Hyo
by BaeMinSoo
The first question that appears in my head, today is: Just what is "filial piety."
"What is filial piety?".
I vaguely think that it is love of one's parents or elders. Filial Piety--which is called "Hyo" in Korean--has always been the major part of Korean life. It can be easily said that all Korean lives are based on "Hyo". We believe in Hyo and we respect elders. In the subway, for example, there are seats primarily reserved for elders. We can easily see that young people naturally give up their seats to elders, even when the train is bustling.
Today, in order to video-record the students at Korean Minjok Leadership Academy--and their manner of performing Hyo--many cameramen and producers came from the program called "Neukkim Pyo" (����ǥ or "Exclamation Mark"). In Mr.Johnson's class they recorded our discussion about "Hyo"... and some of my friend's called their mothers or fathers, to perform an act of "Hyo".
Though I did not perform any interview with the people from that program, I had a chance to contemplate about the idea of "Hyo" and I asked myself whether I am performing "Hyo" at all, while here at KMLA. Out here in the countryside of KangWon province, I live far from my parents, who live several hours south, in Pohang. What I can do for my parents is write an occasional E-mail or call them a few times a week. However, I do not even call my parents that often. In fact, usually, my parents are the ones who call me, often.
Now I have decided to perform more sincere acts of "Hyo" more often. I shall begin anew, and call my parents before they call me. This start may be, for the time being, the only way I can perform "Hyo" from here, at KMLA.
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