Love stories...Love Story (Segal, 1970) & Cinema Paradiso (Tonatore, 1988)

Love stories do not have to be mutually exclusively cheesy and touching.

If I were to ever look back at the last week as a special one out of my entire college career, I would call it a week of "back into classics" - whether it be for movies, modes of thinking, or experience.

Nurtured by Love by Suzuki

To merely "want" to do something is not enough (87).

One must be able to put things into practice (88).

It is only doing the thing that counts.. I shall acquire the habit of doing what I have in mind to do (88).

Even small tasks should not be neglected, but completed right away (89).

"If you try it, you can do it" (91).

"Unhappy are the thinkers" ... because thought is often just idle thought, and does not include self-correction. What is the use of pouring repentance on repentance? Too much thought makes thought meaningless, and finally we get so we reject thought altogether. Self-examination not accompanied by change isthe same as not putting into action what we think of doing (90). 

The sooner people realize their mistake, the better. The more the situation is changed, the nearer the human race will come to happiness (107).

"Talent is not inborn, it has to be created" (36).

Talent education (Talent Education Research Institute), Shinichi Suzuki

What would be there, in "Elizabethtown?"

Not a movie review, because I haven't seen the film.

But the snapshots alone are so fascinating enough!

Elizabethtown (Crowe, 2005)

*Picture source: Elizabethtown official movie site

Post preview! Translation of a Korean poem, "님의 침묵"/"Silence of the Beloved"

님의 침묵

한용운 

님은 갔습니다 
아아 사랑하는나의님은 갓슴니다 
푸른 산 빛을깨치고 단풍나무 숲을 향하여 난 
작은 길을 걸어서 차마 떨치고 갔습니다.
황금의 꽃같이 굳고 빛나던 옛 맹세는 차디찬
티끌이 되어서 한숨의 미풍에 날려 갔습니다.

날카로은 첫 키스의 추억은 나의운명의 
지침(指針)을 돌려놓고 뒷걸음처서 사러졌습니다.
나는 향기로운 님의 말소리에 귀먹고 
꽃다운 님의 얼굴에 눈멀었습니다.

사랑도 사람의 일이라 만날 때에 미리 떠날 것을
염려하고경계하지 아니 한 것은 아니지만
이별은 뜻밖의 일이 되고 
놀란 가슴은 새로은 슬븜에 터집니다.

그러나 이별을 쓸데없는 눈물의 원천을 만들고 마는 것은
스스로 사랑을 깨치는 것인 줄 아는 까닭에 
걷잡을 수 없는 슬픔의 힘을 옴겨서 
새 희망의 정수박이에 들이부었습니다.

우리는 만날 때에 떠날 것을 염려하는 것과 같이
떠날 때에 다시 만날 것을 믿습니다.

아아, 님은 갔지마는 
나는 님을 보내지 아니 하였습니다.
제 곡조를 못이기는 사랑의 노래는 
님의 침묵을 휩싸고 돕니다. 

I worked on translating one of my favorite Korean poems, "님의 침묵"/"Silence of the Beloved" with my friend, Aly, who wanted to translate a text in an unfamiliar foreign language into English for her translation workshop assignment. I'll get the fully translated version with all the sounds, nuances, and messages taken into account on my blog as soon as it gets done. 

But here goes a little bit of preview for the post about the translation experience!

The Korean word, 님 (pronounced as nym) in the title and repeated a lots of times throughout the whole poem, was one of very important vocabulary to be dealt with but also quite difficult to be translated into English because this simple single-syllable word, 님, could make scores of implications. It is a word referring to somebody in a superior position or someone whom you love or admire in a very polite way. It also sounds archaic and romantic if you call a person you're in love with by this word, and normally you don't in everyday conversation especially in modern times. We finally made it to give it a possibly closest-meaning English word, the beloved - here it should be also noted that the whole poem speaks of someone/something unspecified but kinda directed at a certain person/object, so allowing the addition of a definite article, the. 

So please stay tuned for another fun post about this translation work that turns out more and more interesting and fascinating. 

