An Encounter withKorean Youth

For as long as the human race has existed, it has been impossible for theolder generation to fully understand the younger generation. Since the1990s, in particular, as new generations of young Koreans have emerged,the older generation has named each of them X, W, N, and so on.Lately, a new theory about generations is drawing attention. Whatprompted this was the excellent performances of young Korean athletes atthe 2010 Vancouver Olympics. In the past, Korean medalists invariablyshed tears, deeply moved by the moment while remembering the difficulttimes. The medalists in Vancouver, however, expressed their joy of victorywith confidence. They were not intimidated by the Olympics and knewhow to enjoy their victory. Their confidence was refreshing to the oldergeneration.Those who are in their 20s have not experienced widespread povertyor suffered under a dictatorship. Having come of age in the relativeaffluence of a post-authoritarian society, they are active and sound ofmind and body, and also the first generation to be comfortable withglobalization. Sometimes they are called the G generation, taking the firstletter of the color “green” and “global” which refers to globalization.This issue of list puts the spotlight on young Koreans. The first section“At the Top of Their Game” examines the passion of young athletes whohave risen to the top of their respective sports, ranging from Kim Yuna who won the gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics to Shin Jiyai whobecame a triple-crown winner on the US LPGA Tour. “The Truly UniqueCultural Guerrillas” catalogs the distinct features of young people who donot distinguish between work and play. The many talents displayed by KuHye-sun, Tablo, and Big Bang confirm this idea.The youth today devote all their passion and energy to things thatare valuable to them. “Crazy About Their Dreams” tells the stories ofyoung people who thus became advertising geniuses or hardcore students.On the other hand, as experience overseas has become commonplace,there are young people who discover and examine themselves by travelingrather than hitting the books. Their story can be found in “The RoadSchooler: Searching for the Answer on the Road.”The younger generation nowadays is known as the optimisticG generation but at the same time, they are also the “880,000 wongeneration” (which refers to the fact that many of them are temporaryworkers making only 880,000 won a month). To shed objective lighton the many faces of young Koreans, the special feature begins with thesubheading, “Defying the Idea of Generations.” 

By Han Mihwa(editorial board member)