"Obsession NO!, Giving Up OK!... Follow Your Heart and Study Enjoyably"

Fields Medal winner Heo Jun-yi, professor at Princeton University
Returns to Korea on the 8th morning, offers advice to children dreaming of becoming mathematicians at a press conference

Heo Jun, a Fields Medalist and a professor at Princeton University as well as a distinguished scholar at the Korea Institute for Advanced Study's Mathematics Division, returned to Korea on the 8th through Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 and is being interviewed by the press. Photo by Moon Honam

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] "You have to know when to give up. Don’t be obsessed. Follow your heart and study what you find interesting."

On the 5th, Huh Jun-yi, the first Korean to win the 'Nobel Prize of Mathematics,' the Fields Medal, and a professor at Princeton University as well as a distinguished scholar at the Institute for Advanced Study, gave this advice to students dreaming of becoming mathematicians. Despite dropping out of high school and taking a leave of absence from university, Huh only began serious mathematical study in his junior and senior years of college. However, he demonstrated genius by solving 12 major mathematical problems in the past decade, rising as a 'superstar' in the international mathematics community.

On the morning of the 8th, Huh spoke to reporters upon returning through Incheon Airport. The following is a Q&A with Professor Huh.

- Please share your thoughts on receiving the award.

▲ I am very happy to receive such a prestigious award on behalf of my colleagues who have worked with me. I am even happier because my family, friends, many officials, and numerous others are celebrating together. While I feel a bit burdened by the increased role I must play for the advancement of mathematics, overall, I want to be happy.

- What are your plans in Korea?

▲ First, on the 13th next week, I will give a lecture at the Institute for Advanced Study. The following week, I plan to travel to Jeju Island with my parents.

- Is there anything you want to do for nurturing future scholars or for the Korean mathematics community?

▲ I am working as a distinguished professor at the Institute for Advanced Study, so I am considering interactions with the researchers there.

- What would you like to say to your university mentors?

▲ There are too many to list all now, but I will start with those who come to mind. Professor Kim In-gang at Seoul National University, who first helped me develop an attachment to mathematics and taught me well; my classmates and seniors and juniors who studied with me; Professor Hironaka, who came from Japan to Korea and helped me study algebraic geometry professionally; and many friends, colleagues, and teachers I met after moving to the U.S. Throughout my life, whenever I needed to learn something essential, I met the right people who could teach me exactly that, in the right order. I am truly very grateful.

- Please say a word to the public.

▲ Korean mathematicians are studying very hard. There are many outstanding young mathematicians who stand out. I am just one of them. I think this is a sign that our country is successfully developing culturally and economically, keeping pace with that growth.

- What would you say to students dreaming of becoming mathematicians?

▲ Mathematics has been emphasized as something you must stick with patiently, never giving up, continuing for 10 or 20 years. Personally, I think it is also important to know when to give up at the right time. Of course, intuition is key to judging when to give up and when not to. Don’t be obsessed; study with a more relaxed mind, be kind to yourself, and focus on what you find interesting and enjoyable.

- What advice do you have for young people in their 20s and 30s who are worried about the future?

▲ Like many people in their teens and twenties, I also went through trial and error. Looking back now, although the path I took was winding, it seems to have been the best, fastest, and most optimized route. I believe that if you keep your mind relaxed and take steady, careful steps one at a time, good results will come.

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