[Harumanbo Harucheonja] "When Burned Out, I Climbed Gwanaksan Barefoot... My Mind Became Clear"

"While walking, I saw a visually impaired person in his 60s. He was walking with a cane, and around his mouth, it looked like flowers were blooming. I had never seen such a smile before."

Mr. Kim, in his 50s, cannot forget the visually impaired person he met on the Namsan Dulle-gil trail. Kim said, "I realized that I had been arrogant and complained a lot. I couldn't leave that spot for a while and just kept watching." Kim used to drink a lot in his 20s. The change began after he started walking in his 40s. For him, walking trips have a greater effect on mental health than physical health.

Citizens visiting Banpo Hangang Park Seorae Island are taking a barefoot walk.
[Photo by Asia Economy DB]

Mr. Ha, in his 60s, experienced burnout during his 30s while working. Burnout is a phenomenon where all physical and mental energy is depleted, leading to lethargy, self-loathing, and refusal to work. Thinking he needed to exercise, he went to Gwanaksan Mountain. When people around him recommended barefoot hiking, he went up barefoot with them. He recalled, "I climbed because I wanted to live." As he climbed the mountain, he felt his mind gradually clearing. Even barefoot, he didn’t feel pain and kept climbing. When he reached the summit, he felt he had fully regained his original physical condition. On the way down, his bare feet hurt, so he put on shoes. Since then, he has visited famous mountains nationwide and also sought out less-traveled mountains. He has done rock climbing and walked the Korea Dulle-gil trail. Mr. Ha said, "Walking trips are the strength that helps you live life."

This is a case study of walking trip experiences published in the November issue of 2023, Volume 34, Issue 11 of the Journal of Tourism and Leisure Research, titled "An Aesthetic Study on Walking Experiences on Walking Trip Trails." Jongyun Park, CEO of eBooks Korea, who is a doctoral student at Kyonggi University Graduate School of Tourism, conducted in-depth interviews with five certified walking instructors in Jung-gu, Seoul, together with Professor Choi Jong-woo of Kyonggi University’s Department of Tourism. They experienced positive changes beyond health, including changes in themselves, their families, and their lives through walking.

Foreign tourists visiting Namsan Hanok Village are enjoying Namsan.
[Photo by Asia Economy DB]

In the case of Mr. Jung, in his 70s, he started walking in 2015 when he was in his 60s. His motivation is interesting. He saw about five doctors walking as a club on TV and heard them say, "Walking is the best." At that time, he had back pain and had surgery, so he started walking. He thought, "If I just lie down because of back pain, I will become seriously ill." Mr. Jung likes forest trails with many trees. He especially finds cherry blossoms mystical when they bloom. He also enjoys taking photos. Mr. Jung said, "In places like Baesooji Park, when it snows, the piled-up snow looks beautiful, so I take pictures. It makes my heart happy, heals me, and helps me recover." He likes the Namsan Dulle-gil and Seoul Fortress Wall trails.

Mr. Yoo, in his 70s, started walking in his early 40s. Even now, he walks 10,000 steps six days a week. In his 50s, he had stage 2 colorectal cancer and underwent surgery. He said, "Because I exercised by walking regularly, I thought my body could endure it," and added, "Walking may seem trivial, but I believe it protected me." He walks with a grateful heart. "While walking, I thought I just want to walk well until my children get married and until I see my grandchildren. Looking at the flowers in Namsan, I also wonder if I will be able to see these flowers next year."

Citizens walking along Ansan Jarakkil are surrounded by a forest of trees.
[Photo by Asia Economy DB]

Mr. Kang, in his 60s, started walking in his late 40s and gained a lot from it. When he goes on walking trips, his mind becomes empty, like an unconscious state. He walks without distractions, just observing nature. He said, "When I walk, emotional pain disappears. Mental pain. It’s not a headache, but irritability, annoyance, anger, impatience, and such. After walking trips, I don’t get angry easily." Mr. Kang’s business suffered due to COVID-19. He was stressed and had a bad expression. His home was not peaceful. While walking, he regained mental stability, and laughter increased at home. He transformed from an authoritarian figure to a loving father, and the closed hearts of his children gradually opened. Mr. Kang said, "The greatest gift I got from walking is regaining my family."