*Image source from a Japanese movie, Rainbow Song (虹の女神, Kumazawa, 2006)

**Poem text from a naver cafe site

포브스 미국 대학 순위/한국 황색 저널리즘 Forbes ranks the best US colleges - but misinterpreted by Korean yellow journalism

Forbes has become a new post for ranking the best universities and colleges in the United States, aiming to downplay the traditionally prestigious rankings by U.S. News and World Report. Forbes, unlike U.S. News, makes a compiled list of both universities and liberal arts colleges for the rankings based on the following five criteria collected by the Center for College Affordability and Productivity (CCAP):

1. Listing of Alumni in the 2008 Who's Who in America (25%)

2. Student Evaluations of Professors from Ratemyprofessors.com (25%)

3. Four- Year Graduation Rates (16 2/3%)

4. Enrollment-adjusted numbers of students and faculty receiving nationally competitive awards (16 2/3%)

5. Average four year accumulated student debt of those borrowing money (16 2/3%)

It was not only stunning but also almost shocking that Swarthmore College was ranked #4, ahead of most of the Ivy League universities except for Princeton (#1) and Harvard (#3) because, you know, Swarthmore has no reputation among Koreans and even some Americans. To address the creditability of Forbes rankings, Forbes is a world-recognized financial and business magazine that has a long history of publishing lists for a diversity of issues ranging from "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women" to Richest People of the World. But Forbes hasn't had a foot in the door of ranking the best colleges until this year. Nevertheless, it still can't be bullshit or rubbish because it's Forbes.

From the first day I was back early to Swarthmore for the international orientation, we discussed and chatted about the Forbes rankings spread more publicly through one of Swat gradutates' facebook page. Not only were the other Swarthmore students impressed and thrilled by the honorable recognition, but also were Koreans proud to hear the news. And even a couple of Korean students told me that these rankings were also reported in a major Korean newspaper, Chosun Ilbo. I was personally so glad to hear one of the prestigious journals of Korea cover the article, expecting that it would inform many Koreans ignorant of liberal arts colleges as a whole, let alone Swarthmore College, of the strength and competitiveness of the under-recognized schools. 

However, Korean journals were so biased and unjust as to drive me to write a post about them immediately - what a yellow journalism. All the major newspapers, stubbornly equipped with chronically obsessive consciousness of ostentatious reputation, just wanted to capture only a part of the fact that they want to show to the public. Most of the newspapers including one from Chosun Ilbo gave an exclusive spotlight on the fact that Princeton topped the rank published by Forbes, followed by Cal Tech and Harvard. Though the Forbes rankings could cast a fresh perspective on the best colleges in the U.S. in the Korean publics and especially those considering getting a U.S. college education, Korean journals were preventing the cultivation of the unorthodox attention on the lesser known liberal arts colleges. 

Chosun.com/조선일보: 미(美) 대학 순위 프린스턴 1위

Donga.com/동아일보: 포브스 “올해 美 최고대학은 프린스턴”

Hankyung.com/한국경제신문: "올해 美 최고대학은 프린스턴"[포브스]

Koreadaily.com/USA 중앙일보: 올해 최고 대학은 프린스턴' 포브스 선정

When I searched on Google with key words such as "포브스 대학 순위," They didn't cover at all how less famous liberal arts colleges like Swarthmore, Williams, and Amherst got ranked high above many Ivy League universities. By emphasizing that Princeton is the number one university, along with Harvard as one of the top threes, Korean journals mislead the readership to believe more firmly that only the famous schools like Harvard and Princeton are great and worthwhile to go to. In this manner, Korean media don't give just credits and honor for the top-ranked liberal arts colleges - especially Swarthmore, Williams, and Amherst, three of which were also ranked on the top of the list made by U.S. News and World Report - and misguide the prospective Korean students to make not the best choice. 

U.S. News: 2009 Best Liberal Arts Colleges 

Korean journals disavow their media responsibility by turning away from viewing the very broad and true picture of a fact and highlighting only a superficial bit of the whole fact to manipulate the public or reinforce an orthodox belief/myth. This mishap is not new in Korean journalism, though.  The Metropolitician, an enthusiastic American blogger about the inside of Korean culture and nationalism, posted about the DMC press conference where DMC of Run DMC was prompted to give an answer that Korean media wants to hear from an American public figure about the importing of beef. 

Remember, no matter what, we just care for the truth. 

P.S. Also if you're rank-conscious, you should be aware that Swarthmore ranks 6th on the "High school counselor rankings of liberal arts colleges."

