The author studied German language and literature at Seoul National University before receiving a master's degree at the same institution. Later, he received his Ph.D in research into the novels of Theodor Fontanes from Germany's University of Wuppertal. He majored in 19th century German realist literature and German contemporary fiction, and is currently a professor of German literature at Seoul National University. His published works include 『Dialogische Offenheit Eine Studie zum Erzahlwerk Theodor Fontanes』 (2001), 『The Rebirth of Mnemosyne』 (2005), 『Sisyphus and His Brothers』 (2009), and『The Curse of Medula』 (2014). He has also translated 『This Perhaps Is Kafka (2017)』.