Yes people, I am proud to announce you that nazism is back in fashion! This winter take your favourite black boots and brown shirts out of your closets as this seems to be the safe bet…if safe means not having to swimm for your life out of a small Norwegian island. So, show off your most beautiful swastika…svasticah… I never know how to write or pronounce that word…I guess I am not aryen enough to be able to master the nazi vocabulary…weirdly enough I have no problem pronouncing “al qaeda” or “sharia law”…amazing isn’t it? they made it so easier for the rest of us…

But the sad and dangerous thing is that, at the beginning of the 21st century, we have those two types of extremism trying to reject the fault on the other and using each other to justify their behaviour: “Because of the islamists we have to fight back, they are trying to destroy Europe!” and “Look, we are the victims of the white supremacy who is trying to eliminate our religion so let’s put planes in some buildings!”…Pathetic.

In 2011, here they are, our little Adolph or Ossama poseurs, trying to know who came first: the chicken or the egg?

You know what? If some of the best European philosophers never managed to answer that question, it’s not a bunch of brainwashed idiots -who either want us to go back to the middle age with their shameful sharia law or to the 3rd reich with their horrible death camps-, who will be able to solve that thousands years old philosophical question.

It’s alarming to see that in beautiful Europe, we are unable to learn anything from our history and mistakes. We have gone through religious wars with catholics killing the protestants (and the other way around too), women being burned or treated like dirt because of those religions, we have gone through a holocaust killing jews, gays, gypsies and black people but still, we don’t want to learn…And all the  Ancient Greek philosophy, Renaissance, Enlightment movement, French Revolution and the Human rights declaration, the Suffragettes… doesn’t seem to be of any help…. We are just THAT blind….

Racism - whether  for religious reasons ( I don’t like your faith so I am going to kill you!) or for some physical reasons ( I don’t like your face so guess what? I am going to kill you too!)  is like a little black dress. You wear it, you like it, it feels good  but then you put it in your closet. Time passes by and 10 years later you desperatly want to wear it again cause it feels like home and it’s SO comfy.

So Yes! unfortunatly racism is like that little black dress at the bottom of your closet, it never goes out of style! But let me tell you and no matter what Michelle Bachmann and those crazy christians think, the only thing that SHOULD  stay in the closet is that little black f****g dress!

A bon entendeur, salut!

Wanting to know more about Korean culture, I drawned myself into Korean cinema and I must admit that, when I started to watch them a few years ago, Lee Byung Hun didn’t really made a strong effect on me. I guess it’s because I hated the first movies I saw with him ( won’t tell the names of those movies I disliked, as it is not the subject , and, as the few times I told my point of view I got yelled at for my lack of appreciation of those movies…so the mystery will remain…).

This non affection for that actor actually lasted until I saw the movies he made with the very interesting and talented directors Park Chan Wook (박찬욱) and Kim Ji Hoon (김지훈).  Here I was sitting on my constantly extending bottom, on my way too comfortable couch being blown away by his acting which was far away from the cheesy image I had of him because of the previous movies I saw. It’s first in “JSA” that I started getting interested in him. Then the segment “cut” in “three extremes” confirmed the change in my perception of him…that guy is brilliant and -which doesn’t ruin anything- terribly handsome. The movies “ A bittersweet life” and “The good, the bad and the crazy” proved that he was there to stay and that we could be really grateful that Korea brought such an amazing actor in the cinema world.

In addition, after having my “european movies from the 60′s marathon”, I noticed that he shares a strong resemblance to the French cinema icon Alain Delon (like the Asian son Delon never had): like him, Lee Byung Hun knows how to find some of the best directors of his country and repeatedly work with them on some interesting projects (movies mentionned above among others…). Like him, Lee Byung Hun has this intense look in his eyes and the presence in front of the camera  that makes you believe that it’s so easy to act and that he was born to be an actor. And finally, like him, Lee Byung Hun devastating handsomeness comes with a reputation for having a difficult temper (nobody’s perfect I guess!).

Alain Delon

Well, I can’t deny that Lee Byung Hun has, in a way something to do with my appreciation of Asian culture and beauty. And it’s not my dear Korean better half who caught me crying like an ajumma in front of one of Lee’s drama ( not my proudest moment, I must admit)  that will contradict it. I am not a fan of Korean TV dramas but I am ready to undergo the most violent drama torture just to hear Lee Byung Hun deep voice saying “사랑해”.

