Well, last week I finally got in touch with an old student of mine from my previous working place. It was good to hear from him, as he has finally gotten free from his former workplace, where he wasn't treated all too well. His bosses generally took advantage of his good-nature, and forced him into too many ethical situations, which they blamed on him whenever things went poorly, but taking the credit when things worked out.
The interesting thing however was finding out that his cousin, who was also an acquaintance of mine was getting married. On the two previous occasions where my student had treated me to an evening of dinner and relaxing at an outdoor gold-and-silver spa, his cousin Sun had accompanied us. The first time she came was out of curiousity and wanting to meet me, and the second time was because I was expecting to be leaving the country, and she wanted to wish me travel wishes, and see how I was. Through getting to know her, I found out that although she was a typical Korean late-twenties woman (beautiful, intelligent, and single) she wanted to stay single, and had no intention of ever marrying. She swore she wasn't the marrying type, and claimed that although her parents wished otherwise, she wouldn't get married.
Fast forward to the conversation that took place when I was talking, when I found out that she's getting married during the first week of June. I asked my old student why this was so, seeing as how she had sworn off marrying for a number of reasons. Turns out that her parents had basically arranged her marriage, and were forcing her hand. Her parents had set up the date/meeting with her now-finance's family, and being an obedient daughter, she had gone on the date, but thought nothing more of him. Her parents, wishing her to get married, forced her hand. When she protested, and said that she would rather move out of her house (often, in traditional households, the daughters live at home until they marry; some are even forbid from moving out on their own). Her parents refused her request. Apparently, a battle of wills ensued, and in the end, Sun gave in, and decided it would be easiest on her life if she just got married.
Even though Korea's stepped forward into the twenty-first century, a lot of the old traditions still stick around, especially with some of the very-traditional families. Sun's family is happy, because her future husband is very wealthy, something her family is happy about; she won't have to work- she can stay home and start a family - something they also want. Her future family is happy, because they know that Sun comes from a good family, looks pretty, and is educated.
Sometimes, living in this country makes you feel like you're stepping back in time. Its safe to say that as can already be witnessed, Western influences of youthful independence are making some of these traditions mute. Their will still be those who faithfully adhere, making the present feel a lot more like the past....