스무살 청춘들의 지적 성장…60여년 우정의 일대기

The legendary "Academy Olympia" referred to was not an impressive organization. In around 1902, 23-year-old Albert Einstein started hanging out with two like-minded friends in the informal club for discussions on philosophy, science, and literature. They continued to meet informally for a few years until the group disbanded in 1905. However, this background is considered one of the reasons behind Einstein's famous papers that year.

Interestingly, this story is reminiscent of a similar informal group of university students who freely discussed physics, philosophy, and humanities. Our generation was unaware of Einstein's similar endeavor and never considered the term "Academy Olympia." But upon reflection, this was indeed our very own "Academy Olympia." I first met 임원규 (1937-2019) in 1957 when he enrolled at Seoul National University's Physics Department.

After a short while, he suddenly returned home with a buzz cut, reminiscent of his youth when he endured compulsory buzz cuts from childhood to high school. At first, it seemed like he was trying to study harder, but to us, it was more like a display of arrogance, just wanting others to acknowledge him. I began to grow closer to him, recognizing his confidence and ability to appreciate the good in others while criticizing his shortcomings.

His approach to lectures, assessments, and conversations stood out - always critical yet open to positive points.