(I am planning on starting my bachelors degree all over again with something I am really passionate about through GKS)
Being born in a diverse place like London and then being brought to a place like Samarkand was a big culture shock for me. One place praised individuality and expensiveness. While the other expected conformity and connection. This intrigued me. Why is one different from another and how societies and cultures shape the human experiences? I began to adapt, question and analyse environment around me. Being naturally interested in history, I have got to answer most of my questions. Uzbek culture is rooted with deep appreciation for tradition, family, honour and faith. Many of our parents, grandparents sacrificed their own needs and wants for the safety and well-being of their family. They expected, especially girls, to blend, to settle and to stay obedient. But this was not my truth. I was always asked when will I get married, never what I want to be in the future. I wanted to do something with my life, be more curious and active. So I refused to confine with such limitations.
In the secondary school I took more of a creative approach. By the recommendation of my parents I began my piano journey in the music school. Practising melodies every day gave me many opportunities to learn punctuality and discipline early on. I taught myself how to draw and write fictional stories that led into engaging and fun discussions in my classroom. Also used to actively participate in many school events that were taken in English as a volunteer and a speaker. Which led me to find a lot of different stories from people from different nationalities and cultures. Curiosity in psychology turned into learning it, founding out more about social hierarchy and the role of status in the society. Getting to do those things was really liberating experience for me.
After high school I decided to choose a more practical approach. I got accepted to a new private university, Samarkand International University of Technology in Korean Institute of Technology and Culture to a department of Digital Economy. This was a safe option for me. Something I can study while pursuing my other passions. Student engagement and event organizing. In the first semester I was elected as a female representative and a president of KITC(Korean Institute of Technology and Culture). I again volunteered in many university events. Had an intensive course of learning a programming language C that challenged my commitment and punctuality I gained previously. In the third semester, due to a rising number of students and low engagement, I decided to take my leadership role to a new level. Philosophy club was one of my achievements I was proud of and adored as opening this club gave me and many students to gather and seek for authenticity and understanding from other people. But even that made me understand that not every person is open-minded or curious enough to understand people and societies different than us. Even after all the years of development and rise of education in our country, many people dream big while thinking really small and narrow. Many students gave up on their dreams or their achievements just to blend in, to conform. This upset me so much. After organizing my first Korean-themed huge quiz event at my whole university that gave me genuine fulfilment, I began to question my academic path. Although it offered structure and safety, it didn't reflect my true interests. What truly excited me were the moments I spent organizing social initiatives and participating in cross-cultural events - where people and their stories mattered more than numbers.
As someone who has experienced the full weight of traditional expectations and cultural silence, Sociology offers not just a major, but understanding. It allows me to understand the emotional and structural contradictions I grew up with, and turn them into insight and transformation. Sociology is about the phenomena we encounter on a daily basis, everywhere. And the reason why I want to learn Sociology in South Korea is because it is a society of motion. Alongside their decades of post-war rebuilding and growing into a global technological leader, South Korea has been carrying deep-rooted traditions and historical identity. Yet I have also seen how Korean media has started to explore topics like mental health, youth burnout, and generational trauma - subjects that are still taboo in many societies, including mine. I want to study Sociology in South Korea so I understand how a society can grow without loosing its roots. I understand that its difficulty does not lie in complex formulas, but in its emotional depth and intellectual intensity. It requires critical thinking, cultural awareness, and the courage to question the very structures that shape our lives - including family, gender, power, and inequality.
During my research of Korean culture and history , I stumbled upon Global Korean Scholarship. While inquiring into GKS, I understood that GKS is not just a gift, but a responsibility. I am fully committed to upholding the values of this scholarship by engaging in academic life, learning Korean deeply, and participating in cultural exchange with humility and passion. Through GKS, I hope to not only gain academic expertise but also grow into a global who can contribute to social understanding. I want to bring the insights I gain from Korean society into discussions with my own culture and others. Also helping others see that development does not need rejecting tradition or culture but evolving it. This is the exact reason why I want to learn sociology in Kangwon National University. Kangwon National University resonates with me because it seeks pragmatism and truth-values that deeply align with who I am. KNU stands out as a university that not only values research and discipline, but also encourages critical thinking and ethical engagement with society. That is why I believe KNU and I are a good match. In a society that often asks us to conform, this university stands for integrity and sincere pursuit of knowledge.
