Q4)Who is the most memorable fellow recruit?
A)I'm number 101 recruit. Number 102 recruit, Jeong Woo-Suk, is the most memorable fellow recruit. I have a trouble with my knee, but he has an issue with his back, so he can't even sit to take a rest. Because he and I are partners, we gave a lot of help to each other.
Q5)How difficult was it for you to fit in Korea Army Training Center?
A)Fortunately, although I'm very sensitive, I'm very flexible to new environment. My platoon and company leaders worried about me taking a shower with a group of other recruits, because although I'm the same recruit as others, I'm also a public figure. At first, it was awkward to see other recruits starring at me with weird looks, but I thought 'being introverted isn't really me. It damages my title, the world star. Let's be myself, Kim Hee-Chul. Let's be cool!" Then, I took my clothes off, took a shower, and said, "oh, good!" I wasn't embarrassed to show myself being naked. I was being a 'real man'! It was pretty memorable and interesting moment.
Q6)When you think of yourself after joined the army, how changed are you, compare to before you came here?
A)In fact, whether a person joins the army to be a public service worker or a soldier, he is drafted, not by his own choice. It's something all Korean men must do. But, I'm sure most of Korean men including myself would think that, "what can I do there? Joining the army is such a wasting time." So, I was worried. I worried about me returning back to where I originally belong. I thought, 'ah, can I do that again?' However, my mind changed since I came here. I think people really should experience any situations to make their minds. Thinking that joining the army is wasting time was totally unnecessary and immature. I did not waste time, and I rather had an opportunity to assemble my broken thoughts and mind to think of the past and future. Also, I wasn't so thankful to many people who supported and loved me. But, now, I realized that I was too proud of myself to ignore their support and love. From KATC, I learned to give words of comfort to others, learned to be cheered, learned to be thankful to those who love me so much and learned that I'm not the best, but not the worst, either. I'm still learning a lot of things. Although I thought that joining the army would stop me from what I do and where I belong, but now I positively think that joining the army gave me an opportunity to jump higher to reach my goal.
