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newb
Joined: 27 Aug 2012
Location: Korea
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 Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 1:38 am Post subject: |
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| Hatcher wrote: |
| And where do these myths originate? |
In Korea by Koreans. |
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Newbie
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 4:36 am Post subject: |
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| Hatcher wrote: |
| And where do these myths originate? |
This is what I've heard about fan death: Often times an ajossi or two would die because of alcohol poisoning. Somebody would find the corpse in a room with a fan on, and so blame his death on the fan rather than shaming him with the real cause of death.
Second, fans suck all the oxygen out of the air and you suffocate. (hence the "turn on fan, open window" unwritten rule)
Third, fans make it so cold people die of hypothermia.
(I'm just the messenger; not the believer!  )
As for the origins of some other myths...
1. Connection between blood type and personality: is this really any different than the Western connection between date of birth and personality? The Korean version is dying out as well.
2. Western people can't eat spicy food: I can guarantee you there are MANY western people who can't. And generally, Koreans like to generalize (yes, I see the irony there!). So they meet 10 Westerners who don't like it, and they assume all don't.
3. Kpop is popular all over the world: First, it's insanely popular in Asia, so they thinks it's world famous* Seems to have a small but growing fan base in South America and Europe. But, it's nowhere near as popular as Koreans think. Blame the media here. They exist to stoke the nationalist ego of the country. (*Canadian media is guilty of this too: someone like Avril Lavigne might be popular in the US, and suddenly she's "World famous". Is it really the whole world?)
4. K food is healthy. I'm just assuming this is because they are generally thinner than beastly North Americans. As well, their exposure to Western food generally consists of Big Macs, Pizza, and other fast food crap. And of course, media and the education system has a lot to do with this (stoking those nationalistic egos!)
Generally, and anyone with a basic understanding of Korean history will realize this, anything that is "Korean" is thought to be superior to everything else out of necessity. This is and always has been a small country under attack (militarily, culturally) from all sides. The government and media have done their hardest to push how great Korea is so the people have something to believe in, belong to, and "fight" for. It can be annoying as hell, but with a deep breath and some patience, one understands why it's necessary.
Last edited by Newbie on Fri Aug 09, 2013 5:42 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
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| Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 5:31 am Post subject: |
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| Steelrails wrote: |
That Peter Aerts was the greatest.
That Bob Sapp had no chance against Ernesto Hoost
That Mark Hunt would go down if he ever took a kick from Crocop |
Apparently that got a big 'woosh' over the heads of everyone, in spite of the thread title.
I blame myself and my crappy delivery. |
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liveinkorea316
Joined: 20 Aug 2010
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 2:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Newbie wrote: |
| Hatcher wrote: |
| And where do these myths originate? |
This is what I've heard about fan death: Often times an ajossi or two would die because of alcohol poisoning. Somebody would find the corpse in a room with a fan on, and so blame his death on the fan rather than shaming him with the real cause of death.
Second, fans suck all the oxygen out of the air and you suffocate. (hence the "turn on fan, open window" unwritten rule)
Third, fans make it so cold people die of hypothermia.
(I'm just the messenger; not the believer! )
As for the origins of some other myths...
1. Connection between blood type and personality: is this really any different than the Western connection between date of birth and personality? The Korean version is dying out as well.
2. Western people can't eat spicy food: I can guarantee you there are MANY western people who can't. And generally, Koreans like to generalize (yes, I see the irony there!). So they meet 10 Westerners who don't like it, and they assume all don't.
3. Kpop is popular all over the world: First, it's insanely popular in Asia, so they thinks it's world famous* Seems to have a small but growing fan base in South America and Europe. But, it's nowhere near as popular as Koreans think. Blame the media here. They exist to stoke the nationalist ego of the country. (*Canadian media is guilty of this too: someone like Avril Lavigne might be popular in the US, and suddenly she's "World famous". Is it really the whole world?)
4. K food is healthy. I'm just assuming this is because they are generally thinner than beastly North Americans. As well, their exposure to Western food generally consists of Big Macs, Pizza, and other fast food crap. And of course, media and the education system has a lot to do with this (stoking those nationalistic egos!)
Generally, and anyone with a basic understanding of Korean history will realize this, anything that is "Korean" is thought to be superior to everything else out of necessity. This is and always has been a small country under attack (militarily, culturally) from all sides. The government and media have done their hardest to push how great Korea is so the people have something to believe in, belong to, and "fight" for. It can be annoying as hell, but with a deep breath and some patience, one understands why it's necessary. |
Regarding boold type and fan death Koreans (and East Asians in general) are well known for being much more superstitious than Westerners. That is what perpetuates such illogical myths. We will dismiss them out of hand whereas they will entertain them.
"Korean food is the best in the world so I must fight to protect my country" An idiotic and illogical statement even in the midst of war. People are predisposed to protect their motherland. No, it more lies in a cultural superiority. There are plenty of countries and peoples throughout history who haven't emerged with pure bloodline/we have the best food myths and have also suffered centuries of oppression in Europe.
