What you talking about Willis?

Hello, Hello. I'm helping my Korean students with a school project. They have to memorize a dialogue about an important tourist attraction in Gyeong Ju, South Korea. They decided to do Poseokjeong which is, well read the dialogue.


R: Reporter

G: Gyeong Ju citizen

Location: Poseokjeong

R: This is Kim Hye-ri reporting live for CNN from beautiful Gyeong Ju, South Korea. I am standing at the foot of the majestic Gumgangsam mountain at Pokemonjeong, which is the last historical sight on the list of historical locations in Gyeong Ju and I must admit, the one with the most colorful history.

(LEE hears this and knows it is

Wrong.)

G: Excuse mebut.

R: It doesnt look like much now, but this stone snake in the ground was the playground to kings and their beautiful guests. Kings would lounge around, Pokemonjeong which means Outhouse built near the Apple Stone Channel, and they would invite singers to play guitars as they floated cups full of soju down the river.

G: Excuse me!

R: The singers with the best voices would have to drink the shots when they reached them-

G: Hello!

R: What! Cant you see that Im trying to do my job here! Who are you!

G: Im a Gyeong Ju citizen and I wanted to tell you that your information is all wrong!

R: What do you mean its all wrong! I got it off the internet! Its has to be all true!

G: Look buddy, this is not Gumgangsam mountain. Gumgangsam mountain is in North Korea!

R: Look pal, it doesnt really matter. Korea is Korea, north, south, east, west- whatever.

(A Cellphone Rings. The reporter picks it up.)

R: What! I am in the middle of my show! Oh, hello boss. Oh, so its not Pokemonjeong. Its Posokjeong and its the first site on the list of historical places. Ok. Right. Ok, so I should make him my special guest reporter or Im fired. Right. I get it. I promise to do a better job.

(The Gyeong Ju citizen kicks the Reporter.)

Ow! What did you do that for!

G: For being an idiot.

R: Look, how would you like to be my special guest reporter?

G: I wouldnt be your guest anything!

R: Well pay you.

G: How much.

(They turn around and the Reporter hands the Gyeong Ju citizen money. The citizen looks very happy and they shake hands.)

R: Hello this is Hye-ri and

G: Special reporter Lee reporting live for CNN from beautiful Gyeong Ju, South Korea. I am standing at the foot of the majestic Namsan mountain at Poseokjeong, which is the first historical sight on the list of historical locations in Gyeong Ju and I must admit, the one with the most colorful history.

(LEE hears this and knows it is

Wrong.)

R: It doesnt look like much now, but this stone snake in the ground was the playground to kings and their beautiful guests. Kings would lounge around, Poseokjeon which means:

G: Pavilion built near the Abalone Stone Channel, and they would invite poets to write poetry as guests floated cups of wine down the channel.

R: Really. Thats really interesting Lee. Why did they do that?

G: Well, Hye-ri, it was a kind of an ancient drinking game. A poet would be asked to compose some lines of verse and if he failed to accomplish this, then he would have to drink the wine as punishment.

R: That doesnt really sound like punishment to me Lee.

G: This stone channel originally had a beautiful tortoise shaped stone and from the turtles mouth flowed the water that filled this stone snake as my friend has called it.

R: Did robbers steal the stone?

G: Actually, history tells us that a governor took it to his family tomb during the Choson Dynasty.

R: Interesting and is there a myth surrounding Poseokjeong?

G: There is one rumor that Hon-gang, the forty-ninth king of the Shilla empire saw a ghost while visiting Poseokjeong. The spirit had come down from the southern mountain and taught him the Shilla dance of the Omusangshinmu.

R: Wow. That must be one funky dance. Can you give us a demonstration Lee?

G: I dont think so, Hye-ri.

R: Anyway, I read somewhere that Poseokjeong is like Rome, because it lead to the downfall of the once great Shilla empire.

G: That is somewhat true. The kings of the Shilla did start to abuse their power and privilege. Poseokjeong was where the fifty-fifth king, Kyongae was murdered by his enemies. Kyongae was warned that King Gyonwon of the Baegje Dynasty would try to invade his lands, but instead of heeding those warnings he came to Poseokjeong to enjoy himself with his Queen and his subjects.

R: Well, if youve gotta go, then you might as well have fun.

G: But thats the thing. Kyongae could have saved himself and his people if he had been a responsible king. Instead he and his subjects drank and danced until Gyonwon came to Poseokjeong and killed them all.

R: Well if Kyongae was such a bad king, it shouldnt have mattered.

G: But it did matter because after Kyongae there was only one more Shilla King, King Kyongsun. The once great Shilla kingdom fell because a moments pleasure seemed more important than a kingdoms safety. It is very shameful.

R: Well folks, there you have it. The spot we stand was the bloody demise of a great king and his beautiful subjects. It was also the beautiful playground and the birthplace of one of historys most interesting drinking games. Is there anything you would like to add Lee?

G: Hi Mom and I would like to invite everyone to visit Dynamic Korea and pristine Gyeong Ju.

R: Thank you for tuning in. Hye-ri reporting from Poseokjeong, Gyeong Ju South Korea.

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