“Menggu, Microsoft keeps asking me to enter a product key. I tried, but it keeps rejecting it. Excel won’t even open! What should I do?”
When I bought a new laptop in 2024, I didn’t purchase Office separately and had just been using the free trial. But one day, the activation screen kept popping up, and I couldn’t do anything anymore. Frustrated, I asked my friend “Menggu” for help.
“Hyung, that key— is it a subscription (365) or a perpetual version key (2016·2019·2021)? Take a picture and send it to me!”
So I sent him a photo of the sticker on my laptop. A moment later, his reply came back.
“Ah, Hyung 👍 That’s not an Office key. It’s a Windows 11 Home OEM license key. Office is a separate product. Once the trial ends, you can’t keep using it for free. What on earth were you trying, wasting your time like that~”
At that moment, I wanted to smack myself on the head.
“Oh… so this was a Windows key. And here I was, trying to use it as an Office key over and over again. 😂”
In the end, I had to pay ₩12,000 (about $10) per month to solve the problem.
It felt unfair—being forced to pay for something I’d been using for free.
After spending money I hadn’t planned to, I felt uneasy.
So I stopped working and turned on the TV—and there he was, Bill Gates, visiting Korea and appearing on You Quiz on the Block.
“Wait a second… He’s one of the richest men in the world. Couldn’t he at least make Microsoft Office free for ordinary people?”
That thought hit me, followed quickly by another:
“What kind of man could accumulate that much wealth in the first place?”
Curiosity got the better of me, and I pulled out my phone to check his K-Bazi (Saju) chart.
On the screen, a very different Bill Gates appeared—nothing like the warm, friendly image on TV.
“Menggu, can you dig up some info on Bill Gates for me?”
Menggu replied,
“Hyung, Bill Gates is the kind of man who flipped the entire world upside down, played the philanthropist, but also got tangled up in endless controversies. His life has always carried both light and shadow.”
The explanation was short, but it struck deep.
Here was a man who first chased wealth with relentless drive, then transformed into a philanthropist, only to be hit later by scandals and divorce.
That, in a nutshell, is the Bill Gates the world knows today.
So I asked again,
“Menggu, if I post Bill Gates’ K-Bazi chart on my blog, do you think readers—whether Korean or international—will actually be interested?”
Menggu replied with excitement,
“Hyung, of course they will! When people around the world search for Bill Gates, there are three main keywords:
① Wealth, ② Health & Philanthropy, ③ Business & Technology.
If you explain these through K-Bazi, readers’ interest is guaranteed. Now hurry up and give me his chart—I’ll take a look for you!”
As always, whenever the topic of Saju came up, Menggu lit up like a puppy chasing a ball. His enthusiasm made him talk endlessly—his strength and weakness all at once.
So I had to tell him straight,
“People think you can read anyone’s destiny perfectly if they just give you a birthdate. But to me, your interpretations are mostly nonsense. You make it sound fancy for people who don’t know Saju, but there’s no real core. You know that, right?”
After debating Saju with him a few times, I realized his interpretations were a mess. That’s why I never let him handle the readings. But here he was again, jumping in headfirst—so my nagging just slipped out.
Menggu shot back,
“Most folks hear my readings and just nod along, but our ‘Common Dosa’ here has to be picky about everything. Fine then—just write it up yourself and send it over already!”
“But Menggu, Korean readers at least have a general idea of what Saju Palja means. Don’t you think English-speaking readers might have no clue at all?”
“Hyung, that’s a really good question. In Korea, when people hear Saju Palja, everyone knows it roughly means ‘reading one’s destiny based on the year, month, day, and hour of birth.’ The term itself is familiar, so people easily accept it as a kind of fortune-telling.
But in the English-speaking world, the word Saju is completely foreign. At best, the Chinese term Bazi (Four Pillars of Destiny) is somewhat known, but even then it still feels strange and unfamiliar to most. They usually connect it to something like Horoscopes or Fortune telling, but they don’t really grasp the deeper philosophy of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements.”
“Then Menggu, wouldn’t it be easier if we compare Western astrology with Eastern Saju (K-Bazi) so readers can understand the difference quickly?”
“Exactly, Hyung 👏 That’s the best way. For English-speaking readers, the most intuitive comparison is between Western astrology and Eastern Saju (K-Bazi).
Western astrology focuses on the stars—the external movements of the heavens.
But Eastern Saju focuses on time and energy—the internal structure and its flow.
