언니 평소에 연락 많이 못해서 너무 미안해요..

I remember Ji-Sun's brilliance, seriousness of purpose, compassion, and sense of humor. She joined one of my courses, and I got to learn from her insights, critical perspectives, and perceptive reflections on the course materials. Last year, she presented her work during UAlbany's Student Showcase, along with other students who were also finishing their MA degrees. She completed the MA portion of the joint WGSS MA/Sociology PhD program, and in the process taught us so much. As a member of the UAlbany WGSS community, I feel grateful that Ji-Sun chose to attend the University at Albany.

It was such an honor being in Professor Won's class and I really valued hearing her speak on her experiences. She had such a passion for the subject and she was such a natural at teaching that I was shocked to find out she had only recently started teaching. She made a clear effort to learn students by name and connect with them even in a big classroom. I wish I had the opportunity to learn from her more. Her Sociology of Gender class was a big part of why I ended up picking up Sociology as a second major. She will be missed.

I’ve had the privilege of being Ji’s advisor, professor, and friend for the past four years. 

Ji was brilliant — one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. She was always thinking, and was able to make connections between things she read, things she observed in the world, and her own experiences that made those around her see things in new ways. I loved having her in seminars because she raised the level of conversation for everyone in the room, and we all benefitted from her thoughtful questions and insights – myself included. 

Ji was focused and passionate when it came to her research. I will never forget the first time we met – I was assigned as her first-year advisor, and she emailed me as soon as the semester started asking to meet to talk about her research plans. She came to my office with a full power-point prepared that included a selected literature review, theoretical framework, and research questions to explain the work she hoped to pursue over the course of her time in the program. She knew that what she wanted to study – the intersection of sexuality and disability in the lives of women with physical disabilities – was important, but like all the best students, she also proved open to refining and even changing the specifics of her work as she took more courses. 

I always looked forward to meeting with Ji – whether in my office, at a coffee shop, or, in the early pandemic, over Zoom – because she would raise the most interesting and provocative questions. I was reading back over our texts and Instagram chats yesterday and found a picture from one of our coffee dates in which she referred to us in the caption as “unsalvageable nerds,” and it made me laugh, because anyone who overheard us talking over coffee would have definitely described us as such. Over the course of four years, we’ve spent hours talking about things like what it would take to shift away from a culture of independence to one that recognized interdependence, what a truly feminist graduate program might look like, ableism in academia and beyond, and most recently, as she was preparing to write her dissertation proposal, what it might look like to center disabled joy in research on disability, sexuality, and embodiment. 

Ji was also an incredible teacher. I had the opportunity to observe her teaching last year, when she was teaching Sociology of Gender for the first time as the instructor. I probably shouldn’t have been surprised, but I was still blown away by her presence in the classroom. In a huge lecture hall, she knew nearly every student by name, and she managed to engage them in conversation like nobody I’ve ever seen before. She pushed and challenged her students, but she also affirmed the importance of their contributions to discussion. Her students were so lucky to have her.

Ji and I had what ended up being our last meeting a couple of weeks ago, to talk about her dissertation and make plans for how she’d tackle writing her proposal this semester. She was so excited to start working on it, and we strategized for how she could use her dissertation research to best position herself for a postdoc and eventual faculty position. She was so excited about the project, and I was excited for her, because of how important and groundbreaking the topic is.

Ji was a brilliant, beautiful badass, and I hope she knew how proud I have always been of her.

I had the honor of being one of Professor Wons' student this semester. I am so glad that I got to experience her. I will never forget her, because she made it a point to not forget us. Every class she asked for students names and pronouns, and she would remember us. She held space for us and when things fell silent reminded us that we all had wisdom to share. Once after a very draining day in class she came up to me and empowered me in such a magical way. I felt so seen. I wish we had more time... may her light reach so far that we forever feel it <3

Hi Ji,

You were a part of my Albany family. We started grad school together. We struggled together. We celebrated together. I realized how smart you were that first year - how compassionate and thoughtful and brilliant you were. It made me want to be better. Your devotion to scholarship and social justice made us all want to be and do better. You were and will always be the heart of our cohort. I’ll carry your memory with me wherever I go and your legacy will live on with us always.

