#39 Fourth of July Celebration

[스티븐스 대사]

On July 4, 2009, the United States celebrated its 233^rd anniversary of independence.  I had the pleasure of hosting over one thousand Korean friends and colleagues to a celebration at my residence. 

Posing with Uncle Sam and the Statue of Liberty (as portrayed by two young diplomats at Embassy Seoul), two well-known American symbols

I recalled my first 4th of July in Korea.  It was in 1976, the year of the American bicentennial.  I recall being a little homesick that summer; back in the United States there were huge celebrations commemorating the 200th anniversary of America’s independence.  I had been in Korea for a year at that point, and I was working that summer in Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do, helping to train a new group of Peace Corps volunteers.  We gathered at the Peace Corps training site in Cheongju, and together with our Korean language teachers and friends made a cross-cultural feast with the ingredients we could find in the local market (no supermarkets in those days!).  I recall making huge vats of potato salad (the American dish), and lots of kimbap (김밥) – the Korean dish, all in a hot and steamy day (no air-conditioning!).  While our celebration didn’t include hot dogs or hamburgers (both mainstays of a traditional 4th of July picnic) we had a great party, especially when the singing began, alternating between American and Korean songs. 

As a young diplomat at the U.S. Embassy in the 1980’s, I attended several 4th of July celebrations at the Ambassador’s residence.  These events were always important milestones in the U.S.-Korea relationship.  The birth of the United States in 1776 was not easy, and neither was the birth of Korean democracy.  I remember in particular the first year that Kim Dae-jung and Kim Young-sam came to celebrate the 4th of July at the American residence.  

This year, on the 233^rd anniversary of American independence, I had the pleasure of welcoming the Speaker of the National Assembly Kim Hyung-o, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Yu Myung-hwan, and the Minister of Culture Yu In-chon to our celebration.  Over 1,000 guests representing a cross-section of the people who work on the U.S.-Korea relationship joined us to celebrate.  I cannot tell you how  relieved I was that after a day of relentless rain, the showers  stopped thirty minutes before our reception began.  The sun came out, and the guests arrived!

The official “Independence Day 2009” cake

Cake cutting ceremony during the reception (From left to right, Leader of the Creative Korea Party Moon Kook-hyun, Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan, Chairman of the Grand National Party Park Hee-tae, National Assembly Speaker Kim Hyong-o, U.S. Ambassador Kathleen Stephens, Culture and Tourism Minister Yu In-chon, USFK Commander General Walter Sharp and AMCHAM Chairman David Ruch)

Like just about everyone in Korea, I am a big fan of Insooni, both for her music and her many contributions to Korean society.  I was so pleased she accepted our invitation to perform at our 4^th of July celebration.  Her performance of the national anthems of both the United States and the Republic of Korea, followed by a rousing performance of her recent hits, was a highlight of the evening.  What strikes me about Insooni is her cross-generational appeal.  Everyone from teenagers to people my age and older enjoy her music and admire her story.  Her encore included the popular song “Climb Every Mountain,” and, as I told her at the end of her performance, she has climbed many mountains in her life and conquered them all.

Insooni sings the national anthems of both the United States and the Republic of Korea

In addition to the pleasure of enjoying good music in good company, we also shared good food.  This is the big party of the year for which the embassy looks to the American Chamber of Commerce and American businesses for support and we always appreciate their contributions.  Thanks to their generosity there was Sunkist lemonade; Haagen-Dazs ice cream; California almonds, raisins, and walnuts; and U.S. beef on the menu.  There were also fresh cherries from the American Northwest which were very popular with the crowd.

In addition to hosting our official Independence Day celebration at my residence on July 2nd, I also celebrated the Fourth itself (a Saturday) first by hosting Embassy families for an American-style picnic, and then in the evening by enjoying the most global of musical styles:  rock and roll!  In accordance with the principle of “one thing leads to another,” I’d met a delightful man named  Kim Chang-wan (김창완) because we both enjoy mountain biking.  He told me he was a musician, and invited me to a concert.  I accepted, and learned that, like Insooni, he deservedly enjoys great popularity across generations.  At his invitation I went with our biking group and Embassy friends to a concert at Yonsei University where he  performed with ‘Crying Nut’(크라잉넛) and ‘ Jang Ki-ha and Faces’ (장기하와 얼굴들).  Along with the rest of the audience, I had a blast at the show.   So I had a traditional 4^th of July – Korean-style.  I’ve added this concert to my list of memorable 4th of July experiences in Korea.   I look forward to what next year’s 4th of July will bring!

‘Kim Chang-wan Band’ & ‘Jang Ki-ha and Faces’ performing at Yonsei University

Taking a photo with the members of ‘Kim Chang-wan Band’, ‘Crying Nut’ and ‘Jang Ki-ha and Faces’ backstage