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While top representatives from each country...
were convening at the UN to discuss global peace-keeping and security,
despite the lack of any official recognition,
the self-appointed G's from around the world...
are convening for the peace-keeping and security of global youths,
hence the Non-Summit Meeting.
We shall begin the session.
I'm the Chairman of Non Summit Meeting, Jun Hyun-moo.
- I'm Secretary General Yoo Se-yoon. - I'm Chairman Sung Si-kyung.
- We are Junyoosung! - We are Junyoosung!
Yes.
(Welcome representatives.)
People from political and business circles who we aren't familiar with,
including heads of conglomerates and ministers of our government...
- were summoned for hearings. - Yes.
When the National Assembly decides a parliamentary inspection should be held,
they call for a parliamentary probe and hearings.
I want to know how parliamentary hearings are held in each country.
How is it held in the States?
The hearing system in the US has an old history.
The system was first introduced in 1787.
We've been maintaining the system since then.
There are different kinds of hearings.
If you want to work in the presidential administration,
you have to undergo confirmation hearings.
It's really strict.
So even before the hearing starts,
they check if you committed any crimes, paid taxes well,
and how much asset you've accumulated.
The White House as well as FBI will inspect you.
They will evaluate you in 250 different categories.
So many give up even before the hearings start.
- It's really hard to get to the hearing stage. - I see.
Yes. For example, Former President Bill Clinton...
tried to appoint the first female attorney general.
This female candidate hired a nanny,
and it was later revealed that the nanny was an illegal immigrant.
She was an illegal immigrant.
So this incident was called as Nannygate.
- Nannygate? - Right.
So that incident led to the withdrawal from consideration.
The process itself is very strict.
That system should be introduced to Korea.
The nominees in Korea often say things like, "I don't remember"...
or "I don't know because I don't know".
Do they also say things like that?
- "Details will be revealed..." - Sometimes they do.
Do they also say "I don't remember" at the hearings in the US?
"I don't remember."
Sometimes they say, "I don't recall."
"I'm too old."
(I'm too old.)
"I can't recall because I'm too old."
But since the White House and FBI carry out thorough inspections,
it's hard for them to say things like that.
- I see. They know it will taint their public image. - Yes.
In Italy, it's really easy to call for a hearing.
If one or more members of the National Assembly...
call for a hearing to the government or ministers,
the hearing will proceed right away unless they reject the request.
If the government is willing to reject,
they have to reveal the reasons for their refusal.
If they don't have justified reasons, it'll stir controversy.
The hearing must be proceeded.
Also, there's this system called Question Time.
It's utilized by the politicians very often.
It's often used when the members of the National Assembly...
and ministers have Q&A sessions during their meetings.
In France,
to investigate what the government has done wrong,
they carry out a parliamentary inspection.
But if the case involves illegality and corruption, they'll be brought to court...
for trial right away.
But in France, the court trial...
is not aired on TV.
Actually, it's illegal to film or record trials.
So some painters...
draw the process of the trial.
- Because they can't record it. - Right.
- Even now? - Yes.
- Like caricature. - It's legal to draw.
Many parliamentary inspections are carried out in Japan, too.
The members of the National Assembly have the right to carry out the inspection.
So they can call the witnesses and ask questions.
But in Japan, if they refuse to attend the hearing,
they can be punished by law.
They have to serve less than a year in jail or pay 1,000-dollar fine.
So they have to attend the hearing.
In Switzerland, most of the hearings are carried out...
when the National Assembly wants to legislate new laws.
After the hearings,
they publish "Federal Law Gazette"...
to let the public know about the new laws.
Within the three months after the publication of "Federal Law Gazette",
people can hand in petitions to the government.
If more than 50,000 people sign the petition,
a referendum has to be held for the law to be passed.
- Again? - Yes.
- Goodness. - It seems like they're holding referendums throughout the year.
- I knew he'd say that. - If 50,000 or more people...
don't sign the petition within three months,
- the law passes. - What's the population of Switzerland?
- Sorry? - What's the population?
It's less than the population of Seoul. It's about 8 million people.
- So 50,000 people need to sign the petition. - Yes.
In Germany, hearings are held...
to discuss on many different issues, too.
Even normal people like us can apply and attend the hearing...
as if we're attending a lecture.
- Everyone can attend the hearing. - Really?
- I see. - At the parliamentary hearings,
many witnesses have repeated saying "I don't know" or "I don't recall".
Are there any controversial remarks that witnesses have made in your country?
I believe Japan first started saying "I don't recall"...
at the hearings.
Are you telling us Japan is the originator of such a saying?
I looked it up, and in 1976,
a witness attended hearings...
regarding a corruption scandal.
At the hearings, he kept saying, "I don't recall."
- Did he say he doesn't recall? - He said, "I don't recall."
- He kept saying it. - Yes.
After that,
many members of the National Assembly started saying it like fad words.
Even before they were asked?
So many people got upset.
There's no way they don't remember it.
- People were dumbfounded. - They're leading the trend.
- "I don't recall." - We admit that Japan is the originator of that saying.
- How about in America? - In Korea,
when the witnesses are called, they speak very carefully, right?
But in the States, they tend to be more assertive.
A while ago, Apple was accused of tax evasion.
So Tim Cook was summoned at the hearing.
He attended the hearing and said Apple did not try to avoid any taxes.
He also said, "America's tax laws are..."
"not keeping pace with the digital age."
So they tend to have debates at the hearings.
- Well... - They have a debate?
They'd rather have a debate than saying "I don't recall".
- Lawyers... - Also,
there was a funny incident at the hearing.
Members of the National Assembly love Apple products, too.
So it became a little bit like a fan meeting.
While they were questioning the CEO of Apple,
they were saying, "This might be a little hard to answer."
"But I love Apple products."
"I'm a fan of Apple."
"Even my kids are using an iPad."
"But you can't avoid taxes..."
That's how they asked. It became like a fan meeting.
"When are you going to release iPhone 7?"
That's how they asked.
"Can't you just let us know?"
(The Apple fans heated up the hearing.)
Right.
In France, there was a case called Affaire d'Outreau.
In the city called Outreau, some kids claimed they were sexually abused.
They lied. Do you know?
They lied so more than 10 people were locked up in jail.
So they weren't sexually abused?
No, one of the defendants pleaded not guilty,
- and later he committed suicide. - My goodness.
Later the truth of the case surfaced,
so the judge who took the case was summoned to the hearing.
The judge said,
"No one had warned me I was on the wrong path."
So the victims got really upset.
- A judge should know if he's on the right path. - Exactly.
Why did he say that?
I guess judges need advice, too.
Does someone need to tell them what to do?
In Pakistan, the Council of Islamic Ideology...
has proposed that a husband should be allowed to lightly beat his wife.
- What? - Beat lightly?
- Yes. - My goodness.
They proposed it's okay for a husband to lightly beat his wife.
It has caused a huge controversy at the hearing, which led to many discussions.
So women started a campaign.
Their slogan was, "Try beating me, and I will kill you."
They even made posters for the campaign.
But the bill wasn't passed due to the unfavorable public sentiment .
In Germany, a hearing held in 1974...
had caused a huge controversy.
- That hearing is called the Guillaume Hearing. - Guillaume?
- What? - We call it the Guillaume Hearing.
Gunter Guillaume was actually a spy from East Germany.
He came to West Germany...
and rose through the hierarchy of the politics.
Later, he became a close aide to West German chancellor Willy Brandt.
He had sent all the information he received from the chancellor to East Germany.
He was basically stealing information from West Germany.
When he got caught, a hearing was held.
It was later revealed Guillaume and his wife were both spies from East Germany.
The incident had caused a controversy.
West German chancellor Willy Brandt's political career was put to an end...
because of that incident.
This actually happened in the Parliament of Canada five years ago.
There was the Minister of the Environment called Peter Kent,
who was against the global warming.
While debating, he said members of the parliament,
who had not attended UN's climate change summit...
shouldn't have a say at the House of Commons.
He was a member of the ruling party,
but the ruling party banned all MPs of the opposition party...
from attending the meeting.
Justin Trudeau was sitting there quietly...
but got upset after hearing what he said.
- Was Mr. Trudeau in the opposition party? - At that time, he was.
So he got up and said, "You piece of shit."
