There are some people who just seem to stand out in a crowd. Even though those people look the same as others at first glance, they attract people with their special charm, and their voice has the power to make people to listen. When I met Si-hyeong Kim, I was sure that he was one of them. Through his joyful voice, I could feel his passion and pride when he was telling me about what he is doing as a waterskiing national team member. Let’s find out what makes Si-hyeong shine so bright and get some information about waterskiing, which might be an unfamiliar sport to many people.

Q: I think waterskiing might be unfamiliar to many people.
A: Yes it is. Most people know what waterskiing is, but only few people have actually experienced it. But I can tell you if you try it once, you are going to love it! There are three departments in waterskiing: Slalom, trick, and jump. My major is slalom, and I won the first prize in the latest competition on slalom.

*Waterskiing has three departments, which are slalom (zigzagging between obstacles), trick (using 65-70 cm short skis, performing a series of tricks), and jump (jumping using two long skis and a wooden ramp).

Q: Tell us about the championship.
A: Actually I’ve participated in many international competitions before the championship and it helped me a lot to prepare for it. And this year I entered the AWWF Asian Waterski & Wakeboard Championship competition in Malaysia, and I won in the slalom part. Since I have been practicing for a few years, I was so happy when I finally won the championship in Asia.

Q: You’re a member of the waterskiing national team. How do they select members?
A: Like other sports, we have a pre-match. There are two competitions, and 4 men and 2 women are selected from it. Of course I also went through the same process. As a member of the national team, I feel sorry that waterskiing is still not popular in Korea. I think the reason for that is people don’t have many chances to experience waterskiing. But I’m sure it has great potential to become a national sport. For now, waterskiing is not listed as an Olympic sport and there is also no international championship for it. At the National Sports Festival, it’s still a demonstrational event, not a regular event. If waterskiing becomes a regular event, I think many people will have the chance to learn about it. I hope the day when everyone realizes the attraction of waterskiing comes soon.

Q: How much do you practice for the important competitions?
A: Because the water is too cold in winter, I mostly practice in the summer. It takes 15~ 20 minutes for each round and a lot of energy is needed. So after I practice on the water, I need to spend 3 hours just for basic training and rest. For the important competitions, all the team members gather and practice together. Though my main part is slalom, I also practice other parts in order to be a more competitive player.

Q: When was the most difficult moment for you as a water skier?
A: It was when I got injured. Once I broke my neck before a big competition. There is a very dangerous jump technique which has a high risk of injury. If you saw the movie “Gookgadaepyo”, you will understand what I’m talking about. At that time my mother didn’t want me on the water anymore. But thankfully she changed her mind and supported me greatly so that I could focus on my rehabilitation.

Q: Even after you experienced such a big injury, you kept going. What made you to do that?
A: For me water skiing is a part of my life. It is something I can do best and I know I shine brightest when I am on the water. I don’t know how long I’ll be able to do this, considering the nature of the sport, but I want to do my best as long as I’m doing it. And most of all, when I am on the water it feels so good that it makes me forget everything else. That feeling makes me keep going in spite of the fear of injury.

Q: What is the best way to start waterskiing?
A: The Han River is one of the well-known waterskiing spots. In Kyounggi-do, there is Namyangjoo. And my hometown is Daegu, so I practice mostly in Daegu. The North Han River has good facilities for waterskiing too. I hope you can just try it first! Once you feel the spray of water you make, you’ll be addicted to waterskiing just like me!

Q: I heard that you are helping students in wind surfing classes.
A: Yes, because I have more experience than other students, I decide to help them. But it is sad when students think I am older than them because I am a class assistant! Ha-ha! It’s quite different between waterskiing as a professional and as a teacher. I am learning many things through this teaching experience. If you join the Wind Surfing Class, I will do my best to help you enjoy waterskiing.

Q: What is your dream?
A: I’m only 20 years old and I don’t want to limit my future yet. I’m sure there will be more opportunities for me in the future. For now, I want to concentrate on my major, and I want people to get more interested in Waterskiing. In addition, it will be really nice to have more fans of my own.

Si-hyeong Kim looks very calm and comfortable through the whole interview. Maybe it came from the confidence of being the best sportsman in his field. Before I met him, I assumed a sportsman might be somewhat aggressive, but I realized it was just my preconceived idea. He simply loves what he is doing, so he keeps doing it, and it has made him confident. The secret of his confidence and charm is in doing something that he loves.