Being born in a diverse place like London and then being brought to a place like Samarkand was a big culture shock for me. One place praised individuality and expensiveness. While the other expected conformity and connection. This intrigued me. Why is one different from another and how societies and cultures shape the human experiences? I began to adapt, question and analyse environment around me. Being naturally interested in history, I have got to answer most of my questions. Uzbek culture is rooted with deep appreciation for tradition, family, honour and faith. Many of our parents, grandparents sacrificed their own needs and wants for the safety and well-being of their family. They expected, especially girls, to blend, to settle and to stay obedient. But this was not my truth. I was always asked when will I get married, never what I want to be in the future. I wanted to do something with my life, be more curious and active. So I refused to confine with such limitations.
In the secondary school I took more of a creative approach. By the recommendation of my parents I began my piano journey in the music school. Practising melodies every day gave me many opportunities to learn punctuality and discipline early on. I taught myself how to draw and write fictional stories that led into engaging and fun discussions in my classroom. Also used to actively participate in many school events that were taken in English as a volunteer and a speaker. Which led me to find a lot of different stories from people from different nationalities and cultures. Curiosity in psychology turned into learning it, founding out more about social hierarchy and the role of status in the society. Getting to do those things was really liberating experience for me.
After high school I decided to choose a more practical approach. I got accepted to a new private university, Samarkand International University of Technology in Korean Institute of Technology and Culture to a department of Digital Economy. This was a safe option for me. Something I can study while pursuing my other passions. Student engagement and event organizing. In the first semester I was elected as a female representative and a president of KITC(Korean Institute of Technology and Culture). I again volunteered in many university events. Had an intensive course of learning a programming language C that challenged my commitment and punctuality I gained previously. In the third semester, due to a rising number of students and low engagement, I decided to take my leadership role to a new level. Philosophy club was one of my achievements I was proud of and adored as opening this club gave me and many students to gather and seek for authenticity and understanding from other people. But even that made me understand that not every person is open-minded or curious enough to understand people and societies different than us. Even after all the years of development and rise of education in our country, many people dream big while thinking really small and narrow. Many students gave up on their dreams or their achievements just to blend in, to conform. This upset me so much. After organizing my first Korean-themed huge quiz event at my whole university that gave me genuine fulfilment, I began to question my academic path. Although it offered structure and safety, it didn't reflect my true interests. What truly excited me were the moments I spent organizing social initiatives and participating in cross-cultural events - where people and their stories mattered more than numbers.
As someone who has experienced the full weight of traditional expectations and cultural silence, Sociology offers not just a major, but understanding. It allows me to understand the emotional and structural contradictions I grew up with, and turn them into insight and transformation. Sociology is about the phenomena we encounter on a daily basis, everywhere. And the reason why I want to learn Sociology in South Korea is because it is a society of motion. Alongside their decades of post-war rebuilding and growing into a global technological leader, South Korea has been carrying deep-rooted traditions and historical identity. Yet I have also seen how Korean media has started to explore topics like mental health, youth burnout, and generational trauma - subjects that are still taboo in many societies, including mine. I want to study Sociology in South Korea so I understand how a society can grow without loosing its roots. I understand that its difficulty does not lie in complex formulas, but in its emotional depth and intellectual intensity. It requires critical thinking, cultural awareness, and the courage to question the very structures that shape our lives - including family, gender, power, and inequality.
During my research of Korean culture and history , I stumbled upon Global Korean Scholarship. While inquiring into GKS, I understood that GKS is not just a gift, but a responsibility. I am fully committed to upholding the values of this scholarship by engaging in academic life, learning Korean deeply, and participating in cultural exchange with humility and passion. Through GKS, I hope to not only gain academic expertise but also grow into a global who can contribute to social understanding. I want to bring the insights I gain from Korean society into discussions with my own culture and others. Also helping others see that development does not need rejecting tradition or culture but evolving it. This is the exact reason why I want to learn sociology in Kangwon National University. Kangwon National University resonates with me because it seeks pragmatism and truth-values that deeply align with who I am. KNU stands out as a university that not only values research and discipline, but also encourages critical thinking and ethical engagement with society. That is why I believe KNU and I are a good match. In a society that often asks us to conform, this university stands for integrity and sincere pursuit of knowledge.
