“While shaping the clay, I learned how to comfort myself.” Instead of striving for the perfection defined by the world, I decided to live in the shape that feels most "true to myself." A record of the most honest and resilient self-discovery by ceramic artist Lee kyunghwan, embracing even my anxiety and wounds as an integral part of who I am. We live every day pretending to be okay. The obsession with living in the "normal person’s mold" that the world has set for us, without a single flaw, slowly wears us down. We feel that only perfection will make us worthy of love, and that if we fall apart, it’ll be irreversible. So, we keep pushing forward, always looking ahead. But at some point, we suddenly realize: When did I become so distant from myself? Shaping Time is a record of life written by Lee kyeonghwan, a ceramic artist, model, and influencer who actively engaged with the world. In this work, he confronts clay, a medium that doesn’t lie. If handled in haste, it twists easily, and anxious hands leave marks. The more he strived for perfection, the more it crumbled. But when he stopped, calmed his mind, and allowed himself to breathe, the clay slowly found its own form. Through pottery, he discovered truths about life: that clay hardens not because it avoids fire, but because it faces it; and that in moments of anxiety and trials we, too, find our own unique texture. This book is a record of his realization. Though the phrase "It's okay to not be perfect" may sound clich?, within his words, it transforms from mere comfort to lived experience. Just as he gazes at a dented cup and says, "This shape is better," here is a way of living where even flaws become part of the process. Like the surface of pottery, it might not shine, but each time you hold it, there’s warmth that touches the heart. Reading this book will not be about peeking into someone else's success story. Instead, it will be a time to quietly examine the anxieties within you. It will be an opportunity to step out of the molds set by society and practice breathing at your own pace. Just as he comforted himself by shaping clay, you, too, will find yourself quietly saying, “Ah, I get it now,” as you follow his words. "What shape are you living in right now? Have you become too rigid, with no space for your heart to breathe? Just like clay needs water to come to life, you too can soften again. Enter the time of shaping yourself, just as you would shape clay. Your anxious days will slowly warm up, and you will eventually be shaped firmly into your true self."

Prologue Chapter 1 The time when I meet myself The cup I made fell out of shape, and somehow, I loved it The reason I couldn’t let it go When anxiety finds me When a quiet person is sincere Not ‘Why,’ But ‘I hear you’ It was on the ground that I found my strength Understanding too much makes me disappear The warmth left at my fingertips The memory of my first bowl Why I chose this path How to endure discomfort The bowl most like me When the clay answers Chapter 2 The time that shapes me Are you anxious What is learned only by facing it I won’t shape myself to others’ standards Familiar doesn’t always mean good Each day may look the same, but it never truly is Even a wrong choice was still a path Growth I found in my time alone I’ve set my standard for others The practice of centering My own measure The difference small habits make It’s okay to start again Doing only as much as I can It is okay not to be perfect Chapter 3 The time that fires me The belief that we can be understood without words is just an illusion The heart hidden behind a smile Feelings don’t disappear just because you hide them Often, I regret not speaking The truest words are always saved for last More than words, the mood is remembered Just started for love, and it led me here Lessons forged only in fire How to let emotions flow Even anxiety is a material Chapter 4 The time to live as myself Applauding the person I am now Life is shaped, slowly and solidly Achievements known only to me A small luxury found in the familiar The face of an uneventful day Those who stay beside me in silence There is a temperature between people Traces left in my hands A few people I can lean on Even a flawed bowl still has its use It’s okay to be slow A day of refilling

The Things Imperfection Taught Me Sometimes, there are moments when our hearts crumble without reason. It's when the desire to do well overwhelms us, and in trying too hard, we crack. Even though we know we should rest, it’s been so long since we remembered how to, that by the end of the day, both body and mind are exhausted. Perhaps we've been trying too hard to appear as "a kind person to everyone," forgetting that it's okay to be imperfect. Ceramic artist Lee kyeonghwan is someone who took a step back from that constant striving. Having lived under the spotlight more than most, he one day turned away from all the attention and sat quietly before the clay. Instead of choosing glamour, he chose slowness; instead of competition, he chose calm. What he learned through shaping clay was a way of life that could not be explained by society's standards. The clay showed him not perfection, but his "true pace." And the warmth of his hands slowly became a language of self-restoration. This book is a record of reflections written in that language. Like shaping clay, the author molds his heart, and just as clay endures the heat of the kiln, he passes through emotions, writing them down carefully on each page. The author says, “Clay doesn’t speak, but it always answers.” On hurried days, it crumbles easily; on calm days, smooth lines emerge from his fingertips. And through this, he makes us realize that our anxiety is not a mistake, but simply an "unfinished form" that is still being shaped. Warm Sentences That Make You Realize It's Okay to Be Imperfect Lee kyeonghwan's writing is heavy, yet not cold like clay. His words aren't glamorous, but they touch something deep inside, leaving a lasting resonance. As you read each line, you start to feel not a sense of obligation to "live the day well," but a quiet desire to "look at myself more closely." The heart, which had stiffened in order to fit into the world, slowly begins to loosen, and the phrase "It's okay not to be okay" comes to you as a heartfelt comfort. Shaping Time is not only the story of an artist who chooses to look inward before seeking external glamour, but also the story of anyone who has tried not to lose themselves amid anxiety. It is a journey to standing in one's own shape, not a perfect form, but a true one. This book captures that journey through the warmth of clay and the texture of the heart. If, right now, you’re feeling overwhelmed by not fitting anyone's expectations, I recommend you slowly open this book. The quietness that seeps between the author’s words will gently cover your heart. The phrase "It's okay not to be perfect," which is so obvious yet often forgotten, may suddenly strike you deeply. Just as clay remembers the marks left by hands, your life will remember this moment. And that memory will, one day, become the firm shape of who you truly are.