It is a mindset which comes through culture that you cannot blame 100% on the situation. It is unique to Koreans unfortunately. |
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byrddogs
Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 3:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Steelrails wrote: |
| Steelrails wrote: |
That Peter Aerts was the greatest.
That Bob Sapp had no chance against Ernesto Hoost
That Mark Hunt would go down if he ever took a kick from Crocop |
Apparently that got a big 'woosh' over the heads of everyone, in spite of the thread title.
I blame myself and my crappy delivery. |
I see what you did there. Not bad. |
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Sister Ray
Joined: 25 Mar 2006
Location: Fukuoka
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| Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 6:25 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="Newbie"]
| Hatcher wrote: |
As for the origins of some other myths...
1. Connection between blood type and personality: is this really any different than the Western connection between date of birth and personality? The Korean version is dying out as well.
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This is from the Japanese who in turn picked it up from Nazi theories on eugenics in the 30s and 40s. Dark history, indeed. |
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Savant
Joined: 25 May 2007
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| Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 6:42 pm Post subject: |
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Korea has 4 distinct seasons.
While in fact, they have more than 4.
Balls freezing winter, short pleasant spring, yellow dust season, nice warm summer, f*** this humidity and rain, short fall, mild winter. |
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transmogrifier
Joined: 02 Jan 2012
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Savant wrote: |
Korea has 4 distinct seasons.
While in fact, they have more than 4.
Balls freezing winter, short pleasant spring, yellow dust season, nice warm summer, f*** this humidity and rain, short fall, mild winter. |
It seems as if I haven't seen the sun for 6 weeks.... |
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FDNY
Joined: 27 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 6:56 pm Post subject: |
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| Seoulman69 wrote: |
| I think the "pure blood" myth that some people continue to perpetuate is something that may prove problematic as Korea attempts to come to terms with the evolution and development, particularly in relation to mixed race children, of the citizens of this country. |
In the book The Cleanest Race: How North Koreans See Themselves and Why It Matters [B.R. Myers] it says this pure blood BS was a relatively new idea introduced by the Japanese occupation forces to placate influential Koreans. It has absolutely no basis in reality and is disregarded by most people with "higher" education. But it was wholeheartedly adopted by North Korea as a way to instill a sense of superiority. Similar to the NAZIs and their Aryan superiority theories. |
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Drew345
Joined: 24 May 2005
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| Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 7:58 pm Post subject: |
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| That viruses are spontaneously created in the human body base on a large day to night temperature difference. |
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IPayInCash
Joined: 27 Jul 2013
Location: Away from all my board stalkers :)
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| Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 8:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Savant wrote: |
Korea has 4 distinct seasons.
While in fact, they have more than 4.
Balls freezing winter, short pleasant spring, yellow dust season, nice warm summer, f*** this humidity and rain, short fall, mild winter. |
Lol'ed hard. Well said sir!  |
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NohopeSeriously
Joined: 17 Jan 2011
Location: The Christian Right-Wing Educational Republic of Korea
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| Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 9:31 pm Post subject: |
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1. Their education system, both public and private, is the best education system in the world as approved by Barack Obama.
2. The presidential system is the ONLY form of democracy to govern a republic. The parliamentary system would lead South Korea or any country into doom. You are automatically a psychopath if you believe that the presidential system is flawed. (a lot of ajosshi believe in this)
3. We have the best tech industry in the world. (by tech industry, it merely means the hardware industry and btw most Koreans young and old don't know how to differentiate between the hardware industry and the software industry)
4. Korean and [insert non-Korean] food fusion will make the meal into a very healthy food. (condemn this terrible marketing schtick) |
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some waygug-in
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2013 9:00 am Post subject: |
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| That Dave's forum is the be all end all of ESL in Korea. |
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atwood
Joined: 26 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2013 4:09 am Post subject: |
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| FDNY wrote: |
| Seoulman69 wrote: |
| I think the "pure blood" myth that some people continue to perpetuate is something that may prove problematic as Korea attempts to come to terms with the evolution and development, particularly in relation to mixed race children, of the citizens of this country. |
In the book The Cleanest Race: How North Koreans See Themselves and Why It Matters [B.R. Myers] it says this pure blood BS was a relatively new idea introduced by the Japanese occupation forces to placate influential Koreans. It has absolutely no basis in reality and is disregarded by most people with "higher" education. But it was wholeheartedly adopted by North Korea as a way to instill a sense of superiority. Similar to the NAZIs and their Aryan superiority theories. |
That may be wrong. When Korea first opened a consulate in Japan, it flew a banner proclaiming Koreans as the one true race.
Not exactly Dale Carnegie approved. |
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wishfullthinkng
Joined: 05 Mar 2010
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| Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2013 9:37 pm Post subject: |
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oh and let's add the myth that samgetang is good and refreshing for you in hot summer weather.
um, heat up my already miserable body even more with hot liquid? no thanks.
the science (or the lack thereof) with this myth is astounding. |
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