He implies that South Korea's hard landing after the Asian financial crisis in 1997-98 was a blessing in disguise-a salutary shake-up that propelled it into the OECD club of rich nations.
Houses with tiled roofs stood in rows in the capital, and not a thatched roof was to be seen. Gentle rain came with harmonious blessings and all the harvests were plentiful.
The results, just published in Psychological Science, suggest parenthood in general, and fatherhood in particular, really are blessings, even though the parent in question might sometimes feel they are in disguise.