Foreign Media: "A Dream Figure for Asian Parents"
Praised as the Epitome of the American Dream
On the 8th (local time), Johnny Kim (41), the first Korean-American NASA astronaut to arrive at the International Space Station (ISS), caught attention in the United States for his remarkable background. He is truly a prime example of the American Dream and a success story. On that day, the American daily The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) focused on Johnny Kim in an article titled "Navy SEAL, Harvard Doctor, NASA Astronaut. Don't Tell Mom About This Overachiever."
On the 8th (local time), Johnny Kim (41), the first Korean-American NASA astronaut to arrive at the International Space Station (ISS), has attracted attention in the United States for his remarkable background. He is truly a prime example of the American Dream and a success story. NASA
WSJ reported, "Johnny Kim has achieved the American Dream three times over about half of his life," adding, "His accomplishments at age 41 have become a global source of inspiration, but looking at his resume also causes many people to feel bewildered and anxious by comparing themselves to him." It continued, "As the son of Korean immigrants, he is especially celebrated as a hero in the Asian American community, while half-jokingly being feared as 'every Asian child's nightmare' when compared to him," noting, "No matter what they achieve, their high-expectation immigrant parents will say, 'Johnny Kim already did better.'"
The Associated Press also covered Johnny Kim’s boarding of the ISS as a major story that day, introducing him as a Navy major, Navy pilot, and flight surgeon. Johnny Kim’s 'ultra-high qualifications' are well known not only in the U.S. but also in South Korea. When he applied for NASA’s manned lunar exploration project 'Artemis' mission and was selected as one of 11 candidates out of over 1,600 applicants in early 2020, he was called an 'Eomchin-a' (Mom’s friend’s son).
AP News also featured Johnny Kim's boarding of the ISS as a major story, introducing him as a Navy lieutenant commander, Navy pilot, and flight surgeon. Johnny Kim's "super high qualifications" are known not only in the United States but also in Korea. He was called an "Eomchin-a" (mom's friend's son) after applying for NASA's manned lunar exploration project "Artemis" mission and being selected as one of 11 candidates in early 2020, overcoming a competition rate of over 1600 to 1. EPA·Yonhap News
In his twenties, he completed Navy SEAL training and was deployed to the Iraq War as a special operations officer, carrying out over 100 special missions and earning numerous military medals and commendations. After returning to the U.S., he began studying in his late twenties to become a military doctor, graduating from the University of California, San Diego and Harvard Medical School, completing a residency to become a specialist. He then completed fighter pilot training in the Navy. Inspired by Scott Parazynski, a doctor and astronaut he met while attending Harvard, he challenged himself to become an astronaut.
Wesley Chu, a Taiwanese-American novelist, humorously tweeted on X (formerly Twitter) in 2021 about Johnny Kim’s background, saying, "My worst nightmare would be if Johnny’s mom and my mom were friends." NASA’s online posts and social media posts about his life received comments such as "I hope our parents don’t know this man," and "As a fellow Asian, I hope my parents don’t read this."
A Difficult Childhood Behind a Brilliant Resume
What makes Johnny Kim even more special is the contrast of a difficult childhood behind his brilliant resume. WSJ introduced in detail his upbringing based on past podcast interviews, noting that he did not initially set out to achieve the three difficult accomplishments he has devoted his life to.
What makes Johnny Kim even more special is the challenging childhood behind his impressive resume, which can be seen as a surprising twist. The WSJ detailed his upbringing based on past podcast interviews and other sources, noting that he did not initially set out to achieve the three accomplishments that are difficult to attain even with a lifetime of dedication. UPI·Yonhap News
Born in 1984 to a Korean immigrant family in Los Angeles (LA), California, he confessed on a podcast hosted by retired Navy SEAL and author Jocko Willink in 2020 that he suffered from his father’s violence and abuse due to alcoholism during his childhood. Because of this background, he aimed to join the Navy SEALs to become a strong person who could protect his loved ones (his mother and siblings).
When he was 18, his father, drunk, came home and pointed a gun at him and his mother. During the police standoff, his father was shot and killed by the police. Despite this painful family history, he expressed his strong will and attitude toward life by saying, "You may be dealt a bad hand at birth, but you don’t have to keep holding onto all of it. You have the power to choose and to carve your own destiny and path."
Johnny Kim, a NASA astronaut and the first Korean American to go to space, safely arrived at the International Space Station and was welcomed by his colleagues. The Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying Johnny Kim and two others successfully docked with the space station around 6 p.m. Korean time on the 8th. TASS·Yonhap News
He later said, "I originally had no desire to become a doctor or astronaut. What has really mattered to me so far is having one goal, because you have to be all in on what you’re doing now," emphasizing, "You have to be genuine in what you’re doing now, not trying to raise your social status or climb the professional ladder." Parazynski, who guided him toward becoming an astronaut, described Johnny Kim as "a truly superhuman person and the most fascinating person in the world."
Meanwhile, Johnny Kim, the first Korean-American NASA astronaut to go to space, safely arrived at the International Space Station and was warmly welcomed by his colleagues. The Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying Johnny Kim and two others docked safely with the space station around 6 p.m. Korean time on the 8th. After arrival, Johnny Kim briefly greeted the control center, saying, "Thank you very much. It’s an honor to be here." He is scheduled to stay at the space station for about eight months, conducting scientific research and technology demonstration missions, before returning to Earth on December 9.
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