High school counselor rankings of liberal arts colleges

P.P.S. I also came across an interesting post about the Forbes college rankings while searching on Google. Georgia Tech, ranked 501th by Forbes, Korean students who go to the school got so angry that they jotted on the website for Georgia Tech Korean Student Association how meaningless the college rankings were.

Tips for 유학 생활/Staying abroad: Calling home 미국에서 국제전화 걸기

I am opening a new section of columns dedicated to introducing skills and tips for those who study away from their native countries for whatever programs to start off and sustain a better, more on-goally life. I just had my first year of staying in the United Sta tes last year as a college freshman, and got a lot of help from my sunbaes, friends, and professors for settling in these strange but somewhat exciting surroundings in a suburb of Philadelphia, PA. But as I come across many freshmen who have mostly the same questions I had when I just freshly entered college, I realized it's quite important to compile all the useful tips and skills that many people have orally passed over to the underclass people.

The first column would be about "Calling home."


There're several ways to call home to Korea if you stay in the States (Sorry but I don't know if the following also works in other countries.)

1. Offline International phone card

Buy an international phone card at a nearby college bookstore or on the Internet, and dial the number specified on the card using any phone connected to a domestic phone line.

2. Internet phone

One popular choice for Koreans to make international phone calls outside Korea is using an Internet phone. "My LG 070 Internet phone" seems to be the most widely used as well as a cheap brand they can resort to. Basically you join the Internet phone service provided by My LG 070 and take the phone machine out outside Korea with you - it will work everywhere the Internet network is connected. Then even if you stay in the States, you can make calls home to Korea paying the same amount of fee for making Korean domestic calls. But if you want to call someone in the States, then you'd make international phone calls though you're in America.

3. Online International Phone Cards with 이지다이얼/EzDial

The method #3 here is the one I am using now, which one of my good friends told me about. I purchase a card online, and the site shows you more than tens of different providers for 21 countries (United States, China, Japan, Australia, Canada, Philippines, England, etc.). They also show the comments of users of each service provider so you can make a wiser choice for your own. I chose a service company named "AT"/에이티 because it seemed to offer a cheapest price for the same good quality of calls. I also recently found out that I can make international calls to other countries, say England, which makes me so happy because I can call one of my best friends in London! Yay! Dial the number specified on the web page for the service provider you chose, using any wired or cell phones available in the States.

[gallery]

압구정 & 스타벅스의 공통점: Why are Koreans fascinated by Starbucks and Apgujeong?

Koreans are feverishly into Starbucks and Apgujeong, one of the most expensive lands in Seoul - well the latter one is not as same popular as the former in Korea because of accessibility. I even saw two of my male Korean and Korean American Swattie friends researching about the sales of Starbucks for their economics papers, which tells that Starbucks definitely piques interests of Koreans regardless of whether they grew up in Korea or the States. Apgujeong would be the second most popular choice to the Gangnam station area for my native Korean friends who live in gangnam and go to American universities to hang out. You will bump into at least more than one of your friends in Apgujeong if you wander around the street or even stay inside one of the cafes just for an afternoon. 

The image marketing of those two models - luxury of life.

What they signify: rich, appreciation, upscale culture, intelligent, western, pretties and hotties, young, top-rated things, pretentious, bubble, exclusive, ...

Pompous manners are not a surprising manner that Koreans would show in their everyday life - as apparently seen when they choose where to go for a college or university on strongly or almost solely on the basis of the school's reputation from others. In other ways, it is very common for young Koreans, especially those who live around the Gangnam area, to just hang out in their own neighborhood and go to only the famous restaurants, cafes, and clubs to which they allude as the places designated for only cool and hot people just like themselves.

However, Starbucks and Apgujeong are not so special as the other places found in the gangbuk area or other downtown districts. One of the most important factors that make these two western landmarks in Korea so special is Koreans' ostentatious attitudes that want to mark them as only the places enjoyed by somewhat serious or ritzy-class people. They would need to visibly prove that they are elevated into a higher class of the society, which is apparently prohibited to exist in a modern society.

Korean online shopping: 여성화/Women's Shoes

저는 미국 대학 유학생입니다. 방학 때마다 한국에 들어와서 학교로 돌아갈 때에는 미친듯이 쇼핑을 하죠. 왜냐하면 저는 미국에서 옷, 신발, 음식 사는 거 별로 안좋아하거든요. 

