Day with 동호 Around 종로

동호 brought me around 북촌한옥마을 to see the traditional houses of Seoul. I see the city working a tough job of reconciling with the past and history of the city as well as accommodating the needs of the advancing world. 

 I'm learning more about the relationship between Korea and Japan. Not so much the existence of tension, but more about what areas the two nations clash on. Of the contentions explained to me, I'm easily sympathetic to the Korean side of the controversy, either due to the fact that Koreans the ones sharing their side or maybe Korea is on the right side of history. Nevertheless, I'm researching on my own all these Korean-Japanese controversies.

Statue of Comfort Women situated, guarded, and clothed in front of the Japanese Embassy 

 One of the main current issues coming up is the recent withdrawal of Japanese high officials in acknowledging the existence of "comfort women" during the Japanese occupation of Korea. Korean teenage girls were used by the Japanese military forces for pleasure and though the Japanese government had issued apologies a couple decades ago, there's been a Japanese call to rescind the apology to the dismay of Koreans. As the comfort women are still living in Korea, they are given the spotlight and a public voice to retell their stories and act as the front-men to call for change from Japan.

Enhanced security around the Japanese embassy due to heightened tensions, protests, and a  man who drove his car into the gates a couple summers ago. 

동호 took me through 인사동 for the hustle and bustle of tourists and foreigners. We snacked on ice cream and 호떡 while navigating through the crowds. We ended our day with dinner at 새마을식당 eating 열탄불고기 and talking for a couple hours.