KF뉴스레터-Music Has No Borders

Music Has No Borders

First of all, I would like to say thank you very much to everyone who has given me the opportunity to study in Korea. I am happy I had the opportunity to study how the Korean people really use their language in everyday life and to experience the beauty of Korean culture. I think I was incredibly lucky to be able to be here this year, a time rich with many historical events, of which I have been able to bear witness to and will never forget.

In my home university - the ELTE University of Budapest - my major is Japanese studies. I also took some classes on Korea. This motivated me to live in both countries, where I could learn more about how the people lived and thought. Now, I am finished with my overseas studies in both Japan (Keio University) and Korea (Seoul National University). During the course of my studies, I have observed some differences and similarities between the two countries.

Language

Coming from Hungary, a Central-European country whose people originally come from Centural Asia, made me feel very close to Korean and Japanese people. The Hungarian language is also an Ural-Altai language. The grammar is very similar to Korean. Further-more, the Hungarians are the only Europeans whose names are in the order of family name first.

An interesting difference between Japanese and Korean is the use of the honorific form. In Korean, if you talk about your own parents for example, you use the active honorific form, like "gyesida (계시다, to be)" or "japsusida (잡수시다, to eat)." However, in Japanese you use in the same situation the passive honorific form, as "oru" or "taberu" instead of "irassharu" or "meshiagaru" which is used when talking about others's parents. The Hungarian language has no special honorific words like these. However, if you are talking in a nice way or politely with love about your parents, the listener will have the impression that you are respectful.

It was also interesting to find some similar words, like the word for "appa (아빠, dad)" in Hungarian is "apa." Once, when I went to a Korean restaurant with a friend of mine, he told me about the different varieties of "banchan (반찬)," side dishes eaten with a meal. One of which was "goguma." I was very surprised and thought: 'I knew Koreans eat dog, but I have never heard that they even eat small bears.' Well, in Japanese 'goguma' means small bear, but in Korean it means sweet potato.

Music

I began singing in a choir from the early age of six, so I have always been connected to music. I learned many folk songs, not only from Hungary, but also songs from other nations. When I was about eleven years old, I didnÕt know it at the time, but I learned a Hungarian translation of Arirang. Perhaps, this was my very first contact with Korean culture.

Folk songs are of vital importance in maintaining the identity of any nation; particularly, in small countries where there have been many wars, resulting in heavy foreign influence on their culture and history. I believe that folk songs help keep a nation together, even if nations should become absorbed into larger nations through war or otherwise. Perhaps, this is the reason Koreans and Hungarians (and people from other small countries) make a tremendous effort not to forget their folk songs.

I was very impressed with Koreans whom I asked to sing some Korean traditional folk songs. Whether young or old, women or men, all knew many songs. In Japan, the young people I met did not know many traditional Japanese folk songs. On the other hand, they knew more traditional children's songs than Koreans. Right now I am working on finding traditional Korean children's songs. So, if there is anyone who can help me, please feel free to write to me via e-mail. I would be very grateful for any help.

It is nice to sing big hits from all over the world, but our great Hungarian composer, Kodaly Zoltan said: "For a child it's important to sing his own country's folk songs first, and then neighboring countries". Then even farther countries' folk songs. It makes the child realize where he belongs, but at the same time he can become international". If you do not know your own history well first, how can you learn the history of the rest of the world?

Kodaly also said: "Music has no borders." I truly believe his words, and I will do my best in the future to try to become a bridge between countries, especially through music.

한국국제교류재단

Music Has No Borders

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Music Has No Borders

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