Why are Korean Go players so strong?

[Jhyn]

Let me begin by saying that this was a well-reasoned and balanced post and a pleasure to read.

Overall, I am in complete agreement with you. My previous post was more of a simplistic (over)reaction to the tendency to see direct and simple causal links in matters which are, in my opinion, much more subtle.

Culture at the scale of a country is affected by many outside events and these effects, through education and media, spread through generations in a kind a "butterfly effect". It seems obvious to me that the Japanese occupation, the Korean war, and Cho Chikun's victory in the 1968 pro qualification tournament against Kosugi Masaru, all had a lasting and structural effect on Korean Baduk.

My point is that these effects are mostly unquantifiable and it is easy to overestimate the importance of any single one of them as an "obvious" fact that would not need any argumentation. Your example about "Han" is interesting and food for thought, but as you recognize it yourself, we shouldn't use it as a poor man's "Theory of Everything" and pretend it is the explanation of (to come back to the initial topic) why Korean players are so strong.

[Kirby]

I guess we agree have similar thoughts on the topic.