hankyoreh

A white hand-written layoff notice was attached to each one of the multi-colored tents surrounding Seoul Plaza in front of Seoul City Hall on June 6. The company in question is “Korea Co.” and the unfortunate recipient of the layoff notice is President Lee Myung-bak. According to the written notice, Korea has decided to dismiss President Lee at a general meeting of stockholders before he ruins the company and the company is notifying him. The notice added that the ruling Grand National Party was dissolved, the presidential promotion team, Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo and DongA Ilbo, along with the new right forces were dismissed and deported. Citizens gathering in Seoul Plaza burst out laughing while reading the notice.

On this day, the second day of a 72-hour protest, Seoul Plaza became a venue of a festival filled with games, satires and laughter. The Hi Seoul Festival which took place in the same place last month wasn't as joyful as this. Solemn resistance toward the government has disappeared and anger has been channeled into satires. Families, college students, and company workers who took part in the “festival” became one even if they didn’t know each other. Citizens in the plaza said, “There has been nothing funny for the past 100 days but President Lee has provided such an interesting stage now.”

Citizens have made efforts to make demonstrations look like a festival. A number of citizens spontaneously appeared with their bands to provide music. Family members wear the same uniforms, groups of people share the same interests and students performed rhythmic movements to the music of the bands. Many of them carried water guns, goblin-shaped hair bands and masks. New friendships between citizens became cemented through the sharing of food.

In the previous evening, there were concerts in front of Gwanghwamun in downtown Seoul. A music band of about 10 players in their 20s-50s took to the street holding various musical instruments, such as tambourines, guitars, small drums and trumpets. Citizens who were watching their performance held the scores for the band. The musicians played diverse popular songs and people shouted for joy.

College students appeared to be enjoying a party. There were a multitude of gatherings and company workers and children were delighted watching those people singing and dancing. Others were amused looking at children aged four or five singing. They brought small water guns and staged a water cannon attack toward police buses, making bystanders burst into laughter.

Professor Jeon Gyu-chan of Korea National University of Arts said, “The laughter in the plaza is reminiscent of students laughing when they see teachers without authority putting on airs. An infectious desire to break free from the current oppressive situation has captured the spirits of adolescents and the older generation alike, creating a new scene of merry-making.”

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]