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| Beware If McDonald's Is Just Like Home |
| [Opinion] Lee Ji Hae says Korea gravitating to the West is a cultural, linguistic disaster |
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Lee Ji Hae (internews)  |
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Published 2005-01-18 10:45 (KST) |
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The U.S. is not the pronoun "us".
Moreover, the pronoun "us" refers not to Americans. It is Koreans.
Have you ever thought about what percent you are a Korean? If so, how many things can identity as Korean?
Nowadays, being Korean in Korea isn't a priority. If we draw a new world map according to the amount of influence nations have, we will see that globalization leans toward the United States.
We need to see how much of our life gravitates toward the U.S. and how the winds of globalization blow in Korea. After examining some problems, let us abandon our tendency to follow U.S. values and return to our old ways of thinking and acting.
Episode 1: Do you live in a "Tower Palace"?
Asking the question "Where you do live?" means "Who are you?" This is an advertising slogan for the "Lotte Castle" apartment complex. It's undeniable that naming something in English confers prestige and symbolizes wealth and authority.
The rich are richer by using English, but do you think English has made you a better person?
Episode 2: Do your children really need English instead of your love?
Lots of fathers are lonely. Prof. "J" is lonely too. His wife left Korea for the U.S. with their children to give them a chance to study English. They have a 9-year-old boy and 5-year-old girl. He sends money once a month to them.
In Korean, we call him a "goose father" since a goose moves from place to find food for its young.
English is attractive as a way to become successful. That's why we crave English for our futures. If your kids are abroad to study English, you need to think carefully about what you are sacrificing in the process. When you send your kids to English schools, do you feel as if you are showering them with love?
Episode 3: Between "oyiji" and "pickles"
You are eating pizza at a pizza chain. If you'd like more pickled cucumbers and ask, "May I have more oyiji?" (oyiji is the Korean word for pickles) everybody will definitely laugh at you. Why? Because oyiji is not oyiji when we eat pizza. We have to call "pickles."
English does violence to Korean -- linguistic violence. Would you like to let English infiltrate our language?
Episode 4: McDonald's is just like home
It doesn't really matter where we are in the world: McDonald's food is the same everywhere. We can eat McDonald's hamburgers in Mexico and in Saudi Arabia. Not just McDonald's but also KFC, Starbucks etc. They serve up a kind of mom's cooking, something we are accustomed to.
When we are too "into" English, our Korean language starts disappearing subconsciously. Don't ignore it and don't refuse it. That's the point of view that we need to consider in a 21st century globalization.
Now, Korea says to us.
Be good at English.
Always share with the U.S.
Be a good customer for the U.S.
Have a good education in the U.S. if you are well off.
Even though this is the predominant Korean mentality, we have to value our native way first and foremost. I don't mean that Korea should be the center of the world. All global citizens need to care about others.
If you have a red crayon, draw your picture with it. If you have a yellow one, express what you're thinking with that one.
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©2005 OhmyNews
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