Luvz
Junior Addict
Posts: 80
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Post by Luvz on Nov 4, 2003 17:34:17 GMT -5
Did you catch when Min-Joo previously expressed that she was probably the reason S-M has cancer? In last night's episode, Ja-Young said the same about herself. Interesting, huh? Do Koreans believe that bad karma will fall upon a person if you have negative thoughts or feelings about them? Like giving someone the evil eye? Believe me, wishing bad things on people does not work, or many people...even someone we may know...would be dropping dead for unexplained reasons!
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Lila
Junior Addict
Posts: 80
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Post by Lila on Nov 4, 2003 21:46:21 GMT -5
I'm glad you brought this up, Luvz. I don't know what real-life Korean superstitions might be, but isn't it interesting how every so often one of the characters, who has at least normal intelligence, says or does something that's just this side of absurd, in terms of naivete or lack of knowledge? Given that South Korea is presently a country in transition between the ancient and the modern worlds, perhaps this isn't as strange as it seems to me when it happens on-screen.
Lila
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Post by galacticchick on Nov 4, 2003 23:36:04 GMT -5
Given that South Korea is presently a country in transition between the ancient and the modern worlds, perhaps this isn't as strange as it seems to me when it happens on-screen. Lila Well, I don't think that the United States is that far "civilized" in terms of superstitions, maybe it just seems that way since we are used to it. A lot of my co-workers will desperately try and find a piece of wood to knock on so that stuff they say won't come true. And I'm taking about very educated, degree-holding people. But yeah, maybe it's just the irrationality of the disease itself, we still don't know for certain what causes various types of cancers and there is still no specific cures for it, so it's hard to be rational when you are subject to such a "mysterious" disease. |
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Post by JadeEyes on Nov 5, 2003 10:51:15 GMT -5
How about believing there are herbal "supplements" for the eyes that can stop the natural process of weakened vision in aging, or that organic vegetables could do something for a person w/ advanced liver cancer that's also spread to the lungs? Is it any less foolish?
The Asians most definitely have different beliefs about health and medicine, including emphasis on unproven practices (like pricking someone's finger w/ a needle to "treat" stomach upset), alternative medicine (herbs and such) and a more deeply spiritual component, such as bad karma, curses, etc. A lot of that thinking has infultrated Western thinking too, as many people in the West put stock in homeopathy, accunpuncture, herbal products and vitamins, diet and notions of mind control and karma.
Jade
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Post by Soju on Nov 5, 2003 22:38:35 GMT -5
Many pharmacuticals are derived from herbs. For example, the heart medication Digitalis is derived from the Foxglove plant. This is one of the reasons the destruction of the Amazonian rainforrest is alarming: there may be the cure for, say liver cancer just sitting there in some plant that no one has discovered yet.
My own doctor, who is European, not Asian advised me to take Herbal suplements (Echinacae and Goldenseal) during Flu season. Although much of the evidence for the utility of Herbal remedies is anecdotal, that doesn't meant that they don't work. Of course, it doesn't mean they DO work, either. I'm just saying one should be open minded. Of course, you should be careful, too.
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Post by bgn1 on Nov 7, 2003 14:51:37 GMT -5
I hear what you're saying Luvs and considered posting about that too! It makes me so upset to see this great show like this promote a connection between a person's deeds and cancer. Using their idiotic way of thinking, if somebody has cancer, they must somehow deserve it?? Or somebody (Min-Joo) can do something to actaully cause cancer in someone else? WTF?! If this is a Korean "superstition", it is a very cruel and idiotic one.
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Post by JadeEyes on Nov 7, 2003 15:30:38 GMT -5
OTOH, you might say the writers balanced this by having Young-joon straighten Min-joo out on this. Remember how he responded to what she said about this? He said by using this logic, every married person who works would have cancer. Perhaps the writers used YJ in this scene to address common Asian superstitions about such things, as a means for educating people a little better.
It's pretty obvious they've done this w/ other social issues, like the family registry law and adoption stigma.
I think it's very common for people to say all sorts of ridiculous things when something terrible happens, and to feel guilty even when something is no one's fault. More likely, MJ feels guilty for the abominal way she's treated SM and now would like to take it back, but she can't. Instead of facing that truth, she allows herself to assign blame to herself for him getting cancer, which granted is a lot more illogical.
Jade
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Post by nsheldon on Nov 7, 2003 16:20:56 GMT -5
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Post by galacticchick on Nov 7, 2003 18:03:01 GMT -5
I think that if I was a first time visitor and I read the comment that bgn1 made ("idiotic way of thinking"), I would leave and never come back again. I think calling someone’s cultural beliefs “idiotic” shows a real lack of respect.
You all have to remember, this is a Korean show, targeted mainly toward a Korean audience. Why should they have to Americanize their dialogue and storyline for our benefit?
I’m not trying to make this into an America vs. Korea situation, everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. I’m just saying that if someone were to read that comment they might get a wrong impression of the whole board and not just of that particular poster. Differences in food, customs, beliefs and superstitions are what make each culture unique and special and no one should belittle them just because they are different from theirs.
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Post by JadeEyes on Nov 7, 2003 18:29:42 GMT -5
I agree w/ Sheldon that it's a normal human reaction to explore reasons in our mind of why something beyond our control happens to us or are loved ones. A seminar I took once discussed the notion that guilt serves a useful purpose to us mentally in working through our pain, anger and confusion when something terrible happens. We have to find a way to come to terms w/ a catastrophic event that has turned our world upside down, and going through a stage of guilt and latching on to any kind of explanation, no matter how illogical, is part of that working-through process.
The seminar leader also discussed how for most of us, it's actually preferrable to latch on to the idea that there's a concrete explanation for some terrifying event than just to accept that horrible random things occur anywhere and at any time and there's no way of preventing them. That's a pretty scary thought, yet that's our universe. So we find ways to cope w/ that terrifying reality by assigning reasons to things that really don't stand up to logic under scrutiny.
I'm so glad to hear your granddaughter is 7 now and doing so well. I can imagine what a scary time that was for your family. My best to all of you, Sheldon.
Jade
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Post by nsheldon on Nov 7, 2003 18:37:05 GMT -5
You hit it right on Jade! I have learned so much watching the K-dramas. I am so thankful that they are shown (many of them) w/English sub-titles. I see that everyone is basically the same, no matter where you are or what your background. I have so appreciated the differences in opinions & views from this board.
I hope there will be one for OMR (which I am on episode 5 or 6)... I'm hoping it will grab me like YH did. However, I've seen at least 6 K-dramas & YH has, by far, been the one that I loved most.
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