Description A legendary educational comic series that has connected with 18 million readers across generations — now evolving even in the AI era with its 5th revised and expanded edition! Emphasizing that it transcends "time and generations," Meonara Iunnara presents its newly revised and expanded edition. More than 40 years have passed since the series began serialization in a children's newspaper in 1981. Early readers have since become parents and pillars of our society, and the next generation has become new readers — truly transcending both time and generations. In the early days of the series, the perspective was filled with admiration and envy toward Europe, focusing on reflecting on what we lacked. However, our country has developed at a truly remarkable pace, growing into a wonderful nation standing shoulder to shoulder with developed countries. As our nation's standing has risen, our perspective on the world has gradually broadened and diversified. I too have come to view the world more objectively and clearly. I believe this has been reflected in the book through numerous revisions. _From "On Publishing the 2024 Revised and Expanded Edition" Beginning with six European countries in 1987, and continuing through Japan (2000), Korea (2002), the United States (2004-2005), the Middle East (2007), China (2010-2011), Turkey (2018), Russia (2020), and India (2022), Meonara Iunnara has completed its map of the world. Now, "transcending time and generations," it returns with its 5th revised and expanded edition. Over the roughly 40 years during which Professor Lee Won-bok has guided readers through about 60 "faraway" countries becoming "neighboring" ones, our country has genuinely grown to stand shoulder to shoulder with the developed nations covered in the series' early days. Through numerous revisions, Meonara Iunnara has strived to view the world with a more diverse and objective perspective befitting our nation's rising international standing. Under the premise that "history is always being rewritten," the series has been revised approximately every five years since its first publication, continuously updating and refining its content to keep pace with a changing world. Thanks to its vivid portrayal of living world history, the reputation of this legendary educational comic remains ever-current, even as centuries turn and generations change. This newly published edition of Meonara Iunnara: Transcending Time and Generations is no exception, reflecting recent global affairs and the international order to shed new light on emerging historical and cultural developments. Above all, the author has added a "Highlights" appendix — carefully compiled over a long period — summarizing the key points of each country and region in a clear and organized way to conclude each volume. From a Frog in the Well to the Center of the World What is the secret to the popularity of Meonara Iunnara, which has completed a world map spanning 60 countries over 40 years? Meonara Iunnara began in 1981 as a series on six European countries serialized in the Sonyeon Hankook Ilbo (a children's newspaper). Those columns were compiled into a book (published by Koryowon) in 1987. At the time, overseas travel was not yet freely available, and the internet was unimaginable. With the appearance of Meonara Iunnara — combining information and entertainment — the mindset of global citizenship began to take root in Korea in preparation for a globalizing era. Meonara Iunnara is a landmark work that expanded our thinking and worldview, once confined like a frog in a well, out onto the world stage. More than 40 years since then, Meonara Iunnara continues to be recommended by parents to their children and by teachers to their students, read across time and generations as the singular pioneer and household name in educational comics. What is the reason Meonara Iunnara has been so deeply loved by readers for nearly half a century? First, there is Professor Lee Won-bok, who opened the era of educational comics and continues to actively draw comics to this day. The author's connection to comics began when, as a student at Gyeonggi High School, he took a part-time job copying foreign comics through a connection with a children's newspaper company. He went on to study architecture at Seoul National University before studying abroad in Germany. During his more than ten years abroad, he studied comics from around the world extensively, worked as a freelance illustrator contributing comics and posters to West German newspapers, and even drew the cover for the 150th anniversary issue of the prestigious German newspaper Allgemeine Zeitung. Returning to Korea in 1984, Professor Lee Won-bok took a position at a university while also...