Simply put: ‘The West looks at the sky, while the East looks at time.’ That sums it up beautifully.”
“Wow, Menggu, you’re brilliant at explaining stuff like this. Hahaha.”
“But Hyung, last time I read your writing, it was way too difficult. You need to explain it much more simply so people can actually understand, right? How about trying that?”
Thanks to Menggu’s nagging, I decided to take my time and unpack Bill Gates’ K-Bazi chart step by step.
The very first thing to examine in a chart is the “Il-Gan (ME)”, which represents the self.
It is the most important element in Saju (K-Bazi).
The Day Master serves as the central axis of one’s life. It symbolizes the energy that represents “me,” expressed through one of the Five Elements.
- How I view the world,
- How I make choices and act,
- And, in short, what kind of character I truly am—
All of these clues are contained within the Day Master.
In other words, the Day Master is the anchor and reference point of Saju interpretation.
It reflects a person’s personality, temperament, and the general direction of life. When analyzing a chart, everything begins with the Day Master, and other elements are interpreted in relation to it to understand one’s destiny and unique traits.
🌊 A Man Like the Ocean: Bill Gates’ Day Master, Im-Su (壬水)
Bill Gates’ K-Bazi chart is rooted in Im-Su (壬水), the energy of the vast ocean.
Just as the sea accepts all rivers, he absorbed new ideas and knowledge from a young age. Like countless streams flowing into the ocean, he gathered wisdom from the world and built Microsoft—an ocean of technology.
💡 Wisdom and Brilliant Intellect
Im-Su represents wisdom and insight.
By the age of fifteen, Gates was already preparing to shake the world with programming. His quick intellect and boundless imagination allowed him to see the world one step ahead.
🌊 Inclusiveness and Leadership
Like the sea embracing many rivers, Gates embraced countless engineers and talents.
But he didn’t stop at inclusiveness—his strategic leadership guided his team to dominate the global software market.
⚡ Strengths and Defining Moments
The strengths of Im-Su lie in rapid execution and a passion for new challenges.
Gates boldly secured the historic IBM deal and pioneered Windows, reshaping the digital era. Like the sea always seeking new currents, he never accepted limits.
🌫️ Weaknesses and Shadows
Yet even the sea faces storms, and Im-Su’s weaknesses also emerged.
He often delayed decisions by overthinking possibilities and sometimes struggled to finish what he started.
While he launched many projects, not all succeeded. In his personal life, indecisiveness and secrecy surfaced, leading to divorce and scandals that drew public criticism.
💞 Love and Relationships
Im-Su values deep emotional connection.
Gates maintained a long partnership with Melinda, but he relied more on atmosphere and circumstance than on direct emotional expression. Eventually, even that deep sea was divided in two.
🧭 Career and Life Path
Im-Su thrives in exploration, creation, and change.
Thus, Gates lived as a researcher, entrepreneur, and manager of a global empire.
His move into philanthropy was also a natural extension of the ocean’s flow—ever expanding, ever moving.
✨ Conclusion
Im-Su (壬水) is like an ever-expanding sea.
Bill Gates’ life began in a sea of knowledge and creation, reshaped the world through challenge and leadership, yet could not avoid storms of hardship.
His journey reflects both light and shadow—an ocean that perfectly embodies the nature of the Im-Su Day Master.
“Menggu, do you think this is a good way to explain things to readers? The explanation is getting too long, so maybe I should wrap it up here. It’s better not to go beyond what readers can comfortably handle, right?”
“Of course, Hyung~ The best kind of post is one that satisfies curiosity but keeps it short and clear.
For a blog, around 1,000 to 1,500 words is the sweet spot.”
“Then if I want to really go through Bill Gates’ life, I’ll need to divide it into several parts.
And the next step should be looking at the flow of the Five Elements. It’s really important to see which elements are imbalanced in a chart.”
“Since Bill Gates’ Day Master is Water (壬水), the next step is to look for Wood (木), right?”
“Menggu, if I explain Saju this slowly, step by step, will readers really get it?”
“Hahaha, of course they will, Hyung 😆
When you break it down slowly and clearly, readers will understand much better.
Most Saju books and blogs are full of Chinese characters and complicated terms—that just scares beginners away.”
“Menggu, can you give the readers a little teaser for the next episode?”
“Ahem~ Sure thing, Hyung! In the next Bill Gates Part 2, I’ll break down the flow of the Five Elements nice and clear. So don’t forget to come back! I’ll make it super fun, you’ll see. Hahaha!”