A few days ago, the news buzzed about Han Kang’s Nobel Prize in Literature. It’s the second Nobel in the country and—totally expected—the first for literature. On a crisp morning filled with chilly air, I found myself sitting on a café terrace nearby, diving into Han Kang’s ‘Goodbye, Don’t Leave’. I’ve tried reading it before but couldn’t get past the heavy opening of the third chapter. 📚 But the Nobel Prize turned this from a preference into a compelling challenge, and with a rare weekend free of tasks, I made this book my new project. Not that I expect to finish it, but hey, who ever completes every task anyway? 🤷♀️
The morning air is so chilly, it makes you want to retreat back home soon after stepping outside. The weather feels like it’s ready to flip the switch from summer to winter, but I’m not ready to let go of autumn just yet… 🍂 Maybe I should dress a bit warmer? Funny how autumn clothes are less useful than a sleeve on an iced Americano cup. ☕
In his essay collection, ‘Does It Really Matter?’, Jang Kiha mentioned being surprised by how perfectly an algorithm’s playlist matched his taste, admitting he couldn’t have crafted it better himself. But towards the end, he felt a bit relieved, realizing it wasn’t quite that perfect. (He wrote consistently for about a year and compiled the book in chronological order.) In my case, the quality of algorithmic curation has become astonishingly good and hasn’t dropped since. Especially YouTube Music—it’s a constant source of awe. When IU’s ‘Knees’ follows Jang Kiha’s ‘It’s Not a Big Deal’, I can’t help but wonder, ‘Was this handcrafted by someone?’ 🎶 (Fun fact: Jang Kiha once dated IU.)
Speaking of IU, here’s another tidbit. Towards the end of her world tour this year, I stumbled upon a clip of her singing ‘By Summer’ as she wrapped up a concert. 🎤
‘It’s raining.’
This song, starting with her guitar, was a heartfelt goodbye to summer. With courage, she bids farewell to the summer she loved deeply. 🌞
This summer was really unbearable, with air temperatures soaring beyond body heat. While I just wanted it to end quickly, she was preparing this gift. Thanks to her, this summer will linger vividly in my memory. Her silhouette walking towards the guitar on a stage where rain fell like petals. May her youth be eternal, as one comment wished. 🌸
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