Yigon Kim is now pursuing an engineering degree at the University of Calgary. Photo supplied by: Yigon Kim

Yigon Kim moved to Calgary from Seoul with his family when he was 13-years-old. He’s called Calgary home for seven years, but Kim found learning English was the most challenging for him saying it took him three years to be fluent. 

“Just talking to other people and trying to say what I actually want to say. That three years was really difficult for me,” Kim says.

He returned to South Korea for the first time since immigrating to Canada last summer. During the same time, he received his Canadian citizenship, which he credits to his parents’ hard work.

“I’m so happy for my parents, because I’m pretty sure all immigrant parents want their kids to live here, and be stable here, and be able to enjoy things in this new country,” Kim says, “I feel like they achieved their goal.”

YouTube video
Matthew Loewen speaks with Yigon Kim about his experience immigrating to Canada.

Kim is currently enrolled in the engineering program at University of Calgary, and  dreams of one day starting his own business and providing for his family.

Each year, thousands of people from around the world move to Calgary to make a new life. Our partnership with CLIP explores what it means to be a newcomer in our city and how that experience is different for everyone.

You can see all the video profiles here.

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Matthew Loewen is a journalism student at Mount Royal University with a love for telling stories about sports and entertainment