Rock-Paper-Scissors or Kawi-Bawi-Bo

This game is taken to a whole 'nother level in Korea. It seems to be the method of choice when it comes to deciding who the rightful person is to gain the power or status that was in question. In the classrooms, when tension is high between students competing to read a page first or be the first to stand in line at the door, the most peacefully accepted way to decide who deserves this status is to quickly play a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors or in Korean, ka-wi-ba-wi-bo!(kawi is scissors, bawi is paper, and bo is rock). It’s definitely an affective teacher’s tool to whip out when a fight is about to break out between students. They don’t question the authority of Kawi-Bawi-Bo. But it’s not only used in the classroom. In social settings outside the classroom I’ve noticed it being used much more eagerly than in other cultures (that I’ve been exposed to). I chose the word used rather than played because it is not simply a game here. It seems to be an accepted method of justice to establish who rightfully gains the power the game is meant to award.

There are also different versions…body actions rather than the hand gestures (which results in quite a comical scene)… Muk-Ji-Pa is another version which is simply switching the scissors with a gun hand gesture. Some schools have unofficial Kawi-Bawi-Bo Tournaments where the kids can win instant noodles if their class earns the luck of the game.

It has been both amusing and intriguing for me to witness the power of Rock-Paper-Scissors here in Korea and as a teacher I took full advantage of its peaceful decision making powers.