I am Korean.

Author: Shin Se-young
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: The of a 13-year-old boy who left for the US at 13, transforming from a "fighting king" to an Oxford student. At 13, the Korean boy Shin Se-young harbored a passion for studying in the US. After persistently pleading, his parents reluctantly sent him to America. His mother deliberately chose a harsh, remote military academy far from the city, hoping to make him reconsider and return to Korea. In the unfamiliar and cold environment, his illusory dreams of America shattered instantly. But with his stubborn nature, Shin Se-young decided to swallow the bitter consequences of his choice. Faced with the massive language barrier, severe racial discrimination, significant cultural differences, and countless "problem children" in the US, Shin Se-young honed his skills—self-respect, self-defense, and self-reliance. He became both a feared "fighting king" and a hardworking "outstanding student," eventually getting admitted to Oxford University in the UK. Though the writing is slightly naive, it is vivid and genuine, without pretense. It became one of the few bestsellers in Korea to sell over a million copies.
Preface One day, I came across a cherished letter in my mother’s possession—one she had written to my parents in Korea shortly after I entered the US Air Force Academy three years ago. On the letter, I drew a picture: a round globe with a jeep carrying a group of American children rolling down effortlessly in one direction, while in the opposite direction, a little turtle was sweating and struggling to climb uphill. The carefree, confident American children were in the jeep, while the struggling turtle represented me, a Korean. That drawing captured my genuine feelings upon arriving in the US. No matter how confident you are, when you first step onto American soil, you’ll realize, just like the turtle in the drawing, how much effort and small you feel. If you, like me three years ago, were filled with golden dreams of America, you would feel even more so. To my friends of the same age who dream of studying in the US, to those studying hard in the US in the same situation as me, and to the elders planning to send their children to study in the US—I am willing to share my experiences honestly, telling you the true face of America I witnessed with my own eyes, and sharing the love for my parents, siblings, friends, and my homeland that I only realized while living abroad.