Sometimes we encounter criticisms and other times compliments. Both are beneficial: From criticisms, we can learn valuable lessons, whereas compliments encourage us to continue what we have been doing all our lives. Looking back upon my life, I have received many notable corrections and encouraging words of praise. When I visited SUNY Buffalo, I proudly told my mentor, professor Marcus Klein, “Some people in Korea think I am an authority on American literature.” He replied with a s

When I was president of the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, I once held a workshop on cultural differences so my staff could learn and discuss foreign cultures. At that time, I felt it was imperative that my staff was thoroughly informed of cultural differences because of an incident that had embarrassed us. A Korean institution that had donated hundreds of Korean-language textbooks to India discovered that those books were just piled in a warehouse, never having been used. Among th

Situated between World War II and the Vietnam War, and overshadowed by the Cold War, the Korean War has inadvertently become the “Forgotten War.” Strangely, people have kept silent about the war and seem to have forgotten it completely. Whenever I see the epigraph “The Forgotten War” at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, I am as heartbroken as I can be because we should remember the Korean War forever. The Korean War was much more than a civil war. Rather, i

Living in these troubled times, we ponder the things that are most precious in life. Some people might think of expensive jewels as precious, such as a diamond ring, a platinum bracelet, or a pearl necklace. Others may pick famous brand name products, such as a Chanel handbag, a Gucci purse, or a Rolex watch. Those who adore expensive cars would treasure a Rolls Royce, a Ferrari, or a Bentley. I addition, there are those who think of political fame and power as a precious thing, such as a minist

It seems that our left-wing politicians today tend to think that corporations only exist to exploit their workers. Perhaps that is why they so frequently discourage our enterprises and give them such a hard time. Yet, corporations create jobs, often pay high salaries and instill a good impression of South Korea around the world. They even contribute to our diplomacy by investing in foreign countries. At a recent press conference after the summit between Korea and the United States, US Presiden

These days, young Korean men and women criticize each other and clash over controversial issues such as feminism and women’s mandatory military duty. Korean men argue that if women want to “earn” equal treatment, they should serve in the Army, just as men are obligated to do. Korean women find such a notion unmanly and repulsive. As a result, Korean young men and women find each other “extremely abominating,” as they well put it. Recently, a historian revealed tha

May 15 is Teachers’ Day in Korea. Unfortunately, our inconsiderate politicians have ruined this special day by prohibiting the beautiful custom of students’ giving a red carnation to their teachers as a token of gratitude. It is nothing but a symbolic gesture of expressing students’ appreciation of their teachers’ teaching and guidance. For some inscrutable reason, however, our hopelessly opinionated politicians think of it as a bribe. Last week, the US media reported a

When I joined the faculty of Seoul National University in the early 1980s, clashes between teargassing riot police and teargassed radical students were rampant on campus. To strengthen solidarity against the dictatorial regime, student leaders began to organize the so-called Daedongje, which means, “Togetherness Festivals” or “Accompaniment Ceremonies.” At Daedongje, there was no place for individual identity: Only the group mentality prevailed. At that time, I warned of

Recently, a few racially biased Americans reportedly yelled at people of Asian origin, “Go back to your country!” and “You don’t belong here,” while violently attacking them. Some of the assailants were homeless and others lived in their cars. Presumably, some of them were angry because they had lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Nonetheless, their ignorant and hateful acts cannot be excused. Beyond the physical violence, phrases like “Go back to your coun

There are three types of fluids we emit when we are troubled or in trouble, whether physically or psychologically: Blood, sweat, and tears. When we have our body parts cut or wounded, we bleed. When we are under stress or work hard, we perspire, and when we are sad or joyful, we shed tears. In his recent interview with the Chosun Ilbo, Lee O-young, a renowned cultural critic and former Minister of Culture, aptly pointed out the core problem we are now facing in Korean society. He said, “W

The critically acclaimed film “Minari” has enthralled international movie critics and viewers lately. This deeply touching film has won a number of prestigious awards already, including the Golden Globe Award for best foreign-language film, and the best supporting actress award at the 2021 British Academy Film Awards. At the 93rd annual Academy Awards in the US, Youn Yuh-jung won the best supporting actress award for “Minari.” “Minari” depicts the experienc

When we are born, we cannot choose our home and our country. Since these two things determine our destiny, they could be either the best gifts or the worst nightmares to us, depending on the situation. If your parents were destitute, you will know what it is to suffer poverty and will learn not to expect any financial support from them. Likewise, if you were born in a country plagued by war, you may end up being a refugee or a migrant worker wandering foreign lands. Unfortunately, we have no

A few days ago, many people around the world witnessed a video of a Black American man brutally attacking a tiny Asian woman, stamping her face with his foot repeatedly in broad daylight on the streets of New York. Watching this graphic video, we were distressed and appalled at this outrageous event, which is a part of increasing violence against Asian Americans in the United States. These recent attacks have not only damaged the image of America throughout Asia, but have revived tensions betw

In civilized countries, tattling on others is a despicable act. At home and school, children learn not to tell on others. If you become a snitch, you lose respect and integrity. It is an honor code for human beings that helps to make a decent society. Embarrassingly, however, it does not seem to be the case in South Korea. Even the government encourages the people to inform against others and rewards them with money. In fact, there are numerous informant reward systems for snitches in Korea. F

A week ago the world was horrified to learn that a 21-year-old American opened fire in three massage parlors in Atlanta and killed eight people, four of whom were Korean women. Many Koreans and Korean Americans were appalled at this apparent hate crime stemming from a xenophobic reaction to COVID-19, despite the shooter’s claim that a sex addiction motivated the shootings. Yet, according to a witness, the suspect shouted, “I am going to kill all Asians!” It was especially absur

  In recent times, Korean zombie movies have enchanted foreign viewers. For example, “Train to Busan,” which premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, enthralled international audiences as one of the finest zombie films ever produced. Its sequel, “Peninsula,” garnered comparable acclaim, as did the Netflix original series “Kingdom.” It is perhaps no surprise, then, that the Los Angeles Times headlined a recent article, “Zombies are everywhere in

South Korea is undoubtedly one of the most convenient places to live in today’s world. You can do practically anything electronically, including lock your door, so no one carries jingling metal keys in Korea. Moreover, you can obtain government documents online and even renew your driver’s license in a few minutes. At the same time, however, many bureaucracies make life incredibly inconvenient. According to recent newspaper reports, foreigners cannot buy Korean merchandise online b

As the US economy falters and many Americans have lost their jobs due to COVID-19, hostility toward Asians has recently accelerated. According to CNN, there have been approximately 3,000 cases of violence against Asians and Asian Americans in the US in the past year. CBS News reported that, “Nearly 500 Asians in New York were targets of bias incidents or hate crimes in 2020, ranging from verbal to physical assaults, including acid attacks.” NBC News said in a report last week that, &

It is widely known that Americans value individuality, independence, and self-sufficiency. Indeed, Americans do not want others to interfere with their lives and thus resist when the government tries to restrict their freedom or regulate them. Tony Tanner, a renowned British professor at the University of Cambridge, pointed out what Americans fear most: “There is an American dread that someone else is patterning your life, that there are all sorts of invisible plots to rob you of your auto

I have always thought that South Korea was radically different from America. In recent history, however, I have found striking similarities between the two countries, albeit in opposite ways. I am not alone: American political analysts, too, have argued that there are many common factors between the Moon administration and the Trump administration. They point out, for example, that both administrations adopted populist policies, disregarded democracy and favored conspiracy theories. Both governm