In this blog post, I’ll draw on my own experiences to discuss why it’s important to take time to savor the journey, starting with a line from the movie ‘Cars’.

A line from the movie

Last winter break, I decided to rewatch some Disney animations I’d seen as a child, and one of them was ‘Cars’. The film is set in a world where cars, not people, are the protagonists, featuring characters like a tire repairman, a race car, and a tow truck—each with a profession and personality that matches their appearance. The protagonist, Lightning McQueen, is a rising star in the racing world. Though initially self-centered and arrogant, he undergoes a transformation toward selflessness as he spends time in the small town of Radiator Springs.
Radiator Springs, the film’s central setting, is a town located along Route 66 in the United States. With the advent of the freeway, people began taking the freeway to travel quickly instead of passing through the towns along Route 66, causing those towns to decline. When a resident shows McQueen the beauty of Route 66, McQueen laments that people simply drive past such wonderful scenery. The resident then says:

“Cars didn’t drive on it to make great time. They drove on it to have a great time.”

While the meaning of this sentence is clear even when read in the original English, it becomes even more vivid when interpreted in Korean. Here, “to make great time” is understood to mean “to reach one’s destination quickly” or “to save time,” while “to have a great time” means “to have a good time” or “to enjoy the journey.” In other words, it means, “People didn’t drive on this road to get there quickly; they drove on it to enjoy the journey.”
The reason this short sentence resonated so deeply with me is the realization that, up until now, I—and many people around us—have been rushing forward focused solely on the “destination.” As students and colleagues, we tend to desire only the fruits of good grades and quick success, while neglecting or trying to cut corners in the process. Attitudes such as copying homework to get a perfect score or trying to maintain grades without actually attending class resemble the “make great time” mindset.

Leisure and Volunteer Experience Found on the Highway

After watching the movie, I found myself reflecting on my daily life. In middle and high school, I raced toward short-sighted goals like “getting into Seoul National University,” and once I achieved that, I blindly accelerated even further amid fiercer competition. Back then, my idea of leisure seemed to consist solely of an hour or two of gaming or chatting with friends. Looking back, I realize I lived like a car speeding down a highway without a clear destination.
Recently, I had my first proper visit to Buddeulgol on campus. For three years, I had only passed through there on shuttle buses and city buses, but when I actually stopped and looked around, the colors and scenery were far more beautiful than I had imagined. I felt both frustrated and ashamed that I had missed such a view. It was the moment I realized just how much of a difference a single brief pause and a moment of leisure can make.
I also remember a travel poster for a club I saw in the library hallway. That record, compiled from a few photos, told the story of a “two-year journey.” Few people can easily make the decision to spend that entire period—which feels like an eternity—doing nothing but traveling. Devoting that time, including military service, to travel might seem reckless to those around you, but it’s clear that such experiences bring a broader perspective and greater maturity.
I, too, chose a slightly roundabout path this summer break. I went on a volunteer trip to Altanbulag, a region on the Russian border in Mongolia—a place that takes a 10-hour bus ride from Ulaanbaatar to reach. Although my daily routine there consisted mostly of physical labor, the experience of living and working alongside strangers at such a young age, and growing close to them, gave me courage and confidence. Since returning, my daily life has become much more vibrant, and I’ve realized that even a short week can be enough to breathe new life into one’s existence.
Just like McQueen in the movie, there may be friends who raced down the highway to reach the finish line quickly. But just as those who took the winding country road can find greater meaning at the finish line, we too sometimes need to deliberately slow down and look around us. There’s no guarantee that the slower path is necessarily more “successful,” but the insights, relationships, and growth we gain along that path can certainly be different.
Ultimately, it’s all about balance. Strive toward your goals, but live a life where you don’t miss out on the joy of the journey, the people around you, or the small experiences—that is the lesson I learned from ‘Have a Great Time’. Don’t rush too much; occasionally take a detour onto the country roads and savor the scenery. That little bit of leisure makes life richer.