Will Korea Animation Rise?

P: Hiiaa, Welcome. This week Pororo will take place on this topic. 
F: Yo, I am the writer. go away. 

As you know, Korean wave (K-wave) is affecting the whole world in term of entertainment. Almost all the area of entertainment such as drama (Boys Before flower), variety shows (Runningman), and even music (Girl Generation) except one, cartoon animation. So far, cartoon animation is still underdog compare to unexpected grow of another Korean entertainment. Thus, today the author will talk more about the animation in Korea and will it grow based on author perception and hobby (reading comics and cartoon). Click for more.

A 100 Years Journey of Korean Face

Welcome everyone. *Spoiler alert: Female's style video below (For man, good experience bro)

Style change and so does the appearance of woman. However, can't you believe that historical and political background also affect the current trend during that time. Watch the video above and this post will explain more the background of each year style. Interested, click this post and find out more.

5 Reason Why Korea is Comfortable

Me and my friend in High school graduation. Can you find Luc and Sol?

Hello, welcome back to my blog.
As you know, I am one of the International student in UNIST (a Korean university) and today I wanted to share you why living here is comfortable. I've been in Korea since I was high school and didn't regret staying there. Compare to my country, Korea has more advantage on their technology and economical. In addition. Korean also really kind toward foreigner like us. Thus, many people decided to continue living in Korea and didn't come back to their country for working. They even bring their family together and abandon their culture. Anyway, I will bring my experience why many foreigners decided to spend their lifetime over here.

Defectors and Their Destination, Journey to Freedom

North Korea, as a country with dictatorship and communist after the World War II. From a Korea to two Koreas after second world war, North Korea is unfortunate since in five years after their liberation, they need to face their own brother, South Korea in Korean war. Not only that, due to the dictatorship that focus more on military than happiness, North Korea citizen suffer on hunger and poor condition. Due to this, Defector all over North Korea  escaped from country to find a better hope and future for their own life. There are a lot of risk to get freedom from underworld association, government from other country, to North Korean military itself. However, it's for their future and better life of their next generation.

This week, I am going to be a little bit serious (well yeah, it's been long time since IMF blog post) regarding the defectors from North Korea and which route they are taking to escape. Actually, I found this quite interesting movie in 2012 with title defectors while writing. I guess we can watch that together in weekend later. (Got exam tomorrow, wait for me until the exam ended :'( )

Is It Worth It to be Professional Gamer?

Last week we learn how much pressure are there for study in Korea. Study until 10 pm, National exam, and also university exam killed every student freedom. Many students tried to relieve their stress by hanging out with their friend or game. Since game is flexible in term of time (you can play game anytime), many people gaming to escape from reality. The only dangerous thing from gaming is addictive and can make you waste a lot of time.

However, What if you do gaming and finally become a professional gamer? Is it really worth it especially in Korea?

Not really good at LOL, but I can see Mata (From South Korea) in this poster.

STU-DYING

15 Hours of study is no joke. Student in South Korea is already in this kind of pain ever since they were young. Country known as developed country by high level education surprisingly put much higher pressure on student since elementary school. Yeah, they are studying, but you can't spell studying without DYING. Maybe there is a connection between the high suicide rate and high pressure inside South Korea itself. Click read more guys.

Once upon a time in my high school, my Korean buddy told me about his schedule when he was back in middle school. He was maybe around 12 or 14 years old student back then. He came to school everyday anjd came back home at 10 pm. After he came back, he started to study again until midnight. Since I experience private school when I was middle school in Indonesia (only until 5 pm), I was a little bit depressed and feel like the freedom is taken away from me by this private school. Thus, I couldn't believe what he say, and if it's the truth, I might kill myself. After watching video, I realized that this is real and I was thinking about suicide at the same time due to high pressure.

Compared to International student, Korean student has higher quality and usually aced in the similar exam like SAT. However, it takes a lot of freedom from the elementary school student and they met teacher MORE often than they meet their own family. One more thing, the university exam is their goal, and if they failed, they lost everything on their life. Mostly the reason of suicidal culture is because south Korean caught in the middle of tradition transition and younger people compete since they are in school [1]. The other source said that mother that have really high expectancy often pressured their own children and end up causing more pain [2]. Parent support is the one which can save them or kill them in this kind of pressure. In the third sources, Suicide is an escape option and based on study korea teacher association and korea counselling adsociation, 41-43% student has suicidal thought [3].

