One of my favorite Korean bands came out with a new CD in August. The artist is Jaurim (자우림, 紫雨林) and the new album is called Conspiracy Theory. I love the main singer’s, Kim, Yoon-Ah (김윤아) voice. The band is not “K-Pop” but more musical. It is not formulaic like other Korean pop bands. The songs I like are “EV1” which is about a car while the other song is called “In Dreams” which talks about love.
Listening to the music makes me kind of nostalgic for Korea. I miss so many things from friends to the sights, sounds, smells, foods and everything. I miss wandering around and finding little unknown parts of Seoul or the countryside where few westerners would go because of the lack of English. I miss going into the countryside to explore and fall in love with the country all over again. I also kind of miss the excitement of getting things that were hard to get like magazines or good non-korean food. There were tones of challenges and I am sure I complained about everyone of them but now looking back on it how I relished when I had them.
I had to leave Korea. It was my time to leave. The country was getting on my nerves with the challenges of finding and holding on to a boyfriend. The pain of saying good bye every year to people who I have shared so much with. The frustration of hearing “you don’t understand because you are not Korea.” Even though I may understand the land better because I had spent so much time there and met so many diverse people.
I am happy in Hong Kong. I have everything I want and more. Somethings come too easy. Everyone mostly speaks English. I have a level of understanding of the culture here but I find it has come a lot easier and maybe that is why I have this longing to remember my times in Korea. I can see myself living in Hong Kong for the rest of my life, if I can. It is easy to do. I am in love with a wonderful guy. I have a job I love. I get a chance to learn from people and from a good university. I just kind of miss the adventure of living in a land that few fully understand.