Saints Around the World: Seoul, South Korea

Connor Kim '28 had the best family vacation ever, on the backend of the best experience ever.

Taekwondo is a form of martial arts developed in Korea in the 1940s and 1950s and soon globalized around the world. Connor's grandfather was among those who brought the sport to the northeast.

"My grandfather's second oldest brother came to the U.S. from Korea first. He opened a Taekwondo school and studied at Rutgers. A few years later, he brought my grandfather over to help run the academy. Now my father runs the school."

Benefiting from unlimited access and mentorship, Connor is a third degree black belt in the martial art and the 2022 sparring national champion. For the Coopersburg, Pennsylvania native, Taekwondo has always been more than the family business - it's a connection to his Korean ancestry on his father's side. So is the food.

"Yeah, I do really love the food at my grandparents' house. That definitely influenced my decision."

Connor visited South Korea once before, in 2019. But he was looking for an opportunity to immerse himself in the culture beyond the tourist experience. Siena's study abroad office presented him with that opportunity.

This summer, Connor studied at Yonsei University in Seoul for six weeks. On the weekends, he toured the countryside and touched nearly all corners of Korea. He also got to see where his grandfather grew up, through the eyes of his grandfather. After the six-week program ended, Connor's family joined him on vacation (above).

"My grandfather saw friends from elementary school that he hadn't seen in 60 years. I saw a new side of him. There are a lot of people in the U.S. he's close with, but to see him with his childhood friends, it was amazing."

Connor doesn't speak much Korean, but he took a class at Yonsei University, and impressed his grandfather ordering octopus in conversational Korean.

"He was very proud to see that. I definitely feel like I connected with my roots. I'm not sure how to describe it. I've always been close with my grandparents, but this experience brought us closer."

Connor accepted a seat in Siena's Albany Medical College program over other offers because of the Siena community.

"The program at Siena is very welcoming. You can tell everyone is close. At other schools, it felt more cut throat. But here, the people are kind and they guide each other."

That family feeling resonated with Connor and his family. He's at home here. And the chance to see his grandfather's homeland this summer is an experience he'll never forget.

"It was a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I had such a great time. I really feel like I made the most of it. The friends I made and the things that I saw. It was a really rewarding experience to see how another country works."