Prof. Min aims high with creativity

By Han Sang-hee

Just when people would think Professor Min Byeong-chul had done enough with the English language, he starts yet another endeavor.

Being one of the most famous and popular intercultural educators in Korea, Min has always strived to live up to this reputation, and hundreds if not thousands of students followed his lessons over the years.

Now he’s back with a new book called “How to Become a Global Communicator” and hopes to touch readers with not only his perfect English skills and lessons, but also with words of wisdom and experience.

On English and more

English may likely be the most talked about subject in Korea, with both students and

parents searching for the best tutor or cram school. But according to Min, English is “a spoon.”

“You have to use a spoon to eat rice and soup. You have to stop trying to eat the spoon,” he said during an interview.

In other words, English is a tool to true communication and this is what he has tried to portray in his essay. This is actually a first for Min, who has mostly written English lecture books, and it certainly portrays the essence of his career.

"I put my 30 years of knowhow into this book. I have made memos about my experiences related to English and I wanted to write something of a how to book instead of an autobiography,” he said.

In the book, Min underlines the importance of becoming a decent, considerate person. Some of the most important abilities one must have in order to communicate with anyone are consideration and etiquette, not a number of English words and expressions, he writes.

“It’s the whole concept of communication. Even if you are fluent in English, if you are inconsiderate, nobody will want to listen to you,” he said.

Understanding the need of consideration when communicating, both off and online, eventually led him to start the Sunfull Movement, an international campaign to clean up online message boards to remove anonymous derogatory messages and to increase the practice of posting positive comments on website boards.

“For Korea to become an advanced country, it is important for us to have good communication skills and harmony. Koreans have the character of helping each other and encouraging others,” he said.

Professor Min in action

Having an open mind and not being afraid to speak his mind and listen to others has led Min to become one of the most respected educators in Korea, and the reputation continues on school grounds.

He currently teaches at the division of international studies at Konkuk University, and according to his students who are a mixture of Koreans, Chinese, Swedish and even French, he is one of the most popular professors on campus.

The Korea Times paid a visit to one of his classes in Business English, which was held not in a classroom, but in a cafeteria at Konkuk early this month. The professor asked the students to come up with business ideas and create a presentation that explained the overall concept, and try to sell it to fellow classmates. If the product or business seems plausible and lucrative, the professor would invest and make into a real, live business with the student.

Amandine Renaud from France came up with a wine selling business and although she admitted that it was not a perfect business proposal yet, she appreciated the unique approach the professor requested of every class.

“The class helps students improve their business skills and also offers them more of a business experience. It’s fun and great, plus he has a very good English accent which makes him easier to understand and for us to participate in,” she said.

Vinni Wong from Sodertorn University, Sweden, also agreed that Min’s passion for English and his students was indeed something she respected.

“His lessons are not just about teaching English. I learned how to interact with others and also learned a lot about the practical aspects of business,” she said.

Indeed, the lecture was lively and Min did manage to overcome the shyness and awkwardness of his students, helping them express their ideas in English.

Among all the important abilities students should have, Min picked creativity as one of the most crucial. Not only does he encourage this in his students through books and lectures, but manages to show the real meaning of creativity himself.

Even during the interview, the professor got up and was ready to show his latest invention: an English learning smart phone application called “Auto Speaking.”

“You have to be a producer. There are so many ideas flying around you. You must pronounce that you are a creative person,” he said, showing the basic steps of the application through his smart phone.

When asked if he had any more dreams he wanted to fulfill, Min said he wanted to help everyone to speak fluent English, just like him.

“I have been in the English education business for the past 30 years and there are still so many people who talk about their worries and fears of learning English. I hope to come up with more helpful and creative ideas to help them learn English more easily,” he said.