[W Forum] The Beginning of 'Deokjil'

One leisurely weekend afternoon, while flipping through TV channels with the remote control, a song sung by a certain singer suddenly caught my ear. The subtitles revealed it was a dance track by a well-known mid-career trot singer, but I couldn’t connect it at all with the version I originally knew.

The heartfelt voice layered over a beat like the pounding of a heartbeat struck my ears and mind, making me realize for the first time how deeply meaningful the lyrics of this song were. Curious about this amazing talent, I searched and found quite a few videos?from clips of the singer performing alone on the street to recent videos from the past five or six months with astonishingly high view counts.

Every night, I spent sleepless hours searching for and watching videos related to this singer on YouTube. My phone battery was constantly running low from all the charging. I even ordered Bluetooth earphones to use during my commute. Having only known CDs before, I suddenly purchased a music platform subscription and found myself telling anyone who would listen, "This singer’s music is really great because of this or that." Worried about myself, I asked my son, and he told me this was the beginning of 'deokjil.'

I looked up the meaning of 'deokjil.' It refers to the act of immersing oneself in a field of interest or passion, collecting or seeking out related things. The subject of deokjil, called a 'deokhu,' is compared to the Japanese otaku but is characterized as an amateur expert who actively engages in social interactions. Deokhus satisfy individual desires with specialized diversity and depth, and they also play the role of trendsetters by producing and spreading new information. They not only provide innovative ideas but also lead new consumption patterns. Particularly in Korea, deokhus value experience and form empathy through communication.

Suddenly, I recalled when I was a middle school student over 50 years ago and British pop singer Cliff Richard visited Korea. At that time, Cliff Richard was so popular that everyone was humming 'The Young Ones.' Some of my friends had attended his concert. One friend even fainted amidst the chorus and cheers of the female middle school students during the performance.

I was a bit envious of those friends who could afford the extremely expensive tickets to see a top foreign singer’s concert, but I was puzzled about why someone would faint. Looking back now, I realize those girls were truly passionate deokhus and part of a fandom. Including that time, I had never been enthusiastic about anyone, so spending the past month in 2021 deeply immersed in a singer at this age was a tiring but enjoyable experience due to deokjil.

Now, beyond just playing videos and listening to the music of the singer I like, I’m even wondering if there’s something more I can do. The fandom 'ARMY' of BTS donates and often influences positive social causes, don’t they? To gather positive energy together in a society where we live in harmony, I should find out what the next stage of deokjil is.

To become a fan of a singer or a true deokhu, it seems one must study hard. Nothing in this world is easy after all. But I am happy to be his fan.

Baek Hyun-wook, Director, Biomedical Research Center, Department of Clinical Nutrition, Bundang Jesaeng Hospital

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