A civilizational anatomical report on the grand ideology 'tradition' that dominates the Korean subconscious, 'The Editing of Tradition' (Timeline), has been published.

Is the 'traditional culture' of Korea, which we take for granted today, truly a legacy inherited intact from the past? Or is it an invention reconstructed retroactively for a specific purpose?

Through the book, author Choi Beom, a cultural critic, deconstructs the reality of 'tradition,' which our society has blindly sanctified, and sharply dissects the modern mechanisms hidden behind it.

“What is tradition to Koreans, and why are we so obsessed with tradition?” In the preface, the author borrows the concept of 'invented traditions' from British historian Eric Hobsbawm, revealing that much of what we commonly believe to be a product of a long history is, in fact, a political and cultural product invented and edited within the space-time of 'modernity'.

The author diagnoses Korean discourse on tradition as a product of a kind of 'lack' and 'hope.' He points out that the cultural sense of loss and inferiority accumulated through colonization, division, and rapid modernization has paradoxically led to clinging to the illusion of a 'pure and great tradition'.

In other words, the tradition we speak of is not the actual fact that existed in the past, but rather an 'idealized ghost' created by projecting what modern people 'hope for' to fill their present lack.

The most provocative aspect of this book is its direct criticism of the 'nationalist fallacy and ideology' inherent in Korean traditional discourse.

Through the preface, the author integrates theories such as Michel de Certeau's theories of everyday life practices to precisely trace how tradition has been 'edited' and instilled in the public as a dominant discourse by the state and power. It meticulously demonstrates the process by which state-sponsored festivals, standardized traditional arts, and the nationalistic ethos deeply embedded in daily life have made us uncritical worshippers of tradition.

However, the author's goal is not simply to devalue or destroy tradition. The author's true intention lies in the message of liberation: "By clearly 'knowing' that tradition is a product of the present, we can finally understand tradition better and deal with it proactively."

The moment we realize that tradition is not a preserved relic but a modern compilation, we gain the status of an 'editor' rather than a slave to tradition. The author argues that Korean society must now break free from uncritical sanctification and nationalist obsession, and freely reinterpret and edit tradition as a cultural resource needed for life here and now.

By Reporter Im Yo-hee