If you type the word “Ireland” in Google, you’re likely to a find a flurry of leprechauns, red heads, and four leaf clovers. If instead you type “Korea” then you’ll stumble across images of K-Pop idols, Samsung phones, and fermented cabbage. So why on earth would anyone include the words Irish and Korean in the same sentence? These seemingly distinct and distant countries have more in common than you think. From their turbulent countries, to the love of booze, and all the way to their delectable pancakes, Ireland and South Korea are alike in more ways than one.
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1. Invaded by Imperial Island Neighbors
Like the outsider in high school, both countries were tormented, or more technically speaking, attacked by their neighboring, bully-like island countries. Ireland was actually an English colony in the 17th century after Elizabeth I ordered an invasion which lasted for more than 300 years. Like its nerd best friend, South Korea would also be the victim of similar invasions for 70 years. Japan was eventually defeated in World War II and South Korea regained its independence..
Despite centuries of aggression, both of these small countries have stood up to the bullies and fiercely retained their national identity.
2. People of Faith – In God They Trust
When it comes to faith, you'll find both Ireland and South Korea looking up to a higher power. Was it because of their aforementioned bullied past? Maybe, but it can mostly be explained by the fact that they both have historic origins of priestly settlements.
Numbers don't lie: a whopping 90% of the Irish today identify as either Catholic or Protestant. Meanwhile, South Korea provides the world's second largest number of Christian missionaries and features one of the largest percentages of Christians in East Asia. Furthermore, nearly three-quarters of Koreans in the United States say they are Christian. Sounds like Christ's ministry reached farther than many may not have previously realized. Koreans and Irish also played a significant role in spreading the Christian faith In the 5th century A.D., Irish monks left the isle and carried monasticism throughout England. A century later, Buddhism was deemed the state religion by the kingdom of Baekje,what is now western South Korea, and eventually spread over to Japan. Both countries were made of people of faith who not only practiced but also sought out to spread the word they believed.
3. Divided Nations – Can't We All Just Get Along?
While religious, Korea and Ireland have still found themselves divided with tension within their own nations throughout time. In the 1920s, the Irish Civil War split Ireland with the northern portion choosing to remain British. This led to violent clashes four decades later in the '60s, known as "The Troubles." The fighting occurred along both sectarian and nationalistic lines. Again, just like Ireland, Korea found itself divided following the end of World War II, with the North becoming a communist state, and the South allying with the United States. Unlike Ireland, they remain bitterly divided even today as the United States continues to support the South while China supports the North. North Korea has infamously become increasingly isolated, with resolution becoming more and more beyond reach.
4. Alcoholics – Irish Boilermaker meets Apollo 13
Next time you're in a bar, think twice before challenging a person of So
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