There's a video clip of him saying it.
Order!
(Shouting)
I was always curious.
How can I say "piece of shit" in Korean?
- I guess "a lump of dung" is equivalent to that expression. - Right.
It's not a good expression.
Back then, Mr. Trudeau didn't look very neat.
He looked like a hipster.
He looked a lot younger back then.
- Do you still support him? - I guess you can cuss in Canadian parliament.
- No, he actually... - Can they cuss?
He shouldn't have cussed.
"I know that I'm not allowed to swear in this situation."
"I apologize. I will take back what I said."
- Can you do that? - He already said it.
(Therefore, I lost my temper.)
(And used language that was most decidedly unparliamentary.)
(And for that I most unreservedly apologize, Mr. Speaker.)
(He also withdrew the swear word that he had used.)
He took it back.
That's really smart.
He says the curse word and then says, "I withdraw my remarks."
That's smart.
We are the always truthful, Non Summit Meeting.
- We will begin our official discussion now. - Yes.
It's time to hear the issues and opinions of various nations.
It's time to discuss all the issues, "What Is So Important?"
From the 23rd of this month, on the cigarette package,
the government is planning to put images of lung cancer, aging,
and other images of serious health risks that arise from smoking.
They are carefully observing what kind of reaction the customers will have.
We present this issue to you because we'd like to know what you think about this.
According to statement made by Ministry of Health and Welfare about...
the smoking rates in all OECD countries after the warning images were implemented.
The average was 4.7 percent.
There are critics who say the warning signs have not made a significant difference.
We would like to hear how you feel about this.
Do you believe that having warning images on the packaging is effective?
Or do you think that it isn't effective.
If you think it is effective press the button. In 1, 2 and 3.
Guillaume, Aurélien and Christian think it is effective.
(There are 8 who agree, 3 who do not.)
This has already been implemented in many countries, right?
In the US, we were the fastest country to put on warning signs.
We started doing this from 1966.
It just said, "Smoking kills. Surgeon General's warning."
But now, I feel that the warning isn't strong enough. We do need to update it.
In 2009, we tried to put on a graphic warning like what Korea is going to do.
The cigarette companies were opposed to this.
They filed a lawsuit and stopped them from putting those images on.
They used their influence.
I think I saw those images on the cigarette packs in Canada.
Yes, we do. The images are half the size of the packet.
They didn't when I was young.
In India as well, the images were 20 percent,
but they grew to 40 percent and now they fill 85 percent of the packet.
In Europe, if the graphic image is 65 percent of the packaging,
then it's visually shocking.
(The images are visually shocking.)
These warning slogans are...
trying to shock the people.
In Mexico, there are several famous warning slogans.
One example would be, "Smoking is shortening your life."
- Another one is, "You will encounter a slow and painful death." - Encounter it.
If you're not a smoker and you see these signs,
you won't start at all.
In Pakistan, we have visual images of this on our packets, too.
When you see that, you realize you could have an illness...
and you'll have to go to the hospital to get cured.
It's expensive. This is the types of things that you think about.
A lot of people who used to be smokers have stopped as well.
Even without those images,
people know how bad smoking is for the body.
We also received a lecture on this topic at school as well.
We saw a lot of photos that showed us how bad smoking is.
But there were still students in our class who smoked.
People who were smokers kept on smoking.
It goes in one ear and out the other.
- Yes. People already know. - I think...
I don't think smokers will really care about the packaging.
Even if they know the dangers, after seeing the warning images,
it will make people subconsciously...
think about quitting.
What's especially important is that these images will deter people from starting.
They stop would-be smokers from starting.
- They won't start after they see it. - It'll stop them.
I'm a person who benefited from these warning advertisements.
When I was young, one of the warning advertisements that I saw...
they showed an image of a person who had a hole here.
He was a smoker and he couldn't talk.
- It would have been effective. - The smoke...
After I saw the advertisement with the lungs, I promised myself I wouldn't smoke.
I didn't smoke even when people pressured me to smoke in the army.
That image was very traumatic for me.
I'm an occasional smoker. So, I am a smoker.
When I went overseas,
I was thinking about having a smoke.
But I saw the warning image on the packaging.
- I suddenly felt like I didn't need to smoke. - Right.
- There are people like him. - In Italy,
the most effective advertisement was, "If you smoke, you won't be able to perform."
- That's horrible. - For men.
There was a photo of a man lying in bed alone.
- He was like this. - Poor man.
- That would be very effective. - That's smart.
That would be more effective.
- That would be more effective. - Non-smokers would see that...
That's smart.
The image would be of a crying man.
(Feeling shamed)
If I were to add to what Nik said,
I feel that if you are smoking, you are already addicted.
Even if they have an image on it, they'll keep smoking.
Smokers claimed that they would decrease the amount they smoked,
however you don't just start smoking because you see it at a convenience store...
and think you have to start smoking. It doesn't work like that.
You start because you join a company...
- and your senior gives you one. - Right. He gives you one.
- Exactly. - The graphic image won't make much of a difference.
They don't smoke or won't stop because of an advertisement.
- I feel... - Psychologically,
- I grew up seeing all these distressful images. - Right.
- So, do you think I would want to start smoking? - People adapt and change.
When the price was raised, we got used to it.
If people keep seeing the images, they'll get used to it.
There are probably a lot of ways you can avoid seeing the images.
- You could make a smoking case. - Right. You need to make one.
When you see the image, it starts to hit you as real.
We defecate every day, but when we look at it, it's still disgusting.
- That's a good expression. It always looks disgusting. - Right.
- Right. - We never get used to it.
- Even though you see it all the time. - But looking at your own is okay, isn't it?
- No. - No.
- It's disgusting. - It really is.
- No. - I push down the lever constantly because I don't want to look at it.
- Really? - I don't want to make eye contact with it.
I'm still not use to it.
I also feel that this won't be effective for those who are addicted.
It will be effective for people who haven't started smoking, yet.
- Right. - If you don't put those graphic images on,
the tobacco companies will...
make the packaging more appealing to children.
They'll use colored paper to roll the cigarettes in.
I think we need graphic images like this to stop them from doing that.
No matter how expensive the cigarettes get,
kids will smoke it if they feel that it looks cool.
That's why I think the bigger the warning, the better it is.
- I think it is effective. - You feel it is effective.
The World Health Organization said this,
If you take out the cool packaging and branding from cigarettes,
then it only becomes a product that kills over 6 million people every year.
According to a writer in Denmark who was researching consumer psychology,
from a consumer's perspective,
when a consumer sees an image like this they become more stressed.
So this could lead the consumer to smoke even more.
- So, - No, that isn't right.
Because of images like this,
I worry that this could impact smokers to smoke more.
- You can't call that smart marketing. - But...
Because it's really disgusting. I don't want to look at it.
In the past, people would just put the cigarettes on the table.
Most people don't do this.
I'd like to ask smokers this question.
Don't you feel stifled when you smoke in those smoke-filled rooms?
- It is. - Is it?
I don't know why you smoke there. You could just breathe it all in.
- I could just do this. - You could do that.
You could just breathe it in.
- You could just take a straw. - A straw.
(You could suck it in with a straw.)
You could take it out from here.
Could I borrow one?
(Laughing)
Could you introduce some campaigns or polices you have with smoking?
In France, from November,
all cigarettes are packaged in plain packets.
- The brand name is in very small lettering. - Small lettering.
There are no logos of the brands either.
If you do it like this, it'll minimize their marketing.
- Right. - Right.
A lot of people smoke in Italy.
Almost 11 million people are smokers.
Almost 70,000 people in Italy die due to a smoking related illness.
So in 2003,
we passed a law to stop people from smoking in public places.
In the past, the smell of smoke was everywhere, especially in the clothes and hair.
But now in pubs, drinking establishments and clubs,
they've made a separate place for smokers.
On the cigarette packaging,
they have a helpline for people who want to quit smoking.
- That's nice. - They now have cigarettes that have different flavors, right?
You have mint and vanilla flavors.
- Mint. - Mint.
There are so many.
We've prohibited the selling of these cigarettes from May of 2017.
From 2020,
the selling of menthol cigarettes are prohibited.
You won't be able to smoke menthol cigarettes.
- That would be very effective. - Yes, it would.
