Feeling of Publication of “The Art of Life without an Eraser”in Korea（2019.9.25）

I have met a cute lady. Her name is Miss Vivian. She is actually managing her own sophisticated Korean fashion boutique in Phnom Penh. Two years ago, I wrote a book in Japan: “The Art of Life without an Eraser” (Nikkei Publishing Inc.). This book described the differences between French and Japanese educational systems, as well as the different viewpoints on child-raising. I have been interested in those issues for a long time. To my amazement, I am pleased to inform you that this book has now been published in Korea! I was very glad to hear that this book was published in Korea, but I could not help wondering why my book had been selected by a famous Korean book publishing company. Mostly because I am not an expert in education or philosophy. I still haven't heard directly about why my Korean publisher took interested in my book, but I imagined several reasons why it might be the case: It might be because of the similarities in the social environment between Japan and South Korea. Such as, the strong pressure to conform that makes people avoid to fully expressing themselves. The problem caused by “peer group pressure” is also one of the crucial themes of my book. It may also be because people recognized that women's status required to be further improved in Korea, where Confucianism still plays an important influence on society and status. It is also possible that it is because French educational system, which is quite unique in the world, might be getting greater attention in Korea. Perhaps it may be due to the fact that Korean university entrance exam pass rates far exceed those of Japan, which are in both countries a fiercely competitive area. The following reviews are representative opinions from some of the Korean readers of my book. (Review page) The following comments have been posted in Hangul (Korean alphabet), and I used google translate to translate them into Japanese and I translated those back to english. So, it is possible that the nuances may be slightly different from real meaning in Hangul. I would appreciate if your tolerance for any mistranslation. ――At first It was very strange to read that in France students do not ordinarly use erasers. Because when we take note or write something on paper, we naturally think of using both pencils and erasers, because they are complementary to each other. Despite the author being Japanese, she continues to go back and forth between France and Japan and she is familiar with the comparisons/differences of culture between France and Japan. I think Korea has more in common with Japan than France. ――I quite agree with the author's point of view in saying that "eraser" or something which makes facts to disappear is not necessary in life, especially for love or education. Each experience is valuable, even if it might be mistakes or the outcome did not turned out as expected. From now on, I also want to know more French culture. ――The top marks of French school exam is 20 points and the pass score is 10 points. Whenever the students write answers, even though it is not correct, depending on the beauty of form and reasoning, they might be given additional scores. So, the grading standards are very different from ours. On the surface it might be regarded, that France is more lenient than Korea where parents always emphasize on perfect score. I think french leniency might be coming from the use of fountain pens in school. Because it cannot be erased, it means that it is worth writing more orderly and in a beautiful fashion than using pencil. ――The author has lived for long time in France analyses the differences between French and Japanese perspective in order to compare education and family institutions in both countries. Our original sense and sentiment are not critically different from the Japanese, so I could agree with the author's opinion or analysis. So, it aroused my curiosity. And then I asked Korean friends and Korean acquaintances, “I want to know more about Korea!” ――Korean people are called "The Asian Latin people". The couple's passion doesn’t different from the French and Italians. If we went to a newly married couple's home, we would never miss a large wedding photo which is the size of a "tatami" at the entrance, which always makes us a little bit embarrassed. For young couples all over the world, it is common to use double beds (double futon), however we keep using it until one of us die. This practice kd limited to Korea people and I could imagine this situation is the same in France. ――Fights between couples as well as lovers are pretty wild and big. Neither one of them is willing to make concession to the other, and sometimes one would throw a Daikon(a long white radish). However, to be passionate or to be emotional is on one side and "love" is on the other side which means that it is an easy way to get back in love with each other. This sounds pretty good. Both passion and emotion are totally different from the feeling of "Sensing the atmosphere" or "Reading between the lines", and also different from “peer group pressure”. Communication is imperative in order to express each other's feelings. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." On the other hand, in Japan , women are stereotyped as honorable and praised. In Japan, it seems that they expect women to be modest, submissive and obedient without talking back to her parents, to her husband, or to her children. It looks a little different in Korea. Korean dramas have become popular in Japan, and the heroine holds pioneer roles. For examples, ―"Dae Jang Geum" (aired 2004-05). She was a former palace chef who embodied "Food is medicine" and became the emperor personal doctor. ―"Hwang Jini" (aired 2008-09). The heroine came from "Kisaeng", she was from a slave family and considered to be an outcast, and made history in the entertainment field with her beauty and talent. ―"Flowers of the Prison" (aired 2017-18), the heroine name was Ok-nyeo, was a justice counsel who survived a unusual fate. The long-awaited feelings for beautiful, brave and talented women seem to be more intense in Korea than in Japan. We should not forget "Ryu Gwansun" (1904-20). She died young and became a “Liberty Leading the People” in Korea at the "March 1st Movement" it was the century anniversary. Her relief has been in Tapgol Park in Seoul. Last year, the movement of #MeToo disclosed sexual harassment, such storm started blowing from Hollywood, and across Atlantic to Europe. In Asia, most of people even they had, regardless and It has nothing to do with them. However, in Korea, since the whistle-blowing of the female prosecutor, the situation progressed as fiercely as a field-fired . Meanwhile in Japan, people remained silent, because “Yamato Nadeshiko"* should not do such a shameful thing in public. Or is it conscious of “Tokyo 2020 Olympics”!? Both Korea and Japan worked hard and made effort together in order to reach a world without discrimination and prejudice. I wonder ,hich country will first realize a future filled with fertility of “love and beauty” first? I would be honored if I became a messenger from Japan to Korea. *Japanese women of good old-fashioned virtues Official website of a Korean publisher → http://www.kyobobook.co.kr/product/detailVi