Evelyn Stephens

Pang

Korean 3011

11 March 2021

Reaction Paper 2

불시착를 정말 재미있게 봤어요. 나는 북한에 대해 많은 것을 배웠다. 냉면이 원래 평양산인지 몰랐다. 멋지다! 냉면은 내가 가장 좋아하는 한국 음식이에요.대도시 평양은 리정혁이 살고 있는 마을과 매우 다르다.

I have always loved learning about different cultures which I think is why this drama appeals to me so much. In America (almost) no one cares to learn about North Korea probably due to the rocky relationship between the United States and North Korea. Even in the drama the US is called “the greatest enemy” when the characters briefly speak in English. A few years ago when I was still ignorant I did not know the difference between North and South Korea, then I learned they had been one that split into two. Still I assumed they were very similar. It wasn’t until very recently I learned they were very different. 

This drama does an excellent job of showcasing North Korea as a different but still beautiful country. I loved watching them cook 조개불고기 and laughed when they opened the refrigerator only to find it full of books and clothes. Watching how close a small town is, preparing kimchi together, going to the head of the village’s birthday party and all the kids marching to school together was really interesting to me. The kids using cobwebs to catch dragonflies and the way to take a hot bath was genius to me. Nowadays we are so hooked on technology I wonder if I could have come up with those ideas on my own. I also appreciate that they show Seri somewhat adapting to North Korean life even though it is so different from her regular South Korean lifestyle. 

I also think its funny have 세리 has a ‘South Korean’ accent but I can not hear the difference at all. My Korean skills are still not good enough to recognize an accent. I hope to rewatch this drama later in my life and actually notice the difference. I have enjoyed this drama so much I decided to finish watching it and I am already on episode 11! I am very curious to see how this story will end since there are a lot of factors that say they won’t end up together, but I am very hopeful they will be together in the end.