Too bad but not much you can do at this stage, doc! Too late and too little!

Indeed, I was so pissed off to learn almost everything I was taught to be genuine Korean stuff was turned out mostly Chinese - and partly Japanese origin as well- through the trips to China and Japan. Even some of 경상도 사투리 like정지 or 통시 are also of Chinese origin like 변소.

China stuff? OK!!!!  Because it took thousands of years to seep into Korean culture! But amazed to see how fast and how much Japs changed Korean stuff only through 36 years?????? Not only language but also our way of thinking as well!!! What can I say?

BB Lee

I read this news with a mixed feeling, Dr. Ohn.

I understand why they criticize 태극기, but why they attack 무궁화 as well together with 애국가? 

Such great composer 안익태 composed it as a Korean national anthem and people accepted and love it!  So, what is wrong with it?  It certainly is better than the old Scottish melody Auld Lang Syne!!!

Anyhow,  무궁화 is such a well-known symbol of Korean resistance to Japanese occupation!!! It is NOT a Sakura!  Indeed, I was embarrassed to learn belatedly when I got back to Korea in 1994 after a quarter-century absence that my mother, 조애영 became quite nationally renowned as 무궁화 할머니 to have devoted her time and fortune to lead a national campaign for the planting 무궁화 as National flower - apparently, she had quite a few interviews through national TV for the campaign and also wrote about the unique role/feeling of 무궁화 during Japanese occupation so that they named/called her as 무궁화 할머니 while they were planning to nominate her as 인긴문화재 led by 육영수 여사 (Mme 박정희) - my mother was so heartbroken with the assassination of 육영수 여사 who was her close 배화여고 후배 that she refused to accept!-. So it is a total surprise to me that 무궁화 was also one of the controversial issues, anti-Korean(?) to get the attack together with 애국가.

How about that!

BB        

https://blog.daum.net/cnai1234/6533300

무궁화 꽃의 내력

It was not easy to find Mugungwha when I was growing up in Korea 

and I always had a question in my mind that why it is a national flower

even if it is not commonly seen. To me, Korea was not "무궁화 삼천리 화려강산".

Sakura was more visible than Mugungwha. It is most likely because 

Japanese took out Mugungwha and planted Sakura.

I think Dr. Lee's mother 조영애 tried to reverse what the Japanese did to Mugungwha.

She had the right idea and Koreans should keep Mugungwha as the national flower.

I have planted Mugungwha in my yard and I see them in my neighborhood  more 

than I used to see them in Korea. 

본인의 맘속에 말없이 오래 간직하고 있던 한국의 애국가를 보여 드립니다.


김연자 - 아침의 나라에서

본인은 이노래를 즐겨 부릅니다. 뎡쾌한 리듬에 명랑하고 즐거운, 진취적인 가사입니다.

올림픽에서 금메달 탓을때 부를만한 노래이지요.

Same song but another version by the same singer.

It will be nice if we modify the lyrics a bit for a national anthem !!

김연자의 아침의 나라에서♬ㅣ트롯신이 떴다 (K-Trot in Town)

또 하나의 노래가 있읍니다. 한번 듣고 보십시요.

역시 본인이 좋아하는 노래입니다. Below:

신문희(MOONY)-아름다운나라-2011년 새해축하무대.mp4 • Jan 3, 2011

윗 첫번 노래와는 좀 다른 정서입니다. 아주 한국적인 조국의 사랑을 표현하는 내용이지요.

아래에 다른 버젼과 가수입니다.

송소희 - 아름다운 나라


불후의명곡 - 이영현, 가창력 끝판왕 ´아름다운 나라´. • Jun 25, 2016

I enjoyed "아름다운 나라". There must be something better than 애국가.

https://youtu.be/YBsm2f-gKys

1902년 대한제국, 황제가

황제가 was the first Korean national anthem. The ruler of the heaven(상제)

appoints the ruler of the earth meaning emperor (Emperor). That was the 

way the Middle Kingdom worked. Apparently, Kojong was playing the 

Middle Kingdom. Chosun was detached from China after the Japanese won

the first Cino-Japanese war in 1895. Japan was about to abdicate Chosun,

but Russia interfered. From 1985 to 1904, Korea was relatively independent 

because Russia and Japan were competing for the occupation of Korea.

Chosun was free from China and KoJong declared Empire of Korea(대한제국).

He himself became emperor elevated from the king that was under the emperor of 

China. During that time Japan and Russia were seriously considering dividing 

Korea at 38 or 39 parallel. 

Prototype of 태극기 was proposed by 마건충.

From 1882 to 1895 Chosun was basically occupied by China.

묄렌도르프 and 마건충 were sent to Chosun as Kong's advisor.

묄렌도르프 was German and took care of the treasury and foreign 

affairs. 마건충 was handling internal affairs.

During the trade agreement meeting between Chosun and America, 

the national flag issue came up. Naturally, Koreans asked Chinese 

advice. 마건충 came up with the one that 태극 in the center 

and 8 궤 around it. Later 박영효 modified it to have 4궤 in the 

4 corners in the ship going to Japan. It symbolizes Confucianism.

I don't understand it well and have the desire to do it either. 
But I do shed tears when I see it on the occasions displaying national pride.

"아름다운 나라"는 이미 2018 평창 동계올림픽때 주제곡이였지요.

한가지 문제는 노래의 성격이 Sports event와는 잘 맞지 않습니다. 신나는 노래가 아님.

또 한가지는 부르기가 쉽지않숩니다. (고음이 좀 너무 높아서 일반 대중이 부르기에는 

좀 힘든 문제가 있지요. 여자도 부르기 힘들고 남자도 마찬가지.)

Non-sports event 로서 Formal한 환경에서는 경우에는 물론 아주 좋지요.

태국기는 딱딱한 각이진 그림 design보다는 좀"abstract type"의 태극과 4괴를 쓰면 좋겠지요.

(만일 태극과 4 괴를 쓴다면 Modern artistic concept에는 맞지않습니다, It's stupid !!)