As a student, failure might looks bad. Since high school in Busan, I felt different pressure compare to my country and I failed a lot until now. I failed my TOEFL IBT exam (got only 78 but need 80), couldn't go to my first university, and fail my reaction in lab (I am doing column while making this blog). However, I look on the bright side. If I didn't fail my university test and enter that university, I might mot miss the chance to do an awesome research with my current professor and less social life with Korean student. Thanks to my parent and my religion, my mindset is positive and never of this option. 

In conclusion, suicide is pretty bad trend in Korea for student who failed their exam. Yeah, it's a good way to escape, but who want to miss awesome chance of your life in the future later. Seriously though, If I caught you trying to hang yourself, I will stop you and maybe play League of Legend together. LOL hahaha

SERIOUSLY, DO NOT SUICIDE WHEN YOU FAIL.

Reference:

[1]http://www.salon.com/2014/03/15/why_is_suicide_so_popular_in_south_korea_partner/

[2] http://smudgem.blogspot.kr/2013/02/why-are-so-many-koreans-committing.html?m=1

[3] Card, James. "Life and death exams in South Korea." Asia Times 11, no. 30 (2005): 2005.

[4]Picture of student missing her parent:

http://iamkoream.com/what-south-korean-students-really-think-about-their-education-system/

[5] title picture (funny one though): 

http://memeunleashed.com/tag/high-expectations-asian-father/

Korean Eat Dog, How About Other Country?

(Sorry, No picture again for raw dog meat. The author feel disgusted)

If you come to Korea, there is a soup called Bushintang which used dog as their meat. Not only that, Korea also used dog as medicine. Weeee, I want to puke.

However, only Korea that got blame for still eating dog meat. This is so unfair. Other country also has a little bit history about this dog meat. Anyway, this post will focus on which country that eat dog meat and why Korea got blame. If you don't wanna read it, it's okay. I feel disgust making and this post too.

World Cup 2002: Best World Cup In My Life.

Oops, sorry, I forgot to post it. I save it as draft because I don't have picture yet yesterday. My bad.

Anyway, If you asked me which world cup is the best, I would answer world cup 2002 in Japan and South Korea. When I was young, I watched the final together with all my friend even though germany lost. (I was betting on germany). In this post, I want to post more from the Korea side, what is the benefit of World Cup on 2002.

Lost In Ulsan: 부산 어묵

Bus's Stopping
Me: Yo this stop is Songnam dong, let's go.
Navarun: Calm down, we are going down next stop. We are going to the shop.
Me: I believe you Navarun
Bus's closing
-------------------------------------------------5 Minutes Later------------------------------------------------------
Navarun: This is not supposed to turn right
Azkha: Well, the next stop is not a shop, it's KBS station.
Navarun: Okay, we are going down next stop

And then somehow we arrived in Songnam and eat this delicious Eomuk.

South Korea vs 1997 Asia Monetary Crisis

I was asking my best friend from high school what happen during Krismon (1997 Asia Monetary Crisis in Indonesia), and this is his answer. Not even mad bro, you are in my blog now.

Surprisingly, not only Indonesia whose suffering by crisis in 1997, South Korea also got harshly. However, they return everything back in just 2 years. How come?  I am not economic major, but I will try to make it simple and explain it.

Maybe Real Kimchi isn't Red

Not every man is gentleman, but every gentleman is man. Similar with Kimchi.
What if the RED Kimchi is mutated from the outside (Globalize not mutate), and the WHITE one is actually the pure blood Kimchi. Hahahahaha, that will be interesting.

Comic? You Mean Webtoon

My two best comic in my life come from South Korea!! (Don't read the comic in first picture, it might break your heart)

My First Korean Traditional Tea Culture (다례)

Have you ever try Korean Traditional Tea Culture?Well, it was Aweeesssooommeeee!!!!! You should try it.

Introduction to Blog

안녕하세요, and welcome to Your-친구

Let’s see Korean culture through an eye of foreigner student in a fun and interesting way. Until now, people might know South Korea through drama, music, and their trend.  However, this blog will focus more about what happen surrounding the author, who is trying to learn and understand the culture and society of Korean through daily life, book, friendship, study, and hobby. Moreover, this blog will be a great help if you are new to Korea itself.