Are you interested in Korea？Do you know about Korea? Now, Korea is called “cool Korea” and attracted all over the world as well as Japan. Although I have never been to Korea, I feel Korea is very close to Japan. There are some reasons why I feel so. Getting over many problems, we gradually approach each other.
First of all, Japanese and Korean history is deeply connected. For a long time, Japan colonized Korea and Korean was forced to speak Japanese, so there are a few old people who can speak Japanese. After that, being released from being a colony, Korea didn’t accept Japanese culture, for example, movie, drama, and music until 1998, because Koreans felt bad feelings if they consumed Japanese culture. This is a very sad history. No mater how much I was unconcerned with war or colonial history, Koreans, especially old people have bad impression about Japan and Japanese people including me. However, in 1998 Japanese artist, Chage and Aska, held a concert in Korea for the first time. Japanese music has accepted.
After that, the relationship between Korea and Japan has changed for the better. Secondly, the boom of Korean dramas is another reason. Before the boom, Japanese, including me, didn’t know how wonderful and heart-warming Korean dramas are. Maybe, “Winter Sonata” became a signal for the boom. Many people, especially elderly women, like the story and they actually went to Korea. I think having been to Korea is the best way to understand what the real Korea is. I watch Korean dramas too. They are very interesting and emotional. Moreover, in my opinion, Korean actors are more “cool” than Japanese actors. Now we can easily whenever we want to and this makes me happy. If I was born in the past, I wouldn’t have been able to watch any of those. Watching dramas makes me want to study Korean, so I took Korean class in Bunkyo Gakuin University.
The final reason why I feel close to Korea is my study. First, I was confused because Korean letters are so different from Japanese or English. It was the very newest letters for me. And the number of vowels is almost twice as many as Japanese. Gradually, the more I study, the more I feel Korean is interesting. What is more, my teacher, who is Korean lady, is very earnest because she can speak Japanese and she holds a class in Japanese, so I always feel I should do my best like her. Now, I can read the letters or words, and pronounce, but I can’t understand the meaning, nevertheless when I see a sign written in Korean at station or town, I’m glad to read it. And I often discover common things between Korea and Japan. My teacher tells us too. Korean culture is much closer than American culture. Knowing things I didn’t know is very fantastic. Especially there is a distance between Korea and Japan because of the history.
We have a sad history, but we can change it to be better than now. I feel Korea is close to Japan not only geographically, but also in everything, so I would be very happy if Koreans also feel as I do.
