Humans of Yonsei

There are growing concerns about the severe decline in literacy among Koreans, particularly among the younger generation. Some rather extreme reports claim that three out of four people struggle to fully comprehend the meaning of written text. While there are ongoing efforts to find ways to improve literacy, this is not an issue that can be resolved overnight. Literacy extends beyond simply understanding the context of a text; it plays a crucial role in all text-based communication processes and the social context of human relationships. Alumna Kil Jung-hyun, author of numerous books across various genres, emphasizes the power of literacy from this perspective and suggests enjoyable ways to enhance it.

Fascinated by the Numbers that Describe the World between 0 and 1

While Kil is a writer, she is also a full-time office worker. She works in a data-related position at an airline and has written eight books, starting with a travel book. While one might assume that the following books are related to her job, they cover a wide spectrum of topics, including travel, art, gourmet cuisine, and self-development. Majoring in Computer Science and Applied Statistics at Yonsei, though she enjoyed reading and writing from a young age, becoming a writer was out of her equation.

“Computer science is a field that explains the phenomena of the world through the binary system of 0s and 1s. But the world we live in is not divided into 0s and 1s—it's continuous. While studying how to represent the analog world in digital form through 0s and 1s, I often found myself thinking, ‘Our lives rarely fit neatly into 0s and 1s, so why am I putting myself through this?’ (laughs)” 

Always interested in the world with a keen eye for detail, she sometimes felt confined by the binary nature of her studies. However, as she began studying Applied Statistics, she found a new way to explore the world.

“Statistics expresses the phenomena of the world using the numbers between 0 and 1, and I found that interesting, which is why I decided to double major in Applied Statistics. In fact, I think there's a connection between my majors and being a writer. In essence, computer science explains the world through 0s and 1s, while statistics formulates hypotheses and uses probability to develop logical narratives. Both fields are, at their core, about telling stories, which I believe is not fundamentally different from my current work as a writer.”

Having developed a passion for Applied Statistics, she joined the airline industry, where she has been working in data-related roles ever since, balancing her professional life with that of a writer.

The Joy of Writing Tangible Works

Kil was able to challenge herself as a writer, in addition to being a full-time office worker, due to her wide-ranging interests and creative desire to express them. During her university years, she didn’t hesitate to pursue things she loved such as music and art, beyond her academic studies.

She was part of a small music group within her department called ‘Soeum’. It was a band that didn’t adhere to a fixed lineup, experimenting with different members and collaborations for each performance. In the band, she played bass guitar. Her interest in art also led her to try her hand at painting and frequently attend art exhibitions. In many ways, both art and music align with her identity as a writer, as they represent unique ways to narrate the world from an individual perspective. These activities allowed her to continue her passion for interpreting the world in her own way and transforming it into creative stories, but what led her to fully commit to writing as another career was her desire to produce tangible works—her own stories with a physical presence.

“It might seem trivial, but data only exists within my computer, and when I turn off the computer, it feels like it doesn't exist at all, almost as if it evaporates. When you make coffee at a café, you can physically hold the coffee, but data doesn’t have that kind of presence. This made me question its meaning—does it really ‘exist’? On the other hand, books have physicality. The idea that I could turn my writing into something I could physically hold in my hands was incredibly appealing. At the same time, it helped me relieve the limitations and stress I sometimes felt from working with data.” 

Too Good to Keep It to Myself

Kil’s first book was a travel guide published through crowdfunding. Her love for travel, her job in the travel industry, and the popularity of travel books at the time made it a natural choice. Early in her career, she gained recognition as a travel writer, but after the pandemic and a personal period following the birth of her child, she expanded her writing beyond travel to explore a variety of subjects. To date, she has published eight books. Now, she feels more accustomed to being known as a writer rather than a travel writer. What’s most important is that each of her books holds significance, as they reflect the things she loves in her daily life—travel, art, music, animals, and food.

“There are just so many things I love, and that’s what fills my writing. I remember writing my works with the thought, ‘This is so great, why don’t others know about it? I need to tell them quickly!’ But at some point, I wanted to move beyond simply saying, ‘I like this, so you should like it too.’ I started to feel that I should write books that could genuinely help others. That’s how I came to write <Why Can’t I Read Properly? >, a self-help book from this perspective.”

Her books are not only diverse in subject matter but also present stories from slightly unconventional, intriguing angles. In <Artists and Their Four-Legged Friends  >, she offers a glimpse into the lives and works of artists through their pets, who served as their companions and muses. In <A Bowl of Noodles a Day >, she shares warm and lighthearted stories about noodle dishes that appear in novels, films, and paintings. In <Conquering the World on the Tea Table with a Cat> , she introduces readers to the world through stories about twenty-nine different desserts.

