In this blog post, I will summarize my academic experiences and school activities during high school, examples of my consideration and cooperation, as well as my motivation for applying to the Pre-Korean Medicine Program and my plans after admission.

Academic Efforts and Learning Experiences

While studying, I realized that even within a single day, there are times when I can concentrate and times when I cannot. For example, in my case, I have strong concentration in the early morning hours but tend to feel sleepy in the morning; my concentration drops during lunchtime but improves again in the evening. Having recognized this pattern in my own biorhythm during my first year of high school, I began to study according to these times.
First, I identified the times when my concentration was strongest and planned to use those hours to tackle the subjects I struggled with the most. My weakest areas were the language section and the foreign language section. Since I had a strong interest in and found math and science subjects enjoyable, studying them wasn’t difficult for me. However, I found language and foreign language subjects relatively boring, so I had to force myself to focus on them. In particular, I had to continuously memorize the four-character idioms and various literary and non-literary terms used in the language section, as well as the vocabulary and grammar required for the foreign language section, to ensure I didn’t forget them. Therefore, during the early morning hours—when my concentration was at its peak—I alternated between studying the language and foreign language sections.
Since I was relatively sleepy in the morning, I warmed up my brain by solving easy math problems, and during lunch breaks, I took time to walk around and review what I had studied or recall the vocabulary I had memorized. In the evening, I solved math and science problems and set aside time to review them once more before bed. After spending my time this way, the thing I worked hardest on was sticking to the schedule I had planned. Even when I wasn’t feeling well or really didn’t feel like studying, I consistently stuck to this schedule and made sure I could hold my head high regarding my concentration while studying. I studied diligently, enduring the challenges and finding enjoyment in the process, and I believe this helped me develop a sense of responsibility and perseverance.

School Activities and Learning

I felt that I wasn’t reading nearly enough. Since I enjoyed math and science, I participated in related activities, and because I only joined after-school programs and clubs that aligned with my interests, I never had a real opportunity to engage with books. I felt this was a shortcoming, so when I entered high school, I decided to create opportunities to read. That’s how I joined the “Reading and Discussion Club.” There, I interacted with a diverse group of friends, engaging in discussions that were sometimes enjoyable and sometimes heated, and I feel I gained a great deal from those discussions.
First, I appreciated being able to exchange ideas. The very first book we discussed with my friends was *My Sweet Orange Tree*. Written by J. M. de Vasconcelos, it’s a book that probably everyone has read at least once in their childhood. To be honest, when I first heard a senior suggest we read and discuss this book, I was a bit disappointed. I wondered what exactly there was to discuss about it. However, the book wasn’t as trivial as I had expected, and the discussion didn’t turn out to be as dull as I had feared. Through this book, we were able to discuss issues essential to childhood education, such as how to define the scope of domestic violence and how to foster communication between parents and their children.
What I realized then was that I needed to cultivate a way of thinking that views things from multiple angles rather than simplifying them. Through that realization, I made an effort to shed my overly simplistic way of thinking and cultivate a more multifaceted perspective. Additionally, by listening to my classmates’ diverse viewpoints, I became open to accepting a variety of opinions. Issues related to violence and education were areas I was particularly interested in, and I believed that reflecting on these topics would form the foundation of my skills as a future Korean medicine doctor. Consequently, from that point onward, I actively participated in discussions, read extensively, and made a conscious effort to develop my thinking and deepen my reflection.
Consequently, the ability to develop my thinking was another significant benefit I gained. My dream of becoming a Korean medicine doctor stemmed from a desire to heal people’s illnesses, comfort them, and help them lead more fulfilling lives. Because of this, I studied harder than anyone else, and in doing so, I gained the conviction that I was gradually getting closer to my dream. However, on the other hand, I began to wonder: “As someone who will be dealing with human lives, is it really enough to just study like this?” I felt I lacked the deep aspects of personal growth required of a human being—such as reverence for life, morality, and virtue. I believe I was able to cultivate these qualities through reading and discussion. I was able to develop my thinking and discover the diverse facets and strata of society. I realized that the world is full of various problems and aspects I could not fully comprehend. This experience served as a foundation for deeper reflection.

