Publishing My Own Book

Beginning in early July of 2025, I started working on one of the most meaningful personal projects I have taken on: writing my own book. As someone of Japanese, Korean, and Chinese descent, my multicultural background has greatly shaped my understanding and interpretation of what culture actually means. With this interest of mine, I spent the next several months researching and drafting ideas. And after a long journey of writing, revising, and reflecting, I’m proud to share that my book ‘The Business of Culture in a Digital World - How Does Culture Become Business in the Tech Era?’ is finally complete.

This book examines modern discussions revolving around digital platforms, creator economies, artificial intelligence, intellectual property, and the ethics behind cultural business. Furthermore, to help create my book, I would also like to acknowledge that I used artificial intelligence as a research tool to help me summarize information and introduce complex concepts. Many may criticize my use of AI, as people are scared of it and see it as a threat that will replace humans. But will avoiding or fearing these technologies truly help society move forward? Throughout writing this book, I developed my own understanding that, as these technologies already exist, we should be using them responsibly instead of being scared to use them.

At the same time, this project challenged me to think deeper about how connected culture, international markets, and business truly are, which further strengthened my interest in studying business and international relations in the future. After months of work, I am incredibly grateful to officially publish this book through the Korean Youth Honor Society (KYHS). This book has been distributed to all of my teachers, school counselors, and principals, as well as university professors, fellow KYHS members, and the National Library of Korea. The ISBN number is 979-11-989046-3-8, and you can access a digital version of it at the following link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GgS57P3OGFAA8gX2Hxq1opVQ2CvNVDek/view?usp=sharing.

I’m deeply grateful for the support that made this book possible. I especially want to thank Mr. Jeongsu Kim for being the best mentor I could have asked for. Thank you for spending your weekends reading through my manuscript and encouraging me throughout this entire process. Your guidance throughout my academic endeavors has truly meant a lot to me. I would also like to acknowledge Dr. Sarao for his guidance and constant support throughout my academic journey; Dr. Meadows for his patience, wisdom, and continual encouragement; Mr. Davis for consistently challenging me musically and personally; Mr. Baker for the meaningful discussions that deepened my perspective and faith; Ms. Peterson for her compassion, care, and genuine kindness; Mr. McGrath for his dedication and commitment to helping me grow with confidence; Ms. Kim for her sincerity and commitment to pushing me to think deeper and work harder; Ms. Domasicwicz for her kindness and for always making others feel welcomed and encouraged; Dr. Hwang, Dr. Coleman, and Ms. Jin for supporting and guiding me through every step of my journey; the Chapel Praise Band team and Tri-M Band Flex group for filling rehearsals with laughter and making music such a wonderful part of my life; and finally, all of my friends, who have made my high school journey so far an unforgettable experience.

Above all, I would like to thank God, because I truly could not have accomplished any of this without Him. Thank you for giving me the strength to remain disciplined and the perseverance to continue through every challenge throughout this journey. Every opportunity, lesson, and achievement throughout this process has been a blessing, and I am deeply grateful for the guidance and purpose you have given me in my life.

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