Hey, I get it where I find it, so don’t judge!!!

All that was great but it was without counting on that silly little feeling that doesn’t seem to want  to let you go once you found the place where you are supposed to be: the feeling of boredom, homesickness. Ok, I was feeling lost.

Yes, I was back home in my country and couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable. Why is that? 

Well, several reasons come to my mind: 

1. I SUDDENLY REALISED HOW MUCH I BECAME ADDICTED TO THE SMELL OF
   

   c'est bon but all I want is Kimchi!!!!!!!

   KIMCHI IN MY FRIDGE. And no french smelly cheeses can replace it. I could have bought  some at the little Korean store but after receiving a formal and official ban from my parents I had to give up the idea to customize their fridge with some Korean Kimchi. Camembert trumps fermented vegetables in my parents home! (decision that I respect and understand. RELAX MA! I still love to eat cheese!No THEY didn’t change me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

2. NICE DINNER+SOJU+NICE DINNER AGAIN+SOJU AND BEER+A LITTLE SNACK+MEAKJU= 6am in the morning with the feeling that, indeed you had a good night, the deep knowledge of your toilets and all that for a VERY reasonnable price. And NOT: Nice dinner OR a beer OR a cocktail Or a nightclub entrance= ok let’s forget that guys, it’s too expensive, we’ll just buy the alcohol, cook and have dinner at home.We are all broke and in Paris. Partying at home has the same result for the degree of drunkenness but my stay in Korea made me so lazy, the idea of cooking, slowly separated itself from the concept of partying!!!!!! I just want to have to move my glass from the table to my mouth, is
   

   heaven! I'm in heaven....kidding

   that too much to ask, damn it? No cooking, No worrying about- oh God- doing the dishes the day after should be in my mimimimimind on a friday evening!

3. SO MANY WHITE PEOPLE EVERYWHERE!!! AND THEY ALL LOOK THE SAME!haaaaaaaaaaaaaa! It’s like looking at a mirror who looks in a mirror who…ok you get the idea. I lost the habit to walk in the street and actually BLEND IN. How can I feel special now? Boy do I miss the old ajumma and ajossis (folks) staring at me! And this weird habit that foreigners have in Korea when seeing each other in the street to nod and give that look that says:”you too? Yes me too. I see you my white brother!” I tried it in France but, well, as white people are everywhere, I decided to give the “knowing look”to the occasionnal Korean tourists but didn’t really worked… and one crazy french walking in the street, one! 
4.  WHERE IS MY SWEET KPOP when I eat or have a cafe? All that trendy, hype, indie music is killing me! Oh! All this variety in the paris pubs: rock, electro, r&b, indie music….what to choose! I am not used to getting drunk with the sound of artsy music…weird feeling when you know you are going to forget everything but suddenly you stop drinking for a second, grab a pencil, your friend and say: “wait, before I forget, tell me who is singing that song, I want it!” (and you actually don’t feel ashamed of asking that question cause you know that singer is ”cool”…-.-) At least in Korea you know that you’ll hear the same song again and again EVERYWHERE you go, so, no need to stop drinking, life just goes on! “So don’t panic and finish your glass so I can refill it!”.
5. Last reason (well I could find a lot more but 1-I am lazy and 2-I guess that’s the ultimate reason so I’d better finish on that): my better half waiting for me at home…need I say more?

streets of Seoul never sleep...when Paris goes on strike...I know, I know cheap shot!hihi!!

Here are 3 things that I really, REALLY could live without (from the least annoying to the one that makes me want to murder someone) :

• I was nicely conversing with a friend of mine in a park when suddenly a guy that none of us knew started chatting with us. Well, the day being beautiful, us being in a good mood, and the stranger not being of any threat, we actually started socializing.

 And there, I noticed something: when in France, if I am with a friend of arabian descent  (me being also brown) and if with him or her I meet some stranger (who don’t have the same colour) they automatically assume 2 things: that we are either brother/ sister or married. 

I am not going to point any fingers. I truly think it is not racist. But that day, the stranger, of course, wondered if we were sharing any blood link or civil one.

