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Focus only on your own growth.
GapYear is a time for growth and happiness.
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51st GapperJi Dae-young
Gap year period: 2013 ~ 2015 (20 months)
Australia(Gap year in Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Wagga Wagga, Adelaide, Brisbane)
Currently, South Korea,
Each year, 60,000 middle and high school students drop out, 346,000 people in their 20s are just idling because they have no dreams, and the one-year turnover rate after employment has entered the 40% range,75% of university students are not satisfied with college life, and more than 80% of workers do not feel happy.Many people tell others to dream, but to solve this problem that lacks practical methods and support,we aim to introduce the 'gap year' to South Korea.
'Gap year (Gapyear)'is a time to either combine or temporarily pause studies and work and engage in various activities such as volunteering, travel, internships, education, and entrepreneurship,It is a period for setting the direction to move forward and is a practice encouraged in the United States, Europe, Japan, and other countries.
*Check out various experiences on the Gap Year website! (Click)
# Part-time job that started at 20 and the career that followed
After entering university, because of my family's difficult financial situation, I started working as an art academy instructor at age 20 to cover expensive tuition, materials, and living expenses, and I continued working on sculpture-related jobs without taking a break even while enrolled.I did a lot of work creating sculptures needed for museums and amusement parks, but unlike the visible aesthetic aspects, the work itself was often close to manual labor.
Also, the people who worked there valued seniority relationships like in the military, and if you were young you mostly did menial tasks. Working as a freelancer, there were times companies didn't pay, and some seniors took advantage of me because I was a junior.Graduation, which I faced after the glamorous side of art studied at university, was harsh. The absurd aspects and a life detached from reality made me regret choosing this path.
# Everyone opposed it, but I quit my job and left for an Australian working holiday
▲ Australian Sand Sculpture Festival
Before I turned thirty, I thought about going to Australia on a working holiday visa to do sculpture, and when I told seniors and acquaintances, they all opposed it, saying, 'How can you do sculpture work overseas?'I believed there was no law saying I couldn't, quit my job, booked a plane ticket to Australia, and left for Sydney.
Before leaving, I searched for what sculpture-related jobs existed in Australia, but there was almost no information.However, I was confident that Melbourne, being the most culturally and artistically active place, would have the answers.Having done various art-related jobs, I trusted myself and, with the mindset of 'let's try to endure it,' I exchanged 1,000,000 won (excluding travel expenses) for living expenses and set foot in Australia.
# I left wanting to do sculpture, but the daily grind continued in Australia
I arrived in Australia with almost no English, so the language barrier was significant, and I didn't have much information about Australia.First, living expenses were a problem. With no income I couldn't even live, so I worked at a Korean restaurant and cleaned pubs at dawn, saving money diligently for six months.Working in the same area all the time left me feeling disillusioned. I had saved some funds, and since I had already left Korea, I wanted to try various experiences. I decided to find what I truly wanted to do.
I bought a car and set off on a trip to the east. From certifying my driver's license to buying a used car and adapting to traffic culture different from Korea, everything was new and a series of small challenges. As I solved each little thing, I thought, 'This place is just like anywhere else where people live; I can do it.'
The vast nature and beautiful scenery I encountered during the trip were things I had never experienced before.Having lived in a limited area until then, I had vague fears, but through traveling I gained a broader perspective, confidence in my abilities, and many realizations about human dignity.
# Leaving again to pursue sculpture, giving up a stable income
▲ Sand sculpture in Melbourne, Australia
With little time left on my first visa, I took the car I had bought and traveled from Brisbane to the inland town of Wagga Wagga to extend my visa, and I got a job at a meatworks. There my English improved and I secured a stable source of income.After receiving my second visa I faced a crossroads. If I extended my visa I could work at the meatworks for another six months, guaranteeing a stable income.But I decided to leave to pursue the goal I had always held in my heart. Of course, everyone around me discouraged me, saying it would be difficult to find such specialized work.
I moved to Melbourne with conviction. I emailed companies my resume and photos of previous work—sculptures, sand sculptures, ice sculptures—and because I had a car I went in person to drop off resumes, but I received no responses. With rent and living expenses being spent without any income, one month felt like a year. I was a bit shaken when a reasonably paying cleaning job came up, but I steadied myself by remembering why I had come here.
I wondered why I was being rejected or getting no replies, and I thought to try sending a message to the company's Facebook page. I sent my resume and photos of my work, and I got an immediate reply.That led to an interview.A date was set to test my sculpting abilities, and since I had never tried sand sculpting before, I searched YouTube and Google for sand sculpting resources to find out what tools are used, then bought the tools and made drawings while waiting for the interview date.
# First-time sand sculpting interview, and first day at work
▲ Sand sculpting in Melbourne, Australia
On the day I went to interview at the sand sculpting company, several sculptors were already working on sand sculptures.Even for me, who had worked in sculpture-related jobs, sand sculpting was truly fascinating. As I entered the site, amazed by the sand sculptures, an oldersculptor frowned slightly and said, "You can't just come in here, please leave." When I replied that I had come for a sculptor interview, he called the person in charge.
