About the author

Born in 1981. I am a heart patient, a surgeon, and a civil servant. I graduated from Korea University College of Medicine, Department of Medicine and received a master’s degree from the same graduate school.

After that, I started an IT startup and pioneered a new area of medical service using smartphones.

The name my father gave me ‘Seung Keon’ means ‘connecting health’ in Korean. It contains the only hope for a son born with heart disease. And that hope is now leading to a life that ‘continues health’ for myself and others.

“There are many different doctors in the world. Each of them is good at different fields. In the future, if someone asks me what doctor is good at, I would like to answer that I am the doctor who can best understand the patient’s mind. My first challenge was to become a doctor from a patient. My second challenge was to go back to the patient’s eye level.”

Notes from a Life

My book, Because I Wanted to Live, Because I Wanted Others to Live, tells the journey of a boy who once faced illness in helpless despair and eventually became a doctor who saves lives.

I write as someone who has stood on both sides—patient and physician—sharing my raw experiences at the edge of life and death. Within these stories lies the burning passion for life that only those who have confronted death can truly feel, along with a sincere reflection on what medicine should mean.

Please note that Because I Wanted to Live, Because I Wanted Others to Live is not the official title of an English edition, but a direct rendering of the original Korean title. The book has not yet been published in English, and I warmly welcome interest from publishers who wish to bring it to readers in the English-speaking world.

Endorsements

Sister Hae-in Lee, Poet
“This book is a vivid and heartfelt account, written with honesty and simplicity, of the author’s experiences both as a patient who endured severe suffering and as a doctor who cares for patients. The journey of a boy who once fell into helpless despair but later became a physician—devoting himself to his patients, listening to their pain as if they were his own family—leaves a quiet yet profound impression. This moving and humble memoir invites readers into the happiness of life discovered through learning, resilience, and gratitude in the face of hardship. I recommend it as a precious gift to all readers.”

Woong-Han Kim, M.D., Ph.D.
President, Korean Society for Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery
“Between the doctor and the patient, the author offers a candid and objective perspective where the depth of his struggles and efforts can be deeply felt. For many patients and their families, this book will bring empathy, courage, and hope.”

Author’s Working Translation