[W Forum] Time of a New Year

When I was very young, turning a year older was an exciting event. However, after growing up, the feeling of welcoming the New Year always comes with the sense of not having finished the previous homework and having to take on the next assignment. It might also be due to my somewhat lazy nature that I only get things done as deadlines approach.

If someone had asked me how 2021 was, I would have immediately answered that it was a gray year barely getting by with temporary fixes 24/7 for 365 days. This was probably due to the heightened sensitivity of being in a hospital environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The year 2021, spent muttering the mantra "Things will return to normal soon," felt endlessly long yet with very low time density, like an incompletely woven fabric with gaps here and there. They say joyful times pass quickly and painful times drag on. Looking back after some time, I kept telling myself that 2020 and 2021, spent with COVID-19, would be remembered as long, very gloomy, and uninteresting years full of holes here and there.

As we welcome the New Year of the Tiger, I wanted to start the new year wisely, so I carefully retraced the memories of the past year. The reduction in evening gatherings due to difficulties in meeting people was not so bad at first. It was actually quite nice to have dinner at home and watch TV for a while. However, as time passed, feeling my body getting sluggish and gaining weight due to lack of exercise was definitely not pleasant. Finding a way to resume regular exercise for my health will probably be my first task of the new year.

Ah, as I organized my memories, I realized there was something new that started and became a great source of strength in life during the times when I couldn’t go out except for home and work. It was the singer Lee Seung-yoon, who I got hooked on after watching a video of "Amor Fati" on TV by chance. Following related videos on YouTube, I became deeply engrossed, going to work with bloodshot eyes at dawn, carrying a phone charger everywhere, ordering Bluetooth earphones, and bravely subscribing to a music platform. Six months ago, I realized this was the beginning of my "deokjil" (fan devotion). Looking up the definition, a "deokhu" (fan) is someone who leads trends and drives new consumption with depth, expertise, and diversity. Although I am a beginner, I decided to imitate it, and now it has been six months since I started.

With a sudden desire for a dedicated phone, I carefully arranged a laptop, desktop, and tablet PC on my desk, rubbing my eyes from midnight to dawn while fiddling with various things. Despite the ridiculousness of it all, I even take pride in possibly contributing to new consumption and trends.

Recently, I added another excuse that if I diligently learn and follow things like artificial intelligence and the metaverse, which are heard about everywhere these days, I might be able to participate in the flow of the times without much stress. Come to think of it, the past year, which I thought was long and gloomy due to COVID-19, also had its small happiness and joy. I accumulated special moments in life with unique colors, not just gloomy gray. Perhaps the new year will build another special time on top of the time I have accumulated.

Like the lyrics of Lee Seung-yoon, a poet and singer, even though I know everything will eventually become ruins and disappear, I vow to write the time of the new year with my own special color while faithfully doing my own work.

I am the beginning and the end of the era called me / I am the origin and the end of humanity called me / I am the Big Bang and the black hole of the universe called me / I am the reality and fiction of myth called me / I will build a house resembling your name, even if it becomes ruins ("Even If It Becomes Ruins," Lee Seung-yoon).

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.