All these community quarantine extensions has compelled me to finally give in to watching K-Drama series on Netflix. My brother (among all people) recommended Itaewon Class for me to watch. It took a lot of self-convincing as I wasn’t a fan of what they did to my oppa, Park Seo-Joon’s hair in this series. Yes, I admit I was low-key pre-judging the series based on the hairstyles. Sue me.
But anyway, one episode led to another and before I knew it, I graduated with flying colors watching Itaewon Class (see what I did there?). I finished the series in less than a week, sacrificing hours of sleep as Park Saeroyi left me feeling vengeful, worried, perplexed and hopeful after every episode so yes, it got me hooked.
Here are some lessons I have learned from this K-drama and if you have not watched this, it is highly recommended and be assured that the hair concerns will eventually fade away as you get attached to its characters. Be warned, though, that there may be some spoilers in my article but I will try to make my statements as general as possible.
1. Know your WHY and stick to it. Having a clear vision or end goal in mind will help you in your steps towards achieving them. Knowing deep in your heart why you are doing what you do will prevent you from being swayed from all unnecessary excuses why you can’t.
Park Saeroyi’s WHY may not work for some but he was so determined for his end goal that he was able to endure all the things he had to go through, including years in prison.
2. Stick to your VALUES and PRINCIPLES. Knowing what you stand for and what truly matters to you will not make you compromise them regardless of what the world's dementors has to say against them. It will also strengthen your identity and resilience as a person. In this line, your values and your principles are rooted to how you were raised and who you look up to, growing up. Thus, the role of parents and role models are very vital in a child's formative years.
Moreover, your values will help you stand firm when others try to determine or undermine your worth.
3. SUCCESS does not happen overnight. It takes years (literally in Saeroyi's case), patience and hard work and a clear-cut vision. Milo's ad would say, great things start from small beginnings. This holds truth. You may be working in, say, the fish docks but if your vision dictates that you will own a multi-national company, you will be determined to value each step leading towards that vision, no matter your present circumstance and current limitations.
4. Having a GOOD FINANCIAL ADVISOR who sincerely understands you and why you are investing is an essential consideration in achieving goals and not putting to waste your hard-earned money. If you are not that adept in knowing about stocks and taking care of your finances, try to teach yourself or find someone who does!
Watching this series makes you want to call that financial advisor you've been avoiding and who’s been very persistent in getting your attention. Shout out to all my financial advisor friends!
5. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE LITTLE PEOPLE because you will never know how big they will become and how strongly they will support you. Never judge a person's worth if you have not invested in getting to know this person and making this person see his or her worth. When people trust you and what you believe in because you have showed it to them, they will support your growth no matter what and even grow with you.
6. You need to sacrifice momentarily some things to achieve your goals, yes even love. In the case of Park Saeroyi whose competition stripped him and betrayed him, he never gave up on his goals. When things fell apart and was almost at his reach, he sacrificed all he gave to Option A and invested it on another option. You are not limited to just one strategy. Innovate and wiggle your way out of a bottomless pit as there is always another way, if the will is great!
7. The power of GOOD, HONEST FEEDBACK can do wonders. When somebody in your team is performing badly, it doesn’t mean that this person is a bad hire or a bad employee. Do not leave them behind when they are struggling. Analyze and check where you can help and coach. Giving consistent, honest feedback will make this person trust that you have his or her good intentions. A person who trusts you has your back and will strive to become the best person he or she could be.I love how this small team confers on what to do with a non-performing member. All voices were heard and considered. Saeroyi's leadership is admirable and him passing on his values through constant coaching and counseling makes him more endearing (yes, yes, even with his haircut).
8. HIRE FOR ATTITUDE, TRAIN FOR SKILLS. It’s best that you hire for the potential of a person and not based solely on undesired past experience and unnecessary qualifications. Age, gender, race, do not determine future performance. I love this series as it celebrates differences and has no room for racism and even celebrates differences of each person.
9. EMPLOYER BRANDING. In the world where social media can make or break your company, know how to increase your employer brand by celebrating the uniqueness of each of your employees, the people surrounding it and the culture from within. Your employees are your best brand ambassadors. If you are sincere in your values and what you believe in, your employees will also believe it and they will gladly broadcast it willingly.
10. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. To succeed, you have to be mindful of the success of others. The series highlights the importance of having a good sense of community building, helpfulness and awareness. By helping other businesses within his alley, he was able to bring in more customers not just to his restaurant but also to his neighboring business owners, thereby, contributing to his local community.
11. NETWORK—Reach out and connect. Our professional networks lead to more business opportunities, a greater source of connections, and meaningful experiences. What's important to keep in mind is that networking is about making valuable, sincere connections with others.
12. Find strength from within. I could not emphasize that more. The strong prey on the weak, they say. But then, strength comes from deep down your soul. And if your soul is rotten, that makes your foundation weak and soon, you will become weak, too. And if the strong prey on the weak, those with weak souls will become prey.
13. Lead with your heart. A business will never be successful unless you learn how to build positive relationships and put people first. The character of Saeroyi was consistent in putting people first and investing trust with them. He even made rooms for mistakes and taught them how to rise from mistakes. He responded on his primary urge to give, share and inspire and in turn, his team saw this and believed in it.
One of the sources of true happiness comes not from revenge but from surrounding yourself with the right people who will support you all the way.
**
If these lessons are not enough reasons for you to go and binge watch Itaewon Class, then consider the fact that our Oppa’s (Park Seo-Joon) character, portrays him as someone who has never kissed a girl. I mean, come on…
But seriously, this show has so much heart--- determination for one's passion, love for family. team, employees and valuing friends, love for self and forgiveness of enemies.. don’t just take my word for it… Go ahead, indulge. And if you are craving for that soft tofu stew and a bottle of soju in the end, you're not alone.
Annyeong, sajangnim!
Now, what’s next, Netflix?
Note: All photos and gifs are credited to its owners
Comments
Post a Comment