Expressing love on Parents' Day

May 8 is Parents’ Day in Korea. First held in 1973, this is the day when children express gratitude to their mother and fathers through gifts and other tokens of love. The usual symbol of honor given to elders on this day is a red carnation. Although the basic idea of designating a special day for parents was inspired from overseas, filial piety has long been an inseparable part of traditional Korean society.
To love and obey your parents was stressed repeatedly from one dynasty to the other from the Silla Kingdom’s (57 B.C. – A.D. 935) “Five Secular Injunctions” (Sesokogye) all the way down to the Joseon Dynasty’s (A.D. 1392-1910) “Three Bonds and Five Relations” (Samgang Oryun), roughly equivalent to the Bible’s Ten Commandments.

Korean children grow up listening to traditional fairy tales in which a good majority of them are about filial piety. The story of Shim Cheong, who sacrificed her life to cure her blind father or a tiger who, tricked by a woodcutter, served his “human” mother till her dying day reveals the lofty ideal Koreans held regarding filial piety. Even nowadays unconscious gestures of careful respect towards their elders can still be detected among average Koreans – such as daily bowing and greeting -- some of them in Korean TV productions in which many living abroad notice the “too frequent” appearance of parents and the overly strong influence they wield on their children.

Just like the celebration of Children’s Day, many museums and parks are open for free. Mainly led by the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs, many local governments hold annual Parents’ Day ceremonies to award filial sons and daughters of the year in towns and villages. Seoul City, for example, will award a total of 40 citizens this year including Lee Hyo-yong, 65. She continues to live in the 120-year old, run-down house taking care of her mother, who still awaits her husband who went missing during the Korean War (1950-53).

Also this particular year, the Motgol Market in the city of Suwon in Gyeonggi-do (Gyeonggi Province) will re-enact the parade of Joseon Dynasty King Jeongjo (1752-1800), who was well known for his dedication to his parents. The parade will begin with the handing out of 200 peach blossoms to young children, the same flower that the king presented to his widowed mother. The parade will also feature palace food and music and the profits from the festival will go to elderly citizens living alone in the region.


Best gifts for parents

Now for the tricky part: What to get for your parents? Gone are the days when parents were happy with a pair of warm long underwear to keep them warm in winter. In Korea in the 21st century marketing is just as hot at this time as it is at other annual occasions.

For those over 60, the Korea Health Supplement Association (KHSA) recommends vitamins to relieve joint pain (glucosamine) and chronic ailments (omega-3 fatty acids); to improve the immune system (red ginseng, aloe gel), blood circulation (gamma linolenic acid) and skin complexion (chloerella, spirulina); and to boost the body’s nutrients (multi-vitamin).

Sports products like walking sneakers and wind jackets are another recommendation for those with parents who wish to remain fit. For everyday health appliances there are air purifiers, massage machines or even portable blood glucose monitors in case of high blood pressure.

Who doesn’t want to look pretty? For fashion-conscious old folks you might consider plastic surgery that could involve Botox or other medications to do away with wrinkles and age spots. A shampoo that prevents hair loss, partial wigs or undergarments that help keep the body looking good are also on the market.

Last month, Korea’s biggest supermarket chain E-mart ran a two-day survey (Apr. 10-11) on Parents’ Day gifts among 900 shoppers over the age of 50. All the items mentioned above were expressed in the survey. However, the number one gift, despite all the creative ideas out there, turned out to be cash - as always.

By Kim Hee-sung
Korea.net Staff Writer