[KKOOM] Support for young adult Korean orphans

In our last GlobalGiving update about our college scholars, we shared how Minyeol was not giving up on his dreams. Despite a pandemic delaying the start of the school year last year, he was determined to finish the race and graduate on time. We are proud to say that both of our college scholars have successfully graduated! 

Thanks to your support and the KKOOM College Scholarship Program, Byung Kyung and Minyeol finished all their semester classes in December and had their graduation ceremony earlier this month. Graduating from the same college in Daegu, they both studied a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Music. Beyond college, they are interested in a career in ministry. On the weekends, Byung spends time with social workers and Minyeol leads worship at his church. Building community and serving others are two important traits they value. 

The hardest part about college was learning new things I have never done in my life, says Byung Kyung as he reflects on his collegiate studies. For Minyeol, he said there never was a hard time. “Day by day is fun and grateful, and above all, it is not difficult thanks to the care of KKOOM supporters.” 

While you may be thousands of miles away from South Korea, you directly impact the lives of these young adults. Minyeol expresses sincere gratitude for supporting his dreams. He shared, “I am grateful you have helped me out in my life and taking care of me so I don’t lose my strength. In the future, I will continue to pray for the KKOOM group and will not live a life that is embarrassing to my sponsors. Always thank you and thank you again. 

As Kerry Washington said, “Your life is your story and the adventure ahead of you is the journey to fulfill your own purpose and potential.” Thank you for walking through this journey with Minyeol and Byung Kyung as they continue striving to reach their fullest potential. Your giving and your support helped these two individuals discover their purpose in college and helped them believe graduation was possible. Together, we made those dreams come true! 

In our next post, we will share more about our new scholarship recipients - stay tuned for more updates! May you continue to stay safe, healthy, and blessed. We are so grateful for the love you show to our Korean college scholars. 

With gratitude, 

-Grace Lee

You turn on the news, and it is sometimes hard to find hope in our current society. Through the setbacks, unexpected circumstances, global pandemic, and racial tension, we have bounced back from the challenges we have faced over the past several months.

For one of KKOOM’s college scholars, the coronavirus was met with a delayed start to the spring semester, learning through virtual teaching, and having a shorter summer break, along with finishing his last year in college. Minyeal is a senior at a college in Daegu pursuing an Applied Music degree. His dream is to become a praise minister. At the end of the summer, we asked Minyeal to answer a few questions about his summer vacation. His answers have been translated into English.

What did you like the most about your spring semester?

• During the spring semester, I chose a class called piano accompaniment. It was a very rewarding time, so I made a commitment to keep getting closer to the piano little by little.

How long was your summer vacation?

• Due to coronavirus, summer vacation was only one month, and there is a graduation performance around December. I focused more on my studies rather than enjoying my summer vacation personally.

What did you do this summer?

• It did not feel like summer due to the rainy season being so long, so I spent the summer with more focus on my studies and praise, as I said earlier.

When do you graduate?

• Graduation is scheduled for February 2021. By December, all semester classes are expected to end safely thanks to KKOOM and those sponsoring my scholarship.

Are you reading an interesting book or part of the Bible?

• I am currently reading through Psalm.

What is your favorite food to eat or drink in the summer to overcome the hot weather?

• There are many things and food to overcome the summer heat, but I like coffee. I drink Americano often.

What goals or dreams do you have when you graduate from college?

• It is the most difficult question, but I always want to become a minister of praise. Many plans may change due to certain circumstances, and my efforts are important, but I will not give up and won’t get frustrated. I will rely on my faith to reach the narrow path in the end.

What are your favorite Bible verses and why?

• "Why are down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God - soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God" [Psalm 42:11]. Many Bible verses comfort me and give me grace, but it is true that the reason why this Bible verse touches my heart is that I am afraid of various things. My own future living in this world is unstable and I am about to graduate. However, I shared this Bible verse to believe in the Lord and stand up again, while being comforted and refreshed again through the Word. 

