[The Editors' Verdict] "The Firefly Moment" Over "The Star Moment"

Hwang Garam, the Unknown Singer, and "I Am a Firefly"
Resonating with the Anxieties of a Discouraged Young Generation
A Presidential Election That Must Become a Moment to Protect Youthful Dreams

The song "I Am a Firefly" by Hwang Garam (41), an unknown singer who rose from homelessness to the Billboard charts, is now shining brightly. Introduced on a radio program in October last year, his song instantly captivated listeners and swept various music charts. Although his voice was not particularly sweet, the clearly enunciated lyrics resonated deeply. "I thought I was a shining star. I never once doubted it. I didn't know. I was a firefly. But it's okay, because I shine."

Hwang Garam has many untold stories. At the age of twenty, he left Masan, Gyeongnam, and came to Seoul in pursuit of his dream to become a singer. He sang at the playground in Hongdae and lived homeless for 147 days. He found warmth wherever he could?on park benches, next to radiators in public restrooms, anywhere he could close his eyes for a moment. He endured, dreaming of becoming a singer until he was over thirty. Beating odds of 300 to 1, he became the vocalist for the famous group "Pinocchio," but when the COVID-19 pandemic prevented him from performing, he despaired, saying, "The world is telling me this isn't the way, but am I the only one who doesn't understand...?" After spending a long time in obscurity, he fatefully encountered the song "I Am a Firefly" at the age of forty and finally found his moment to shine.

This song deeply resonates with the emotions of the younger generation, who feel anxious about an uncertain future. The lyrics tell a story of finding self-worth in the light that exists between the ideals of a "star" and the reality of a "firefly." We have all had times when we believed we were special. We live with dreams and hopes, convinced we can become something great, but the world is harsh and unforgiving. The wall of reality can make us feel as insignificant as insects. Yet "I Am a Firefly" sings: "But it's okay, because I shine." The star represents ideals and dreams. The firefly represents reality and self-awareness. Their position, size, and presence are different, but the fact that they shine remains the same.

In the early presidential election, achieved through the light of the square symbolized by cheering sticks in defiance of the 12·3 Martial Law, the main candidates are competing to seize their own "star moment." However, the agendas of our society's youth seem to have been pushed aside in this election. Young people are dissatisfied with the national pension and anxious about the extension of the retirement age. Political slogans and disputes targeting the middle-aged and older generations, who make up a larger portion of the electorate, are rampant.

Today, young people are becoming structurally disadvantaged amid an economic crisis. Stable jobs are decreasing, and the burden of housing costs is increasing. Social media, with its glamorous images, leads to comparisons with others, further deepening disconnection in relationships and uncertainty about the future. According to the "Wage Worker Job Trends" released by Statistics Korea on May 21, 2024, the number of jobs for those in their twenties or younger plummeted by 148,000 in the fourth quarter of 2024, marking the largest decline ever. Wage jobs for people in their twenties have recorded negative growth for eight consecutive quarters. Youth policy must start with "jobs." Only when young people feel work-life balance and have an environment where they can make a living will they marry and have children, preventing the demographic crisis facing South Korea.

What the younger generation truly desires is not populist pledges. Above all, they want a South Korea that guarantees fair opportunities and provides a social safety net that allows them to get back up even after failure or setbacks. This presidential election must be a light that protects young people who, like Hwang Garam, do not give up on their own dreams and continue to challenge themselves. That light should not be the "star moment" for seizing the highest power, but the "firefly moment" that illuminates the feet of the younger generation. It is that firefly that lights up the world.

Cho Youngcheol, Content Editing Team 1 Leader