This blog post introduces the core elements you should include in your painting program statement of purpose—not just your artistic skills, but also your authentic experiences and emotional growth.

Writing About Your Academic Experience and Reflections

“Never give up—perseverance comes first!”
There was a time when my studies weren’t going well at all, so I attended a camp. This camp focused on establishing effective study methods and providing counseling. It was filled with students eager to improve their studies and mothers determined to help their children succeed academically. I was grasping at straws, desperate to learn how to study effectively there. By chance, I ended up mentoring a senior attending Seoul National University. What surprised me most was realizing I was studying without any grit.
Hearing how that senior studied was mind-blowing. When I got tired or sleepy at night, I’d just stop and go to sleep. I thought, “I can do it tomorrow,” or “I can’t study properly in this state.” But that senior didn’t study that way. He said he studied in winter with all the windows open, wearing a jacket. He worried that if he had studying to do today and didn’t finish it all, he might fall asleep. He also said that sometimes he would wash his face every 30 minutes while studying. Rather than just wasting time when he couldn’t concentrate, he thought about how he could focus and study no matter what. Hearing that, I realized, “Ah, this is how much I should be studying.”
So after that camp, I completely changed my study method. First, I rewrote my plan. I reduced my sleep time, but I devised a study method that wouldn’t let spare moments go to waste. My goal was to achieve the minimum grade required for admission to Kangnam University. However, when setting my goal, I aimed for a grade I could realistically study for right now, in the short term. So, from that point on, I began studying steadily. And I went through many tough moments. I couldn’t focus, felt overwhelmed by what I didn’t know, and grew impatient and irritable. But I endured it all, persevered through my studies, and continue to study that way now.

Writing about key school activities and reflections

“The principles of collaboration I learned through my activities on the Festival Preparation Committee”
Like other friends who do art, I enjoy and value time alone. I didn’t like being around people or studying with others. I simply cherished my personal time to express my thoughts and ideas. Then, by chance, I began participating in the Festival Preparation Committee. My role was to draw posters and illustrations based on my friends’ plans. At first, I thought this work would be incredibly tedious and would take away a lot of my personal time. I even doubted whether it was the right thing to do, especially when other friends were studying for exams or preparing for practical skills tests. But once I actually started working on it, I didn’t feel troubled or burdened at all. My friends were incredibly considerate, and that’s why I enjoyed the work.
Even though no one was forcing them to do it, everyone worked hard. Even though they weren’t giving orders themselves, but were just doing what the teacher asked, you could see they worked with a sense of responsibility. Moreover, I could see they constantly felt apologetic about asking me to help, showing me constant consideration. I was genuinely flustered by how they treated me. In truth, everything was done voluntarily; if the teacher had assigned it, that was one thing, but there was no reason for them to feel sorry. At first, I found their behavior odd, but as we worked together and gradually completed the festival, I realized they were actually being considerate. That was the first time I truly understood that consideration among members is essential for collaboration.
When everyone must put in effort, there should be no ‘taken-for-granted’ things. Instead, we had to think that nothing was a given and freely say ‘sorry’ and ‘thank you’ to each other. Only then could we work without hurting each other’s feelings. I experienced this during the festival, while drawing posters, painting murals, and decorating the stage. Preparing for the festival became far more enjoyable than simply enjoying it together without any conflicts, as we encouraged each other along the way. Consequently, my perception of people changed significantly during this time, and my understanding of interacting with others also transformed greatly.

“Everyone has something precious that is uniquely theirs!”

While active in the Festival Preparation Committee, I was responsible not only for preparations but also for taking photos of friends during the festival itself. While taking photos and seeing my friends enjoying themselves, I realized that the joy each person feels is similar yet different. This is because what each person holds dear is different. I began to think that I wanted to become someone who could capture those precious moments well and incorporate them into my art. As I did this, I felt my previously somewhat gloomy world brighten, and I myself transformed into someone who captures the positive aspects of people.

Examples of Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation and My Reflections

“Using My Strengths to Help Friends”
I’m not particularly good at studying, so I can’t help my friends with their academics. I’m not the loud type or the one who handles the humor among friends, so I’m not great at setting the mood either. Because I know the things I can do are very small, I really wanted to participate in ways that utilized my special skills. So, whenever someone needed help with art or design, I always volunteered and joined in on my friends’ projects.
At the start of the semester, I mainly handled the bulletin board. Since becoming a high school student, I focused more on practicality than decoration when setting up the board. I created and organized the board so my friends could see and read the notices more easily. It was a small help, but I tried to be someone who could be useful to the class. Also, during the sports day, I helped make the class T-shirts or group headbands. Since I was more familiar with handling paint and glue than my non-art major friends, even if I couldn’t stay late for practice, I found satisfaction in participating in their festival by helping with these tasks. Beyond that, during Teacher’s Day or Chuseok, I often helped with drawing pictures or selecting colors when we wrote cards for our teachers as a group.
What I realized through this was that while helping others seems like assisting them, it’s actually helping myself. Because as I helped people, they began helping me in return. When I helped a little with my friends’ sports day, they took notes for me in the after-school classes I couldn’t attend. When I helped manage their bulletin board, they helped me with the gaps in my math and English studies. Through these experiences, I came to feel that help truly comes back around. This made me realize that this process of mutual support is absolutely necessary, whether to help someone or simply to live together.

Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation and Career Plans

“Become a good person who draws good pictures”
My ultimate goal is to become someone who draws good pictures.
I still can’t forget the moment I drew my first picture and gave it to my grandmother as a gift. What I drew was just a small scene of our family eating, sketched with the tiny hands of a child. But I wanted to give it to my grandmother, who was confined to the hospital. Without telling my parents, I went alone to the hospital and presented her with that drawing. Of course, I didn’t return home on time that day, causing quite a commotion as they searched for me. Yet, despite that, I can still vividly picture my grandmother’s genuinely happy expression. That moment made me want to draw pictures that bring joy to people.
And I believe I received valuable training in high school. I, who enjoyed solitude and rarely made friends beyond those I drew with, made many friends. And through those friends, I discovered diverse joys and learned to communicate. That became a great source of inspiration and joy for me, a medium that helped me grow a little.
I also think entering university will be a way for me to grow in that manner. Because I believe entering university will mean meeting far more people and encountering many more situations. Days of seeing countless people, meeting them, and sharing stories will continue. Amidst that, I believe I will grow through receiving a good education. By meeting countless people and sharing stories, I will once again break through my own limits. That is precisely one thing I plan to do after entering university: meet people and shed my old self. That is my goal.
So ultimately, by the time I graduate from university, I hope to have built a foundation that allows me to paint good pictures, happy pictures—pictures that people can look at and recall moments of joy. And I hope to gain the hope to keep moving forward on that path.