Your friend forever,
Ash

Feeling tender and yet so fortunate to have had Ji-sun in my class and to see her cross the M.A. finish line. She was so vibrant and clear in her vision. We all learned so much from her! Her tough questions demanded more from all of us. May we carry forward her legacy for progressive social change in some small way.

I met Ji at Gender & Sexuality class, and then we bumped into each other at various GSA events. She is a true fighter, and I admire her passion for social justice, kind soul, and big heart. I would like to cite part of what she wrote to me when I graduated from UAlbany and give it to her: "I hope you could be super proud of yourself for being brave and making it this far on [your] journey, not to say all your amazing accomplishments!"
Let's make sure she's never forgotten.

I had the opportunity to take a graduate seminar in Cultural Sociology with Ji-sun during my first year at the department. I was motivated and challenged by her thought-provoking comments. During our interactions, she made sure to transmit her positive energy and make me feel welcomed, which I will never forget. As a person that is passionate about teaching, I admired Ji's sense of social responsibility and political commitment to guide students in their own questions. I feel grateful to have shared intellectual spaces with her and I am touched by the many lives she inspired.

Ji was a joy. I've never met someone with quite the same appreciation for knowledge production and social justice.

Processing this loss is difficult, and I'm trying to imagine what Ji would say in a moment like this. Those words are the reassurance I'll lean on.

Ji had a tremendous impact on the department, UAlbany, and the sociology community. May she be remembered for her compassion, her kindness, her zeal, and her incredible mind.

I was shocked and heartbroken to hear about Ji-Sun's passing. She took my graduate seminar a couple of years ago and I found her to be such a bright person both spiritually and intellectually. Although I had not seen her since, I hoped to have the opportunity to cross paths and perhaps work with her again in the future. I say with genuine sincerity that she had so much to contribute to the scholarship on emotions, bodies, and disabilities and it's clear through her friendships, that she deeply touched the lives of her friends and peers around her. The world should mourn the passing of this bright soul. Rest in peace.

My sincere condolences go out to her family, friends, and any students whom Ji-sun touched and influenced. Like many people, I too am reflecting on what if I could have shared more moments with her if I could go back. Here, I share my heartfelt regret to be with people who miss her in their own way.

May she rest in power.

I had her this semester and she was a very sweet woman .

Ji-sun is one of the friends who make me proud of our sociology department. Our profound connection is rooted in our shared experiences in social activism before coming to the U.S. On the spectrum between theoretical thinking and social change, we both aspired to pursue a Ph.D. in sociology with a focus on social justice. During one of our meaningful conversations last summer, she revealed that she came to the U.S. to pursue her radical research interests, seeking an environment conducive to realizing her dreams. These conversations often remind me of our discussions on "Liquid Love" and "Envisioning Real Utopias."

One of the most powerful inspirations Ji-Sun has given me is her unwavering faith in the world and its people, despite confronting many dark aspects of social structures in her context. She actively fosters meaningful social connections and lives life to the fullest. I deeply respect and admire her passion, compassion, and spirit. Words cannot fully express how much I appreciate having her as a true friend and interlocutor in our department. Thank you for consistently giving me the courage to open up my heart.

Professor Won was a fantastic professor and truly enjoyed her class which made coming to class so enjoyable. We truly have lost a fantastic person and my prayers are with her family.

Ji-sun was one of the most able, independent and adventurous people I’ve met. She not only made everything possible, but also very fun. With her big, kind heart, she made this world a better place.

One of the many things I learned from Jisun was to allow myself to imagine beyond the imaginable. To put all censoring blocks aside and freely talk about our vision of a more just society. If we replace competition and self-interest with cooperation and reciprocity as our guiding principles, we can create new institutions or reform existing ones. She understood sociology as a practice rather than a theory. Those of us lucky enough to know her and learn from her can carry her message into our daily lives.