When Paul was growing up he was greatly influenced and trained in Buddhism, Confucianism and Eastern studies. Cho who was a very good student graduated with honors. Cho's father failed a position in the elected office; because of this his whole family was ruined. After this, Paul had to attend a technical high school to gain skills that were suited for applying for a job soon after graduating. An American army base was near his school and he was able to learn English from the soldiers at the base. Because he had a very good English he became an interpreter for the principal of his school and chief commander at the army base.

When he was 17 and a sophomore in high school, Yonggi Cho got tuberculosis, Cho almost died from this. Even as he was close to death, he continued to study English by memorizing the English dictionary and his lesson books. Then his sister's Christian friend visited him, and he accepted Christ as his personal Savior.

Yonggi Cho went to his hometown to continue receiving treatment for the disease. One day he attended a crusade in Pusan led by missionary Ken Tize, and he received healing from God. That night he met Christ, Yonggi Cho was called by God to study theology. He came to Seoul in 1956 and entered Full Gospel Bible College on a scholarship.

After this Yonggi started a church in his house, the home church began to grow more and more and had a membership of fifty. Then a tent was put out in the yard. At night, even in winter, church members prayed all night. The church grew so fast that after three years they had a congregation of four-hundred people.