No.359 May 2020
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FEATURE Do You Know K-Trot? NO.359 MAY 2020 COVERSTORY What Is Freedom? SMTRACING Endless Delay for Safety v G TIM UN ES Y M K O O S E CONTENTS E H D T 359 I T | THE SOOKMYUNG TIMES - NO.359 MAY 2020 | MAY 2020 O R I A L B O D A R About SMT The Sookmyung Times (SMT) is the only offi- cial English Newspaper at Sookmyung Wom- en's University. Founded in 1973, 2020 marks its 48th anniversary. SMT publishes a hardcopy magazine each March, April, June, September, October, and December and publishes a web- zine each May and November. The Sookmyung Times office is located in the Student Union, 12 room 309. 09 12 21 COVERSTORY PUBLISHER President Kang Jeongai 03 What Is Freedom? 28 DIRECTOR Professor Yook Sung Hee LETTER GLOBAL REPORT COPY EDITOR Professor Matilda Krivan Starlight in Seoul 16 Widen Your World and EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kim Lee Hyunmin FOCUS ON Be Independent! Life in Germany for One Year CULTURE SECTION EDITOR Ahn Ha Yura 04 Express Your SOCIETY SECTION EDITOR Jung Kim Hyeseung Appreciation ALUMNAE SOCIETY SECTION EDITOR Oh Hwang Junhee 30 Beyond Korea, Head to FORMAL ARTICLE WOMAN SECTION EDITOR Kim Han Yujin Asia: RIAW 18 WOMAN SECTION EDITOR Kwak Lee Shinyoung PEOPLE WOMAN SECTION EDITOR Lee Hwang Hayoung Who Could Rule the 32 06 WORLD? Women! CUB REPORTER Choi Kim Seoyoon ON CAMPUS MUSE ON CUB REPORTER Choi Song Bojeong Simply, Firmly, Grace- fully CUB REPORTER Kwon Jung Eunseo 21 08 SMTRACING CUB REPORTER Na Cho Seongah CHEONGPA Endless Delay for Safety CUB REPORTER Sang Lim Hyeji 34 RUNWAY NEW FACES ON CUB REPORTER Yoo Beak Hayoung Dress Nice, Also 24 SMT TEL 02)710-9152 Important to Wear Healthily EXPERIENCE smtimes.sookmyung.ac.kr Speical Day at an www.facebook.com/thesookmyungtimes Independence Theater @sookmyungtimes 09 35 FEATURE The Sookmyung Times HEAD TO HEAD Do You Know K-Trot? 26 DESIGNED BY ROUM SMT CULTURE KAKAO TALK @ 로움 We Love, Live Together, TEL 010-5343-5357 and Communicate CRITICAL VOICE TO CHANGE THE WORLD LETTER Starlight in Seoul I grew up in Nowon, a corner of Seoul. Nowon has seen enormous development and has transformed itself into a wantless district of Seoul, but whenever I think of Nowon with its sea of apartments, I overcome with a feeling of togetherness. In the past, trains rolled into Nowon along railroad tracks, and pedestrians waited for the trains to pass before cross the tracks. Today, those railroad tracks no longer see trains and have become mere walkways. A number of people have nicknamed Nowon, the country side of Seoul. It was a small city, but I loved my area of Seoul. However, I left Seoul just before entering high school. It was hard to adjust to my new residence. I didn't know anyone, nor did I know my way about the area. I longed for my life in Seoul, especially Nowon where I had lived up to that point in my life. The day I knew I must return to Seoul was the day I attended a music concert held in Seoul. At the end of the concert, I took a night bus home. Riding on the bus, I didn't sleep. Instead as the bus travelled along the Olympic Highway, I stared out the window at the night view of Seoul that glistened like the Milky Way. Seoul was full of lights from its countless buildings, apartments, and cars. I wanted to be part of the light. Fortunately, I became a student of Sookmyung Women's University and started life in Seoul again. I was glad to be a part of Sookmyung and Seoul. Time passed quickly in my new life. Over time, beautiful night view of the Seoul faded in my eyes. At one point, I seriously contemplated transferring to other university. My parents reminded me that I was the one who wanted to attend a university in Seoul, and then suggested transferring to the national university in front of our home. The main reason I wanted to transfer was because of my bad health, but I was also exhausted from the busy life in Seoul. I longer for the bright lights in Seoul, but I thought my life didn't shine like the lights. The light of Seoul no longer seems beautiful. Others around me are also not shining brightly, but have, like myself, become faint flickering lights. Nevertheless, I struggle through the dim light and wait expectantly for the day we all shine brightly again in a happy life. Kim Lee Hyunmin / Editor-in-Chief / [email protected] PHOTO FROM KANG KEON NO 359 / MAY 2020 3 ALUMNAE ALL PHOTOS FROM RIAW Before the beginning of the interview, with the student body by inviting their would you please introduce yourself opinions and incorporating them into our Beyond Korea, to our readers? projects. It is my hope that students will take In 1991, I