OK. Canada and Korea are different. Aside from that - your point is?

I like Canada better.

So why are we 9th on the list of countries when it comes to quality of life ?

http://www.internationalliving.com/Internal-Components/Further-Resources/quality-of-life-2010

On that index also Canada is ahead of South Korea. Canada is 9th, South Korea is something like 42nd.

Have you been fighting with your wife?

Come on jae, celbrate both your heritages and get on with it.

God created ( and loves) both of you.

Personally, I'll take kimchee (jae's fermented cabbage) and sticky noodles over poutine any day. We try to eat in Toronto's Korean district whenever we can (which is, alas, rare these days). After all, our BBQ beef has nothing on bulgogi.

Mendalla

Bulgogi is pretty good. Duk'tory'tung (sp?) is amazing. It's a spicy Korean chicken stew. I personally can't stand the sticky noodles (Jap Chae).

Isn't "My country is better than your country" a little infantile.... and racist?

Oh, witch, I don't know. My religion is better than yours and I know my kids are better than yours.

Personally, I think every culture and nation has something to contribute to this world so I try not to play the "my country/culture is better" card. Except where sports are concerned. Then I either root for Canada (my home country) or China (my second home courtesy of my marriage).

Mendalla

Rather than criticizing your OP, I'm just curious about why you would post such a negative rant about your partner's country and culture, jae. I'm in an immigrant marriage myself (Chinese wife) and as part of that I've become quite fond of China and regard it as something of a second homeland (and it might become just that someday). Perhaps once you get a chance to visit Korea and experience it a bit (I visit China about every 2 years right now)? I just don't get how you can be so down on the culture that made her who she is (and, yes, there may be some negative aspects to that).

Mendalla

Racism is saying that one race is better than another. That, I did not do. It is not racism to assert one's belief that one country is better than another.

FYI, both Canada and Korea are home to people of various races, and mixed races as well. And, oh, the last time I checked, "Korean" was not a race.

Oh man, I just came across this post again. I was searching for information on the spicy Korean stew I mention later in the thread.

What a stupid thing to post. I was fighting with my wife at the time I posted. How passive-agressive.

Korea does have a tighter immigration policy. They are much more interested in being homogeneous than we are. Their land has also been invaded more often than ours has -- that might have something to do with it.

Korea doesn't fund health care, but most employers offer their workers private medical plans. I'm not sure what happens in the case when someone isn't working or is working for a non-providing employer. I do know that when my wife and I were visiting Korea our niece had to go see a doctor one day -- she got in fast -- no appointment, no wait.

Inventions from Korea? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Korean_inventions_and_innovations#Food Korea is also very good at making things that they didn't invent better. Like cel phones and automobiles.

Doing a short bit of reading, it seems the Koreans have chosen the tiger as their symbol not because it's "selfish" but rather to represent courage and power.

Korea does seem to be lacking in its presence in winter sports. Strange, since it is a land with four seasons. There are, and have been, some excellent Korean speedskaters and figure skaters.

Korea's national anthem? Hear it here and judge for yourselves: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CceXXXubvdE It still doesn't stir me like O Canada does. Then again, my wife is probably more stirred by Aegukga.

Korea may not have a national pension plan but there tends to be a great family care ethos. My wife's three brothers, for example, contribute to taking care of her parents -- paying the rent on their home and providing funds for their food and other needs. 

Korean foods are many, including some that I don't personally care for, and the following that I find very delicious: Galbi (short ribs in sauce), Bulgogi (beef strips in sauce), Duk'tory'tung (spicy chicken stew), and Mandoo (dumplings).

Oh... and as for the dogs... some Koreans do eat it. My wife tells me that it's a kind of wild dog... it's more like eating fox or wolf than eating puppy. One of my wife's brothers told me that those people who do eat it often do so after surgery as it is a rich source of iron and protein.