YouTuber Kang Gary captures the intense life of a Daechi Papa

YouTuber Kang Gary spent three hours in the Daechi-dong academy district to document the routine of a "Daechi Papa" waiting for his son, Hao. While navigating the area's top-tier academies, Kang Gary shared his philosophy on parenting and his transition from the entertainment industry to YouTube.

In the Daechi-dong academy district, waiting for a child is a routine process of patience for parents. YouTuber Kang Gary recorded three hours spent in Daechi-dong after dropping his son, Hao, off at an academy.

"You won't live with Dad once you marry": Realistic concerns of a Daechi-dong parent

After dropping Hao off at the academy, Kang Gary began his daily life as a full-time 'Daechi Papa.' With approximately three hours remaining after Hao's arrival, he explained that life waiting in the Daechi-dong academy district is no different from the lives of "riding moms" (eonpa). Although he has not lived in Daechi-dong for long, he noted that dropping his child off at academies and spending time in the car was a familiar routine in his previous neighborhood.

Conversations held while seeing Hao off showed a mix of paternal affection and realistic concerns. Kang Gary shared a moment of sincere, joking sentiment with Hao, saying, "You won't live with Dad once you marry." Expressing his desire to cherish time with his child, he added, "Dad wants to hold Hao baby and live happily as a grandfather." He defined parenting as "the process of making memories for my parents" and stated that capturing the child's growth is a way to leave no regrets later.

The high walls of Daechi-dong and the 'top-tier' academy landscape

He also spoke about the unique nature of the Daechi-dong area. Kang Gary mentioned that the academies in Daechi-dong are not places that anyone can simply enter. "Even here (Daechi-dong), not just anyone can come in. The top-tier academies have high walls," he said, explaining that some people even take separate private tutoring just to enter specific academies. He added that because many parents from other regions seek out Daechi-dong for their children, the academy system and atmosphere in the area are highly intense and systematic.

Recalling his past music career, he mentioned the support of his parents. He shared an experience where his mother, after learning through fortune-telling that he was destined to pursue music once he became an adult, supported him by saying, "You should just leave him be." This connects to his educational philosophy of respecting a child's inclinations. He emphasized the importance of helping a child decide for themselves based on their own tendencies, whether they prefer studying or sports.

New challenges as a YouTuber and a life of 'supporting' his wife

The motivation for starting YouTube stemmed from a desire to record his child's growth. "I feel happiness when I film the moment my child learns to walk while riding a bicycle," he said, noting that he wanted to communicate with people by recording his interests, such as travel, camping, and exercise. He also spoke candidly about the unfamiliarity and worries felt while expanding his territory from the entertainment industry into the YouTube ecosystem, mentioning changes in his daily life, such as having to pay attention to his clothing for filming.

In particular, he discussed "supporting" his wife, who is a fashion influencer. He mentioned that because her outfits are so excellent, he helps her by assisting with photo shoots, and that he has experienced positive changes, such as naturally becoming interested in fashion and even taking notes on overseas shopping routes. Meanwhile, he is capturing the intense reality of life in this neighborhood as a YouTuber, receiving joking encouragement from citizens in Daechi-dong who told him, "You've been rolling around in Daechi-dong for 20 years."

Source: original video (YouTube)