If there is one thing life has in common for everyone, it would be the unpredictability. An expression that captures this idea perfectly is the Korean idiom “Sae-ong-ji-ma,” which tells the story of an old man’s horse who runs off to a foreign land just to return to his owner with another strong horse by his side. Indeed, what seems like a misfortune may turn out to be a blessing in hindsight, and vice versa. The Granite Tower (GT) interviewed four Korea University (KU) students about their experience with Sae-ong-ji-ma , or, blessings in disguise.

Kim Seong-won (’14, Public Administration)

At the Samsung Dream Class Summer Camp that I attended last summer, we were divided into teams to present a stage of our own to compete in an activity contest. However, our team encountered an obstacle when three of our members left the camp due to adjustment problems. This was a huge blow for us since our team was preparing a musical that required lots of members and effort. However, this unexpected misfortune acted not only as a source of motivation but also as an opportunity for remaining team members to bond even stronger. As a result, even though we did not win first place, we were able to earn one of the top positions in the contest. Overcoming our misfortune to turn it into a blessing is still a priceless, unforgettable experience.

Shin Jung-yoon (’16, English Language and Literature)

Excited at the prospect of finally being able to take elected major courses in my sophomore year, I registered for five elected major courses. As a result, I had to sacrifice my sleep due to the suddenly heavy workload. Despite having tried my hardest, the stress I had been under gave me severe gastritis, which led me to ruin one of my final exams. I felt bad enough that I was ill, but having to retake an entire course because of one ruined exam felt even worse. The following semester, I retook the course and ended up dating a boy I had met during a group project in said course. The gastritis that had given me an F grade and a course retake, in hindsight, was an unexpected blessing that gave me a precious relationship.

Hwang Woo-sik (’18, Business Administration)

This is actually the story of a friend of mine. After being discharged from the military, my friend decided to go on a trip to Europe with a military colleague. Having planned their entire trip with great care and effort, they were lucky enough to book a reasonably cheap round-trip flight to Europe that included layovers in China. They had enjoyed their time in both China and Europe, until they heard of the breakout of the Coronavirus. As the situation got worse, countries started restricting entry and travels to China. The two of them had no choice but to eventually pay the cancellation fees for their trip back, and get new tickets instead. Getting the cheap flight tickets seemed like a stroke of luck, but it ended up being a waste of money and effort.

Chun Hye-lin (’19, Chinese Language and Literature)

When I was little, I had to move to China because of my parents’ job. Back then, I hated moving to this unfamiliar country, and having to say goodbye to my family and friends. When I arrived in China, the country became the target of my hatred. I could not adapt to my new preschool, as I could not communicate with anyone in Chinese. It was an extremely difficult time for me. However, looking back after 15 years, I see the entire experience in a new light. If I had not moved to China at such a young age, I would not be able to speak Chinese, and I would probably not be attending Korea University to study Chinese Language and Literature. The country that had seemed to me like a misfortune, in retrospect, had actually been a blessing.