The purpose of this lecture is to give a brief introduction to the recent history of Korean Democracy by explaining Professor Sandel’s popularity in Korea. Up to 2010 Professor Sandel was known to Korean scholars for his famous lecture ‘Justice’ at Harvard University. In April 2010 his book Justice was translated into Korean and saw tremendous success, selling a million copies in just a year. This was during one of the most corrupt presidencies the country has seen, awakening the Korean people’s sensitivity for justice and fairness. Most of Professor Sandel’s books were subsequently translated, almost all of them becoming bestsellers. This popularity significantly affected the candle rallies of 2016~2017 which led to a change in Korea’s regime. His recent book, The Tyranny of Merit, now draws the Korean people’s attention to the real meaning of fairness by criticizing meritocracy in global contemporary societies. This lecture will examine the impact Sandel’s political philosophy had on the Korean People’sdemocratic consciousness, and how it made them rethink true democratic values, such as the true meaning of freedom that the people in the Covid-19 era may depend on.

For inquiries: info(at)trumanlibraryleadership.net