“Weekend” by Taeyeon (태연), Friday, July 30, 2021

We've talked Taeyeon before, whether it was her melancholy ballad, "Blue" or with her group Girls' Generation singing "Mr. Mr."  Unlike solo male singers, like D.O., female solo singers often do better than their girl groups. With the exception of Girls' Generation, Twice, and BlackPink, Korean girl groups often lose steam before the boy groups. Why? Generally speaking these days Korean teenage girls are buying most of the music, whereas teenage boys are spending most of their money on phone game credits. Girl groups serve as a kind of aspiration for teenage girls and some boys buy girl group merchandise, but for all the girl group merchandise sold, multiply it by at least ten for the cute and cuddly image of boy groups. Solo female singers are often taken more seriously in acting roles apart from their groups, and without the branding of the bubble gum image, take a mature approach to the music they perform. 
 

SUDDENLY I LOOK AT THE CLOCK. IT'S ALREADY 12 O'CLOCK, BUT THERE ISN'T ANY RUSH. Allan remembered talking to one of his former upper classmates at Mission Academy about how busy student teaching. She said, "Eventually, when you're a teacher, it's busy, but you can slow down for a weekend." Mission Academy teachers, however, usually weren't Sabbath School teachers, nor did they expected to put on Vespers on Friday night. But in Korea, where being a missionary was part of the job description, meant long hours on the weekend. On top of the grueling 7am to 9:40pm schedule Monday through Thursday, Adventist teachers were expected back at the Institute by 7 pm on Friday night and for a full morning of church, including leading out a discussion class before divine worship and sometimes write a sermon or fix a shoddy translation and read it for the service. On top of that the main office started once a month training for a new curriculum they were implementing on Sunday mornings in Seoul, which meant taking the 7:00 am fast train. Week after week started to wear Allan down, particularly the constant feedback: "Try to make it more accessible to the students. Talk about things they want to talk about, but keep it spiritual," Pastor Jung said. "Remember to stamp the students' make up attendance cards," head office newsletters reminded. "Remind the students that attending the weekend programs are the only way to make up for absences." 

A BREWED GLASS OF BREWED COFFEE, I'LL HAVE IT ICED. "So where are you off to this weekend?" Allan asked his coworkers Lily and Marley on a Friday in June between classes one morning in the staff room. "We're off to Seoul," Lily said, said with such gusto like a 1950s London stage actress. "Some of our friends are going to Pride this weekend. We might check it out." "There's Pride in Seoul?" "Apparently. Ethan Lee from the Jongak Institute and his boyfriend Chase are even marching. Marls and I are more from the sidelines kind of people. What are you up to this weekend, Allan," "Well, 7 pm Vespers tonight and then I'll probably get to bed early because I'm leading out lesson study in the morning. Beyond that, maybe I'll do some reading on Sunday, but nothing too much. We've gotta rest up because there's training next Sunday." "Oh, I was hoping to forget about that," Marley said. "Oh, God, they work us to the bone and then they expect us to teach this un-researched drivel. So infuriating. I'm going to have to get extra drunk this weekend to make up for it." "Honestly," Marley said in his softer than white bread Welsh accent. "I don't see how you can stand it." "How much of Korea have you actually been able to see?" "I've seen a bit in my two years, but it would certainly be nice to have a few more weekends off." At first Allan felt that his service, his sacrificed weekends gave his work purpose. He didn't just come to Korea to teach English like thousands of other expatriates. He was here spreading the gospel. But this believe was breaking down. Half of the native English teachers were Seventh-day Adventist, the other teachers didn't have to participate in anything religious that the school put on--and those programs taxed the native church members who were expected to run those programs. Furthermore, when student turn out was low, the older Korean church members blamed the lack of faithfulness of the native English teachers in recruiting students. Allan wondered how many more weekends he would have to sacrifice before God took notice of his sacrifice and gave rest and fulfillment to his life.

 

Korean.  English Translation