In the past, Koreans were generally known as a humorless, stern people who seldom smiled or joked. In fact, Koreans traditionally do not respect jokesters who tell funny stories or pull pranks. Koreans call a humorous man “a man without substance” or “a silly talker,” and tend to dismiss such individuals. Indeed, we think that humor should be reserved for comedians and clowns, not men of dignity and prudence.

Thirty years ago, when I returned from the States and began teaching at Seoul National University, a student warned me not to joke or laugh in class. He divulged, “Students do not respect professors with a sense of humor. They respect professors who seldom smile and act like dignitaries.” In Korea, indeed, I found faculty members were always dead serious and somber, whether in the lecture hall or at a faculty meeting.

Likewise, I found my Korean students, too, were unbearably stern and grim, especially compared to the humorous American students. One day, therefore, I told my students, “When a man goes on a date, he should entertain his girlfriend and make her laugh with funny jokes and stories. If you bore your date, chances are you won’t be granted a second meeting.”

To my surprise, my female students were confused and protested, “But how can we marry a frivolous chatterbox, professor Kim? We want to marry serious, venerable men, not jokesters. We can’t respect someone who makes us laugh.”

Thus ignoring my advice, many of my female students married stern, bleak men who they thought were serious and dignified. But that was their fatal mistake. Whenever they see me these days, my former female students confess with a heavy sigh: “I should have listened to you, professor Kim. My husband is so boring that I can’t stand it anymore. I wish I married a man with a fine sense humor.” Ah, too late for that, my dear! Once married, you cannot return or exchange your husband very easily.

In the past, Koreans were generally known to be a grim people who seldom smiled and preferred sad stories. Today, however, the Korean people’s sense of humor has expanded and is quite impressive. On the Internet, one can find an endless list of hilarious Korean jokes that instantly cause you to burst into laughter.

On TV, one can easily find riotous comedy programs and talk shows that entertain viewers of all ages. Koreans are also very good at conjuring up hilarious puns and parodies. The ROK Air Force’s recent parody of the musical movie, “Les Miserables,” is so funny that even Russell Crowe praised it. Parodying the famous film, the Korean musical “Les Militaribles” splendidly juxtaposes the prison life of Jean Valjean to a drafted Korean soldier’s confined life.

Recently, I came across a funny jest about the relationship between parents and their married children in today’s Korean society. It says, “Beware of your married sons and daughters when they come and visit you! Do not forget that your married daughter is a thief and your son-in-law is a stolen goods broker, and that your married son is a robber and your daughter-in-law is his shill.” Although vastly exaggerating reality, the joke humorously captures the fact that many young Koreans continue to depend on their parents financially, even after marriage.

I recently heard another joke that pokes fun at the older generation that finds it difficult to keep up with new technologies. The joke begins: There was once an old man who was not accustomed to texting. After purchasing a smartphone, he decided to send a warm text message to his beloved wife. So he typed “Sarang-hae! (I love you!),” and then sent the romantic message to his wife. Soon he got a phone call from his angry wife who shouted at him, “Why are you texting me ‘Samang-hae! (I want you to die!)’?” The old man had mistyped a letter, bringing disaster upon himself.

There is also a well-known, humorous metaphor that mirrors the pathetic predicament of older Korean men who are no longer loved or needed by their indifferent wives. The joke begins with a question: “What are the five things an aged man yearns for?” The answer is: a spouse, a better half, a mother for his child, a housewife, and a wife. In other words, an older man wants a caring wife whom he can depend on as a nurse, nanny, cook, housemaid, and secretary. The joke also arrays the five things an older woman desires: a daughter, money, health, friends and a sauna where she can chat and socialize with other women. Sadly, there is no place for a husband in an aged Korean woman’s heart.

Many Korean jokes refer metaphorically to recent social phenomena like the involuntary early retirement of working men, wives who disdain their retired husbands and children who continue to depend on their parents into adulthood. Despite the grim social realities, however, the Korean people seem to be capable of coping and laughing their woes away with a fine sense of humor.

By Kim Seong-kon

Kim Seong-kon is a professor of English at Seoul National University and president of the Literature Translation Institute of Korea. ― Ed.