'Grass Flower' Poet Na Taejoo: "A Mask Is a Collaboration of Consideration Between You and Me"

Interview with Samsung SDI’s Internal Channel ‘SDI talk’
Poet Na Taejoo Highlights “Empathy and Consideration” as Virtues for Overcoming COVID-19
Employees Say: “Received Deep Comfort and Emotional Protection from Na Taejoo’s Words”

[Asia Economy, Reporter Kim Hyewon] "The inside of a mask is for yourself, while the outside is for others. The very act of wearing a mask is a 'collaboration between you and me.'"

These are the words of poet Na Taejoo. He identified "empathy and consideration" as the key virtues for overcoming the era of COVID-19. He shared these thoughts in a recent interview with Samsung SDI's internal communication channel, "SDI talk."

According to Samsung SDI on September 20, 2020, poet Na Taejoo offered heartfelt encouragement to Samsung SDI employees, emphasizing that this is a time not just to live, but to survive, and urging everyone to wisely overcome COVID-19.

Poet Na Taejoo: "Empathy and consideration are virtues for overcoming the COVID-19 era"

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of his literary debut this year, Na Taejoo drew attention by explaining the usefulness of masks in overcoming COVID-19 from his unique perspective.

"The inside of a mask is for yourself, while the outside is for others. The very act of wearing a mask is a 'collaboration between you and me.' In the past, people used to avoid each other's gaze, but now, by wearing masks, we look more closely into each other's eyes, and as a result, we are building deeper trust."

He interpreted mask-wearing as an act of consideration for oneself and others, as well as etiquette for maintaining the community. He explained that it not only protects both yourself and others from infection but also fosters communication and trust.

Na Taejoo stated, "The COVID-19 crisis is a crisis for all humanity. We must endure and survive. Only after survival can we talk about living. Even if we cannot meet now, we will surely meet again." He emphasized that in order to fully enjoy the freedom of daily life, survival must come first. To achieve this, he urged everyone to internalize non-face-to-face activities with the hope and conviction that, although we cannot meet now, we certainly will in the future.

"Even 'Grass Flower,' the poem that made me famous, is just one among many works. It wasn't that I wrote poetry particularly well, but rather that many of you (readers) empathized with it, which is why it received so much love. Nothing is accomplished by one person's efforts alone; when we empathize with and consider the positions of others, things progress successfully."

He said that the fundamental strengths for a poet are "curiosity," "love," and "passion." Among them, he considers curiosity the most important, explaining that one should not just see what is visible ("seeing"), but rather, from the perspective of "observing," take time to reflect and look for the deeper meaning behind any phenomenon or situation.

He emphasized that not only poets but also Samsung SDI employees can achieve new results by maintaining curiosity, constantly analyzing and researching from various angles, and pursuing innovation.

Finally, Na Taejoo spoke about his own experiences with slumps and mentioned "Cheolcha Takma" (diligent self-cultivation). He advised that just as there is no life without setbacks and no major without minor, one comes closer to success only after repeatedly falling, facing difficulties, and refining oneself mentally.

He also suggested that in the workplace, one should try to see the good in colleagues or supervisors they may not like, live each moment as if it were eternity and eternity as if it were a moment, and explore the happiness within their own lives.

On the 50th anniversary of his debut, poet Na Taejoo offers words of encouragement to Samsung SDI employees celebrating the company's 50th anniversary

Na Taejoo calmly shared his story and did not forget to offer words of advice to Samsung SDI employees, who are also celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. He said, "Samsung SDI has been able to come this far over 50 long years because of firm beliefs, a sense of fulfillment, and hope," adding, "I hope the company will become one that benefits the world widely, in line with the ideology of 'Hongik Ingan' (to broadly benefit humanity)."

Samsung SDI is currently running the "Longevity Secret" campaign, analyzing individuals who have walked the best paths for a long time, in order to instill differentiated competitiveness and longevity strategies within the organization and to inspire the innovative spirit necessary to become a company that lasts 100 years.

Jeon Younghyun, President of Samsung SDI, emphasized, "Let us make a habit of basic COVID-19 prevention measures such as wearing masks and washing hands, so that all employees can stay healthy and overcome this crisis together."

Samsung SDI employees expressed their gratitude, saying they received "emotional protection" from Na Taejoo's message during the COVID-19 era. Many commented that, although they were already familiar with his poetry, this opportunity felt like meeting him in person. The responses included: "Thanks to the poet, I was able to start my day brightly and in a good mood," "In these times when I realize the value of everyday routines, I found deep comfort in the words on my monitor," "I've started looking into my colleagues' beautiful eyes beyond the mask," "Just as there are no weeds if you look kindly and no people who are not flowers if you look beautifully, the world seems beautiful because my heart is beautiful," "There may be nameless grass flowers, but there are no worthless grass flowers," "I hope everyone around me stays healthy," "I was able to reflect on the meaning of each word and phrase," "Thank you for awakening my thoughts with such good words. Starting the day with emotional cleansing feels wonderful," and "I received heartfelt comfort after only complaining about how hard things are." In total, there were about 30 comments expressing "empathy."