Examples of Consideration and Cooperation

Since classes are formed based on the science inquiry track we choose, students in the science track mostly see the same teachers and classmates throughout their second and third years. My class was no exception, and I served as class president for two consecutive years. I think the reason for this was that my classmates appreciated how I helped manage and keep track of our studies.
Everyone has different study preferences, and while some classmates find it distracting to have someone next to them and can’t concentrate, I generally do better when studying with others. I tend to perform better when studying together, and working hard together boosts efficiency. I also believe that since we’re in the same class, we should all succeed together. So, I gather classmates whose grades have dropped significantly compared to last year, as well as those who volunteer to study together, and we study as a group.
My main responsibilities include helping them solve problems or explaining concepts they don’t understand during breaks, supervising their study sessions during the three-hour self-study period, and—when there’s about 20 minutes left in the middle of those three hours—going over summaries or writing on the board to study together. I started this with just one or two friends, but since the response was so positive, more than half of the class has joined in. Because of this, what started as helping just one or two friends has now grown to include more than half the class, so I sometimes feel overwhelmed. Occasionally, when I can’t even take a break during recess because I’m helping my friends study, I catch myself wondering, “Why am I doing this?” But in the end, seeing my friends’ grades improve after I help them finish their work, and watching them find their direction through the little help I provide, gives me a great sense of fulfillment.
Furthermore, the class’s overall attitude toward learning has improved. Since we study together without leaving anyone behind, the classroom atmosphere has become even better, and teachers often come into class with a smile. Through this small act of sharing, we were able to create a much better environment.

Educational Background and Motivation

The reason I decided to become a Korean medicine doctor is thanks to the neighborhood where I grew up. I recently looked up statistics on my neighborhood, and the average age turned out to be 75. That’s how many elderly people live there. Perhaps because it’s on the outskirts and quiet, many people have settled there. And in that environment, my parents—being the youngest and most youthful in the family—have spent their lives volunteering to help the elderly neighbors. They were the ones who shoveled snow when it fell, checked the water pipes when it rained, sprinkled water when it was too hot, and cooked food to share with the neighbors during holidays. Because my parents were so kind to everyone around them, I was naturally the most beloved child in the neighborhood. That’s why, even through middle school, I preferred spending time with the grandmothers over my friends. I loved going to the elderly ladies’ homes, eating delicious candy, breathing in their familiar scent, and taking comfortable naps.
Then, one day, I happened to witness an accident. A very elderly grandmother had fallen while coming down the stairs. I was so startled that I ran over, and I saw blood flowing from her head. She asked me for a tissue, and I remember running back up to her house to get one, then bursting into tears. I was in the fourth grade at the time, and I remember that moment very clearly. I cried my eyes out as I rode in the ambulance with her to the hospital. She had always treated me like her own granddaughter, so I clung to her knees and cried as if I were about to faint. I cried so hard that if my parents, who arrived later, hadn’t comforted me, it could have been a disaster.
And while I was crying, I heard the doctor’s words clearly. The gist of what the doctor said was that, ultimately, my grandmother had fallen because she was very old and her joints had stiffened, so it was unavoidable, and that her head injury could be treated right away. But I asked the doctor to fix her knees. I thought that if she had fallen because of her knees, she would keep falling because of them in the future, and there would be no way to avoid bleeding like this again. The doctor looked troubled and said that wasn’t possible. When I persistently asked if there really wasn’t a way, he suggested that perhaps a Korean medicine doctor might have a solution. That was the first time I heard about Korean medicine, and it became my dream.
I believe Western medicine has its limitations. On the other hand, I believe there are no limits to Korean medicine, which treats the root cause. That is why I began to dream of becoming a Korean medicine doctor, and from that moment on, I studied diligently with the dream of entering the Department of Korean Medicine at Kyung Hee University, which carries on the lineage and traditions of Korean medicine. If I am admitted to the Department of Korean Medicine, I will study more diligently than anyone else to become a Korean medicine doctor who heals the root causes of illness. I want to care for each and every one of my loved ones, helping them live vibrant, fulfilling lives.