mat ism ▁and ▁I ▁think ▁that ▁we ▁still ▁need ▁such ▁spirit ▁today ." ▁ ▁There ▁is ▁in ▁Korea ▁a ▁rev ival ▁of ▁Je ong ▁Y ak y ong ' s ▁thought ▁never ▁seen ▁before ▁on ▁that ▁scale ▁for ▁any ▁Korean ▁phil os opher . ▁In ▁the ▁not ▁distant ▁past ▁one ▁could ▁hear ▁doub ts ▁about ▁even ▁the ▁existence ▁of ▁a ▁Korean ▁philosophy . ▁Since ▁the ▁liber ation ▁of ▁Korea ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁Western ▁philosophy ▁has ▁pre va iled ▁and ▁philosophy ▁depart ments ▁in ▁most ▁Korean ▁univers ities ▁teach ▁mainly ▁European ▁modern ▁philosophy . ▁Therefore , ▁Das an ▁is ▁of ▁great ▁importance ▁as ▁he ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁be ▁enthus i astic ▁for ▁modern ▁Western ▁ideas ▁but ▁remained ▁deeply ▁committed ▁to ▁the ▁depth ▁of ▁Conf u cian ism . ▁He ▁was ▁not ▁def ending ▁a ▁tradition ▁for ▁its ▁own ▁sake ▁but ▁wanted ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁pre cious ▁values ▁of ▁the ▁early ▁Chinese ▁period ▁because ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁foundation ▁for ▁man ▁and ▁society . ▁ ▁In ▁popular ▁culture ▁▁ ▁Port rayed ▁by ▁Kim ▁My ung - gon ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁film ▁The ▁E ternal ▁Empire . ▁ ▁Port rayed ▁by ▁Song ▁Ch ang - e ui ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁M BC ▁TV ▁series ▁Lee ▁San , ▁Wind ▁of ▁the ▁Palace . ▁ ▁Port rayed ▁by ▁Park ▁Jung - ch ul ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁CG V ▁TV ▁series ▁E ight ▁Days , ▁Ass ass ination ▁Att empt s ▁against ▁King ▁Je ong