Mongwoo Joseph Kim / by Angsi Kwak (Receipt Philosophy AB)
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Mongwoo Joseph Kim Story (2)
-written by A Korean art critic, Ho Kim says Joseph Kim-
He was devastated in cancer,struggling from debt and making a living in the workroom at the same time. Allthe kinds of pain were given like a package deal. As penniless for buying food,he barely got through the day and headed back home with a cup of 200 won[1]instant coffee from a vending machine. This story of him sounds considerablymiserable.
[1] 200wons can be converted to 20 cents.
Happy with a cup of cheapcoffee, Joseph was in pain fighting with cancer and the series of debt, also inextreme poverty. Looking at his sad story, I came to think that I’m quitecontent. At least, I have enough money not to get starved!
Now that some evaluate him as aprodigy, and his autobiograpy was introduced in newspapers, and some publishersreleased several books about him, I’d like to say that I can’t feel greaterabout him indeed. Ironically, all these starts from a pencil stub, which is asalmost the same as a 10 won coin.
Knowing that he would die in any time because his illness got severe in 2002, he told me that he wanted to give me a present but didn’t have anything special to give. Then I’ve found a pencil rolling on his desk, so I told him that I’d like to keep it preciously like a gift.
As soon as I told him the pencil, heengraved “2002 Joseph Kim’s pencil” on the tiny pencil right away. Worn out ofusing too much, grabbing it was almost impossible… He was crazy aboutdrawings and croquis and even a stubby pencil gave him comfort.
After all the years of frustration anddarkness, a silver lining began to shine. His health has recovered, and hisdebt has been paid up. And now he is able to pursue his dream again…. (continue)
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