One of my favourite memories from being in Korea was once when we were talking with some of the soldiers (all in their 20s) about dating, etc.
On one of the bases in Seoul is a statue of a Korean soldier who died for his company when he leapt on an active grenade. When the grenade blew, he died, but absorbed the entire blast, so his fellow soldiers were spared.
When these soldiers go on a group date (very common in Korean culture), generally one soldier always gets stuck with the “ugly girl.”
Once the group has split off into pairs for a bit of snogging before the night is over, it’s tradition for that lucky guy to take the girl on a romantic stroll past the statue and tell the story of that brave, brave soldier who took one for the team.
Half a world away, and the more things change, the more they remain the same.