It is just that, apparently for most people,  it makes sense: Same colour, same family right?

[When in Korea, kind of the same thing happens if I am going out with a white male friend..a lot of Koreans will assume he is my boyfriend and that we are of course americans... (ok,  sometimes it is very practical: when in a nightclub, you are automatically left in peace as they think you are not alone and came with your boyfriend. It prevents half of the guys attempt to come and talk...or  it's just that I am  very ugly!ㅋㅋ!)]

Well all that to say, no, all the arabians or brown people (in France) or white people (in Korea) are not my brothers/sisters/husband… so please stop assuming that! It is getting old…. a bit of imagination wouldn’t hurt people!!!

• Also, (and I am getting a bit more annoyed as I am writing..) I know that for some French guys it is an habit to call the girl ”sister” or “cousin” when trying pathetically to chat her up in the street.

Well, in Korea I like when people call me ”big sister” (언니 or 누나) cause very often it goes with some respect and means that we are getting closer with the people I am with.

But when it s a creepy french guy who thinks he will get my number by pretending he is part of my family.NO! I AM NOT YOUR SISTER OR YOUR COUSIN…and now I get why you are such  a retard…you fuck within the family…probably what screwed up your DNA!! it makes sense now…..

• Last but not least (and at this point of the text my anger level is so high that I am actually considering buying a gun!):

I was sitting in a cafe in Montmartre (ah!la vie parisienne!!), and here comes a man, polite, charming (well charming,if easily charmed by the french “je ne sais quoi”-so not my type) and there, after few minutes, he asks me on a date.

I, (believe it or not!) politely refuse arguing the fact that I am married.

“Oh really!”says he.

“Yes, really!” do I answer.

“Well, then, where is he?” does he ask while looking around worried that my better half would suddenly appears.

“He stayed in South Korea because of work.”

His eyes filled with unanswered questions, he gets closer to me and says: “Is your man Asian?”

 ”Yes, he is Korean”. 

And then it starts: the series of usual statements/questions/insults (it depends of the mood and of how many time I heard it during the day – and trust me it actually comes out in the conversation more often than you think! and even from people that I mistakenly considered as friends!)

“Come on, you? with an Asian? don’t you wanna be with a real man?”

“You are with him cause you don’t know me.”

“ So you are into Nerds. “

“So you like to eat rice everyday.”

“What’s with their eyes, they look weird, moon face!”

“Is it because you can’t get white guys that you ended up with an Asian?”

and of course the USUAL:” Don’t Asian men have a small c***k?…etc”

And that’s what I can call the recurring comments I hear when telling that my hubby is Asian.

Well, allow me a little bit of anger:

First of all. NO, I DON’T WANT TO KNOW YOU BETTER ESPECIALLY AFTER YOU JUST INSULTED MY HUSBAND AND HIS RACE!!!

And ASIAN MEN DESERVE RESPECT…SO STOP TREATING THEM AS IF THEY WERE BELOW YOU!!!!!!

Secondly, if you think that constently commenting on Asian men’s private parts and on their size  constitute funny jokes then I understand why you are not a famous comedian….YOU ARE NOT FUNNY SO SHUT UP AND LEAVE ME ALONE!

Thirdly, and I would like to direct my anger toward the french people who are from the minorities:

 Well, You! Yes you, my dear black or arabian friend who is so quick to laugh at the race of my husband, how would you react if someone was stating the same clichés about your precious race?

What if a random guy in the street was telling your wife that because she is married to you, she probably doesn’t like the “REAL MEN” and that she should go back to dating “NORMAL MEN”??

You, my dear minority friend would be the first one to cry about how people are racist against you.

 And NO, all Asians are not the same, so if I say my better half is from South Korea, he is not Japanese or Vietnamese or Chinese!

There is nothing wrong with being from those countries, but again, I don’t call a German, an English and a French, a Spanish…so why would you do the same to them? Are all arabians or africans the same? No! SO South Korea is South Korea and NOT Japan…Again NOT FUNNY  especially when you hear the “joke”1000 times in the same day.

