Seoral University Freshman OT
After enjoying a walk with Eunseo, I returned to the room. In the time we'd been out, the group makeup had changed quite a bit. Our room was split into two factions, each enjoying their own drinking session. One side had the lowerclassmen seniors mingling with the freshmen, while the other, led by Park Minsu, featured higherclassmen seniors dealing with OBs who looked like they'd graduated ages ago.
"Yunho hyung, come sit down quick. Seniors, this is our '19 freshman." Park Minsu welcomed me and introduced me to one of the alumni seniors.
I'd figured Eunseo and I, as freshmen, would join the lowerclassmen group, but it seemed I was headed to the higherclassmen side. Before they could call Eunseo over, I waved her toward the freshmen group and hurried up.
As I approached, I scanned the spread: yukhoe, sashimi—clearly store-bought snacks laid out everywhere.
"Hello! I'm Song Yunho from the class of '19."
"Yunho hyung, this is Lee Cheol-hyun sunbae, the most successful grad from our department. He comes to OT every year to guide us underclassmen—class of '06."
"Hey now, Minsu, even if you gilded it, there's no side dish left. I've already blown through what I brought."
His face screamed at least mid-30s, making him a good eight years older than me, the late-bloomer freshman.
"Nice to meet you. Feel free to speak casually."
"Can I really? Haha."
"Sunbae, Yunho hyung here was this year's top admit."
Lee Cheol-hyun's gaze sharpened as he looked at me.
"For real? Wow, impressive."
"I didn't enroll till I was 25. If anything, I'm embarrassed it took so long."
Lee Cheol-hyun shook his head with a gentle smile.
"You know how our school's student council system differs from other unis?"
"No idea. I'll listen closely."
"At our school—especially in majors like business or political science & diplomacy, where communication and persuasion skills matter—student council presidents can serve consecutive terms. And doing two years as president? That's valued higher than most national competition wins on your resume."
Lee Cheol-hyun took a bite of snack and continued.
"That's Seoral University for you. Top admit status is the same. In Korea, that's a huge spec on its own—even if it took you five years to get in. Means our Yunho here accomplished something extraordinary."
His words carried thick pride in his alma mater, the nation's top university, where he'd enrolled, graduated, and become a successful entrepreneur.
This sunbae's different somehow.
Maybe it was the age gap. Truth be told, hanging with classmates and seniors so far, I'd never sensed any of that elite excellence or refinement from Seoral's finest. But Lee Cheol-hyun was different.
The drinking continued. Rather than jumping into the chatter, I focused on observing him. Even among seniors older than him, everyone respected Lee Cheol-hyun. He listened intently to others while gently steering the conversation with soft charisma. Every word was thoughtful, kind.
Is this the caliber you need to succeed as an entrepreneur? His presence alone feels on another level. It naturally sparked a desire to learn from him.
Korea's top university, Seoral U. My first impression upon enrolling? Even Seoral students are just ordinary folks. Kim Hyeonseok proved intellect and character don't always align, and Park Gwanghyeok had brains and social skills but turned shy around girls. I'd been quietly disappointed, but now I'd met someone matching my mental image of a true Seoral student.
Suddenly, a thought bubbling inside slipped out.
"Sunbae, mind if I ask one question?"
"Go for it. Ask away."
"Truth is, I've got a business in the works back in society."
"Business? What field?"
"Beauty center. I know it's a red ocean, but I've got competitive items lined up, plus reliable partners and investors. What I'm wondering is—given I'm already running a business, what's the merit in prioritizing Seoral over diving full-in?"
It was a nagging doubt I'd harbored.
Getting into a top uni was my first taste of transformative possibility—and the spark of my twisted path. So when I found a way in, I aced the CSAT perfect score and enrolled as Desire Fulfillment App demanded. But now that I was in, I couldn't shake the question: would Seoral really boost my future success?
With the app's powers fueling my ventures, even Korea's top school felt like just another factory churning out society's cogs these days. Why not leverage my abilities for more businesses instead?
Lee Cheol-hyun smiled like he got it.
"Yunho, say you build that business—how much do you think you could make in the next decade max?"
I thought for a sec.
"Still, maybe up to 10 billion won?"
"Forget graduation. Invest just three years at Seoral. In the remaining seven, you'll make 100 billion."
"Huh? Just from one university?"
"Sounds like a fairy tale? It's my story. Without Seoral, I'd be at best a tenth of what I am now."
He offered his glass gratefully for the intriguing topic.
"What do you think you'll gain from Seoral?"
"Well... top-tier knowledge and... alumni networks?"
"Wrong. The most important thing from Seoral is vision."
"Vision?"
"Vision. How you see the world. Eyes that spot opportunities. Real talk: with your items and investors, most colleges won't help your business much. Classroom knowledge pales against real-world experience. But Seoral's different."
"I get why you're thinking that way. But here's the thing—you're not enrolled yet. Hit the opening assembly after classes start, and you'll see. Tons of young entrepreneurs enrolling mid-career for fresh ideas. Future CEOs and chairmen too busy for OT. Can't ignore engineering either—nerds in club rooms and labs developing tomorrow's startups right now. That's Seoral."
Young entrepreneurs too busy for OT... Not intentional, but it contrasted me dumping everything on Shim Uran.
His every word sank deep.
"Another example? You said alumni networks. Wrong again. Seoral's human resources aren't just connections leading you—they're top talent to build with. That falls under vision too."
Not networks, but talent.
"Seoral's a land of opportunity behind high walls. Business school club rooms have startup ideas; engineering lounges overflow with nerds to develop them. Sound like a paradise flowing with milk and honey?"
Enlightenment hit.
That's it. This is how true entrepreneurs see the world.
Desire for Change stirs its body after a long time.
"Lots of folks romanticize our school blindly, so we get kids like you every year. I always tell 'em: too early to be disappointed before even enrolling. Save that for after the first midterms."
Park Minsu chuckled at Lee Cheol-hyun's words.
"Man, that first exam. Pure hell. First time my rank hit double digits."
"Anyway, got a bit preachy there—not trying to scold. Impressive you're even thinking this deep. Top admit for a reason, huh? Haha."
Laughter eased the brief tension.
Honestly, I'd chosen Seoral lightly—more for campus life than self-improvement. This moment felt like true motivation, almost regret.
People like this exist. No wonder it's top-tier Seoral.
I wanted to emulate him. Learn from him. Long-dormant curiosity and thirst for knowledge reignited. Master it, join their world.
Desire to Show Off swells its body.
A swell of emotion rose as I silently watched Lee Cheol-hyun for a while. Our eyes met. Soft-featured, but his gaze burned intense.
Need to think more seriously about my path.
I thumped my chest. Vague dreams of becoming a high-earning mogul were sharpening into specifics.