Dae Jang Geum

I’ve been on cultural overload now that Spring is here, so I have anotherrrr “cultural excursion” to blabber about. Boring you with cultural and historical information is the punishment to everyone who said “It looks like all you do is play and party… are you sure you’re in a foreign country?” It was WINTER, people. What else were we supposed to do? Touring and roaming outside was simply NOT an option. But now the sun’s out so I’ve got plenty of catching up to do.

On Saturday a teacher at my school invited me to go with her and her son (one of my 5th graders) to Dae Jang Geum, a ‘walking theme park’ in Yangju. In 1993 a TV drama called “Dae Jang Geum” aired in Korea and was insaaaanely popular. It’s based on a dynasty from the 1400s and is about the 1st female royal physician. Basically it’s a show all about old Korean lifestyle and culture, and like half the country tuned in every week. After the show ended (not sure why it ever did since it was so popular?) the Korean government purchased the giant open set, which is a recreation of an old Korean palace, and turned it into a theme park. Now you can walk around and see what a palace from the 1400s actually looked like. Sooo it’s kind of like touring a “Friends” or “Seinfeld” set… except it’s all outdoors, and based on life hundreds of years ago.    

I also got to try on Korean traditional clothing called a Hanbok. They let me walk around the giant palace and I got to pretend I was ancient and rich and famous and queen-like and Asian. The famous part was mostly true though, as about 10582 people who thought it was SO FUNNNNNY to see a foreigner wearing Korean clothes/wig asked to take my picture. Typical. Let’s just all be thankful I was born blonde and in the 1900s, because ancient Korean Chrissy is not very cool.