그리고 미국에서 옷 싸다고 하는데 제 의견에는 미국은 명품 브랜드가 한국보다 싸지만, 길거리나 평상시에 입는 기본 싸구려 옷이나 편안하게 입는 캐주얼한 옷은 한국이 훨씬 싸거든요. 뭐 옷의 질은 별 차이가 없어 보이긴 합니다.

그래서 저는 이번에 신발 쇼핑을 매우 열심히 했어요. 발품을 팔아서 남대문 시장도 돌아다니고 온라인에서도 제가 원하는 스타일의 신발을 가장 저렴하게 구입하기 위해서 밤을 새면서 쇼핑하기도 했습니다. 그래서 성공했느냐?

노노노, 아직 멀었습니다. 사실 제가 쇼핑을 안좋아하는데 이번 여름부터 예쁜 옷, 예쁜 신발을 신고 싶어지기 시작했습니다. 이제 여자가 된거죠? 푸하하하 이렇게 말하니까 쑥스럽네요. 근데 아무래도 처음으로 쇼핑을 하다 보니까 확실히 물건 보는 눈이 부족했어요. 그리고 좀 성급했구요. 하지만 결코 헛된 경험은 아니었어요. 물론 거의 10만원을 들이고 오후 내내 남대문 시장 돌아다니면서 구입한 수제화 두켤레는 발이 아파서 거의 못신을 정도이지만 (너무 슬퍼요..) 이제 신발 사이즈도 제대로 알게 되었고 어떤 디자인이 유행인지, 내 발에 어울릴지 알았거든요. 

근데 여기서 제가 말하는 신발 사이즈는 매우 중요해요. 실제 발 사이즈와 내가 신을 신발의 사이즈는 달라요. 저는 제 발이 240이라고 굳게 믿었고 여태까지 240 사이즈로 신발을 사왔습니다. 물론 여태까지 신은 신발들은 여성스러운 힐이 아니라 운동화나 슬리퍼 같은 거였어요. 운동화나 슬리퍼는 굳이 크게 살 필요가 없습니다. 그냥 딱 맞게 사도 발이 전혀 아프질 않죠. 편하게 신으려고 사는 신발이니까요. 하지만 힐은 달라요. 굽이 높을 수록 앞으로 발이 쏠려서 한 치수 크게 신어 주어야 합니다.

저는 남대문 시장에 있는 어느 수제화 가게 사장님이 직접 디자인한 남색 오픈토 힐을 샀어요. 굽도 한 2-3cm 되는 낮은 구두였습니다. 제가 240을 신었을때 너무 딱 맞아서 이 사이즈가 괜찮은 건지 여쭤보았어요. 사장님이 자기가 디자인한 구두의 피팅 모습이 지금 신은게 맞는 거라고 하면서 큰 사이즈 하지 말라고 하시는 거에요. 또한 "보장"한다고까지 무책임한 발언을 하셨습니다. 하지만 저는 그 신발 하루 신은 오후에 바로 양쪽으로 발가락 2-3개는 까지고, 발 뒷꿈치위가 까지고 볼록하게 나온 발의 뼈 부분도 살이 까졌어요. 사장님의 자신감에 낚였을 뿐만 아니라 제 발에게도 잘 치유되지 않을 상처를 준거죠..미안해 발아...

아무튼 신발은 신어보고 한 번 그 가게가 있는 층 전체를 걸어다녀 봐야 알아요. 가능한대로 가장 먼 거리를 걸어다녀 보세요. 주인의 눈치 보지 말고! 저는 소심한 A형이라서 매번 가게 주변만 한 2m 정도 돌아다녀 보다가 매번 속곤 하는데, 신발을 살 때에는 B형처럼 뻔뻔해질 필요가 있습니다!

다음은 온라인 슈즈 사이트 중 강추하고 싶은 사이트에요!

홍대언니 http://www.hongsis.com/

가격도 싸고, 꽤 이쁜 신발이 많았어요. 좀 정말 센스있는 신발들을 직접 디자인 하는 곳이에요. 그리고 모든 고객님을 "언니"라고 불러서 그래서 댓글달아놓은 거 보면 되게 친절해 보이네요. 무엇보다 온라인에서 신발을 살때에는 Q&A를 꼼꼼히 잘하고 친절하게 환불, 교환 해주는지가 중요하니까요! 또 특히 스타일 별 (심플, 섹시, 독특, 귀여움 등), 색깔별, 굽높이 별 분류가 있어서 매우 좋았어요!

