There was talk of corruption and decadence, and for awhile, it seemed a Babylonian fever dream. The memory of years of occupation dimmed in the light of newfound independence and success. Recognition brought a strong sense of pride. Now take it away. Take it away because the country wasn't responsible enough, because the money couldn't be managed, the leaders were too corrupt, the people too greedy.
Sadness rolls in with the loss of pride.
The nationalism that resounds so strongly in Koreans stems from years of overcoming foreign invasions and occupations. Unfortunately, many spent beyond their means, which is not unusual for a country whose nouveau riche were war-ravaged only a generation ago. In my family, four of my mother's five brothers and sisters live in the United States. My eldest uncle worries about my cousin, an exchange student in Toronto who will likely have to return to Korea due to the depreciation of the won. And I think about the collapse of the Sampoong Department Store in Seoul in August of 1995.