[동행] ‘Canoe Boy, Guanzhong’s Dream’

√ Dad’s reason for living and the driving force of his life

There is a reason why Guan Zhong has a greater sense of responsibility than his peers. Dad Yonggi (62) married his Vietnamese mother at a late age through the introduction of a matchmaker. I was grateful to the acquaintance who introduced me, and more than anything, he seemed like a nice person, so I decided to get married without much hesitation. However, from the age difference to different cultures and habits, there were more things that did not fit together than expected, and they divorced 10 years ago. My father was so busy working all his life that he never took care of the house properly. It was not easy for such a father to raise two siblings, Gwan and Hae-mi (13), on his own. My father, who suffered severe depression after divorce and was broken down both physically and mentally, had moments where he wanted to give up on his children because the reality in front of him was so difficult. Thanks to the grateful neighbors who extended a helping hand to his father, he was able to get back on his feet. He is now a father who lives harder than anyone else, farming on rented land and cleaning the welfare center every morning. For his father, children are his reason for living and the driving force of his life.

√ Dad’s efforts and Gwan’s dreams

A father who did his best at every moment to raise his children well, receiving help from the local children’s center and those around him when he faced difficulties. However, he had many shortcomings as he tried to fill his mother’s vacancy on his own. Moreover, since her second child, Hae-mi, is her daughter, she is worried that there may be things that she, as her father, cannot take care of. It is difficult for her father to buy a new school uniform for Hae-mi, who has recently grown taller. When Guan Zhong first started canoeing, his father opposed it out of concern that he might not be able to support him until the end, but now he wants to support Guan Zhong’s dream more than anyone else. Recently, we moved to a public rental house close to the school to make it easier for Guan Zhong to go to and from school, but with the money borrowed when moving, interest and farmland rent to pay every month… the burden that Dad has to bear has increased even more. In order to save a little bit of money, the father is borrowing land that is rarely used by others and cultivating it himself, and the audience knows his efforts better than anyone else. To achieve his dream of quickly becoming a member of the national canoeing team and making his family happy, Gwan-yi paddles vigorously again today.

KBS1TV’s ‘Companion’ is a program that reflects on how big a role one person’s small interest can play in the amazing changes brought about by the warmth of the community in our society.

[Queen 김경은 기자] Photo KBS1TV ‘Companion’

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