★Over 100,000 copies sold! Special hardcover commemorative edition for 100,000 copies! A guide to learning for life.

★Since its publication in 2022, Choi Jae-cheon's Learning has remained a bestseller in the humanities category for 50 consecutive weeks. It has been featured as a SERICEO recommended book, an international ballet exam reference text, and more, continuing to captivate readers and solidify its status as a long-selling title. Media reviews have praised it as "a celebration of the vitality that comes from learning for life, not just for credentials," while readers have called it "the book on lifelong learning." It has sparked a learning craze, with sales exceeding 100,000 copies!

This is a book that Professor Choi Jae-cheon, who has long observed both animals and humans, had wanted to write for over a decade. It comprehensively addresses the urgent questions about learning in our era. Exploring why learning matters and how it impacts us, it delves into previously underexamined issues in Korean education, paints a vision for the future, and offers a blueprint. The book is grounded in Professor Choi’s firsthand experiences at Harvard University, his lectures as a professor at Seoul National University and Ewha Womans University, and his interdisciplinary perspective bridging natural sciences and humanities.

Countless teenagers and parents, young adults and middle-aged individuals, as well as government and corporate leaders, have sought answers from Professor Choi Jae-cheon, a master in the natural sciences. Questions like:
"How can I find what I love?"
"How can I live leisurely while juggling multiple tasks?"
"Is there a secret to raising children?"
"How should we live in the face of global crises?"
"What kind of talent should we select and nurture?"

The paths of life, education, policy, and business vary for each person, but they share one common thread: the desire to find a way to live—and to learn.
"You don’t have to study relentlessly like stacking bricks."
"There’s no need to race against the clock; finish a week before the deadline."
"Reading shouldn’t just be a hobby—it should be work."
"Teachers shouldn’t step on their students’ feet."
"Let’s educate like animals do."
"Give children back their lives."
"Discover what’s right through discussion."
"It’s okay to follow your heart!"

In this book, Professor Choi Jae-cheon answers our burning questions with a voice that is sometimes gentle, sometimes unflinchingly direct. He opens the windows of our minds and expands the horizons of learning.

Choi Jae-cheon is a renowned Korean scientist, academic, and science communicator, celebrated for his interdisciplinary contributions to ecology, sociobiology, and the integration of natural and humanities. His work spans academia, environmental activism, and public engagement, making him a pivotal figure in both Korean and international scientific communities.
Education & Academic Career
B.S. in Zoology, Seoul National University
M.S. in Ecology, Pennsylvania State University (1982)
Ph.D. in Biology, Harvard University (1990)
After completing his doctorate, Choi served as a visiting lecturer at Harvard University and became an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan (1992). He returned to Korea in 2004 as a professor in the Department of Biology at Seoul National University, later moving to Ewha Womans University in 2006. There, he currently holds the positions of Chair Professor in the Department of Ecology, Director of the Ewha Institute of Ecology, and President of the Biodiversity Foundation.
Leadership Roles
Choi has held influential leadership positions:
Co-Chair of the Environmental Movement Alliance (a major Korean environmental NGO)
President of the Korean Ecological Society
Founding Director of the National Institute of Ecology
Co-founder of the Consilience Institute (bridging disciplinary boundaries for knowledge integration)
Co-Chair of the Climate Change Center and 136 Environmental Forum
His leadership emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly in addressing climate change and biodiversity conservation.
Awards & Honors
Young Scientist Award, Entomological Society of America (1989)
Republic of Korea Science and Culture Award (2000)
Michigan Society of Fellows Young Investigator (1992–1995)
International Environment Award
Annual Women’s Movement Award
Republic of Korea Order of Scientific Merit
Scientific Contributions
As a protégé of Edward O. Wilson at Harvard, Choi introduced the concept of consilience (disciplinary unity) to Korean academia, coining the term "Consilience" in Korean discourse. He established the Consilience Institute to promote cross-disciplinary research, advocating for integrative approaches to solve complex societal challenges.
Choi’s fieldwork includes studying animal behavior in tropical rainforests and championing Homo Symbius, his vision for a future human species adapted to symbiotic coexistence with nature and technology. He argues that the "Age of Women"—where men’s adoption of traditionally feminine traits becomes biologically inevitable—is critical for addressing ecological and social crises.
Public Engagement & Advocacy
Since 1995, Choi has been a vocal science communicator, delivering lectures, appearing on broadcasts, and publishing in media to bridge the gap between academia and the public. He:
Translated Edward O. Wilson’s Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge, introducing the concept to Korean audiences.
Served as a consultant for the National Museum of Natural History (1998–) and a committee member for the Ministry of Science’s Science Education Development Council, designing programs to attract youth to STEM fields.
Founded the Primate Research Institute to study chimpanzees and create public educational spaces for ecosystem appreciation.
Authorship & Translation
Choi has authored/translated over 30 books, including:
The Secret Lives of Ants (original Korean: Ant Empire’s Discovery, published in English by Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012)
All Life is Beautiful
The Scientist’s Desk
Homo Symbius: The Symbiotic Human
Why Do Humans Age?
The Age of Women: Even Men Will Wear Makeup (exploring biological foundations of gender roles)
He also edited the Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior (2019) and frequently reviews scientific content for children’s literature.