[This Week's Books] '4 Julimyeon Doenda' and Others

Four Lines Are Enough

In the film industry, there is a saying that "you must capture the audience's heart within 15 minutes" for a movie to succeed at the box office. If you fail to draw the audience into the work within 15 minutes, they leave. What about writing? The author, a film director and writer, argues that the first four lines determine everything. The author advises asking bad questions, such as "If a victim of school violence takes revenge on the still successful perpetrators, will things return to the original state?" He emphasizes that a piece is truly read only when it touches on desires that are honestly difficult to reveal. (Written by Lee Eun-hee | Bookie)

Next Intelligence

The French futurist author argues that artificial intelligence can be the key to resolving social inequality. AI can bridge the intelligence gap. Until now, people with high intelligence have accumulated more opportunities and wealth and exerted social influence. Intelligence was considered an innate ability. However, the author explains that with the advent of AI, anyone can possess a high level of intelligence, and the outcomes can vary depending on how it is utilized. (Written by Laurent Alexandre | Open Books)

Steroid Humanity

This book, written by a national university professor, explores the facets and history of steroids. It features various figures who were present at the scenes of pharmaceutical development history. From the research of scholar Brown Sekar, who dreamed of restoring youth by extracting dog testicles and injecting them into his own body, to the discovery of the male hormone testosterone, and the history and scandals of doping in sports using steroids to enhance performance. It also introduces the discovery of the female hormone estrogen and the history of using related substances for chemical castration. (Written by Baek Seung-man | Hippocrates)

Asking the Path of Korea’s Finance

Although the domestic financial industry has outwardly achieved a certain level of advancement, it is still evaluated as qualitatively weak. There are also criticisms that conservative practices and various regulations have prevented it from going beyond simple fund intermediation. Based on his experience as the head of a policy bank, the author points out structural problems for financial economic growth and proposes solutions. He argues that financial accessibility must be increased by moving away from credit practices and risk-averse support methods, introducing empirical cases and policy solutions. (Written by Yoon Jong-won | Korea Economic Daily)

The Future of Currency Technology

This covers the transformation of the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation in the digital era. In 2007, the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation supplied 2 billion banknotes and 570 million coins to the Bank of Korea, but in 2024, the supply volume decreased to 345 million banknotes and 41 million coins. In response, the corporation is diversifying by introducing electronic passports, mobile IDs, commemorative coins, and gold bars based on the technology accumulated over the past 70 years. This introduces such changes and innovations. (Written by Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation | Maeil Business Newspaper)

Trump and the Korean Peninsula Explored Through Q&A

Twenty-one experts in diplomacy and security, including heads of national research institutes, think tank directors, and former deputy ministers of defense, examine the diplomatic, unification, and security issues facing Korea and propose their own solutions. They explore economic security, North Korea policy, and unification policy in preparation for the Trump administration’s second term. Discussions include how to prepare for U.S.-Korea nuclear cooperation and what strategies to adopt to join the G7+ group. The book broadly covers economic and security areas such as the U.S.-Korea alliance, adjustment of the cost-sharing for U.S. forces stationed in Korea, North Korea’s nuclear disarmament, and renegotiation of the Korea-U.S. FTA. (Written by Ko Myung-hyun et al. | Saebit)