[Alumni] Viewing the World through Civil Law - Interview with Lawyer Oh Soo-hyun
- ecos
- Hit129
- 2024-04-09
We form various relationships with people, objects, and situations as we live our lives. Whether it's buying food, borrowing money from friends, or searching for a place to live, we engage in diverse relationships. All the rights and obligations arising from these relationships are governed by civil law. Let's follow along with the author's stories about civil law, which are closely intertwined with our daily lives.
Oh Soo-hyun, an alumnus of Sungkyunkwan University, graduated from the undergraduate program in Global Economics (Class of '11) and the Graduate School of Law (Class of 7) and currently works as a lawyer at JaeYul Law Firm while also serving as a civil law lecturer. He has long dreamed of writing a civil law book that serves as a humanities and general knowledge book among various law exam guides and practical books. With this aspiration, after three years of work, he was able to publish 'The Easiest Civil Law Book in South Korea.
Q. "The book 'The Easiest Civil Law Book in South Korea' received the Brunch Book Award and garnered enthusiastic love. Was there a particular reason or motivation behind your decision to write a book about civil law?"
A. "When I first entered Sungkyunkwan University Law School as part of the 7th intake, I spent a considerable amount of time in confusion. I found it difficult to adapt to legal studies as an exam preparation subject. I voluntarily took a leave of absence and took some time off. During this period of wandering and searching, I often pondered why I had failed in legal studies. Thanks to this time, I had the opportunity to carefully digest thick textbooks and solidify my understanding of the basics of civil law while grasping the framework of law studies."
As I reflect on my wandering journey, I realize that by providing insights and fostering interest in law, more juniors could adapt well to legal studies. In the realm of law exams, like all tests, there is a tendency to focus on exceptional cases. While these cases are crucial for passing exams, I find it regrettable that many students seem to overlook the bigger picture of law. Motivated by this realization, I have authored "The Easiest Guide to Civil Law in South Korea."
Q. Were there any regrets or difficulties during the writing process?
A. The focal point of writing the book was to make it "easy to understand." In reality, there were many important legal precedents that couldn't all be included despite their significance in real-life situations. However, it's commonly said that the hardest part of writing is cutting down content. So, I had to let go of my ambitions and trim down the content to make this book possible. The first draft was completed in 8 months and it was nearly 800 pages long. Instead of expanding the volume, I condensed it, focusing on conveying the stories I really wanted to tell. As I wasn't writing a specialized textbook, my aim was to present easy and engaging civil law narratives.
Q. As law, by its nature, can be prone to confusion with its vocabulary and concepts, do you have any personal strategies?
A. I can offer two specific strategies.
Firstly, "Get familiar with Hanja interpretations." When studying law, you encounter numerous Hanja words. It's essential to develop the ability to interpret Hanja characters and understand their definitions in a one-to-one correspondence. Knowing Hanja can greatly aid in comprehending legal terms.
Secondly, "Don't randomly underline or dissect definitions or sentences." With the vast amount of legal content, test-takers often summarize and condense it continuously. While this is necessary due to the volume, it can be challenging for students to grasp accurately if other important aspects are overlooked.
I'm not saying underlining and summarizing are bad practices. They are necessary tasks due to the volume, but what I want to emphasize is even the parts without underlining should be thoroughly read. Students often forget essential premises (such as "in cases of," "at the time of"). Initially, I would underline everything with a pencil. Then, I would gradually erase and only underline with a pen the truly crucial parts. Yes, in the end, it boils down to reading everything. I want to convey the message of not just continuously focusing on what you think is important.
Q. What do you think is the most distinguishing feature between other branches of law and civil law?
A. As I wrote in the book, civil law deals with relationships, so it's crucial to grasp the key elements of personal relationships and study accordingly. Try drawing relationship diagrams with circles, straight lines, and squares to clearly visualize them. For more details, I hope you'll find them in my book.
Q. What kind of student were you during your time at Sungkyunkwan University?
A. I was a self-proclaimed academic enthusiast, albeit a bit embarrassed to admit it. I enjoyed studying humanities and spending hours in the library exploring various fields. My enrollment in Sungkyunkwan University's Global Economics program allowed me to delve deeply into foundational subjects during my freshman year, which greatly influenced me. I was so passionate about learning that I even formed study groups with fellow economics doctoral students. I spent the first two years at Sungkyunkwan University and completed the remaining two years at Indiana University, obtaining a dual degree. I believe I was a diligent student with a high academic curiosity.
Many students are currently engaging in extracurricular activities, but I strongly recommend experiencing studying abroad. I would summarize my undergraduate experience with the keywords "academic" and "international experience." Rather than focusing on clubs or societies, I concentrated on building my own academic foundation, which I believe greatly contributed to my success. I also challenged myself by broadening my perspectives, changing environments, reading research papers, and exploring various literary works and authors to accumulate diverse experiences and knowledge.
Q. When faced with the dilemma of in-depth reading versus skimming, what do you prioritize?
A. I faced a similar dilemma myself. In my case, I prioritized in-depth reading over skimming. However, I later realized the importance of skimming and pondered how I could manage to skim within a limited time frame. My conclusion was to "utilize audiobooks." I've been practicing this method for six years, utilizing spare time to listen to books that I wouldn't typically read. There's scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of auditory reading, so if you find yourself reading slowly or lacking time for skimming, I recommend giving it a try.
Q. What advice would you give to fellow students who are considering publishing their first book?
A. I would advise them to make good use of platforms. Nowadays, there are many well-established platforms for individuals aspiring to become authors or publishers. Platforms like Brunch Story and Changjak's Weather allow you to steadily write and notify subscribers. The advantage of writing on such platforms is that you can objectively evaluate the practical competitiveness of your writing. No matter how high-quality your writing is, it may be challenging to publish if you don't gain subscribers and views. However, as you gradually attract subscribers who objectively appreciate your writing, publishing houses may contact you and seek collaborations. By doing so, you can move one step closer to realizing your dream as an author. Personally, I never gave up on my dream of becoming a writer since childhood. During my military service, I decided to give it a try, starting with Brunch Story, and eventually ended up publishing my first book.
Q. Finally, could you please share a few words with Sungkyunkwan University students?
A. I believe that university is a place where you can gain as much as you put in effort. Schools genuinely make a lot of efforts to support students more than you might think. I hope you take full advantage of the various benefits provided by the university. Having an active and proactive attitude towards utilizing Sungkyunkwan University and not missing out on such opportunities is crucial. Keep knocking on the doors of professors or administrative offices; something will eventually come out of it. As the saying goes, "give an extra piece to a crying baby," I sincerely look forward to your bright future and wholeheartedly support you.
*Original Text of the interview
성균관대학교 People 게시판읽기(민법으로 바라보는 세상 이야기 - 오수현 변호사 인터뷰)
*The Brunch Story of Oh Soo-hyun