Fall down seven times, stand up eight. This is a powerful Japanese proverb that means in life, you will be knocked down. But in order to win, all you have to do is stand up one more time. Minyeal’s faith helps keep him focused on his future goals, even through setbacks. While KKOOM is a 501(c)(3) non-religious organization, we do not discriminate on funding a scholarship based on a scholar’s religious beliefs. 

Thank you for being a part of his journey to reach his dreams. When a young adult ages out of a children’s home after graduating from high school, the individual is given approximately $5,000 by the Korean government and then, they are on their own. By funding Minyeal’s college scholarship, you are giving him hope to not give up, no matter how difficult the circumstances are. He is unsure what the future holds, but he is walking confidently into the unknown with your support and his faith. 

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In South Korea, the spring semester marks the beginning of a new school year, as students in Korea start the new school year in March and end in December. This spring semester presented challenges to students due to COVID-19 as they navigated a new schedule for their classes. KKOOM reached out to our two college scholars, Byung Kyung and Minyeal, in mid-April to give us a sense of how their daily school routine.

Byung Kyung and Minyeal are both majoring in Applied Music at a Divinity college in Daegu, South Korea, which was the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in South Korea. While the spring semester was supposed to start on March 16th, online lectures did not begin until April 13th. Most professors record their lectures in advance using “Naver Band” and also conduct some classes using ZOOM. Each subject is about 25 minutes in two sessions for lecture and homework. 

The transition to online classes did not seem to pose a problem for either of our college scholars. Byung Kyung takes advantage of study groups with classmates, while practicing social distancing and uses caution while interacting with others. His favorite class this semester is vocal performance to help strengthen his talents. What gives him the most joy nowadays is reading and his meditation time. 

When we asked Byung Kyung if he had any words to share with KKOOM supporters, he shared, “Even around the world, coronavirus gives us a lot of pressure. There are times I have struggled with how coronavirus has affected our society, but I am still having a good time by the grace of God. Thank you for your support in helping me recover from life’s difficulties. I also want to help other people later without forgetting this grace!”

Minyeal’s favorite class this semester is piano accompaniment. Minyeal is a praise band leader at his local church, so he is used to being behind the mic singing. While piano accompaniment is his favorite class, he also shared this class gives him many challenges personally and academically. It is a difficult class, but Minyeal has a positive attitude about his effort and progress made throughout the semester. He really enjoys it because of the accountability and personal attention he receives through 1:1 learning with the professor. One of the best things that gives Minyeal daily joy is writing Bible verses. It helps him relax throughout the day. 

Sharing his appreciation for KKOOM’s support, Minyeal also expressed his thanks to every supporter who helps fund his college scholarship. “As I received a lot of love, I will do my best to work hard to live as a person who gives and loves many people. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who support my dreams, and I sincerely hope and pray that the Lord’s love will be filled there. Thank you very much.”

Through the unexpected challenges of a delayed start to their spring semester and transitioning to online classes, Minyeal and Byung Kyung have faced adversity with grit and resilience, learning to bounce back from difficult situations. There’s a famous saying in Korean culture called “hwaiting,” which means “you can do it.” Your generosity motivates these two young men to pursue their dreams in the midst of a global pandemic. Thank you for giving Minyeal and Byung Kyung the strength to get through their studies, day by day, by cheering them on saying, “You can do it.” 

Paying for college without the parents’ help can be challenging. For our two college scholars, they support themselves by working jobs outside of being a full-time student. Byung Kyung and Minyeal are both at a Divinity college in Daegu, South Korea, majoring in Applied Music. As they were wrapping up their fall semester, we reached out to ask a few questions about what they enjoy doing on the weekends and how their studies are going. 

You can read how thankful they are to KKOOM supporters, all answers being translated into English. 

Byung Kyung’s Answers

1) What do you enjoy most about college? 

• The good thing is that I'm so happy to be able to do new things with new people.

2) What is your favorite thing to do on the weekends? 

• On the weekends, I relax and read. 

3) What is the most challenging thing about college?

• I worry about what the future holds. 

4) How does the scholarship money of 700,000 KRW (~$600) help you pay for school or does it help you with living costs? 

