At my birthday party, a dear friend taught me a Korean version of “Happy Birthday” with the following lyrics:
왜 태어났니?
왜 태어났니?
얼굴도 못생긴 게
왜 태어났니?
Why were you born?
Why were you born?
Also your face is ugly
Why were you born?
The playful humiliation seems like an especially Korean way of celebrating a milestone, and I find that this is particularly appropriate, lyrically, on my kid sister’s birthday (yes, you will always be my kid sister), which is two days after mine because she will never, ever catch up to me!