By Honorary Reporter Carlos Delfin from Mexico

Photo = Jang Min's management agency

The K-drama "Mon Chouchou Global House" featured several characters from countries such as Mexico, the U.K., Iran and Spain, one of them being Jang Min.

Born Min Chang Vergara in Elche, Spain, in 1991, he was born to a Korean father and a Spanish mother and lived in Spain until finishing his bachelor's in social sciences. After the tragic death of his dad a few months before finishing high school, he had to quit his studies and start working.

Jang worked a range of jobs from sales rep at an electrical company and an insurer to clerk and cashier at clothing stores. After a personal crisis, however, he decided to spend time for himself and develop new skills, focusing on physical activity until he got a job as a personal trainer at a gym.

He went on to work as a model for seven years in several countries, and this opened doors for him. He eventually settled in Korea and has worked in modeling and entertainment.

The following are excerpts from an interview with Jang on living in Korea and his professional career here.

                                                        Korean Spanish model and actor Jang Min was born in Spain but now considers Korea his home. (Jang's management agency)

How did you start in modeling?
When I started working as a personal trainer, I arranged a session with a photographer to show off my improved physique. He uploaded the photos to his social media accounts and received good feedback from many in the modeling world. I received many job offers and went to Thailand to start this career. In under a year, I got to work in Thailand, the Philippines, Korea, Italy and the U.S.

Why did you move to Korea?
After two years working at many places, I set as my main goal staying in New York since I got a contract with a large agency there and a visa. Due to the high cost of housing there, I decided to temporarily go to Korea and save money before returning to the Big Apple since I was in a bad financial situation.

After working a while in Korea, however, I began to fall more in love with my father's culture. So I decided to settle down and start a career in this wonderful country.

Jang Min has modeled in both Korea and abroad. (Jang's management agency)

As the son of a Korean father and a Spanish mother, how was growing up in a bi-cultural family?

My father being Korean kept Korean culture alive. Though I didn't learn Korean as a child, he used to mix individual words. We also ate Korean food every week and vacationed as a family in Korea whenever we could; we even went barefoot at home. It was vital for him to keep both cultures alive, and I remember this fondly to this day.

How did you enter the Korean entertainment sector?
After working as a model and appearing on the YouTube channel of a good friend, I started creating content for my own platform. Several months after creating content, I was contacted by a highly influential TV show in Korea to talk about my country, myself, my family and my interests. This program launched my career and gave me many other opportunities in entertainment. My Korean was quite basic at that time, but my wife (girlfriend at the time) gave me the motivation to attend a meeting with the company.

                                                        Jang Min said he hopes to continue acting and modeling in Korea. (Jang's management agency)

How was your experience appearing in "Mon Chouchou Global House?"
It was an interesting project that I will always remember since it was an opportunity to participate with other foreigners. In addition, I met great artists and professionals. Though the series was shot in Korean, I had some lines in English and Spanish. It was my first acting experience, so though I was quite nervous, I tried to prepare well.

What is your biggest dream both personally and professionally?
I want to become a good actor and appear in major productions, either in Spain or Korea. At the same time, I'd like to continue sharing my two cultures with as many people as possible.

enny0611@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.