I thought I would try to get down a more complete thought on the Korean media for those unfamiliar with it - because it is one of the primary institutions in relation to the anti-Americanism - the events and the thoughts that are their foundation.

The Korean media in relation to anti-US thought is like the valve on a pressure cooker:

its normal routine fuction is to keep the pressure up.

On a cooker, it does so more passively by just keeping locked in the increase in heat generated by the heat source.

The Korean media is more active. By selectively quoting from anti-US leaders, burying or omitting USFK or US claims, giving a good bit of air time to issues like base pollution, camp town prostitution, GI crimes, and things like Bully America trade pressure, arrogant American officials, and so on and so on and so on and so on and so on ---

the Korean media ----- makes sure the understanding that the US is an as yet inoperable cancer on their society somewhere more toward the front than the back of the nation's mind. --- that the US in Korea is an evil even if a necessary one.

The media makes sure the pressure inside the cooker is correct enough by making sure it never gets too low.....


However, when the pressure starts to build out of control ---

---- when it seems like it might explode or somehow do real significant damage to Korea --

the release value opens up and lets the excess heat out.

The media tells Korean society things are too dangerous -

---and the society listens.

When things have calmed and the US is not talking seriously about pulling out or the US media has started to ignore Korea again (which is 98% of the time) - the value will close to make sure the pressure builds back up to an adequate level.

So ----

I look at news coverage like positive notes about the alliance or why the Pyongtaek base move is necessary - and why average Koreans should put pressure on the anti-US civic groups ---

with the above understanding in mind.

What I mean is ---

Short term, the release of pressure by the press message telling the society to "turtle" anti-US thought and activity ---

is very much a positive. Especially when things are really out of control (like 2000 and 2002) ---- the media stepping in can kill protests overnight --- figuratively if not literally --- but often literally.

And anybody who has been in Korea during one of these major shit storms will be thankful for a break in the fever no matter how it comes....

But, long term ------

these positive press notes mean nothing.

If they came frequently. If they were part of a concerted, long term effort by the media to mend the broken fences of the allinace.

...If they were also supported by changes in the thought taught at university in Korea.....as well as with efforts by other institutions in the society to change their routine of promoting negative feeling about the US role in Korea ---

it could have a positive impact on repairing the alliance.

But -----

if the media puts out a positive note (like telling the society to make the Pyongtaek transition smooth or else) -- it is just a stopgap effort to prevent an isolated excess in national/nationalistic passion that could hurt Korea's bottom line.

It is just a momentary event concerned about a localized phenomenon.

While the continual habit is one of playing along with the anti-US thought.

And in this, the media just represents the society as a whole.
The people who run the media show are college educated Koreans who grew up hearing the same things and being influenced by the same climate.

How does the Korean Media protrait Koreans that marry members of the US military or is this somethings of no concern to them?

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BOOM, BOOM. Out goes the Lights

I can't speak definatively on this. I can remember some things from one TV but not much from the media on that topic.

The media doesn't have to portray any of that, because it is already taboo and widespread --- the whore idea of the common Korean female who marries a GI - especially a non-white one.

But, TV and the media have been putting dents in this attitude year by year - not promoting it.

And Korean society has been changing fairly quickly on the idea of mix-blood families in general since when I first started learning about it in 1995.

For example, back in the late 1990s, one Chusok Thanksgiving day, one of the networks had as part of its special stage performance a long segement with many mixed couples coming on in hanbok and talking about themselves.

I've seen other things like that over the years -- especially talking to long time expats who are often married to Koreans ---- and Koreans seeing a foreigner who chose to live in Korea and learn about Korean history and customs and language --- does have a big impact (at least initiall) on the society and slowly a big longer lasting impact.

Then something like Hines Ward coming can speed that change up big time.

However, there does seem to be a good bit that is kind of put out by the media and such concerning mixing the race with blood from the non-elite OECD white man's world ---

meaning --- stuff is still said that will make you cringe concerning brides from Vietnam or Thailand and such --- especially when they begin to talk about how Korea's preference for only 1 child and boys is leading to too few Korean blooded brides....

