2025 Sejong Writing Competition
Winning Entries :: Essays :: Senior third place (tie)
Title: An Analysis of Dr. Yi's Greyscale
In a world with an increasing number of polarized views of simply black-and-white and good-and-evil, literature still remains as a stronghold of nuance and interpretation. “Kapitan Ri” by Chon Kwang-yong is one such critical piece, with the story not only playing an undeniable role in shaping modern Korean literature but also reflecting on a nation dealing with its identity after Japanese imperialism. The character and narration of Dr. Yi, who can be seen as an absolute opportunist, offers a window into the multifaceted nature of human judgement and generational differences. As a contemporary U.S. reader, my perception of Dr. Yi is shifted through cultural and temporal distances that distinguish my understanding from that of an older Korean generation. To me, Dr. Yi’s actions can be seen on a greyscale; neither morally reprehensible, but not deserving of praise either. His unique character allows for the analysis of such morally grey behaviors, giving readers the chance to learn themes of morality from his story.
Dr. Yi is ostensibly an opportunist, ready to switch sides and hold hands with former enemies if he believes it will benefit him. To a U.S. reader like myself, Dr. Yi initially appears to be an appalling caricature of greed and moral flexibility. Yet, this viewpoint risks an oversimplification of his life, considering that opportunism itself is not necessarily evil. His actions, while they may be questionable, ensure his survival in a nation grappling with external influences and modernization. After scrutinizing Dr. Yi under an American viewpoint, Dr. Yi resonates with the American ethos of self-reliance, innovation, and dedication. Such characters would appeal to U.S. readers who favor individualism, however, Dr Yi's ambiguous moral compass asks us to challenge the ethical frameworks that guide our judgments and those tendencies toward strict individualism. From one perspective, he can be seen as a resourceful man who only had black-and-white tools to escape from the greyness of being a doctor in difficult times. All the paths that he could have walked down at that time, whether he treated patients or not, would have led to him suffering losses be it from criticism and punishment for not treating patients to being unable to provide for himself and his family. Some opportunists could view and justify Dr. Yi’s story to be similar to oxygen masks on an airplane – it’s important to put one’s own mask on first before helping others. Similarly, while it may come across as greedy, if Dr. Yi didn’t prioritize his own survival, there would have been no doctor to treat anyone at all in the first place.
In a contrasting view of Dr. Yi, an older Korean generation would view his ethics as unacceptable and worthy of condemnation. He was a pro-Japanese Korean who supported his country’s oppressors, and refused to treat his fellow citizens who couldn’t afford to pay his expensive medical fees, even at the potential cost of their lives. In between Korea and the U.S. exists a large culture clash; just like how the U.S. was focused on individualism, Korea was strongly influenced by Confucian morals, especially the welfare of the group. By betraying those Confucian morals through individualism and opportunism, Dr. Yi can be seen as the flawed protagonist of his story, prioritizing his survival over helping his fellow citizens. Furthermore, it’s also important to discuss the differences in perspective between the old and new generations of Koreans. Younger generations of Koreans are more often interacting online, where individualistic actions that victimize others often run rampant and unchecked. Having few consequences for such actions online pushes the boundaries of our morality, shifting the centers and loosening the restrictions on our moral compasses which we use to decide what is right or wrong. As a member of the younger Korean generation, it’s important to keep in mind that the older Korean generation might have more constricting views on morality, providing another reason to view Dr. Yi in a negative light.
As a contemporary reader in the U.S. with Korean heritage, both moral arguments relating to Dr. Yi have a good argument for their case. He can be seen as the man who refused to treat the poor while also the same man who climbed his way to the summit and achieved success. Nevertheless, to me, the fact that he buried countless others below to rise to the top does not redeem his success. The story personally serves as a cautionary tale to never lose sight of your moral compass. Yet, it’s not how readers judge Dr. Yi that really matters. Instead, it’s the themes of the moral greyness of his life that people should take away from his story. As mentioned before, Dr. Yi’s story cannot be characterized as completely black or white. More than just a story, it spans across generations and geographies, challenging us to view the greyscale that has been hidden for too long. Moreover, the story is not just restricted to the Korean Peninsula or the United States. Its universal themes of Dr. Yi’s morality can be applied to everyone in the world, providing us an opportunity, rather than an obstacle, to understand each other’s ethics and morals more deeply.