Description

For a while, the story of sharing and giving circulated only as rumors. Kim Jang-ha, who generously offered his wealth cultivated in poverty, remains hidden from the media. What is the source of his humility despite his generosity? There are 100, even 1000 students inspired by Kim Jang-ha. "If you give, that's enough" is a record of the beautiful wealthy man, Kim Jang-ha. Reading this book, one cannot help but think that Kim Jang-ha is an extraordinary person, difficult for ordinary people to emulate. This is not merely about someone who was born into extreme poverty, graduated only from middle school, and succeeded as a herbalist to amass great wealth. He practiced sharing and giving in his daily life. Since his twenties, he secretly provided scholarships for poor students. It is said that over 1000 people have received his scholarships to date. The private high school he established with over 10 billion won was immediately donated to the state once it was established, and when he closed his lifelong business, a herbal medicine shop, he donated over 3 billion won in assets to the National Gyeongsang University. His support extended beyond education to all areas excluding politics, including social, cultural, historical, artistic, women's, labor, and human rights issues. Such stories circulated only as rumors for a while. There were recipients of the scholarships, but no one knew the giver. Even easily exposed activities like the Fairness Movement, the Men's Cultural Foundation, and Jinju Newspaper were avoided by him, not even wanting his name mentioned in the media. This strange phenomenon, where many benefited but the giver remained invisible, continued for over 50 years. "If you give, that's enough" is not only a record of the beautiful wealthy man Kim Jang-ha but also a 'report without permission.' Kim Jang-ha has kept his righteous giving hidden until now. While an ordinary person would have boasted about it tenfold or a hundredfold, he did not. It was unlikely that someone like him would allow a report about himself, and indeed he did not. Former journalist Kim Joo-wan revealed that he had an astonishing experience while conducting unauthorized interviews. In his 30 years as a journalist, he had never received such voluntary and active cooperation from so many people. This may be due to the wide range of his generosity, leading to many overlapping connections, or because many people view his good deeds for justice as beautiful. The unfolding narrative showcases the exceptional writing skills of a journalist with 30 years of experience. Although the entire life of Kim Jang-ha cannot be fully examined due to the lack of his permission, it still conveys a sense of having captured a significant amount. While not everything about his donations and sharing is thoroughly uncovered, enough is included to avoid shortcomings. Additionally, there are quite a few interesting episodes and hidden stories. However, what people are most curious about and interested in is probably why he did it. Why did he, who worked so hard to earn money, donate and share so generously? One would think he would want to showcase his good deeds for the world and others, so why did he consistently remain so modest? This book fulfills its purpose simply by revealing his actions. But it goes beyond that, easily explaining his usual principles and lifestyle of not seeking recognition while sharing and giving. Kim Jang-ha's humble human side and unpretentious sense of humor add enjoyment throughout the book. It is only natural that 100, even 1000 people would emerge wanting to follow and learn from such a person. He told his scholarship recipients that if they received something from him, they should not repay him but instead give to others. This creates a virtuous cycle that beautifies the community, known as the 'Kim Jang-ha virus.'