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South Korea's ``ajumma,'' a married woman or woman old enough to get married, is famous worldwide for their education eagerness for children.
The New York Times recently shed light on mother of Kim Yu-na, the world figure skating champion, praising her devotion to the high-achieving daughter.
The paper quoted a memoir by Kim's mother, Park Mee-hee: ``I majored in Yu-na. For Yu-na, I studied harder than when I was in school. I devoted myself to her more passionately than when I wan is love.''
``Twelve years ago, when a coach told her that her 6-year-old daughter showed talent in skating, Ms. Park embarked on her singled-minded quest. She abandoned her own painting lessons, stopped attending community meetings and restructured the family budget. All family resources were to be applied toward making Ms. Kim a star.
``Six days a week, Ms. Park drove her daughter to skating lessons, monitoring her training and recording her mistakes. She forgot her husband's birthdays and skipped her other daughter's graduation because it conflicted with a skating match.''
According to the NYT, working long hours and eventually ensuring that their children end up at the top of a chosen career is a dream pursued by many South Koreans. Here, a parking lot attendant whose son becomes a doctor or lawyer is more admired than a millionaire whose children do poorly in school.''
In her memoir, Ms. Park said she regretted neglecting her husband and other daughter. She acknowledged that she suppressed her other daughter's desire to become a professional singer, partly because she wanted to focus the family's financial resources on Ms. Kim.
The paper said Yu-na won't let her daughter take up figure skating after marriage. ``I know how hard this life is.''
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