Well, another year is almost over. As many people realize as they get older, time appears to pass by more quickly. Ten years ago today, people were preparing for the new millennium – have the years really gone by so fast? Fortunately, we survived the doomsday scare mongers’stories and are here almost ten years on. But what happened this year? Was it particularly eventful? Let’s have a look at some of the key moments of 2009…

Undoubtedly, the most important global event that took place this year was the inauguration of America’s first black president, Barak Obama, on January 20. The significance of America’s policies and economy to the world community, including South Korea, cannot be understated by any means. The arrival of Obama led to a lot of hope across the world that America’s image and attitude is changing. Gone are the days of the Republicans Bush and Cheney and their conservative, confrontational tendencies. In is the relatively young but eloquent – even fashionable – Democrat, Obama, who holds the hopes of the world in his hands. How much he can do is questionable –he pledged to close down the infamous Guantanamo Bay detention camp within a year, but it’s still up and running eleven months on – but his optimism and determination, such as we recently witnessed with the healthcare bill, cannot be questioned.

The global recession which started in 2008 is still making the news, but signs of recovery are emerging for many nations. Korea, in particular, had especially good news, reporting GDP (gross domestic product) growth of almost 3% throughout the spring and summer. That said, the recession appears far from over, with unemployment still rising in some countries and more companies struggling to balance their books. Until America recovers, all countries can expect a slow start to 2010, with export-driven economies taking the brunt of the hit.

2009 is also the year of H1N1 (commonly referred to as ‘swine flu’). This flu-variant has spread across the world very quickly and is causing havoc at airports worldwide. During the winter months, a combination of seasonal flu and H1N1 infections could have serious consequences for many countries, pushing hospitals to the limit. Furthermore, there is also the chance that H1N1 could mutate into a much more dangerous form, and that is something we must do our utmost to try to prevent. The immunization programs should help a lot, along with the usual instructions to wash our hands often and practice good hygiene. Tamiflu has shown to be an effective treatment for people suffering from the H1N1 virus.

‘This Is It.’ July 25th will be a date to remember for all music lovers. The death of legendary singer Michael Jackson, aged 50, caught the imagination of the world. Coming as it did not long before what was to be his comeback concerts, it was a great shock to many and a source of deep sorrow for many more. Although a controversial figure due to his extensive plastic surgery and the child abuse allegations that were made against him, Jackson maintained a strong and loyal fan base and his music and dance routines will surely be enjoyed for a long time to come. No doubt, however, the colorfulness of his life will mean that we will still be hearing about him throughout 2010.

In terms of technology, 2009 witnessed the domination of the networking site, Face book, which now has more than 300 million active users. Microsoft released Windows 7, hoping that it will gain back its market share and reputation after the disappointing reactions to its Vista operating system, and it appears to be doing just that. Google is getting increasingly competitive in a number of areas, including its Google Wave, which promises to be as revolutionary as e-mail and instant messaging combined as it is both of those things and so much more. Apple is continuing to perform well and its iPhone has been very successful across the world – with the exception of Korea, where it is yet to be released.

In the world of entertainment, it has been a quieter year than usual. The Olympics was last year, and the soccer World Cup in South Africa will be next summer. The MTV awards had its usual headline moment, this time with rapper Kanye West exclaiming that Beyoncé should have won in the Best Female Video category, while Taylor Swift was accepting the award. As for movies, it’s difficult to pick one that particularly stood out, but Star Trek, Watchmen, and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, generally got good reviews and had a lot of success. I’ve had a good year, and I hope you all have too. Have a great winter, and let’s see what 2010 has to offer us.