The media are not toys… they can be entrusted only to new artists, because they are art forms.
(McLuhan, 1954)
May 30, 2025
I left Korea eight years ago. There were many reasons I could list, but none of them quite hit the core—until recently, when things became clearer.
It’s not because I hate Korea. I actually like Korea. If I were to describe the real reason figuratively: Korea is like the parent who gave birth to and raised me.
The problem is, that parent isn’t mentally well, due to the trauma of the Korean War and the high-pressure industrial growth that followed.
If I were mentally healthy enough to care for Korea’s pain, as a child might care for a struggling parent, that would be wonderful. But after living together for 30 years, my own state wasn’t good either. So I decided that my own recovery must come first.
What I recently realized is that Korea doesn’t only exist physically—it exists online as well, in virtual spaces. And because of the anonymity there, the harm can sometimes feel even greater.
So today, with quiet resolve, I’m leaving that virtual Korea too.
Wishing you well, Korea. I hope we meet again, in better shape.