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For four years, I was an active member of Ae-yang Ministry, a long-standing organization with over 40 years of history, dedicated to organizing retreats and recreational activities for children in underfunded churches.
Each summer, I participated in more than ten volunteer events at churches in the Gyeonggi area and on-campus activities, where I developed strong communication and teamwork skills to ensure smooth execution of recreational activities. During the winter, I contributed to strategizing for the recruitment of new members, fostering connections with senior members, and planning for the following summer’s volunteer work.
Although we encountered unexpected challenges due to a less-than-enthusiastic response to the planned activities, we quickly adapted by switching to a recreation program we had successfully executed during a previous retreat. By communicating effectively with my team members, we were able to seamlessly make this change, ultimately engaging the children and parents and creating unforgettable memories for them. Through this experience, I deepened my understanding of the true meaning of service while also developing my teamwork and leadership skills.
 4 Years of Volunteering in a Children’s Ministry
From April 2, 2022, to April 2023, I underwent a year-long program in counseling techniques, spending the first six months studying counseling theories and the next six months assisting as a counselor at a counseling center. My role involved providing counseling to unemployed young adults, students with borderline intellectual disabilities, and high school students involved in bullying incidents. I also facilitated a program aimed at improving relationships for middle school students starting a new academic year.
This experience taught me that meaningful communication is possible, even with individuals from vastly different backgrounds and personalities, as long as it is grounded in empathy and understanding. It also gave me the confidence to engage in deeper, more meaningful conversations with a diverse range of people.
One-Year Internship Experience in Counseling
During my military service, I participated in the National Love Speech Contest. Although I wasn’t selected as the overall military representative, I was chosen to represent the Marine Corps.
I delivered a 10-minute speech in front of an audience of around 1,000 people, including the regimental commander, at the division's auditorium. For my efforts, I was awarded a special leave.
This experience taught me the importance of thoroughly understanding the topic, as well as the significance of eye contact, vocal tone, and emotion when communicating and persuading others. It also boosted my confidence in delivering clear and compelling communication in the future.
Presenting Before a Large Audience of 1,000 People
As a freshman, I participated in a university speech competition where teams presented on the theme of "Christmas" in English, Chinese, or Japanese. Despite being a Christian Education major among students proficient in languages like English and East Asian Logistics, I partnered with a senior from the English Language and Literature department, who was also in the same club, and together, we won first place.
Our topic was the "Christmas Truce" during World War I. I took the lead in researching the topic, writing the script, and creating the presentation slides. My senior provided valuable feedback on areas of the script that felt unnatural and helped correct my English pronunciation. For the week leading up to the competition, we practiced together in our club room for an hour each day, and when we couldn’t meet in person, we each practiced for two hours at home.
Thanks to our rigorous preparation, we were able to present confidently on the day of the competition, and out of the eight teams that presented in English, we won first place.
First Place in university-sponsored Speech Festival (English Category)