Daniel Park
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Dan
Park
Jinwoo
C H I L D H O O D
South to North
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Jinwoo has an unusual past he rarely speaks of. If you'd ask him about it he would kindly change the subject or start from a later point in life rather than speak of his childhood. At the age of only six, Jinwoo and his father were transferred from Yongin, his birth place, to Pyongyang, North Korea, due to his father's "business". This means Jinwoo grew up in North Korea with a risk of never going back to Yongin, South Korea ever again. He was raised to follow his father's footsteps, to become almost a robotic surgeon and had an intense study/work schedule from an early age. However, despite Pyongyang's intense way of forming children like Jinwoo, he was not an easy child. His wild imagination, creative mind and positivity was not to be tamed, and during all his years he only learned how to appear the way his professors wished for when necessary.
the love of his life
Behind the facade of professionalism Jinwoo carried more baggage than any 20-something should. Outside school and work Jinwoo had to take care of his precious little daughter, Soo-Hyun, as a single parent, due to complications and confusion of his own sexuality. The mother of Soo-Hyun, Hae-Rin, was what the average western individual would call homophobic and incredibly superstitious. She did not wish for any form of contact between her and Jinwoo, nor did she want to have anything to do with Soo-Hyun since she and Jinwoo shared the same DNA. Hae-Rin then disappeared for a year, until she started showing up a couple of times. She missed her daughter and Jinwoo and deeply hoped for him to eventually turn "straight". When she confronted Jinwoo he told her he is who he is, but she just did not understand.
Just around that time, Soo-Hyun got deadly ill which needed advanced treatment and surgery immediately. Right away Hae-Rin blamed Jinwoo and his situational sexual behaviors and lusts, and turns on him. She told him the spirits did not accept his choice of sexual desires, and for that he shall pay with his daughter's life. The hatred in Hae-Rin's eyes was glowing as she cried for her daughter to survive. Unfortunately Jinwoo and his father were the only ones skilled enough to do so, which she refused. Jinwoo had no say in any of it and was held back to see his daughter take her last breath a few days after.
As Jinwoo grew up things happened, situations became more unbearably extreme, he had to do things he was not proud of, things he never thought he'd be convinced to do, unforgivable, cruel things, but out of all the things he did, it was that one thing he did not do, that hurt the most.
Jinwoo reached a point in life where he did not see any reason to live, until a tiny eye in the needle was spotted. The opportunity to escape. A stream of positive energy ran through his veins and he felt one thing a certain hope for the better. Every day he was searching for the way out, for the way to find his mother in South Korea, for the way to reunite him and his father with the family in Yongin. Unfortunately his father never made it. Most people don't make it, but his father sacrificed his life, so Jinwoo were able escape and off he went.
Notes:
– The Accent; When speaking his native language the accent is without a doubt North Korean, however, when Jinwoo speaks English, it is with a clear British accent. When he was taught English back in North Korea, the teacher had a British accent, so he adapted that into his own pronunciation.
– The Escape; It was not as easy as it might be described, but it happened - Which is the important part.
– Family; Jinwoo never found his mother, nor did he find any other kind of family when he came back to Yongin, South Korea. His love for his deceased daughter and father still pumps in his heart every day, but he doesn't like to speak of his family situation with anyone.
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S T R A N G E R
East to West
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For a year Jinwoo lived in Seoul, South Korea, as a surgeon. He tried to keep a low profile but when his North Korean past was discovered it was not well-received. People were gossiping everywhere, rumors started to spread - "Is he a spy?", "He has probably killed people", "I'm sure he's the reason some are still alive", "I heard he's an advanced robot, that's why he's able to do surgery with his eyes closed". One day he had enough, so he quit. With the money he'd saved up he found a way to "escape" once again, to live this "American Dream" people on the TV speak so highly of.
