Going Back to a Young Girl with Literary Interests

Lifetime Member's Academy, Visit to Hwang Soon Won Memorial Hall 

Seoul Y is an institution with a driving force of 11500 members. Of these members, life members, those who are members until the end, currently make up 1300 members. The age of members varies greatly ranging from two year olds to members who are over eighty.

Life Member Academy started as ‘Life Member Elderly Academy’ in May 2004, composed of elderly, who compose the majority of life members, to offer them a sense of belonging and to offer them a variety of new activities. As more acquaintances and friends participated, the size of the academy has gotten larger and a more variety of members joined. It has therefore become ‘Life member academy’ in 2008.

Every month Life Member Academy organizes movie reviews, poetry readings, lectures by specialists on skin care, Latin dance and first aid programs, organizing activities that are hard to do alone. There is also a culture expedition activity held once every year.

Immersed in the literary world of Hwang Soon Won

This year on October 1^st for the cultural expedition tour, 22 members visited Hwang Soon Won’s literary hall ‘Sonagi’ (rain shower). Remembering Hwang Soon Won, who is known for his novel , I seemed to be going back to my high school years. The thrill of getting out of the country, and getting immersed in the literature of Hwang Soon Won brought about constant laughter of the bus ride and endless murmurs. Reaching Yang Pyeong after an hour long bus ride, the sky could not have been any more milder.

First, the member heard descriptions and explanations on Hwang Soon Won’s literary pieces for an hour. Getting absorbed in the literary work of Hwang Soon Won, members could not stop their laughter from the feeling of having gone back to being young girls with literary interests. There were also many works surrounding the literary hall making a trail. Every step felt as if writer Hwang Soon Won was right there narrating his own stories.

A Place for Communication

Life Member Academy president Jo Nam Hee (67) stated, “It has been already 7 years I have participated in these meetings. Every time I come I seem to forget my age. Despite the fact that everyone is not young, everyone seems to enjoy living young and I seem to absorb that energy. I also seem to gain confidence in learning as I read books and learn English. I hope to be able to spend more time with more members in the future”.

Life member Lee Myung Hee (76) who started as a life member chairman in 2003 looked back 10 years and stated, “Through Life Member Academy, I wished to make a place for communication. I feel that my time spent to be very worthwhile as I see members who say that their life has change through the academy, or those who come despite their discomfort.”

Every Monday on the last week of the month Life Member Academy awaits new members. This year they are organizing Latin dance and poem sketch. We hope many life members to participate.