As a child, Lee Sang-hyun had no interest in sitting down and holding a pen. At the age of 11, his mother, hoping to nurture focus and discipline in him, enrolled him in an after-school program that teaches “seoyeo,” or traditional calligraphy. Instead of grabbing a pen, he spent his days grinding an inkstick on a slab to make ink. One day, he was caught in the act. Expecting a scolding, he braced himself for punishment. But to his surprise, the teacher simply smiled and said, “I’ve always found this white wall too dull. Why don’t you turn it completely black?”