'Award strengthened family bond'
This is the third in a series of stories about former winners of the Korea Multicultural Youth Awards hosted by The Korea Times. — ED
.jpg?w=728)
Park Ji-han
By Kim Se-jeong
Park Ji-han, the top winner of the third Korea Multicultural Youth Awards from The Korea Times in 2014, said the award has brought unity to his family.
The then high school sophomore born to a Korean mother and a Sudanese father, Han said he and his family were invited to a television show after winning the award.
“We all went to the TV show,” Pak said. “We all put on make-up. My mother got a special facial treatment the night before. It was a now-or-never family experience.”
He also remembers that his father read a letter to him in Korean, which touched him deeply. His father told him how proud he was of the son.
Besides the TV show, Park was also invited to a radio show on KBS Radio International and to an open debate on diversity. “I felt like I was an ambassador for multicultural families,” Park said.
He saved the prize money for college.
He graduated from high school in February this year, and the 19-year-old is waiting to start college next year. His original plan was to study in Saudi Arabia beginning this year, but he postponed it for a couple of years.
Now, he is working part time at a noodle shop and is setting aside some of the money for the school.
During his high school days, he liked taekwondo and basketball. Teachers praised his leadership. He was a curious person with many dreams, but said he was fascinated by a tailor near his Itaewon home.
These days he reads a lot, and some of the books include “All She Was Worth (1992),” a thriller by Japanese author Miyuki Miyabe, and “Terje Goes Wild” by Endre Lund Eriksen, a Norwegian author. Besides reading, he is deeply interested in Korean history. He watches Korean history shows on Youtube and finds books to read about the subject.
He is learning the Arabic language as well at a private institute in Seoul. Having a father who is a native speaker is an advantage, but he said he wanted to learn the basic structure of the language.
“I come home and practice with my dad. And I feel so proud of myself when dad says I am good,” he said.
He wants to study Arabic at college in Saudi Arabia and wants to be a trader.
“I think my background helps connect Korea and Asia with the Arab world,” Park said.