About a recent conclave we were invited to in Seoul, South Korea.

Wanted to share this about a recent conclave we were invited to in Seoul, South Korea. We were also invited to see their world famous gonadotropin manufacturing facility in IKKSAN, a 3 hour drive to the north of Seoul.

1. The country Korea gained independence almost the same time as us, was preceded by a tyrant regime which almost destroyed it financially and morally and they have equally crafty and evil neighbours like us and yet have come up much more compared to us.

2. Their next generation is almost completely westernised and the disconnect between them and our present generation is huge. The elders rue the loss of their heritage and seem to think of their kids as totally morally uprooted and unaware of their past. All their TV serials and daily “soaps” reflect this one way or the other.

3. The present generation is “looks” crazy and invests tons of money to improve/ maintain their looks. They are of course products of the “ hip hop” culture. They have huge emotional fault lines which show up frequently in the form of the alarming suicide rates.

4. For better or for worse,there is no religious CONNECT that may help or harm and their street icons reflect a young and vibrant but debauched morality.

5. They are like our present generation, very unsure deep within but very ‘COCKY’ on the outside.

6. They are far far better than the ‘rowdy’ Chinese or the ‘reticent’ Japanese, two countries which they will always be compared and contrasted with.

7. They have amazing sense of food and have a very evolved PALATE. Their use of the word ‘Taste’ extends to their aesthetics in the way they build their dwellings and office spaces.

A confounding mix of the sedate and quirky but definitely RICH Asian culture.

All in all, an eye opener for all of us here in India and a visit that was much more than the sum of the parts. A truly revealing experience for me, personally.


 


Disclaimer:- This blog is a personal blog written and edited by Dr.Sharda Kulkarni.The material on this blog is not to be used by any commercial or personal entity without expressed written consent of the blog author. The statements on this blog are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The author does not in any way guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any message and will not be held responsible for the content of any message.