Discovering Others and Himself at the End of the World

After earning his master’s degree, Woo worked as a CrossFit coach. Then, in December 2024, he made an unexpected move: he left for King Sejong Station in Antarctica. He had successfully applied to join the 38th Overwintering Research Team as a biologist. Over the following year, he tracked the spread of non-native species introduced to Antarctica and monitored avian influenza infections in birds, including penguins, and mammals such as seals. He was also responsible for testing the composition of wastewater discharged from the station and ensuring the quality of the crew’s drinking water. He took on several other roles as well, but never felt overwhelmed. The experience allowed him, at least indirectly, to live out his dream of traveling the world to study animals. Getting closer to that dream, however, came at a price. One was facing dangers he had never anticipated.
“On my way back from collecting data at Penguin Village, about two hours away from the station, I got caught in a fierce blizzard that obliterated the view ahead, forcing me to rely on my sense of direction to keep going. Then I realized there was a cliff right in front of me. I might not have made it back.”
There was the weight of responsibility, too. The 18 members—from biologist to cook to doctor—each filled a distinct, irreplaceable role. Yet they ventured out together when conditions were risky and pitched in wherever needed. When the generator broke down or the station’s exterior needed repairs, other team members would pitch in to help. Living alongside people from diverse backgrounds broadened Woo’s horizons. Meanwhile, during the Antarctic winter in which the sun barely appeared once a week, he turned his gaze inward.

Members of the 38th Overwintering Research Team. Living with people from different walks of life for a year broadened Woo’s perspective.

Choosing Growth Over Stability

“I used to ask myself, ‘Why can’t I settle down in one place? Why can’t I pursue stability like everyone else?’ But I realized I didn’t lack perseverance. Rather, I was someone who enjoyed learning and growing in new environments. Now I’m comfortable with that part of who I am.”
His realization may have come late, but he had always shown the courage to embrace change. He demonstrated this when he left a science high school and again when he founded SNUWOD, a CrossFit club, while at SNU. Having become a certified coach during his military service, he posted on SNULife, an online community for SNU students, to recruit members after his discharge. He simply wanted to help fellow students save on gym membership fees while sharing his love of CrossFit with them. He offered six months of free coaching, with voluntary donations going toward equipment. Within a month, around 50 students had joined. There was just one problem: where to train.
“I spotted some unused space at the gym and went straight to the head of the Department of Physical Education to ask if we could use it. He told me to come back with a presentation, and fortunately, I was able to persuade him. Recently, I was proud to hear that SNUWOD has been going strong for 11 years, with new generations of students taking part.”
Through the club, fitness became a bigger part of his life and, for a time, his profession. After experiencing health problems during his master’s program, he changed course and became a coach upon graduation, later teaming up with friends from other universities to open a gym. For a while, he threw himself into the work with enthusiasm. Then one day, he found himself wondering, “Can I keep living like this?” That question eventually led him to the decision to work in Antarctica, but it was far from impulsive. As always, he went about his daily life, turning the question over and over in his mind until his thoughts reached a tipping point. Only then did he make his move.

Embracing the Here and Now

His year in Antarctica was followed by five months of travel through South America, during which he developed a clearer vision of the life he wanted.
“People often say you have to check all the boxes: graduate from college, land a good job, get married, have children, and buy a home. Only then can you really start enjoying life. I disagreed with this conventional roadmap for life, but I wasn’t entirely free from it. I still cared about what others thought of me. But in South America, I saw people living every moment with gratitude and joy despite economic hardship. Their way of life encouraged me to stop putting off the life I wanted.”
That did not mean his fear disappeared. But he had learned how to manage it. Skydiving taught him to jump at the call of “Ready, set, go,” while freediving showed him how to calm his nerves through preparatory breathing before holding his breath and diving underwater. Building on these strategies and his experiences along the way, he is once again at the starting line. Driven by his interest in health and wellness, he is preparing to start a business while devoting himself to training for a 2027 ultramarathon in the Sahara Desert. Having experienced Antarctica, the coldest place on Earth, he now wants to experience one of the world’s hottest deserts as well. When asked whether he could complete 250 kilometers across the desert in eight days, he expressed strong confidence that he could.
Woo does not yet know where he will live next or what kind of work he will do. But he has three priorities that matter more: living close to nature, sharing his life with a large dog, and being able to exercise every day. To bring himself closer to these three goals, Woo will continue to seek out new environments where he can grow.