#042 | Korea's National Foundation Day: Garlic and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

Send us Fan Mail#042: October 3 is Korea’s National Foundation Day, Gaecheonjeol (개천절; 開天節). It celebrates the founding of the Korean people! Gaecheon means “Opening of Heaven.” It actually commemorates 2 dates: October 3 2457 BCE and October 3 2333 BCE. On October 3 2457 BCE, Hwanung 환웅, a son of a god of heaven came HARD upon the Earth like a GAWD, mate. That’s gaecheon, the opening of Heaven. Later, Hwanung had sex with a woman who used to be a bear (we’ll get to that later) and had a son, named Dangun Wanggeom, or Dangun. On October 3, 2333 BCE, Dangun founded the first Korean state of Gojoseon, meaning Old Joseon. We’ll talk about Korea’s Creation Myth and Dangun, the legendary founder and GAWD-king of Korea’s first kingdom, Gojoseon. Is Korea really 5000 years old? Do Korean people come from ALIENS? Who gives af? Why should we give af or any f’s at all? As with my previous episodes on heritage/culture… the short answer is you don’t have to give af. You’re an individual with your own volition and destiny. It’s your own choice to care about your heritage or not. The long answer? Tune in and hear me ramble on and on! Support the show