Stories to love the land of my birth
In New York, in Seoul, again and again I realize how essential it is to keep looking at my birthplace. Fortunately, the history of predecessors who once wandered in search of our origins already stretches far back. So even if I do nothing more than collect and edit, there is plenty to tell. Sometimes I look with fresh eyes, like a foreigner visiting Korea for the first time. At other times, I see with the familiar eyes of an elder who has spent a lifetime here, taking everything for granted. I gather stories in order to love the land where I live—stories of what has unfolded in Korea, what has branched out from it, and what remains rooted here… all of it matters.
If you wish to understand the elegance of the Korean people, you must first befriend our goblins and tigers. To grasp the mystery of the peninsula, you must seek out Geumgangsan and Baekdusan. To glimpse the faith of the land of Eastern gentleman, you must walk alongside the mountain spirits and the Seven Stars. And to taste the heights of Korean art, you must know the shaman, the gisaeng, and the flavor of makgeolli.
- From The Wondrous Beauty of Our Own