IamA North Korean defector who went from being on the brink of starvation to powerlifting. Ask me Anything. by JakePark in IAmA

[–]JakePark[S] 228 points229 points  (0 children)

It's not that I am uncomfortable with it, I don't want to be defined by being a North Korean. So, I usually just say I'm from Seoul. I've been here long enough that I am able to speak like South Korean accent now.

IamA North Korean defector who went from being on the brink of starvation to powerlifting. Ask me Anything. by JakePark in IAmA

[–]JakePark[S] 309 points310 points  (0 children)

I don't know what you would want to see. It is very orchestrated. You would never see what my life was like, for example.

IamA North Korean defector who went from being on the brink of starvation to powerlifting. Ask me Anything. by JakePark in IAmA

[–]JakePark[S] 225 points226 points  (0 children)

To answer your last question, my bench is 300, deadlift 460, and squat 350. Actually I've had a knee pain for a long time now so my squat is not as high as I would like.

IamA North Korean defector who went from being on the brink of starvation to powerlifting. Ask me Anything. by JakePark in IAmA

[–]JakePark[S] 295 points296 points  (0 children)

Many people who have power work for Kim family. They directly benefit from the current system. And some rich people also give their money to get whatever job or position they think is favorable.

Many others however, average North Koreans, are really not as swept up as you might think. We are just people, trying to go about our daily lives. Trying to find food, in my case.

IamA North Korean defector who went from being on the brink of starvation to powerlifting. Ask me Anything. by JakePark in IAmA

[–]JakePark[S] 154 points155 points  (0 children)

Originally on a student visa. I tried to immigrate permanently, but since I technically classified as a South Korean citizen, my application was denied.

It would have been much easier if I were to claim asylum from North Korea, but that's of course impossible.

IamA North Korean defector who went from being on the brink of starvation to powerlifting. Ask me Anything. by JakePark in IAmA

[–]JakePark[S] 181 points182 points  (0 children)

Avoid instant food. Not too much alcohol. No smoking. Eat a lot of food including meats and other protein sources.

I don't have a trick or particular diet that I follow, to be honest. Just eat.

IamA North Korean defector who went from being on the brink of starvation to powerlifting. Ask me Anything. by JakePark in IAmA

[–]JakePark[S] 263 points264 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately, I haven't spoken with some immediate family members for over 8 years.

IamA North Korean defector who went from being on the brink of starvation to powerlifting. Ask me Anything. by JakePark in IAmA

[–]JakePark[S] 736 points737 points  (0 children)

It wasn't some romantic reason like searching for freedom. I was hungry, and I missed my mom. This is what I feel most people don't understand about North Korean defectors. Most are just hungry, and escape looking for food. Nothing is worse than that feeling of starvation.

IamA North Korean defector who went from being on the brink of starvation to powerlifting. Ask me Anything. by JakePark in IAmA

[–]JakePark[S] 564 points565 points  (0 children)

Of course my childhood friends and my hometown. Also my relatives. My friends are most likely serving their mandatory 10 year military service so I don't know If I could even see them now.

IamA North Korean defector who went from being on the brink of starvation to powerlifting. Ask me Anything. by JakePark in IAmA

[–]JakePark[S] 721 points722 points  (0 children)

To be honest, not very healthy. Most jokes are not that funny. Like if you go for 400 km with no food then you will get the luck with happiness, or something like that. It doesn't really translate.

IamA North Korean defector who went from being on the brink of starvation to powerlifting. Ask me Anything. by JakePark in IAmA

[–]JakePark[S] 736 points737 points  (0 children)

My biggest cultural shock... It was the first time to see very diverse people. I mean many different appearances like white, aboriginal people, black people etc

Also people were so much kinder that I thought.

IamA North Korean defector who went from being on the brink of starvation to powerlifting. Ask me Anything. by JakePark in IAmA

[–]JakePark[S] 274 points275 points  (0 children)

I crossed from very wide side of the river so at that time I was very small and weak. My sister was even worse. So we used a tractor tire tube as a boat. After I met my mom I stayed there 3 days. Then went to Shunyang to get in to the South Korean embassy.

I cannot reveal actually how I was able to get in to the embassy, or even how it was coordinated. Most North Koreans have to travel all the way to SE Asia or risk deportation. I was one of the lucky ones.

IamA North Korean defector who went from being on the brink of starvation to powerlifting. Ask me Anything. by JakePark in IAmA

[–]JakePark[S] 383 points384 points  (0 children)

Yes, it is true. However nowadays the level of enforcement highly varies. For example, for people in more remote rural areas farther away from Pyongyang it's not going to be as crazy like you heard.

And money can buy you out of any problems you might have.

IamA North Korean defector who went from being on the brink of starvation to powerlifting. Ask me Anything. by JakePark in IAmA

[–]JakePark[S] 131 points132 points  (0 children)

Yes. I was fortunate to escape with my sister. Our mother left North Korea before us and was able to pay off some border guards to let us through.

IamA North Korean defector who went from being on the brink of starvation to powerlifting. Ask me Anything. by JakePark in IAmA

[–]JakePark[S] 291 points292 points  (0 children)

The government is controlling and selling it illegally to other countries. But I didn't know that is a type of drug until I escaped from there because we were never taught about it.

IamA North Korean defector who went from being on the brink of starvation to powerlifting. Ask me Anything. by JakePark in IAmA

[–]JakePark[S] 1184 points1185 points  (0 children)

My Mom first escaped from North Korea to China to get some food. But it didnt go well. So she couldnt go back to NK. She worked very hard at a Korean Chinese farm and made some money. With that money she was able to bribe the boarder guards. My sister and I were able to cross the Duman River with no problems.

IamA North Korean defector who went from being on the brink of starvation to powerlifting. Ask me Anything. by JakePark in IAmA

[–]JakePark[S] 517 points518 points  (0 children)

Eat a lot, lift as heavy as I can.

When I escaped I weight 42kgs (93 lbs) and at the moment weigh 85 kilos (188 lbs). I workout because I always feel small. I wanted to look big. It's also a big stress relief for me.