Despite the difficulty of keeping up with academics and extracurriculars, where motivation is constantly on-and-off, my motivation to keep on going is Nishimura Riki (NI-KI): an artist, dancer, and idol.
When life was incredibly difficult for me, I remember discovering NI-KI while I was watching the show I-Land. I wasn’t particularly interested in Korean boy groups or anything related to them, but NI-KI was the one who made me realize my passion for music. Nothing had caught my attention more than the way he danced, and something about his character stood out to me. Maybe it was our similar personalities, but NI-KI was the first and only idol I’d ever adored.
School is truly difficult. Academics, extracurriculars, volunteering, and work; everything is physically and mentally draining, often leaving me completely devoid of will to live. However, NI-KI is the light that naturally brings a smile to my face whenever I see him. He’s the reason I pursued dance, and put positivity into my actions, words, and the general attitude I have towards life. Everything that I do is for a reason, but without NI-KI, I wouldn’t have found the courage to find myself and my real interests.
I adore NI-KI for a majority of reasons; from his confidence, to his tenacious attitude, and the way he overcomes any difficulties that occur throughout his life. From the day I saw him competing on I-Land, I felt for the first time that I wanted to pursue music. NI-KI’s aura is remarkable and incomprehensible, he brings me an indescribable euphoria. Simply seeing him makes my day better, because even if life is difficult, I feel that I can overcome it and become a better version of myself; like NI-KI had done in his idol journey.
I’ve never had a greater motivation than NI-KI. I’ve given up a lot of times, such as quitting dance or leaving my figure skating team, even slacking off on studying. Yet in the end, I always go back to where I started and try again harder, because NI-KI gives me the determination to keep on trying. No matter what, despite the amount of tries it takes for me to get something right or understand it, NI-KI has been the hope that never burns out whenever I try something new. When I fail, I think of how he preserved to become an idol (his most devoted dream), and that alone is enough to get back on my feet to try again.
Music was never my thing until NI-KI. The first time I heard him sing and watched the way he would dance to his own voice; I was enchanted. I felt beyond anything I’d ever seen in my entire lifetime, and an indescribable mystifying sensation overtook me. I felt lost, but I found my true passion by NI-KI. He is the reason I love music so much, and why I chose to pursue the arts; such as dancing, singing, and drawing. Even now, NI-KI means everything to me.
