So if you were born and raised in Korea, life is viewed differently than those from elsewhere. Here is an example using languages.
South Korea
English Version - "South Korea" or "Republic of Korea"
Korean Version - "Dae Han Min Guk"
Why is it different? In the Korean language, this translates as "Great Korean Peoples Country"
Koreans (people)
English Version - "Koreans"
Korean Version - "Han"
They are in fact the Han people. Not the Korean people. "Korea" is in the end a European invention based off of the old Goryeo dynasty, which sounds similar to the word "Korea". Remember, "K"s and "G"s were interchangeable depending on dialect/region.
Korean (language: speaking and writing)
English Version - "Korean"
Korean Version - "Hangul"
When Korean children go to schools where English is taught, they have to relearn their own society through Western eyes. They have to learn the name we gave their country, the name we gave their race of people, and the name we gave their language.
It is common enough knowledge now that most children learn it pretty early on. Some of the older generation may not know as much though. Why should they? It is their culture to live, not ours to form.
HAN= There are two different Chinese Characters for the word Han. One symbolizes Korean Ethnic "Han" and there is another character that symbolizes Chinese Ethnic "Han". KOREANS AND CHINESE ARE NOT RELATED!!!! NO MATTER HOW MUCH CHINESE PPL WANT TO THINK THAT KOREANS ARE PART OF CHINESE ANCESTERY, WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG! They're just jealous that Korean people look so much better than they are! BOO-YA.
ReplyDeleteThis comment was written, if you couldn't tell, from someone of Korean descent. ;)
DeleteNo, I'm Chinese... And I wish I was born Korean... I'm so sad that I was born into such ugly ethnic group...
DeleteEh, you are actually American-Korean... and let's not insult the wonderful people of China.
DeleteLIES!
Delete