Burn victim, bestselling author returns to her alma mater as professor

A bestselling writer and scholar named Lee Ji-sun -- whose story of surviving a severe injury inflicted by a drunk driver inspired many across the country -- said Friday that she has become a professor at her alma mater, Ewha Womans University.

The 44-year-old author of the autobiographical essay collection “I Love You Jisun” will start her tenure as a professor of social welfare starting March 1, according to the university.

Lee was involved in a seven-vehicle collision that occurred in July 2000, when she was a senior at Ewha. She suffered third-degree burns on 55 percent of her body, which required her to go through over 30 surgeries. The accident resulted in lasting scars on her face and multiple partial amputations of her fingers.

Lee published the story of how she overcame her injuries and became a popular speaker who inspired many people while pursuing her academic goals. She was hired by Handong University as a professor of social welfare in 2016, where she worked before being hired by Ewha.

“Twenty-three years after the accident, I’ve returned to Ewha as a professor... I want to thank (the university) for allowing me the joy of teaching at my alma mater,” Lee wrote on her Facebook page.