With no information, I took out the drawing I had made to try to produce it, butthe person in charge gave me several photos and told me to make whichever one I wanted out of sand. They were various supporting characters from Disney. Among them, the frog looked fun, so I began carving the frog diligently. The person in charge came by to check occasionally, but then the base of the frog began to collapse.
▲ Sand sculpting in Melbourne, Australia
Sand sculptures must be made with gravity in mind, so there are limitations to what can be expressed. I carved the base too aggressively, so the sand couldn't bear the load and collapsed. I clung to the frog and struggled to fix it, and after a lot of hard work I barely managed to recover and finish it. The person in charge and fifteen sculptors gathered from around the world came to see the first sand sculpture I made.
And what came from the person in charge was, "We'd be happy to work with you. Can you come to work starting tomorrow?"
It was a moment when the various art-related work I had done in the past really paid off.That was the moment I took my first step as a sand sculptor.
Championship with Australian sand-sculpting veterans: I finished in 2nd place!
Three months after I started sand sculpting, I decided to enter the Australian Sand Sculpting Championship.Since the theme was Disney characters, I decided to make Timon and Pumbaa from The Lion King.The competition was held on the Gold Coast, and ten sculptors competed. They were all veterans with anywhere from a few to several decades of experience.
The amount of sand at my assigned spot was far less than the other sculptors'. A smaller size meant limitations in what I could express, which made me sigh.On top of that, perhaps due to nerves, I came down with gastroenteritis and couldn't eat properly during the competition. Still, determined not to give up, I pushed through my illness and did my best.
The competition ended, and I attended the awards ceremony with little expectation. To my surprise, my name was called for second place—apparently the audience and judges had given me high marks.I couldn't believe my ears. It was an unbelievable moment.
# Life Changed Through a Gap Year
Looking back on my life in Korea before taking a gap year, I think I led a very passive life.It wasn't easy to adapt as a stranger in an unfamiliar land.However, having to solve everything from A to Z gave me a life of embracing challenges, a desire to solve problems, and a confidence that I can do it—priceless rewards that money can't buy—and now I see myself living proactively.
Above all, the feelings I experienced while creating sand sculptures in Australia changed me.Working with an older sculptor who had 30 years of sand-sculpting experience, I learned so much from him. Seeing him, I realized that respect arises naturally from the person themselves, not simply from a number representing age.Despite his many experiences and awards, he was humble and professional in his work. I felt an indescribable mix of feelings — the pleasure that forms in working relationships, a sense of camaraderie and mutual respect, and happiness.
▲ Sand sculpture in Adelaide, Australia
While I was creating sand sculptures, many visitors enjoyed my work and gave me great encouragement. Because Australians have a strong appreciation for art, their support felt genuine rather than pretentious, and it touched my heart.Previously, I couldn't feel the value of the work I was doing and felt doubts about my profession. But now, when I recall my life in Australia, I realize anew that I was doing something truly valuable.
# After the Gap Year, Working as a Sand Sculptor in Korea
▲ Sand sculptures / sand sculptors in Melbourne, Australia
Every year I travel to Australia on a business trip to participate in the Australian sand sculpture festival, where I create various sand sculptures together with the world’s best sand sculptors gathered in Australia. I am the only Asian, but my skills have been recognized to the extent that my work has been featured in the festival brochure and used as the main title on the Australian sand sculpture Facebook page.
I am also active domestically, and last summer I worked on sand sculptures at the Kensington Resort in Sokcho. Although working in the height of summer had many difficulties, seeing many tourists enjoy the sand sculptures I created allowed me to finish the work in a good mood.
I regularly upload photos of my work to my Instagram account SAND_CUBE to showcase my sand sculptures,Ultimately, I am working to create my own sand sculpture festival called SAND_CUBE.
To those hesitating about taking a gap year: "The regret of not choosing lasts a lifetime, more than the regret that comes from choosing."
▲ 2016, photo — currently active in Korea
Everything is frightening at first.Before I took my gap year, someone asked me
"Mr. Daeyoung, do you happen to know how to do this?"
So I answered.
“Ah... I've never done that before... I don't know how.”
However, after taking a gap year, I now answer like this.
“I know what it is. If you could help me a little, I'll give it a try.”
What I would have avoided before out of lack of confidence, I now face and learn from, even if I'm a little afraid.What I learn that way becomes truly mine.If you take a gap year, many people may oppose it. Close friends and family may be expressing concern for you, while some people might even hope for your failure and say such things.
Regret from not choosing lasts a lifetime more than regret from choosing.Gain strength from those who support you and don't be swayed by those who oppose you.The most important thing is your own judgment. I believe you should push forward with conviction.Always think of yourself as valuable and trust yourself. Then an opportunity will surely come someday.
Introduction to '100 Gap Year Stories'.
'100 Gap Year Stories' is not about mentors from TV or books.It is about people who acted a bit earlier and showed a bit more courage than I did.I hope the stories of these 100 people, who were in similar situations and had similar worries, will be a small help at important decision points in your life.
Recommendations and submissions for '100 Gap Year Stories' are always welcome.
Leave a comment or message, or send an email to Marketing Manager Da-Young Choi (choi@koreagapyear.com)!