graduated Sookmyung Women's a huge interest in our work. Head to Asia: University with top honors from the What connection is there between Department of English Language & Women's Studies and English Literature. And I completed master's degree Literature? in English-American Feminine Literature. RIAW I went to England to further my study of Working on my master's thesis, I often went English-American Children's Literature, to the school library. One section was devoted Watching the news about Nth and I earned the title of doctorate in to theses on T. S. Eliot. In fact, the number room, you may soon realize that English-American Children and Adolescent of theses on Eliot's works far outnumbered those of female writers. I was shocked by women in Japan and China are Literature. I was the first foreign student to receive the title. Since 2009 I have been the absence of studies on women writers. suffering the same crime. Women working as a professor of the Department The standards regarding those studies were all over Asia suffer the same of English Language & Literature at also governed by males. Going against the problems but are now trying to let Sookmyung, and I became the director of the norm, I chose to make my research focus on Research Institute of Asian Women in 2016. my favorite female writer, and that is how their voices be heard. The people I became interested in Women's Studies. working to allow this united voice Most students will likely be English Literature's central themes surround by conducting studies and lending unfamiliar with the Research the underprivileged and the weak. Women's Institute of Asian Women(RIAW). Studies are also research the idea of equality, helping hands are members of Could you tell us a little about it? so I think there is an obvious connection the Research Institute of Asian It opened in 1960 as Korea's first women- between the two areas. Women. SMT met Park So-Jin, related research institute. This year marks Among the RIAW's various research director of the Research Institute its 60th anniversary, and that is historical and projects, which one are most significant. The Research Institute Asian dear to you? of Asian Women. Women works diligently towards the development of women's policy development The 11-year-long writing award by an and on other research and education projects. immigrant to Korea in her mother tongue, Kim Lee Hyunmin / Editor-in-Chief / [email protected] sponsored by the Hanananum Foundation, Ahn Ha Yura / Culture Section Editor / [email protected] In 2018, it merged with The Center for Multicultural Studies. Until now, it has had is what I am most interested in at the little communication with Sookmyungians, moment. Through the project, Koreans can but from now on we are planning on working learn about immigrants' lives, and select the topic of researches and projects in 4 THE SOOKMYUNG TIMES happen, I feel conflicted internally since it is contradicts the educational values of our university. Also, it was difficult to find good researchers. Most were contract workers, so regardless of their abilities, we had to hire new researchers once their contract had finished. How did you overcome those difficulties you mentioned? 2019 RIAW International Conference Writing Award by an immigrant to Korea in her mother tongue It was important to keep in mind this idea: their writings. One immigrant female who globally there is a need to ensure a learning "I can't control all aspects of work and life." won top prize for the first award, deliver a environment where women and men have Everyone has a different perspective, so what congratulatory speech at the 10th award. She equal opportunities. Next, I'm also interested I feel is important may not be important for is running as representative for president of in underprivileged women who fall victim to others. I always do my best, and I vow not to the Vietnamese Immigrant Association. She becoming prostitutes or get caught in human dwell too much on the outcome, especially said, "When I participated in the award was trafficking. They rarely speak out, so I want negative ones. Thinking of the fruit that will the hardest time of my life. I now live my life to publicize their problems and let their be there someday, I focus all my energy on full of energy thanks to winning the award." voices be heard. what I can do each time. This is the way I Those words are very touching. overcome difficulties. Which direction do you think The RIAW and the Center for women's studies and women's What are RIAW's future goals? Multicultural Studies merged research in Asia should take? Our future vision is to be an hub of Women's together in 2018.