KBS WORLD Radio Hangeul Day Special ProgramMy Stay-at-Home Challenge
Each year, people from all around the world show their love for South Korea and their Korean language skills through KBS WORLD Radio’s Korean Language Video Contest. This year, a special topic was selected for the 5th Korean Language Video Contest. The COVID-19 global pandemic has forced all of us to live contact-free lives. From remote working to online education, we found ourselves facing various challenges. So how much did people’s lives change? What are their thoughts about a contact-free life being the new norm? Meanwhile, how did South Korea, the IT powerhouse, prepare for the contact-free lifestyle? What kind of future is it dreaming of? Through the voices sent in from 53 nations around the world, KBS WORLD Radio will share with you our Stay-at-Home Challenges of the contact-free era.
The service that gained the most popularity since the outbreak of COVID-19 in my country is the drive-thru. Since there is currently a ban on visiting cafés or restaurants, I think it is a very convenient and relative service.
Hilal Tomruk (Turkey)
I enjoy online shopping. When I was in South Korea, I noticed that even coffee can be delivered. It was amazing. Now that we are living contact-free life here in Turkey as well, it seems we are growing more like Korea.
Christina (Indonesia)
The contact-free service that I began to use the most since the outbreak of COVID-19 is the delivery service. I not only get my food delivered, but I also use a service where I can get my laundry done and delivered contact-free.
Last month, my coworkers and I had a wine tasting session on Zoom. Before the session, we each had 3 bottles of wine delivered to our homes. I was able to grow closer with my coworkers by spending time together.
Fhegiana Damayanty Juniar (Indonesia)
My graduation was held on Zoom. That day, I wore my graduation uniform, and got my makeup done really nicely. I got to graduate online along with about 800 others. My parents and family congratulated me and I was so happy.
Riko Shimoji (Japan)
I often take part in online drinking parties, and there had been friends who got so drunk that they fell asleep without turning off the app, and friends who just started dancing. It’s quite funny. These special gatherings allow me to have fun with friends who are far away. They have been very meaningful and fun experiences for me.
Nakayama Satoru (Japan)
I’m an amateur musician. I’ve participated in a remote ensemble performance on social media. Each participant filmed their own part on their own, and when put together, it became a large-scale remote ensemble with 120 participants. I was very touched to be able to perform with others, and it was a great experience that reminded me that I’m not alone, even when we are apart.
Whether it’s through voice calls or video calls, we now ask about each other’s well-being and thoughts in more detail. I think it has become an opportunity to better understand each other.
Shanna Tan (Singapore)
Isn’t it true that people cherish each other more, and yearn for each other more because we can’t meet in person? That was true for me. Because of the physical distance, I have been texting with my friends a lot more, and we also call each other more often.
Wang Yan (China)
We have well-developed science and technology. By using various contact-free technologies, we can easily keep in touch with the people we love but can’t see very often.
Winnie Savira (Indonesia)
Even though I’m physically far away from my friends and we can only talk online, I do not believe our emotional distance has widened.
Riko Shimoji (Japan)
A college friend once said during a video call that “we may be physically farther away because of the virus, but emotionally, we’ve grown even closer than before.” The friend had said this so nonchalantly, but thanks to that one comment, I was able to find some joy even from this lifestyle.
Special Video : Encouraging Messages to Overcome COVID-19 By the TOP 12 Finalists
