Korean TV and the Family

Korean T.V. is still very healthy comparing it to the west; however, it is not what it was. This has been treated in the press rather frequently in recent months. In the Chosunilbo for May 18, front page big headline: “TV Destroying Family”; a very strong statement and probably not completely without foundation. There are times that you see adult programs in the morning when the children would be watching. The dramas frequently have adultery as one of their themes. Sex is more and more a part of the fare. Sex is part of life and a beautiful part of what God had in mind for human kind and there is no reason it should not be prominent. When this part however, is vulgarized or shown in a prurient way it cheapens its value. This is not helpful to any of us.

We have had a number of sensationalized incidents of adultery that have been a cause for divorce proceedings. Korea is still one of the few countries outside of the Muslim world that still criminalizes adultery. That this is the proper way of handling the issue- is a question for debate. The act is wrong and we should try to do everything to eradicate it, for the good of families and the society as a whole. Whether to penalize it by law is another question.

The media can do a great deal to cheapen a great deal of what we have considered sacred and necessary for the good of society. Here we have the dilemma of what to do when the public wants something and “Natural Law” or our consciences says something else. What to do when the rest of the world is going one way and Korea is dragging its feet. Obviously we do not need the government to get involved in these problems to the extent that they begin to legislate what is required for the good life. The different groups in our society should lobby for what they think is correct. That is what a democracy is and the Catholic Church is one of the groups that should be heard but this should be a cooperative effort and all who feel that there is a great deal of wisdom in the way we have lived should try to convince the public by all the means at hand. There are those who see things differently and they should have their say; that is why the debate is important and in numbers there will be strength.