The third time’s not always the charm…
In South Korea, there lived a determined woman named Cha Sa-soon. Her dream was to obtain a driver’s license so that she could expand her vegetable-selling business. Little did she know, her journey towards obtaining that license would become an extraordinary tale of persistence and resilience.
In April 2005, Cha Sa-soon took her first driving test, hoping to earn her driver’s license. But alas, she failed. Undeterred, she tried again and again, only to find herself failing time after time. For three long years, Cha Sa-soon sat beside a driving instructor every day, taking the exam five days a week. Her unwavering determination to become a legally licensed driver was evident to everyone around her.
But time went on, and so did Cha Sa-soon’s journey. She decided to reduce her attempts to just twice a week. Then, on her eight hundred and sixtieth attempt, she managed to pass the written exam, giving her the chance to finally get behind the wheel with a driving instructor. The street-level test, however, proved to be another challenge altogether. Cha Sa-soon had to take that test one hundred times before she finally emerged victorious.
In total, between the written and practical driver’s tests, Cha Sa-soon took the exam an astonishing 960 times. She had spent more than thirteen thousand dollars in her quest for a driver’s license. The day she finally succeeded was a momentous occasion, not just for her, but for her driving instructors as well.
Throughout the years, the driving instructors at Jeonbuk Driving School had grown quite fond of Cha Sa-soon. They admired her tenacity but were also relieved when she finally obtained her license.
“When she finally got her license, we all went out cheering and hugged her, giving her flowers. It felt like a huge burden falling off our backs. We hadn’t had the guts to tell her to quit because she kept showing up,” said one instructor.
Cha Sa-soon’s extraordinary journey turned her into an international celebrity. Her story, one of unrelenting determination, had captured the hearts of people from all over the world. She had become a symbol of perseverance, inspiring countless individuals to never give up on their dreams, no matter how many times they may fail.
And so, after fifteen years, Cha Sa-soon’s story reached its triumphant conclusion. With her driver’s license in hand, she could finally drive herself wherever she needed to go, her vegetable-selling business now poised for greater success. The driving instructors at Jeonbuk Driving School could rest easy, knowing that their most persistent student had finally achieved her dream.
Through Cha Sa-soon’s tale, we are reminded of the power of determination and the human spirit’s ability to overcome even the most daunting of challenges. As she drives off into the sunset, her legacy lives on, inspiring generations to believe in themselves and never give up, no matter the odds.
Sources: AWM, Dailymail, Nytimes
