I’m still carrying the green purse I was carrying in March 2020 when the pandemic stopped us in our collective tracks. That’s highly unusual for a person who changes her purses in concert with holidays, seasons and special events. My green purse ushers in springtime. My red purse is reserved for Valentine’s month and Christmas. My pink purse is for Breast Cancer Awareness month in October. My purple purse is for the start of the new school year in September and my gold purse is for the end of the school year in May since my University colors are purple and gold. I use a navy purse for summer. But for this entire year, I have not bothered to change purses. It was as though I was emotionally stunted in some way. I realize now that not changing my purses was simply an unconscious way to acknowledge this life disruption.
Because the end of the pandemic is in sight, I decided to acknowledge my emotional escapes that made this year of hell somewhat bearable. It was hell dealing with the pandemic, my husband’s lung cancer, and this presidential election this past year. I learned that I’m not the kind of person who runs towards others to talk about my challenges, but rather I retreat to a solidary place where I can fill my soul with the sights and sounds of life that are more pleasant than my current situation.
I found those sights and sounds in the music and performance of BTS and in the emotional storytelling found in K-dramas. It’s strange that I had to escape to South Korea for a reprieve from what life had become this past year. Many of my evenings were spent watching YouTube videos of BTS live performances, music videos, behind the scenes stuff about them or various reaction videos to the group. I was watching so much YouTube that I purchased an $11.99 premium subscription to rid myself of the commercials. Because the seven members of BTS came to mean so much to me, I became a member of their fan club, called “ARMY”, even purchasing the special membership. My kids, unaware of my purchase, also purchased a membership for me. I fell in love with BT21, a cartoon representation each of the boys created of themselves. For my own birthday I gifted myself the BT21 figurines and stuffed dolls and purchased several of their albums. I highly recommend their newest album, “BE”, in which they write about their emotions during the pandemic. The title song, “Life Goes On” is a masterpiece and many have now heard the song, “Dynamite” which is their first all English track that was released with the expressed intent bring cheer to the world during the pandemic.
As for K-dramas, I watch them on Netflix and Viki. My favorites this past year were the romance dramas that included such titles as, “The King: Eternal Monarch”, “Because This is My First Life”, “Itaewon Class”, “100 Days My Prince”, “Cinderella and the Four Knights”,”1% of Something”, “Strong Woman Do Bong Soon”, “What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim”, “Oh My Venus”, “Halo”, “Crash Landing on You”, “While You Were Sleeping”, and “Goblin”. I just finished “Sky Castle” which isn’t a romance but an excellent critique on the competitive South Korean educational system.
I think it might be mere coincidence that I relate so strongly to South Korean culture. My mother loved South Korea and visited there seven times before she passed away. She was planning another trip there when she became ill. South Korean culture is similar to African American culture in emotional energy which might explain their musical affinity for hip hop, rap, and R&B and our affinity for their performance of it. BTS music and dancing strikes a cord with many African Americans as seen through the reaction videos that feature many black males and females across generations and countries.
Whatever the reason, I am glad that I found an emotional escape in the artistry and creativity provided by the South Korean entertainment industries. The escape from the realities of 2020 was necessary and I’m thankful for the opportunity to do so.