For people who haven't started,
they can become addicted very quickly due to these flavors.
So, I think prohibiting these is a good thing.
- In Pakistan, we had a culture where everyone smoked hookah. - Right.
Yes, but recently, this has become an illegal.
They took the hookahs from all the restaurants and bars and...
took them to the government.
They placed all of these inside a big stadium.
They ran over them all with a bulldozer. This was a few years ago.
It was illegal from then.
From 2012, in all Bollywood films,
smoking scenes became forbidden.
You can't see a scene like that in new films anymore.
They also placed an age restriction.
In the past you could smoke from the age of 18 but they raised it to 21.
Their goal is to raise the age restriction to 25.
- We haven't done that in films, right? They can't show it on dramas. - Yes.
If the movie gets aired on TV,
They cover up the cigarettes.
I remember watching "Friend: The Great Legacy" on TV.
There's a lot of smoking scenes, right?
They covered it up, but I couldn't see his face.
(You can't see the face.)
"Friend: The Great Legacy"
They cover cigarettes and knives as well.
You can't tell those two apart.
You can't see his face.
- You can't hear him talk either. - You can't see his eyes.
They muted all the swear words as well.
(They muted out the swear words.)
(It's frustrating because you don't know what is going on.)
In the US, we have a new campaign targeting teenagers.
It's called "The Real Costs", and it targets teenagers from 12 to 16 years of age.
It explains to teenagers...
how smoking can influence appearances.
That's good.
In Japan, there is a non-smoking campaign on the 22nd day of each month.
The reason why it's on the 22nd is if you look at the number 22,
the two numbers kind of look like swans.
In English, it's "swan".
The word "swan" in Japanese...
means "to abstain from smoking".
That's why the 22nd was chosen as the non-smoking day,
- and many campaigns are held on that day. - That's interesting.
However, it's not very well known.
What I'm curious about is...
don't the Japanese smoke a lot?
- Yes. - I was really surprised...
- in Fukuoka. - They smoke in doors.
- Right. - In doors...
I went to a famous gopchang jeongol place in Fukuoka.
I noticed there was a baby at the restaurant.
The people I was with were about to head out to smoke,
but I noticed the baby's mother smoking next to her kid.
- That happens a lot. - I was so shocked.
Babies become used to the smoke...
and come to pick up the habit later in life.
I see.
A few years ago, in an effort to improve the health of employees,
the Swiss did a referendum on eradicating all the smoking areas...
in hotels and restaurants. However, 66 percent of the votes were against it.
The reason many disagreed was because...
of the effect it may have on the industry.
Ultimately, we didn't change the law.
It sounds like a student council meeting.
The Swiss vote on everything.
(A truly democratic nation)
In China, there is an extensive new regulation on smoking about to take place.
Yes. The Secretary General of the World Health Organization announced...
that General Secretary Xi Jinping had great success in his non-smoking campaign.
According to the World Health Organization,
China produces the most tobacco in the world...
but is also the largest consumer of tobacco products.
There are currently about 300 million smokers in China.
Therefore, China is planning to impose...
a ban on smoking in establishments and public places.
- Really? - Yes.
Raising the price of tobacco is another policy designed to stem smoking.
"When the price of tobacco rises,"
"the people's health will improve." This was the reasoning...
behind the increase in the price of tobacco from 2.50 dollars to 4.50 dollars.
Due to this increase, the sales of individual cigarettes saw a revival at the time.
Are there any other countries that have had issues surrounding tobacco prices?
In Japan, they are planning to make a tobacco-free Olympics.
That's why...
the government has been eagerly preparing various non-smoking campaigns.
In the process, a member of the Diet proposed...
that they raise the price of tobacco to over 10 dollars.
It created a major uproar on social media.
(She's received a lot of negative criticism on social media.)
How much is it now?
Now, it's around 4.60 dollars.
- It's not that high. - It's similar to Korea.
In New York, a pack of cigarettes cost around 14 dollars.
- For one pack? - Yes. That's why...
there are people on the street trying to sell...
individual cigarettes saying, "One dollar, okay?"
However, selling it like that is illegal.
One of the first things that surprised me in the US,
I noticed people smoking a cigarette...
and put out the end of the cigarette.
- Then, they put it back in the pack. - For later.
- Because it's expensive. - I've never seen it before.
That doesn't happen in Korea.
In France, tobacco costs around eight dollars.
However, the taxes make of 80 percent.
That's what's paid as tax.
The French often come to Italy to buy their cigarettes.
They buy them in Italy or Belgium.
It's not cheap in Italy, though.
It costs over six dollars.
What was more effective in Italy wasn't raising tobacco prices...
but banning the sales of packs that hold 10 cigarettes.
Because they're cheaper, a lot of teenagers buy them.
The ban on the 10-pack proved to be more effective.
Legally, there need to be at least 20 cigarettes in every pack in France.
The price of tobacco in Mexico is similar to France.
However, considering how the price of a subway ticket is 50 cents,
the same amount of money feels more expensive to Mexicans.
- Yes, comparatively. - That's why Mexicans...
secretly smuggle tobacco from abroad.
One person smuggled up to 2,000 packs.
One person smuggled 2,000 packs?
Yes, it was one individual.
It was one person.
He left it in the car and was found out by the drug enforcement police.
He got caught smuggling 200 cartons.
(It would be too much to fit in a car.)
As you know, tobacco smoke is a pain for non-smokers.
Recently, tobacco smoke has been a source of conflict...
for neighbors living in the same building.
I get angry enough to want to sue. It makes my children cough a lot.
(Smokers demand their right to smoke.)
Though we are paying more taxes, it's difficult for us to smoke indoors...
and even in my own home.
There are calls for non-smoking apartments...
since the smoke rises from lower floors. It's hard for households that don't smoke.
Let's find out what you think about this issue.
When it comes to smoking in shared buildings,
should we stop smoking inside our homes for our neighbors?
Or should we be free to smoke in our own homes?
Please raise your hand for banning smoking at home.
We have Guillaume, Aurélien ...
- What about Alex? - If we can't smoke in the privacy of our own homes,
- there's no point of having a home. - That's right.
Also, if people can't smoke at home,
they are going to smoke outside.
A lot more people will be harmed...
by the second-hand smoke.
Personally, I'd like smoking to be banned not only in apartments but everywhere.
People need to be more careful...
not to harm other people's health.
However, if we say people shouldn't be able to smoke anywhere,
where else would they smoke besides their own home?
What I want to say is...
if I'm living as a renter or leaser,
it's really up to the landlord.
If I'm the homeowner,
I should be free to do what I want.
I paid money to buy the house.
- I paid for it. - Isn't it so sad?
You can smoke only after you've bought a house.
Renters and leasers cannot smoke.
Are you buying a Nome to smoke?
There is a difference here.
Apartments and houses are different.
If you want to smoke in your own house, you can.
If you're living in an apartment, I think you should be more mindful of others.
It's the same things as playing music really loudly at home.
That's right.
If it affects the neighbors,
it'll be a problem.
Then should we say people can't smoke after 10pm,
but they can smoke before 10?
You can't smoke when there are children around.
Imagine how hard it was for people to live in apartments.
People should have to right to smoke in their own apartments.
"I've saved up my entire life to buy an apartment."
"I can't even smoke in my own house?"
I found a good example. You know how Chinese people fry their food?
Frying foods always creates smoke.
Does that mean we can't cook in our homes as well?
However, that doesn't cause cancer.
The smoke from food isn't bad for health.
It should depend on the building.
Some buildings have a connected ventilation system.
When I go to the bathroom and smell cigarette smoke,
it's really nasty.
- That's true. - Then, are we not allowed to poop in the bathroom?
That smells, too.
It doesn't smell that much.
It's different.
Wait.
There's a difference between the two smells.
Of course, there's the issue of smell,
but more importantly,
it can become a fire hazard.
It could start a fire.
It could happen,
and since it could start a fire,
it's necessary for people's safety.
It's a safety hazard.
Since smoking is not illegal,
people should be allowed to smoke in their own homes.
They're paying for the tobacco. However, it's more a problem of understanding.
We can turn on music really loud,
but we don't because we understand.
Likewise, if you some on your patio and...
realize your neighbor doesn't like it,
you can create a space in your own house where you can smoke with the windows up.
