The Iceberg

Anyone who has lived in Korea for more than approximately two weeks knows that on Valentine’s Day, rather than exchanging gifts or chocolate, women give chocolate to men and men do nothing at all. Not a bad deal for men. Of course, we are supposed to return the favor on March 14th (White Day) by giving women candy, but at least we have the advantage of waiting to see who gives us chocolate first. (By the way, what’s with men giving women candy? It’s pretty common knowledge that women love chocolate more than men.)

And most of you are aware of Black Day (April 14th), the day when sad, lonely, chocolate-less souls gather at Chinese restaurants to consume copious amounts of Jja-jang-myun - noodles covered in greasy black sauce.

But did you know that there are about 3000 (give or take about 2950) other “special days” that are celebrated in some circles in Korea? Yeah, yeah. There is “Peppero Day” (November 11th), the day when everyone gives away chocolate cookie sticks. But on May 15th there is “Rose Day”, the day to exchange roses. It’s sort of your last chance at love for the year, I guess. But failing that, the same day is also known as “Yellow Day”, so the losers who still can’t hook up with someone by even this late date can drown their sorrows in rivers of curry.

The rest of the special days of the year seem to suggest that, if you haven’t found someone by May 15th, you’re shit out of luck. June 14th has been designated “Kiss Day” (the day to exchange spit), July 14th is “Silver Day” (the day to exchange rings), August 14th is “Music Day” (exchange CDs full of love songs), September 14th is “Photo Day” (photos together), October 14th is “Wine Day” (get drunk together), November 14th is “Movie Day” (see a movie together…though I would suggest “make” a movie together), and December 14th is…get this…”Money Day” (the day to spend generously on your partner).

I suggest that we designate December 15th as “Retard Day”, because if you buy into all of these “days” you are truly retarded. Valentine’s Day is enough.

Read more about Korea’s “special day” culture HERE.

It looks like Park Jin-young is serious about taking on the nationalist pride that springs from the “Korean Wave”. Following up on his comments to the Joongang-Ilbo (and covered by the Lost Nomad), Korea’s number one music producer (and quite a talented performer himself back in the day) wrote a column in the Chosun Ilbo explaining why “he wants no part of the Korean Wave“:

“It’s fine if people abroad use the term “Korean Wave.” But should we label our own pop culture that way? Should it really be for us to draw on it as a source of pride or dignity?”

Will Mr. Park prove to be a catalyst for a change of self-perception in Korean society? Or will the treacherous sludge known as “group think” prove too overwhelming…absorbing and crushing him in the process?

Stay tuned.