The “Ongi Mailbox” has been installed in Hanyang University (HYU)’s Fifth Dormitory. But what is it? 

    The Ongi Project is a social support program that aims to improve mental health by providing emotional support. The Ongi Corporation started the project in 2017 after getting the idea from the well-known novel, Narnia Chronicles. Anonymous letters about personal worries or stress are collected through the mailbox and transferred to the Ongi Corporation’s office by volunteers. The contents of the letters are diverse, from relatively light short- term problems like health issues, career concerns, and breakups to long-term serious problems like depression. “Ongi Postmen,” who are volunteers, reply to the letters with hand-written letters. From the beginning of the project, more than 17,800 replies have been sent out, which is approximately 200-250 letters per week. Currently, 400 Ongi Postmen are participating in the process through 40 mailboxes in ten regions in Korea, including Seoul, Busan, Daejeon, and Jeju. The Ongi Mailboxes are set up in places where emotional support is needed, such as memorial parks, hospitals, and school dormitories. In particular, school dormitories were chosen because students living far from their hometowns tend to get isolated and lonely. 

    The COVID-19 pandemic has also had a great influence on the Ongi Project. Since the pandemic, there was a 20 percent increase in the number of incoming letters and that number has not decreased since. Cho Hyun- sik, CEO of the Ongi Corporation and a HYU graduate who majored in the School of International Studies, believes in the power of handwritten letters as they demonstrate sincerity and human warmth. He emphasizes the importance of striving for the best life despite our given circumstances and not giving up whatever comes our way. As for the Ongi Project, its goal for the future is to install more mailboxes and receive more letters.