Enhancing Literacy through Short Stories

<Why Can’t I Read Properly?> marks a turning point for Kil, as she describes it, a significant book aimed at "helping others." While her previous publications consisted of essays and humanities books, it is a self-help book that extends the humanities and essay genre to the growth of others. This book addresses the critical issue of "literacy" in the digital age and provides methods for improving it. Unlike traditional self-help books, she tackles the subject in her own accessible and enjoyable style. What makes this book particularly appealing is its focus on literacy from the perspective of social life. She believes that literacy is directly linked to problem-solving skills, which are essential in navigating complex issues in the workplace. As such, improving literacy can lead to enhanced problem-solving abilities. To strengthen literacy, she recommends reading short stories and introduces more than thirty short stories from various genres in her book, featuring writers such as Kate Chopin, Virginia Woolf, Kim Seung-ok, and Kim Ae-ran.

“One day, I was chatting with the owner of my favorite bookstore, and we talked about how people these days seem to struggle with short stories. I thought, ‘It’s not like we’re talking about a ten-volume novel; why can’t people handle ten to twenty pages of a short story?’ However, it turned out that many find short stories hard to understand because of their brevity as well as the heavy use of suggestion and nuanced expression. I wondered, ‘Why do people find implied content so difficult?’ and naturally, I came to the conclusion that it might be due to a lack of literacy skills. That’s how I ended up writing a book connecting short stories with literacy improvement. Since the element of joy is crucial to forming a reading habit, I thought that having fun, engaging short stories by your bedside to read in short bursts could be a great way to enhance literacy.”

Literacy as the Essential Social Awareness for Professional Life

As awareness of literacy issues grows in South Korea, many books have been published to help students improve their literacy skills, but very few target working professionals. However, Kil has long understood the importance of literacy in work life.

“At work, whether you like it or not, you have to read documents written by others, and you have to write your own. Everything revolves around words and writing. Literacy becomes essential because, without it, you may end up reading notices several times or asking many questions to fully grasp the information. Essentially, literacy is the ability to read the context. In social life, it’s similar to what people call ‘being perceptive’—knowing how to behave appropriately in social situations. Even in relationships, a single word can sometimes lead to misunderstandings. You didn’t mean it that way, but your offhand comment could dampened the mood. Especially in Korea, which is considered a high-context society, there are many implied or nuanced expressions, unlike more direct languages like English. The greater the complexity of context, the greater the need for the ability to understand what the other person is really trying to say.”

Through various lectures and book talks, she frequently discusses the issue of literacy. Given the gravity of literacy issues among young students, many parents would often ask her about reading habits for children. These moments often leave her feeling somewhat disheartened.

“In the past, if children couldn’t read, parents had no choice but to read it for them. These days, however, many parents use reading pens that recognize text when touched to the page, allowing children to ‘read’ without someone next to them. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with having a pen read aloud. For example, if a child hears the word ‘suspect’ from the pen while reading a book, they might ask what it means. The caregiver might explain it as ‘a bad person’ or ‘a thief,’ only to later realize that in that context, it actually just meant ‘an ordinary person.’ It’s still difficult for machines to fill in the gaps where understanding context is essential for meaning."

Daily Life of a Multi-Job Professional

Kil is a writer, a full-time office worker, a working mother, a book influencer, a book club leader, and a lecturer. Her daily life is as busy as it gets, and even she admits that “it’s tough work.” Yet, she continues to thrive as a multi-job professional. Where does her energy come from, and what is her secret to balancing these various roles?

“People around me say I’m extremely diligent, that I live as if there are 48 hours in a day. It’s not that I sleep extraordinarily little, I think I’m just good at using my spare time. I read books and write in between other tasks. I also have this innate tendency to keep myself busy. It’s strange because I don’t particularly enjoy going out a lot. I’m a strong ‘I-type’ on the MBTI, so I prefer staying indoors. But while I’m at home, I’m always doing something—reading or writing—and that’s actually how I recharge myself.”

Of course, there are times when she feels exhausted. During these moments, she would drop everything and embark on a trip or spend time having fun with friends. Through such experiences, she finds the space to cheer herself up, recover, and recharge, eventually returning to her busy life with renewed energy.

Creating a Better World Through Writing

Kil’s ultimate goal has always been to contribute to making the world a better place. This philosophy also resonates in the message she conveys through her latest book: that becoming a better person is the essence of self-improvement. Each time she connects with readers who share this belief, she experiences unparalleled joy.

“I hope that through my writing, which is something I love doing, I can help make the world a better place. Even though it was my first attempt at writing a self-help book, I believe that if I can help someone become a better version of themselves, and if more people become better, then we can naturally create a better world.”

Kil recently signed a contract for her ninth book, scheduled for release next spring. Just like her pen name “Naye,” which means “as pretty as a butterfly” in Korean, her new book is expected to emerge from her world and contribute to making the world a more beautiful and diverse place.