The Grand Narrative

Like much on this blog these days, I didn’t originally intend for the recent contents of this blog to be focused on sexual issues, but that’s certainly how it’s turned out, and the blog definately deserves ZenKimchi wittly summing it and some of KoreaBeat’s recent articles up as ”The Grand Sex Narrative.” I think I know what the ‘problem’ is though: although I didn’t study this back in New Zealand, once you’re here in Korea you realise that despite both Korea and New Zealand being developed capitalist countries, Korean family structures, concepts of gender roles, notions of sexuality, the value placed on education…and so on are only very superficially similar to those of New Zealand, which is partially why living in Korea is so interesting for a geek like me. Also, back in New Zealand I learnt a great deal about Marxian structuralism at Univerisity, and since starting my online MA in Asia-Pacific Studies while here I’ve become very interested in the convergence versus divergence debate, which I will go into more detail in a later post; for now, convergence is basically the argument that originally quite disparate societies will more closely resesemble each other the more capitalist and developed they become (I’m definately in the convergence camp). 

All of this is a long way of saying that since I came here I’ve always been attracted to articles about family or women’s issues in academic journals about Korea and East Asia; nowadays, with my Korean ability being good enough to read news reports, it means that my eye (and also those of other commuters on the subway looking over my shoulder later) is always immediately drawn to anything that says “여성,” or women, and if it’s short then all the better. So today, after I saw that the most looked at article in the MSN Korea society news page had the words “여대생” and “성매매,” or “female University student” and “selling sex,” then I didn’t need to think twice. I’ll have to be more discerning in the future though, because the article unfortunately didn’t turn out to be very deep or profound. In fact, it’s so sparse that it barely qualifies as a news story at all:

“생활비 때문에…” 자취방서 성매매한 여대생 검거 [노컷뉴스 2007-08-29 18:53]

“I needed the money to live on…” A female University student is arrested for prostitution. [NoCut News]

자신의 자취방에서 성매매를 한 여대생이 경찰에 붙잡혔다.

A female University student has been caught by the police selling sexual services from her studio apartment.

경북지방경찰청은 모 대학 1학년 A(19) 양과 회사원 등 3명을 성매매 알선 등 해위의 처벌에 관한 법률위반혐의로 불구속입건했다.

According to the North GyeongSang Province police office, a Miss A. (19) has been arrested on suspicion of selling sexual services to 3 office workers, whom have also been arrested.  All have been released on bail.

A 양은 지난 6월 말, 자신이 다니고 있는 대학 주변 자취방에서 인터넷 채팅을 통해 알게 된 회사원 B(28) 씨로부터 15만 원을 받고 성관계를 갖는 등 지금까지 2명을 상대로 성매매를 한 혐의이다.

In June, from her studio apartment close to her University, Miss A. sought clients through internet chatrooms and ultimately met an office worker Mr. B. (28), who paid her 150,000 won. From then until now, she has done the same with 2 additional office workers.

A 양은 경찰조사에서 집안 형편이 어려워 생활비를 벌기 위해 성매매를 했다고 말한 것으로 전해졌다.

Accounting for her actions, Miss A. says her difficult home circumstances meant that she had to do this to pay for her food and rent.

대구CBS 이규현 기자 lkh@cbs.co.kr

Daegu CBS, Lee Gyu-Hyeon reporting (lkh@cbs.co.kr).

I didn’t learn much either. Sorry. Fortunately however, one of my recent translations inspired Gusts of Popular Feeling to write one of the best and most comprehensive posts on prostitution and changing sexual attitudes in Korea that I’ve ever seen. Sigh…if I can’t write great works on Korean social issues, then at least I can be a muse for those who can: if you’ve read this far, then you definately want to click on the above link. 

But having been a muse,  then I pass on the sacred torch of expert in Korean prostitution to him and others, but personally I’ve translated the subject to death. Or, to be more precise, I don’t think that Korean sources on the subject that my present Korean ability allows me to read will be any more in depth than the translation above. So I’ll be moving onto other subjects from tomorrow.

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