Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) invited Dr. Seo Yeon-ju as the speaker for the 669th Thursday Special Lecture, held on the afternoon of Thursday, September 10, in the Academic Conference Hall. Known as the “Wink Doctor,” Dr. Seo Yeon-ju lost sight in one eye in an accident but returned to the medical field to continue her clinical practice and research, while also participating in various activities aimed at improving access to healthcare for people with disabilities. On this day, Dr. Seo Yeon-ju shared her experiences with students under the theme “A Wider World Seen Through One Eye,” discussing how she found a new direction in life after navigating unexpected changes and choices.
 
Dr. Seo described her journey from her school days, when she dreamed of becoming a scientist, to her decision to pursue medicine, as well as the moment her life changed dramatically due to a sudden accident. She explained that although she had once aspired to be a life sciences researcher, the suffering she witnessed around her led her to conclude, “Rather than a life spent changing a single line in a textbook, I wanted to care for and save the people around me,” which is why she enrolled in medical school. Later, while working as a doctor, she lost vision in her left eye due to an accident and was admitted as a patient to the very hospital where she worked, allowing her to experience the hospital from a patient’s perspective rather than that of a medical professional. Dr. Seo said, “By personally experiencing the fears and anxieties of patients—which I hadn’t fully understood while working as a doctor—I finally came to understand their feelings.”
 
Life after the accident became an opportunity to see the world in a way she never had before. Embracing the nickname “Wink Doctor”—given to her by a friend who saw her with one eye closed—as a new starting point, she documented her treatment and recovery process in a book. After registering as a person with a disability, she also became interested in the challenges that people with disabilities face in daily life and in medical settings. She expanded her scope of activities by participating in initiatives to improve healthcare accessibility for people with disabilities and in overseas medical volunteer work, and eventually returned to the medical field as an internal medicine specialist. Dr. Seo emphasized, “No one knows how life will unfold, but I’ve learned that, in hindsight, things will somehow work out,” stressing that new possibilities can be discovered even on paths that deviate from one’s original plans.
 
During a Q&A session with students, she also discussed how to approach unexpected changes and fears. Dr. Seo Yeon-ju explained, “Fear is anxiety that arises from unpredictable situations,” adding that it is important to reflect on the moments when one feels fear and the actions taken at that time. She also shared that adopting an attitude of doing one’s best with what can be changed while accepting what cannot was a great source of strength during her long recovery process. Finally, she noted that unexpected changes in life do not necessarily mean one is on the wrong path, conveying the message that “sometimes, on an unplanned path, you can encounter a broader world than you’ve ever seen before.”
 
Kookmin University’s Thursday Special Lectures—the first and longest-running regular lecture series at a Korean university to feature weekly guest speakers—have hosted approximately 670 speakers from various fields, including politics, society, science, and the arts, over the past 30 years. Notable figures who have taken the podium include former President Roh Moo-hyun, Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan, author Ryu Si-min, film director Park Chan-wook, National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun, and U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark William Lippert.