After having a drought of television-watching back in LA, I have watched more of the boob tube in the past few weeks here in Jersey than I have in the past year. And I have been mostly watching Korean television programming, since my cousin has five channels of it. Feels like Korea all over again. Then again, Palisades Park in general feels like Korea... like the quieter, suburban outskirts of Seoul.
Anyway, this past week or so, they have been showing a lot of coverage on Park Yong Ha (Korean actor who recently committed suicide) and his funeral ceremony. Needless to say, it's been quite a downer. Also, seeing mobs of Japanese middle-aged women wailing miserably about this younger star has been a bit disturbing. Would they cry this much for their own family? I guess the passing of PYH would be like their equivalent of our John Lennon or Kurt Cobain. There has been a rising tide in the suicide culture in South Korea... it kinda scares me. I remember when I first heard Daul Kim committed suicide last year. I was interning at the library, and I think a friend texted me. I dropped my pen.
Two recent articles:
"Exit Strategies"- The Economist
"Suicide Is No.3 Cause of Death for Korean Women"'- The Chosun Ilbo
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