung-KimHi, Everyone,
Thank you for all your questions and comments. I hope those of you who were quietly observing today will have more to say on Thursday. Please post your quesitons and comments for Thursday, but please do bring them up during the live session as well.
I am attaching the syllabi for my two courses on Korean women's history.
The book/film I mentioned is: Kim Ji-young, Born 1982. The Enlgish translation is available on Amazon, and if you want to see the film, please email me at [email protected].
If you'd like to join the Zoom session on Korean popular culture on July 21, here's the link.
See you Thursday!
Best,
Jennifer
