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Thank you to the fathers who participated today: Ko Jin-young, Rho Saewoong, Rho Tae-woong, Park Cheol-min, Shin Myung-sik, Lee Kwang-jae, and Chang Jong-young.
Conducted and written by the Mam & I editorial team
Photos by Studio M and the Mam & I editorial team
Makeup by Yuhye-kyung, director of Wedding House
Music by the band "Busker Busker, Begin Again"
In today's world, fathers are often equally involved in parenting alongside mothers. They discuss and decide together on how to raise their children, what they do, and their educational philosophies. Parenting is no longer solely the mother's responsibility. In light of this trend, Mam & I has prepared for another 20 years by creating a section called "Daddy & I." What are modern fathers thinking these days?
As they prepare for the post-COVID era, are they reflecting more deeply on their roles? We cautiously revisited a theme talk that had been on hold due to the pandemic. Despite the initial awkwardness of meeting for the first time while practicing social distancing and wearing masks, the emotional distance between the fathers closed surprisingly quickly, and their expressions were bright. The fathers seemed accustomed to parenting, effortlessly tending to their children even during interviews and meals. Indeed, times have changed.
* This theme talk was conducted in October, adhering to social distancing and safety guidelines.
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Rho Tae-woong
Having lived in the U.S. for 17 years, Tae Woong Rho currently resides in Englewood, New Jersey, with his wife, fashion designer Lee Yoo-jin, and their 11-month-old son, Kang-in. He works as an advisor at a life insurance company and has been working from home since the pandemic. However, being home 24/7 with their child has led to more frequent arguments as they see sides of each other they hadn’t noticed before. Recognizing the need for personal time more than ever, they decided to respect each other's time. To allow his wife to rest, he helps with childcare, and in turn, she steps back to let him play soccer at night. During the pandemic, when everyone had to isolate, perhaps all couples could benefit from the wisdom they share.
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Rho Saewoong
Saewoong Rho, a life insurance agent, lives in North Bergen, New Jersey, with his wife, fashion designer Lee Yoon-joo, and their 11-month-old daughter, Lara. He participated in this event alongside his brother Tae Woong. Having been in the U.S. for 17 years, he has been married for three years after dating his wife for five. He is a young father radiating joyful energy, still feeling the freshness of newlywed life. During the pandemic, both he and his wife worked from home, blurring the lines between work and parenting, but he appreciated being able to witness their child's growth together. Now that his wife has returned to work, he takes on the morning and evening childcare responsibilities without a nanny. Lara now prefers her dad over her mom, and he wants to be a cool dad for her as time goes on. He reflects on how, had he not married Yoon-joo, he might have traveled freely as a backpacker. However, meeting her and choosing to build a life together has brought him comfort and joy. He hopes for continued happiness for their family, which resembles siblings with their kind smiles.
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Park Cheol-min
Living in Wayne, New Jersey, with his wife, Kim Hyo-kyung, and their 19-month-old son, Jayden, Cheol-min Park originally worked in trade but paused his career during the pandemic to take on full-time childcare while his wife returned to work. After moving from a cramped condo in Jersey City to a house with a yard in Wayne a month ago, he feels fortunate to have more space to raise his son. As he navigates solo parenting for the first time, he finds himself lacking personal time and misses exchanging parenting ideas with others due to COVID-19. However, he feels he has become nearly a veteran in childcare. He appreciates that this event allows his son, who usually plays alone, to interact with peers and connect with other parents.
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Shin Myung-sik
Among the fathers participating today, Shin Myung-sik is a senior dad working as a risk manager at a bank. He has been in the U.S. for over 20 years but has been married for just a year and a half. He married late and lives with his wife, Seo Soo-rim, and their 11-month-old son, Jian, who was born last November. Shortly after his paternity leave ended, the pandemic hit, and he has been working from home for nearly a year, sharing childcare responsibilities. He feels grateful to spend 24 hours a day with his child and witness his growth. Previously, he had no strong desire to marry and lived a long single life, but now he wants to love and cherish every moment with his family. He aspires to be a good dad who is also a friend to his son. Meeting his wife later in life has been a blessing, and he finds beauty in fully committing to what matters most.
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Ko Jin-young
Born and raised in New York, Dustin Ko is a true New Yorker who has lived here his entire life. He is a single dad raising his 32-month-old son, Royce, on his own. Working at a bank, he initially placed his son in daycare, but after the pandemic, he moved closer to his parents to care for Royce, who now clings to him. Managing a child who has gone from being a newborn to a toddler has become more challenging. His only escape is golf; when he needs personal time or feels stressed, he temporarily leaves Royce with his parents to play. Meeting other parents of children his son's age provided him with a much-needed break.
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Chang Jong-young
Currently a web designer in New York, Paul J. Chang lives with his wife, active model Baek Ji-young, and their 4-year-old daughter, Jang Ha-young. Since the pandemic, he has been working from home, but after changing jobs in April, he now works without fixed hours, leading to a blurred line between work and home life. With fashion shows canceled due to COVID-19, his wife has been home, and their daughter, unable to attend preschool, struggles to find her own space in their small apartment. The Daddy & I theme talk served as a precious outing for their family, providing a much-needed break. As people spend more time at home during the pandemic, their perceptions of home are changing, and this family is considering moving to New Jersey to create a more restful environment.
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Lee Kwang-jae
Kwang Jae Lee works as a mechanical engineer at a company in New Jersey and lives with his wife, So Na-young, their 7-year-old son, Lee Dong-yoon, and 4-year-old daughter, Lee So-yoon. After working at Hyundai in Alabama, he moved to New York six years ago and has been living in Bedminster, New Jersey, for the past year. Although all non-essential businesses closed during the pandemic, his company, which produces healthcare-related products, continued to operate. Unlike his children, who had to stay home, his wife took on the full responsibility of their education and care. To alleviate the stress on his wife and children, he tries to spend quality time with them on weekends by biking together. Living in an area with few Korean families, this event provided them with a special memory.
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Hello, and thank you to all the fathers from various regions of New York and New Jersey for participating in the Daddy & I theme talk today. Due to COVID-19, you may not have had many opportunities to go out with your families, so it's wonderful to meet outdoors and hear the stories of fathers. Since March, many of you have likely spent a lot of time at home with your children and families. With the increase in remote work, can we share how we managed during the pandemic and the challenges we faced?
Julian Kim: Hello, I’m Julian Kim, the digital director of Mam & I. I live in Paramus with my wife and our son and daughter. Mam & I is expanding various projects, and Daddy & I is one of them. Thank you for joining us today, and I look forward to your participation. My children are in elementary and middle school, and they are currently homeschooling. I overheard a teacher asking about the benefits of homeschooling, and my kids said they enjoyed eating the fried rice I made. I could only make fried rice, and I was tired of it, so I found ways to modify it, which seemed to fascinate them. While it was challenging for me, it became a memorable experience for them, so in a way, I’m grateful.
Shin Myung-sik: Since COVID-19 hit, I feel like I’m working three jobs instead of two. I wake up at 5 a.m. to clean and sterilize bottles, finish the remaining dishes, and boil water. When my wife and baby wake up, I clean the room. I have to prepare for remote work starting at 8 a.m., so I get ready. While working, I also juggle childcare and various other tasks. While it’s nice to be with family, it’s true that COVID-19 has made things difficult.
Rho Saewoong: I’m not sure if it’s okay to say this, but I haven’t found COVID-19 particularly hard. I remember my wife going out for Ladies' Night twice before the pandemic, leaving me and my mother-in-law behind