You can go to the rooftop.
Tobacco has gotten very expensive and we pay all the taxes on them.
That's why the government should create places where people can smoke.
If it doesn't...
and tell smokers they can't smoke,
the government would be violating the right of smokers.
That's true. That's why I spoke out against...
smoking on the street.
If smokers can't smoke at home and don't have a public place to smoke,
- they can't help but smoke out on the street. - You should give smokers a place.
That's why it's become such a problem.
Who is going to be responsible when there's a fire?
It's not like smokers are going to be responsible for it.
People should be careful.
Of course, they should.
Who's going to take responsibility when there's a problem?
A fire can start even now, if we light a match.
Burning Christmas candles can also start a fire.
It's something we always have to beware of.
Honestly, I don't smoke,
but I feel bad for smokers.
People in Korea are always hiding somewhere to smoke.
- Why do you feel bad for that? - I feel bad because...
they are also addicts, like we said earlier.
They can't quit.
They want to quit, but they're smoking like this.
In the winter, they wear padded clothing and smoke in the cold.
We hope the federal and local governments...
work hard to form better policies and make good use of the taxes...
to create a harmonious solution that smokers and non-smokers can rely on.
That's all for this week's "What's So Important?"
We have a truly global representative with us today.
Yes.
She shakes her hand the most out of all the fairy-like celebrities in Korea.
How?
(She's quite soulful.)
- Is she Indian? - No.
I can't even imitate her.
She's the R&B fairy, Lena Park.
R&B!
Welcome!
(The 129th Global Representative)
(Singer Lena Park)
Hello!
- Have a seat. - Yes.
Please introduce yourself.
I've been working as in Korea...
as a singer for the past 18 years.
- Wow. - Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.
You might know this group from Mexico.
It's a group called Camila.
- Yes, I did a remake of their song. - A song from Mexico.
Your song "I'm Sorry" is a remake...
- of their original song. - Yes.
("Mientes" by Camila)
("I'm Sorry" by Lena Park)
It's the title track.
(She's adorable.)
You two also sang...
- "The Way We Were" together. - Yes.
It's one of my favorite songs.
- I miss those days. - Yes.
- Thank you. - They even held a concert together.
- Yes. - Lena, you're well-known for your amazing high notes.
- Right. - They're explosive.
Can you sing a few bars for us?
A lot of people these days like "I Hope It Would Be That Way Now".
It actually Cho Yong-pil's song.
I always feel this when I sing this song.
When I sing the introduction of the song,
no one seems to be interested.
Well, it's...
- They're waiting for the high notes. - Yes.
- They're waiting for that part. - Yes.
I sing the high notes at the end.
I hope it would be that way now
People wait for me to sing that part.
- So I will sing that part. - Is it okay with you?
- Of course. - We suddenly asked you to sing.
- Thank you. - Let's give her a big hand.
(Everyone's ready to indulge their ears.)
Be ready to hear the ad-libs.
(I hope it would be that way now)
(I wish I can heal)
(My tired heart in your shade)
(All the precious things are next to you)
(I wish I can tell that)
(To people leaving far away)
(She sure is the fairy of R&B.)
The R&B fairy.
This song was originally sung by Cho Yong-pil,
but many young people think it's actually Lena's song.
- Really? - Yes.
I see.
Are there any singers who're known for their high notes in your country?
Any singers you're proud of?
In China, singers who hit high notes are called...
"Tiefei".
It means lungs made with iron.
- Lungs? - Yes.
- Lungs made with iron? - That's right.
His lungs are made with iron.
In 1999,
a Chinese singer called Lo Nan-Cheng...
was recorded as the singer who hits the highest vocal note.
She can sing eight keys higher than Pavarotti.
That's right.
(Hello, I'm Lo Nan-Cheng.)
(Singing)
In Pakistan, there is a man who had broken a glass with his voice.
- Are you serious? - Gosh.
- Is that Zahid? - Didn't Kim Kyung-ho break a glass with his voice?
- Yes. - Was it Kim Jong-seo?
His name is Mehdi Hassan.
People say he broke a glass with his voice.
His nickname is the Voice of Heaven.
In Japan, there's a famous sopranist...
called Okamoto Tomotaka.
People call him the Miraculous Voice.
- Miraculous Voice? - Yes.
Actually,
- this singer is a man. - He's a man and a sopranist?
- Yes. - Wow.
- It's fascinating. - Isn't he a tenor?
(He really is a man.)
(The Miraculous Voice, Sopranist Okamoto Tomotaka)
As for Canada, Celine Dion became famous...
- for her OST of the movie "Titanic". - Celine Dion.
I admired her.
If you listen to "The Power of Love", you can hear her high notes.
- I see. - You admired her?
The power of love
It goes like this.
She became famous because of Switzerland.
Because of Switzerland?
- Really? - What did you say?
- Because of Switzerland? - She became famous because of Switzerland.
She participated in the singing competition called "Euro Vision" 30 years ago.
I think it was 1988. She represented Switzerland back then.
Celine Dion was actually born in Quebec, Canada.
She has never acquired American or Swiss citizenship.
But he said she represented his country.
- I think he just made that up. - No.
(It's true.)
Why would she represent another country?
(Swiss entry, Celine Dion)
(The Swiss entry sings her lungs out.)
(Scratching)
(The organizers invited her to perform for Switzerland.)
- As for America, Mariah Carey is famous for her high notes. - Yes.
Her vocal range is simply amazing.
She has a five-octave vocal range.
Only dolphins can hear her voice.
- Americans... - Yes.
(This is the sound.)
(She's the undisputed diva, Mariah Carey.)
When Christmas comes near,
"All I Want for Christmas Is You" becomes popular.
Recently, she sang that song but couldn't hit the high notes.
People thought she's not as good as she was.
- That's what people thought. - That's the Christmas song, right?
- Yes. - Celine Dion isn't as good as she was.
She is the same.
What do you mean?
"She is the same."
(Oops!)
- "She is the same." - She still holds concerts and sings live in Las Vegas.
- You can always go there...
- and listen to her sing. - I see.
There's this singer who sang "Let It Go",
which was an OST of "Frozen".
Her name is Idina Menzel.
One of the biggest events in New York...
is the New Year's Eve Party held at Times Square.
Idina Menzel sang "Let It Go" at the party.
But she sang out of tune.
So people said the atmosphere had frozen, thanks to her voice.
- Some even said her voice was frozen, too. - Frozen.
The atmosphere had frozen.
Let it go
- Let it go - But also...
(Anticipating for the high notes)
(It's coming.)
(She's about to cry.)
(I'm sorry I couldn't hit the high notes.)
Lena Park has brought an issue for the 129th Non Summit Meeting.
I've been living in Korea alone for the past 20 years.
So I brought this issue today.
"It's more comfortable to live alone. Am I abnormal?"
She's been living alone for 20 years.
- Yes. - 20 years?
She said 20 years.
- It's a little bit sad and... - Really?
- She came on "I Live Alone" before. - Yes.
- Lena is in big trouble. - Why?
I watched her everyday life on the show,
and she looked so happy...
even if she lives alone.
I don't think she'll get married.
She looked really happy. On the show,
- she cooked spinach doenjang soup in the morning. - Right.
She loves doenjang soup.
- Yes. - I thought she'd cook creamed spinach for her breakfast.
I normally cook some soup, rice, and some side dishes.
Sometimes I grill fish, too.
(Soup, rice, side dishes, and grilled fish for breakfast)
- You buy groceries on your way home. - Yes.
Do you also drink alone?
I like drinking alone.
- Really? - Yes.
It's a trend. There are shows for people who live alone.
Eating and drinking alone became a fad.
- Yes. - It looks like we'll talk about single life today.
Today's issue is "It's more comfortable to live alone. Am I abnormal?"
We will now begin the discussion.
(The discussion begins.)
People say it's comfortable to live alone.
If you think it's abnormal, please press the button.
One, two, three.
(8 said it's normal, while 4 said it's not.)
(He's married but said it's normal.)
Of course it's normal.
In Italy, it's okay to eat and drink alone.
People don't have any negative perceptions toward that.
People used to have negative views in the past. People might have had...
negative perceptions toward people who didn't get married.
Nowadays, people freely say they're single,
and they live alone. It's fine.
