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Korea University (KU) hosts a club that deserves more attention than it currently receives: the KU Well-Being Club. KU Well-Being is like no other club; it is anti-alcohol and intends to establish a healthy drinking culture among university students. According to a KU News survey conducted in 2015, KU students drink much more alcohol than the recommended safe limits. Many students already have liver problems even though they are still so young. As a result, KU Well-Being club members have rolled up their sleeves to help KU students stay healthy.

KU Well-Being was established in 2007 and is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. The club was created to demonstrate that alcohol is not needed to lead an enjoyable university life. The club is more well-known by its Korean name, Chamsali, which is also the name of the main street near KU visited by hundreds of students every day, many of whom will consume alcohol. The English translation, Well-Being, accurately captures the essence of this independent KU anti-alcohol club. 

The club’s establishment received a lot of attention in the beginning, with many students supporting its objectives. KU students tagged their friends on KU Well-Being’s Facebook page and encouraged their friends to join the club with them. Surprisingly, though, the club does not have many members. The club was comprised of 60 students in the first semester of this year, but now has only 30 students as some have left the club for personal reasons such as serving in the army or preparing for employment.

Furthermore, the students in the club all major in Healthcare Management. It is understandable that Healthcare Management students would be particularly interested in the health issues that the club deals with, yet the absence of students from other majors is definitely unfortunate. The lack of publicity can be also attributed to the club’s location. Club meetings are usually held on the Health Sciences campus, which is somewhat far from the two main KU campuses, the Liberal Arts and Humanities campus, and the Science and Engineering campus. 

Funding for the club does not come directly from the Department of Health Care Management, but from the Korea Public Health Association (KPHA), which is why students from other majors are more than welcome to join the club. “Our club truly hopes for KU students from other majors. That way, we would be able to know more about the drinking culture in other majors and help make improvements,” says the president of the club, Kim Jeong In (’16, Health Care Management). 

KU Well-Being receives consistent support from the KPHA because the latter initially established the former. In addition to KU, the KPHA established anti-alcohol clubs in 76 other universities, and they all receive the same support. This alliance of clubs can be beneficial for data gathering. For example, all of the clubs under the KPHA need to conduct a survey about the drinking culture of their school each September. Once the schools send the results to the KPHA, the organization compiles the statistics and organizes a complete report for December. 

   
▲ Members of the club. Provided by KU Well-Being club.
 
KU Well-Being’s activities largely revolve around fulfilling those assigned by the KHPA. For example, during school festivals, members set up a booth and offer students nonalcoholic cocktails to show that alcohol is not necessary to have a good time with friends. In another corner of the booth, students put on goggles to experience what it feels like to be drunk. This way, the club can raise awareness of the danger of drinking among the students as they stagger sideways. 

   
▲ A student fills out a survey conducted by KU Well-Being club. Provided by KU Well-Being club.
 
Every semester, club members write an article about abstaining from drinking. The KHPA looks at all the articles and selects a few that will be posted on its official website. In June, members Kim Jae Seok (’15, Health Care Management) and Han Beom Hee (’16, Health Care Management) produced the article “University Students’ Flawed Drinking Culture and its Harmful Effect.” Kim and Han discuss a recent drunk-driving accident in Cheonan to emphasize that improved awareness of drinking and education about appropriate drinking are desperately needed. 

   
▲ Club members listen to a lecture about drinking. Provided by KU Well-Being club.
 
Club members also need to create User Created Content (UCC) once each semester. Earlier last year, members made a 30-second clip where a group of students sings a “Chamsali song” created by the members. The tune of the song is simple yet addictive, and the lyrics are very easy to follow. The lyrics encourage students to resist the drinking temptation because alcohol is unhealthy for the body. 

However, the song is not widely known by KU students due to a lack of promotion. Perhaps next time the club could collaborate with KU media outlets like the Korea University Television System (KUTV) or the Korea University Broadcasting System (KUBS). That way, the club can receive useful tips when making videos and distribute the video to a wider audience because KUTV and KUBS are famous among KU students. 

In addition to making a great effort to warn about excessive drinking, members try not to drink themselves. For instance, club members do not drink alcohol at wrap-up parties after club meetings. Members choose to eat meals rather than to drink alcohol. When asked if members drink any alcohol during membership training (MT), Kim replied that there is no MT at all. “We do not ban MT, yet we do not recommend it. Even though we try to drink less, problems can always occur,” says Kim. 

Although members do not drink frequently and do not have MT, there is definitely a tight bond between them. As members put their heads together to come up with brilliant campaigns for KU students and carry out their ideas, they become very close regardless of age and gender differences. Even at this very moment, the club is working extremely hard so that many more KU students can be part of this meaningful project. 

No school has a drinking culture without problems. As KU is not an exception, changes needs be made within the school first. For example, Sabalsik, the ceremony where freshmen drink a bowl filled with the Korean rice wine makgeolli, continues to be a controversial issue. The act of constantly pressing other students to consume alcohol takes place at many wrap-up parties. Thus, if you hope to promote a healthy drinking culture and care about students’ health, share your concern at the KU Well-Being Club.

Recruiting Information 
Period of Recruitment: Any time. Requirements for Joining the KU Well-Being Club: All students and all ages are welcome. 
Contact Information: Kim Jeong In (010-8968-4284) 
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