Kim Young-chul acts as ambassador for 2026 Korea Reading Festival in Chuncheon... “You must be good at Korean to be good at foreign languages”

Comedian Kim Young-chul visited Chuncheon as an ambassador for the 2026 Korea Reading Festival. To celebrate Hangeul Day, Kim Young-chul visited the Kim You-jeong Literature Village in Chuncheon, expressing his literary sentiments and emphasizing the importance of reading.

“Korean proficiency is the foundation of foreign languages”... A message delivered at Kim You-jeong Literature Village

Visiting the Kim You-jeong Literature Village in Chuncheon, Kim Young-chul recalled his memories of being a literature boy during his high school years. Mentioning the representative works of author Kim You-jung, 'Spring, Spring' and 'Camellia Flowers', he reflected on the fun and literary value provided by the scenes in the works. In particular, he emphasized the importance of one's mother tongue even in learning foreign languages.

Kim Young-chul emphasized, "I have never seen someone who is good at a foreign language but bad at Korean," adding, "You must be good at Korean to be able to do well in other countries' foreign languages as well." This remark suggests that the basis of language learning lies in the mother tongue, connecting the correlation between reading and studying the Korean language as an ambassador for the Reading Festival.

The value of re-reading and a recommendation to join reading groups

Kim Young-chul's philosophy regarding reading was also revealed. He advised that when reading a book, one should not stop after just once but must engage in 're-reading'. Kim Young-chul suggested that "the level changes significantly from the second time you read," implying that the process of repeated reading helps in intellectual growth. He added that through re-reading, one can achieve an effect similar to the body and mind performing full-body exercise.

Furthermore, he suggested not stopping at simply reading alone, but participating in reading groups to experience sharing thoughts with others. This suggestion shows that reading can go beyond an individual activity to become a tool for social communication.

The 'God-saeng' routine of waking up at 5 AM and a 2-day, 1-night trip in Chuncheon

Kim Young-chul expressed his diligent lifestyle as 'God-saeng' and revealed his routine of starting the day at 5 AM. He mentioned that people who move early in the morning can use their day longer and more fruitfully, conveying the satisfaction that a diligent life provides. He mentioned that by waking up early and watching the cars pass by, he could see people moving diligently, and felt that he himself had become diligent as well.

After finishing his ambassador activities, a journey to find local restaurants in Chuncheon followed. Kim Young-chul enjoyed the characteristics of local food by tasting Chuncheon's original charcoal-grilled chicken ribs, and later concluded his schedule by drinking beer outdoors with his manager. On the second day, he wrapped up his 2-day, 1-night itinerary in Chuncheon with a barley rice set meal.

Source: original video (YouTube)