03:48 PM by 
Ningin has always had a lot of visitors from South Korea and other Asian countries. We’re quite proud of that actually because it means we’re transcending national and cultural boundaries. It doesn’t matter who or where you are, if you’re interested in Asian media, we’re happy to have you here! So to better serve our international members (and really everyone in general) allow me to introduce Tara Popp, our newest blogger from South Korea:
차렷, 경래, 안녕하세요! (Cha-lyut, gyung-lae, ahnyoung-ha-sae-yo! = Attention! Bow and say hello!) Well that is one way to say hello in South Korea, especially at an institute, I suppose.
Anyway, hello! I am not usually this “militaristic” in my greetings, but after I explain a bit about myself, it will make sense! My name is Tara, a United States citizen who resides in Seoul, South Korea. I was born here, and after a brief stint in Virginia and Camp Zama, Kanagawa, Japan, I came back here with my parents in 1988 (yay for Seoul Summer Olympics!) and have been here ever since. I think of myself as a product of a interracial marriage, who grew up with two very different cultures and languages. My father’s a former US veteran who worked as a civilian for the US government overseas. My mother is Korean, originally from the Jeollanam province. Therefore, I was able to live in virtually two different worlds: the military bases became my schooling community, as well as it being my American counterpart, and the off-base city of Seoul gave me different social and cultural viewpoints for my Korean counterpart. Of course, having lived off-base also helped fuelled my opportunity to live out in a real foreign city.
I was lucky enough to have a mother who spoke mostly Korean to me, and with my Korean relatives only speaking Korean to me, I was able to remain somewhat fluent, at an intermediate-level, though. While that was going on, I attended the Seoul American schools on Yongsan Garrison from my elementary and high school career. After I graduated from high school, I decided to take classes at the Asian division of University of Maryland, University College, where after two years of thinking I’d transfer, I decided to remain here and complete my degree in English. While I took classes, I worked as a substitute teacher at my old high school along with the middle school and elementary school. Now, I work with a much younger age group at a day care centre on base, where children under the age of six makes me laugh with their cuteness.
I’m really glad, though, that I decided to stay here. Seoul’s my home, and while it has its issues, the pros weigh out the cons immensely. I love being in an Asian city due to its atmosphere. Even though Seoul is being influenced by the west, the fact that Seoul can combine characteristics of the old east and the new west to make something new intrigues me. Where else am I going to find a troupe of Pungmul travelling down the foreigners district of Itaewon? Or kimchi pizza or burger? Being able to walk down the busy streets of Myeong-dong and seeing such a diverse group of people thrills me. Seoul really is a happening place, and I want to be able to express that with these future blog entries. I only need to remind myself to carry a digital camera with me more often.
Unfortunately, though, even if I live in the capital of K-Entertainment, I rarely follow the Korean media. When I was younger, I used to be a crazy fangirls of H.O.T., SechsKies, and of dramas like Gaeul Donghwa and Chunguk-e-Gyedan, but not anymore. Instead, I find myself attracted more to the Japanese culture more than anything. Animes, mangas, and video games are one thing that I thank the Japanese for corrupting me. I love yaoi/bl animes and mangas, and RPG video games like the Suikoden and Final Fantasy series. I also like the Gyakuten Saiban (Ace Attorney/Phoenix Wright) series. When I am not busy with those, I pound on the piano, thanks to the influence of my Korean mother, or haunt the internet. There I surf LJ for fandom stuff (I read and write fanfictions), Wikipedia for random readings, and blog on my own Aigoo-Chamna domain. By the way, “aigoo chamna” means good grief in Korean. Expect to see that from me a lot!
But that’s beside the point! To me, Seoul will always be my home, even if I leave. And since I’m here for now, I may as well take the opportunity to show some inside views on the life of a “Seoul Civilian Brat”, the cultural clashes, and the awesome weird things I see and experience in this city of the Land of the Morning Calm Chaos! (In a good way!)
Thank you, and I hope you all enjoy my entries!
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Tara’s Blog URL: tarapopp.ningin.com
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Tags: camp zama, citizen, japan, kanagawa, korea, military, seoul, tara popp, united states
