[One Sip of a Book] Can Our Stories Become Money? ‘Content Humanities Magazine Hanpyeon 8’

Some sentences encapsulate the entire content of a book, while others instantly reach the reader’s heart, creating a point of connection with the book. Here, we excerpt and introduce such meaningful sentences from books. - Editor’s note

The eighth series of the humanities magazine ‘Hanpyeon’ focuses on content. What are the true benefits and harms that users addicted to SNS gain from platform companies? How does the rise of K-content relate to me? How can we keep our sanity when every story filling our anxious and gloomy days can be turned into money? With these questions in mind, the humanities magazine ‘Hanpyeon’ features ten essays on content, spanning philosophy, aesthetics, anthropology, sociology, law, literature, journalism, and science and technology studies.

Content is not valuable because something is replicated. Rather, content creates value by memetically turning something into a clich?. Any linguistic expression, gesture, or even any object or person, whether real or imaginary, becomes the target of such replication. ─ Isol, “On the Inflammation of Distracted Days”

Hot places are purposeless destinations for viewers, spaces that either take you away from daily life or show your daily life as it is, but they are temporary spaces passed by as ‘things to see’ rather than places. They are smooth, flat spaces that soften the friction that occurs when actually seeing and experiencing them firsthand. Hot places and photos taken there are suitable media for ‘watching the fire from across the river.’

─ Konno Yuki, “The Temperature of Hot Places”

Cuteness is a powerful feeling. When you feel something is ‘cute,’ the nature of your relationship with it changes. Cuteness cracks the wall of indifference that separated worlds. “The moment the word ‘cute’ comes out, you’re trapped. At that moment, you think, Ah, I’m doomed, my life is mortgaged.” Hajin’s explanation reveals the impact of the crack created by cuteness on his life.

─ Kim Yoonjung, “The World Opened by Cuteness”

Expressions of identity are honest and sometimes raw, and they can provoke conflict, making fandoms both fascinating and occasionally frustrating. As a fan and researcher, I have often encountered such moments. Media scholar Henry Jenkins said, “Ultimately, fandom arises at the point where fascination and frustration balance.” I study fandom while being captivated by it and excited about its cultural potential, yet also feeling its limitations or the frustration when fandom is misunderstood or misrepresented.

─ Shin Yoonhee, “Content as an Idol Fan”

Not all works dealing with real incidents attract my interest. Some works painfully remind me of memories of being exposed to crime, while others stir anger due to the creator’s insensitivity toward the real incident. Nevertheless, I still enjoy crime content, and if works based on crime continue to be created, it is because through art we can discover the bare face of humanity and awaken our moral sensibilities.

─ Cheon Mirim, “Attitude Toward Crime Works”

Humanities Content Magazine Hanpyeon 8 | Written by Isol, Konno Yuki, Kim Yoonjung, Shin Yoonhee, Cheon Mirim, Heo Jiwoo, Jang Yooseung, Jo Youngil, Jeong Minkyeong, Kim Chanhyun | Minumsa | 208 pages | 10,000 KRW