The reason is apparent enough: not many people have the means to resolve such needs listed above. Well, here is a good way to indulge in wholesome relaxation, and it has been going on for four times already – the humanities seminars hosted by the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences. There is no opportunity better and more affordable (both financially and time-wise) than this since the seminars happen right on our campus in Room 1431 of the Humanities and Social Sciences Building (N4) at no cost at all – completely open to KAIST community members as well as alumni, their family members, and all Daejeon citizens.

The department has been providing Daejeon citizens with access to high-quality cultural experience by hosting the seminars. This year’s seminar kicks off under the title of “Understanding Culture and Arts” and invites a number of speakers from the fields of music, visual arts, architecture, urban planning, and museology to share their perspectives on the understanding of culture and arts from both hemispheres of the planet. The aim of the seminars really is to make humanities subjects more fun but not too light.

Starting on October 16, the series of seminars runs for six weeks, each week featuring a different speaker for a different topic. For example, the first speaker, Professor Sun Yee from Korea National University of Cultural Heritage, is to give a lecture on traditional landscape architecture with reference to the Chosun paintings of traditional gardens; whereas the second speaker, Professor Baek Young Kim from KwangWoon University, will lecture on “Metropolitan Seoul: The Tales Behind Layers of Time.” The full list of lectures, speakers, dates, and topics are shown in the table. Taking place on November 20, the last seminar the speakers invited are a special combination – an architecture professor, a violinist, and a guitarist.

At first glance, I sensed little connection between humanities and relaxation; after all, how can we relax by merely changing the subject of study – from science and engineering to humanities and social science? It maybe is a far-fetched idea to seek personal repose in the field of humanities and social science, where other college students in that field too struggle for four years to be awarded their respective qualifications, and where our very own school also provides some academic courses in the humanities.

I would argue that the answer lies in the daily monotonous routine that oftentimes tire us KAIST students. Living in well-furnished and well-equipped dormitories is a wonderful privilege that buys the envy of many other college students, but sometimes it also entails a merry-go-round lifestyle every day that may not be so merry after all. It is not difficult to spot students who frequent only their dormitory rooms and lecture rooms for the entire week, or even for the entire month. Under circumstances like these, I think it best to start looking for things other than studying major-related subjects, beginning right here in our own campus, where so many people realize the same problem. In short, even getting to know more about humanities and social science, even if it is in the form of learning, is a good way to relax ourselves. In and of itself, seeing and hearing must be positive stimulus for heads already heated with heaps of homework.