“I have nurtured my affection for Korea University by watching the Ko-Yon Games.”

The third bold donation made by a boarding house owner for 34 years

KU held a donation agreement ceremony for its Creative Development Fund and Sports Development Fund.

▲ Pil-Geum Choi (left), the owner of Yujeong Restaurant and Yujeong Boarding House, 

and President Jin Taek Chung of Korea University (right) pose for a commemorative photograph.

Pil-Geum Choi, aged 64, is the owner of Yujeong Restaurant and Yujeong Boarding House located near Korea University. She has run a boarding house near the school for over 34 years. Following 2010 and 2016, she donated KRW 100 million once again to support KU students.

For this, she signed an agreement to donate the money to KU’s Sports Development Fund and Creative Development Fund. Her close relationship with Korea University dates back to 1986 when she first opened a boarding house near the school.

Choi came to Seoul at the age of 23 and earned money by selling instant noodles at a traditional market or food at a fishing place. With the money saved, she rented a house at the age of 30 to operate a lodging house accommodating ten boarders near Korea University. A long time has passed since those days and in the intervening years the number of boarders has now increased to over 100. However, her sense of motherly affection toward students has never changed.

In 2010, Choi donated to Korea University KRW 100 million, which she had raised by depositing her monthly dues in a private mutual aid association. In 2016, she donated another KRW 100 million to KU for its students, marking the 30-year anniversary of her running a boarding house. She asked KU to spend her donations for students in a meaningful way.

In addition to making such lump sum contributions, Choi has also donated approximately KRW 80 million to KU since 2007 by supporting 30 accounts of the KU Pride Club, KU’s monthly small sum donation campaign.

Korea University held a donation agreement ceremony at the Main Hall on March 31 (Tuesday) 3 pm. The ceremony was attended by Choi and her family, as well as KU President Jin Taek Chung, Vice President for Development and External Affairs Hyok-Key Song, , and Vice President for Student Affairs and Chairman of the Sports Committee Jae-Jin Kim to extend their gratitude.

Choi holds KU’s athletic teams particularly dear. Her close relationship with the school began when she was watching the Ko-Yon Games. “I happened to see the games on TV when I was young and developed a longing for Korea University. Since 15 years ago, I have also prepared food for the athletes of KU’s sports teams while making breakfast for boarders. I also throw a refreshment party for students with samgyetang, Korea’s ginseng chicken soup, ahead of the regular Ko-Yon Games,” said Choi.

Choi often says to KU students, “If you have a dream, you can achieve anything and everything.” To support them to fulfill their dreams, she has continued to deposit monthly dues in a private mutual aid association. The contributions she has made are the fruit of her steadfast affection for KU students.

In honor of Choi’s contributions, Korea University has created the “Choi Pil-Geum Lecture Room” on the 3rd floor of the Uncho-Useoun Hall and the “Choi Pil-Geum Carrel” (library desk) on the 4th floor of the SK Future Hall. After the donation ceremony, Choi visited her namesake carrel. In each carrel in the Hall, there is a word inscribed from a donor. In her carrel, she wrote a three-line acrostic poem with her name: “For the best, the most wanted and the most precious as you.” This is the message she sends to KU students.

“I lived in Milyang, Gyeongnam until I finished elementary school. I was born into a humble family and had many siblings, so there were sometimes even no shoes left for me to wear to go to school. My family moved to Busan and I attended middle school and night classes for high school, but I was not able to finish high school because I had to earn money. When I saw students in their school uniforms back then, I couldn't go near them as they made me feel jealous and ashamed,” said Choi. Regretting not being able to complete secondary education, she chose to run a boarding house to help hardworking students.

Cooking and caring for students has been a great satisfaction to Choi. "I didn't want to spare any money in making food for students and warming their rooms," said Choi. She was even evicted from the building where she operated a boarding house because she failed to pay the building tax. However, as she wanted to continue the work, she borrowed money and constructed a building to run her own boarding house while taking care of young people.

“In the past, a boarding house was where different boarders brought and shared their personal stories together. We were like a family sharing difficult circumstances, hardships, and joyful and happy things with each other. I feel rewarded whenever a boarder comes back after graduation, remembers and visits me,” said Choi.

“Korea University has made me what I am today,” said Choi, expressing her affection for the school. She wants to tell students that if they have a dream, they can achieve anything. Choi has also striven to make donations not only for KU students but also for child breadwinners and senior citizens who live alone. She expresses a desire to continue to operate the boarding house and restaurant as long as she has the strength to do so.