Kim OO, a graduate     ● Graduated with a Ph.D. from the interdisciplinary program in Science, Technology, and Culture at Jeonbuk National University (2013)   ● Full-time Researcher at the Science Culture Research Center, Jeonbuk National University   ● Since December 2013, affiliated with the National Optical Science Museum, serving as a Level 3 Curator for museums and art galleries  "My experiences at university are all precious and beautiful.  I hope that students enjoy their university life doing whatever they want with the excitement of youth."

1. Please tell us about the beginning of your university life and your memories of school life at that time.

 

I enrolled as part of the first class in the Department of Science Studies at the College of Natural Sciences in 1995. At the time, there was little information available about the department, and since there were no seniors or juniors, I initially had little interest in school life. However, seniors from the natural sciences student council—including those from the Departments of Statistics and Mathematics, as far as I recall—showed great interest in us, the first cohort of the Science Studies department students. Sharing various concerns with them sparked my interest in school life. While it was a downside that there was no culture within the department due to the absence of senior students, a big advantage was that classmates could freely enjoy various things without paying attention to others. As a freshman, maybe because I had no seniors, I wasn’t very interested in studying and did not worry much about the future. My daily thoughts mostly revolved around what to do today, or who to meet and hang out with. However, after returning from military service as a returning student, I often had deep discussions with professors about many concerns.

 

2. What was your most memorable place during your university life? How do you remember the College of Natural Sciences at that time?

 

Although many things have changed, the most memorable place is the fountain at Jeonbuk National University. When I was an undergraduate commuting by bus, I always passed by the fountain to get to Natural Sciences Building 3, where our department was located. It was peaceful to see students sitting and relaxing on the expansive lawn, and on pleasant days, it was perfect for a light walk. The fountain reminds me of the carefree days when, almost as if without being asked, a few students gathered every evening to bring makgeolli and tofu kimchi from nearby shops and hold drinking parties almost daily. I also remember birthdays when someone was ceremoniously dunked in the pond filled with green algae, despite it not being very clean.

 

3. Did you participate in any clubs? Do you remember any clubs centered on the College of Natural Sciences?

 

At that time, I was active in a club called ‘Sin Saebyeok.’ This club was for learning singing and musical instruments like the guitar. I started club activities on the recommendation of seniors in the natural sciences student council. The reason I joined was to learn guitar as a freshman and become what is now called an ‘insider.’ However, the ‘Sin Saebyeok’ club was closely related to student activism. Whether willingly or not, I participated in street protests and various student movements. As a philosopher said, “If you weren’t a Marxist when you were young, you’re a fool; if you are still a Marxist when you’re old, you’re an even bigger fool.” While I now live as an ordinary family man and worker, I still occasionally remember my experiences of student activism from my passionate university days.

 

4. What kinds of sports events or activities centered around the College of Natural Sciences did you participate in? Do you have any memorable experiences from these events?

 

I was fairly good at sports during middle and high school and even considered majoring in a sports-related department. In university, whenever I had spare time, I spent whole days at the small sports field with basketballs or soccer balls. This physical training was very effective at the annual College of Natural Sciences sports meet. In my freshman year, when there were no seniors and only 16 male students out of 30 total students, we achieved second place in basketball at the first sports meet. The following year, with juniors joining us, we again achieved second place in basketball—a remarkable accomplishment. After returning from military service, we consistently ranked high in all sports, winning first place in basketball and second in soccer. Especially in my senior year, during the basketball semifinals—which I participated in without much studying—we won the game, but I suffered an arm dislocation and had to be taken to the hospital by emergency services. Ironically, the team lost the final match without me, which made my presence memorable in a way.

 

5. Could you tell us about any professors you remember from those days?

 

Professor Jin-Gon Oh is the most memorable professor for me. He was like a big brother who always shared drinks openly with students. During holidays, he would set everything aside and wait at his home in case students came by. He would cheer and encourage students wherever he was. Even after retirement, Professor Oh did not neglect his research and would contact me when he needed help while writing books. One phrase he frequently said was “Interest creates genius,” which is a phrase I remember most and reflect on now, as I am working and raising a child. Although he is no longer with us, I wish I could see him again.

 

6. Could you tell us about the career paths of friends or classmates you studied with?

 

Like many students, concerns about employment became prominent as we advanced in years. I also experienced this. Some found their majors did not suit their aptitudes, and others sought stable jobs regardless of their major. Among friends who succeeded in employment, only about 30% found jobs related to their major. For classmates in our department, about 30% found work related to their majors, in fields like design firms, science museums, or policy research institutes. Many close friends pursued careers in areas they had been interested in, such as architecture, semiconductors, and finance, applying their undergraduate major across various fields. Of course, a level of interest and effort is necessary for this.

 

7. Please tell us about beautiful memories from your university life.

 

One of the unforgettable memories of university life is the group trips (MT) and graduation trips. The location of the trips with seniors and juniors doesn’t seem to matter much. Whether mountains or sea, far or near, all the trips from my youthful university days are precious. In particular, on a graduation trip to Gangwon Province, we tried many activities such as rafting, temple visits, and beach trips, but the clearest memories are of cooking dinner ourselves at the lodging and joking during drinking sessions. These days, due to COVID-19, all trips including MT and graduation trips are not easy, but I hope students travel a lot with seniors and juniors during their university years. Even recently, when I occasionally meet close classmates, we spend hours chatting about the trips we took during university. And when photos taken on those trips suddenly appear, university memories come back vividly.

 

8. University is also rapidly changing in a fast-evolving society. Do you have any message for the development of the College of Natural Sciences at Jeonbuk National University?

 

Through social activities, I have learned that various experiences are important, not just for employment. Activities such as volunteering at international and local events, club activities, and contest participation will help broaden one’s perspective in the future. Especially in the College of Natural Sciences, which has many basic science departments, it is crucial to experience skills such as computing, design, and communication through various activities besides just major subjects. Personal activities are good, but programs run by departments or colleges in collaboration with related organizations (national research institutes, science museums, companies, etc.) will contribute to the development of the college. Back in my school days, there was a saying that if you do well in one thing, you can live comfortably, but in modern society, people with diverse talents like Leonardo da Vinci of the Renaissance era are increasingly needed.

 

9. Please give a message to the juniors.

 

Recently, I heard the song "That Was the Time" (그땐 그랬지) by Carnival (Lee Juck, Kim Dong-ryul) on the radio. It was a song I used to like a lot during university but had forgotten. Writing this interview question made me think of it again. The lyrics say, "The world seems to be collapsing, everything is over—that was the time" (딴에는 세상이 무너진다. 모두 끝난거다 그땐 그랬지), which reminds me of the many failures I experienced in college—romance, exams, employment, future plans. Like the lyrics, there were many disappointments and moments I wanted to give up, but looking back, it seems like a sitcom I can laugh off now, and a long novel of incidents that strengthened the path ahead. Another lyric says, "I was so young, knew nothing, with just exciting youth—that was the time" (참 어렸었지 뭘 몰랐었지, 설레는 젊음 하나로 그땐 그랬지), meaning that all experiences in university are precious and beautiful, and I hope juniors enjoy their university life doing whatever they want with the excitement of youth.