From: wjin@cs.uh.edu (W. Woody Jin)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.korean
Subject: Re: Discipline II
Date: 12 Jan 1993 06:27:06 GMT
Organization: University of Houston
NNTP-Posting-Host: rodin.cs.uh.edu

In article <1993Jan12.032114.8188@news.acns.nwu.edu> phantom@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (James Choi) writes:
>Continuing on our discussion on possession of 'ssa-ga-ji'.
>
>In article <hpark.726726481@husc.harvard.edu> hpark@husc8.harvard.edu (hayn park) writes:
>>Someone mentioned differences among Korean societies in Korea and Korean
>>societies abroad.  I know a lot of Koreans in Panama, Mexico, and quite a
>>few in the US, and my experience was that the new people coming fresh from
>>Seoul are the worst.  I sincerely hope that this is an exception.
>
>Let me contradict myself this time.  

Yes, you did it again.
The reason why young Koreans in Seoul lack 'ssa-ga-ji' is that
Budweiser and Bud Light are not popular there (instead they drink OB 
(Oh Bullshit)).  :)

>It is well known that the language
>changes much more slowly in colonies than in motherland.  For example,
>Koreans in Yeon-byeon, China retains many old Korean words that are out of
>use in Korea proper.

This is because China lacks the availability of communcation mediums, 
comparing with other countries.
In USA, all most all video tapes are available.  As a Chinese friend
advertised some time ago, if you buy a small dish (2 or 3 feet diameter), 
you may enjoy some TV channel almost at the same time as in Korea.
I remember that in Chicago (and probably many other big cities in USA), 
Korean TV cables have been available for a long time.  Newspapers are printed 
almost at the same time (one day delay ?).  Many popular magazines are
also available.

I used to know many young Korean-Americans in college, and I did not
feel that they were behind.
In fact, many Koreans who visit America are surprised to see the fact
that Korean-Americans know so much about the Korea (even the things 
which happened during the visiting Koreans were in the flight).

>Maybe those who are outside kept the custom, value and even culture better
>than those who remained in motherland.  That's why there is a reverse
>culture shock when one goes back to motherland after a long time.

This will be true if they live in isolated place.

---

I am not so sure why Mr. Park thinks that young Koreans in Seoul are the
worst.   I suppose that it may be because of wrong samples.
Or maybe because of Relativity Theory or Doppler Effects ( :) ).
If Mr. Park gave us specific examples and logically explained why he
thinks so, it could have been a better topic...

BTW, I don't like the phrase, "Ssag-A-Ji Eop-Da", since it was the most
heard by my generations from my upper-generations (here, generation means
similar to 'Hag-Beon').
When I was in 5th grade in elementary school, middle school enterance
examination was decided to be extinct, thanks to then president Mr. Park's
infamous son (but students in 6th grade at that time had to take it).
When I became in 6th grade, teachers and 'SeonBae's always scolded us
"Ssag-A-Ji Eop-Da" because of loose attitude affected by extinction of 
enterence examination.
When I entered middle school, same thing happened - "Gees, these guys
without enterance exam are extremely Ssag-A-Ji EopDa".  >8-( 
We had to take high school enterance exam anyway, and when I entered
high school, our upper class SeonBaes were the last ones from the
non-PyeongJoonHua middle schools (most of them were from prestigous
middle schools).  And they loved to scold us, "Ssag-A-Ji EopDa".
When we became in 3rd grade in high school (12th grade),
the HooBaes in 1st grade were the first one who entered the high school 
without enterance examination.
Now, guess what !  I found my class men shouting to those poor 'HooBae's
'Ssag-A-Ji EopDa' !

I have not contacted young people in Korea for several years, and 
am eager to see "EolMaNa Ssag-A-Ji EopNeunJi".   8-)
And did you relize that your old generations (could be me) scolded
your generation, "Ssag-A-Ji EopDa" ?

-- 
____   ____  ____ ____________________________________ (___) _________________
|  |   |  |  |  |  W. Woody Jin (wjin@cs.uh.edu)       (o o)      Moo.... 
|  |   |  |__|  |  PhD Student. Research Asst.  o=======\ /  I'm  a Cow Lover.
|  |   |        |  Dept. of Computer Science   / |     ||O   My wife  was born
\  |---|  |--|  |  University of Houston      `  ||'---||    in Cow year. Mooo
 \____/|__|  |__| _______________________________^^    ^^_____________________