[INTERVIEW] SangsangWheelHarmony Orchestra empowers children, adolescents in wheelchairs

By Lee Yeon-woo

One day, Lee Sae-bom, a first-grader at Mokam Middle School in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, received a text message. It was from Sangsangin, a financial holdings group in Korea, which had provided her with a wheelchair as part of its corporate social responsibility campaign.

Since she first connected with the group, it has sent her various messages, from guidance on when to change her wheelchair to information about special outings, including a baseball game. This time, however, the message was a bit different: it was recruiting members for an orchestra for children who use wheelchairs.

"I was often sick from a young age, and the diagnosis was juvenile idiopathic arthritis. I started playing ukulele and piano at my mother's suggestion due to concerns about joint deformity. The violin and bass guitar are instruments I truly wanted to learn and I started it on my own," Lee said in an email interview with The Korea Times.

When she received the text message, she had been feeling a bit bored practicing on her own. She applied immediately and became the first violinist among the 24 members of SangsangWheelHarmony Orchestra. After months of practice, the team performed successfully at the DMZ OPEN Festival on Oct. 19, hosted by the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, and received a standing ovation from the audience.

"For almost everyone except a few friends, including myself, this was the first time playing an instrument. We were a little worried and nervous, but we had deep trust in each other and in our teachers," Lee said.

Lee expressed her gratitude to the group for providing her with a customized electronic wheelchair.

"Because of juvenile idiopathic arthritis, I may look fine when I am not in pain. However, when the pain or fever starts, my muscles stiffen, my whole body becomes rigid and tense, and even the lightest touch causes intense pain. Unlike those who use manual wheelchairs, I often feel pain simply trying to propel the wheels myself. With a wheelchair equipped with a power assist kit, I can control it with minimal movement, allowing me to move comfortably without experiencing pain."

Going outside wasn't something Lee looked forward to when she was younger, as she often had to be carried on her mother's back during painful episodes. Now, she can go out independently, and this newfound freedom has opened up many opportunities for her. She has even debuted as an illustrator and represents Korea at the ASEAN+3 Center for the Gifted in Science.

Lee said her motivation to try various things comes from the support she received from her parents, Sangsangin CEO Yoo Jun-won, the company's employees and her teachers.

"We hope that people understand that our members live life intensely, perhaps more than others — thinking deeply, acting boldly and loving life. When we take on a challenge, please remember that the courage it takes is hundreds of times greater than that of nondisabled or other healthy friends," Lee said.

Since 2018, Sangsangin has initiated projects to enhance the mobility of children who use wheelchairs, supporting over 3,700 children with customized wheelchairs equipped with power assist kits. Along with its subsidiaries, Sangsangin Savings Bank, Sangsanginplus Savings Bank, Sangsangin Investment & Securities and SYNERGY INNOVATION, the group is also offering a variety of programs to support the physical and emotional development of children and adolescents who use wheelchairs.