Edaily | An Unexpected Injury, a Slump — Both Ended Up Revealing the Joy of Everyday Life
Edaily reported in print (October 20 issue, page 5) that at the Healing session of the 5th World Women's Economic Forum on October 19, 2016, Pak Se-ri, Kim Byeol-ah, and Kim Hyun Jung named 'a shift in perspective' as the key to restoring self-esteem. Kim Hyun Jung said that art, which she took up as a way to overcome depression, has now become the most important reason for her life, and introduced her body of work built on everyday subjects.
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An Unexpected Injury, a Slump — Both Ended Up Revealing the Joy of Everyday Life
<Pak Se-ri>
Session 4, Healing: Pak Se-ri (former professional golfer), Kim Byeol-ah (novelist), Kim Hyun Jung (Korean painter)
Everyone goes through a slump at some point in life. Women in particular find it harder to escape a slump, since they must fulfill the roles of wife and mother at home while also facing their own struggles. Since no one else can take one's own place, it is important to restore self-esteem and build confidence. At Session 4 'Green' (Healing), moderated by actress So Yoo-jin at the '5th Edaily World Women's Economic Forum' (WWEF 2016) held on the 19th at Sebitseom, Seocho-gu, Seoul, former professional golfer Pak Se-ri, novelist Kim Byeol-ah, and Korean painter Kim Hyun Jung all agreed that 'a shift in perspective' was the key to restoring self-esteem.
Pak opened with advice on overcoming a slump. Since first picking up a golf club in the sixth grade, Pak lived for golf for 20 years. The brutal practice that made her the 'Golf Queen' also became the trigger for her slump, as she pushed herself too hard. Pak recalled, “I focused so single-mindedly on golf to achieve my dream that I didn't even know how to rest,” and “when the slump came, I worked and obsessed even harder to overcome it.” She continued, “In the end, an injury struck, and I couldn't even practice, let alone do anything else. But precisely because I couldn't do anything, I got the chance to look back at myself, and naturally came out of the slump as I discovered the joy of everyday life.”
Pak, who advised being honest with yourself, said, “It's important to say you're in pain when you're in pain, and sad when you're sad,” recalling the past, adding, “Even after achieving success, I had no confidence in my own self-esteem, and I thought I shouldn't feel joy or sorrow.” Family, friends, and acquaintances who had always been by her side but unnoticed ended up giving her strength.
Pak said, “I had good friends and good acquaintances around me all along, but I never thought about what kind of influence they had on me,” and “I later realized I'm truly a happy person.”
Kim Byeol-ah: “Hold your sisters' hands, rather than compete” / Kim Hyun Jung: “I hope people have a joyful time looking at my paintings”
Author Kim Byeol-ah, established as a leading mid-career Korean writer with novels such as Miscil, Nongae, and Yeolae, said she creates opportunities to reset herself through the things she dislikes most. Kim said, “When I turned forty, I decided to try the thing I had disliked and avoided the most,” adding, “that was mountain climbing. Over two years I hiked a distance of 632km, which reset myself.”
She also offered advice for young people as a mother. “There's an urban-legend-like saying that 'woman is woman's enemy,' but I think it's precisely at times like these that sisterhood matters,” she said, adding, “competitiveness and a spirit of challenge are good, but never let go of the hand of the person next to you — especially your sisters.”
Painter Kim Hyun Jung explained that she took up art as a means to overcome depression, but it has now become the most important reason for her life. Kim received the 'Notable Artist Award' from the Korean Art Critics Association in 2014 for depicting 'provocative' women by blending contemporary sensibilities into Korean ink-and-color painting. Representative works include 'You Who Move Me,' depicting a young woman riding a fast-food delivery scooter, and 'A Night I'd Like a Drink of Samgyeopsal,' also depicting a woman in hanbok eating grilled pork belly.
Kim said, “Since I draw my subjects mainly from everyday life, people who know my work call it 21st-century genre painting,” adding, “what matters is the shift in perspective — seeing the same object from a different angle.”
Former professional golfer Pak Se-ri (from left), novelist Kim Byeol-ah, and Korean painter Kim Hyun Jung took part on the 19th as panelists at the '5th Edaily World Women's Economic Forum,' sharing their thoughts on the theme 'Restore Your Self-Esteem, the Best Version of You.'
Special coverage team