From a Humble Beginning: Our Journey from a Basement Room to a Sunlit Home
In the early 1990s, after a few meetings, we began to develop genuine feelings for each other. Naturally, thoughts of marriage followed. However, at that time, my husband was struggling with severe financial difficulties, and I, too, couldn’t help but hesitate. Korean society back then was much more conservative than it is now, and the sense of guilt and responsibility from a premarital relationship eventually led us to get married.
Because neither of us had much, our newlywed home was a semi-basement room. It was damp and dark. During the summer monsoon season, rainwater would seep in, and sometimes our belongings would float across the floor. Mold grew easily on our clothes and bedding. Despite all that, we held onto the belief that we were young and, with enough effort, things would eventually get better.
But after we got married, our financial situation didn’t improve easily. Then, the 1997 IMF financial crisis hit, making things even harder for everyone. It was a time full of fear and uncertainty. Still, I gathered the courage to cash out part of my severance pay and invested all of it in the domestic stock market. It was a risky decision in such an unstable climate, but that bold step slowly began to change our lives.
As a result, we were able to move from a semi-basement rental with a ₩30 million deposit to a two-story home with a ₩60 million deposit. With that change in our environment, our hearts felt lighter. Looking back on the dark, cramped semi-basement—our possessions floating during floods, the smell of mold in the bedding—I can truly feel just how far we’ve come.
It wasn’t easy, but we never gave up. Every decision we made during those tough times helped build the life we have today.
It was in that semi-basement room that my first daughter was born. She has grown into a healthy, beautiful young woman and is now working professionally. And my husband—who stood by me and believed in me even when everything around us felt unstable—was far from ordinary.
Soon after we moved into our bright and airy two-story home, our second daughter was born. The sun shone through the windows, and the breeze flowed freely. It felt like a brand-new beginning.
Now, decades later, I look back on those days with a deep sense of gratitude. Life didn’t hand us anything easily—but through patience, bold choices, and unwavering belief in each other, we built something beautiful.
If you’re facing hard times, remember this: even a dark, flooded room can be the beginning of something bright.
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