Marilyn's korea trip

I can't even begin to tell you how much I love photos of Marilyn in Korea. It's one of my favourite "sittings" or occasions she was photographed in. One of the reasons why I love them so much is that I believe that she was genuinely happy and I can totally understand why she liked it there so much. Every man there adored her, even if some soldiers hadn´t even seen any of her movies. Marilyn said herself that it was the first time she really felt like she was a movie star. She felt like she belonged and everybody really appreiciated her. She really showed everybody the real Marilyn - a down to earth, kind, warm and  loving woman with the biggest heart. She was just as happy to see them as they were to see her. 💖

It was February of 1954 that Marilyn went to Korea to visit american troops.She performed ten shows in only four days, in front of an audience consisting of more than 100,000 soldiers and marines. During the trip, she did alot to help and encourage soldiers. She performed, posed for photos, helped serve food, talked and listened to soldiers telling their stories.

"I say the highlight of my life was (....) soldiers. I stood on an open stage and it was cold and snowy, but I swear I didn't  feel a thing, except good." - Marilyn.

(It´s hard to tell exactly what she said in the interview, but I think she said "I say the highlight of my life was performing for the soldiers".)

I'm completely and utterly convinced  that no world- celebrities today, would ever change clothes in a dressing room like this! 

"I felt I belonged. For the first time in my life I had the feeling that the people seeing me were accepting me and liking me... For the first time I felt like a movie star" - Marilyn.

"She gave us the feeling that she wanted to be there. She took her time, speaking with each of us about our lives and our hometowns and our civilian jobs." - Ted Cieszynski, army photographer.

"She was almost as courageous as we were because she was wearing a tight cocktail dress and nothing else, and it was freezing cold." - A soldier on Marilyn

"The movie star was at her glamorous best when she performed ten USO shows in four days for U.S. soldiers, airmen, Marines and sailors during the Korean War in early 1954.

I was with a group of Navy guys who happened to be at Daegu Air Force Base when we heard Marilyn would entertain there that night. We convinced our transport pilot to find something wrong with our R4D transport, so we could delay the return flight to our ship in Tokyo Bay for that one night.

It was a great evening for all the homesick guys who were dazzled by the movie star’s performance. The sight and sounds of Marilyn singing “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” is a memory I still cherish. " - Ted Sherman 

"Of all of the performers who came to us in Korea, and there were a half dozen or so - she was the best... It was bitter cold, but she was in no hurry to leave. Marilyn was a great entertainer. She made thousands of GI´s feel like she really cared." - Army Corps of Engineers officer.

"Someone ought to go up to her and tell her she is Marilyn Monroe. She doesn´t seem to realize it. When you make a goof she tells you she´s sorry. When she goofs, she apologizes to me!" - Albert Guastafeste, the pianist that played in Marilyn´s band during the tour.

"It was the best thing that ever happend to me. I never felt like a star before in my heart. It was so wonderful to look down and see a fellow smiling at me." - Marilyn.

xoxo