In this blog post, I will summarize my academic experiences, school activities, and examples of acts of kindness and giving from my high school years, along with my intended major and career plans.
Writing about Academic Experiences and Reflections
While preparing for the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) in high school, I chose “Life and Ethics” and “Ethics and Philosophy” as my elective courses. I had a strong interest in philosophy and ideology from a young age and enjoyed learning about thinkers and their theories. Although I studied both subjects simultaneously, I was particularly drawn to “Life and Ethics.” Originally, there was an “Ethics” course within the Social Studies domain, but when that subject was split into “Life and Ethics,” I gained the opportunity to explore everyday topics in depth from philosophical and ethical perspectives.
The appeal of “Life and Ethics” lay in the fact that the topics covered in the textbook were issues I could readily reflect on in my daily life. Topics such as the obsession with physical appearance, gender issues, the death penalty, and the debate over euthanasia were subjects I had previously encountered in essay-writing classes or debates, but in the textbook-based classes, I was able to organize these issues more systematically and explore them in greater depth. Going beyond simply deciding for or against an issue, I was able to train myself to calmly examine how the issue emerged in society and what contexts and grounds underpin it.
Through this process, I frequently encountered points where personal ethics and social ethics clashed, and I felt that such reflections had a significant impact on the formation of my values and character. By deeply reflecting on issues, I learned to find the basis for my thoughts and to establish my own stance. Moving beyond simply expressing opinions, I developed the ability to construct arguments and think critically.
In particular, units on adolescent self-identity, community spirit and social welfare, overcoming national division, and issues related to North Korean defectors greatly expanded my thinking. As I established my identity as a teenager, I began to consider various relationships—such as those with my peer group, family, and local community—and at the same time, my thinking extended to the perspective of being both a citizen of a nation and a global citizen. Through this reflection, I came to find greater meaning in a life dedicated to practicing social justice rather than one focused solely on personal gain.
The more I studied ethics in my daily life, the more refined my way of thinking became, and the better my judgment grew. This experience not only solidified my interest in philosophical questions but also instilled in me a motivation to explore these topics more deeply in my future academic pursuits.
Description of Major School Activities and Reflections
Ever since my freshman year of high school, I have had a strong interest in philosophy, ethics, ideology, and essay writing. As someone who thinks deeply, I enjoyed expressing my thoughts through speech and writing, and I also enjoyed reading books to develop my ideas more deeply. With a strong desire to express myself, I loved discussing profound topics with friends, but I was disappointed that there weren’t many such opportunities at school. Since opportunities for presentations or discussions were limited during class or self-study periods, I decided to join the philosophy research club so I could discuss philosophical and social topics with friends and express myself.
The philosophy research club I joined didn’t have many members, and since the members were all quite free-spirited, our activities were relatively self-directed. Rather than strictly scheduling regular meetings, we would share opinions and get together whenever we had time in our group chat, and this atmosphere suited me well. I tend to feel burdened by overly strict rules, so I was able to participate more actively in an environment where I could speak freely. As a result, I often looked forward to club meetings more than class time and would think about which books and topics to discuss.
In my lower grades, we often followed the books and topics recommended by upperclassmen. Since they preferred discussions centered on classics—mainly with essay exam preparation in mind—we selected books accordingly and studied by connecting them to essay questions. However, as I advanced to the upper grades, the authority to select books and topics shifted to our grade level, and as club president, I took on the role of participating in or leading the selection of topics.
As president, I made an effort to cover more topics rooted in everyday life rather than focusing solely on solving essay-style problems. Of course, I considered content that would be helpful for essay exams, but I believed it was more effective to start with real-life concerns closely tied to reality in order to develop our thoughts and build a solid foundation of evidence. I also exercised caution in selecting topics, as I was concerned that new members might feel overwhelmed by difficult subjects.
The debate topics we covered included “Is beauty a matter of subjective taste or an objective fact?”, “Are human selfishness and altruism innate or acquired?”, “Is the sacrifice of the minority for the sake of the majority justified?”, “Which takes precedence: equal distribution or the justice of freedom?”, and “Does God exist?” Once a topic was set, participants would each search for relevant materials and read up on the subject before gathering a week later to engage in lively discussions.
I served as the moderator, summarizing the arguments of both sides, gathering diverse opinions, and facilitating the discussion. Through these activities, my thinking became more refined, and I was able to develop the ability to guide the flow of the discussion as a moderator and reflect the members’ opinions in a balanced manner. Club activities were a great help in broadening my perspective and cultivating collaborative leadership.
Examples of Compassion, Sharing, and Collaboration, and My Reflections
During high school, I learned through a friend who was gay that there are LGBTQ+ youth among my peers. At first, I didn’t know much about the topic, but as I listened to my friend’s difficult circumstances and struggles, I began to think about how I could help. The organization where my friend was receiving counseling was the Youth LGBTQ+ Crisis Support Center, and I joined as a donor, contributing funds and volunteering at their events.
I recruited friends at school to join me, and we began taking practical steps to restore the human rights of LGBTQ+ youth. At first, some friends felt uncomfortable during the recruitment process, but I actively encouraged their participation by explaining the values of diversity and pluralism. Ultimately, we gathered five people to join us in street events and campaigns organized by the support center.
Whenever we had free time, we communicated through group chats and participated in mobile street counseling and outreach activities. In particular, when I first participated in activities related to the Queer Culture Festival, I had the experience of marching in the parade and running a campaign booth. The process of meeting people on-site, talking with them, providing information, and voicing our support was very meaningful.
There were also conflicts and difficulties during our activities. In some areas, authorities were reluctant to allow a small exhibition for LGBTQ+ youth, so we made continuous efforts to contact and persuade local officials to resolve the issue, and we were eventually able to hold the exhibition. Through organizing the exhibition, I learned how to communicate respectfully with others, how to collaborate to move projects forward, and how to manage conflicts effectively to achieve results.
In addition, I volunteered at a human rights film festival, promoting films about homosexuality and distributing event brochures. Through these experiences, I realized how important it is to turn thoughts into action, and I felt a deep sense of fulfillment knowing that even small actions can contribute to changing the perceptions of those around me.
Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans
I am applying to the Department of Philosophy through the Social Integration Admission Track. Due to my family’s financial circumstances and personal history, I began to reflect deeply at an early age, and through that process, I became increasingly drawn to philosophical inquiry. During high school, I consistently engaged in essay writing, reading, and the study of philosophy, and I developed my related skills by participating in the school’s philosophy research club.
Based on these experiences, my career plan is relatively clear. After studying philosophy in depth as an undergraduate, I would like to major in Western philosophy for my master’s degree. I plan to continue my academic pursuits through a Ph.D. program; specifically, I intend to pursue my doctoral studies at a graduate school abroad—for example, in France—rather than in Korea.
My ultimate goal is to open and run my own philosophy academy after graduation. After graduating from college, I plan to first gain experience as a lecturer at a university to develop my teaching skills. I believe that gaining experience as a lecturer—and thereby developing my ability to manage classes and design curricula—will be of great help when I eventually establish and run my own academy.
The philosophy academy I intend to run is aimed at high school students and young adults aged 30 and under. This is because this is a period marked by active self-reflection and the formation of identity, as well as a time when concerns about society and self-understanding deepen. I aim to realize my educational philosophy by providing people in this age group with opportunities for philosophical thinking and self-reflection.
My educational and extracurricular experiences to date have laid the foundation for my pursuit of philosophy both academically and professionally, and I will continue to steadily pursue my future studies and career preparation with this goal in mind.