I agree with him. I think America is a country of single life.
- Yes. - As soon as we graduate high school,
- we start to live alone. - Is America a country of single life?
- Yes, single life. - I see.
When you graduate high school,
it becomes really uncomfortable to stay with your parents.
But there's a difference.
We think drinking alone...
- is a sign of alcohol addiction. - Alcohol addiction?
Yes, a sign of alcoholism.
My mom has said the same thing.
She said the start of alcoholism is drinking alone.
I learned that when I was young.
My mom said the same thing.
- So... - All mothers say the same thing.
When you see a person drinking alone, you'd think,
"I think he has a problem."
You'd think he has issues.
In Germany, many people start to live alone as soon as they graduate high school.
It's not abnormal to live alone.
So it's only natural to eat alone at home,
but people don't normally eat out alone.
When you see a person eating alone at a restaurant,
it becomes uncomfortable...
for both the person who watches and the person who eats.
So it's different in Europe, too.
- Germans feel uncomfortable about it. - The thing is...
you only eat out on special occasions in Germany.
When you graduate or get a job,
families and friends go to restaurants.
- But... - So they don't go to restaurants alone.
If would be strange to see a person eating alone...
at a restaurant. That person would look pitiful.
I think Switzerland is similar to Germany.
People don't normally do activities alone.
Mealtime is considered as the time for conversation.
Also, prices in Switzerland are very high, so it's hard to eat out.
Switzerland is a small country,
so company workers go home to have lunch.
They come back to work after having lunch with their family.
- How about in China? - Most people are only children in China.
So we spent a lot of time alone when we were young.
Because parents leave for work. If someone says...
she can't eat alone, we'd think, "Why is she whining?"
"Does she think she's a princess?"
- That's how they'd think? - Yes.
Recently, I went to a restaurant near Daerim Station alone...
and had a grilled fish, which was about the size of my arm.
When I ordered, the waiter asked,
"Are more people coming? Are you really going to eat alone?"
So I said, "Yes, I can finish it."
Many people eat alone in Japan, too.
That's right.
In the past, we had something called the lunch-mate syndrome.
These people had no one to eat lunch with.
- They were very depressed. - Right.
We had a Japanese word that combined eating alone and lonely.
This was a word that combined these two.
We also had a word that described someone who had no one to eat with...
so they ate alone in the bathroom.
- Really? - Gosh.
- Really? - That's sad.
- It was a trend. But with more people eating alone, - A trend.
this kind of culture was created. There have been many magazines on this as well.
They discuss ways you can have fun alone.
When I first came to Korea,
I often ate alone.
It wasn't because I didn't have friends or because I was lonely.
My eating hours are different to a Korean person's.
- Your eating hours? - Because,
Mexicans normally eat breakfast around 10am.
We eat lunch around 2pm.
And we eat dinner around 9pm. We eat very late.
Let's say it is 2pm.
- I'm hungry so I would call my Korean friend. He'd tell me he's eaten. - Right.
- He's already eaten. Let's say it's 5pm. - Right.
My friend would call me to eat, but I'm not hungry.
- So, I would... - His eating hours are different.
There were many times where I would eat alone.
Even with that being the case, I felt very comfortable.
There are people who eat very fast, right?
I could eat at my own pace without having to worry about other people.
I haven't been in Korea that long.
When I didn't have that many friends in my neighborhood.
- I went to a meat restaurant. - Alone?
- Alone? - This is what experts do.
If you can cook it, than you are an expert.
The waiter became flustered.
They told me I couldn't order just one portion of meat.
So, I ordered a bowl of naengmyeon.
I ordered naengmyeon.
A family was sitting at the table next to mine.
They saw me and probably looked at me with pity, maybe.
They gave me some of their meat.
- Goodness. - "Are you eating enough?"
"It must be so hard living away from home."
It was very thoughtful of them.
Goodness.
- We don't do that. - Right.
From that moment on,
I went to that meat house and ordered two portions of meat.
People who like meat do go alone...
- and eat. - There are people like that.
Didn't we see this person together? It was at a gathering...
and we were at a meat restaurant. A man had come in alone.
He was very drunk.
He had drunk the second and third round and come in.
- He must have drunk with people. - Amazing.
- Everyone else had left. - He put on the meat,
(He had put the meat on.)
(Fell asleep)
He had fallen asleep after putting the meat on.
He would have burned his head.
Right.
This is a simple vote.
I'm curious to know how people think about this today.
Is it okay to ask for delivery when you are ordering for one?
Or do you have to order for at least two?
If you think it's okay to order for one, raise your hand.
- In 1, 2 and 3. - In 1, 2 and 3. Raise your hand.
- It's okay to order for one. - Right.
As expected, Alex. You can't understand this, right?
You have a chef in your home to cook for you, right?
"What is delivery?"
"Chef!"
- "I want to eat this." - "I see. You're hungry."
I mean, for me,
I don't think you can order enough for just one person.
Because when you think about the person making the delivery.
I know it is the person's job.
He's making that delivery just for me. So, it's an uncomfortable feeling.
- If it's not... - The price of the meal isn't enough to cover the delivery cost.
- You have to think about the cost. - He has to put fuel in the scooter, too.
- World Cup. - It's the same for Chinese meal deliveries.
In the case of plates and utensils that are reusable,
- They have to come back to get it. - They have to.
They have to come back, so I feel uncomfortable.
You would feel bad.
In Canada, the delivery man doesn't come back.
Whether you order a big pizza or a small pizza, we give them a two dollar tip.
- It's the same. The price is set.
- You don't have that system in Korea. - A tipping system.
- A meal for one costs less than 10 dollars. - About 5 dollars.
They come back three hours later for the plates.
I felt so bad.
In Korea, if they don't want to only deliver for one,
they put an amount you have to spend for delivery.
Delivery is possible from 10 dollars and upwards.
If they don't have a restriction like that, you don't have to feel bad.
It's a service, so the seller decides that.
If a lot of people order deliveries for one person,
then they could raise the price or...
they could come up with a new menu. That's the service industry.
There are restaurants that do welcome customers who only order for one.
It doesn't matter.
I'm not the only customer, right?
While they are making my delivery, they could make other deliveries.
Also, if you do order for two people,
you'd just be throwing away food.
- You could eat it later. - I think...
Before I heard the question,
it had never crossed my mind to order for two when asking for delivery.
- I see. - As expected of a German.
- It's a luxury. - He had never experienced something like this before.
Even if you deliver for one person,
that restaurant is fine with that. That's why they do it.
The person making the deliveries...
doesn't get paid by the number of deliveries he makes.
He gets paid by the hour.
So, I don't think this is a big concern for the delivery men.
If you think about the wage of the delivery men,
in Korea, wages are very low, right?
So, for people like that,
I think delivery men could be treated badly because of this.
I think about this problem like this. If I were to order a lot...
and I threw away a lot of food. Wouldn't that make you feel sorry to the Chef?
You could store it in the fridge and eat it the next day.
- You could put it in the fridge. - You could eat it the next day.
I could just order just enough for me.
Why are you forcing laws and restrictions on me?
It's the same whether you eat at the restaurant or order, when you eat alone.
If I didn't go to that restaurant,
there would be an empty seat and table.
The restaurant could accept another customer and make more money.
- They could receive more customers. - Since there is an extra seat,
they could serve someone else. This isn't...
- a serious problem. - The labor cost.
Lena, how do you order meals?
Me? At the beginning I felt bad,
so I always ordered for two.
but some point onwards,
I ordered for more than two people. The reason I did that was because...
I was a woman and I was living alone.
I felt uncomfortable about telling people that I was living alone.
When a woman living alone orders,
I heard they say, "Honey, it's here."
Yes or they borrow a close male friend's...
- shoes. - I see. They place shoes at the front.
There are many different ways to do it.
Since I've been living alone for a long time,
I did start to worry about those things.
There are a lot of people who have had experience living alone here.
Could you give us some tips about living alone?
This sounds fun.
In India, we eat a lot of curry, right?
The most important ingredient in curry is turmeric powder.
It's called turmeric powder in English.
When you put some in warm milk,
and drink it when you have a fever, the fever will disappear.
It also helps cure colds.
Also, if you twist or injure your knee,
if you mix turmeric powder with lime,
and if you rub it onto your injured knee, it's very effective.
