The Korean national ice hockey team is not an institution associated with multiculturalism, but that’s where you can find Brock Radunske, the first foreign hockey player to become a Korean national.

The Canadian-born Radunske came to Korea six seasons ago to join Anyang Halla, one of Korea’s three professional ice hockey teams. “My agent presented me with the opportunity. I did a little research,and I decided to take a chance on coming to Korea,” he says in an interview with KOREA Magazine.


Radunske came to Korea predominantly to play for Anyang, but acquired Korean nationality in spring 2013 to join the national team.

Korea competes in the world hockey championships every year, and the Canuck joined in time for the 2013 tournament in Hungary. “You have to have a passport [to play for Korea], so that was a prerequisite for me to participate for Team Korea,” he said.

Korea is 26th in the world hockey rankings, but seeks to improve in the hope of qualifying for the 2018 Winter Olympics, which will be hosted by the country in PyeongChang, Gangwon-do. The national team has made steady progress in the sport, but Radunske is modest about how much of an impact he has had. “It’s hard for any one player to have a huge impact,” he says. “There are a lot of little things going on at the same time … If they come together, there’s potential for Korea to become a better hockey country. I guess they consider me one of the small things.”

While Korea is not famed as a melting pot, the blondhaired Radunske says he experienced a distinct reaction to his appearance in comparison to his Korean teammates in the national championship. “There was a lot of curiosity, especially from the media,” he says, “because I look different and my last name is different. But as far as my teammates are concerned, we’ve played together for a long time now and they’re very supportive. I’m happy that we play together on the same team.”

A hockey first for Korea

Korea is making great strides toward becoming more multicultural in sports. Officially, Radunske is the only hockey player to become a Korean national, “but there are two more players waiting for their turn,” he says. “They’ve also been here for two or three years now and are hoping to be a part of the national team going forward.”

There are many benefits to Korean sports embracing diversity, according to Radunske. “Hockey is a very multinational sport,” he says. “In the top teams in the world, in the National Hockey League, any one team could have 10 or 12 countries represented on that team. So for a long time, different players from different countries have been playing together on the same teams and they’ve had success with this model. If Korea adapts to it, and it looks like they have, it gives the Korean players a chance to play with new players in different styles, and it gives them the opportunity to improve their game.”

Radunske also says Korea is becoming more multicultural off the ice as well as on. “I feel like Korea’s a very fast-paced country. They obviously have their certain cultural manners with their history, but they are willing to adapt,” he says. “I think the reason I’ve felt so comfortable here is because of the willingness of the people we meet and the organization I play for to really help us, and it also improves who we are and makes us a part of what’s going on here.”

* Article from Korea Magazine (January 2014)