by Ji-woo, age 8, asks how many Christmas songs exist, about the DMZ, and Korea’s division
Dear Santa,
Annyeong from Seoul. My name is Ji-woo and I am 8 years old. My family Christmas is smaller here since not everyone in Korea celebrates it, but my street still has lights, and my dad plays a Christmas playlist in the car that seems to have a new song every single year.
My first question is: how many Christmas songs are there in the whole world?
My second question is geography: what is the strip of land between North and South Korea called?
My third question is from school: why did Korea split into two countries?
I left you rice cakes called tteok and a small cup of tea.
Love, Ji-woo, age 8, Seoul, South Korea
From the Desk of Father Christmas
Dear Ji-woo, tteok makes a fine change from biscuits, chewy and just sweet enough. Thank you. Now to your big questions.
How many Christmas songs are there?
Nobody has ever managed an exact count, because new Christmas songs are written every single year, and old carols stretch back centuries across many languages and cultures. Music organisations that track songs estimate there are many thousands of registered holiday songs, and that is without counting all the traditional carols passed down before modern record keeping began. Your dad playlist really could add a new one every year and still barely scratch the surface.
What is the strip of land between North and South Korea called?
That narrow strip is called the Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ for short. It is about four kilometres wide and stretches across the entire peninsula, acting as a buffer between North and South Korea since a ceasefire in 1953. Strangely, because so few people have gone in or out for decades, it has become an accidental haven for wildlife, with plants and animals thriving in the quiet.
Why did Korea split into two countries?
After the Second World War, Korea was divided into two zones, one supported by the Soviet Union in the north and one supported by the United States in the south. The two sides could not agree on how to reunite, and after a difficult war in the early 1950s, the division became permanent, creating North Korea and South Korea as separate countries. It is a serious piece of history, and many families were separated by it, which makes gatherings like your own Christmas car rides feel all the more precious.
Enjoy the playlist, wherever it wanders, and I shall see you soon.
Ho ho ho, Santa