Are you telling us to put curry on? It's a folk remedy, right?
Right.
- I'll buy some turmeric powder. - In Japan,
we have a folk remedy that grandmothers have passed down.
In Japan, we use bath tubs a lot, right?
In winter we eat a lot of tangerines.
If you put it in the bath, it's good for your health.
It's also apparently good for your hair.
It's also good for bathing as well.
Italians use moka pot to make coffee, right?
It's great for reusing coffee powder.
- Koreans put it store this in the fridge, right? - Yes.
It helps to get rid of bad odors and control humility.
Not only that, when you're cleaning,
there are some stains that won't come off, right?
If you put water, detergent and coffee powder onto a towel.
- It's really effective at getting stains off. - Right.
- Have you tried it? - Also, it's good for getting rid of cockroaches.
Sometimes, you'll have bugs like ants and cockroaches that invade the house, right?
- If you use ground coffee powder, they'll disappear. - Really?
You just have to figure out where they are coming from.
- If you put the ground coffee powder... - Put down a cup of espresso.
- So...
(They flee from the coffee smell.)
They flee.
- It really does work. - Okay.
This was a tip that I received from my mother when I was five.
I had a CD that I really liked.
It had a scratch on it, so it wouldn't play.
If you apply a very small amount of toothpaste,
then the CD will work.
- Really? - The scratch disappeared.
It's the same for glass.
Does it work for watches?
- Yes, it does. - Really?
I'm sure they don't that to a Rolex watch when you take it in for repairs.
- The Rolex staff member gets the tooth paste... - Toothpaste.
They use the toothpaste from Switzerland.
(Better quality toothpaste?)
(They wouldn't do that.)
We use toothpaste to clean the floor in the army as well.
Also, if you apply toothpaste on pimples before you sleep, it's really good.
(No way.)
- It's true. When I was in high school... - No way.
I did apply toothpaste to my pimples.
- Is it effective? - It gets rid of the red color.
Are you saying they remove the color?
- The red color disappears. - Really?
Really?
I also get a lot of pimples.
But when I apply that, it disappears.
If your car has scratches on the bumper,
you can apply toothpaste on it and the scratches will disappear.
Stop talking about toothpastes. Just go online...
Why are you looking down on other people's advice?
- Stop it. - I just had the idea.
- No, you can say it. - I also have some uses for toothpastes.
- Stop it. - Guillaume doesn't want to hear it.
When you drink tea for a long time,
the cup gets stained, right?
If you use toothpaste, it will become cleaner.
- Is that so? - Also, if you have brewed tea that you haven't drunk for a while.
Apply some of that tea to your eyebrows. It'll grow thicker.
- Does it work on hair? - Yes.
- Really? - Hold on.
Tea contains Vitamin B and C so it does work.
You have to wash it with hair.
- Are you telling us to wash our hair with tea? - You'll feel different.
Does that mean you don't wash your hair with shampoo?
- I wash my hair with shampoo as well. - Maybe he uses a high-quality shampoo.
You get a lot of dandruff in winter, right?
Dandruff. If you spray mouthwash,
- onto your hair. - Did you say mouthwash?
Yes. If you apply that and wash your hair.
- It's really good for your hair. - Does it act as a sterilizer?
Your hair will feel fresh, right?
Your gargling your whole head?
- It'll feel fresh. - It'll cure it.
I'd like to mention this tip because it's winter.
- The car would freeze. There would be frost. - It would freeze.
The day before, you can mix vinegar and water in a 3 to 1 ratio.
If you do that, the car won't freeze. If frost forms,
you can use a credit card and scrape, scrape, scrape.
(You're skilled in that.)
- Scrape, scrape, scrape. - Scrape, scrape, scrape.
Do you scrape outside or inside?
- Outside. You scrape outside.
Isn't it an advertisement? Scrape outside.
If...
a woman comes over to your house,
it's good to show some manliness.
- That's why... - Jazz music.
- He's always ready. - If you...
cook spaghetti, there's a way...
you can unwrap the package in a manly way.
Really?
- I coincidentally brought a pack of spaghetti with me. - Coincidentally?
- How can you unwrap it in a manly way? - You hold it like this...
(Smash it on the ground.)
You just need to do it like this.
Is that a lifestyle tip?
It's cool.
- You lived alone for 20 years. Is there a lifestyle tip you have? - Lifestyle tip?
- I utilize the freezer a lot. - You utilize it?
Yes, I do everything with the freezer.
In some neighborhoods,
you can only throw away food wastes if the bag if completely full.
- However, it takes a long time to fill it up if you live alone. - Right.
- That's why I put it in the freezer. - I do that, too.
- It doesn't smell. - It doesn't smell.
If I made too much rice,
- I would divide them in one-serving sizes. - Right.
- Microwave? - I would freeze them.
She freezes the rice in one-serving sizes. - I freeze them.
As soon as I buy meat, I unwrap the packaging.
I put them flatly in plastic bags.
I squeeze out the air. That way, it defrosts quickly.
It defrosts quickly.
Who are famous housekeeping experts or masters of living in your country?
- In the US, Martha Stuart is called the queen of housekeeping. - Right.
She was from a poor Polish immigrant family.
She's famous for her tips on garlic skin peeling.
In order to peel the garlic skins,
you place the garlic in a bowl and another bowl on top of it.
- If you shake the bowls for about 30 seconds, - The skins would all peel off.
- the garlic skin would peel by themselves. - Really?
Right. You can just shake it.
She's famous for that.
She released a magazine called "Martha Stuart Living".
Donald Trump did a famous reality show called "The Apprentice".
Martha Stuart also made a reality show.
However, people in their forties or fifties like Martha Stuart.
The younger people like us prefer...
websites such as "Life Hacker".
There are a lot of tips on "Life Hacker".
There's a way to find out your neighbor's wifi password.
How can you find it out?
There's also a way to strengthen your home wifi.
There are very important tips for us.
It's for the younger generation.
- It's a site called "Life Hacker". - It must be fun.
There are two women in Italy named Titty and Flavia.
- Is her name Titty? - Yes. Because Italian women are good at cooking,
they focus more on how to decorate the home.
They also give tips on how to clean efficiently.
It's the Christmas season.
Their tips on Christmas decorations are very popular.
They would put a rose or a flower...
inside a glass cup.
After turning it upside down,
you can put a candle...
- on the top. It's really pretty. - It's pretty.
- It's like that. - It's not hard to do.
- Lena, you aren't interested in these, right? You are? - Why wouldn't she be?
That idea...
I really want to do it.
(See? She says she's going to do it.)
She says she's going to do it.
You like wine.
- Wine. - When she takes a drink by herself at home,
she can make a small decoration like that.
- It would look very pretty. - It would change the whole atmosphere.
In southern Germany, there's a region called Swabia.
Everyone in the village has the image of a good housekeeper.
They're especially passionate about cleaning.
They would open cleaning competitions.
In the past, Greece had serious problems with garbage.
Tourists would come and throw away garbage.
That's why the cleaning experts from the village...
would go there...
and give them a lot of tips.
They gave Greece some tips on how to solve their garbage problem.
It must be crazy. The moment they arrive,
they would be so disappointed.
My goodness, it's dirty.
(My goodness, it's dirty.)
- Did you just imitate a German? - Yes.
You sounded authentic.
Mother-in-laws are the housekeeping experts in Pakistan.
- Mother-in-law. - Rather than experts, it's actually the law.
If a woman goes to the house of her husband after marriage,
she has to follow the mother-in-law's rules.
If not, she can have a hard time her whole life.
- You have to... - For instance, when you cook ramen,
the mother-in-law can say "You should put the soup first".
You have to do exactly as her mother-in-law tells you.
- It's the mother-in-law's rule. - Right.
There must be a lot of conflict.
- Right. - Yes.
Are there any dramas about the conflict between a woman and her mother-in-law?
There's a lot.
- Most dramas are about... - Most dramas?
Are there a lot of slapping scenes?
Alright. These days, there are a lot of...
products for those living alone, such as stores,
products, and services.
In Canada, there's a magnetic product...
that holds one side of the bracelet for women who live alone.
You can put the bracelet on yourself.
That's great.
- I always... - Right, there's a magnet.
