About

 Hi there. I'm Chaelin Park, also known as Chaelinjane. I'm from Busan, South Korea. I live in Seoul, but my next chapter awaits me in Germany to be with the love of my life. Being an only child, I found solace in the companionship of books, making them my preferred way to spend time alone.

A Life Written in Diaries, Captured in Pictures

Since 1995, I have kept diaries, beginning with picture journals. As an "archivist," keeping an eye on the world around me eventually became the most natural way to live. I constantly sketch the life I want to live through diaries. I found serenity, even when things didn't go as planned, hope looked far off, or my heart was heavy with worry and despair. My diaries have gathered innumerable thoughts, travels, books, music, exhibitions, work, etc. I want to archive my meaningful experiences in digital, too. Because every recorded moment holds untapped potential and endless possibilities.

Artistic expression has cured how my life has turned out thus far. Through these journals, I see my life becoming more refined. There is a sheer joy coming from keeping diaries. The moments and memos grow richer.

My journal has helped me through many important life events and continues to present me with new opportunities. Remarkably, what started out as a hobby turned into a career. I was able to memorialize my efforts and receive praise for my diligence through journaling. This led to a job offer from a local company. And I balanced freelancing in the creative arts for nearly five years. I'm working in the music industry before moving to Germany. Even with an 11-day journal I kept while residing in a New Zealand meditation retreat, I self-published a book. What will make up the entries in my future diaries?

One Question 

"If you had to choose just one thing in your life, 

what would it be?"

This question weighed heavily on my mind when I decided to start a new life in Germany a year and a half later. It represented a profound self-examination against the backdrop of an entirely unfamiliar world. Considering its implications for my future career and work, I approached this matter with a mix of practicality and authenticity to my core self. After months of introspection, I arrived at a definitive response: "Always the answer be diary. Also, with good books!"

'ilgi' is my fundamental spirit.

In Korean, a diary is '일기(日記).' Its pronunciation is [ilgi]. I love the simplicity of the word and it plays a core role in my life. I named my blog as "ilgi." Writing a journal is also one of the best ways to learn languages. Just as I acquired my mother tongue and learned English, exploring a new German language is intertwined with journaling and reading good books.

ilgi is my project for private paradise. This serves as a means of self-care and countering negative energies through art, fostering holistic growth. My dream is for this project to one day find a tangible existence in reality.