As for me, I have great pride in Korea.. and proud to be a Korean-American. Considering we endured a great Korean war with N. Korea, we managed to pull ourselves from dust and look at Korea now!
I have to disagree andy, I think Korea (as a whole) is in a sad state. You have a country, once united for thousands of years, now armed with guns pointed at each other. There is evidence that Korea began even before China, and Chinese once paid tribute to Koreans. So, this once great nation is now ruined in my eyes. If you watched Shiri, you know what I mean. There is a great line by the North Korean standing in S. Korean city and says something like, "Look at these young kids, drunk, and full of poision, while kids starve in the North. And, then later, he says "..but how would you know with your cheese, coke, and hamburgers."
South Korea is an economic miracle, and there are big companies such as Samsung dominating the semiconductor industry, yes. But, at what price? It is no secret that the big chaebol's such as Hyundai, Samsung, etc all got started off Japanese collaboration. During colonization period, the Japanese realized they could not win over Korea unless they divided our nation. Therefore, they went to the rich landlords and yangban, and told them, you will have your land taken and family killed, but there is an alternative. We will pump thousands of dollars into you if you support us. Those who took the offer, began great huge companies. And those who refused were forgotten.
I don't see any pride in Korea, only shame. Once a proud and glorious nation, now only divided with the North going crazy with communism, and the South being a puppet to the US.
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