Celebrating 2
6
“Iconic” Is Not Hyperbolic
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
June 2021
FEATURE
By Dr. David Shaffer Editor-in-Chief
I
can say without reservation that the Gwangju News is iconic. Yes, I know that to be iconic, something must exhibit distinctive excellence. The Gwangju News has the distinction of being the first regular English language publication produced by one of Korea’s international centers. Indeed, it is Korea’s first monthly magazine for the general public to be locally published in English! It is also distinctive in that the magazine is almost totally managed by volunteers – staff and writers. And the excellence, it can be found in the quality of the articles that our contributors write as well as in the editing. My, how time flies! I remember that when the first issue of the Gwangju News came off the press 20 years ago, it was just a couple folded sheets of paper that has grown and grown until reaching its present 60 pages per issue. It is absolutely amazing how our small staff can generate those 60 pages by the first of each month without a noticeable hiccup; I admire their energy, their creativity, their dedication. Yes, time flies. I recall ten years ago when I was first approached to do a language teaching column for the magazine. At the time, I had no idea that, over 100 articles later, I would still be writing for that column. And I had no idea when I was approached almost five years ago to head the Gwangju News staff that I would still be editor-in-chief today. But the people I work with and the satisfaction of seeing the fruits of our monthly toils make it all worth the while. David Shaffer, in addition to being editor-in-chief, pens From the Editor, puts together the Blast from the Past column, and writes the long-running column Language Teaching, as well as an occasional article on an assortment of his other interests.
2021�06��.indd 6
A Catalyst for Community Improvement By William Urbanski Managing Editor
I
n a day and age when virtually everyone can whip out their phone to check the international headlines about Chinese satellites falling from the sky or vaccine shortages in Timbuktu, we too often forget about all the exciting and important stuff happening right in front of our faces right here in our community. Be they creative initiatives or entrepreneurial endeavors, highlighting these local happenings in the pages of the Gwangju News not only brings them the attention they deserve but also strengthens the Gwangju community as a whole. “Social contribution” is a term that gets thrown around a lot these days, and for good reason. A better community, and a better reality for that matter, is something that doesn't happen by itself. It is the sum total of all the little contributions people make that perhaps have little monetary value but make us stop and think, and perhaps even shift ever so slightly in our easy chairs. That, in a nutshell, is why I feel it’s important to volunteer for the Gwangju News: It is a catalyst for community improvement. On a personal level, the magazine is also a platform for my comedy stylings, which are my attempts to rectify one of the greatest problems facing humanity in this day and age: a serious lack of intellectual witticism.
William Urbanski has been managing editor of the Gwangju News for the past two years, making him now the longestserving person in that volunteer position. In addition, William contributes his witticism to many of the magazine’s articles, particularly in the Opinion section.
2021-05-26 �� 9:29:57
