[Launch of Hamanhacheon Movement Headquarters] Protecting Brain Health by Walking and Writing... Leaders from Various Fields Say "Let's Spread the Word More"

"This is the most necessary campaign in today's era. It needs to be promoted more. I will also take the lead."

On the 15th, at the 'Hamanhacheon National Movement Headquarters Launch Ceremony' held in Hanok Village, Jung-gu, Seoul, key guests including Dr. Lee Si-hyung, actor Choi Wan-jung, Dr. Oh Han-jin, former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo In-chon, Asia Economy CEO Woo Byung-hyun, and PD Shin Cheol-seung took their first steps after the event concluded. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

On the 15th, various figures gathered at the launch ceremony of the 'Hamanhacheon (One Day Ten Thousand Steps, One Day Thousand Characters) National Movement Headquarters' held at Namsangol Hanok Village in Jung-gu, Seoul, and made this resolution. Asia Economy interviewed over 100 individuals related to Hamanhacheon over the past six months. These included people from politics, central and local governments, the business sector, medical field, academia, and civil society organizations. Those who have practiced walking and writing in daily life for decades actively agreed with the purpose of the Hamanhacheon National Movement Headquarters launch ceremony, which is that their activities themselves are Hamanhacheon and that these should be socially spread.

Dr. Lee Si-hyung, nearing ninety and director of Serotonin Culture, said, "The easiest way to secrete serotonin, known as the 'happiness hormone,' is walking," adding, "Since Korea suffers from serotonin deficiency disorder, I am very pleased to see such a campaign." He continued, "The biggest problem in Korea is suffering from serotonin deficiency disorder," emphasizing, "Serotonin is a hormone that regulates intense, violent, and negative emotions and is also nicknamed the 'happiness hormone.'" In particular, he mentioned that "the most distinct way serotonin is secreted is through walking," suggesting that happiness can be found through walking.

On the 15th, at the 'Hamanhacheon National Movement Headquarters Launch Ceremony' held in Hanok Village, Jung-gu, Seoul, key guests including actor Choi Wan-jung (from the left), Dr. Oh Han-jin, former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo In-chon, Asia Economy CEO Woo Byung-hyun, and PD Shin Cheol-seung performed a first step ceremony symbolizing the beginning of the event after its conclusion. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Oh Han-jin, president of the Korea Walking Association (professor at Daejeon Eulji University Hospital), and Park Dong-chang, president of the Barefoot Walking National Movement Headquarters, expect that walking and barefoot walking will maximize synergy effects by connecting with the Hamanhacheon campaign. President Oh emphasized, "The more a person uses their hands, the more developed the function of the hands becomes. This is evidence that the hands and feet are brains outside the brain," adding, "We must strive to use our hands and feet well through handwriting and walking." He stressed that walking and writing are "the best gifts for the brain health of the people." President Park also emphasized the necessity of barefoot walking in nature, stating, "If barefoot walking is added to the Hamanhacheon movement, it will create synergy."

Actress Choi Wan-jung said she wants to spread more awareness about the effects of stair climbing through the Hamanhacheon National Movement Headquarters. With 38 years of experience as an actress and as the head of the Dapsimni Film Media Art Center, Choi Wan-jung also serves as president of the Korea Stair Climbing Walking Association. After successfully losing weight and recovering mental health through stair climbing, she started with the ambition to widely promote stair climbing to the entire nation and share a healthy life. She said, "By consistently climbing stairs, I lost weight, improved my posture, and my depression completely disappeared, making me mentally very healthy," adding, "I want to widely inform and help people around me by saying, 'I did it, so you can do it too,' and 'Climbing stairs makes you healthier.'"

On the 15th, key guests attending the 'Hamanhacheon National Movement Headquarters Launch Ceremony' held at Namsan Hanok Village in Jung-gu, Seoul, are walking together to commemorate the departure. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Captain Son Seong-il, who pioneered the long-distance walking course 'Korea Trail,' said he wants to try 'Imanseoman' with the Hamanhacheon National Movement Headquarters. 'Imanseoman' is an abbreviation for 'ten thousand steps in the early morning, ten thousand steps in the evening.' It involves waking up the body by walking ten thousand steps before going to work early in the morning and finishing the day by walking ten thousand steps after work. Although walking 20,000 steps a day is not easy and cannot be practiced daily, he says the body feels refreshed after walking.

Gu Bon-jin, Korea's first graphologist and CEO of The Kim Law Firm, focuses on handwriting emphasized by Harucheonja. Graphology is a research method that analyzes handwriting in detail, examining the shape, size, slant, and spacing of letters to understand a person's tendencies and inner self. He says that changing handwriting can change a person's inner self. Just as in the East, people cultivated character through calligraphy, practicing changing handwriting once a day consistently can change a person. He said, "Writing a thousand characters a day takes just under 20 minutes," adding, "If you practice like this for about six to eight weeks, the brain will change, which will be a great help."

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