KOREA FOUNDATION

‘Surfing for the First Time’
Kim Min-young, Tiramisu the Book, August 17, 2020

Surfing for the First Time is a collection of essays about a young Korean woman who develops a new hobby — surfing — amid her hectic life as a chwijunsaeng (job seeker). Anyone who has experienced the long and rugged journey of pursuing employment will be instantly attached, if not addicted, to this book.

Every year, many people discover surfing while searching for new hobbies. Settling in Jeju Island, surrounded by the emerald green sea and warm sunlight, I have taken up the habit of surfing as well. When the waves are good, I finish my work as best as I can, sometimes even taking a few hours or the whole afternoon off, to rush to the sea like a child. There, I can enjoy the small pleasures brought by my newfound hobby with my friends.

Life and surfing share one very important aspect. Surfing is difficult because the waves change every day. While we sometimes try to ignore the waves and just pass them by, they often force us underwater for five seconds or longer. When we break through those waves, surfing with all our might, it is impossible to not feel great thrills. In our lives, too, no two days are the same. Whether we are moving in the right direction or not, we try various things and eventually find ourselves moving forward, overcoming life’s difficulties and hardships.

Whether you are fatigued by a monotonous routine or feel trapped by boredom and frustration as if engulfed in rogue waves, I suggest reading this book and trying out surfing. Just remember to be prepared. As the book’s back cover says, your hair may become a bundle of wet seaweed, and the salt water will surely get into your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Surfing for the First TimeKim Min-youngsurfinghobby