Hello, this is JIRO. On the 13th, JIRO traveled to Iksan to meet Kim Aerim, CEO of BeMike. From publishing a local magazine to organizing a fully self-funded festival, and even operating Miji, a select shop in the old downtown area— we’d like to share the story told by Kim Aerim, who continues to demonstrate the possibilities of “local.” Miji is located just a four-minute walk from Iksan Station. We met Kim Aerim in a space filled with products closely connected to Iksan. Stepping Away from Familiarity Discovering what makes a place special begins with stepping away from familiarity. Kim Aerim emphasized the importance of not assuming we already know a place simply because it feels familiar. The more familiar a place is—especially one we grew up in—the easier it is to say, “There’s nothing here,” or “I already know everything.” She explained that this mindset is one of the biggest reasons people end up leaving their hometowns. Just as we often ignore advice from those closest to u...