Korean history dramas: dream for a nation

One of the resounding theme which I could notice in these dramas was their hero's' (and heroines') strong insistence in realizing a dream to bring one nation in which people can live in peace and prosperity with whole family together and without any wars and conflicts. To build (or to restore) such nation, they are even willing to risk their lives, even to sacrifice their most beloved to bring such nation. And those who love each other so intimately, and deeply somehow holds the same vision of bringing that nation.

This means centered on the same higher vision to bring that nation, a man and a woman longs for each other so deeply. Intimate love between a man and a woman was expressed, but they are willing to sacrifice that precious love for the sake of higher purpose/mission. That makes that man-woman love even more beautiful. (sometimes so deeply sad, too) There are so much deep emotion involved surrounding higher vision and sacrifice. I believe these are in Korean terminology called "han" (deep anguish, pain, grudge, sorrow, etc.) This, though, helps us to live our lives better by learning how to deal with our daily difficult situations, painful situations, with deeper heart, with higher vision to bring our "dream". This helps us to see our lives from some higher perspective.

This "dream" and the penetrating "vision" to achieve the dream is something powerful. This surely will help us to reflect on our lives and make some changes on them.

Korean history dramas: parent-child relationship

They describe parent-child relationship very deep way. When a child shows such a deep love, respect, adoration to his parent, that appeals to my conscience. My conscience agrees this is what a child is suppose to be to his parents; this is what I really want to do to my own parents; I wish I could have such filial heart to my own parents. But it is still not too late, I can set this standard as my goal from now on and make effort until I die.
They also describe how parents love their children. That also appeal to my conscience. I wish I were such parent myself. I wish I had such parents as mine; then I might have been a totally different man. That helps me to understand if God loves me, this is the way how God must have loved me. This helps me to open myself humbly before God and stand before him as my own father.
A person I know found out she had a cancer and she would be able to live for a very short time. She lost hope for her life and she became very miserable. One day she was introduced to watch one of those Korean movies. As she watch them, something happened to her and she began to regain hope in her life. She began to live in a different manner and her cancer even disappeared eventually! She is still alive. I didn't understand why this happened until I watched Korean movie myself. When I watched it, I understood. It makes sense. They have some power. They appeal to our conscience and enlighten our conscience and let us realize how valuable the life is. They give us sense of appreciation for our life, and let us realize the amazing potential of how our life could be lived well. They give us chance to check our own life and restart our life with new determination and hope.

Korean history dramas teach so much...

I love Korean history dramas. I find so many good lessons for life. I can also learn what kind of background this people are coming from. I'm deeply inspired by many points. Here's one:

I hear so many times they say, "songo hamhida" (may spell wrong, but they say this when they apologize) "chugi shipshio" (please kill me--as a punishment)
One story I heard before. Somebody compares Japanese culture and Korean culture. If somebody cheats somebody, this is Japanese response: "The person who cheated was evil/bad." and that's it. But the Korean response to this situation is: "The person who cheated may be bad, but the one who was cheated is not good, either." What I feel out of this is that some kind of sense of human responsibility lies in Korean culture. If someone cheats you, it is my fault to be cheated. I am the one to repent and take responsibility for the concequence. I am not in the position to blame anyone, including the one who cheated me. Whatever happens, I am the one who is responsible and I am not in the position to blame anyone. (even if somebody still have to be blamed from an ordinary perspective) This way of thinking inspires me. If you want to influence people and win the people, this is the way to go. You would even put your worst enemy (someone who so hates you to the point of killing you) into natural surrender by following this way.

Watch out... before insisting

It is good and also it is important to have your own relationship with God. However, when you insist on that as something absolute, especially absolute to everyone, then problem starts. I believe that has been the serious cause of so called religious wars. But, watch out. Although it is easy to point fingers to each religion and blame her for causing the problem, this tendency, in fact, lies in each of us. We need to have a bigger heart or courage to accept the possibility that other people have their own unique relationship with God which is not necessarily the same as mine. There is only one God but he created us as such a unique beings and thus he appears to each unique person in its own unique way. Therefore, if someone else is experiencing God different way from how you experience God, you should not deny it, but appreciate it. Otherwise, you will be initiating a religious war yourself. How can you think that you are the only one who knows God? It is arrogant.