"Comforting and Encouraging Each Other"... Kim Jae-dong Returns with a Popular Culture Book After 2 Years Amid 'High Lecture Fee Controversy'

Kim Je-dong hosting JTBC's lifestyle current affairs talk show 'Kim Je-dong's Talk to You,' which aired in 2018 / Photo by JTBC 'Kim Je-dong's Talk to You'

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Choyoung] Broadcaster Kim Jedong, who had suspended official activities due to controversy over high lecture fees, is making a comeback with the humanities and liberal arts book The Moment When Questions Become Answers. This is his first book in two and a half years since the 2018 essay If You Allow Me, I Want to Say This.

In the book's foreword, Kim Jedong stated, "Even if we cannot find answers immediately, I wanted to take this opportunity to check together, comfort each other, and encourage one another. Through this, I hoped to create small promises and paths. Meeting with seven experts was a source of comfort and encouragement for me, and a time to grow together. Being able to see the world from new perspectives I hadn’t known before is itself a precious opportunity. I believe the time you spend reading this book will surely be the same for you."

He also said, "Although their expressions differ slightly, all seven emphasized that what we need now is not division and boundaries but relationships. So, I felt a sense of camaraderie thinking, 'We are not completely different beings as much as I thought,' and 'We are all connected in some way.'"

Previously, in June 2019, after allegations arose that Kim Jedong received lecture fees exceeding 10 million won per session for lectures at local governments nationwide, he temporarily suspended various broadcasting and lecture activities.

The publisher, Namueui Maeum, began pre-orders on the 2nd ahead of the official release of The Moment When Questions Become Answers on the 25th. Before the official publication, a total of 22 installments were serialized from the 2nd to the 23rd so that readers could preview the content.

The Moment When Questions Become Answers contains greetings and messages from Kim Jedong’s meetings with seven experts from various fields, addressing how we should live in the post-COVID world.

The experts include △ physicist Professor Kim Sangwook △ architect Professor Yoo Hyunjun △ astronomer Dr. Shim Chaekyung △ economic expert CEO Lee Wonjae △ neuroscientist Professor Jung Jaeseung △ director of the National Gwacheon Science Museum Lee Jungmo △ popular culture expert Professor Kim Changnam. They discuss diverse social issues such as real estate policy, lunar exploration, basic income, artificial intelligence, climate crisis, the future of humanity, and popular culture.

The book features recommendations from singer Lee Hyori and broadcaster Yoo Jaeseok, who are known to be friends of Kim Jedong.

Lee Hyori said, "This book quenched my thirst like a cool glass of water when I was thirsty, sometimes scientifically, sometimes humanistically. I recommend it to those like me who are scientifically ignorant but curious and want to live well."

Yoo Jaeseok introduced it as "a book that our dear selves, who live briefly on the small planet Earth in the vast universe, should definitely read this year."