A Response to Tigers in Korea

A few weeks ago I received this email about Tigers in Korea from someone named Billy Coale.

Although many people suggested it was mere trolling and I shouldn't respond, I did anyways. Here is my response.




To: Billy Coale

The World Wide Web

Dear Mr. Coale, 

Thank you for your email and I'm glad you found much of our website great, but as you have noticed, our website actually has nothing to do with tigers (white or otherwise). 

Let me explain. There is a Korean myth that there are four godly animals that protect Korea from evil. A black turtle-snake (yes, that's right,  turtle-snake) protects Koreans from the north, a blue dragon from the east, a red bird (a phoenix, if you will) from the south and a white tiger from the west. In the early stages of this webpage's development we considered it amusing that, as Westerners, we had to 'get past' a mythological guardian. Hence, Getting Past The White Tiger. 

So unless you count South Korea's 707th Special Missions Battalion (aka the White Tigers) there are no tigers in South Korea. Tiger mace is completely unnecessary. 

If you are still worried about wild animals in Korea, please consult the International Aid for Korean Animals website for more information on the topic.

Thank you for your time,

Ashley R. Guerrero
Editor-in-Chief
Getting Past the White Tiger
@globalpedestrian.com

Ashley R Guerrero

Ashley R Guerrero, Editor-in-chief of Getting Past the White Tiger, lives, works and writes in South Korea. Since moving here from California, she has taught for public school and University. She has also been involved in numerous charity projects and currently facilitates a knitting circle. Read more.