By Lee Eung-tae
When the outdoor mask mandate was fully lifted, I felt we were finally at the end of a tunnel. This pandemic has brought us tremendous pain and tragedy. It changed our culture completely in some ways. It has altered the way we work, socialize and relate to our neighborhoods and communities. Some of these changes have by now already become deeply engrained in our daily lives. Social distancing became our way of life, so we talk with others as far away from them as possible. Carrying masks is a priority whenever we go outside. So even after the lifting of the outdoor mask mandate, I am hesitant to abandon my mask.
Culture is said to be like the air we breathe. We only notice it when it's gone. So I feel I have forgotten many aspects of daily life as it was before the pandemic. Even if we are somehow able to get rid of COVID-19 entirely, it will be hard to return to pre-pandemic ways. Today, we prefer to buy products through online shopping malls rather than in offline stores. We are so used to online chatting that we are often reluctant to join live meetings except for family occasions.
Even though we have gotten through the pandemic through national cohesion, the loss and damages are astronomical. Walking around yesterday, I was shocked to see many empty stores on almost every commercial block in our small town. Clothing shops, chicken restaurants, once popular sports shops have all gone bankrupt during the economic downturn caused by the pandemic. I was heartbroken thinking about the suffering of their owners who are likely deep in debt. Our national debt was estimated at 10 trillion won. It increased by four trillion won during the pandemic period. The benchmark KOSPI is nose- diving due to the worldwide economic uncertainties, causing most minority shareholders to lose a lot of money. The housing price bubble in the metropolitan area is bursting rapidly. Owners who purchased with bank loans are living a hellish life maybe even more painful than the suffering caused by COVID-19.
As soon as we reach one end of the pandemic tunnel, I feel we are entering another tunnel that seems to be just as dark as before. I think a prudent passage through the post-pandemic tunnel would entail a return to the behaviors of our previous precious culture: affectionate touch manifested by warm handshakes and face-to-face contact.
We need to keep in mind the invaluable lessons that we have learned during this pandemic. First, we have learned that prevention is better than cure. Some pundits say this pandemic is a manmade disaster caused by global warming and the general destruction of nature. It is nature's warning.
Second, we learned how valuable our essential workers are. Amid the pandemic, numerous doctors and nurses have dedicated their lives to curing patients at extreme risk to themselves. Third, I think political conflicts will never help us overcome what I call the current post-pandemic crisis. Most people in Korea are suffering from financial difficulties and hardship caused by the pandemic-induced downturn, yet many lawmakers of both the ruling and opposition parties are obsessed with winning the power tug-of-war while ignoring public welfare. This situation infuriates me and no doubt all Koreans. When will I see a society free of political strife?
In the course of passing through this pandemic tunnel, most people, including me, had the smiles wiped from their faces. Looking at myself in the mirror today, I saw a man with a dark and gloomy expression. I think that is the case with most Koreans. I wish all of us will regain smiles of happiness by prudently navigating this post-pandemic crisis.
Lee Eung-tae (eungtae@gmail.com) is a former high school teacher who taught English for 35 years.
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