This JoongAng Daily human interest piece gives up a look into the over the top zany comedy stylings of one North Korean tour guide, a Mr. Jang. I think he might even be funnier than Carrot Top, which isn’t really saying much. Take it away JoongAng Daily!
Jovial guide, new face of ‘the North’
October 17, 2005 ㅡ According to South Korean tourists who recently visited Pyongyang for the annual Arirang Festival, Jang Chol-gun, a 31-year-old tour guide, has become almost as famous as the tour itself.
Mr. Jang’s funny comments and comical expressions have won him quite a reputation.
Give Mr. Jang a camera and rather than say “cheese!” or “kimchi!” he will say “Ban-mi!” which means “Anti-U.S.!” This is trendy among youngsters in Pyongyang these days, he explained in a joking manner.
If a tourist mentions something about “North Korea,” he protests, saying they should just say “the North,” which sounds more friendly.
Passing around milk candies, he said, “These candies are made from cow’s milk, but the pronunciation is very similar to a woman’s breast, so you must be very careful when speaking in front of a woman.”
Compared to the stiff tour guides of the past, Mr. Jang perhaps represents a new generation. Born in Pyongyang, Mr. Jang studied computer engineering in college. After serving in the military he worked at the Pyongyang city government office before suddenly being recruited as a tour guide for South Korean tourists, whose numbers increased unexpectedly. Until this year, South Koreans were barred from attending the Arirang Festival, a mass gymnastics and dance spectacle.
Mr. Jang, however, is not a privileged Pyongyang “brat.” If the subject of the northern leader Kim Jong-il is brought up, he suddenly becomes serious, and if tourists are caught taking pictures in places where they aren’t supposed to, he makes sure those photos are deleted.
He confided that he received 3,000 won ($20) a month and had an unsuccessful love live. He once had a girlfriend, but they broke up because her parents disapproved. He had many unsuccessful arranged dates since then.
Seeing tourists off at the airport, the eccentric yet good-natured tour-guide invited them to come back. “In ten years, I’ll be able to give Pyongyang tours in my own car,” he said.
Typo (JoongAng Daily reporter that should be “an unsuccessful love life” not “love live”), and unsuccessful love life aside Mr. Jang does seem to be quite the riotous fellow. I mean “Ban-mi*?!” I was drinking some coffee when I first read that and it shot out of my nose when I got to that passage. To make matters worse I nearly pissed my slacks while in the throws of side splitting laughter that followed my discover that in North Korea they bellow, “Ban-mi!” while taking pictures.
Oh wait, that’s not really that funny is it? As an American I should probably be offended shouldn’t I? Ah what the hell…next time I get my picture taken I’m yelling “Ban-mi!”
* Ban-mi would be written in 한글 as 반미 or in 漢字 as 反美 in the strange event that anyone (asides from me) cares about such things.
