It is an undeniable fact that as technology develops, there are more egoists and individualists than altruists. The same rule applies for Korea, as high youth unemployment rates and competitive social atmosphere compel people to think in self-centered ways. However, in Korea University (KU), there exists a group of people who avoid being swept away by that wave—Ilchegam. As a physical education talent donation club established in 2012, Ilchegam diligently tries to spread the benefits and joy of physical education to those who are deprived of the chance to experience it.
Ilchegam is a talent donation club that teaches physical education and various sports to those who are often marginalized from physical activities, such as the disabled or the children of low-income families. Ilchegam derives its name from the Korean abbreviation form of “Delivering affection through everyday sports—ilsang sengwhaleseo cheyukeul tonghe gamdongeul,” which adequately describes the characteristics of this group. Consisting of 22 members, it regularly participates in mainly four programs as follows: the Ingangwon Program, BearBetter Program, KU Center for the Disabled Health Program, and Ssok Ssok Camp.
The programs that are held during the semester cooperate with three organizations—Ingangwon, a rehabilitation center for the disabled near Dobongsan Station; BearBetter, a corporation with most of its employees mentally and physically disabled; and the KU Center for the Disabled. The Ingangwon program, held every Monday, hosts baseball and basketball games. Some of the participants are specially trained by the Ilchegam students in basketball to annually participate in the Unified Basketball Tournament of Special Olympics Korea. Last year, with the help from the members, the Ingangwon team won a bronze medal.
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| ▲ The students(participants) and members of the Ilchegam Ingangwon Program.Photographed by Lee Hye Jin. | ||
On every Wednesday, the KU Center for the Disabled Health Program is held at the Hwajeong Tiger Dome gym, with disabled students from KU participating. Along with Ilchegam members, the disabled students learn how to exercise on whichever sporting equipment of their choice. On Saturday, Ilchegam holds badminton and football programs at the Banpo Sports Complex, along with the employees of BearBetter. Most of the time, the participants and members are divided into groups to play games—when one is lagging behind the other, he or she is tutored one on one. What is more impressive is that nowadays it is not only the Ilchegam students who teach—the participants help and tutor each other too.
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| ▲ A member of Ilchegam playing basketball with an Ingangwon student. Photographed byLee Hye Jin. | ||
Throughout the term, Ilchegam members usually choose one or two—some decide to do all three—among the three programs and constantly participate in them. This way, members can persistently participate in the activities without being stymied by class schedules. All the programs last for about one to two hours. The sports are all specially customized to fit the needs of the disabled. For instance, during baseball events, soft baseballs are used instead of the typical hard ones so that no one gets hurt while playing. Also, joy is what Ilchegam values most; thus, game rules and certain movements are modified so that the disabled may enjoy the activities more easily.
Ssok Ssok Camp—visiting schools of rural areas to teach sports and hold other events such as career search—is held during every vacation. This summer holiday, Ilchegam members visited Wonju for three nights and four days with children in primary school. “On our last day, the children cried saying that they did not want to say goodbye,” said An Hyun Seob (’12, Physical Education), as he recalled his most memorable moment during his time at Ilchegam. “That is when I truly felt delighted because I was able to help someone,” he smiled.
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| ▲ Ilchegam members and Ingangwon participants competing in a basketball game.Photographed by Lee Hye Jin. | ||
It is not only the participants of the programs that have fun— Ilchegam members also feel pleased at the idea that they can help people by sharing what they like and are good at. “Passionate,” said Han Sang Min (’15, Physical Education) when asked to describe the atmosphere of the club in one word. “It is not the certificate we value the most— it is volunteer work itself,” he added. Indeed, the affection that Ilchegam members show towards their students is with no doubt sincere. Not only do they contemplate ways to make their programs even more joyful and convenient for the participants in weekly meetings, but also actively engage in discussions about improvements that students made through the KakaoTalk group chat.
There exist many other volunteer groups and organizations, but what makes Ilchegam special is that it focuses on “building relationships that are parallel,” as expressed by Jeong Yoo Jin (’12, Physical Education), head of the club. “As you sweat and make physical contact with each other, the gaps that exist between people vanish and this lets you build a bond of equal status with each other,” she added. When asked about the biggest advantage of being a member of Ilchegam, she answered, “having the chance to truly consider the value of togetherness.” In a society where most of the activities people participate in are only for the benefit of themselves, this is really important.
Although many might presume that trying to fully understand the disabled and teach students of rural districts with almost no previous sporting experience may be difficult, Jeong definitely does not think so. “To us, it is not only about giving. It is just as enjoyable as playing basketball or baseball with our friends,” she explained that Ilchegam programs are her energizer. Members of Ilchegam feel proud and happy about the improvements of their students in the program, and delighted at the idea that they can share the joy of physical activity with those who would have otherwise been marginalized.
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| ▲ Ilchegam members and the Ingangwon participants engaging in a baseball game.Photographed by Lee Hye Jin. | ||
Although most of the members of Ilchegam are from the department of Physical Education, the club constantly welcomes anyone at anytime, as long as the applicant has the passion and responsibility to consistently participate. “Ilchegam is a place where I can truly be myself,” said Han. “There’s no need for fake smiles; I just have fun and I can freely help others as much as I want without being self-conscious,” he added. It is the existence of groups like Ilchegam with a strong bond and warm hearts that makes society more beautiful. So those who seek for joy and volunteering at the same time and wish to belong in a club full of comfortable, family-like atmosphere, should definitely sign up.
Recruitment Information
Contact: Jeong Yoo Jin, the presidenet of the club (010-2914-7707)
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| ▲ An Hyun Seob, member of Ilchegam. Jeong Yoo Jin, member of Ilchegam. Photographed by Lee Ji Hoon. | ||