Description: A legendary educational comic series that has connected with 18 million readers across generations and eras—now evolving into the AI age with its 5th revised and expanded edition! Emphasizing that this beloved series has "crossed eras and generations," the revised and expanded edition of Meonnara Iutnara is here. More than 40 years have passed since the series began serialization in a children's newspaper in 1981, growing alongside its readers throughout that time. The children who first picked up this book have since become parents and pillars of our society, and now the next generation has become its new readers—truly crossing both eras and generations. In the early volumes of the series, the perspective was filled with admiration and envy toward Europe, focusing on reflecting upon what our country lacked. However, Korea has since developed at an astonishing pace, growing into a wonderful nation that now stands shoulder to shoulder with the world's advanced countries. As Korea's standing in the world has risen, our perspective on the world has broadened and diversified as well. I too have come to view the world with a more objective and clear-eyed perspective. I believe this shift has been reflected in the book through its many rounds of revision. — From "On Publishing the 2024 Revised and Expanded Edition" Beginning in 1987 with six European countries, Meonnara Iutnara has gone on to complete its map of the world—covering Japan (2000), Korea (2002), the United States (2004–2005), the Middle East (2007), China (2010–2011), Türkiye (2018), Russia (2020), and India (2022). Now, "crossing eras and generations," the series returns with its 5th revised and expanded edition. Over the roughly 40 years that Professor Lee Won-bok has guided readers through around 60 "faraway" countries that have become "neighboring" ones, Korea itself has truly grown to stand alongside the advanced nations first featured in the series. Through numerous revisions over the years, Meonnara Iutnara has continually strived to present the world through a more diverse and objective lens befitting Korea's rising global standing. Operating under the belief that "history is always being rewritten," the series has been revised roughly every five years since its first publication, continually updated and refined to keep pace with a changing world. Because it has vividly captured living moments of world history, the legendary educational comic series remains as relevant as ever, even as centuries turn and generations change. This newly published edition, Meonnara Iutnara: Crossing Eras, Crossing Generations, is no exception—reflecting recent global affairs and the international order to shed light on newly emerging historical and cultural developments. Most notably, the author has added a special appendix featuring "Highlights" for each country, carefully compiled over a long period, allowing readers to review the key points of each nation and region at a glance. From Looking at Korea Through a Well to Seeing It at the Center of the World: The Secret Behind 40 Years and 60 Countries What is the secret behind the enduring popularity of Meonnara Iutnara, which has completed a world map spanning 60 countries over 40 years? Meonnara Iutnara began in 1981 as a series on six European countries serialized in the Sonyeon Hankook Ilbo (Boys' Korea Daily). That material was compiled into a book (published by Koryowon) in 1987. At the time, international travel was still restricted, and the internet was unimaginable. With its blend of information and entertainment, Meonnara Iutnara sparked the beginnings of a global citizen mindset in Korea, preparing readers for the coming global era. It was truly a monumental work that expanded the perspective of a nation once confined to its own small world onto the global stage. More than 40 years later, Meonnara Iutnara continues to be recommended by parents to their children and teachers to their students, read across eras and generations. It remains the singular pioneer and definitive name in educational comics. What has made Meonnara Iutnara so beloved by readers for nearly half a century? First and foremost, there is Professor Lee Won-bok, who pioneered the era of educational comics and continues to actively draw comics to this day. His connection to comics began during his years at Gyeonggi High School, when he took on a part-time job copying foreign comics through a children's newspaper company. He went on to study architecture at Seoul National University before continuing his studies in Germany. During his decade abroad, he immersed himself in comics from around the world, working as a freelancer contributing comics and posters to West German newspapers, and even illustrating the cover for the 150th anniversary issue of the prestigious German newspaper Allgemeine Zeitung. After returning to Korea in 1984, Professor Lee Won-bok took up a position at a university while also continuing to create Meonnara Iutnara...