Parent Spotlight: Jungwon

[Translated from Korean original text]

*Image from Image from: A Guide to Playing Badminton: Tip and Tricks for Beginners, Zoft

In a new and unfamiliar place I had moved to for my child’s schooling, I found myself spending long, monotonous days without acquaintances or friends. Then, by chance, I joined a local badminton club—and it completely transformed my life.

The first change I noticed after starting badminton was that the swelling in my body subsided. But more importantly, I found myself able to live each day with renewed energy. The time spent holding a racket, exchanging shuttlecocks, and working up a sweat became a new source of vitality for me.

As an immigrant, the hardest part was the lack of human connection. Yet through sports, I naturally began meeting people. Playing games and learning techniques together with other members not only improved my health but also gave me a sense of belonging and camaraderie. I came to realize firsthand that sports are more than just exercise—they serve as a bridge connecting us to new communities.

The club regularly rented out a nearby gym to host games and lessons. But one day, due to maintenance work, we suddenly lost access to the facility. At first, I thought it would be a short interruption, but the repairs dragged on much longer than expected.

When the workouts stopped, I felt both my body and spirit grow sluggish again. I tried searching for other gyms in the area, but the cost and accessibility were burdensome. On top of that, there was no clear timeline for when our original gym would reopen. If there had been a more organized maintenance schedule or information about alternative facilities, I could have continued exercising without interruption.

I hope that communities will have a greater variety of sports facilities, so that when one becomes unavailable, people can easily turn to alternatives. Especially for indoor sports like badminton, having multiple accessible gyms—and making that information widely available—would allow citizens to keep exercising consistently. A system that helps users maintain their activities without sudden disruption is truly needed.

For people like me, settling into a new region, sports mean far more than just physical activity. They restore health and vitality, foster new relationships, and help us naturally integrate into the community. I sincerely hope that robust sports infrastructure will be built, so that everyone can enjoy these opportunities in a stable and reliable way.