When I see those in their twenties who became commonly known with their talent, there’s one thing that comes to my mind. Great. I can see not only the light they shine but also the shadows of hard training they have been through. Kim, Dong-eun (Automotive Engineering '12) is an example of this. He won the 2012 Hello Mobile Super Race Championship opening game at the early age of 22. He received a title like ‘Rising Star of Korean Automotive Sports’. Let’s hear the story of his light and shadows.

Q. I heard you have driven a kart since you were 5. I think your father’s (Kim, Jung-su, coach) influence must have beenstrong for you to be like this.

A. Yes. I have driven a kart since I was 5 years old. Unlike formula racing, kartsdon't need a license, so you candrivethem when you are young. My father had started car racing before I was born, and my mother always supported him. I went out to car the racing stadium day after day on my mother’s back. One day, a race was held at the Everland Speedway, with30cc mini bikeswith a size less than a kart. I chose to drive karts at that time. If I chose a bike, I might be a biker today. From then, I practiced on a kart at the stadium almost everyday and then I became the youngest kart driver in Korea. When I was an elementary school student, I participated in the Japan Kart Championship, the Macao Rotax Max World Championship, and after graduating from high school, I went to Japan for an F4(Formula4) race.

Q. In the Super Race opening game, you won over other veteran drivers. Weren’t you nervous? How was it?

A. I am used to doing this event because I started it when I was young, so I wasn’t nervous. At every event, most drivers have a lot of stress because you have to win the competition. Other sports would be the same. It was the first time that I won a touring car (long distance high-speed car) competition, so I feel a sense of accomplishment. 

Q. You held the second rank at the final and said “I am proud of myself to beat Mr. Kim, Eui-su.” This is gutsy because he is much older. Do you have that kind of character?

A. I have watched Mr. Kim, Eui-su since I was 5 years old. He knew me well more than anyone else and he had watched me growing up. I didn’t think about the age difference. Now it is very meaningful to race together with him. I was so lucky that I won and I want to have confident character.

Q. Super Class 6000 race is the only stock car (focused on highest speed) series so it is great to win that race. You must have put a lot of effort into preparing for that.

A. The reason I won in the stock car series which is the best class, was not only because of me but a number of people such as the team staff, mechanics setting up my racing cars, as well as other drivers talking about driving techniques,all working together to make good results. It helped me a lot experiencing various things.

Q. Then you must keep in shape and train, right?

A. Yes. Car racers need muscles not for a short time but a long time. Endurance is important so I work out focused on increasing endurance. You might think stamina is not that important in racing a car but it takes a lot of energy. There’s no air conditioner inside the car so it's very hot because it’s made just for racing. Unlike a normal car, racing carshave strong centrifugal force when cornering so if you don’t have muscular power in neck, you cannot see the front straight.

Q. I heard you participated in the Formula SAE right after the Super Race. It might be tough having such a busy schedule ahead.

A. It is not that tough. I am so excited that I can race which is my favorite thing to do. I think I’m improving gradually and I feel so good.

Q. F-SAE is the competition university students participated in with self-made cars. What is the biggest learning from the competition?

A. I didn’t know about the competition well, but I felt a lot of thing
s after watching many cars made by university engineering students. I also felt ‘KORA’s effort. Formula racing cars made from many famous university students in the United States or Germany are the highest quality like mass produced cars. The high ranking universities always place high in every competition, so there’s barely attention on the lowest ranked universities.But this time, when our university’s car was doing autocross, people paid attention to our racing. I was proud of Kookmin University making a car which is close to the world level.

Q. What do you think about ‘teamwork’?

A. I think understanding and feedback between team members are important. Other people can think about what I cannot and that helps make better results. ‘KORA’ has good teamwork. We try hard to consider every member’s opinion in our meetings. So our teamwork got a lot of points in this F-SAE competition.

Q. You have received a lot ofattention winning in competition while working as driver in KORA. Wasn’t it a burden to you?

A. It was burden which got a lot of attention before, but it is good these days. If someone like me takes center stage, the environment of motor sports could develop and help improve the conditions. I want those following meto be supported with a lot of attention from school.

Q. I guess you were absent from school because the competition was held during the semester. When was the toughest moment?

A. The Pro Race I participated in and the F-SAE competition were held 4 times for 3 weeks in a row. I worried mentally more than the hard physical work. It was hard to follow the courses that I missed. I entered school as a sports talent, but I had the same school life as others. Professors cared for me a lot but I needed to do a lot of thing for myself too.

Q. You are a freshman of 2012. What was the special reason to choose Kookmin University?

A. When I was an elementary school student, the university self-made racing car competition was held onthe same day at the same circuit where I was racing karts. I watched it by chance and there was an outstanding car. That was the car from Kookmin University. While watching it I thought: “I want to participate in this some day when I'm a university student.”A race car driver is one of the most famous and popular professions in the whole world, but most people don’t know about and are not interested in car racing in Korea. There’s little interest in Korea until we make it to the top of the world like Park, Tae-hwanin swimming and Kim, Yu-nain figure skating. I want those following me to be discovered and trained when I'm gone.

Q. What’s your next plan?

A. The competition that I am going to participate in is an annual series. It will be held in 7 competitions and the champions will be picked by points from each game. There is the‘Super Race’ and the ‘Korea Speed Festival’. There are 14 races total in 2 events. After entering university, I entered 5 competitions including the FSAE. I have 4 games left and I’m preparing another one.

Q. I see you achieved success in one field already. What is your dream?

A. In Korea, there’s still no Formula 1 driver. I have a dream since I started racing at 4 years old to be a Formula 1 driver. There are so many people in the world who want to be Formula 1 driversbesides me. There is still only a slight probability because it needs a lot of donations in Korea, which is a wild land in motor sports. However, I will hold on to my dream forever.

2000 Korea Kart Grand Prize Junior Class Series Champion
2001 Korea Kart Grand Prize Junior Class Series Champion
2002 Korea Kart Grand Prize Junior Class Series Champion
2003 Korea Kart Grand Prize Junior Class Series Champion
2004 Japan Kart Championship Junior Class Entry
     Macao Kart Grand Prize Max Junior Class 4th
2005 Japan Kart Championship Junior Class 10th
     Macao Kart Grand Prize Max Junior Class 10th
2006 Formula Toyota School Certificate
2007 Formula Toyota School Certificate
2008 Korea Kart Series Entry
2009 Super Race Kart Opening Game Winner
     Super Race Kart #2 3rd
2010 Japan F4 Series OKAYAMA Entry
     Japan F4 Series SUZUKA 7th
     Japan F4 Series FUJI 10th
     CJ Super Race #4 6000 Class 2nd
     CJ Super Race #5 #6 6000 Class 4th
     KMRC F1 Circuit Race GT Class 4th
2011 TVing Super Race #2 Hello TV Class 3rd
TVingSuper Race #3 Hello TV Class 5th
TVingSuper Race #5 Hello TV Class 3rd
     Korea Speed Festival Avante Class Series Champion
TVingSuper Race Total 3rd
2012 Super Race Super 6000 Class Opening Game Winner
     Super Race #3 Super 6000 Class 2nd

It was hectic to interview him. He had a tight schedule such with theSuper Race and other competitions. I know the reason why he is leading in the world competitions after watching him kindly answer all the questions. He explained the terms that I didn’t understand. His eyes were shining when the word ‘car’was spoken. He wanted to make a road not only for him but also for those following him. On that road, I want many racers to race in the name of Kookmin.