Describe the best day moment of your life.
I think the best moment is right now. Every moment is the best day and the best moment for me. I am always grateful to be alive and thankful to get through each day safely. When tomorrow comes, that moment will be the best moment, and I am always thankful to God for being able to live each day in health and joy. Being alive means I can call my family, eat delicious food, work, laugh with loved ones, sometimes argue, and sometimes cry. Every moment of living day by day feels like my best moment. I am thankful to my parents who raised and nurtured me.
Describe the best meal you’ve ever eaten.
It was my mother’s home-cooked meal. In Korea, Korean men are required to go to the military, and I went too. I still can’t forget the kimchi stew my mother made when I came home on my first leave from the military. I could feel my mother’s love and the comfort of eating food in the home where I grew up, not in the military. Even as I write this, I deeply miss my mother’s home-cooked meals.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
In a world full of books and information, I find that the advice from my father is always the most valuable. Even though he is often gruff and not very expressive, he once told me, “Son, while money is important, it is not everything. Money can come and go, but people are different. People are not here one moment and gone the next; you must always take good care of and nurture your true relationships. In life, cultivating people is more important than cultivating wealth. Always remember to prioritise people over money and be someone who understands this.” This advice has been crucial in my life. People cannot live alone; that’s why we must live with others – that’s society, organisations, and the world. I think I will never forget my father’s advice to value people above all else.
What is the best photograph you have?
This photo is from April of this year, taken with my grandmother. It has become the best photo for me. My grandmother was very ill in April and we took this photo before she was hospitalised. Sadly, she passed away in August, just four months later. I’m deeply saddened that I couldn’t spend more time with her and that I couldn’t attend her funeral in Korea due to living in Australia and the sudden circumstances. This photo has become the best photo because I miss my grandmother so much. To me, family is everything.
What are the best qualities of your favourite person?
I believe the best quality in a person is being expressive. When they are grateful, they say thank you; when they are sorry, they apologise; when they love someone, they express their love; and when they miss someone, they let them know they are missed. Such people always maintain good manners and are expressive in their communication. It’s quite sad that these qualities seem to be diminishing in today’s world. People often take kindness for granted and find it awkward to express apologies. When I encounter someone who is good at expressing themselves, I can feel my own mood brightening, and I realise that the world is not only full of bad people but also many good ones. This recognition helps me feel that my own heart is also brightened.
Best five songs on your playlist?
Chopin: Nocturnes, Op. 9 – No. 2 in E Flat Major. Andante
Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 11: I. Allegro maestoso
Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 11: III. Rondo (Vivace)
Nead Connection: Good Night Good Dream
Yoo Jung Seok: Highway in the Gale
Best-ever purchase?
The plane ticket I bought to Australia 10 years ago. I decided to go on a working holiday to Australia and bought the ticket with the money I had saved up at that time. Although I didn’t think I would live here until now, I wonder if I would be who I am today without having bought that ticket. I think the fact that I decided to buy the ticket without hesitation that day led to who I am now.