From Sun-hi to Joy: A Tale of Resilience and Contentment
She was born under the name Sun-hi, which translates to "Joy" in English. However, due to the seemingly endless hardship that defined her early life, she seldom had any reason to live up to her given name. Her parents were the hardworking but impoverished type, who toiled away on a small farm in the outskirts of Seoul. They never had the luxury to offer Sun-hi anything beyond the bare necessities.
One winter, Sun-hi's mother fell ill and it wasn’t long before their meagre savings were eaten up by her medical expenses. The biting snow that year took her mother away. Grief-stricken, the young girl of just twelve consoled her teary-eyed father, promising to help out more on the farm.
Sun-hi grew up earlier than her peers. Her father was a strict disciplinarian and he trained her well, showing her how to nurture the crops and care for their livestock. Sun-hi was a quick learner. By fifteen, she was running almost all the farm chores by herself. During these years, she became familiar with the sensation of callouses on her hands and a persistent ache in her muscles. She realised happiness was a privilege she couldn't afford. Time passed.
In a few more years, Sun-hi blossomed into a fine young woman. She was tall, had sharp features, and a no-nonsense air about her that commanded respect. Then, one evening, a wealthy merchant from the city passed by their farm. Sun-hi's rugged beauty struck him, and he offered to arrange a match for her with his son.
Although suspicious of the sudden proposal, the promise of a comfortable life for his daughter was tempting for her father. After days of contemplation, he agreed. Sun-hi, ever the dutiful daughter, welcomed the arrangement. The promise of better days for her father made her determined to make the marriage work.
Once she moved to the city, it was a whirlwind of change. Suddenly, Sun-hi was not in her practical farm clothes but in expensive silks, her fingers adorned with diamonds and her ears with pearls. However, the sparkling allure faded soon. She felt misplaced in the lavish surroundings, and her practical nature rebelled against the mindless frivolities the city folks indulged in. The wealthy son was not unkind, but they were people from two different worlds. She missed the freedom of the farm, the raw earthiness, and the wholesomeness of a hard day's work.
Months into the marriage, Sun-hi finally made a decision. Late one night, she penned a heartfelt letter to her husband and father, explaining her dissatisfaction and longing for her old life. Next morning, she was on the first cart back to her farm.
The homecoming was bitter-sweet. Her father welcomed her open-armed, but she could see the years had taken a toll on him. The farm was in a dilapidated state. Without wasting a moment, Sun-hi flung herself into the task of reviving her beloved farm. Her determination and resilience started showing its results soon. The farm toned back to its former glory, and the father and daughter found joy in their shared labour. Sun-hi, for the first time in her life, had found a contentment that her name always promised.
Years down the line, Sun-hi's story became a legend in the small outskirts of Seoul. The young girl who chose the mud-brick house over the sparkling mansion, and work over leisure, taught them that happiness could not be quantified by wealth but by satisfaction. Sun-hi had become a heroine, a beacon of inspiration, and truly lived up to her name – Joy. Every morning she woke up to the crowing rooster and the smell of earth, she found the joy she always yearned for nested in the simplicity of her life.