February in Seocheon
This year, I plan to make good use of Friday work-from-home days to spend more time in Seocheon. It's been three years since Grandfather passed away, and so much has happened since then, but thankfully, the house in Seocheon has held up well. It feels like all the things I've been preparing bit by bit over time are finally coming together now. My thoughts aren't quite organized yet, but I'll start by just getting them out.
Thursday Night
After work on Thursday night, I went to Mia to pick up Hodori. I loaded him in and drove along the pitch-black West Coast Expressway. Not a single car in front or behind, the road completely dark, no streetlights on the highway. I'm glad I gained a lot of experience driving on roads like this in 2023. If it had been my first time, it would have been truly terrifying. We got home at 11:30 PM. Dad had asked a friend to turn on the boiler at home. I fell asleep with Hodori on the warm floor.
Friday Morning
Hodori woke me up at 6 AM, wanting to go for a walk. It's cold… I bundled up in my padded jacket and went for a walk near the beach. The sky is really blue, the wind is blowing hard, and it's cold. After returning home, I moved the table into the living room. I'll indulge in the luxury of working facing the large window with a view of the pine forest. Around 9 AM, sunlight flooded in through the window facing the yard. I worked while basking in the sunlight pouring onto the table.
Friday Afternoon
The internet installation technician came. I applied at the end of December, but it wasn't activated until late February. It was because of the pine forest in front of the house. They needed to install one more utility pole in front of the house to connect the line, but installing the pole took too long. Still, well, luckily the technician was scheduled to come on the day I arrived in Seocheon, and I was glad I could watch it happen myself. Internet was installed in this house for the first time. I also canceled the SkyLife service, which had been kept under my grandfather's name even after he passed away. Now, all the infrastructure costs for this house are under my name. Electricity, water, communications, the house itself, the land.
Friday Evening
After work, I had an online therapy session. I met my therapist last August, so it's been seven months now. She's the one I've seen the longest during this time, and I feel like we're gradually bringing up the deeper issues within me and resolving them one by one. I always try to judge and think with my head, so today, I'll try to speak with my heart. Think with my heart, I repeated to myself several times. What I want to tell my heart: It's okay to be unproductive. You don't have to be perfect. Lean on others. And become independent. Break free from the shackles. And live with yourself as your top priority. After the session ended, I stroked Hodori for a long time.
Saturday Morning
I opened the window and cleaned the master bedroom. The master bedroom was where Grandfather mainly stayed when he was alive. After he passed away, only this room got new wallpaper and flooring. Even so, it wasn't well maintained, and things piled up. I started cleaning as soon as I opened my eyes in the morning. After cleaning thoroughly and opening the window, I realized, wow, this room had such a great view. Grandfather lived in a nice place for over 20 years. I moved the TV from the living room into the bedroom. My family might not like it, but for now, while I'm here, I'll keep it like this. After finishing cleaning the main bedroom, I texted Ho-jun. I told him we should look at the Seocheon house together in March and asked him to consider demolishing the second floor. Ho-jun readily agreed, and I felt a little more at ease.
Saturday Afternoon
Worried about Hodol, who hadn't eaten for 24 hours, I went to the supermarket to buy snacks and ingredients for the weekend. Since there's nothing in this neighborhood, I drove about 10 minutes out and back. I took Hodol along in the back seat, leaving the rear window slightly open. Seeing him enjoy the cool breeze was utterly adorable. When I got home and gave Hodori a snack, he finally ate. I made a few rice balls mixing tofu, mixed grain rice, and seaweed, ate them, then lay down in the bedroom to watch a movie. ⟨The First Slam Dunk⟩. It was a huge hit a few years ago, but I never had time to watch it back then, so I finally saw it now. I kind of get why it was so popular. The music was great, and the basketball scenes blended perfectly with the flashbacks, making it really enjoyable to watch. This house is far from others, so I could crank the speakers up really loud. I turned them up super high and watched the movie. Ah, bliss.
I took Hodori for a walk around Dasaenghang. Usually, he barks way too much when he sees other dogs, making walks tough, but today, maybe because it's cold, there was no one around. We ran around far and wide. Ah, refreshing. The sky is beautiful, the sea is lovely, and the sunlight is perfect. I wish more people knew how wonderful Seocheon is.
Saturday Evening
A few days ago, I quickly organized a workshop on creating personal websites at New Ground. I really liked the blog I made with Bear Blog and suddenly felt the urge to share it with others. Six people signed up, and we spent three hours together online building their websites. HTML, CSS, and Markdown might have been challenging for those encountering them for the first time, but I was happy everyone persevered to the end and created their own space.
Sunday Morning
It's the day to head back. I woke up in the morning and shook out the blanket covered in Hodori's fur. While shaking the blanket, I let Hodori loose in the yard. He ran around excitedly, exploring every corner of the yard. The area that used to be the hearth has been neglected for over ten years since Grandma passed away, so hardly anyone goes there. But whenever I let Hodori out, he always heads to play near the hearth, so I end up going there too. Mom says she wants to get rid of the hearth altogether, but I still have fun memories here… Of course, Dad also got badly burned here once… Hmm, when Mr. Hojoon comes, we should look at this together and think about how best to use it. Thanks to Hodori, I've been thinking about the hearth area. Thanks, Hodori!
From 10:30 AM, I had an online meeting with Dohee. Talking with Dohee, a media artist, is always enjoyable. How can our stories and the ways we want to convey them be so similar, despite our very different lives? We really are two people with different personalities, but talking with her is always a pleasure. In March, I'll first organize my concepts, and then we'll meet offline for a workshop. How can we unravel our stories? I should post today's conversation separately to document the process!
Sunday Afternoon
After finishing my meeting with Dohee, I lay on the warm living room floor and did a 10-minute body scan meditation. I wanted to lie there longer, but Hodori was restless and kept whining, so I hastily threw on some clothes, slipped on my slippers, and headed outside. I only intended to help him relieve himself outside and come back in, but before I knew it, Hodori and I were running towards the neighborhood beach. It was around 1 PM, and the tide was just starting to come in. The water was still far off, and the tidal flats stretched wider in front of the house. Oh, it's so beautiful. I came out without a single thought, didn't even bring my phone, but seriously, isn't this just gorgeous? The sky is blue, the clouds are white, and beyond the vast mudflats, the water glistens as it rolls in. Shells are scattered on the white sand, and beyond that, sheer coastal cliffs and pine trees. This view is Seocheon to me. A place with the sea and pine trees. A place with tidal flats and the ocean. A place that lets you breathe beyond the wide horizon. I just gazed at the sea for a long time with Hodori.
Now it's time to go home. Sitting in the sun-filled main room, watching Hodori sleep, listening to the sound of the wind created by the pine trees and bamboo, I recorded Seocheon in February. Now it's time to return to Pangyo, Seongnam. I'll go back and live my daily life diligently, and come again in March when it's a bit warmer. My Little Forest. The time spent protecting this house, the many efforts made to live life my own way. I must cherish this moment where all those efforts converge.
