2008 Miss Korea Chang Yun-hee

PEOPLE  often believe the stereotype that pretty women are not smart and have a bad temper. Yet Chang Yun-hee (Jr., Dept. of English Language & Lit.), who placed third as Mi in the 2008 Miss Korea contest, disproves this stereotype. The Yonsei Annals had a chance to interview this beautiful, clever, and kind woman.

To be a Miss Korea
I used to work for a fashion company, and my acquaintances told me that, if I am thinking of having a career in the fashion industry, I should participate in a beauty contest. Following their advice, I took part in Miss Korea and received the crown despite my insufficient preparation. I was anxious during the contest, because unlike other tests or competitions,  I could not tell whether I was doing well or not compared to other contestants. Thus, I constantly doubted the possibility of a successful outcome. Moreover, it was difficult to keep up with my academic life while participating in activities as a Miss Korea contestant. Even after winning the crown, I feel great pressure to look pretty and to mind my words and behavior.

Life as a Yonseian
I studied so hard that I earned the nickname "Hakjeom Monster" during my freshman and sophomore years. I appreciate my high grades, but I regret having not fully enjoyed school events like AKARAKA and the Yon-Ko Athletic Meet. I joined In-Yon, a club that introduces our university to other people, and felt greater attachment toward Yonsei Univ. as I met many high school students and foreigners who sought to benchmark our school. After winning the title of Miss Korea, I received many love calls from showbiz, but I refused to take a job as an entertainer because I feel extremely nervous in front of the camera. Also, I decided to continue studying since I am still a student. Moreover, I am double-majoring in business administration, which will help me achieve my dream.

My future dream
I used to dream of becoming an English teacher or a professor, but now I want to work for a fashion company and eventually become a CEO in the beauty industry. My past dream was part of the reason for choosing English Language & Lit. as my major. I had and still have a lot of interest in English as a language and English literature. Recently, I translated the English book Kiwi, a book for self-enlightenment. I started this work by translating some quotations from the book for my own good. As time went by, however, I really enjoyed this, and decided to translate the whole book. The most impressive phrase was "In following the path of the knowledgeable, successful person slight digressions from the good cannot be avoided, but you must turn back before going too far." This phrase emphasizes the importance of having a firm belief in oneself. Many people choose careers that they do not like but that others want them to have. As a result, they lose interest in their work and even their lives, and feel enervated. To prevent this from happening, we should keep the promises we made in the first place and firmly pursue our goals.

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Even though she is envied by many, Chang was very courteous and modest throughout the interview. She offered coffee to the reporters, and hesitated to "advise" Yonseians, believing that she is not a person who can say such words yet. With her diligence and modesty, I believe that her future will be as bright as her present.

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