[The Editors' Verdict] Architecture, Politics, and Words

Professor Kyung-Hoon Lee, Department of Architecture, Kookmin University

The election to choose the leader of the People’s Party is heating up. To verify the rumors, I looked up a few videos. Watching the debates and speeches was fascinating. The exchanges between candidates with significant age differences were sharp, and among them, the speeches of the new generation young candidates felt fresh. Their rhetoric was clearly different from the usual political discourse. Especially the speech in Daegu calmly and resolutely persuaded on the difficult topic of impeachment. It was humble without being servile, logical yet personal and emotional at an appropriate level. Unlike previous politicians, the content was sharp and the style sophisticated.

The reason I pay attention to the ‘words’ of politicians who are personally distant from my political views is due to a painful experience. Although it happened over thirty years ago, the cultural shock during the early days of studying abroad was unexpectedly large. While things like credit cards, the five-day workweek, and foods like hamburgers or pizza were unfamiliar, I quickly got used to them. The real challenge was language, specifically presentations during class. I had hoped that architectural design classes, being practical subjects involving drawings and models, would be less language-dependent, but that expectation was shattered from the first session.

The problem was not the language itself. Even if my English was poor, explanations that simply listed words with clear logic were not an issue. What mattered was explaining the design process and reasoning. It was different from the education I had received so far. We were expected to fold our hands politely, not even cast a shadow on the teacher, and just listen to opinions and instructions. Lectures were telepathic, like “yeomhwa sijung” and “gyo-oe byeoljeon.” Although it was a creative time, the main task was to follow the teacher’s words. There was no opportunity for presentations that could persuade others, so there was no expectation for it.

During my study abroad, my mentor comforted struggling foreign students and emphasized the importance of presentations. This was due to the nature of the architect’s profession. Unlike other artists, architects need clients and building owners. They are people who promise clients that they will build good buildings in the future. This is very different in sequence from painters or sculptors who complete paintings or sculptures and then sell them. Designing and completing a building that requires a huge budget by reflecting the architect’s aesthetic sense and persuading the client is no ordinary task. Past achievements are the basis for judgment, making it ten times harder for young architects without a track record.

My mentor stressed that architects sell vision and taste, and the first thing that reveals this is speech and presentation. He advised not to add or exaggerate the many thoughts made while drawing plans and making models, but to present logically. That logic, in turn, positively influences the creative process. He also added that confidence should be included rather than excessive modesty. After returning to Korea and starting to teach students, I have similarly emphasized the importance of speech and logic. Thanks to essay education, today’s students are confident and logical. A new generation has emerged.

In this regard, politicians are similar to architects. They sell the invisible. They are people who promise voters through ‘words’ that they will create a better world. The style of presentations and speeches is an important part of politics. It is a profession that pre-sells intangible values through words.

I do not recall hearing any moving speeches in recent elections. Even after numerous debates, I have never seen logical discussions that changed minds. The time when political clumsiness was believed to be the sincerity of deep feelings is passing. The era when debates were suppressed with the phrase “If you speak well, you’re a communist” is also ending. The belief that only content matters and form does not is fading. Instead, a generation equipped with precise and fresh logic and sophisticated style is coming. A new generation is coming.

Kyung-Hoon Lee, Professor, Department of Architecture, Kookmin University