Recently, I came across some embarrassing, but intriguing, articles about Korea in the mid-20th century. One was related to Western missionaries who lived in Korea right after the Korean War to help with the reconstruction of the war-torn country. In reports and letters they sent back to their countries, the missionaries invariably wrote, “The Korean people were so impetuous and emotional that they quarreled or fought all day long. But fortunately, nobody died because no one had guns.” Then they

Viewpoints Aug. 28, 2018

In Korean society, appearances are important. There is even a joke among Koreans that we tend to value one’s physical beauty over one’s inner beauty. Perhaps that is why cosmetic surgery is so fashionable and rampant in Korea, and why there is such high demand for expensive designer-brand handbags, dresses and shoes that display the logos of Chanel, Hermes, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Prada. It is no wonder that stores selling such expensive brands are so prosperous. Hence, it is not too farfetched

Viewpoints Aug. 21, 2018

Is computer technology a blessing? The answer is yes, to be sure. Can you even imagine what life was like before the smartphone came out? Without a smartphone, there is virtually nothing you can do when, for example, you are late for a meeting or unable to attend due to some urgent reason, especially if there is no phone available at the rendezvous site.By the same token, can you imagine the world before the internet and Google? Without the internet, you cannot be connected to the world, and wit

Viewpoints Aug. 14, 2018

South Korea has been drawing attention around the world thanks to its miraculous economic success, internationally acclaimed electronic products by Samsung and LG, and the enormous popularity of K-pop. Korean boy bands EXO and BTS are currently all the rage in the US. The news that Han Kang’s “The Vegetarian” won the prestigious Man-Booker International Award also prompted about 400 articles on Korean literature by various international media outlets. Recently, Pyun Hye-young, too, was in the sp

Viewpoints Aug. 7, 2018

I recently met an internationally well-regarded cultural critic and scholar of world civilizations who informed me of an interesting theory. As a small peninsula attached to the eastern end of the Asian continent, Korea, along with China and Russia, once belonged to the Continental Civilization. However, since the liberation and the Korean War, the continued influence of the United States means that Korea has separated itself from the continent and now belongs to the Oceanic Civilization, along

Viewpoints July 31, 2018

In Korean society, women often complain about the scarcity of cool guys. They say many Korean men are hot-tempered, get emotional easily or are prone to anger. Among other complaints, when a girlfriend wants to break up, some Korean men do not let go easily. In O. Henry’s short stories, we can find some admirable guys whom Korean men should benchmark. For example, Jimmy Valentine in “A Retrieved Reformation” is arguably one of the coolest guys in literature. Valentine is a famous safecracker who

Viewpoints July 24, 2018

Reading Salman Rushdie’s novels, one can find some striking similarities between Korea and India. For example, both countries were victims of imperialism, colonized by Japan and Britain, respectively. Right after liberation, both countries were divided by ideological differences, whether political or religious. In both countries, rampant attitudes of moral superiority and self-righteousness justified hate and massacre. Violence and terrorism were legitimated in the name of the “grand cause.” Tod

Viewpoints July 17, 2018

They say that it is a privilege to live in New York City or Washington. Both cities are famous tourist destinations, full of historic sites and monuments. Every year, millions of people from around the world come to visit them. Even inside the States, there are many Americans who have never been to Manhattan or DC. Indeed, not anybody can spend their lives watching the Empire State Building or the Washington Monument every day.Luckily, I have had the privilege of living in both New York and Wash

Viewpoints July 10, 2018

As few Koreans read foreign newspapers or frequently converse with foreigners about their country, most Koreans would not know very well how foreigners perceive them or their country. In fact, many Koreans do not seem to care about foreigners’ views at all. Sometimes, however, an outsider’s perspective can be very helpful and even enlightening.Some foreigners admire Korea for its cutting-edge technology or Hallyu. Others are critical about Korea and might wonder why such things that might happen

Viewpoints July 3, 2018

In June every year, we commemorate the anniversary of the Korean War. During the war that devastated the peninsula, South Korea received priceless assistance from foreign countries, both military and financial. Today’s South Korea would not have existed had it not been for the valiant UN soldiers who came to rescue us in difficult times. The Korean War Veterans memorial in Washington displays the touching inscription, “Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a co

Viewpoints June 26, 2018

Some time ago, young Korean men and women became angry and frustrated when they realized they could not secure a job, even with a college degree. Whenever there was an opening in the job market, hundreds of applications poured in, each flashing superb, impressive qualifications. Naturally, the competition for each position was always intense. Under the circumstances, the chances of getting a job were slim and so the outlook of the youths became bleak. At that time, young people were infuriated b

Viewpoints June 19, 2018

Korea is radically different from Latin America in many respects. Unlike Latin America, for example, Korea was never directly colonized or exploited by Western countries. Unlike Latin America, Christianity, too, has never played a role in the advent of Western imperialism in the case of Korea. On the contrary, Western missionaries benevolently contributed to the modernization of Korea by building schools, hospitals and orphanages in the early and mid-20th century. Therefore, it was sheer nonsens

Viewpoints June 12, 2018

Recently, I was invited by the Ohio State University to give a talk. I flew to Columbus, Ohio where I was greeted by a group of eminent professors, including Mark Bender, Naomi Fukumori, Chan Park, Pilho Kim and Danielle Pyun, whose warm hospitality made my sojourn so comfortable. There, I was very much impressed with OSU students who listened to me attentively for an hour and fifteen minutes. Unlike Korean students, no one was texting or updating their Facebook accounts during my talk. They wer

Viewpoints May 29, 2018

Recently, someone sent me a list of “Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s advice.” Admiral Yi was a celebrated Korean Navy general who successfully defended his country at sea from the Japanese invasion in 1592. Totally unprepared for war, the Joseon Dynasty was short of battleships, soldiers, and supplies. Under these hopeless circumstances, Admiral Yi emerged as a brilliant tactician and a true war hero who valiantly fought for his country and countrymen against all odds. Amazingly, he fought twenty-three tim

Viewpoints May 22, 2018

Watching the fall of quite a few prominent social, political, and religious leaders of Korea amid the #MeToo movement and the “anti-gapjil” campaign against the abuse of power, one cannot help but lament the scarcity of decent, noble men in our society. There is an English maxim, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Unfortunately, many Korean leaders seem to think, “With great power comes great sexual dissipation,” or “With great power comes great privilege.”It should be self-evident t

Viewpoints May 15, 2018