misc

Literature

I love reading, and the classics I’ve read over the years have had a profound impact on my understanding of the world. Literature has given me a more holistic and empathetic worldview, enriching and broadening my perspective on human nature and society. Books offer me a passage into entirely different worlds, allowing me to relive the joys and the sorrows of those who have lived vastly different lives from me across ages, cultures, and distances. They transcend the boundaries of time and space, bridging the gap between my world and the countless human experiences that have come before and will continue long after me.

I am also perpetually moved by the enduring magic of human language - the way mere words can hold so much power and influence minds long after their authors have passed away, from crafting vivid and immersive worlds, addressing timeless questions about life and the human condition, to rebuilding memories and emotions from a long-gone past. Beyond this, I believe books serve as vessels for the minds and souls of many who came before us. They preserve the consciousness of past generations and pass it forward to posterity, perpetuating the development and evolution of humankind not only in knowledge but also in spirit, allowing writers to live on through their works. Some of my favorite authors across genres and eras include Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Alexandre Dumas, J.R.R. Tolkien, William Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, Agatha Christie, and Astrid Lindgren, among many others.

Music

Music has always been one of the biggest part of my life - whether it’s performing, listening, or creating. I’ve been playing the piano for as long as I can remember (though, admittedly, not always practicing consistently… *shame*), and I also play the guitar and violin casually. Much like books, I see music as a way for musicians to preserve their thoughts, emotions and souls through the ages, and in this way, it serves as a lasting imprint of human creativity and civilization as we evolve throughout history. Engaging deeply with music also allow people to connect with their inner intuitions and emotions, while bonding with others through a universal language. When someone creates or performs music, it offers a rare window into their inner world, allowing us to glimpse their souls, even if they are a complete stranger.

My music taste is pretty eclectic, but I listen to rock, classical, and pop the most (in that order). That said, I have a deep fascination with all genres and enjoy exploring music from every corner of the world. As I grew up, The Beatles has had the biggest influence on me, alongside my childhood favorite, ABBA. My favorite classical composer is Chopin, whose musicality and emotional expressiveness never fail to move me. I’ve especially enjoyed the interpretations of his works by Krystian Zimerman, Đặng Thái Sơn, and Arthur Rubinstein. I’m highly drawn to artists with a strong sense of individuality - those who create music that feels deeply personal and reflects their identity.

Over the years, I’ve enjoyed music from a wide range of artists, including Pink Floyd, Queen, Led Zeppelin, Eminem, “Metallica, Radiohead, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, BigBang (빅뱅), Whitney Houston, Ngọt, Microwave, Joe Hisaishi (久石 譲), Kenshi Yonezu (米津 玄師), Southern All Stars, Jay Chou (周杰倫), Faye Wong (王菲), and many more.

Philosophy

Alongside mathematics, I believe philosophy is one of the most foundational fields of human inquiry. It teaches us how to think, and thus influences how we approach everything else. As a kid, I was left completely awestruck by the seemingly magical fact that something as material as the brain can give rise to something as enigmatic and (seemingly) immaterial as consciousness. It is equally wondrous to think about how anything even exists at all, and how it all started, if there was ever a beginning in the first place. Given this brief and singular experience of consciousness, I feel a deep desire to dedicate my life to continuously refining my way of thinking and my understanding of the world - so that I might live this lifetime more meaningfully and with more clarity and purpose.

Areas that I resonate with the most are metaphysics and ethics. Metaphysics was the first branch to captivate me, as it confronts the most fundamental questions about reality, from time, causality, existence, to the nature of the self. All of these were among the very first questions that sparked my philosophical curiosity in my childhood, as they stirred in me a sense of wonder at the sheer strangeness and contingency of existence itself. Ethics, on the other hand, speaks to my desire to truly put thought into how I want to live, and how I view the actions of others. It pushes me to consider not just what is true, but what is right - how to live a good life, how to be just and compassionate, and how to respond thoughtfully and responsibly to the world around me. Together, these two branches grapple with the concepts that I am most concerned with in philosophy, and form the foundation of my outlook on life: lifelong learning through the pursuit of understanding what is, and personal growth through the search for the best way to live. Ultimately, philosophy, to me, is a pursuit of both truth and meaning, reminding me to keep striving for something beyond mere survival - a way of thinking deeply so that we might live more fully.

Out of the philosophers that I’ve read, I’ve found myself identifying the most with the ideas of Immanuel Kant and Martin Heidegger.

Physics and Astronomy

Astronomy was the first subject that captured my interest when I was very little. I can’t help but be mesmerized by the endless mysteries and the sheer grandeur of the universe - the idea that all of humanity is just a speck of dust in the vastness beyond. I was drawn not only to the scientific mysteries of astronomy but also to the philosophical questions associated with space exploration and the otherwordly, almost poetic Lovecraftian grandeur of cosmic phenomena. I remember asking my dad about the nature of the universe as I struggled to grasp the idea of infinity, “If you keep going, eventually, you would reach the end of anything, even if it was the universe. But what is beyond “the end”?” The question echoed in my mind for years, and it was the first of a series of apparent paradoxes that made the universe feel both overwhelming and beautiful. This wonder drove me to delve into many resources to explore the enigma that is the universe.

On a grander scale, I am intrigued by the way the world works. Natural phenomena enchanted me and naturally drew me to physics, the science that grapples with the fundamental laws governing nature itself. I was especially captivated by modern physics, as it challenges our very common-sense understanding of the physical world and even reality. It pushes us to grapple with the most fundamental questions, from the nature of space and time, the fabric of reality, to whether we are even capable of fully comprehending the universe we inhabit. That blend of pushing the boundaries of knowledge while embracing the unknown challenges my mind and keeps me completely hooked.

Others

Here are some random fun facts that did not make it into their own section:

• Beyond my core hobbies and interests, I also love dancing (especially hip-hop and contemporary), traveling, parkour, digital art, MOBA and strategy games, and chess - I try to make time for these whenever I can.
• I’ve been a HUGE fan of Dragon Ball since childhood (hence this page’s icon!). I’ve also really enjoyed other anime series like Hunter x Hunter (2011), Gintama, and Steins; Gate. For manga, I like Monster, Berserk, Pandora Hearts, One Piece, and Goodnight Punpun.
• I wrote my will and testament when I was about 8 years old.