Now, this is the very beginning of the essay series.
In order to familiarize our readers, I started the series from the middle.
Since you know about the author, it will be easier to start from the beginning.

In this particular essay, he describes his historical trip to North Korea
as the photographer of Natonal Geographic Magazine.
This becomes the base of his success in America.
Probably, only he could have done such thing in early 1970s.

I knew his whereabout for the first time since graduation
when the story of North Korea came out in National Geographic.
By then, I was in USA as well.

Staging our life is a good way to write our life-story, if we want, I noticed.

If I stage my life;

1st - those years in Jinju up to 18 years old
2nd - those years in Seoul up to 25
3rd - those years in military service in Sokcho, Dongducheon, and Seoul
4th - early years in America
5th - later years of my life in America

And
- where and when and how it ends?