Whenever feeling down in her studies, Gulperi Kucukkaraca would wield her pen and craft her favorite Korean word in cursive on a white sheet of paper: 꿈. The small ritual served as a guiding light, helping her keep motivated in her dream of becoming a Korean expert in the not-so-distant future. The Korean word, which is pronounced "kkeum," means "dream" or "life goal." "I have alwa.