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KDIS Farewell: A Story to Remember - Winner's Interview with Seunghyeon Yoon(2022 MPP)

  • Date 2022-08-16 14:10
  • CategoryStory
  • Hit956

Meet Mr. Yoon Seunghyeon, one of the winners of the KDI School Farewell Message event. His farewell message was dedicated to Mr. Alejandro, the duo built a sensational friendship as roommates at the KDI School Dormitory based on cultural exchange, mutual respect, and humility. Grab a cup of coffee and let’s take a deep dive into the conversation with Mr. Yoon.

Before we get into the specifics of your friendship with Alejandro, could you introduce yourself?

I am Yoon Seunghyeon, and my English name is Bernie. I am from the South Jeolla Province, located in the southwest of the Korean Peninsula. My hometown is a place where our islands, the seas, the mountains, and the fields are all beautiful, and it is famous for its delicious food, righteous history, and art. After working in a managerial role for 7 years at the South Jeolla Provincial Government, I began my studies at KDI School in January this year.

My major is in public policy for two years. My first year was in KDI school, and the second year will be abroad. I plan to study administration at Maxwell School at Syracuse University in the U.S. next year. Currently, my main focus is building my expertise, especially in overall administrative matters such as planning, budgeting, and leadership, focusing on the energy industry, which is a significant field here in Korea. 

Thank you for that detailed introduction, what is your farewell message to your roommate Alejandro who recently completed KDI School?

Hello, Alejandro.

Do you remember when we first met in our room, we communicated more with my body language than with my mouth, but now we're more used to English conversations. I am sorry that my English is not good enough.

Alejandro, you are a very humane and pleasant friend. I had a great time living in the dormitory.

You gave me access to a new world of Latin culture like music, and dance especially. I still remember the day when you invited me to a bohemian night party on my birthday. It was my best day of the year.

I was also happy to be able to tell you about Korea's participatory budget system and other administrative systems, history, and culture.

In retrospect, I owe you a lot, especially when I got an injury on my leg and used crutches, and I'm still grateful that you helped me with almost all the housework, including meals, laundry, and garbage disposal. At that time, I wanted to go around with you, such as visiting my hometown, but I'm sorry that I couldn't.

“Give help to a friend who has experienced something bad, I might go through a bad thing tomorrow,” I heard a Latin saying from you that so I thought it was just so, but I really wanted to help you a lot because you were confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 last week. 

Now it’s coming to go back home and have a happy vacation with your family as planned with your wife Mrs. Hung and son Mario.

I want to visit your home country Say hello to you, your family, your mother, Elsa next year.

I hope you, your precious people, and Honduras have infinite development and happiness.

Adiós, amigo mío.

Great farewell message and your friend will surely love this message. Could you tell me the best moments you’ve had with your friend other than your birthday?

It's hard to pick a day, but I remember the time when I hung out with my classmates and at the Song & Dance Festival. Koreans usually compete fiercely from a young age, so we study and work very hard. While this has greatly contributed to the development of individuals and organizations, it also results in a lack of leisure and quality family time. So, it was a precious experience that I was able to enjoy singing and dancing again by participating in the KDI MUSIC family, the Zumba club, and the bohemian night party.

What motivated you to get a master’s degree at KDI School?

It is an honor and a valuable experience to have been able to study at KDIS, a world-renowned and representative research institute in Asia. Even though I haven't often seen research reports and related materials written by KDI in the spring and summer semesters, I wanted to expand my policy-related studies by referring to them. My hometown is Naju, which is a small and beautiful city, and I started my civil service early so I didn't get the chance to interact much with foreign students. As a native Korean, I thought it would be a different experience to live and study with students from various countries. However, it has also been a lot of fun so far meeting and interacting with students from diverse cultures. 

Finally, do you want to share anything with the KDIS Community? 

The second semester is over now, and the last semester is coming up. In my experience, this year has felt very short. There are many attractions with beautiful history, culture, and natural surroundings in Korea. Whether you are a student with one semester left or a new student, studying is important, but I hope you can make some time to enjoy your stay here and make a lot of good memories in South Korea.

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Kutubo Jarju

2022 Spring / MPP / Gambia

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