NOT MY ANGELS
Amy's mom stayed with us for two weeks after Ooseung's birth to help out. It's always a nice change when she's here as everything becomes that much more Coreanized.
"Okay, which rich/poor babies got switched at birth and developed cancer this time?" I'll wonder as the Corean supah-dramas run on the VCR.
"I can totally sing Lee Jung Hyun better than that guy," I'll say as a middle-aged businessman tries doing the polka version of LJH's "Pan."
"I'm getting a little tired of spicy food every day," my brother says after the tenth day of spicy fill-in-the-blank, rice, and kim chee. "Even the tea is hot. What's up with that?"
Even my mom shifts into her first language when Amy's mom is here. Although it's not so easy to understand sometimes after thirty years of disuse.
My own interest in anything Corean is an oddity to my very Americanized mom, while more of an amusement and even a reason to brag for my mother-in-law, who perhaps sees me as the oddity (or 'fobbity').
For two Corean women near the same age who have been in the USA for the same time, they couldn't be more different. My mom is simple, paranoid, and unconcerned with her appearance. She stopped watching her figure and coloring her hair over a decade ago and will pretty much fart wherever she happens to be. Speaks almost exclusively in English.
Amy's mom in cotntrast, has a sharp sense of humor, can read people well, and still tries to keep up with the latest Corean trends - not always recommended in this age bracket. She smokes too much. Speaks almost exclusively in Corean.
Last week Amy's mother bought tickets for us to see Corea's Little Angels, a singing/dancing troupe made up of all little girls that performs traditional Corean dances around the world.
Unfortunately, Amy wasn't able to go because of baby Ooseung. Amy's mom still felt it was important enough for the rest of us to go. Even Sun Su. (My mom backed out at the last minute, of course.)
The show was amazing. The kids were adoreable. The costumes were a colorful display of traditional pride that even the boldest peacock would fold his feathers to.
They did all the most popular dances and others too. My favorites were the instantly recognizable Fan Dance, Sword Dance, and Penitent Monk Dance.
The history of the Sword Dance is pretty interesting.
Despite the fact that nearly every nation has their own sword dance, Jinju Geommu (Jinju Sword Dance) is unique in its execution and evolution. Seventh-century legend has it that there was once a 7-year old boy of Silla (one of the three kingdoms) named Hwang who danced with two swords so well that he managed to impress his way into dancing for the enemy Baekche king himself (while in disguise). Hwang, being a true patriot to his kingdom, killed the king with his dual sword dance and was then executed as well. The dance was made in honor of the boy's sacrifice. Even though it was refined and restricted to female dancers, it still proved so deadly that the swords had to be modified in a unique fashion. The blades were disattached from the hilt and instead linked to them, taking away their stiffness. This allows the blades to swing and rattle. In the Little Angels performance, the blades spun around the handles like bladed nunchakus.
[Coreans in Videogames Tie-in: In the weapon-based video game, Soul Calibur, the Corean fighter's name is Hwang and his weapon is a sword (like the story above). Big deal, so half of the characters use swords. But then in the sequel, Soul Calibur 2, the Hwang character is made into a secret disguised character simply called Assassin (which is what young Hwang was in the story above). Coincidence? I think not. Thumbs up to the game designers, who are Japanese, for subtlety and research. Just like how they named Hwoarang in Tekken after the "hwarang" knights of Corean history. Good game.]
The Penitent Monk's Dance is just stunning. It's more of a drum performance than a dance. No one can resist a drummer girl, but the grace and precision that the "dancers" use is just impossible to describe. It's even more awe-inspiring when they start torso-twisting 360 degrees and playing upside down, without missing a beat. This video (not of the Little Angels) doesn't do it justice but it gives you the idea.
Anyways, for the first half Sun Su did not enjoy it. I think he was a bit freaked out by the large auditorium and all the loud sounds and darkness. He sat still in my lap. Then he climbed up to my shoulder to hide, occasionally turning to catch a glimpse while I patted him on the back and whispered to him for comfort.
After the intermission, Sun Su became his usual adventurous self. During the second act, he was dancing and clapping his hands to the music and laughing. I couldn't hold him still and we had to keep him from climbing over the railing of the second floor balcony seats.
That's how Sun Su is. It takes him a while to adjust to new crowds or people, but when he does, he is all over the place.
It was the first time I had taken Sun Su out without Amy nearby. I am happy that he had a lot of fun eventually. Even moreso that he had a chance to see such a beautiful example of his Corean heritage. I was more than twenty years older than him before I even saw pictures of such things much less a live performance by some of the world's best trained.
But I am mostly happy that Sun Su and I had some quality father-son time together. The kind that I don't remember having enough of with my own dad since he was away all the time, whether trucking, drinking, or divorcing. Dad tried though. He'd take us fishing. I don't like fishing but I do remember the time spent with him.
I will have much to show my little Champion and Victory (that would be Sun Su and Ooseung, or course).
Amy's mom went back home this week. She's going on a trip with a bunch of other older Corean folk to do what older Corean folk like to do -- gamble in Vegas.
Meanwhile my mom has started watching Corean soap operas and has been helping me translate my favorite K-pop lyrics (currently "Hwang Hohn Eh Moon Tuk," Wax 4).
It's never too late nor too early for such things, I suppose.
"BETTER THAN STAR WARS! CRIKEY!!"
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Boba Fett is ...
THE JEDI HUNTER. (Think Croc Hunter, only in Mandalorian armor.)
"Five Stars. I laughed, I cried, I wanted to go bag some of my own Jedi."
Boba Fett totally should have been Australian.
"It's the two to three footers you have to watch out for. They pack a mean wallop. They're quick. Real quick."
-- Boba Fett on tiny Jedi, like Yoda
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