Heo Ji-woong: "Go Gil-dong from 'Baby Dinosaur Dooly' is a real neighbor"

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo Mideum] In the past, neighbors were as close as “(neighbor) cousins.” However, in modern society, people living physically close to each other are often strangers in reality. It is common not even to exchange greetings. The book Minimum Neighbor (Kim Young-sa) points out this trend and reflects on the meaning of neighbors.

In fact, the cold urban image that author Heo Ji-woong carries does not easily associate with the word neighbor. Yet, he emphasizes the “minimum neighbor.” Of course, he is not preaching moralistic altruism. At the center is the “self.” In a society where one cannot survive alone, helping neighbors ultimately means helping oneself. Heo Ji-woong says, “There is no almighty power that can save each other, but at least we have the power not to make each other miserable.”

At a new book press conference held on YouTube on the 23rd, Heo Ji-woong stressed “minimum neighbor,” saying, “We can never reach the ideal of a true neighbor until we die.” In fact, he is the type to actively get involved in neighbors’ affairs. When problems arise in his residential building, he willingly spends money and time to mediate and resolve them. Of course, the results are not always good. He sometimes faces misunderstandings and, as a celebrity, the impact is even greater. Nevertheless, he emphasizes the value of “participating together in public issues and making things better.”

The author often calls upon historical figures. However, the focus is less on their achievements and more on their failures. He explains that great figures “shone at certain moments in their actions and values but actually have many stains,” and that “one lesson or maxim cannot save a person. There is more to gain from mistakes than from correct answers.”

An example is Go Gil-dong from the animated series Baby Dinosaur Dooly. Although he seems to scold and mistreat Dooly, in reality, he is the true neighbor who takes in the dinosaur from outer space, feeds him, clothes him, and puts him to sleep. Referring to the Samaritan woman in the Bible, he says, “It’s not about who is on my side, but who actually acts for me that determines who my neighbor is.”

The book contains reflections written gradually from the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic to recent times. Since not everyone born as a human dies as a human, it introduces ways and values to exist as a “minimum neighbor.” It reminds peers of overlooked facts and offers comfort to younger readers by sharing his own trial and error. He focused on readability rather than the “warmth” of the writing, as he does not believe “warm writing necessarily calls for warm actions.”

The main target readers are those who do not read books. He paid special attention to readers who buy books but cannot finish them. The book is composed of short pieces, and sentence lengths are adjusted to avoid breathlessness or dragging. “Writing is completed when someone reads it.” Also, he believes this is what he can do as a neighbor...

He said, “There is nothing more precious to a writer than readers,” and “I hope many people who feel hopeless will read it.” He also explained, “I packed in stories I want to tell to those who have come out of the cave only to meet another cave, and those who barely got up but fell harder than before,” hoping they gain peace of mind rather than vague hope.

He concludes, “We need the wisdom to know that the consideration we show to the neighbor we dislike the most will someday return as a lifeline that saves me” (from the text).

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