The Day of the First Snow
This week was a tough one. I thought I was steadily making progress, setting clear goals and tackling them one by one, but unexpectedly, I got hit by a stone along the way. Maybe it wasn't meant to be thrown, or maybe it wasn't even considered a stone. But it left a bruise on the person who got hit. Anyway, my mood started to sour, and I felt like I might take it out on the wrong person if I didn't get out soon. So, the moment the last meeting ended, I hurried down to the parking lot and got in my car. The weather forecast I saw on TV last night clearly said it would snow tonight, but looking outside, there was no sign of snow; the sky was just blue. With nowhere to vent my stress, I unnecessarily floored the accelerator in the tunnel. It was right after an elderly protection zone, so I had to slow down to 30 km/h… But thanks to leaving a bit early, the commute home wasn't too bad, so I turned toward the neighborhood's delicious kimbap shop to buy some. As always, the car radio was tuned to Classic FM. The traditional Korean music on FM Pungnyu Village, airing from 5 to 6 PM, ended, and at 6 PM sharp, the world's music began. The opening signal played, and the DJ's intro began. Just as this intro started, as if on cue, the first snow began to fall.
> "It occurs to me that the first snow doesn't fall on everyone at the same time. For some, the first snow visited yesterday; for others, it's falling right now. Here in the Seoul-Gyeonggi area, the first snow is falling now. Just two hours ago, the sun was shining so brightly, I wondered if it would really snow today. But now, quietly, the snow is falling and accumulating. Sharing the moment when the first snow arrives is truly special. We send this first snow of Seoul, which began falling just before we started broadcasting, to our dear listeners. May the story of welcoming 2025's first snow together become a cherished memory we share for years to come. Though the commute home may be difficult, may this time allow us to send blessings to those who became companions in welcoming the first snow together amidst the slow journey. On this day of the first snow, thank you for your hard work today."
I'd always felt a bit uncomfortable with how the 'first snow' was always centered on the capital region and made such a fuss. But this seemed like the best possible first snow message you could deliver on a nationwide radio broadcast. Next came Kim Hyo-geun's snow, followed by the movie Love Story's insert song, Snow Frolic. Watching the pretty snow fall while quietly listening to these tunes, even the mood that had soured after getting hit by a rock seemed to lift. After parking, I hurried home, ate dinner, watched TV for a while, then looked outside. The heavy snow was still falling thick and fast, and quite a bit had already accumulated. I called Mom and laughed hearing Hodori say he was shivering because of the thunder. I played a few piano pieces I've been practicing for Mom, and we hung up after she reminded me not to burn the jangjorim. The bruised spot seemed to be healing a little. I don't really want to understand it, but I thought once more that life doesn't go as planned… Listening to today's "Radio Visible" uploaded by Se-eum, wrapping up the day! Tomorrow, I have to catch the early morning train down to Daejeon again. Ugh…