February week 2

History and Me..

As I have said earlier, I do hold an unusual interest about history and things of the past. Well, not just anything of old, just more towards the people and the culture of the many centuries back. I don't know when was the start of my inquisitiveness towards this subject matter but I do find myself very drawn towards learning and reading about topics related to the past in the newspaper or magazine articles as opposed to current issues or trends, the environment, politics etc.

My delight in this subject was ironically driven by watching a lot of dramas. Korean dramas to be exact. Period dramas, as they call it, was never something I would have watched on my own as I reckoned it's not my taste, something only my parents' generation would enjoy. Thanks to my parents who decided to watch an episode of a korean period drama airing on tv one day and also because of my laziness to move away from the couch, the more I watch it, the more I get attached to it (which kdrama doesn't leave you wanting more?!). So, there was no turning back.

The thing about these shows is that it depicts the lives of the people of all classes in the society (korean, in this case) from the monarchies that possessed absolute power to the middle class merchants and traders, the businessmen of that era, the royal military in charged of protecting the king and citizens, servants and maids of the palace, normal citizens and slaves, each of lives having more than one story to tell. From what I have gathered, generally at that time of Genghis Khan, power and dominion were everything for each and every one of the existing kingdom, to seize control over neighbouring countries and claim ownership of barren lands. Furthermore there existed a strong sense of loyalty in a master and servant or slave relationship, a clear, distinctive custom of natural protocol that was expected from the society. One's life always depends on the one above them in the hierarchy and that leaves the king to be the master of them all. In the dramas this distinctive feature is always highlighted whereby there is the highest most deepest loyalty and honour to the kings that reigned supreme by the seemingly very dependent right hands.

Moreover, in the korean culture the traditional costumes, food, music and architecture are all so colourful and vibrant while as for the poor they are dressed in a moderate and down-to-earth clothes. I find pleasure feasting my eyes to the settings in the dramas as there are so many things to see and learn, like how ministers and government officers of various faculties have their very own uniform and the unending strife and greed for the throne amongst siblings or ambitious senators, awesome swordplays as well as the hardship of slaves born into that ill fate forever owing their lives to others. There's just so much to see and much more to learn that I could go on and on.

So, all this managed to pique my interest about the past and to read more information about this of no boredom to me. Therefore, I believe that it is not impossible to make us students enjoy history lessons for it is the method of delivering the true essence of history that is making it difficult. I concur that many of them my age or not, after watching period dramas whether Korean, Chinese or Hong Kong dramas, would not deny that they actually appreciate history from all the pieces of information they got watching these dramas. I suggest promoting our country's history through films and dramas so that viewers and Malaysians can visually comprehend and embrace our remarkable history.
* I really encourage you guys to watch some korean period dramas. They're AWESOME!!