Adventure with Toys Ver.3

“The Truth is… I am Iron Man.”

…But what next? Waiting for the next movie was definitely not the five-year-old boy’s style. Besides, he had better ideas for Obadiah Stane: freezing to death was NOT enough for the evil villain. He dashed home and stormed into his room. Getting his own suit on, he rocketed up to the sky for a rematch with Stane. He became a hero in his own artificial world: a world made of toys.

From the moment I unboxed my first toy until now at the edge of teenage, these little creatures have endured a steady presence in my life. My jointed rainbow rangers were not just toys for children; they were a bridge, bringing my imagination to life. With them on my side, I searched for the answers to numerous questions popping in my head. Wondering what if Voldemort was still alive (he resurrected once, why not twice?), I transformed into Harry Potter’s son and the 3-inch soldiers into my peers at Hogwarts for the final battle with Voldemort. Imagining how a wimpy high school life would be like, my pals and I hopped into the Diary of a Wimpy Kid to be Jeff’s best friends. Our spectacular adventures sparked the young Columbus, giving birth to my endless curiosity and creativity. As time passed, more toys, from Pokemon plushies to mini Smurf figures, filled my room. But they were never themselves; instead, they would become my pet monsters or elf assistants, adapting to each adventure we would take. Morphing and reshaping these toys gave me a new sight, enabling me to explore beyond the bounds of ordinary.

           During my trips to dreamland, I did not find myself solving everything with magic and sorcery. Instead, I excogitated ways to efficiently allocate my army and constructed highways that can access all parts of my kingdom as swiftly as possible. Linking my towns only using the shortest paths, I eventually found out that the method was Kruskal’s algorithm, one of the most famous solutions of Union-Find problems. Experiencing wars of diverse eras from medieval battles to modern warfare, I absorbed the lessons of history. General Miltiades’ pincer ambush strategy that saved the Athenians from Persians was undoubtedly fascinating; it was perfect for protecting my republic from the massive army of Sith. As a famous archeologist of Camelot, I faced a difficult task of repairing the Excalibur. I chose a technological approach: analyzing the curviness and density of other holy swords. This eventually led to my future project in reality: using Generative Adversarial Network to repair Korean heritage. I also experienced harsh lessons of convincing by talking with the stubborn gods of Olympus. Only after contemplating political trust, a core theme of Western democracy, I could logically persuade them to protect my beloved demigod camp. Walking home, Percy Jackson (obviously a toy) and I discussed the flaws of the autocratic rule of Zeus. We both agreed that his thunder is more admirable – and sick – than his personality.

           My quest continues in reality through my intellectual endeavors. Like a torch in a labyrinth, curiosity illuminates my way through realms of algorithm, calculus, and politics – all in pursuit not only to improve the community I live in but also for the pure pleasure of gaining knowledge. A hero’s journey, however, is never painless. Every time I fall, I do what I do best. I try again. Whether it is creating the first lacrosse team in my state without any help or performing the seemingly impossible task of interpreting the cry of infants through deep-learning, I am compelled to try everything that I have passion for, until the moment of glory.

           I am a peculiar boy, full of wild questions and a determined heart to seek their answers. My ‘toy expeditions’ motivates me to stay curious, stay creative. Strolling into the unknown, I continue my search for “whys” and “hows” even today.

           “The Truth is…”