“I’m just grateful to wake up and see a morning like this before me.”

Shiny pieces of life found among the squished, ordinary days

It's Still a Circle Even If It's Squished is a record of the glimmering days that Kim Chang-wan shared with us every morning on SBS Power FM’s “It’s a Beautiful Morning with Kim Chang-wan” . As he wrapped up the final show—which had been such a significant part of his life that he remarked, "I couldn’t possibly imagine myself without the Beautiful Morning Show ” (excerpted from the book)—he expressed his hopes of returning the love he has received in a book. In it, he captures and lays out the scenes of each season, reflecting on the hopes of the morning and the significance of our everyday lives.

“Oh, all those days of my life that have been left abandoned for simply being so-so. I look back on my days—precious, even if they may not be overwhelming—and on my happy mornings without much going on.” - from “A Happy Day without Much Going On”

While it may seem like a reiteration of typical days, once you open your eyes and look closely, you’ll realize that they’re never the same as yesterday. Curled up branches begin to sprout, apartment windows that had been closed against fine dust open all at once to celebrate the sunny day, and the regrets and lingering feelings from yesterday fade with the arrival of a new morning. No wind is the same as yesterday’s, no river is the same as yesterdays, and I am never the same as yesterday.

Once you get used to things, you take them for granted. When nice, sunny days repeat, you forget to be grateful; when you’re ill, all you hope for is the pain to go away, but the moment you feel well, painlessness seems like no big deal. Kim Chang-wan refers to this state of being stuck in a rut as “the cliff of thought” and shifts his gaze to the small, precious changes in everyday life, reframing the significance of ordinary days. The meaning of each day he has gathered will be a cherished gift for all those who want to live their lives to the fullest.

Don’t try to find yesterday's sky in today’s.

Let go of yesterday’s regrets by telling yourself, "It’s no big deal."

The wisdom and demeanor of an elder who lives each day to the fullest

It's Still a Circle Even If It's Squished illustrates how the currently active artist Kim Chang-wan lives his days to the fullest—with a bold and composed attitude. He views hardship much like a hill in his neighborhood, refuses to dwell on what happened yesterday, and remains unfazed by the seemingly insignificant aspects of daily life.

“Today, I’m going to try drawing another circle, like reading my fortune from a deck of cards . I‘m sure it’ll be squished again, much like my day. But there’s no need to be disappointed.” - from “There’s No Need to be Disappointed that It’s Squished.”

Just as the circles we draw can’t be perfect, most of our days are likely to be imperfect and distorted. However, for Kim Chang-wan, the imperfections and frustrations of ordinary days are no reason for disappointment—that’s simply part of life. Instead, what makes life feel so disappointing and bleak is the expectation and illusion that it should be perfect and filled with pleasant days.

The bigger your dreams and the grander your fantasies, the more disappointing reality can feel, making you want to escape from it. That’s why Kim focuses on simple, everyday moments and small hopes. From the music playing on a record player to the immaturity of children, the synchronized dances of migratory birds, and the mundanity of daily life, he reminds us that what’s truly brilliant and wonderful can be found in our everyday experiences we often overlook.

“Have a great morning, with nothing more to hope for. I’d rather not dream a big dream if it means destroying humble hopes.” - from “I End Up Being Discouraged Today”

Kim doesn’t obsess over the regrets or lingering feelings from yesterday, nor does he sink into the darkness of the past. He also doesn’t abandon himself today, caught up in the glory of yesterday. To quote the Poet Park Joon, he “wouldn’t stagnate for a single moment” and simply flows on. Through It’s a Circle Even If It’s Squished, Kim Chang-wan consistently reveals “new sides of himself as an adult”.

In a society where even happiness has become a competition, Kim’s words and writings remind us of the essence of life that we have long forgotten. He embraces pain as part of life, feels grateful for a mediocre day, let’s go of yesterday’s sorrows and regrets by morning, and admires the beauty of the moon in today’s sky without trying to find meaning behind it. Such a mindset will surely teach readers how to live each day to the fullest.