JUEUN HONG
At nine years old, my mom introduced chess as an alternative to traditional board games — I met my soulmate. What began as a casual pastime quickly became a defining part of my life. Over the years, chess has shaped many of the qualities I value most in myself: discipline, resilience, and strategic thinking.
Today, I continue my journey as a competitive chess player, most recently placing 3rd in the Women’s Section of the Korean National Championship.
I'm currently at my peak rating and remain committed to growing and improving with every game.
I love chess — not only playing but also utilizing it to build communities and relationships. I feel true joy when I get to share what I really enjoy: chess.
​
Chess gave me confidence, patience, focus, and reasoning — it shaped my identity. Now, I want to use it to uplift others — just like how it helped me. Whether it's teaching a group of my grandmother's friends to placate their concerns about developing Alzheimer or collaborating with South Sudan educators to introduce my passion to the children — these steps may be small, but I believe these small actions will lead to eventual change.​​
I was introduced to robotics because I loved making legos: growing up, legos were my best friend. I liked the combined harmony when things matched in their right place.​ Robotics, I believe, is the extension of lego as it involves creative thinking, building, and coding.
​
Robotics not only gave me joy but also helped me form numerous traits: persistence, resilience, and creative thinking.
Today, I continue my journey as a competitive robotics player, most recently receiving a Bronze Medal at the World Robot Olympiad International Finals.
As a curious person, I always look for new things I can explore!