[RAS Korea] Social Distancing? RAS Korea is 'Zooming' along!

People log in on Zoom for a Royal Asiatic Society Korea lecture on the book "Samsung Rising" by Geoffrey Cain, top center, whose trip to Korea was canceled due to COVID-19. / Courtesy of RAS Korea

By Steven L. Shields

COVID-19 hit Korea right between the eyes! The nation was shaken to its very foundations. People were getting sick right and left; the government was hustling to respond. Hospitals went into overdrive. The new school year was delayed; concerts and large gatherings were canceled. Churches and temples were asked to close. Everyone was scrambling to buy masks that were in short supply at the beginning. Small shops and restaurants saw a considerable downturn in customers.

The Royal Asiatic Society Korea followed the government-issued warnings. The office was closed, and the staff began working from home. Walking tours and club meetings were postponed. The lectures scheduled in March were canceled. We were heartbroken to miss out on some excellent presentations. RAS Korea was doubly saddened not to be able to launch its much-anticipated Pyeongtaek lecture series, offering the now-relocated US military community an opportunity to learn more about Korea.

RAS Korea has had to suspend normal operations only two times before. The first was in 1940 as World War II began to affect the Pacific area, and the Japanese occupiers began to expel all foreign residents from Allied countries. RAS Korea was finally able to resume in 1948 but was forced to suspend activities just two years later when the Korean War broke out. It restarted in 1957, continuing regular operations until late February 2020 when COVID-19 social distancing restrictions required a third suspension.

The "slowdown" went from days to weeks to a month and more. The prospect of canceling the entire program for the spring began to look likely. Meanwhile, churches began to use the internet to livestream worship services to members and friends, and companies started using various forms of social media to connect their staff and to have needed meetings.

RAS Korea joined the online streaming network with its first lecture on April 7. The speaker, Geoffrey Cain, was not able to travel to Seoul as planned. But the talk went ahead on schedule, except that RAS Korea friends and members were not physically gathered in its Seoul lecture home, the Somerset Palace Hotel in Gwanghwamun.

Members and friends ― more than 60 ― joined from around Korea, Australia and the United States. One member commented that he had lived in Korea for many years, and joined RAS Korea, but never could attend a lecture because he lived in Busan. After a decade of membership, he was able to join the talk through Zoom video conferencing.

Cain, a journalist who spent many years in Korea, spoke to the virtually gathered crowd about his new book, "Samsung Rising: The Inside Story of the South Korean Giant that Set Out to Beat Apple and Conquer Tech." Cain told of Lee Byung-chul's humble and sometimes failed beginnings as an entrepreneur during the 1910-45 Japanese occupation of Korea. With unprecedented access to insiders and extended family members, Cain follows the story through to the present day. His "biography" of a company is a candid portrait of one of Korea's preeminent dynastic quasi-royal families and their vast wealth and power.

Traditional Korean archery was RAS Korea's second April lecture, held on the evening of April 21. Zoom technology brought together attendees from the suburbs surrounding Seoul and as far away as Germany. The lecturer, Cho In-souk, Ph.D., an architect who specializes in architectural history and restoration, took up Korean archery in 2009. She is a skilled archer, taking prizes in international competitions as well as progressing through the multi-level honor system used in traditional archery.

Cho noted there are more than 300 traditional archery clubs throughout Korea. Her club is based at the famous Hwanghakjeong, established in 1899 by Emperor Gojong adjacent to Gyeonghui Palace, on the slopes of Mount Inwang in Seoul. This time-honored archery ground has hosted many of Korea's presidents since the first visit by Syngman Rhee in the early 1950s.

Changing from in-person lectures to technology-based meetings has worked well overall. However the learning curve associated with learning the software has caused a few minor glitches. The first challenge was to figure out how participants' microphones could be turned off. Then the screen-sharing function caused a challenge, especially when changing from a PowerPoint slide to a video clip. However, RAS Korea members and friends have been patient with the hosts as all try to learn the new-to-them software application.

After a forced hiatus of two months, the RAS Korea Literature Club gathered virtually on the evening of Wednesday, April 29. Members have read an English-language book, "Romantic Tales from Old Korea." The book includes five of Korea's most time-honored love stories, including one version of the famous tale of the maiden Chunhyang. The literature club reads and discusses English translations of Korean literature, older and contemporary novels and short stories. Bilingual members of the club often read the original Korean versions as well. Sometime in the next few months, the club will read and discuss Chae Man-sik's "Turbid River." Chae was arrested in 1938 by imperial forces. His book gives an accurate portrayal of life under the Japanese oppressors.

As life feels like it's starting to return to normal, there is talk of resuming RAS Korea's regularly scheduled program. But we are in no hurry to go back to face-to-face meetings ― partly because we want to protect our members and other attendees, many of whom are senior citizens.

There's also the fact we have some excellent lectures lined up that wouldn't be possible if it weren't for Zoom. On May 12, former Peace Corps Volunteer Paul Courtright will introduce his memoir, "Witnessing Gwangju," in which he shares his firsthand experiences with the 1980 Gwangju Uprising and the bloody government reprisal. On June 23, Cedarbough T. Saeji will give a lecture, also likely from the U.S. if her visit to Korea is canceled. On July 7, Jeju resident Giuseppe Rositano will introduce his book "Jeju Island's Haenyeo, A User's Manual."

Check raskb.com or fb.com/RASKB for up-to-date information about lectures, clubs and all other RAS Korea activities.

Steven L. Shields, a retired cleric, serves as a vice president of the Royal Asiatic Society Korea (raskb.com) and is a columnist for The Korea Times.