- You can do this. - You can do this, or...
If not, you have to stand in front of the mirror for a long time.
- Right. - You have to do this.
- There are times you have to do that. - A bracelet helper.
- That's a good idea. - A bracelet helper.
In India,
there's a menu called tali...
for those who eat alone.
- It's one-serving size. - It's food for one person.
It comes out differently for different regions. You would get a Delhi menu in Deli.
- You would get a Mumbai menu in Mumbai. It's great to eat alone. - It must be good.
- It looks good. - Can you find this in Korea?
What? It's one-serving size.
In India, there's a very popular tipping service.
I think you can call it a service for sharing home food.
The housekeepers would make some extra food...
and sell it to the students or employees...
in the neighborhood.
Indians think home food is healthy.
There's something very popular in Italy.
We call it la spesa dei single.
It's like shopping for singles.
There's a separate time at big supermarkets...
or department stores when singles can shop.
Only singles can shop during that time.
Singles can...
tie a red ribbon on their cart.
People with ribbons can talk to each other.
It's very popular.
There are people who want to make...
a girlfriend or a boyfriend. They can meet randomly and shop together.
- That's a good idea. - Italians have special relationships in the market as well.
This is very popular.
In Japan, there's a baby robot for...
- the elderly. - Right.
It looks like a newborn baby.
Elderly people living alone...
tend to be very lonely. They get depression often.
They would want to take care of the robot.
It's effective for preventing Alzheimer's.
They can keep talking to the baby.
- Talking alone... - They can say, "You're hungry".
I heard that they play a bigger role than we think.
People living alone are increasing. It's important to...
know how to hang out with yourself.
Let's share what we did alone to have fun.
I drink and sing alone at home.
- When I sing, I drink. - That's so sad.
(Teary)
- It sounds sad. - When you sing...
and drink, you get excited.
After I finish singing, I say, "Encore".
- You do that yourself? - Yes, I say, "Encore".
- My goodness. - I say, "If you want it so badly,"
- "I'll sing again". - Do you really do that on your own?
- Really? - Yes. I did it yesterday, too.
- Are you happy? - Why do you do that?
- What song do you sing? - It depends.
Sing.
- Here? - Yes.
- Sing. - Imagine that you're alone.
I think I'm always going to be alone
- I'll be lonely all my life - He sounds happy.
- It's sad. - My goodness...
Let's go to his home to listen to his songs.
- Yes. - You should call us over.
- We can go there. - We can...
We can go over, but I don't think we'll ask for an encore.
- We'll see how you do. - We have standards, too.
We may say, "Stop, stop" in the middle.
- Okay. - My goodness....
- I love going to the sauna by myself. - It's great.
- Sauna... - It's great.
- It's great. - After sweating in the heat,
you can eat good food.
You can play games. You can also sleep when you're sleepy.
- Saunas are the best. - You can get massage.
I love saunas.
Islamic culture forbids you to...
show your body to others.
- Really? - You're also forbidden to look at other people's body.
What can you do, then?
- Really? - That's why I wear my underwear when I go to the sauna.
- Sauna? - Yes.
- You even do that in Korean saunas? - Yes.
- Aren't you forbidden to enter, then? - It's okay...
for us to do that in my country,
but when I went to the sauna here with my underwear on,
everyone kept looking at me.
- So... - What do you do when you go into the tub?
- I wear everything and go in. - Really?
- You would wear a new underwear? - Yes.
- That's cool. - When I go to Switzerland, I hike by myself.
- Hike by yourself? - Hike by yourself?
- Hike by yourself? - I always do that.
- People hike a lot by themselves. - They do.
There's not a lot of time to be alone in contemporary times,
especially when you're living in big cities.
When I go to Switzerland, I hike by myself all day.
There are days when I don't see a single person.
- Really? - It's true.
Are you talking about the Alps?
- Yes. - The Alps?
(You can enjoy the amazing nature all by yourself in the Alps.)
I also tried it as well. Hiking by yourself?
Yes.
- However, when the sun sets, it's very... - It's dangerous.
- Do you have a flashlight? - You take a flashlight?
I don't...
He would call the helicopter when the sun sets.
- Yes, I do. - Hey...
- Come here. - No.
I can't see anything.
(Rega is a Swiss helicopter rescue system which provides quick medical treatments.)
People travel alone a lot.
I personally enjoy it.
Traveling alone and with another person is completely different.
- It's separate. - Right, they're different
- They have different charms. - Both... Yes.
Both are enjoyable.
They are. Alright. Traveling alone...
There must be people who can't do it.
- Raise your hand if you can't travel alone. 1, 2, 3. - Vote.
Mark, Guillaume, Oogi, and Wang Xinlin.
In the US, people don't really travel by themselves.
- Really? - I was really surprised...
when I saw Koreans travel alone.
I would go to Busan alone to escape from my life.
After six hours, I would find myself...
calling a friend at Busan at night.
- I would call the friend out. - You're lonely.
- I think it's because you only go to high-class hotels. - Right.
- Right. - If you go to youth hostels or guest houses,
- you can meet a lot of people. - Definitely.
- Right. - If you travel alone,
you can always meet new friends.
You're not alone.
You would make new friends there.
- Right. - I started traveling alone when I was 16 years old.
If I had a girlfriend,
she would stress me out saying, "Why aren't you studying?"
- Don't you feel really lonely? - But...
- What? - Don't you feel really lonely?
Not at all.
You can make a friend in five minutes.
- Right. - You can make a girlfriend.
- That's why... - That's why you should go.
When you eat something good, you want to express it.
There's no one to share that with.
If I watch the Grand Canyon,
I would want to say, "This is amazing".
- However, if there's no one... - You'll be alone.
You can just call someone.
- Hello? - Aurélien's life as a single.
- I want to share this moment with someone, but... - Right.
No matter how good the food is,
- it doesn't taste good if you eat alone. - Right.
Traveling is about eating.
I don't have a sense of direction. I won't be able to return if I travel alone.
You get lost a lot.
- Cute. - What's good about that is that it takes time.
You can go to your destination in five minutes if you know the road.
- Right. - However, for the rest of the time,
- There's nothing to do. - there's nothing to do.
You're just killing time.
- You get this kind of adrenaline when you don't know your way. - Right.
You have to look at the map.
- You have to do it yourself. - Right.
I think that's really charming.
Lena, did you ever travel on your own?
I traveled a lot by myself.
- You did. - I can read books I wanted to read.
- I can enjoy a restful, quiet time alone. - You can roll around in your bed.
Right. I can roll around in my bed.
You said you travel alone. What's the longest time you traveled alone?
The longest time? One week.
- One week? - If it surpasses that, it gets a bit boring.
- It gets a bit boring. - One week is quite long.
There are people who research social phenomena.
There must be interesting researches done on the lives of singles.
This is the result of the research done by Facebook.
Out of all the cities in the USA, San Francisco...
is the best city for singles to relieve their stress.
It's because there's a lot of things to do and see there.
People in San Francisco cycle, hike,
and do a lot of activities.
It's the best American city for singles.
- San Francisco? - When I was living in New York, I never felt lonely.
There are so many people who live alone.
- Everyone's alone? - If I go to the park, take out my lunch,
and spread the blanket... It's not just me, but everyone does that.
You get the feeling that everyone is living alone.
- So... - Everyone is living alone.
You get the feeling that everyone is living alone.
That's why I didn't feel lonely.
A university in Japan conducted this research.
- The result showed that elderly hikikomori... - Secluded loners.
and the number of teeth they have are connected.
People usually have 28 teeth.
You can only maintain your chewing function...
- if you have at least 20 teeth. - At least 20 teeth?
Yes. Those who have less than 20 teeth...
- would avoid participating in social activities. - That must be so.
That's why results showed that there's a higher possibility to become a hikikomori.
University of Toronto...
divided people into two groups.
One group would hang out with their friends.
Another group of people would stay by themselves.
They were asked, "What do you want to eat?"
They could either eat warm soup and coffee, or biscuits and bread.
The people who hung out with their friends...
chose randomly. However, the people who were alone mostly chose warm food.
- Right. - The people who were alone feel lonely.
- Right. It's true. - Their body... I think you identify with this.
Their body probably felt cold.
- Wang Xinlin... - Maybe that's why they wanted warm food.
