AL in So-Ko: Valentine's, White and Black days...respectively.

A long time ago, so the story goes, there lived a rather nasty emperor who went by the name of Claudius the second.

With a nose like that I would probably
be just as bitter....

He was the mighty leader of an ailing Rome, and it was his belief that marriage made men weak. Along with weakness, the promise to enter a joint life together came with too much emotional baggage. By show of hands, who here thinks Mom didnt love him enough, or was he just watching too much Dr.Phil?

Either way he banned the sacred ceremony of marriage to keep his amry strong and battle ready. BOOOOO!!!!!

*enter the hero, Valentino, not the designer* - YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!

Gotta love him!

In the same city, a few blocks away, there lived a saint of a man. Literally.

He saw the agony that young lovers endured by not being allowed to marry, and in defiance of that anti-family-man-no-one-actually-voted-for, decided to perform marriages in secret.

The unmistakable stench of marital bliss led guards straight to his door and he got arrested. The emperor was quite cross. Fast forward a few torture scenes and his punishement for such heinous disobedience was execution, boo. When? 14 February. Fast forward some more unhappily unmarried years, smallpox nails the emperor. Karma's a bitch, right. THE END (Well thats at least one version of the story). And so, as history goes (and because who doesn't love a martyr?), today we celebrate Valentine's day, thanks to Saint Valentine.

Although I think that all holidays of this sort (not that Valentine's day is really a holiday) have become merely a capitalist spending frenzy, Korea of all places has taken this frenzy and run with it (ed note: level up-ed? since they dig games and all?). The 14th of February is still Valentine's day for all intent and purpose: like anywhere else in the world, this day symbolises love bewteen two people and includes giving of the usual chocolates, flowers and love letters. Note I said "giving" and not "exchanging of". This is beacause Valentine's day in Korea is the day on which the giving is done only by the girls, ladies and women who have crushes on a boy, boyfriend, or husband, or loved one.

Now, before there is a feminist uprising or a facebook petition to shut down my blog, let me finish. One month from today, on the 14th of March, Korea will celebrating yet another special day of love. This day is reffered to as "WHITE DAY" and is the day on which boys, men and husbands get to repay the kindness and love shown to them

on Valentine's day. Yes more chocolates, flowers, candy, cards, sexy undies and the rest of it.

"What about all the poor single people?" I hear you ask. Silly me I nearly forgot about them. In case you thought 2 consecutive months of swiping the plastic was enough, I am here to set the record straight: one month on, the 14th of April, and another "special" day rolls on by. This time I say "special" as you might use it when talking about your "special friend" Dave who thinks he is a "jedi". Yes this day is probably less of a celebration and more of an acceptance/better luck next time day, aptly called "BLACK DAY". It is tradition for single people to get together and share a meal of 자장면 (Ja-Jang-Myeon). It's called Black Day not because rejected solos fall into a fit of depression, but because the dish is

chinese black noodles. hmmmmmm FUN, noodles dont taste bitter if you haven't spoiled your pallatte with CANDY!!

So whether you are a single, a secret admirer, or the best one: happily in love, here's to wishing you a great day Valentine's day 2011.