YUN Jae-un ”Six Years’ Training, the Second Determination as a Working Adult”

 

I decided the theme and approach of my doctoral course to be “How to minimize chances to meet others”. During my five years’ working before coming to Japan, I realized how it is important to meet others. The number of name cards which I got from people inside and outside South Korea became more than one per day on average. Sometimes it was meaningful but there were some which I could not recall. There were cases which I could not imagine how the meetings would go until the time when I have met. Sometimes, validation of my interview itself became my works. And I decided to proceed my Japan-research basing on literatures avoiding talking with others.

 

Accordingly, I managed to complete my doctoral dissertation. Dissertation writing under the epidemic of COVID-19 was “fight against myself”. The reason why I could finish my dissertation was an obsession “I will submit it absolutely”. At a defense(oral examination）in February, interviewers gave me various and severe indications which I had to admit. I am thinking to amend now. Doctoral dissertation is not a completed thing but a starting point.

I started my real research life now.

 

I spent these six years as a post graduate student, and I am asking myself whether it was good or bad. I am a person who grasp things critically. So, I must say frankly “I have seen real Japan”. Recently, Japan-Krean relationship is getting worse and I have a feeling of uncomfortableness. Especially this year, I realized strong peer pressure in Japanese society in the COVID-19 countermeasures. Various aspects which are lurking usually were exposed by COVID-19. I am thinking now that I got another assignment as a Japan-researcher.

 

I have walked on “Mainstream” in South Korean society as a “Majority”. In this meaning, an experience as a “Minority” in Japan for six years was good for me. I have been always concerned with “minority issue” in Soth Korea. But there were limitations as far as I was not put at minority position. Thanking to many foundations, I could have relationship with foreigners who were in similar positions. It gave me a good chance to consider “minority”.

 

“What is Japan?” “How do we consider Japan?” These questions have been always underling in my research life. I thought I found an answer. But the answer receded soon. My research life has been repetitions of such questions and answers. But quantity of my knowledges increased definitely over these six years. In my research life, I was conscious of “academics” exclusively and controlled “journalistic” statement or outbound as much as possible. I intended to be coexistent “academy and journalist” seriously. Frankly speaking, I had a feeling that status of postgraduate student is suffocating, especially in Japan where the number of working adult/University student is not so many. I kept feeling that I wanted to get out of such feeling as fast as possible.

 

In the end, let me say one thing which I felt strongly in my work. What I like to say is that people do not imagine when and where they meet afresh. You may say it is quite normal. But I have a lot of experiences which I met people unexpectedly whom I have met them earlier. before. And these unexpected meeting led to various destiny. It may be a precept “Do not do something wrong against others”. Human relations are very momentary. But we may have any relations in future. It may be a fortune. Under the epidemic of COVOD-19, the number of scholarship students of Atsumi International Foundation whom I have met will not be less. But I hope I could meet them in near future somewhere. Now, I am ending my six years’ austere trainings and going back to working adult. I like to keep it in mind

 

 

SGRA Kawaraban 699 in Japanese (Original)

 

 

YUN Jae-un /2020 Raccoon, Project Lecturer of HITOTSUBASHI University  

 

 

Translated by Kazuo Kawamura

English checked by Sabina Koirala