Chinese people eat hot food in the summer as well.
- Right. - I heard you have to eat warm food.
- Right. - Chinese people don't like cold food.
A few days ago, I went to a Chinese restaurant in Korea.
Someone ordered coke.
- Was it warm? - No.
The waiter...
The waiter asked, "Do you want your coke cold?"
That's what the waiter asked.
- Do you want your coke cold or warm? - Chinese people like their cokes warm.
- Warm coke? - When I went to China...
- We don't drink ice cold coke. - They don't freeze them.
They have ice cold cokes, but we usually drink warm coke.
Do you have drinks like ice coffee?
- Ice tea... - There are drinks like ice americanos, but...
- I don't order them. - You're not even my Dad.
- Why do you say, "ice coffee"? - Ice coffee.
- Ice coffee. - But...
- Ice... Ice coffee... - But...
We have ice coffee and ice cream.
We have ice coffee and kudzu tea.
(He truly is a middle-aged man.)
What about beer?
We drink beer warm as well.
- Really? - When I...
- They do, but you have to ask them for it. - Shouldn't it be frozen?
- I see. You have to ask them for it. - They usually have cold beer.
If you don't ask for cold beer, they would give it to you warm.
- You have to ask them. - They have it, but you have to ask them.
We have a big country. We have diverse things.
China's big.
You have diverse things.
I don't think there are only good aspects to living alone.
Are there any disadvantages you get as a single person in your country?
Is there any social phenomena due to the loneliness they experience?
I don't think there are only good aspects to living alone.
Are there any disadvantages you get as a single person in your country?
Is there any social phenomena due to the loneliness they experience?
There's an amusement park in Karachi, Pakistan.
It's called the Paris Amusement Park.
Singles can only go there on Sundays.
You can't go on Saturdays or weekdays.
Only families can go that time.
- Really? - It's a disadvantage. Men who go alone...
keep staring at the women who came with their families.
That's...
- Is it that serious that they have to make a prohibition? - Right.
- It's very serious. - They can't look at another man's wife, right?
- Lucky also mentioned that Indian men watch girls at bars. - Right.
- They keep staring at the women at the amusement parks. - It's necessary.
- They... - They probably fight.
Yes, fights may break out.
- It's inconvenient for the families. - That's true.
They made a prohibition.
The biggest disadvantage singles get in Italy is tax.
I researched some things.
Singles need to pay 49 percent of their salary as tax.
- They have to pay a lot more than people with families. - Single tax.
Approximately 49 percent...
Out of all the OECD countries, Italy has the fourth greatest single tax.
Italy is probably placed right under the northern European countries.
When MERS was most intense in China,
one region placed unmarried doctors...
to the site first.
It caused a lot of controversy.
- Really? If an accident occurs, - Yes.
- it's better for an unmarried doctor to die? - Yes.
- That's why there were a lot of complaints at that time. - My goodness.
Furthermore, Chinese people usually have no siblings.
When the children leave for university,
they no longer can take care of their parents.
That's why many of those parents would be cheated of their money.
My Mom also get cheated last month.
Someone called my Mom and said, "Your son is living overseas by himself".
"He's in danger".
"I have someone I know in Korea".
"If you give me around 3 million yuan,"
"I'll help your son get a job in Korea".
Fortunately,
I changed the password...
before I came to Korea, in case something like this would happen.
That's why my Mom wasn't able to take money out from the bank. She called me.
For the first time in two years at my research center, I yelled in Chinese...
- to her. - What did you say?
Mom, you're a fool.
I said, "Mom, you're a fool".
(Oh dear...)
One of the social problems in Japan...
is the increasing number of elderly people in the population.
One of the problems is elderly stalkers.
There is an increasing number of stalkers aged over 60 years old.
This is true especially for men who have walked all their lives.
After retirement,
they feel distant from society.
Their children live independently as well.
There's no one around them.
They would suddenly be infatuated...
with a female employee at a convenience store.
- It's because the employees are nice. - They're lonely.
They misunderstand that the employees were nice only to them.
- That's why they would stalk the employee. - I'm scared.
These kinds of crimes are increasing in Japan.
Many of you probably live alone as well.
How do you fight loneliness?
I watch horror movies. When I watch horror movies,
I don't think I'm the miserable one in the world.
- The character in the movie is more miserable? - Yes.
Zombies don't bite me.
I'm serious. Being in a room by yourself...
is better than being in a room with a ghost.
- The ghost would say, "The living are more scary". - Right.
There are times when you don't want to avoid that loneliness.
- You should enjoy loneliness. - Enjoy it?
- That's good. - You can listen to sad songs.
- and feel loneliness. - I'm alone.
I don't think I need a way to fight that because I'm rich.
I'm rich.
(I'm sorry.)
That's amazing.
(I don't feel lonely because I'm rich.)
(A confession of a super rich guy)
He can count his money whenever he has time.
I have so many friends and a broad spectrum of experience.
- I think making new friends is a good way of healing. - Meeting people?
Meeting people.
When I feel the loneliest after I came to Korea...
- is the Christmas season. - True.
In the US, Christmas is a family holiday...
that has to be spent with your family.
But in Korea, it's considered a day for couples. It's just another Valentine's Day.
People date on the day.
If you don't have a date on the day, you'll feel so lonely.
In the US, people almost always watch a certain movie...
when they feel lonely during the Christmas time.
The title of the movie is "Christmas Story".
There's even a TV channel that airs the movie 24 hours a day.
- That's how I get over my loneliness. - Christmas Story?
Without those movies, it doesn't really feel like Christmas.
It doesn't.
Do you have any plan for Christmas?
- I... - A concert?
Yes. For me, working is my healing.
So that you won't feel lonely.
- You usually have many year-end concerts. - Right. Too busy to feel lonely.
- But it's my first solo concert in a long time, about nine years. - A solo concert?
All by myself.
I'm going to the only one person on the stage.
People who are single are welcome to my concert.
- We're all singles, but we can be together there. - That sounds nice.
In the end, mostly couples would come to concerts.
- It's couples in the end. - I see.
So you have to say couples are also welcome, not only singles.
- Everyone, please come. - Couples would come even if I don't say anything.
It was our 129th meeting. Lena Park laid an issue for the 129th meeting.
"It's more comfortable to live alone. Am I abnormal?"
Let me close with a comment of the author of "Living by Your Own Light".
Living by your own light doesn't mean that you are single or living alone.
It means you pursue peaceful joy and beauty of your own.
- It doesn't comfort me. - Right.
What do you think of this show?
I had so much fun today as I learned a lot from this show.
I think everyone here is really amazing.
You're all so young and very intelligent.
- Did I talk like an old lady? - She said "You're young."
- That's true. - We're young.
My goodness.
- She's going to sing a song briefly to comfort single souls. - Cool.
(Looking forward to it)
- She's going to sing a song briefly to comfort single souls. - Cool.
(Looking forward to it)
- It's "I'll be home for Christmas". - "I'll be home for Christmas".
I chose it because it's not just about going home.
The song is for those who couldn't go home.
Many American soldiers couldn't go back home.
One of them sang it.
He wanted to go home even in his dreams.
- So I think it will strike a chord with... - Wait, isn't Mark crying right now?
people here today.
Sing it for me.
Awesome.
Bravo!
Thank you.
We'll continue to cheer for you.
It's good.
In order to eradicate bribery and slush funds in India,
they carried out a monetary reform.
The amount of slush funds...
amount to approximately 0.5 million dollars.
- I think it can block corruption. - It will end the bribery.
It's just a replacement of cash with another kind of cash.
(What's the conclusion of Non Summit Economic Meeting?)
(She's got so many talents.)
(The 130th Korean representative is actress Park Jin-ju.)
I want to challenge in tough jobs. Is it abnormal?
We'll talk about extreme jobs in the world.
Catching crabs in Alaska.
One person dies per week.
- Power line technician. - It's really extreme.
People work for deodorant makers have to smell armpits.
(The real extreme job)
- Strike to protect the right of workers. - They burn and break everything.
There shouldn't be any victims.
After that, they kidnapped their boss and locked him in.
(The fastest way to relieve your fatigue on Monday night)
(Non Summit Meeting, aired at 10:50pm every Monday)
Subtitles by OnDemandKorea