Power of play

On Sunday, I invited my friends at my house. We had enjoyable time to talk about Korean cultures and eat delicious Korean foods. As I mentioned in last uploaded blog, this group have been made by same interests in Korean drama. Before they came to my house, I was felt little bit uncomfortable to prepare some foods and make regular meeting, because I have much do to work for courses work. However, I thought I need the break time for me to take rest and refresh my mind. Despite of concerning about lack of time to work do, rather I have got energy and save timing to concentrate on my works by playing.

During cooking Bulgogi, Korean famous food, I was so excited to prepare my friends to have experiences for eating special Korean food. I figured out that “self-satisfaction” in playing make players more encourage to pay attention to play. To watch the figure my friends like Bulgogi, this figure made me be happy. Maybe, any behaviors to please others would give me pleasure. I thought “play in human relationship”. What it means that play can be possible to exist in between relation. In other words, cooking play is not just for my satisfaction, but also for others’ pleasures. Eventually, playing for me would be related to playing for others.

In addition, relation between satisfication of basic needs and play seems to be hen-versus-egg arguments for me. Although we were mentally tired due to work in bunch of papers and lacking of time for sleep, we could enjoy and rather get more energy to do work in advance. Of course, to meet basic needs and safety would fundamentally provide spaces for playing. Paradoxically speaking, it can be also possible that play would satisfy people desires to basic needs (e.g., sleep, sex, or foods). For example, we commonly said “we don’t have enough time to sleep in these days, however we get energy and refresh through playing as much as sleep. It is power of play!”

How to cook Bulgogi

Identify with a embided player, Extend story, and Develop play

 I went the concert “the Silk Road ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma” with my player, Super Mario. In Super Mario series, he races and travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Toadstool from the antagonist. The game player controls Mario throughout the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario's abilities can be changed by picking up certain items; for example, Mario is able to shoot fireballs if he picks up a Fire Flower. He always struggle to destroy enemies for saving Princess. So I wanted to give meaningful time Mario to heal his stressful mind from survival and travel new space. It's great time for Mario and me.

During enjoy the concert with Mario, I seemed to “identify” with Mario.

When performers were playing instruments with their fast paced tunes, 

I imagined Mario as if run faster. Simultaneously, I also felt like

running faster and jumping higher. At that moment, I was Mario, Mario was me.

Moreover, it could be possible to “extend story” which is that originally the objective is to race through the Mushroom Kingdom, survive the main antagonist Bowser′s forces and save Princess Toadstool. Not just limited in the Mushroom Kingdom, it could be possible to make Mario travels to the Silk Road, in my mind. Inspired by the cultural traditions of the historical Silk Road, the Silk Road Project is a catalyst promoting innovation and learning through the arts. Their music is to connect the world’s neighborhoods by bringing together artists and audiences around the globe. Culturally different music and rich performances made possibility to extend Mario story. For example, Mario had travel routes across Afro-Eurasian, out of the Mushroom Kingdom.

Finally, hangout with my player made me fully engaged in this play. After came back to home, I made a drum and a piper for Mario to make energy to survive in the Mushroom Kingdom. It can be true that playing with an embodied player would encourage the players “develop” their play.



Enjoy Korean culture together :)

I had a wonderful meeting with three classmates. Our meeting was grouped by globally. There were one American girl, one Turkish girl, and two Korean girls. During having classes, we knew each other that we love Korean dramas, Korean music, or Korean singers. So I suggested “Korean Culture Group” which is having meeting at once per every week, eating delicious Korean foods, or enjoy Korean cultures (e.g., watching Korean dramas, listening Korean music). Last weekend, we met at a Korean restaurant ‘MAMA’ for eating Korean famous food ‘Korean BBQ’. In there, foreign friends had first experience to use chopsticks, not forks. They seemed to enjoy new experiences or cultures. After then, we moved to my house for enjoy Korean cultures further. At my home, we listen Korean music with Korean tea. Especially, I never forget our exciting time, dancing Psy’s Gangnam Style.

Psy's Gangnam style

During playing, it’s true that people can enjoy worldwide culture thanks to development of internet service. So, it is obvious that play is not just limited in own culture, narrow spaces, but rather is expended to global culture, worldwide as much as you want to do.

Moreover, Brown Stuart(2009) said that collective play can just start from individual interest or as solitary play, however it can be connected to social play. The reason is that collective play person can play together with the others who also have same interest like as us. In addition, I felt like I’m a collector and a director for play. I directed ‘Korean Culture Group’ for enjoy Korean cultures with together. We’ll keep going our play with Korean cultures. During this play, we definitely can understand each culture, American or Turkish.