[SSG nudge Leadership] Playing Peekaboo with Grandchild Saying 'Doridori Kkakkung'

From Baby Play to Adult Play

My grandson is now five months old. Our family visits once or twice a week to help the mother with postpartum care and household chores. When that happens, I prepare various things and help drive the car for about an hour to my daughter's house. We bring a lot of side dishes, and my mother-in-law cooks herself. Because of this, almost every week the whole family, including my son-in-law, gathers around the table, making mealtime quite enjoyable. Visiting so often, not only the grandson but also the closeness between my wife, daughter, and son-in-law has grown, which is a pleasant feeling.

While my wife and daughter prepare the meal, I enjoy playing with my grandson. Sitting him on my lap, I softly say, “Doridori doridori... kakkung!” and he giggles happily. After doing this a few times, my younger daughter, who is not yet married, and my wife come over and ask what the secret is.

When I say, “Grandpa must be good to him,” my younger daughter, who has been playing with and doting on him for a long time as his aunt, says, “This one has betrayed us,” and everyone laughs. That’s understandable because when the grandmother and aunt played with him, he only smiled or made a sulky face.

I have no memory of how I played with my daughters over 30 years ago. It was vaguely just “kakkung kakkung.” Based on that memory, I searched the internet for ‘kakkung’ and found many related play materials. Recalling for a moment, I easily found the materials I had seen years ago. I once tried to incorporate our traditional games into lectures for office workers. It is a book that organizes ten traditional childcare play phrases called Dandongshiphun (檀童十訓), which are words used to soothe young children. This is a traditional childcare method we have had since the Dangun era. Since it is written in Chinese characters, interpreting them reveals interesting meanings.

“Doridori kakkung” means “dori (道理)” as the proper things humans should do. “Kakkung” is the reinforced pronunciation of “gakgung (覺躬),” meaning to realize or awaken. Connecting these, it contains the deep meaning from our ancestors to “be aware of oneself and learn the proper way” while looking around throughout life. Adding this subtle meaning to the sight of someone turning their head left and right saying “doridori,” then suddenly saying “kakkung” to stimulate them seems fun. That’s why it seems to make them giggle.

These days, I have been applying one more thing. When tired, entering a bathhouse, or trying to wake up, I sit down relaxed. Then, I alternate saying “doridori jaemjaemjaemjaem” about 50 times, and I recover. “Jaemjaem” refers to the action of opening and closing both hands, derived from “jiamjam (持闇),” where “ji” means to hold or grasp, and “am” means darkness. It means that wise living is not easily understood, so we should carefully distinguish the confusion of the world.

However, there is also opposition to translating these into Chinese characters. Some theories say it was forcibly attached to our traditional words. Even considering that, it sounds plausible. The words are our traditional methods. The ten play phrases have perfect rhythm, and grouping some together stimulates the brain, making it fun. Speaking of which, when I visited my daughter’s house, I saw many new tools for childcare. They are developed to minimize the hands and efforts of dual-income parents. Most focus the child’s attention on specific tools or screens. However, I thought nothing beats playing directly with precious babies face to face. At that moment, I decided to try using it quickly.

Besides these, there are also Bularbula, Sisangsang, Gonjigonji, Upbiupbi, Ahamaham, Jakjakgung Jakjakgung (Jjakjjakgung), and others. They include wisdom such as practicing walking, making fists, palm slapping, shaking the head, clapping hands, and dancing. Wisdom and stimulation that transcend eras are good. And anyway, just seeing grandpa makes him smile well, so that alone is good.

Park Chang-wook, CEO of Korea Knowledge Leader Association (Secretary General of Daewoo World Management Research Association)

◆ What is 'Nudge Leadership'?

- 'Nudge Leadership' is not a coercive or directive oppressive method but leads organizational or personal change through small and gentle interventions or motivation. It also means improving human relationships through small changes by oneself and transforming into someone others want to follow. Ultimately, it breathes creativity and passion into organizations or relationships, creating new value and happiness.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.