OPINION

[84th Edition] Letter from the Editor

Lee Hee Seo

Dear readers, Another semester. Another edition complete. To speak candidly, it would be dishonest to gloss over the trepidation I felt in stepping into the role of Editor-in-Chief. The weight of...

[Opinion] Between Myth and Logos: The Return of Spirituality in Contemporary Art

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

Two exhibitions in Korea this year drew particular attention for foregrounding spirituality and occult imagination. The first was Hilma af Klint: Proper Summons, at the Museum of Contemporary Art B...

[Opinion] Why I Still Believe in Journalism in the Age of AI

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

Confession time: I did not always want to become a journalist. I initially pursued political science and international relations with hopes of becoming a diplomat. Being in far-flung places, witne...

[Opinion] Taste as a Way of Being

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

2026 has dawned upon us. We are truly at the height of an “era of great taste.” Terms like “aesthetic sense” and “style” have moved beyond trendy expressions to circulate as markers of cultural lit...

[83rd Edition] Letter from the Editor

Lee Hee Seo

Dear readers, The passing of The SNU Quill’s twentieth anniversary marks a significant milestone—one that prompts us to pause, step back, and reflect. Not only on the two decades behind us, but on ...

[Opinion] The Diversity Agenda at Korean Universities: Gender Equality is Still a Top Priority

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

Since 2018, the Diversity Council has run an annual program titled Understanding Diversity Among SNU Members aimed at SNU staff. Several years ago, when the floor was opened for questions after a n...

[Opinion] There is No Such Thing as "Unavoidable Death"

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

I remember the world in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic swept across nations. Every medical facility was mobilized to save human life, and through global cooperation, a vaccine was developed in ju...

[82nd Edition] Letter from the Editor

Hyun Joo Young

Dear readers, Autumn, my favorite season, fled early in 2024, but at least Mother Nature gifted us with the most majestic first snow. Alongside the winter breeze, I wrapped up my second year at uni...

[Opinion] Wishy washy medical reform

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

Last week, Seoul National University decided to approve its medical students' gap years, almost a year after the students started refusing to attend classes in protest of the government's medical r...

[Commencement] Commencement speech by President of SNU at 78th Graduation Ceremony

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

Proud graduates of Seoul National University, Ph.D., Master's, and Bachelor's! I deeply congratulate you on your graduation. Appreciation and gratitude, memories of many encoun...

[64th SNU Student Council Election] The vision for SNU’s sustainable future

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

Hello. I am Kim Min-gyu, candidate for the 64th SNU Student Council President, running under the campaign name, Signal. Through this contribution, I would like to introduce our vision and our commi...

[81st Edition] Letter from the Editor

Min Yun-geun

Dear readers,For the past couple of years, I have been contemplating the space that The SNU Quill occupies within our largely Korean-speaking university—where our English publication fits into the ...

[Opinion] Sound of EDM or Buddhist Enlightenment?

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

“Pain(Pain) from the high prices! Pain(Pain) because Monday arrived so quickly! Pain(Pain) because my friend is so well-off!” 1 belted out ancomedian turned EDM DJ, clad in the robes of a Buddhis...

[Opinion] Unknown Waters

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

Being queer means that you cannot be innocent. Lying is a part of being queer, a part of queer living. Sometimes this is fairly intuitive, for example, you could think of a person in a same-sex rel...

[Opinion] The Experience and Role of International Students Regarding Diversity at SNU

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

Stepping into my first lecture in Seoul National University, I was greeted with a much different classroom picture than I was used to. Everywhere I looked, there was a sea of black hair, and the ai...

[Opinion] Challenges to the Israel-Palestinian Conflict: Is there a possible bargain?

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

Political scientists have long been interested in why parties are unable to identify or implement a bargain before resorting to or terminating a war. But our bargaining models generally assume ther...

[Opinion] The prospects for reducing poverty and inequality in Asia and the Pacific

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

Mid-February 2024 the UN Economic Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) released a report on the progress of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in this part of the world. While signi...

[Opinion] Human rights in SNU: the matter of being here and now

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

Two years have passed since our campus became re-energized back to pre-COVID times. With the revitalization of the student community—leaving behind the atrophy of online semesters—the SNU Human Rig...

[Opinion] Disasters reveal a society's true face

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

Disasters reveal aspects of society that are normally invisible. They identify the mechanisms leading to negative outcomes, expose the values a society prioritizes, show resource allocation, and un...

[Opinion] Do you want to be happy?

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

Everyone wants a happy life. But if you look around, you cannot find that many people who actually manage to lead happy lives. They say Koreans are comparatively less happy than those who live in o...

[Opinion] Why I will vote this Wednesday

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

South Korea has its General Elections on Wednesday. Watching the highlights to a recent television debate, which aired on local broadcaster JTBC, I could not hide my dismay. “The country that young...

[Opinion] Not having children is the biggest mistake you could make

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

When I was at Seoul National University, my finance professor tended to mix life lessons into his teachings. Some of them have stuck with me to this day; for example, he would say that beer always ...

[Opinion] On April 3rd, Jeju’s nature remembers

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

Jeju is a luscious island, full of natural beauties. The black rocks contrast with the green plants that dot the beaches. From palm trees to evergreens, Jeju is the epitome of floral diversity. Alt...

[Opinion] Student Gov. participation: the solution to achieving common good and the protection of personal rights

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

Two years since 2022, when the Student Council had been elected for the first time in three years, the failure to elect a new Student Council has led to the continuation of an acting-Student Counci...

[Opinion] Gaza, “If only I were a candle in the dark”

The SNU Quill Editorial Team

In his travels to Palestine between 2005 and 2008, the South Korean poet and photographer Park No-hae was unsettled by what he witnessed. In Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth, he saw t...

[80th Edition] Letter from the Editor

Lee Seung-ku

Dear readers, The 80th edition of The SNU Quill knocks on your door under the theme “Boiling Point.” The magazine finds you at a time when the pot full of tumult comes to a simmer. The world has be...

OPINION

A closer look into the thoughts of today and tomorrow's leaders.