One Day, About Passion [Yuk Sang-hyo's Jump Cut]

In this reflective piece for Hankyoreh, film director Yuk Sang-hyo shares a vivid anecdote from his early days as a novice reporter, illustrating a powerful lesson about passion and the pursuit of dreams. The story, set in the 1990s, details a disastrous assignment to cover a concert in Ulsan. What unfolds is a cascade of mishaps: a missed flight due to a misunderstanding of boarding procedures, a series of increasingly expensive taxi rides as he attempts to reach the venue, and a crucial flight cancellation that he initially misinterprets as a local colloquialism ('gyelan,' meaning egg, for 'gyeolhang,' cancellation).

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If all our achievements eventually disappear, then perhaps only the process of desperately immersing ourselves is meaningful, the river seemed to say.

Despite the objective failures—missing the concert entirely, incurring significant financial costs that depleted his salary, and spending the entire day in transit—Yuk describes an unexpected feeling of 'strange pride' and 'passion' as he finally boards a bus back home. This experience leads him to a profound realization: if all achievements are ephemeral, then it is the intensely focused process, the passionate engagement with the present moment, that holds true meaning. He posits that 'passion is the present,' a driving force that allows us to strive towards even distant dreams, regardless of whether the 'flag of the dream' is visible or if the destination itself proves to be as empty as the concert hall he never reached.

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The dream is an unseen distant future, and passion is the present.

This narrative resonates deeply within the Korean cultural context, where dedication and hard work ('ppalli-ppalli' culture, though not explicitly mentioned) are often emphasized. Yuk's story, however, reframes this by focusing on the internal experience of passion rather than solely on external success. He suggests that the value lies not in the final destination but in the earnest effort exerted along the way. Even when betraying youthful dreams multiple times, as he admits, the consistent pursuit and the 'hot' engagement with the journey are what matter. This perspective offers a comforting and inspiring message: that the act of striving, of pouring oneself into an endeavor with fervor, is inherently valuable, providing a sense of purpose and fulfillment in the here and now.

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No matter where the position shifts daily, as long as we can see the flag of the dream, we can run towards it with all our might.