1. How do you feel about going back to school after starting your career?
The Yonsei GMBA is my third academic journey with Yonsei, and many things have changed from before. When I was an undergraduate, it was just fun to leave high school and have new studies in a new environment. The second relationship with Yonsei was made when I was a junior worker in the fourth year of joining the company. I attended the Graduate School of Journalism & Mass Communication to enhance my understanding of the PR work that I was doing at the time. I made pleasant and happy memories by getting to know people that were helpful for my career.
It has been 12 years since I started my career, and I came to the GMBA to learn about the overall management of the company to move on to the next level in the organization. I have never experienced business administration academically, so I am accepting this new opportunity with a more challenging but enjoyable mind than the previous ones. Although it is limited by Covid-19, it inspires me and expands my world to meet classmates who have various backgrounds and to be exposed to a global environment. If the GMBA course is over, it will be difficult to resume studying for a while, so I want to focus faithfully on this academic journey that is just around the corner.
2. How does it feel being a full-time student and taking care of your son and family? How do you juggle your time?
Life as a working mom and full-time is very challenging. When I was at work, I was in a position to assist in childcare and there was always someone who took care of my son, but now I am the main caregiver for my son. These days, I've been spending the longest time with him since my son was born, and I'm very happy to see him growing up close. Perhaps this time is a golden time that will never come back to me and my child's life, so I feel like it is a precious gift rather than a hard time.
When it comes to time management, I take classes, do assignments, meet friends, and exercise while my son is in kindergarten. When I inevitably have to do my homework in the evening, my son sits just next to me and we study together. I believe that seeing his mother studying will also be a good stimulus to a 4-year-old child.
3. How do you like spending your free time? What are some of your hobbies?
After entering GMBA, I had relatively more free time than when I was at work, so I started learning golf. Golf is a new sport that I have never experienced before, so it is difficult but fun. Golf seems to be attractive because it is a sport that allows you to breathe fresh air, see beautiful nature, and interact with friends for a long time. Golf requires a lot of time and effort to improve my skills, so I take lessons and practice whenever I have time.
Unfortunately, I can't do it as often as before due to COVID-19, but I still like to enjoy drinking alcohol and trying good food with my friends. Also, I hope the pandemic situation gets better soon so that I can freely fly around the world again.
4. What is one place you would recommend to visit in Korea that foreigners don’t know about?
GMBA foreign students seem to know good places in Korea better than I do, so I don't know if my recommendations will be useful, but I will recommend one place for each season.
In Spring, it is nice to visit the cherry blossom road near Cheongpyung Lake in Jecheon (제천 청평호). You can enjoy spring flowers by the lake without the crowds like in Yeouido, Jinhae, and Gyeongju.
In Summer, you can experience snorkeling and kayaking in emerald-colored seas that are rare in Korea at Jangho Port in Samcheok (삼척 장호항). You can also enjoy cable cars and rail bikes near the port.
In Autumn, a trip to an island called Wonsan Island (원산도) is recommended. The Island is under Anmyeon Island and you can experience catching crabs and shellfish in the mudflat when the seawater is drained at night. It might be such a good memory eating grilled seafood on the beach. Visiting a pretty dessert cafe with a view of the great Wonsan Bridge is also worth visiting.
In Winter, if you go to the beach located in Goseong, Gangwon-do (강원도 고성), you can enjoy the beautiful winter sea peacefully, and you can also eat fresh sashimi. I hope all foreign students in Yonsei GMBA have more chances to know the beauty of Korea and love this country more.
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