David Jeonghan Park
Dr. David Jeonghan Park was born in South Korea and emigrated to South America in elementary school. Dr. Park lived in Asunción, Paraguay, during his elementary and middle school years and then immigrated to Buena Park when he was in high school. Dr. Park is the director of oncology at St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton, California. He is also the father of Abbi-Hope Jihye Park, a KSP youth participant who attends the Orange County School of the Arts.
The Korean Diaspora in South America
Interview by Abbi-Hope Jihye Park
KSP participant Abbi-Hope Jihye Park interviewed her father, Dr. David Jeonghan Park, 50, at Radio Korea in Koreatown during the Getty Center’s 25th-anniversary event on June 11, 2022. Both of Abbi’s parents came from South Korea; her mother immigrated to the U.S. at age 3 in the late 1970s, while her father left Korea in elementary school for South America and eventually came to America during his high school years. Dr. Park is the director of oncology at St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton, California.
Why Paraguay?
The Korean diaspora immigrated in large numbers from 1970 to 1975 to the United States, Canada, and South America. Many Koreans went to South America, especially Brazil or Paraguay. My family immigrated to Paraguay.
Was it challenging to live as a Korean immigrant in Paraguay?
What was difficult about immigrant life in Paraguay? I think immigration is hard for everyone. The United States, Paraguay, and Canada are all difficult, especially now, because the languages and cultures are different, and there is also racism [that we experience] in our new country. Our parents — father, mother, grandmother, grandfather — suffered a lot. When I think about it now, there are four words that I always heard from my parents’ generation: hard work, determination, perseverance, and hope. It was hard. Not knowing the language, the racism, and needing a job. Finding a job is hard. In Korea, if you immigrate while working for a company, you can’t speak English or Spanish, so you work in manual labor at a factory, farm, or on a machine, with a sewing machine, or something like that. That is what my father, mother, and grandmother did. At first, my grandmother was learning how to make sewing machines, and then she was working with them. It was hard.
What were some positive aspects of living in Paraguay?
Paraguay was a poor country. It is still poor, but it was really [emphasis added] poor back in the 1970s and early 1980s. Most people in Paraguay had a low level of education. It was difficult. There were not many solutions at that time, but the community was still friendly. I was a little reluctant at first, but when I got to know them, people were very nice. So that was a good thing. I also had a lot of friends and lived in Paraguay with 5,000 other Koreans in Asunción, the capital. Those 5,000 people lived together, helped each other, and went to church together. The people were very pure-hearted and kind. I think those experiences are very memorable.
Tell us a funny story about your life in Paraguay. How about why KFC coleslaw is your favorite food?
Kentucky Fried Chicken — you eat a lot here, right? Also, McDonald’s and Burger King. But in Paraguay, especially for me, KFC was a luxury restaurant when we lived there. When I was maybe 12 years old, I walked for an hour with my friends to downtown Asunción, where there was only one KFC. When we got there, they said they had coleslaw and fried chicken. I didn’t bring enough money, so I could only buy coleslaw. I bought a small coleslaw and ate it, and it was so delicious. It was great to eat “real” American food. That’s what I thought back then. Even now, my favorite food is coleslaw.
Whenever we go to the supermarket, when there is a large aisle of food or fruits, you always raise your arm and say, ‘God bless America!’ You really mean it!
Oh, yes, yes. It’s because I want to teach you to appreciate and share. Again, Paraguay was poor, so if you went to the supermarket, you could find food, but there was not as much variety as here in the U.S. Something like breakfast cereal — supermarkets in America have like 20 kinds of these things! If you go to Paraguay, there is only one kind. So when my family and I go shopping, I’m reminded of it, and I think, Ah, this is a country with many opportunities. I feel grateful for coming to America. Still, my parents and grandparents immigrated with bold moves, determination, and hope. I’m thankful that I’ve come this far. I’m grateful that our generation, the old generation, worked hard and sacrificed. That’s why I say, “God bless America!”
Is there any final story or piece of advice that you would like to share with Korean American kids, or maybe all students in general?
I want to share a funny story. I lived in Paraguay for 10 years, from the age of 5 to 15. I immigrated to the United States when I was 15 years old. I settled in Buena Park, Orange County, in the United States. At that time, I had just entered high school; I was in the ninth grade. The first month was so hard because I was good at Spanish but not English. One time, I was late for class due to a locker problem, and the teacher got angry when I went in. The teacher said, ‘David, why are you late? Where are you coming from?’ But I didn’t understand, so I thought the teacher was asking where I was from. So I said, “I’m from South Korea!” All the students laughed, and so did the teacher. Then the teacher said, ‘You’ve come so far. No detention today.’ After that, my classmates and I laughed and joked around, and they opened their hearts and approached me. It was an embarrassing moment, but I was able to make friends through it. All I’m saying is to be proud. No matter where you come from, you don’t have to be embarrassed or ashamed because you are building on a foundation that has been proud for generations before. The sky’s the limit!
Thank you, Dad, for sharing your insight on your immigration journey to Paraguay from Korea.
Thank you, and thank you, Abbi, for allowing me to share and talk about my immigration experience.