Beyond platinum
For the past years, Korea and everything about it have been part of me already. I am grateful for the people who have been my links to this wonderful country, whose friendship spans decades, and counting.
Mayor Techie Sitoy Cho of Cordova who is immersed heavily in Korean arts and culture, brought a delegation of performers from her town to Korea to showcase the Dinagat Festival. I’m sure, for the delegates, it was a dream come true to experience the Korean brand of hospitality.
Mrs. Elizabeth Yang whose work with the Korean women is also very instrumental to why I became deeply appreciative of Korean arts and culture, especially when in 2010 she invited my cultural group, the University of the Philippines Theater Arts Guild for Education (UPSTAGE), to perform in the Bucheon International Intangible Cultural Exchange.
And so it is not anymore surprising that we Filipinos have embraced their food, fashion, cinema, music, arts, and values. And no wonder that Seoul being one of the biggest sources of tourism for our country, we see Koreans in practically all areas of our country.
It is already part of the consciousness of our young Filipinos the girl group Momoland, whose hits “Bboom Bhoom” and “Baam” ranked Number 1 and 2, respectively, in the weekly chart of the Philippines, and they have performed twice in Manila. And ask them again about BlackPink, for sure, they would respond with a big yes as this group held a sold-out concert at the Mall of Asia Arena. And on this year also, deafening shrieks from the crowd welcomed NCT Dream as they took the stage. It was the first time for the Korean boy group to perform here as part of the 2019 K-POP Friendship Concert in Manila, a cultural celebration through music shared by the Philippines and South Korea.
More and more Korean stars — not just “idol” groups but also actors and actresses — have been visiting our country in recent years. This is part of a phenomenon known as “Hallyu” or “Korean wave,” the increasing global popularity of Korean pop culture such as music, drama, food and even cosmetics. And I believe Korean entertainment companies find the Philippines an attractive market because of the “cultural solidarity” between Koreans and Filipinos.
But even before this, the Philippine-Korean friendship is well-established when Koreans and Filipinos fought together during the Korean War. We thank you for the assistance to Filipino war veterans. We fought side by side in defense of freedom and democracy. That is a legacy that must be remembered and continuously reaffirmed.
The Philippines and Korea have been friends and allies since the post-World War II era. Given the cultural links and the apparent interest in each other’s way of life, the two countries are expected to continue to foster their close relationship in the coming years.
On a personal level, Korean values have already been, consciously and unconsciously, part of my family. My younger sister is married to a Korean and they have a daughter who is already in high school. Sae Ah Rabago Yang mirrors the merger of two cultures that in one way or another have commonalities while at the same time embracing peculiarities.
From learning English to engaging in business, Koreans also learn and embrace our culture and values, as so it goes true to us as well. And in this dynamic exchange of experiences, we learn from each other. Indeed, the essence of friendship is grounded on mutual understanding and support. It is about finding commonalities and embracing differences.
Long live Philippine-Korean friendship! A friendship worth celebrating beyond platinum!
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