So I would like to send a message to the minorities men in my country who often focus on the assumed  geekiness and penis (there I said it) size of my hubby….

well, I find you guys particularly obsessed with penises…that says a lot about you…

And to finish on that subject: My dear French friends of arabian or african origins, YES! You and your supposedly big c**k! You with your racist jokes! You know what? When you look at my hubby, you see a geek working for Samsung with a small penis? Well, you know what? Most french when they look at you think you are either a gangster or a terrorist  so I guess I wisely chose my husband.

And at least my dear better half with his small weird eyes and video games in his luggage can go through airport security without getting  automatically a finger shoved up his bottom! And that’s the way I like my men, virgin from the behind!!! 

G-d, Do I miss Korea!!!

A bon entendeur! Salut!

Well, what I am sure is that aiming a comedian is a very easy target. Isn’t it his job to make jokes? Should we censor those who are here to make us laugh? There is a fine line between a good joke and an insult, but in that case I really don’t think that Gottfried crossed that line. It may not have been the best jokes ever made but if we want to get angry at someone, we’d better aim those who really don’t care about the japanese people and also about us.

Let’s have a look at what I found written in the newspapers by “serious” people few days only after the disaster. I just put my 2 favourite headlines…

• “Warren Buffet sees ‘buying opportunity’ in striken Japan”: really? An earthquake, a tsunami and a nuclear disaster but Japan still has good buying opportunity so everything’s fine, right? Cause after 2 weeks the most important is the japanese stock indexes. So, people, stop panicking and invest in Japan. You’ll make a sh*** load of money as reconstruction spending will help… so don’t sell your stocks. Ouf! L’honneur est sauf!

• “Le drame japonais menace l’avenir du nucléaire” (The japanese disaster threatens the future of the nuclear energy- it was the headline of the french newspaper “le figaro” 15/03): again, really???? Isn’t he future of the japanese people who is being threaten by the nuclear instead ? Personnally,This is the kind of joke that I think should get people fired…

You know what? Gottfried jokes are not what’s killing the japanese people. It’s the greedy politicians and business men who are. So f*** the nuclear’s future, the stock market and let’s joke! that’s all we have left and something they can’t put a price on…



That face is the one of  Seol Kyung-gu (설경구). His intense way of acting embraces perfectly the 20 years of Korean History developped in the movie “Peppermint candy” (박하사탕).

While watching the movie, I couldn’t get my eyes of the screen. It was a painful  and beautiful experience at the same time. The way, the brilliant and unforgettable director Lee Chang Dong (이창동), is showing the suffering, the violence of what Korea had to go through those years were like a slap in my face. It all takes place from the late 70′s to the 90′s, and I had no idea  at the time I watched the movie, that Korea went through all those tragic events before being the one we know and live in (military dictatorships, Gwangju massacre, students being repressed and tortured by the police).

When raised in France in the 80′s, at no moment we heard about what was going on in Korea. I felt betrayed by my country’s media. Why this silence about Korea? Where were they when, hundreds of people ( probably more) got murdered by the army ?

Watching that movie, you can barely breath but beyond the horror, it is a great message of hope that Lee Chang Dong seems to give us. It’s about making peace with your own history, accepting it and moving forward. Some get lost in the process, some don’t but that’s what makes a country. Its ability not to forget but to accept its past mistakes and improve itself in order to help the new generations.

Lee Chang Dong made that movie in 1999. The last one of the century. He wanted to say goodbye to his old Korea, to its suffering. Now Korea has to reinvent itself.

Seol Gyung-gu’s face during the one hour and a half of the movie beacomes Korea’s face. And at the end, it’s peaceful and happy that he welcomes us in the 21st century. Hope it lasts.

 처음으로 한국에서 보내는 추석이다. 내 남자 친구가  경기도에서 부산으로 내려와서 기분이 더 없이 좋다. 

내 남자친구를 볼 때마다 별이 질 것 같다. 

 볼 때마다 오빠가 내 마음을 아프게 하는가?

볼 때마다 나쁜 일이 생기는가?

아니요… 지는 별을 볼 때마다 소원을 비는 건 프랑스 관습이다.

