Hello. I am PARK Seoyeon from Elite League Season 3, also known as University War. By appearing on the show, my attitude toward life changed beyond the experience of solving difficult problems. The countless choices I had to rapidly make—and the results that followed—made me look back on the standards I had been acting upon. In a way, this article is a record of what I felt through that experience and the attitude I have resolved to change.

My motivation for applying to the Elite League was simply because I was a huge fan of the show. I came across a University War video after the 2025 CSAT. I always liked survival programs, and before I knew it, I loved the show so much that I rewatched it more than five times and solved the problems myself. I constantly asked myself what choices I could have made in the contestants’ place, and once I was accepted to POSTECH, I definitely wanted to apply to the Elite League. I was confident because I sometimes found the answer before the contestants while solving the problems at home. Also, I wanted to see what I would look like on such a grand stage.

Once filming started, it was vastly different from what I expected. Knowing my every choice directly led to victory or defeat brought a level of tension and pressure I had never felt before. I became consumed with showing my most perfect self and feared negative feedback as well as making mistakes. Being one of the few from an ordinary high school among others from science high schools also shook my confidence. For the first time, I recognized that I was much more of a perfectionist than I thought.

Looking back, I was someone who did not challenge things I wasn’t certain about. I would first calculate whether I could do well, and I would exclude the option if I thought I couldn’t. Rather than the failure itself, I was more afraid of how I would see myself when I failed. This tendency grew in the extreme environment of the broadcast. I hesitated to shout an answer, and my actions became more cautious. I was focusing too much on making a “choice that isn’t wrong.”

Eventually, the POSTECH team was disappointingly eliminated. There was a chance for redemption, but we lost by a narrow margin. On the train back home, I replayed the games in my mind. I felt sorry for not living up to expectations on a stage where I represented my school, and kept replaying what might have changed if I had been more daring.

In that process, one thought became clear: the regret of not trying is greater than the experience of trying and failing. Even if the result is poor, it is easier to accept it and prepare for the next step when it is a decision I made myself. Rather than doing nothing and waiting for a perfect choice, making an imperfect choice is more meaningful.

Now, rather than waiting until perfection, I intend to try even if I am incomplete. I want to make choices that leave no regrets rather than choices that reduce failure. The fear remains, but I decided not to let it stop me anymore.

Some people have expressed disappointment that I didn’t bring back strong results, which is true. However, it did leave me with a clear standard on how I want to act. Moments of choice with uncertain outcomes will come, and I want to be someone who can say that I tried. If Elite League Season 4 is produced, I encourage you to apply without hesitation. It will be an experience that remains long in your memory, both inside the program and long after it ends, just as it was for me.