[Voices of the MZ Generation Column] The Rhythm That Protects Our Lives and Society

[Asia Economy] On weekends, I try to forget all work and reality-related matters. As if entering another world, I turn my back on everything and step into a different realm of life. I go to the park with my wife and child, or take a trip to the nearby countryside. The three of us eat delicious food, see new things, or just lounge around at home, temporarily putting reality aside. When Monday comes around, I feel somewhat dazed. While riding the subway, I sometimes feel as if I have just woken up and am still dreaming.

When the weekdays begin, I diligently start gathering reality again. I check the tasks I need to do this week, people I need to meet, manuscript deadlines, or lectures. If on weekends I am a resident of the park, sky, and room, during the weekdays I become a resident of reality. I put on a suit and head to Teheran-ro in Gangnam, a place I never visit on weekends, to take care of reality.

This clear separation between weekends and weekdays is, I feel, the rhythm of my life. I spent a long time living as a freelance writer or student, when weekdays and weekends were not distinct. Every day was a time without clear distinction?reading books, writing, studying, increasing input, and contemplating output. At those times, the concept of ‘completely’ letting go of myself hardly existed. But after becoming an office worker, I gained weekends where I can ‘completely’ let go, and this disconnection or transition sometimes feels unfamiliar.

I feel that this disconnection or transition is the very foundation that allows me to maintain this life. If I fail to properly achieve this disconnection, it would be difficult to fully focus on the time spent with my wife and child. If I cannot let myself go, no matter how wonderful the place I go to is, it would be hard to be truly happy. It would also be impossible to genuinely pass on memories to my child or pay attention to my wife’s feelings and mood. All of this is possible thanks to the ticket to another world that disconnection provides.

This year, rest has become a particularly prominent topic socially as well. According to the revised Industrial Safety and Health Act, which came into effect on August 18 this year, employers are now required to install rest facilities. This reflects the reality revealed in a previous survey where over 60% of workers answered that their workplace either lacked or had insufficient rest facilities. Furthermore, this year is also the first year of enforcement of the ‘Act on Public Holidays.’ This will lead to unified management of substitute holidays.

A survey targeting the younger generation showed that recently, what young people value most is not ‘salary’ but ‘work-life balance (WLB).’ They prioritize conditions that allow them to leave work at a reasonable time and then ‘completely’ forget about their job and immerse themselves in their own lives. In the past, there was an era when people prioritized money above all else, even working overtime to earn extra pay, but now the recognition that life exists ‘outside’ and separate from money is firmly established.

In fact, love requires time. Time is also needed to know what one likes. Time is essential to cherish and reflect on one’s memories. And love, hobbies, and memories are the core of life’s core. A life without these cannot even be called a life. That is why we emphasize rest and work-life balance.

Moreover, for a sustainable society, rest and work-life balance are absolutely crucial. A society that does not even allow time to fully care for one’s family and life is bound to collapse. Without individuals, there is no family, and without family, there is no society. The disconnection or balance between work and life is the rhythm that protects our lives and society.

Jung Ji-woo, Cultural Critic

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