National Feelings In Historical Period Dramas

[adrianmorales]

Right from the start I'll tell you that I really dislike these "national feelings" that pop-up in Historical Period dramas or Sageuk as they're called.

Through my limited travels and especially through social networks, including Viki, I have met some truly wonderful human beings, not just bad ones. Now, if the country in which they live is at war with the country in which I live, will all these people become my enemy? NEVER! It's difficult enough to find good, honest people on this planet. Wars and countries and such are all made-up. Kindness isn't. You can't fabricate kindness. Of course, the people back then didn't have Facebook and Twitter, so they had a very limited perspective on the world. Even going back 70 years or so, which isn't all that long of a time period, people were more than ever driven by these "national feelings" to the point of creating world wars. Didn't anyone stop and think that in each country there are also good natured people? Whose fault is it that you are born in a certain place?

To end on a positive note, however, I will say that I'm glad to be alive now and not then. I'm glad that I've met all of you, even if it's just online. It's not the country of a person that matters. It's his or her heart.

[frustratedwriter]

adrian morales. you said it! I'd rather live now in the presence than way 70-100 or more years ago!!

I still love watching some of those historical dramas, cause I do like history, sure some has been added to it, I know that, but just love watching them to see how they really lived back then.

It isn't really all that hard to find those honest, good people. we of course judge, condemn, put tags on people.

On another link here, I also put my "3 cents" in. if you want a friend, be one, you lonely, find one thats lonely. there are people out here that needs someone just to reach out their hand and say I care.

being kind , "plant those seeds" of kindness and it will always come back to you. be it good or bad.

I also said this, If you have never seen a movie called "pay it forward" that's a movie you need to see, some of the scenes are not good, but that's part of the story of what that boy did for them. in the long run , he changed them, his little world, his backyard so to speak

yes we need to learn to love them no matter what they do or have done.
awww, off my soapbox....

[adrianmorales]

Nicely written! Enjoy your show!

[feyfayer]

It's true, but I guess because of all the wars they had with China and Japan, their mentality shifted to
"us vs. the world." Japan and China (and Mongolia) used to be big threats to Korea and they went through their fair share of pain. Because they were almost always the "losers" in those situations, they might have had a very bad impression of their neighbors.

Also, because the West and their belief-system (Christianity and the idea that 'people were equal') was a 'threat' to their legal system, they banned everything Western, re-enforcing the belief that 'Korea knows best'.
I don't think it's just a feeling that they had in those days, but still is present in modern Korea ~ in my case I've met a few Koreans who I'd describe as really Nationalistic. But you can meet Nationalistic people in every country (and even see it in their 'dramas').

But as you have said: I'm really happy that I don't live in those times. And as @frustratedwriter said being kind is always the right thing to do In my language exchange with my Korean friends I always try to open up their minds to perspectives outside of their culture and instead I keep an open mind myself.

[adrianmorales]

Oh, that's wonderful!