• It is very helpful as I don’t worry about paying for college expenses as much. 

5) Do you have anything you would like to say to your “Dream” group supporters? 

• Thank you for always remembering and supporting me. I am so grateful for the small changes in my life that have resulted from small donations. Thank you. It is a great pleasure for me to feel supported by you.  

Minyeal’s Answers

1) What is your favorite thing to do on the weekends? 

• I love singing a lot on Saturdays and Sundays. 

2) What helps you study? 

• I enjoy doing group study with classmates. Listening to worship music helps me study and going to a cafe by myself to get quiet time or to study with friends. 

3) What is the most challenging thing about college?

• If you know a little about basic theory musically, you learn more of it over time. But, the theory is still very difficult. 

4) How does the scholarship money of 700,000 KRW (~$600) help you pay for school or does it help you with living costs? 

• It helps pay for living expenses. It is also helpful for learning and buying textbooks. I always appreciate it. 

5) Do you have anything you would like to say to your “Dream” group supporters? 

• Thank you for the scholarship! The amount of money you support really helps me. Thank you for helping me focus more on my school life. 

The small things in life give us hope. It gives us strength to get through the big moments of life. It’s the small acts we take every day towards our goals which helps us grow and learn better. Whether it’s giving $10 or supporting our college scholars with a $100 monthly donation, your giving makes a difference. Thank you for supporting these two young adults to follow their dreams, one small step and one day at a time. 

With gratitude, 

Grace Lee, Chief Administrator

Summer vacation gives our KKOOM college scholars a chance to take a break from school to make more time for leisure activities. Minyeal, an Applied Music major, had a busy summer helping to open a coffee shop with a friend, attending a summer retreat, and volunteering at a children’s home that assists children with physical and cognitive challenges. Here’s a chance to hear more about these activities, getting a better glimpse of Minyeal’s personality as he strives to give back to others. 

Somang Church is located in the Gyeongsangbuk-do region of South Korea where many young adults from Samsungwon attend. They serve in leadership roles, leading worship either singing, playing the drums, or playing keyboard / piano. Jaeho is one of the adults who leads worship at Somang Church. He grew up at Samsungwon and now has a family of his own with two children. In August 2019, he opened a coffee shop on the first floor of the Somang Church building. The name of the coffee shop means “Good Coffee” in English. 

Having done all of the renovation from scratch, Minyeal helped Jaeho build the coffee shop. Instead of buying hardwood flooring and shelves, Jaeho found all the materials for free, on the side of the road. The shelves came from separate parts, so the two of them assembled the shelves together and painted them all black to give them a clean, polished look. One of the most important roles Minyeal had was sampling the drinks before the coffee shop opened. It’s not easy to make the perfect vanilla latte so Minyeal’s opinions was helpful in making the coffee shop successful. 

Every summer, the young adults who have aged out of Samsungwon meet up to have a family reunion. This year, they went to Pohang to enjoy the beach and each other’s company. With more than 30 people attending, Minyeal enjoyed sharing new and past memories with brothers and sisters he grew up with. KKOOM helps pay some of the costs of their annual summer retreat to continue showing them the importance of community and family. 

Minyeal volunteers on a regular basis at Aemangwon, one of the children’s homes we support with KKOOM outreach. With his strong connections to the staff, he coordinated a visit for KKOOM’s Chief Administrator and seven volunteers in August 2019. The volunteers included other young adults from Samsungwon, Fulbright Korea English Teachers, and former KKOOM volunteers. We stayed at Aemangwon about two hours and played with the children in two different rooms, ages ranging from nine years old to twenty-four years old. Minyeal helped feed lunch to the teens / young adults in their 20s who are unable to walk. 

While Minyeal continues to stay busy, he serves with humility to spread joy and compassion to others. We are grateful for your continued support to allow Minyeal to grow in his leadership skills and to complete his Bachelor’s degree. Your generosity gives Minyeal confidence to continue giving his best in his classes, amidst a busy schedule. Thank you for believing in Minyeal’s potential to reach his dreams.