나는 몇 년전에 우리 가족과 같이 프랑스알프스산에 갔다. 어느날 저녁 우리 부모님, 친오빠, 그의 아내와 함께 별을 보러 밖에 갔다.  거기에 나는 두 쌍의 부부 사이에 갇혔다. 왼쪽에 보면 우리 아버지가 우리 어머니를 포근히 안고 있고 오른쪽에 보면 우리 오빠도 아내를 똑같이 안고 있었다. 내가 여기에 왜 왔을까 라고 생각 했다. 금방 하늘에서 별이 졌다. 이별을 보면서 빨리 소원을 빌었다. “별에게, 제발 다음에는 좋은 남자친구가 옆에 있게 해줄래?…오! 그리고 항상 꿈꿔 왔던 일을 할 수 있게 해줄래…^^ 고맙다!!”

그 별이 내 소원을 들어줄 것 같았다. 5 년후에 부산에 있고 좋은 남자와 같이 있다. 지금 우리 둘이 안고 하늘을 볼 수 있다.  내 남자친구가 내 별이지만 지지 않으면 좋겠다.

웃긴 사실은 남자친구가 나에게 처음 불러준 노래가 여행스케치의 “별이 진다네” 였다. 

별이 진다네 video

I started my whole martial art passion with the chinese and HK movies. The usual, you might say:  “The 36th chamber of Shaolin” and other Shaw brothers wonders with a bit of Bruce Lee in the mix…

But who really caught my full attention was Jet Li  (left) with movies like “Shaolin temple” and of course  “Once upon a time in China”, which I consider  his best role in this serie of movies directed and produced by Tsui Hark. (One of the world best director who gave us “the Blade” that is, to my mind, the most amazing martial art movie ever made, but without Jet Li!)

 Well, what can be said about Jet Li that haven’t been said already? One minute of a fight scene with him and his talent and skills can’t be ignored. His speed, the perfection of his moves gave a new beginning to traditionnal Kung Fu fights. And he has a kind of baby face and gentle smile (which never made him very credible when he had to act as the “bad guy” in some movies by the way) that brings down a little the whole “I am a taugh guy who could kill you in one second with my bare hands” act.

But let’s cross the chinese border and see what the wonderful kingdom of Choson has to offer.

Well,  they brought us testosterone.

Pure testosterone with the great martial art actor and director Jung Doo Hong (right). He is THE MAN. The one you want to call when in trouble with dangerous and possibly drunken gangsters.

His most notable appearances are in the movies he made with the director Ryu Seung Wan-류승완 but actually participated as the action director in some famous movies like “Shiri-쉬리” or “A Bittersweet life-달콤한 인생” .

Jung Doo Hong is efficient. No flying. No useless moves. He goes for the kill and aim straight at your weak points. Coming from Taekwondo and Hapkido, his kicks are, of course, very impressive and very clean.

What I like about his way of making action is that, as soon as I see one second, I know it is Korean action. It’s not Chinese, not Japanese but pure Korean action (except in the movie “Arahan- 아라한 장풍 대작전” where director Ryu wanted to pay his respect to the HK style fights but no matter what,it still tasted a bit like Korea though!).

Those two actors, by mastering their art so beautifully made me share their passion and decided me to ridicule myself in different dojos over the years (without much results!) and made me appreciate an other part of the great Asian culture! I still can’t fly over trees but it definitly decided me to fly over half of the world and settle in the cradle of martial arts that is Asia.

[M/V] miss A “Bad Girl, Good Girl” from [BAD BUT GOOD]  (I like their video, just fun and entertaining, you gotta like the spirit!they are pretty open and forward with their lyrics and it’s a change from the usual pop songs. Also for Korea, aiming the problem of appearances and how it can get you judged and also ostracized by other people is really interesting and so vivid in Korean society! Can’t wait to see what they will do next and if they’ll keep on going that way!)

• When at my taekwondo lessons, my teacher grabs my leg and desperatly try to make me do a decent side kick (옆차기). I have tears in my eyes and have to grab his arm if not I am going to fall miserably on the floor…My teacher’s arms are very muscular, Ohhh! the soft feeling of muscles under my hand…best part of the lesson even though I am in pain and can barely walk after, for my legs weren’t design to go above my head!doh!! But overall love to practise the 옆차기 for that little second where I enjoy the muscular arms of my teacher, but Shhhhhhhhh!