Let me see if I understand this right; mixing Korean Blood with GI is taboo, even if the female worked as a prostitute at a camptown bar/club? What about the Koreans who approach 'marriage brokers' and offer GI's $$$ to first date, then offer more $$$$ to marry a non sex trade worker. Is the belief/opinion still the same? Are US naturalized Koreans who are not in mixed race marriages looked down on for leaving the 'motherland'. Some how I know this social worker who would waste both our time mentioning that it is a trans-racial marriage, Latin isn't required anymore I guess. And what about Korean adoptees, still not in favor? Once I mentioned abput being in Korea to any Korean in the US the 1st question is why I didn't marry a 'Korean girl'. This is a common question that I've ran into, except for the occusional exchange student. I would imagine that a naturalized US Korean has a diferent outlook than their counter part in the ROK?

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BOOM, BOOM. Out goes the Lights

1st - I haven't been teaching Korean adults for going on 6 years now, and things on this front have been both changing quickly and not so quickly.

A non-related example:
When I arrived in Korean in 1995 or 1996, public displays of affection between the sexes was taboo. Men and men or women and women friends held hands, but mixed sexes did not hold hands or put their arms around each other. That was one of the things in the infamous subway mob brawl where a non-Korean GI had his arm around the waist of his Korean wife.

By 2000, it was completely different. You would see couples holding hands and what not.

The same thing happened with women smoking in public.

And as I mentioned in the last post, there was an effort to introduce more mixed race couples on TV talk shows and such to change the strong current of, well, racism in Korean society ---- with there universal belief in "blood" and how one of Korea's crowing glories is to be a homogeneous nation/race.

But, the couples I noticed being profiled to talk about their lives together in Korea --- where white and Korean. Not black. Not hispanic. And not from poor southeast asian nations ---- in fact now that I think about it --- no foreign women. It was always Korean woman and white male. But, I also didn't spend much time watching Korean TV....

Back when I was teaching in the mid and late 1990s - some of my female students told me they didn't feel comfortable walking with me in public after class because of the stares they would get ----- but I don't know if that is still the same today.

But I am sure the "camp town girl" mind-set is still strong -- at least above the age of say 35.

On the Koreans who leave ---- I don't get the feeling those who immigrate are looked down on. They are envied more than anything.

The next generation that returns to Korea for a visit or to work for a few years, however, gets a mixed bag.

On the one hand, Koreans will be happy they have come to learn about their motherland and are interested in their lives in the US.

But, they also face criticism that they are not "real" Koreans. On the one hand, they are Korean and must say they are Korean because of the blood, but on the other they are critized for not being true Koreans --- knowing the language fluently and behaving like Korean-Koreans.

But, however much things have changed since I was teaching adults and could get a feel for the society better ----- the Hines Ward event will have a lasting impact - and for the better ----- we just have to wait to see how much....

This is another mixed bag issue which has been undergoing significant change since at least the mid-1990s.

Orphans are not treated or thought of well in Korean society. Repeat not. Not with all capital letters. NOT.

If they are mixed race -- even worse.

The Korean belief in blood also means don't adopt outside your family line.

This has been changing, and popular Korean style talk shows have been leading much of the effort.

There is a mixed race orphan, who remained in Korea, who is a pop singer, with a fabulous voice, who has done a lot to promote the cause of Korean orphans and mixed race children, and I think she has had an impact.

But, I believe it is still not a whole lot different from around 1999 - and it was terrible then.

An adoptee Korean coming back would have a harder time than a 2nd generation American.

USINKOREA (in Georgia) covers it pretty well. Especially for being out of country for a while, as I was. I've been back for over a year, and feel I am able to say that Korea is definitely changing toward accepting foreigners mixing with their race. But it is just like in the U.S. and other countries-opinions vary depending on the local climate.
People living near foreigner occupied areas are able to accept or overlook mixed couples. Country folk are less inclined. Hines Ward is a hero to both of his homelands, and is a special case. Everyone loves a hero. America loves heroes, models and ballplayers of all colors. But a Black person who is not a famous person is still not accepted as well as they could be, in either country. Color is a big factor in acceptance, and still is today. As the famous Korean/Black mixed orphan singer said- we can make it, but we have to try harder! And that is so true.