'I'm proud of my African heritage'
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Park Ji-han, right, winner of the Gender Equality and Family Minister Award of the 3rd Korea Multicultural Youth Awards, poses with his friend, Yoo Seung-yean, at Daekyeong Commercial High School in Seoul. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
Top award winner Park Ji-han says taekwondo changed him
By Kim Se-jeong
When Park Ji-han was in his first year at elementary school, his classmates called him “African shala shala” because of his background and because he spoke Arabic.
Now, a decade later, the handsome youth’s nickname is “walking statue.” The high school sophomore stands about 179 centimeters tall, and he has chiseled features that could stare down any K-pop star or actors for that matter.
The change speaks volumes about how much Park, 17, went through as a young boy and how far he has come. He attributes this to taekwondo.
A student at Daekyeong Commercial High School in Seoul, he was recently named the grand winner in the 3rd Korea Multicultural Youth Awards organized by The Korea Times and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.
Park was born in 1997 to a Korean mother and Sudanese father. He lives with his parents and older brother in Itaewon in Seoul.
He began learning taekwondo when he was in the second grade.
“I had no friends in the first grade, but in the second grade I finally met a good friend, and I practiced taekwondo with him,” he told The Korea Times. Initially, he took up the martial art to defend himself as he was still scared of the boys who had mocked him.
“I thought I could beat those who laughed at me,” he said.
That never happened. Instead, the teachings of taekwondo — a sound body and mind, integrity, a sense of responsibility and perseverance — changed him.
“I thought to myself that I needed to change,” he said.
He became more optimistic and active. He reached out to people first, spoke more during class, offered help to others and joined in other sports with his classmates.
Park is one of almost 200,000 children of interracial families in Korea. His story has set an example because of the way he has transformed his situation. He holds a different view on interracial families also. “I like to be called a member of an interracial family. It makes me different,” he said.
His teachers recognize his sense of optimism and leadership qualities.
“He wants to help others around him,” reads his academic record from last year. “He likes taekwondo, and takes the lead in taekwondo sessions with his peers during breaks. He also took the lead in cleaning the snow-covered stairs on the school campus, which was very impressive.”
Park is a leader in his class and participates in other sports, including basketball. He received a volunteer award this year and led a group of classmates in the national entrepreneurship competition where he presented his team’s business idea before the jury. His team finished second. He speaks Korean, Arabic and English fluently, which has won him language awards.
Taekwondo has stayed with him all these years and he has won many awards. A “Poom 4” certificate, the highest level available for teenagers, is one of the most recent awards decorating his room.
To his friends, he is a walking encyclopedia about Africa. He shares stories of his experiences in Sudan, which he visited this past summer.
Often, he corrects wrong information. The most frequent question is about polygamy.
“I get asked this question pretty much every day,” he said. “And people ask without the correct information. This bothers me a bit,” he said, explaining that although polygamy was legal in Sudan, very few people practiced it.
Park’s dream is to be a tailor, but this constantly changes. He used to dream of being a banker or a diplomat. A tailor in Itaewon recently offered him a chance to get some work experience.
“This is on my to-do list this winter,” Park said.