The Last Laugh

I cried for Cabu.

Last time I did that for a satirist was in 1988, when Pierre Desproges died 'of a short and funny illness', as he dubbed cancer in the epitaph he wrote for the occasion. But precisely because Desproges died of the cancer he said he wouldn't get because he was against it, I had time to mourn him long before he passed away*.

Yesterday, Cabu was murdered with AK-47 rifles. Among the other victims: fellow journalists, cartoonists, Charlie Hebdo employees, policemen... humans who chose to fight against different kinds of cancers (the kind that can eat away whole societies).

The image that sprang to my mind, when I learned that Cabu had been assassinated, was his 'Grand Duduche', a misfit who, disarmingly candidly, exposes the misfitness of our times.

Cabu's Le Grand Duduche - twitter.com/theseoulvillage/status/552810111194783744

Of course, I preferred Cabu the acerbic caricaturist, just like I adored the ferociously provocative Desproges. But these two mighty pens were carried by two true humanists. And each time I think of them, I first see two kids with irresistibly facetious smiles.

If death ultimately claims us all, humorists tend to develop a special relationship with it on the way - I actually define humor as the ability to accept death in general and one's weakness in particular, in order to make life in general more acceptable, and one's existence in particular more bearable to others.

And if satirists are not indestructible, all attempts to destroy satire tend to backfire: cancer made Desproges go even further, terrorists turned Cabu and his colleagues into global heroes, and actually helped atheists and true believers unite, hackers provided a record (and probably undeserved) publicity for 'The Interview', censors got Hong Sung-dam's 'Sewol Owol' exposed in the New York Times...

So yes, you can try to hack a media with machetes and AK47s, but satirists will always have the last laugh:

twitter.com/theseoulvillage/status/553026084149542912

*

UPDATE 20150112: yesterday, over 300 showed up for the #JeSuisCharlie rally in Seorae Maeul, hundreds of thousands across the globe, millions in France.

twitter.com/theseoulvillage/status/554171556729872384

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* and long after, of course - see "Peut-on rire de la mort ?" (1990), "20 ans de séparation" (2008). NB: Desproges was born a few months after Cabu, who would have turned 77 next week.

Fete de la Musique Seoul

A major success in France for 30 years, the Fete de la Musique has been exported to many countries over the past few years (as World Music Day).

Seoul will experience its 4th edition on Saturday the 18th, 2011 in its "quartier francais", Seorae Village (around Seorae-ro in Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu).



The program (contact : Seorae Global Village Center, Tel +82.2.2155.8949) :
13:30-15:00 : performances, residents party... (in Montmartre Park)
14:30-15:00 : musical parade (Lycee Francais de Seoul, Gingko Park, Montmartre Park), military fanfare...
15:20-15:50 : Baekseok Arts University shows
15:50-17:30 : French songs contest featuring 10 teams of students (Montmartre Park)
17:30-18:00 : young Lycee Francais de Seoul students' perform Samulnori, Halliangmoo, and Choonghyangi wa Leedoryong
18:00-18:20 : gala kick off
18:20-20:00 : Korean performers (Crying Nut, Jo Ha-ni, Lim Hyeong-soon, Yu Yeol, Maya)
20:00-21:30 : French performers (Zaza Fournier)
21:30-21:35 : Fireworks

Seoul Village 2011
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UPDATE 20110614 : event poster

Seoul Marche de Noel

Dear fellow French citizens / French food lovers,

Just like last year, the 2010 edition of le Marche de Noel du Seorae Village (Xmas Market in 서래마을) will be held from 10 to 16 in Gingko Park (은행나무 공원). Only the date changes : this year, December the 4th.





A Rabelaisian character if I ever saw one, Santa will join the party.

Seoul Village 2010

Marche de Noel 2009 Sorae Village

Dear fellow French citizens,

You love foie gras, wine, and cheese ? Rejoice !

The 2009 edition of le Marche de Noel du Seorae Village (Xmas Market in 서래마을) will be held from 10 to 16 on December the 5th in Gingko Park (은행나무 공원).

That's in Banpo-4 dong, Seocho-gu, close to the Seoul Palace Hotel, East of Seorae Maeul's main street - the Lycee Francais is on the other side of Seoraero.

Beyond the satisfaction of gourmet palates, the event serves a noble cause (helping the needy).

The Marche de Noel is organized by AFDE-Coree (Association Démocratique des Français à l'Etranger), an association headed by none other than Benjamin Joinau, who knows one thing or two about good food - make that at least two : Le StEx, La Plancha.

Seoul Village 2009