착한가격 오쉬 http://www.ohshe.com/

다른 온라인 슈즈 사이트보다 똑같은 신발인데도 가격이 좀 더 착하더라구요. 정말 "착한 가격"이긴 한데, 여기는 좀 특징없이 비슷비슷한 신발을 갖다놓는것 같아요. 근데 여기서 사고 싶은 거 몇켤레 있었어요! 왜냐하면 싼 거에 비해서 꽤 질도 좋아보였거든요! 섹시, 쉬크한 스타일보다 귀엽고 앙증맞은 캐주얼 스타일의 수제화가 많은 것 같아요.

슈어홀릭 나나슈 http://www.nanashoe.com/

가장 특색있는 신발을 가져다 놓았어요. 디자이너 슈즈 처럼 뭔가 무지하게 독특한 신발을 가져다 놓은건 아닌데, 신발을 대량으로 팔지않고 조금만 가져다놓고 대신 좋은 품질, 좋은 디자인, 편안함을 추구하는 것 같았어요. 가격도 아울렛 가서 사는 것보다 훨씬 싸구요. 좀 책임감 있게 이쁘고 편안한 신발을 갖다놓는 것 같아 믿음이 가요. 여기 가장 추천하고 싶어요!

2만원대 예쁜 구두 크림크림 http://www.creamcream.co.kr/

여기도 싸고 이쁜 신발 많은데, 좀 특징없는 비스무리한 신발이 많았어요. 그래도 좀 귀여운 구두 많이 갖다 놓은것 같아요. 근데 신발이 좀 싸구려 같고 웹사이트를 잘 못만든 것 같아요. 신발의 사진도 별로로 찍어놨고, 모델이 직접 피팅한 사진도 많이 부족하네요. 그냥 참고할 수 있는 사이트로 알아두세요.

기본 튼튼한 당신의 스타일리스트 폴샵 http://www.paulshop.com/

폴샵은 신발 사이트로 알고 들어갔는데 오히려 옷을 주로 파는 사이트였어요. 근데 트렌드에 맞게 굉장히 내추럴하고 캐주얼한 느낌의 옷이 많아서 마음에 들었어요. 근데 온라인에서 옷을 살 때에는 실제로 왔을 때의 상품을 상상해 보아야 해요. 보통은 사진보다 좀 더 싼 티 나는 옷이 많으니까요.

[gallery]PLUS! 온라인에서 신발 살 때 또 중요한 것 있어요! 신발만 찍어놓은 사진을 보지 말고 모델이 신고 있는 사진을 유심히 보세요. 피팅했을 때 이쁘고 어울려야 해요. 그리고 모델의 발 모양이 어떤지 자신의 발과 비교하는것도 잊지 마시구요. 

**맨위 사진 출처: FeetManSeoul.com

A midsummer night's party at 청담 ACTUALLY

Followed by the DMC party held in a recently opened Korean branch of Hard Rock Cafe, Itaewon, I went to a wine party at Cheongdam in a bar-esque cafe named Actually on the behalf of FeetManSeoul. The party held by Dana, an ex-president of a prestigious Korean model agency, Model Line, I was quite nervous about attending it because I am very new to this social party scene of Seoul. Especially the news that this party will be open to only the selectively invited upper-class folks made my heart so relentlessly thump on my way to the party by taxi with FMS that we tried to relax by reminding each other of positive-self imagery. 



But things didn't go very tough once I got to the party. Thanks to the image-prompting therapy in the taxi, I could feel confident and comfortable talking to the people who didn't necessarily look like coming from the other ritzy world. At the party, there were more of non-fashion-affiliated people than I expected, but still they all seemed ready to network with other people in natural, polished manners. I remember several impressive men and women who worked in diverse fields - a guy working at a Korean branch head office of Hershey Chocolate, an old man owning his own film production line, a fabulous woman running her own wholesale clothes shop in dondaemun, a not much adorned, but alluring female shoe designer having her shop, Shoe Comma Bonnie, covered in a famous cable TV fashion reporting show, and also a white skinny guy dressed in a tight black formal suit working at a marketing company which coordinated this party. The party host, Dana, was also a very fascinating woman completely equipped with confidence, beauty, articulated, lovely manners.

