Ideas, as fleeting as lightning, quickly fade. Amidst the complex and tumultuous daily life, capturing these overflowing thoughts is no easy task. Creator Seung-won Lim chose 'authentic recording' to seize his rapidly passing ideas. Over the past five years, he has accumulated 75 recordings on his YouTube channel, ‘Wonologue.’ These seventy-five reflections and contemplations are the culmination of his journey. While his recordings begin with personal stories, they possess a universal appeal that resonates with many. The actual distinction of Wonologue lies in how 'human Seung-won Lim' views his life and everyday moments.

I am a curator. I gather things I love, learn from them, and express them through my unique creations. So far, my work has been primarily video-focused, but I hope to experiment with other mediums, such as writing, in the future.

Before starting on YouTube, I was preparing for employment, but now, I no longer need to job hunt, which is a significant change. I am now actively seeking out what I love. It's always thrilling and surprising when people recognize me on the street and ask for photos. Recently, Beenzino followed me back. It’s surreal to converse with an artist I’ve long admired. Such attention still fascinates me.

My way of thinking and creating has remained consistent. The process of thinking, writing, planning, and filming videos is stable and unchanged. I feel a sense of stability and confidence, knowing I've spent a long time finding my style. Even when I have doubts or am unsatisfied, I've learned the importance of continuing and putting my work out there.

Creators are often their harshest critics. One thing I’m proud of is uploading content regardless of my satisfaction. What I find lacking in my work is usually inconsequential to others. On platforms like YouTube, metrics such as views and likes can feel like badges of honor. However, in the beginning, even the best-made content might receive little feedback. Thus, instead of focusing on quantitative success, I set a goal of compiling and creating a monthly video based on my experiences. This approach led to meaningful work and sustainable creativity. Being free from self-censorship allows one’s individuality to shine, paradoxically attracting attention.

My uniqueness is the ‘combination of mismatched elements.’ I am an ordinary person with very ordinary thoughts. I was a diligent student, never missing a class from elementary to high school. However, my expression style was different. I spared no effort in incorporating film techniques, my tastes, and my favorite music into making ordinary stories seem extraordinary. I didn’t expect a reaction, but thankfully, many people appreciated it.

I thought the number ‘100,000’ would make me feel confident to call myself a ‘YouTuber,’ and it would bring happiness. However, reaching 100,000 brought fear. I realized that when a specific intellectual property becomes widely popular, its lifespan often isn't long. I feared being driven to do what the public wanted, catering to advertisers, and losing my voice. These days, my joy is intertwined with this concern.

That's right. I still strive to live that way. I do not follow trends; I create things as they come to me. However, I craved higher quality as my channel grew and responses improved. I wanted to enhance the visual appeal for my viewers. This led to buying more lighting and lenses, which increased the equipment weight and made it harder to go out for shoots, slowing down my posting frequency. So lately, I’ve been trying to lighten up again.

Yes, I'm planning some new ventures. I’m looking into podcasts and short-form content. With the podcast, I want to talk about what inspires me, what I watch and listen to, and what I love. I hope it becomes a place for enjoyable chats with like-minded people. For the short-form content, I'm thinking of a concept called “Shorts Scissors,” where I want to capture the beauty of the real world that we often forget while watching shorts. Its content is designed to cut through the continued consumption of short-form videos.

There are both positive and negative aspects. On the positive side, I’ve gained confidence in my life. Before Wonologue, I constantly tried to prove ‘I could do something.’ It’s not just because of YouTube; through continuous social interaction, I gained confidence through work. On the negative side, as the channel’s intellectual property became heavier, I started fearing negative feedback. Do you know how a figure soaring high can suddenly ‘plummet’ into controversy? There’s an underlying worry that I might face such a situation due to something unintended.

I try to engage in many personal projects. Whether it’s video or writing, I want to succeed in fields where I don't rely on my fleeting fame but my skills. I constantly question, acknowledge, and learn from the possibility of being wrong. I aim to carve out a niche as a professional.

Yes, I plan to compile the stories uploaded on Wonologue. Over five years, I’ve published almost 75 episodes, which, when compiled, are about three hours of content. I’m working on writing each episode into a chapter, adding stories that couldn’t be included in the videos. My goal is to complete the manuscript in the first half of the year and publish it in the second half.

I try not to care too much about others. Consequently, I feel others might not be very interested in me either. This attitude—believing people don’t care about what I do, whether I quit my job or pursue my interests—is essential. While advice and affectionate looks are exchanged, I don’t judge people based on scattered information. By repeating this thought, I’ve come to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter what others say about me.

The title would be ‘Dust’ (laughs). I want to talk about my smallness and my ‘dustiness.’ While Wonologue has significantly changed my life and brought me great happiness, it's an insignificant event in the universe's grand scheme. In ten years, more people will likely forget me than remember me. So, I’ve decided that I shouldn’t withhold what I want to say or defer my happiness because of fear of judgment. I want to keep reminding myself of my smallness and my words' minimal impact universally. This realization gives me courage and allows me to pursue my happiness boldly.

I consider myself fortunate. For a long time, I wondered if I deserved this luck. Recently, my perspective has shifted slightly. I now believe that stories of people like me, who live outside conventional paths, need to be shared more widely. Although the off-road path is rugged and uneven, it offers many enjoyable experiences. The more these lives are exposed, the more options people will see. It's about expanding the pie. I hope this leads to more tremendous respect for the rights of others working in similar ways.

Wonologue is like a 'save point' in a game, a moment to pause and reflect. It’s akin to breaking branches in a forest where one might lose their sense of direction. The videos serve as markers, saying, “I’ve been here” or “No need to revisit this worry.” Walking on a blank page may lead to a crooked path, but marking and connecting dots creates a clear line. These videos clarify my path moving forward.

Yes, when facing similar concerns, I look back at past videos to see how I resolved them. I find my history of overcoming obstacles within these videos. The purpose of recording the present is similar. I don't know which future version of myself will watch them, but I’m documenting my thoughts and conclusions. Just as broken branches indicate where I’ve been, revisiting my old videos helps me understand my current position.

I’d tell myself to clear my mind and start quickly. Don't invest too much in equipment; using a phone is enough. Back then, I had too many thoughts. I’ve been watching YouTube for a long time—since 13 years ago. I wanted to start something but kept waiting to buy a better computer or camera. Eventually, I realized I'd never begin if I kept waiting. I’m not suggesting to corner the market, but procrastinating wastes energy and good ideas. How much fun it would have been to share the stories I could have told back then.

Definitely, Wonologue. Here, I strive not to seek others' approval. This channel extends the time I spend contemplating my identity. Despite the various titles I might carry—videographer, planner—in Wonologue, I can be Seung-won Lim. It’s not about impressing someone but sending a letter to myself, which makes it uniquely meaningful.