Recently, I read “The Truth About the Savolta Case” by celebrated Spanish writer Eduardo Mendoza. In his intriguing novel, Mendoza depicts the turbulent social milieu of early 20th century Barcelona, where there were daily clashes between workers demanding a raise and company owners exploiting workers. It was a critical time when Spain witnessed a massive influx of foreign ideologies such as Bolshevism and anarchism that instigated workers, and capitalism that captivated company owners. The nove

I have always thought that I spent the best years of my life in the United States. Living in the States as a young man was truly an inspiration to me because I was exposed to the great American heritage: cultural and ethnic diversity. From American culture, I also learned the promise of social mobility, generosity, and the capacity for embracing differences. Indeed, my youthful years in America significantly expanded the scope of my mind and broadened my perspective. Recently, I spent the best y

Dear young Koreans, you deride old people these days by calling us “teultakchung” or “denture-chattering bugs.” We are appalled at such a derogatory nickname because we think we are still young -- at least on the inside -- even though our bodily functions may be deteriorating. We are also mortally offended because that kind of disrespect for older people cannot be tolerated in a supposedly Confucian society. Sadly, we realize that we are no longer young, and Korea is no longer a Confucian societ

When I returned from the States to begin teaching at Seoul National University in the early 1980s, Korea’s socio-political turmoil reached its pinnacle. It was the time when Gen. Chun Doo-hwan seized power after a military coup and ruthlessly crushed students’ anti-government demonstrations on university campuses. The clashes between riot police shooting tear gas and teargassed students were rampant and became a daily ritual on Seoul National University campus, too. At the time, students were di

In Thomas Wolfe’s novel, “You Can’t Go Home Again,” the protagonist, George Weber, is a fledgling writer who has published a novel about his hometown in the US. The book turns out to be a huge success. When Weber returns to his hometown, however, he is greeted by hatred and fury from townspeople who think Weber has betrayed his hometown by delineating it wrongfully and critically. Amid death threats and menacing gazes, Weber is forced to leave his hometown. Now, he will never be able to go back

Ten years have passed since the late Cardinal Stephen Kim Soo-hwan sadly passed away, leaving a giant shadow on the Korean Peninsula. Marked by outstanding charity, generosity, and integrity, he was indeed a saint in every sense, who endured severe ordeals of socio-political turmoil in his time, but not without forgiving smiles and a cheerful sense of humor. In his memory, a remarkable book of reminiscence recently came out under the title “The Memoirs of a Cardinal.” The author of the memoirs i

It is well-known that Homer’s Iliad, that great masterpiece of Western literature, was inspired by the Trojan War. In Greek mythology, the war was ignited when the Trojan prince Paris eloped with Helen, who was the wife of Menelaus, the king of Sparta. The myth also states that behind the scenes, the Trojan War began as a competitive game among the Olympian gods and goddesses. However, historians argue that the Trojan War was, in fact, the first war between the East and the West over the command

Watching popular American sitcom “The Big Bang Theory,” Korean viewers could be appalled at the character Sheldon making fun of Howard for holding only a master’s degree from MIT. In the show, Sheldon, who is a theoretical physicist with a Ph.D. from Harvard, openly mocks Howard for his lower academic degree and his alma mater, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. If a Korean TV series aired such a scene of belittling a specific degree or university, it would immediately create a nationwide sc

We all want to be happy. But what is happiness and what makes us happy? We may assume that material abundance will make us happy. If we ask wealthy people, however, they will certainly assure us that being rich does not guarantee happiness. For one thing, the richer you are, the more you want. We all have insatiable lust for wealth. Besides, family disputes over money and inheritance frequently happen among rich people and they always turn ugly, destroying an otherwise happy family.We will be ha

As one gets older, he inevitably becomes clumsy, oblivious and pathetic. He also loses vitality, resilience and flexibility, and suffers deteriorating eyesight and hearing ability. Thus, King Solomon laments in “Ecclesiastes,” “Vanity of all vanities! All is vanity/All things are full of weariness/A man cannot utter it/The eye is not satisfied with seeing/Nor the ear filled with hearing.” Then, Solomon describes the sadness of aging metaphorically, saying, “Or ever be silver cord be loosed, the

Leonardo Da Vinci’s monumental painting “Mona Lisa” is one of the most widely discussed paintings of all time because of its subject’s ambiguous smile. People have argued that depending on the viewer’s distance and angle, her smile looks different. Sometimes it looks happy, other times sad. Some people find the smile to be deriding and sarcastic, while others perceive it as a smile of condescension, like someone who knows everything. That is why Mona Lisa’s smile always refers to an enigmatic sm

I have taught English literature, comparative literature and Korean literature at American universities, such as Penn State, UC Berkeley and BYU, for over six years. Whenever I have taught English or comparative literature, I have always tried to bridge the cultures of the East and West, through which I have enjoyed wonderful cultural interactions with my students. Whenever I have taught Korean literature at American universities, I have always been very impressed by my colleagues who are dedica

Recently, I revisited the famous Spanish town of Ronda to follow the trail of the late American writer Ernest Hemingway, who celebrated his last birthday there. Ronda is famous because the old town was built on high, stiff cliffs that make for truly dazzling scenery. It also has the enchanting Mina Secreta Y Jardines del Rey Moro, where former US first lady Michelle Obama visited some time ago.To me, however, Ronda is the city of Hemingway. The internationally-acclaimed writer loved virtually ev

Traditionally, the Year of the Pig is regarded as auspicious because pigs symbolize good fortune. People believe that pigs have gentle personalities and an optimistic demeanor. Pigs are also known to be energetic and enthusiastic and, contrary to popular belief, prefer a clean and organized environment. Experts say that those who are born in the Year of the Pig possess many similar attributes. In some countries, pork is a favorite dish. The Spanish people, for example, enjoy Jamon, ham that is d

When I first read Takano Kazuaki’s thriller “Gravedigger,” I was enthralled by the breathtaking speed of this mesmerizing novel. It tells the story of a wrongfully accused man named Yagami who has to flee from police and a group of sinister men. As an organ donor, Yagami has to safely arrive at a hospital in south Tokyo as soon as possible in order to save a child who is suffering from leukemia. To accomplish this, he has to cross Tokyo from north to south at full speed against all odds. Recentl