Olympic opening ceremonies

Rather than debate whether I would be a hypocrite or not for watching the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, I just reminded myself that the event was at 2 a.m., way past my bedtime. (And who schedules a major television event for two-freakin-a.m.?! I guess the Johnny Carson-esque skit would answer: "Hu schedules a major television event for 2 a.m." The Hu part of the YouTube link starts at 2:48, but you should watch the whole thing from 1982).

It's dangerous to be a South Korean in China right now. The Chinese are pissed off that SBS showed clandestinely shot footage of the rehearsal for the opening ceremony, which networks around the world showed because South Korean TV had essentially given them the green light. I myself saw it on "Good Morning, America," where they said they were happy that South Korean television had given them this taste of what was to come.

In the end, the North and South Korean teams did not walk in together. Relations are strained, particularly after the shooting death of Kumgsangsan (Diamond Mountains) tourist Park Wangja by North Korean soldiers. Plus the North doesn't like new president Lee Myungbak at all. 

Or just maybe the North Koreans got advance word of some nasty stuff the Beijing crowd was going to do to the South Korean team when they walk into the stadium. (Even if it was just booing, for North Koreans to see a joint team getting booed on television might cause their heads to explode, or maybe get them to question Juche philosophy and all it claims to have done for them).  

But the South Korean athletes should maintain a professional and respectable composure about them, no matter what. But it would be tempting, if they had gotten booed or bombarded by a mob of nationalistic stadium-goers, to stand up during the opening show and shout, "Boring! Got anything besides reruns?" 

재방송, ㅋㅋㅋ...