March 21, a Saturday, perfectly captured the dual spirit of modern Korea — a nation grounded in the pragmatic values of the past, yet standing at the pinnacle of global soft power. The day began with a practical errand. As we are good friends, I accompanied Mrs. Leiko, the wife of the Hungarian ambassador to Korea, to Jongno 3-ga and Jongno 5-ga, areas in Seoul renowned for their dense labyrinth of gold shops. She had recently had a gold crown removed from a wisdom tooth, and, given the staggering rise in gold prices, we hoped it might fetch a fair price. Upon arrival, I realized the tooth was only part of the story. She had also brought necklaces, rings and bracelets. Her decision reflected a shift in generational values. Once, she had imagined passing these pieces down as heirlooms; now, she felt modern children might find them outdated. Rather than leaving behind unused objects, she chose to convert them into cash, giving her children the freedom to shape their own futures. I was surprised when the modest collection totaled more than half a million won — a reminder that the glob
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