I was in the middle of a 10-day-long camp a.k.a. BroSis Project, which aims to raise awareness of international and domestic college students from Seoul and sister cities of Seoul about the "sustainable development" of metropolitan cities. Having a short break out of the intense imprisoned feel of the camp and doing away with all the commitment as a staff, I felt hanging out on top of the world, intoxicated of a few glasses of wine.

A girl and her grandma at the airport

Two days ago, I went to the airport to pick foreign participants coming into the BroSis Project, a research camp program run by MIZY. When I was waiting for two German girls at the gate, I saw a teenage-looking girl get out and go hugging her seems-to-be sister with her cart pulled up somewhere. Her sister pointed to their grandmother who has also been waiting long to see her at the airport. As this girl who just arrived in Korea discovered her grandma, she approached and hugged her in a big, tight embrace. I was so touched by that scene of family reunion - especially because it's reunion of grandma and granddaughter, which urges me to dream of me doing a welcome hug with my late grandma. I almost burst into tears at the beautiful scene. 

But when this girl's done with a brief, strong hug, she just left the spot dragging her sister standing along with them to the other side of the gate area and talked to other people, leaving her grandma left behind right there where they had a moving reunion. While curiously staring at what's happening with them, I just assumed that she's gonna be back to her grandma and take care of her cart and other baggage stuff. But she spent quite a time greeting and having a conversation with some people she knew together with her sister - she didn't seem to remember her grandma was right there waiting for her to get back to her and leave the airport. The grandma, so touched and excited to see her granddaughter again - probably after a long time of no touch - even cried and tried to wipe her tears rolling on her cheeks with the top of her hands. And she was holding a firm grip of the handle of the airport cart her granddaughter has steered. Grandma was kept alone there for a while, just staring at her two granddaughters laughing with some unknown people. They even just went away to get out of the airport talking to each other, leaving the grandma behind who was carrying the cart alone. She seemed like a porter who was taken for granted to take that job as usual - but at this moment she was still crying.

The two granddaughters' attitude got me really angry about letting her grandma follow them behind just like a maid to do their errands. But at the same time that scene made me search out if there were ever such a moment like that in which I left someone such as my father or mother behind just using him or her as my maid and only caring about other less important people. Then it finally led me into thinking that I would never let my grandma, if she were alive now, completely ignored - only if she were alive now...

Shintaro Tsuji, a father of cuteness (Hello Kitty & Kawaii)

A president of the world prestigious, prosperous corportation is without doubt charismatic, talented, courteous, and inspiring. Although he was born in a rich family during the tough period of war, such an inborn high social status doesn't seem to play a big role in his success. He himself, as a person, is capable, intelligent, creative enough to set on a novel idea and lead it through the successful growth.

I have been considering working at an investment bank for years and I didn't doubt the chance/possibility of getting a job at one of the great firms or my aptitude/interest of the career until recently. There are so many other fields of careers that are socially necessary and productive and reach out to the realm of people, or members of this contemporary society in a creative and helpful way. If I pursue a job at an investment bank, I will also be able to help people make wiser decision on their finances and prevent the economic waste or misallocation of resources. I will definitely be able to get in touch with the persons who need my role in a society and grant valuable help to them. But I wonder why working in the firms that manage the flow of money should be the only way for me to help people out.

I am not saying that I want to especially work in a public education sector to improve the current mishap of education policies. It's just that there are so many diverse paths of life I can consider and choose after exploring and calculating which is the best match for me. For example, someone runs a blog named "Watashi to Tokyo" and is being so prolific and educative for people who are merely interested in knowing more about Japan or even who want to approach the Japanese culture from an academic angle. I don't think she blogs for her living. But still apart from her real job - no matter what it is - she does something productive. She communicates with people around the world and inspires them with the humdrum but intriguing fragments she feels, knows, and learns in her everyday life.



"Mr. Cute" in the article started his business using the ideas that have interested him the most since he was a little child. Even though he had to take care of himself left alone among the "bullying relatives" after his mother died early, he overcame the difficulties and rather turned them into a motive to build his business upon.

"He has constantly striven to make "communication" part of his business. Today, he believes, the culture of gift-giving and conveying nice feelings through goods has transcended national boundaries — noting that it has become a norm worldwide."

