The passion for his dream to become an English teacher started when he was just a middle school student. “One day,” he reminisced, “my English teacher complimented me. ‘Your pronunciation is pretty good,’ he said. That was the point that I resolved to be an English teacher. From that moment, English teacher had been my unwavering dream.” That was also the reason he desired to major in English Language Education in Korea University (KU). Therefore, he recalled, “The moment I received a letter of admission to KU is the happiest moment in my whole life.”

 

Since he grew up in Geochang in Gyeongsangnam-do, which is a rural area, he only had classes in school and could not receive any extracurricular help, even if he desperately wanted it. He said, “Back then, lectures in the EBS channel were so worthwhile to me. It was the only way that students like me, who could not get the opportunity to receive private tutoring, had a chance to overcome the difficulty of self-studying. I studied with the lecture every day in the dormitory.” Since all EBS lectures have been provided without fee, anyone who hopes to learn is being taught by taking on online lecture. He used the best of it in high school. 

 

Recalling 2008, Yoon portrayed when he got an acceptance text from EBS. “It was dreamlike.” He started to lecture in EBS since then. “I prepared almost four to five hours to take a one-shot video,” said Yoon. “It includes writing manuscripts, making presentation files, rehearsing the lecture and so on. Considering that I film three lectures in one day twice a week, it is definitely a time-consuming work. But since I believed that preparation leads to confidence in the course, I tried my best to be perfect,” he added.

 

 

 

Preparations for the lecture represent sincerity of his mind toward the student. “Whenever I did not prepare well, I made lots of mistakes, so there were many No Good (NG) signs. It interrupted the lectures, so it did not flow well,” he regretted. Therefore, even though he gained skills through seven years of experiences, he still checks the contents at least four hours to be perfect. That is why his students get inspired by his lecture and finish the course. “Sincerity prevails” is true of the lecture.

 

Even if each lecture requires strenuous work, he felt his job is rewarding. “As I was one of the greatest beneficiaries of EBS lectures, I truly understand how helpful it is to those who lack chance to get an education. When I met the students who achieved a goal through the lecture, I felt rewarded, regardless of whether it is big or small,” he confessed. This year, one of the students who took his courses two years steadily was accepted to the Department of English Language Education in KU, where Yoon got his bachelor’s degree. “After the student received his acceptance notice, he came in to my office and thanked me. I feel really proud as a teacher when students like him visit me and show appreciation.”

 

However, he admitted that he has some regrets about it. “Because of the efforts that are needed to film the lecture, I could hardly spend my time with my family. I feel sorry for my seven-year-old daughter, especially nowadays,” he said. He profiled his family picture not only in his phone background, but his Social Network Service (SNS) account. 

 

One of his students, Moon Keun Sik, also claimed in the review board that, “Thanks to the teacher, now I can see my way in English.” In his course review board, there are many students who ask questions and thank him. Yoon replies to every post to encourage all students with sincerity. Furthermore, he provides students with “Magic Note” which is the paper written in his handwriting for students to understand a difficult concept easily. Even if it is an online course, he communicates actively which demonstrates his passion in the vocation. “I hope to be in EBS as long as I can teach students,” he wished.

 

To achieve his dream, Yoon stated that he inscribes in his mind to “not teach easily, but try to make students taught easily,” which is an excerpted phrase in the book I am a Teacher of Korea written by Jo Byuk. The phrase is his philosophy in teaching. Instead of settling for his own comfort, he pursues students’ needs by communicating with them from the heart. Yoon is definitely a role model of how teachers should be.