[Stones and Stories] Letting Go

"So, who won?"

Are you curious about the outcome of the movie Seungbu (The Match), which centers on the game of Baduk (Go)? The showdown between Guksoo (National Go Champion) Cho Hunhyun 9-dan and Shinsan (Divine Calculation) Lee Changho 9-dan. Would knowing the winner beforehand diminish the charm of the film? Perhaps the question about the final winner is a foolish one. The essence of this movie is not who won, but the insights each competitor gained through the contest...

Photo by Getty Images

If you focus only on the result, you cannot fully experience the appeal of Seungbu, a film that is racing to the top of the box office. The aesthetics of an exciting space. The key point in appreciating this film is letting go. This is different from giving up. It is closer to the opposite of obsession. There are many things to let go of: dogmatism and stubbornness, arrogance and baseless optimism. One must learn to control oneself to be truly qualified to engage in a meaningful match.

Defeat is bitter. But it is problematic to leave that bitterness as poison inside. If it accumulates and piles up, one loses the opportunity to plan for the future with a clear mind. The reason Cho Hunhyun and Lee Changho became shining stars in the history of world Baduk is that they gained insight from defeat. They became protagonists of history because they could reflect after letting go of themselves. Cho Hunhyun, the one and only person who best fits the title of Guksoo, representing the nation’s top Baduk player. His greatness is not only due to his brilliant record.

Cho Hunhyun was the one who awakened the talent (Gisae) of the divine calculator Lee Changho. If Cho had not extended his hand, Lee Changho might never have emerged in the world. From 1991 to 2006, Lee Changho held the world Baduk ranking No. 1 for an astonishing 16 years, a feat that was not achieved alone.

When someone places black stones on the board, the opponent must respond with white stones for the game to continue. Neither black nor white stones can be played alone by one person.

Actor Lee Byung-hun is giving a greeting at the production presentation of the movie 'Seungbu' held on March 7 at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News.

In that the match involves an opponent, Baduk and politics are similar. It is also similar in that being obsessed only with the result can ruin the endeavor. Just as in Baduk, politics requires layers of reflection to build inner strength. If you rush and hastily prepare the foundation, the building may collapse at any time. The tempering process of laying the foundation is precisely letting go.

Why do you want to engage in politics? Why do you seek the support of the people? Is it because you are drawn by the desire for success and the sweetness of power? Or is it because you have the courage and passion to extend a hand to others, based on the tempering process? Those lacking a public-minded spirit find it difficult to become good public officials. When such people crave power, the people suffer.

In the upcoming 22nd presidential election on June 3, we hope that those who embrace the philosophy of letting go and who listen to the story of “us” rather than “me” will seize the opportunity to compete. A political grand match conducted by someone who knows how to respect their opponent?that is the true meaning of a match, is it not?