Taking pride in our nation

gzlaser

WHILE lots of Chinese youth are amazed by the latest South Korean TV hit Gung (The Palace), the show also epitomizes South Korean patriotism. The characters, from commons up to celebrities, all have dignity and pride in their nation.

People from South Korea have a strong sense of nationalism. Today, the country's young people are showing their passion and loyalty towards their country in a subtle but real way.

\"In sports events around the world, whether on a large or small scale, you can see lots of enthusiastic young Koreans carrying Taichi flags and cheering for their country,\" explains Yun Sang-ho, 26, who works in the Shanghai branch of a South Korean company.

Facts please

Yun now lives in China, and will always patiently answer every question about South Korea and its culture for curious young Chinese. He's keen on introducing interesting facts to foreigners about his country.

\"If people have a misunderstandings about our people or country, I'll explain and tell them what the truth is,\" he said.

Yun and his peers also support their country by using South Korean brands such as Samsung or LG, but this doesn't mean that these are their only choices.

\"Only buying domestic brands has become a cliché of patriotism,\" he said. \"We young people still prefer to buy the cheaper or better quality products even if they're foreign brands. For example, we don't mind purchasing Chinese goods at all.\"

Numbers

According to a survey conducted by South Korea-based Ureasearch Auto Consulting firm, about 90 percent of the South Korean respondents said they would choose a domestic manufacturer when buying their first car.