The fifth book in the steel mill interview series, “Working Mind.”
Kim Jun-yeon, author of 『Mr. Onda's Gangwon-do』 and 『North Korea Travel Conversation』, has collected stories from meeting people who travel as if it were their daily life and live their daily lives as if it were a trip, in one book.

The author embraces the minds of those who engage in travel as labor, such as guesthouse operators, tour guides, travel magazine reporters, and travel variety show writers, as well as those who engage in forms of travel that go against the travel industry's consumer-oriented approach, such as couchsurfing, motorcycling, and long-term travel.
What began as a conversation about work and hobbies transcends those boundaries, exploring the interviewees' perspectives on life as travelers and their methods of managing it.
These special interviews with 11 people, connecting the inside and outside of space and time—"then and now" and "here and there"—will vividly rekindle the "sense of travel" we've forgotten due to the pandemic.

The ideal travel experience is different for everyone.
What is presented in this book is only a small part of those appearances.
I hope you will discover not only the clashes that arise between the ten interviewees, but also the clashes with your own ideas about what travel should be like.
And when the day comes when you can travel freely again, I hope that you too will go on your own journey and create your own solid world.

--- p.19

“I just wanted to travel, so I left.
I had no desire to achieve anything great.
I've been lucky to have come this far.
I think it's a positive thing that travel has suddenly become popular and people are going to places they wouldn't have gone before.
But it's a shame that there are so many words trying to define travel and that travel is considered to be something incredibly special.
It's to the point where even the person who was about to leave would feel burdened.
So I don't think about 'what is travel'.
Instead, what if we just "traveled"? Ultimately, if we have happy memories of eating everything we wanted and doing everything we wanted, I think we can live again."
--- p.49

“I told Jiyu, ‘I’m sorry. It wasn’t your fault, it was just that I was being stupid.’
Jiyu answered like this.
'It's okay, Dad.
My heart knows.
It's okay because I know my dad loves me.' It was really touching.
'Dad, shall I tell you how to get rid of the fool? If you stop thinking about the fool inside you, the fool will disappear.
So, stop thinking about that fool.' It was strange to hear a six-year-old say that to me, an adult.
Things like this happen when you travel with kids.
We have a chance to talk to each other
“It’s creepy.”
--- p.74-75

“I remember talking to the PD who went to Africa with me while covered in sweat.
"Author, I think we've been too successful." I knew right away what he meant.
Although I was working without being able to eat properly or sleep well, the memories I gained while making the show were amazing.
So I answered too.
“I think we’re doing a really good job,” he said.
--- p.108-109

“If I had to pick one more thing that salsa and travel have in common, it would be the one-off nature of the feeling.
If you visit a country you traveled to in your twenties again in your thirties, the feeling will definitely be different.
The same goes for dancing salsa.
Even if you dance with the same person, the feeling of the dance is different depending on the mood or emotion of the day.
“You can never get the feeling of dancing again.”
--- p.131

“I like Korea better after becoming a tour guide.
Maybe it's because I studied a lot about Korea.
When I see the customers' reactions, I start to like Korea more and more.
“I’m often surprised to see how well-maintained the roads are on the highway, and how clean the rest areas and restrooms are.”
--- p.150

“Once you set out to a destination, the most important thing is to arrive without any accidents.
Everything that I feel is a journey happens on a motorcycle.
Once you reach your destination, all your tension will melt away.
So the most I can do is look around the area near my accommodation or go to a bookstore.
But compared to running, the intensity of the pleasure is less than a tenth of that.”
--- p.180

“I think it’s actually difficult to encounter ordinary moments.
When we travel, we become strangers anyway, so it is bound to be difficult to encounter the daily lives of locals as strangers.
In an unfamiliar place, I tend to be drawn to tourist attractions or places that offer convenience to travelers.
“I try to block it out as much as possible.”
--- p.214

“I think the weight of life is enough to carry in one backpack.
I'm a third-year traveler and now I have everything in one backpack.
But as I traveled, the weight of my backpack decreased.
Because you only carry what you need.
The more greedy you are, the heavier your backpack becomes.
If you do that, your steps will become heavy and you will get irritated.
The lighter my backpack became, the lighter the weight of life felt.
“I think your level of satisfaction with life depends on how you think.”
--- p.252

“For the time being, the barriers to entry for travel will remain high.
People who value safety will avoid traveling until the situation calms down.
Where there is demand, there must be supply, but the changes brought about by COVID-19 will likely lead to higher travel prices.
If demand suddenly arises that cannot keep up with supply, the travel market landscape will change.
Some people who used to travel a lot will now find it difficult to think about traveling.
And I expect that safer and higher quality travel will take the place of cheap travel in the past.”
--- p.275

“I thought I would only ever go on a long trip like this once in my life.
It would be difficult to go back to a place I've already traveled to, and memories have their limits, so I tried to record as meticulously as possible what I did and saw in each country.
I also took a lot of pictures.
So the photos of the paths I walked are not scattered but connected.
“That’s why memories are connected as if watching a video.”

--- p.295