Han Hyun-Min: The Korean-Nigerian Model Breaks Racial Barriers

Who Is Han Hyun-min

Very few people believe that the 16 year-old fashioned model Han Hyun-min is Korean - they believe he's a foreigner. People contacted Han speaking in english during Seoul Fashion Week last fall, but Han doesn't speak English. Some designer gave him the nickname "Paul," but Han neither likes that Western name nor really wants to be known as by other name than his real name, Hyun-min.

Born to a Nigerian father along with a Korean mother, Han is Korea's first Korean-African model. Fortunately, he adopts his uniqueness positively while residing in Korea, and dealing within the fashion industry where racism continues to be strong.

"My strength is based on my different look from others," stated Han throughout an interview using the Korea Occasions in a coffee shop in Hapjeong, western Seoul, last Thursday. "I look not the same as my outer appearance and I've got a different skin tone, that we get the best. I had been an excellent skinny boy standing 184 centimeters tall and weighing 56 kilograms this past year. My buddies known as me anchovy."

Han increased five centimeters taller and acquired a bit more weight to follow along with his dream to become model. He grew to become among the top male models to around the catwalks in last season's Seoul Fashion Week, appearing in 11 designer shows

It had been his second season, although his success might have come earlier if he'd not signed a unique hire designer Han Sang-hyuk opening the company Heich Es Heich.

"I possibly could not believe I took part in the show. I have never learned just to walk like a model and that i only viewed them on shows online,Inch stated Han.

However, it had been his company's CEO's job to create his career look beautiful outdoors and cope with less attractive situations inside.

Han Hyun-min would practice walking in 12-centimeter high-heels at gay clubs to organize for that fashion show's idea of gender neutrality, but he was substituted with another model at the time to sign up on the different catwalk.
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‘When I had been having fun and playing with other children at school, some moms whisked them from me, saying such things as, ‘Don’t have fun with a child like that’,’ stated Han.

Because the child of the Nigerian father and Korean mother, he was regularly looked at in public places, by having an seniors lady once asking him: ‘What are you currently doing in another person's country?’

‘I desired to become invisible,’ he stated.

‘I hated my looks that stick out from everybody else.’

He found his escape, getting involved in modelling auditions and posting his photos on social networking until Youn spotted the pictures. (Youn a pageant magnate)

Having seen Han (then 14-year-old) demonstrate his ‘electrifying’ stride on the Seoul street for 5 minutes, Youn signed him up immediately.

‘Being a way model helped build my confidence tremendously,’ stated Han. ‘Now I like being checked out by others, rather to be ashamed or embarrassed.’

He wasn't cast in the preferred fashion designer's show because the youthful dressmaker stated he didn't hire black people.

Still, the discrimination doesn't disturb Han from growing like a model because of his slow and positive personality or possibly his longtime-learned skill to disregard such irrational reactions.

"People wouldn't speak with me backstage at fashion shows simply because they thought I did not speak Korean. But when they learned Used to do, people begin to gather around me and speak with me," stated Han.

"I'd have fun playing the rehearsals and coordinators there yell out orders in British simply to me. I'd hold back until the finish and let them know I do not speak British so please speak with me in Korean," added Han.

Unlike many Korean models' dream to become top model in Europe, Han really wants to operate in japan fashion industry. He was astounded by his knowledge about Japanese Gentlemen's Quarterly (GQ), this past year, as he shot a webpage for that monthly fashion magazine. Han stated the end result there is unique and classy while his works in Korea are mainly too typical.

"Also, there are lots of black models in Europe. My ultimate goal is Japan, where individuals don't take a look at me interestingly," stated Han.