The Milky Way: How an Eleven-Year-Old Girl Found Songs in the Chaos of the Korean War

Insook Won's peaceful childhood years were marred when the Korean War broke out. She began to support her family at the age of fifteen. A high school music teacher gave Won her first voice lessons, which led her to the world of singing. Despite the many obstacles, she persisted in pursuing her academic goals.

Determined to study at a university in the United States, she received a scholarship and managed to secure a visa and travel funds. With the assurance she received from a young professor's family, she came to Miami, Florida, to study voice at the University of Miami.

Upon completing her master's degree, she married Duk Joong Won, a longtime church friend. She moved to Washington, DC, where he was working on postgraduate studies. She was selected as a Teacher Corps intern and candidate for her second master's degree in teaching. She served public schools in three counties in the Washington metropolitan area for a decade.

She and her husband raised two daughters. As her husband was called to do ministry, she was by his side ministering, serving the needy, directing choirs, refining her voice as a soloist, and deepening her love of God.