A friend of mine recently sent me a link to a blog post that is about jokes told by North Koreans who have left North Korea and are nowing living elsewhere (e.g. Japan, South Korea).
When you have the time - AFTER the midterm exam is over, of course! - please take a few minutes to read the post and then tell me what you think. Do you think some or any of these jokes are funny? Why or why not? What did you learn about North Koreans and North Korean culture from reading this post?
You can find a link to the blog post here.
Enjoy! (and good luck on the midterm!!)
I don't know why is jokes about North Koreans. Because I don't think it is funny. Somepeople should have personal reasons to left own country, transfer near country. People had to lift North Korea, went to another country. Maybe country's management is not good, people wants come to better country to live. Such as, Mexican people come to U.S. They can have more changes to earn money, better to life. I guess maybe the same reason for North Korea.
ReplyDeleteWell...For us, South Korean people, talking about North Korea is sort of critical issue because we had learn about the Korean War since we were a child and we still feel like them our family. Sometimes we make a joke with North Korean accent and a bit different word. However, I don't think foreign people can understand that because they don't recognize the language difference between South Korea and North Korea. Also, even if we make a joke each other, we don't feel happy when other people laugh at our family.
ReplyDeleteHmm ... you both make very good points. I am not sure whether we have talked about this in class or not, but there is an idea in American culture that it is only OK to make jokes about a particular group of people if you are part of that group. For example, a Mexican immigrant would be "allowed" to tell a joke about Mexicans or Mexican Americans without being considered rude or offensive -- but a "white" person (an American person born and raised in the US) could not tell the same joke without seeming cruel or prejudiced.
ReplyDeleteThe reason I thought this article was interesting is because the jokes it contains ABOUT North Korea/North Koreans were made BY North Koreans. Sasha and Michelle, I think you are both quite right to say that joking about a political situation or group of people is usually very "not funny" (to use Sasha's words) or "critical" (to use Michelle's).
My next question is ... do you think that these jokes become more funny (or less critical) knowing that they were made BY North Koreans themselves? Or, even if it is the North Koreans laughing at themselves (or trying to laugh at themselves), do you think these jokes are still rude and offensive?
Please write back! I would be very glad to know what you think!!!
wow...it is very tough discussion...when i red the jokes, i laughed a little bit because North Korean's thought is really different with us. especially, in bear hug? the story was about putin and kim jung il. i just feel that North Korean are so pool because they dont have their life and just live only for their country or family.
ReplyDeletei think the writers might have belittled their country because they hate their country because of politic system and escaped, so it is just possible to belittle only for them. to me, the jokes are not rude and offensive but they are really pool
if i give my opinion about North Korean, i am just thinking that they are pool. it doesnt mean that i want to help them. when i was young, i learned about North Korean and teacher always mentioned that north and south had to be a unified nation. on the other hand, when i was doing military service, country taught us that they were the enemy. so it made me really confused. nowadays, whenever i talk with my friends or younger friends, i found that they do not want to unify with North Korean, which means that it is changing a lot. in my opinion, i do not think they are just different country. therefore, i do not mind about the jokes
ReplyDeleteEr...I think maybe both. I guess some North Korean people who is patriotic person do not hope those people left own country, move to another country. But maybe those people thought everyone had chance to chose where then can better living. On the anorther hand, anorther country people maybe ironic or sympathetic North Korean. The government should have rsponsibily to management own cities, let them happy living in own country. Also those people may had no chose to left own country. It's so complicated question, cause it include something about countries politics.
ReplyDelete