I Have The Right To Practice Halloween, You Don't

In Korea (and probably everywhere else around the world), we have certain debates about certain things that rise during one certain period of the year and disappear until the same period next year. Issues that come to mind is the Korea Univ.-Yonsei Univ. Inter-Varisity Games, Moon Harvest/Lunar New Year women's fatigue, and how politicians don't really debate during televised debates.

One of the issues that Koreans really don't really realize fits perfectly into the description above is, should Koreans celebrate Halloween or not?

As we all know, Halloween is a western conception that has spread to certain parts of the worlds, mainly due to the colossal soft superpower (and hard too, if I am allowed to mention) that is the U.S. of A, although Halloween's origins are from the area now known as Ireland.

In my young years, I used to celebrate Halloween in Hong Kong. I attended a British school and had variety of Western friends who thought it was apt to celebrate a western tradition in an Asian territory (regardless of who the sovereign was at the time). Although we didn't disfigure pumpkins, we did dress up and go trick-o-treating to each other's houses, where our moms would have sweets (not candies) and chocolates prepared for us. Good 'Ol Times.

Fast-forward to Korea, 2007. Nowadays Halloween isn't an alien concept for most Koreans. You won't catch any skeletons or vampires on Oct. 30th, but you will hear of some fancy party in Ap-gu or Chung-dam held by some pseudo-spiffy Korean party-goer(s). I have no problem with these parties or their participants, except for they seem rather fake and bogus to me.

In the western world, it's quite expected that you will stop trick-o-treating perhaps by the age of 15, when you start to grow and realize that the world isn't costumes and candy. That's when you move on to Halloween parties. But your parties are held and attended because of the fact that you celebrated Halloween in your young days, and that you have nostalgia for those days, yes or no?

Koreans have had nothing to do with Halloween until they found out in their 20s that it was a good chance to get drunk in funny costumes and decorations, and perhaps hook up with a member of the opposite sex who tries hard to be hip and western like you on an annual (and most likely, more often) basis.

Regardless of the tone and provocative title of this post, believe me when I say that I'm not so sensitive about the whole thing of practicing Halloween in Korea. I realize that Halloween isn't Durga Puja or Hari Raya; there isn't any religious "pureness" or significance to defend against desecration and indecency. People who do party at Halloween don't cause any sleepless nights or furious tantrums and preaching at.

So why the blog post? Because there's a question I've always wanted to ask. Koreans have to admit that they are not good at modernizing traditional things, except perhaps for the exception of TV dramas and movies. When you look at the parties held in Korea, there are no such things as Korean parties. There are Pink Parties, Really Wild Parties, Absolut Parties, Playboy Parties .... I have never heard of a Korean party though. I've always wondered how a Korean Night would look like if Korea hosted an IC sometime in the very far future, because there are no "Korean Nights" being done. Just look at the Korean expats partying abroad, ever seen any Korean themes? So instead of worrying about whether it'll be a vampire, medusa, or werewolf this year, why not try doing something with a hanbok?

(If you say, "If you have so many complaints and smart suggestions, why don't you do it?" - sorry but I don't go to parties. I slept at all the parties at Heroes this year. :P)