From: kim_nl@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Nina L Kim)
Subject: Re: Orange-jok
Organization: HAC - Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 10:04:30 GMT

In article <1ghditINN9uj@menudo.uh.edu> wjin@cs.uh.edu (W. Woody Jin) writes:
>In article <1992Dec14.062717.10343@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu> kim_nl@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Nina L Kim) writes:
>>
>>   The reason Korean society makes so much issue out of orange-jok
>>or how rich spends their money is that it represents a major
>>problem in Korea: an enormous gap between upper and lower classes.
>
>You must see the slum area in NY or Houston.  I think that this gap is
>much much bigger in USA than in Korea.     The problem in Korea is lack of
>enough middle class rather than the gap b/w low class and high class.


   I have seen the slum area in NYC, I used to go to Harlem every
week. It's true Korea has small size middle class and that's one of
the reasons Korean society has little respect for mainstream culture
as I mentioned before.  But I don't think that is the reason for this
problem.  Doesn't matter how large the middle class may become,
if the gap doesn't close up, the problem will still be  there.

>>Not many rich people in Korea are from old money. Most people had
>>to struggle after the War. There are some, due to unstable economy(?)
>>'overnight riches'. 
>
>This is rather due to the system (government) and you really cannot
>blame such people.    If USA have had the same system as Korea, the situation
>could have been similar (in fact, there were many such cases if you take a
>close look at US history).  Basic thing is that everyone wants better life,
>which can be possible by money.  And the system should control it.

 
  Read my statement again.  I was not blaming the riches.  I believe
that the whole culture evolves together: economy, art, scholarship,etc
are interdependent.  For this reason, I have great respect for the
business leaders in Korea.  

>>All these lead to attitude of 'money can buy everything'.  
>
>I believe this is the true spirit in USA.
>
>>It is extremely difficult for the lower class to move
>>upward in the present Korean system.  
>
>This is also true in USA (and probably in other places also).


   I don't understand why you have to constantly mention USA.  This is
actually a common trend I find among Korean people.  So if it is a
case in USA, then it's o.k.?  Why do you need validation from outside?

>>It's only natural that these
>>people feel angered and frustrated in facing such people like orange-jok.
>
>However bad they may feel, it does not justify to condemn how other people use
>their own money.   I think that "SaChonYi TangSaMyeon BaeAhPeuDa" still
>works quite well among Koreans.

   Whether their feelings/actions are justifiable was not the issue.
As I stated before, regardless how morally right your statement above
may be, kind of anger these people feel deserves more careful thought
before any judgment.

>Wide spread of rap music is one of good proofs that human culture/civilization
>does not alway improve.

   I cannot even begin to argue with you on this.
   Tongue got my cat!   Dog!

>>I doubt that any Korean 
>>universities will ever have course on Goo bong Su or Su Taeji unlike
>>Harvard and other universities offering courses on Madona.
>
>I don't think that Harvard always chooses the right direction, though.
>
  I don't understand what you are saying here. I wasn't talking about
merit of Harvard's administration.
 If you are saying it's not 'right' to offer a course on Madona, I
disagree.  Studying these popular media figures are good way to
analyze and learn about its culture and represented mentality.
I can tell you that  reading all the available books on Elvis 
I learned so much.

Nina Kim (kim_nl@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu)

Newsgroups: soc.culture.korean