Jun Ho, Seoul, South Korea

“ I think that at 30 I do not want to waste time anymore…”

Name :  Jun Ho Choi

Gender :  Male

DoB :  24.01.1985

City of Birth : Gwangju, South Korea

Status :  Engaged

Family :  Only child

Hometown :  Seoul, South Korea

Education : Business Admninistration (4y)

Job :  Product Merchandiser

Religion :  Protestant

Politics :  Center

As a child… How would you picture yourself at 30?

JOB – How did you decide to do this job?

As a child I wanted to be a lawyer! I thought it was so cool, smart and interesting. Being someone who protects the other. I loved the idea!
Moreover, like doctor, lawyer is a very prestigious job in Korea, so it may also explain why I dreamt about it. But I didn’t make it because I did not really like to study ☺. Later I developed an interest for fashion and started to work on this industry.

I am proud that I made it as an officer in the military service, which meant that I was in charge of a platoon of 30 soldiers. I had great responsibilities because everything was real, real guns, real bullets, real grenades…

HOME / PLACE OF LIVING – Where you thought we would be living by now?

I was born and raised in a city in South of South Korea but I always thought I would live in Seoul merely because I is the city where all good universities are located and where you can find all opportunities. This is the reason why I moved to Seoul in 2003 to study. I graduated in 2007 and directly went to military service for 2 years and 4 months in the north of the country and then moved back to Seoul.

Jun Ho having lunch in a Korean restaurant.

Jun Ho having some drink with friends on a saturday night.

Striking and memorable events…

IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE – What are the most memorable event of your personal life?

The time I spent in the UK (Scotland, near Edinburgh) in 2013 really was a turning point in my life. I decided to take a career break, which is not really common in South Korea, and go to spend a year in the UK to learn English and volunteer in an organization that help disabled people.I was an important experience because I felt free… I think it is the dream of everyone… to feel free without stress and concern… without worrying about money and so on…

IN THE WORLD – What are the main events that stroke the world you are living in?

Korea : I think that the sinking of the MV Sewol between Incheon and Jeju island  in April 2014 which killed more than 300 people was a huge catastrophe. It was such a sad event… At that that I was in the UK and I have to admit that I was a bit ashamed… because it showed to the world that South Korea is not really safe. I think we already have enough bad fame with our conflict with North Korea so we do not need more…

World :  The earthquake and Fukushima nuclear accident that happened a few years ago in Japan. I am really worried about the radioactivity and the consequences of this event. I do not want to go to Japan and I do not believe everything they tell us… that all radioactivity disappeared… We are so close to Japan….

BEST MEMORY – What is your best memory? I think it was the day I got my job at my current company in 2010. It was so important for me because it was the start of a new life and I was really pleased to join such a big company (700 employees in my company and 20 000 in the group) with an interesting job and a good salary.

GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT – I am proud that I made it as an officer (thanks to a a GPA during the tests) in the military service, which meant that I was in charge of a platoon of 30 soldiers. During my military service our mission was to guard and protect the Military Demarcation Line between South and North Korea. I had great responsibilities because everything was real, real guns, real bullets, real grenades…

Looking back / Reviewing expectations

10 YEARS AGO, I was studying Business Administration and told myself that I would join some big firm in Seoul. I did not really have an idea about which field but it was my ambition. When it comes to my private life, I did not think I would be married because I always thought I would get married around 35.

TODAY, well I think that my life is almost exactly as I imagined it 10 years ago… Except that I am getting married really soon ☺

Jun Ho usually goes to church on Sunday afternoon.

Jun Ho has a car but usually takes the bus to get around the city and go to work.

30 years old, a turning point?

WHAT’S NEW? – Did you notice some changes since you are 30 YO?

I think that I did experience some changes. First physically, it is a fact that my condition has gone down unfortunately ☺  but I do everything to keep my shape and learn how to surf or play tennis. When it comes to mental changes, I think that at 30 I do not want to waste time anymore… I was used to spend a lot of time for meaningless pleasures. Today I try to be more pragmatic and more secure in my life.

I think that at 30 I do not want to waste time anymore… I was used to spend a lot of time for meaningless pleasures. Today I try to be more pragmatic and more secure in my life.

OLD OR YOUNG? – Do you feel « old » or « still young »? I would have to say both! I definitely feel under 30 but the fact that I think about the rest of my life so seriously makes me feel that I am more than 30…

CHANGES OR REGRETS? What are the things you would like to change? When I think about it, there is not a lot of things that I would like to change. Maybe I wished I was a better student and that I would have studied harder… Especially languages such as English or Chinese.

My Values

My Typical day

And tomorrow?

YOUR STORY IN 10 YEARS – What is the story you want to tell within 10 years?

It is a really hard question for me because I have never tried to project myself. Actually I think that I cannot project myself as long as I do not have a plan… As I am getting married soon I am currently elaborating a plan in my head and may have an idea soon!

 

THE WORLD IN 10 YEARS – How do you imagine the world you will be living in within 10 years?

Korea : I think that Korea is developed country with a stable economic situation. Nevertheless, we do not have a mature modern culture and a high sense of citizenship. I know that it can take a few generations to change so it may happen in the next 20 years. I actually hope that Korean people, including me, will develop an higher sense of generosity and to know how to respect other and live together.

World : It is really hard to predict what the future holds for us… But I am not very optimistic and I am thinking about a quote from Einstein saying that “I do not kow with what weapons WW III will be fought, but WWW IV will be fought with sticks and stones”… Some kind of regression I would say. And I really think that it will happen in the next generation.

Fears and Dreams…

FEARS – What are you afraid of?  I am afraid of loneliness…. This feeling frightens me more than death…

ACHIEVEMENTS – What are the things you want to achieve?  I want to find a way to help people and share my knowledge… I do not have any idea about how but I need to do something.

DREAMS – What is your craziest dreams?  I dream about going to space and into a black hole… I want to discover a universe that nobody has ever even suspected!

More pictures…