Bonbon Boy

What is a Bonbon Boy?
Bonbon boy is a word for a teen-aged boy who is a son of wealthy family. Usually they are late of teenage. Some of them are high school students, but mostly they are college students. Normally, many college students do part time job for their own expenses such as traffic expenses and food expenses. However, Bonbon boys do not get part time jobs, because their well-off parents or grandparents fill up their lovely sons’ or grandsons’ pocket. So they can do whatever they want with that easily earned money. Mostly, grandparents love Bonbon boys more than parents do. As what the reading material said, Bonbon boys are the apple of their grandparents’ eyes-they can do no wrong.
In Korea and America, where I spend my teen-age years, there is same kind of kids around the school. In states, we call them “spoiled”. Most of all aspects are in common. One big difference between Bonbon boy and Spoiled kids is that the latter includes not only boys but also girls.

Family Relation in Korea

A family relation in Korea is and has been rapidly changing in 50 years. After the Korean War and democracy movements in Korea, Confucianism and way of men-oriented thinking man-oriented has been changed.
In the past, Confucianism was prevalent in all over the nation. Father was on the highest priority in the whole family. Most of everything was likely father-oriented or men-oriented. For example, there was different dinner table for men and women. Men can eat first even though they are little child. Also, there was a notion that women do chores and men should go out for their work. Moreover, nobody can even think about divorce. If someone divorces, people always blame on ladies and start to have a bias thought. Lastly, in the past, many houses were in big family. For radical example, some house had grand-grand parents and grand-grand kids. At least, number of six in the family was typical.
However, in these days, things have been changed a lot. First, Confucianism and motion of men-oriented is breaking down rapidly. There are no more men and women separated dinner tables. Also, son-preference is no more existing. On the contrary, daughter-preference is getting wide spread. Not only men work for family, but also do ladies. There is the word “working-Mom.” It stands for mothers who work while they do the chores at the same time. Even though, men-oriented thinking is melting down among many families, still fathers have power such as making important decisions. About divorce, people became a lot generous. They blame on nobody and just understand their circumstances. At last, the size of family is getting smaller and smaller. Usually, number of three or four is normal size for today’s family relation in Korea.

Dating life in Korea and Japan.

Last time in the class, we talked about dating life in Japan. Before I read and filmed, I did not know much about dating life in Japan. After video project and reading, I figured out Japan’s dating life and that of Korea’s is much likely the same.
In Japan, many college students do Gokon. During Gokon, same numbers of boys and girls meet and introduce themselves. They have luch or dinner together, play games and take pictures together. Also, they exchange their mobile numbers. According to one of my Japanese friend, if someone like their partner they meet separately after Gokon. There is something similar like Gokon in Korea. Koreans call it: Meeting. They do almost same things like Gokon. On the other hand, there is one difference between Korea and Japan. In Korea, there is thing called “Sogaeting.” Sogaeting is one on one Gokon. Most of the time, their friends or relatives introduce people. Many university students do it when they want boyfriend or girlfriend.
Couples’ date course is pretty much same in Korea and Japan-movies, meals, hang around at some nice fancy looking places. The biggest difference between Korea-Japan, and America is that college students do not have their own car. Thus, their available things to do during the date are very limited.
It will be my pleasure to hear some comments from you guys! おねがいします！

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totally into Common's songs these days. gut stuff.

Peer Groups in Korea

Due to my status in Japan, as Foreigner, I will rather introduce peer groups in Korea.
In Korea, peer groups usually divided according to what they have interested in. For example, nerds gather up with those kind of nerdy kids. Sports lovers hang out with whom like and play sports. It seems like those group members do not interact, communicate, and hang out together. However, they quite often hang out together though.
Also, teenaged kids mostly divided into groups of boys and girls. If there are some stuff to do with, then they hang out sometimes But, it is very rare to see bunch of boys and girls hanging out.

In my opinion, peer groups in Korea are similar as those of Japan. However based on my experience in states, there are many boys and girls mixed groups in states. The group of mine was also mixed. We have lunch together usually and do homework or projects together. These things are not really common thing in Korea and Japan. Boys stick with boys and vice versa.

Introduce J.D., OH to you!

Hi guys, my name is HongJae, OH. I usually go by J.D.

I’m from S.Korea. Went Elementary in London and Seoul, and moved to states for the middle school and high school years. During the time in states, I lived in NYC, Chicago, and IdahoFalls. I went schools until my junior year in Bonneville High at IdahoFalls and came back to Korea. But now I’m staying in Japan as student of Waseda Univ. My department is School of International Liberal Studies. Even though I live in Japan now, my Japanese is not that fluent so understand. Onegaisimasu ;)

Let me introduce my family. My father runs numbers of pharmacies and mother owns some real estate companies. I have one younger sister. She is three years younger than me. Right now, she is a high school student in Seoul Korea. The school she is going to is music and art high school and my sister majors violin. Sometimes we fight and talk craps a lot each other, but usually I just give it up.

Well… during free time, I listen to music most of the time. I love any music genres. But my favorite is hip-hop and rap. Recently, I totally got into Common, and Kanye West. Love their beats and lyrics. Sometimes, I go on the Internet and surf my favorite sites.

It is great pleasure to meet you guys even it is through the Internet. I wish I can meet you guys at either U.S. or Japan. Thanx.