"The Power of Positivity Born from Despair"... Professor Kim Seongsam Publishes New Book 'The Positive Revolution of the Last-Place Professor'

"Even if the world calls you last place, as long as you run at your own pace, there will eventually be a finish line."

Kim Seongsam, a professor in the Department of Counseling Psychology at Daegu Haany University, is drawing attention with the publication of his new book, The Positive Revolution of the Last-Place Professor, which draws practical positivity from the depths of despair.

Overcoming the labels of "unknown lecturer," "provincial university professor," and "ailing breadwinner," he proposes a practical humanities approach in this book, asserting that "life is a laboratory and positivity can be trained."

This book is not a simple essay of comfort, but a "practice-based guide rooted in behavioral psychology" that interprets failure, loss, illness, and family sacrifice through the language of positivity and transforms them into recovery. Professor Kim stated, "I am not a psychologist, but someone who used life as a laboratory to practice positivity every day," expressing his hope that his experiences will provide real help for readers' inner healing.

The book is structured around three main pillars: ▲ the "Ten Commandments of Positive Core" for making positivity a daily habit ▲ the "333 Rule" to aid habit formation ▲ and a case-based approach referencing positive narratives from films such as Patch Adams, Yes Man, and Avatar. In particular, the "333 Rule" is a neuroscience-based habit theory that suggests recording three positive actions each day, maintaining them for three days, and repeating for three weeks will rewire the brain's positivity circuit, providing readers with a practical tool.

Professor Kim already has a solid track record as an educator and psychological counselor. After the Sewol Ferry disaster in 2014, he led over 250 individual counseling sessions and more than 3,200 group counseling sessions at the earthquake sites in Gyeongju and Pohang, establishing himself as a leading "trauma recovery expert" in Korea. In 2021, he was awarded the "Korea Teacher Award," further cementing his credibility in the education sector.

His achievements as a lecturer are also remarkable. He ranked first for two consecutive years in the "Most Popular National Lecture" category at the KOCW National Lecture Awards in 2016 and 2017, and is regarded as the top choice for lectures to public officials nationwide, earning the nickname "the professor who teaches professors."

However, Professor Kim confesses that before all these accomplishments, he was "always the last-place student in elementary school." The strength that sustained him internally was the "positivity" he learned from his family as a child. "Covering the chains of negativity with positivity?that was the only survival skill I ever learned," he says.

This new book goes beyond his personal story to suggest a "language of recovery" needed by Korean society as a whole. The publisher, Books Hill, explained, "This book does not rely solely on emotion, but offers 'positivity as action' as a practical guide in humanities and psychology. It will serve as a realistic compass for those experiencing lethargy, anxiety, and loss of identity after COVID-19."

Notably, the book's significance is further enhanced by strong recommendations from prominent figures across various fields, such as Korea's leading poet Jeong Hoseung and comedian Lee Bongwon of the "Seven Failures, Eight Successes" legend of Bongjjamppong, who both describe it as "a book that changes the direction of life."

Following 128 Minutes, The Time to Change Myself, this is another record of reflection and practice. Professor Kim Seongsam's The Positive Revolution of the Last-Place Professor offers a profound resonance to those who seek "real life" beyond a dazzling career.