Opinion

Jennifer Sciubba: Why Busan’s Future Needs More Than Crisis Thinking

What happens when a city keeps building, but its future doesn’t arrive—and what a leading demographer says we should ask next.

11 min read

South Korea’s Elite Institutions and the Democracy Dilemma

South Korea’s elite public institutions still select power-holders through closed pipelines and test scores. Can democracy survive without reform?

14 min read

Why Busan Needs to Consolidate Four National Universities for Economic Growth

The creation of Busan National University (BNUS) would unify four major institutions, streamlining resources and focusing each campus on specialized maritime fields.

13 min read

The Molecular Society: How Flow, Not Causality, Is Redefining Human Intelligence

What happens when society stops running on rules and starts reacting like a molecule? Explore the collapse of causality, the rise of interpretive humans, and why sensing flows — not storing facts — is now the key to intelligence.

9 min read

Northbound: Why Busan’s Arctic Future Matters More Than Ever

Arctic geopolitics is reshaping the maritime order. This longform analysis investigates Busan’s latent role, its institutional gaps, and the urgent need for governance reform.

19 min read

The Future of National Sovereignty Lies in Securing Digital Identity Infrastructure

Recent data breaches and authentication failures demonstrate that mobile-based digital identity systems have become critical national security infrastructure. Without public oversight, nations remain exposed to systemic risks.

7 min read

When Politics Stops Thinking

In an age where machines evolve, politics recycles. South Korea — hyper-modern yet ideologically static — reveals how education, elitism, and language can converge to stall democratic imagination.

13 min read

When a Society Forgets Why It Exists

What happens when education produces elite professionals, but not ethical citizens? When the smartest people in the room are more interested in protecting their privilege than shaping society?

8 min read

Why South Korea’s New Towns Feel Lifeless: The Psychological Failures of Urban Planning

South Korea’s new town developments—built with high-rise apartments, oversized roads, and isolated commercial zones—were supposed to be the future of urban living. Yet, they have instead become psychologically exhausting, socially disconnected, and economically unsustainable.

20 min read

Coupang’s Retail Dominance: A Threat to Small Businesses or a New Retail Era?

Is Coupang’s retail empire unstoppable? As e-commerce thrives, Korean small businesses face extinction—or a transformation. Can they adapt in a Coupang-dominated market?

12 min read

Can Busan Bring Its Youth Back? The City’s Struggle and Future Prospects

Busan faces a critical turning point as young professionals leave in search of better jobs. Can the city reverse its decline and reinvent itself as a thriving hub for talent, innovation, and growth? Explore the challenges, economic impact, and strategies that could shape Busan’s future.

11 min read

A Stratified Risk Society: How Inequality Fuels Environmental and Social Harm

In Korea’s fast-paced society, the pursuit of convenience has made cheap, disposable products and ultra-processed foods a staple of daily life. From single-use plastics to calorie-dense packaged meals, these items offer affordability and practicality to time-pressed households. But hidden beneath their veneer of convenience is an uncomfortable reality: their long-term costs—environmental degradation, health risks, and systemic inequality—are disproportionately borne by society’s most vulnerable.

13 min read