Living Life on a Whim
Interview with Chanwe Moon | Farmer, runs leather bag brand Grobzart / 33 yrs
“Life isn’t about doing whatever you want.” This is what we say to the coworker who says he is going to quit his job and travel the world to find himself, to the friend who chooses to invest in his hobby instead of saving, and
to the child who wants to major in an obscure subject instead of a practical one. And there aren’t many people who can hit back with a “Why not?” to that statement. Most people end up saying “I know. I guess I can’t live life on a whim.” and extinguish their excitement by dousing their dreams in cold hard reality.
If Chan We Moon, a farmer of loquat trees and freelance photographer who raises his daughter Eum with his
wife, runs the handmade leather bag brand Grobzart and product plans for a few independent fashion brands every season, had heard this statement, he would have tilted his head and said “And why not? We’re all going to die anyway so we need to make the best of life while we can. The faster you realize what makes you happy, the longer you can lead a happy life. So why wait?”
I understand you’re a designer recently turned farmer. How many jobs do you have exactly?
It’s been four years since I moved to the countryside but farming requires a lot of know-how so I just had my first harvest this year. I produce loquat for medicinal use. I used to freelance as a web and clothing designer in Seoul. Independent brands hire me for product planning and I take care of everything from material selection to creating the silhouette, patterns and sampling. I’m also in charge of photography for a quarterly handmade sewing magazine. Last but not least, I run a leather bag brand with my wife who is a professional leather crafter. I once searched for the perfect leather bag for work but couldn’t find one so we decided to create our own brand.
Don’t designers typically reside in Seoul? Is there a particular reason you decided to move to the country?
I’ve never been trendy, even when I was in Seoul. I always thought it was weird how everyone would dress the same just because it was trendy, despite the fact that everyone has different tastes. My work really isn’t affected by location. All I need is a sketchbook, pencil, eraser and laptop and I’m set. And I strongly believe in securing as much time as you can to live a happy life since you never know when everything will be over. I would spend at least an hour commuting in Seoul but here it only takes 10 minutes. That’s 50 more minutes a day I can spend doing something I love. I commute to my loquat farm on Wando two times a week and I still have work in Seoul so I go once a week, but it just seemed foolish to live in the city for that one day. I’d much rather work in a place where I can relax and enjoy my family because I believe spending time with family is the secret to happiness.
I heard you were single when you moved to the country. Weren’t you worried about getting married?
Yeah, so I had already moved to the country before I met my wife. She had never lived in the country before. She was running a leather workshop in Kwangju and she was fascinated by how I lived in the countryside. We started off talking about leather but moved on to what kind of lives we wanted and discovered that our idea of a happy family was very similar. She got into the country life while we were dating and now she’s a pro with the hoe! I’m really lucky. I’m always grateful that she accepts and loves me for who I am. Every night, after we put Eum to bed, we share some tea or a beer and talk and fantasize about where we want to take Grobzart. My wife is skilled at handling leather and I’m good at planning, so our goal is to make bags that will last a century; bags that we would be proud to pass down to Eum.
There are people over 30 who still have no idea what makes them happy. What helped you figure out your direction in life?
I made sure to pay attention to every whim. If I was attracted to something, I experienced it in one way or another. For example, if you become interested in photography, try buying a higher quality camera. It’s that easy. If you try it and it doesn’t work out, you can just sell it. Once you experience something, you can tell in your gut if it’s something you really want to do.
Some would ask what’s the point in trying something if you’re just going to give up on it.
But you see, there is a point. It gives you the freedom to eliminate certain options, which increases your focus. Think of it as sculpting your life down to the way you want it to be. Once you find that thing you love, you don’t feel like you have to compete with anyone and you obsess less about money. So it’s not a waste of time since it helps you reach a point in your life where you can be happy without bringing others down.
What was your childhood like?
I have the greatest respect for my mother and father. We were really poor growing up, but they never let me feel like it was a problem. They taught me that I didn’t need to be embarrassed because I couldn’t afford the same shoes as everyone else, and they never nagged me to study. They believed that there were more important things in life than calculus. They got me an old car as soon as I got my license and told me to see the world and do what I wanted with my life. They gave me the freedom to explore myself.
What is the most important lesson your parents taught you?
Now that I have a daughter, I understand. I think they were trying to teach me that my outlook on life doesn’t have to change just because things take a turn for the worse and that I will be happy no matter the circumstances if
I do what I love. And they live like this, even in their old age. My mother lives with me in the country, in harmony with nature like her hero Helen Nearing and plays tennis like a professional. She knows exactly what she wants in life and in death, to the point where she’s ready to accept death when it comes and wants a woodland burial.
Did becoming a father throw you through a loop?
We had Eum precisely when life in the country was settling down and I was beginning to think I could spend a lot of time with my child so it was perfect timing. Parenting is a lot more fun than I thought it’d be. A deep kind of fun if you will. I love watching her react to the world. Usually we wish for things like good health and good grades for our kids before they’re born, but my wishes have changed while watching Eum grow. Now I want her to explore the world doing something she really loves. In other words, my wishes for her as a parent have faded as I take a step back and watch her live her life.
Just like your parents gave you the freedom to live yours?
I always said I wanted to be like my parents when I was younger. But they turned out to be just normal, imperfect human beings. They still fight when they’re together and I see their flaws in myself, but I also believe that I can overcome them to become a better person than my parents. I hope Eum sees the same thing in me too. I hope she desires to live life the way she sees fit like her parents before her while believing she can be a better person than us.
What do you think your life would be like now if you hadn’t become a father?
I sometimes like to imagine that when Eum’s friends ask her what her dad does, she tells them that he seeks out and does things that he thinks are important. I have to make sure I have a clear perspective on life if I don’t want her to give her friends a generic answer such as “He’s a designer. He makes bags.” If I hadn’t become a father, I would probably be working 8 hours a day. After becoming a father, I try to only work 4 and spend the rest of the time with Eum. Not much else has changed. Oh, except traffic violations. I’m trying to set an example so I haven’t gotten a single traffic violation since she was born. Regardless of whether or not I’m a father, the only thing I’m after is happiness.
Tips for Fathers | Relocating to the country (in South Korea)
Decide on the crop first Once you plant your crop, you have to take care of
it for a long time so you need to think long and hard about what crop you want to grow. Remember that you need to complete the countryside relocation course run by the rural development administration in order to buy any farmland.
Think carefully about where you will live before buying any land It’s better to live close to a city for your family’s sake. It’s a common misconception to think living in the country means living like a caveman. It takes a while to get used to life in the country.
Check the special production locality of your crop Each local government supports a certain crop indigenous to that area. There is usually an agricultural association for these crops and once you become a member, you can have access to their distribution network. They also provide package design services and market expansion ideas. You can get information on the latest technology from the agricultural technology center.
Get support instead of investing your own money University graduates can receive more benefits if they register as collage graduates with the local government. Some local governments provide up to 40 million won for home renovations to college graduates moving to the country. It takes a long time until your first harvest so take advantage of any financial aid from the local government until you can turn a profit.
