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French-turned-Korean Ida Daussy has a book out. |
By Seo Dong-shin
Staff Reporter
French President Jacques Chirac or even football star Zinedine Zidane could go unnoticed on the streets in South Korea, but not Ida Daussy.
The French-turned-Korean has been living here for 15 years since marrying a South Korean. She became a TV celebrity a decade ago, symbolizing her birth country here. Her high-pitched voice, friendly chatting style and French-flavored Korean language skills became popular among Korean viewers.
Now she has published a book on her largely blessed, but by no means trouble-free relationship with South Korea, in Korean. The book was first published in French in France last year under the title ``Ida au Pays du Matin Calme,'' (Ida of the Land of Morning Calm) that also marked the 120th anniversary of the ties between South Korea and France. The Korean version is titled ``Ida Daussy Works Out Korea With Chatter'' (translated from French by Lee Sae-rom; Imagebox: 296 pp., 10,000 won).
``I took to writing the book gladly after a French publisher put forward the idea, as I have always liked writing,'' said Daussy, who is fluent in Korean and studied philosophy and literature before first coming to Korea as part of her graduate program in international business, during a press conference at the French ambassador's residence in Seoul Tuesday. ``But then I quickly realized how difficult the task was. I was writing about a country after all, and I felt very responsible.''
As she became a naturalized Korean citizen in 1996, she also wanted to correct French people's ignorance, or at best misunderstandings, about her adopted home country. The misunderstanding had mainly to do with conflict with North Korea and dog meat.
But she also had things to say to her fellow Koreans.
Her husband is a businessman from southeastern Kyongsang Province, considered a hotbed of conservative and gruff macho men, and the eldest son at that _ who, traditionally in Korea, bears the most responsibility and obligations for the entire family. The last 15 years of marriage made her get used to the duties as wife, daughter-in-law and mother of two children, Korean-style. It helped her become more integrated here.
``I am living a blessed life, happily, as an immigrant here, but not all the immigrants are like that,'' Daussy said.
``It's still difficult to live in Korea as a foreign-born person. They say 13 percent of the marriages in Korea are international these days, and (mixed-race) children like mine are growing up here. Korea is certainly going more multi-ethnic than before. But immigrants still feel like it is oil mixing with water. There are moments when we feel like we are still standing in front of the door. I think Korea should open up more in this global era.''
While it is beautiful to love one's country and be patriotic, Koreans tend to convert to nationalism at certain moments, she said.
Another particular subject that grabs her mind is the status of women in Korea. Daussy herself had to succumb to the obsession with female beauty in this society after starting a career in broadcasting, undergoing plastic surgery on her nose and removing freckles from her face.
``It is especially hard how Koreans consider women over 30 as a `third sex,' or `ajumma.' Even husbands don't think their wives as beautiful women anymore,'' the 38-year-old said. ``In the West, the 30s is like the starting point in your life, loaded with self-confidence, charm and social status. In France, women in their 30s attract men's eyes on the streets, but in Korea … it's a huge difference.''
But in the end, women's improved status in Europe will catch on in Korea too, Daussy said on an optimistic note. ``I hope Koreans will learn how to live a leisurely life, how to enjoy living itself, from Europeans. And that women will confidently enjoy social activities while giving birth and raising kids.''
saltwall@koreatimes.co.kr
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