[Current & Culture] The Heart That Wishes for Others' Success

It seems there are two kinds of hearts in the world. One that wishes only for my own success, and another that wishes for your success. A few years ago, there was an event known as the ‘Finding Kim Minseop Project.’ It involved finding a young man with the same name and transferring a round-trip ticket to Fukuoka to him. Born in 1993, Kim Minseop was supported by many people in the search. Some offered to cover accommodation, transportation, and communication expenses, and later a company even ran a crowdfunding campaign to support the costs of his university graduation exhibition. The hearts of those involved were probably similar: wishing for that person to succeed.

A few days ago, I met Kim Minseop, who had just returned from a trip. It was on a program called ‘You Quiz on the Block.’ The purpose was to talk about the Finding Kim Minseop Project. Yoo Jae-seok was on my right, and Jo Se-ho was on my left. Those few hours felt like a dream.

In truth, I used to think more about my own success before wishing others well. But through this experience, my attitude toward life changed significantly. I came to believe that others’ success can be my success and our success. Reflecting on my own life, it was the same. It started with trying to transfer a non-refundable plane ticket to someone else, but after that event, I definitely succeeded. More people began asking me to share that story, and many came to remember me as a writer. It was the same when I planned a book by the author Kim Dongsik. When creating the book titled Gray Human, my heart was set on wishing that author’s success. I asked people I met to read his book rather than mine, and his book went beyond 60 printings, becoming very successful. Some asked why I was so passionate about a book that wasn’t mine, or if I felt jealous, but people remembered both Kim Dongsik and me together. When I gave lectures at schools, if I introduced myself as the person who planned Gray Human rather than by my own book title, all the students treated me like a celebrity and wanted to listen to what I had to say.

Above all, the heart that wishes for others’ success seems to make oneself a better person. I met Yoo Jae-seok for the first time on the set of You Quiz. The Yoo Jae-seok I know is the most famous entertainer who always finds and encourages juniors hoping for their success. That is probably why we remember Yoo Jae-seok as a good person.

A few years ago, Kim Minseop, born in 1993 and then a university student, graduated and became an office worker. When I congratulated him on being the top graduate, he replied that there were so many people wishing for his success that he couldn’t help but succeed. He also said during filming a few days ago that now, before doing anything, he thinks about whether it is a path where only he benefits. And he said he can no longer do bad things anywhere. Those we wish success for inevitably become people who exert positive influence in their own places, big or small. The heart that wishes for others’ success makes that person succeed and makes oneself succeed. I believe such a heart will ultimately save our world. To you reading this, I wish you success as well.

Kim Minseop, Social and Cultural Critic