[MZ Column] The Heart That 'Refuses to Forget'... Why I Write Every Day

If You Don't Write It Down, You'll Forget Important Things
The Value of Living Like 'Hamanhacheon'
Hoping Many People Feel It Together

I write every day. To be precise, I write on about 350 out of 365 days. The “writing” here refers to personal writings such as miscellaneous notes, excluding work-related writing. I am accustomed to constantly writing down all kinds of thoughts swirling in my mind, daily journals, reflections on life, reviews of content I have seen, and so on.

The way and time I write vary. Sometimes, I carry a Bluetooth keyboard on the subway during my commute and connect it to my phone to write. Other times, I write in a diary or use a laptop. The writings are sometimes just for myself, but often I share them on social networking services (SNS). Sharing these diverse thoughts with others brings the joy of communication, which in turn motivates me to write more.

The fundamental reason I write every day is largely driven by the desire “not to forget.” For example, if I don’t write about a book I’ve read, I tend to forget most of the important content shortly after. After one or two years, I barely remember which books I read. So, whenever I am moved or enlightened by something in a book, I try to write about that “feeling” before it fades away.

Developing this habit of recording is very useful. For instance, if I have read a book on a certain topic and later need to talk or write about that topic, I can look up what I wrote. This allows me to efficiently recall the points that impressed me in the book. The writings I produce become a kind of map of my memory. Furthermore, if I organize these writings by category, they can become a fairly neat collection of records?a book, in essence.

Similarly, the reason I write reviews of movies or dramas is much the same. Even if I binge-watch a drama over several weeks, I tend to lose half of the feelings I had about it after just a few days. Even if a movie is moving, its emotional impact rarely lasts more than a week. So, I try to record those feelings when they are at their strongest and freshest.

As I live, I have come to think that how I process and preserve experiences is more important than simply having them.

Even when experiencing the same things?travel, lectures, reading, movies, romance, work?some experiences simply evaporate and disappear, while others accumulate and remain meaningful. I believe the key to life is how to build up such “meaningful legacies.”

I try to diligently record even a day that has passed or a nearby trip. Because there are things that can only be felt at that place and time. When I later read those writings, I sometimes shed tears. Even ordinary events come alive vividly with the feelings of that moment, and just being able to feel that again brings such emotions. In that sense, writing is more than creating a map of memories; it is a kind of magical act granted to humanity that allows us to take a time machine and briefly visit the past.

I firmly believe that the “One Day Ten Thousand Steps, One Day One Thousand Characters” project, which Asia Economy has been continuing this year, will be a meaningful experience for many people. I hope many will come to appreciate the value of a life spent writing every day.

Jung Ji-woo, Cultural Critic