TAEKWONDO KOREAN TIGERS (crazy video of the best team of taekwondo-their kicks and moves are perfect!! It’s just beautiful and truly an art)

• Still at the taekwondo lessons, when my teacher asks me to do something I physically can’t do, I always look at him and say almost crying ” But I can’t!!” And he just answers, staring at me with great confidence and sounding very authoritative: ” If you can’t do it, You WILL do it!!”  Having someone believing in me so much and being so sure that I can become a decent taekwondo fighter…priceless! and deep inside my heart, I jump out of joy like a little kid (which I would do if I could actually use any of my muscles after a lesson with him!) but Shhhhh!!!!

• I was raised in the idea that women are independant. That women can do the same work as men. That women don’t have to stay home and cook for their husbands but must be out, making a living as well as men. But, then, I started a relationship with a Korean man. We went out with friends, went to their houses, enjoyed their girlfriend’s cooking…and no matter how well I was raised and independant…not cooking for my boyfriend once in a while made me feel ashamed…so I started cooking, and actually enjoyed it (but come on, just once in a while so he doesn’t get to used to it!) but Shhhhhhhh!!!
• One day, after cooking for my boyfriend, he sat down at the table, looked at the food…and there was more love in his eyes when he looked at the different dishes than when he looks at me…and the first thing that came to my very independant woman’s mind was not “what the hell, am I less mouth watering than a plate of curry chicken?” but   ”Oh my G-d! He is so cute!” but Shhhhhhh!!
• Again with the food. I couldn’t stay on a defeat, especially against curry chicken and kimchi Jiggae. So later that day, I decided to strut about in some brand new sexy underwear, just to check… Well…Curry chicken, sorry, but I won… using my body to make my point, not my most glorious moment, but still felt proud and satisfied of myself…but Shhhhhh!!!!!!

• Few years ago, while still in France, some friends would phone me to go out and have a drink on Saturday evenings. And often, I would pretend to be sick so I could watch Oz, my favourite HBO show that was airing on French cable TV, every saturday evenings at 11h00pm. I could have recorded it, but I couldn’t wait one more day to find out which inmate would die or find a new way to get by in that prison…..but Shhhhhhh!!!!

Oz-season1 moments (Was there a life on TV before Oz?? Great scenario, amazing cast and direction)

• I hate dramas. I mean, I love to hate Korean dramas. But when I finally watch one (officially just to practise my Korean!!), I always end up at one point, yelling at the screen “But, idiot, don’t you see he loves you!! Kiss him!! No! Don’t go with that man, he is bad for you!!!!!!!!!!!” and secretly dreaming of being the cute girl who ends up marrying her very handsome manager!!! Ahhhh! Lee Byung Hun (이병헌), I love you!! But Shhhhhhhh!!!!!!

• I love movies. I watch movies all the time, any type of movies as long as they are good. And once in a while I enjoy the small indie type movies…makes me feel smarter. So when I heard about the movie “Eyes wide open” (Einaym Pkuhot) by Israeli director Haim Tabakman who went to the Festival of Cannes, I jumped on it. Great movie, intense subject (homosexuality in the Hassidic community in Jerusalem). Watched it 10 times…ok 5 times out of 10 it was really just to enjoy the beauty of Ran Danker. Gorgeous Ran Danker…but Shhhhhh!!!!!!

EYES WIDE OPEN TRAILER (High Quality, New English Subs) (Again, great movie, great actors..nothing to add)

• I watched the Korean movies “The Classic” directed by Kwak Jae Yong- 곽재용(“클래식”-romantic movie about a forbidden love in the 70′s)and “Silmido”  directed by Kang Woo Suk-강우석(“실미도”about a group of convict who instead of getting death penalty were trained on an island to go on a suicide mission to kill Kim Il song-based on a true story) and cried like a baby in front of it hiding my face in the pillow on my boyfriend’s shoulder!… but Shhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Classic Trailer  (one of my favourite romantic movie, Sniff sniff! but with good laughs too-sorry I couldn’t find the trailer with english subtitles)

Silmido Trailer 실미도 (again didnt find the trailer with english subtitles but the movie can be found with it. Silmido cast includes some of the best Korean actors and as based on true story from military archives it makes it even more interesting)

Those movies are part of my “movies to watch list”, they are not the newest ones but there is a beginning for everything!!