[2023 Women’s Forum] Author Im Kyung-sun: "Words of Courage to Live as Myself, Nevertheless"

Special Lecture at the '2023 Women Leaders Forum' Hosted by Asia Economy
'Living as a Unique Being'... Discovering 'Authenticity' Through Experience and Trial and Error

"My choices may be wrong and may cause me harm. The cool and firm attitude of deciding to choose this 'nevertheless,' the attitude of having self-centeredness, is important."

Writer Lim Kyung-sun introduced ways to live as oneself in a special lecture titled "Living as a Unique Being" at the Women Leaders Forum held on the 24th at Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong, Seoul. Lim, who walked the path of a full-time writer due to health reasons after 12 years of working life, shared insights on how to live as a unique being through her life and episodes as a writer.

Writer Lim Kyung-sun is attending the '2023 Women Leaders Forum' hosted by Asia Economy at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 24th, giving a special lecture on the theme of 'Living as a Unique Being.' Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Calmly explaining her 18 years of experience as a writer, Lim introduced her experience of 'cheating' as a drama writer after the drama rights for her essay "Ordinary Married Life" were sold. When she asked for opinions around her after being requested to directly produce the script as a condition of the rights sale, she heard unanimously that she should 'accept change,' and so she wrote the script. However, feeling limits with repeated script revision instructions, she eventually raised her hands and stepped out. Reflecting on that time, Lim said, "When I asked many people whether to do this or not, I lacked courage, but it was not because I needed support; I realized it was something I did not want to do," adding, "If I feel uncomfortable with others' 'correct words,' it means it was not what I wanted."

As a way to live as a unique self, she emphasized, "We, born as individual beings, must carefully take care of and coordinate our lives so that we can live without conflict with ourselves as much as possible." Regarding the method, Lim advised, "Since the rapidly changing environment will probably continue to change, consider the changing environment as 'more choices have become available,' not as 'something terrible will happen if I don't do this.' We don't have to adapt to every change. Among them, choose what suits me and do what I can," adding, "You should also cultivate selective indifference so as not to be swayed by anxiety, others' desire for recognition, or trends."

What Lim particularly emphasized in the lecture was the phrase 'nevertheless.' She said that the way to protect uniqueness depends on this. She explained, "A wise and rational choice is not an end in itself but a 'means,' and the reason we agonize and make choices is actually 'to be happy.' Choices made with thoughts like 'It's okay to take a little loss,' 'It's okay to be hard,' or 'I don't care what others think' hide a greater value that cannot be simply explained by calculation. There is probably some form of happiness that I think is happiness no matter what anyone says," adding, "If a decision is made 'nevertheless,' then you have no choice but to do your best in that decision."

Writer Lim Kyung-sun is attending the '2023 Women Leaders Forum' hosted by Asia Economy at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 24th, giving a special lecture on the theme of 'Living as a Unique Being.' Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Lim also emphasized the effort to know oneself as a 'unique me.' She said, "The commonly mentioned 'being oneself' is never easy," adding, "Only after long time and effort, through trial and error, can you reach 'what I like and what suits me in work and people.' Protecting 'uniqueness' does not come for free. I think you have to collide with things to know your shape."

Advising to listen to the 'inner voice,' Lim explained during the Q&A session with the audience, "As experience accumulates, you come to know your limits and possibilities, and the moment you realize 'I am this kind of person' and 'this is what I like' comes," adding, "Being able to listen to your inner story means you must have an inner story to listen to." She said, "As achievements in life such as 'I can do this' accumulate, you realize you are leading yourself," and "When you can look at yourself coolly among countless experiences and thoughts, you can say 'I am me,' like an advertising campaign."

Lim, who has been a full-time writer for 18 years, also revealed the secret to her 'long run.' She explained that the secret to her longevity as a writer, along with the 'self-control' she acquired from working life, the 'attitude' she takes when working with people around her, and the 'training' on indifference she gained through lectures, is "because I wrote what I wanted to write." Lim, who is also a cancer patient, introduced, "I live not in 5 or 10-year units but in 1-year units due to health reasons," adding, "I have written only what I wanted to write now without plans for after one year." Writing what she wanted to write year after year led her to today.

At the end of the lecture, she advised, "Looking back, when was there a time that was not difficult or not chaotic?" adding, "Sometimes, blocking out the noise around you, calmly listening to what is truly important to you, taking time, waiting for the results it will bring, and training yourself is the best we can do."

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