"Since I lost my parents early on, all I could turn to was my friends. I hate being lonely. So I've wanted to live amicably with everyone around me — and especially my employees. How do you make employees happy? You give them money by dividing the profits (laughs). We once decided on the amount of bonuses by rolling dice. ... To me, making everybody live amicably, and everyone being friendly to each other, is more important than making profits."

Like the blogger who runs "Watashi to Tokyo" or Shitaro Tsuji, "the founder, the owner and wanman," I want to do something productive, something that will inspire people including myself, beyond the challenges coming from the barrier of language, educational opportunity, background, or financial ability. It will be me in 30 years who becomes the subject of one blogger's post about the inspiration conveyed to him or her.

Yoshitomo Nara: The "cuteness" can never hurt you!

The "cuteness" can never hurt you!

I love illustrations of Yoshitomo Nara. I've loved his works for years since my friend showed them to me during high school. The evil-looking but still cute expression on a character's face seems to point out that people carry out criminal minds in their normal, pure hearts.  

Cute-wannabes is different from all kinds of wannabes such as sexy- or pretty-wannabes in that cuteness could be a universal characteristic for any women, or men too, in any age range to hope for. "Cute mode" is connected to not only a childish manner but also a nostalgic retro to childhood full of hazy, good memories. 

I say...His illustrations carry me back to childhood when malevolent thoughts and actions were anyhow forgiven under the cover of purity or innocence of a child. I didn't do many bad things that much, though! 

>This one is more like a standard one of his main character, who is always a young girl.  

 >Yoshitomo Nara, 'The Little Star Dweller' (2006). This one above rather reminds me of an angel-like innocent kid than an evil-looking rascal. 

*Sources from Google images 

**Alert!

Cute could mean a lot of different things, though. In Korea, if you say to a girl (especially in case you're a guy) that she's so cute, then you might imply she's anything but pretty, just a lip-service compliment when you have nothing to compliment on.

Pop-up: Publish a dictionary of school/class system (학교 교육 시스템 사전)

When I was home on break in Korea, I watched a TV documentary about a special educational system implemented in Ireland which showed a rapid and significant economic, and national, growth. This documentary, 15-year-old's Class of Your Dream, aired on MBC is designed to be trilogy which deals with topics of eduction: the first is "Just play one year of K-12 (1년쯤 놀아도 괜찮아)," the second "Just at the bottom of class (꼴찌라도 괜찮아)," and the third "Just imagine weird ideas (엉뚱한 상상도 괜찮아)." While just half-mindedly watching the program for a moment, it occurred to me that I publish a dictionary of different types of school/class systems to which any faculty staff as well as students of all grades can refer.

My idea is that the government builds several types of schools which implement different school systems that lots of people are already informed of and that they would like to attend. Then students will pick out one theme school themselves after consulting this dictionary/school guidebooks I will publish. In actuality, I need to publish both dictionary and school guidebook. Dictionary is necessary for educators and government officials to find out how various yet innovative school systems there can be worldwide and sort out a few of them that are most appropriate and appealing to the people of the country. School guidebook is for students and parents to look up which choices they have when they get to decide which school to go in the next level--just like a college guide published by Kaplan or Princeton Review.

To realize my idea, I will need to research as many different schools as possible around the world and classify the themes/systems. For example, in Japan and Korea, as far as I know, they have standardized educational systems that almost all schools in those nations must follow. There are some countries like those two having nationalized systems while there are countries like the United States that do not have a particularly standardized system but varied program according to each state. So it is apparently an indefinite amount of work but still seems to be able to be accomplished.

So I will describe each different system - I'm not decided about whether to enumerate it alphabetically or in some other clustered way - in terms of special, novel aspects of the system. As if I advertise each educational system, I'll just show the special things at first: e.g., having one year a break period from academics without any exam in freshman year/4th grade in junior-high school (Irish educational system has a six-year junior-high school after elementary school.). After shedding a light on an outstanding feature of a system, I will describe how it is feasible and actually being carried out by illustrating a real model school. I will pronounce what this system is exactly and what a model school is doing in detail continued from the special feature at the first. I will also tell drawbacks concretely as well. Then I will include comments and reviews from actual teachers and students at the model school and invite education experts to evaluate/comment on it. At the end of each system description, I will put contact information of a model school so that anyone interested can ask and get answered from promptly.

*Pictures from iMBC