※ 아래 스크립트는 발표자의 발표내용을 그대로 표기하였으므로 구어체 표현이 포함되어있고,
Hello, everyone. I’m Da Yul. Have you ever heard the tale of the king with donkey ears? This story is about a king who has hideously large and fluffy ears, just like the ears of a donkey. The only person who finds out his great secret is the royal crown maker, and the king warns him not to tell anyone about it, which is why the royal crown-maker tries so hard to keep the secret. But eventually, he goes to bamboo forest and shouts, “The king has donkey ears.” As we get older, situations we'd rather suppress build up. But as you know, holding negative emotions inside is too difficult and not healthy. We definitely need some place to vent our feelings.
When I was 13, I transferred from Seoul to Damyang. Damyang is in the countryside of Jeolla province, which is next to Gwangju city. And Damyang is my friends’ hometown, but I didn’t have any acquaintances there. After I moved, I was a bit down in the dumps. When I went to school, all my classmates stared at me and their cold eyes were like icy blades that stab my heart. Sometimes, they asked me to try my Seoul accent and make fun of it or even mimic me. On top of that, they have already formed groups, so it was so hard to join in with them. I felt like I was an alien that crashed down to Earth. I literally had nobody to hang out with, so I was lonely and miserable.
Well, the only friend that I could open up to was the massive bamboo forest located in Juknokwon. I used to go there every single day, and I vented all my worries and frustrations in the dense bamboo forest, like, “I do not have a funny accent. And teacher, please do not ask us to pair up by ourselves.” OK, if someone passing by had heard me shouting, they probably would have thought I was weird. But trust me, it isn’t swarming with tourists. It consists of densely packed shoots and foliage that works like natural soundproofing. You don't need to worry about looking strange or your little secret leaking out like the king’s donkey ears. Juknokwon is the place where I have so many beautiful memories of. And your friends from all over the world can enjoy the stunning view and refreshing nature.
Once you step into there, you will hear the rustling leaves and swaying sound of bamboo. Just dive into this green ocean, and you can awaken your senses with the crisp, clean air and sun of the sets. The bamboo stalks caressing the sky, the problems you have become grains of sand along the coast.
Even now, every holiday, I go straight there and let off some steam. At work, I get along with my supervisor. Uhh, I have trivial complaints about him from time to time. Then I go to Juknokwon and say, “Your dad jokes are horrible. We are pretending they’re hilarious. And please, do not ask me to choose something for lunch. I know you will just pick kimchi stew again.” If I told these things in person, he would have my head.
So, do you still want to introduce your international friends to clubbing in Hongdae or shopping in Myeongdong? They need a place where they can vent all-out and treat themselves. Especially, with COVID taking over our lives, maintaining our mental health is more important than ever. I bet we all have something inside that we keep from those ears. By shouting at Juknokwon, we can let out everything negative without hurting anyone, even the king. As the bamboo trees whisper amongst themselves, I can hear people shouting that the king has donkey ears! Thank you.