"I Thought.. I Can't Be A Muslim!" I The Story Of Daud Kim
Published on
Before Islam, what did you believe in? What are the 3 biggest challenges you've faced after converting to Islam? Aren't you afraid of going to jail? Some of my friends reject me because they don't understand I'm being a Muslim. They don't have belief because there's no hope when they are feel the depression No one help you. You can't find anyone rely on. Yeah, I don't know. I will not... I will not answer. You're welcome, Daud. Thank you so much for inviting me. We want to know your story. Who is Daud? I born in raised in Korea, South Korea. I think I'm not a special person because I just... I just live normally in Korea. And I studied music in university.
And a few years ago, I converted to Islam and I'm still on my journey, I think. Is there a particular reason why the name Daud was chosen? Oh, so actually, I got many caution about this. When I converted to Islam and decided to convert Islam I asked people like, do I have to change Arabic name or something? But people said, "No, you don't have to change your name." I'm a born Catholic. I'm born Catholic. Because my parents... so my parents gave me the Catholic name. It was David. Just I changed the pronunciation David to Daud. David and Daud are the same person. Yeah, right, the prophet. Are you planning to move to a Muslim country in the future? Yeah, I think so. Because...
What's the reason you don't feel comfortable in your country? I feel comfortable, but I think I should learn more. I think I'm still young I still... I'm not I don't think I'm good Muslim. Really? Because I have too many mistakes still, even after I become a Muslim, I still have a lot of mistakes. So, I think I should learn more in Islamic atmosphere and more knowledgeable Muslim people. What would be the country? Turkey, Egypt, Arabia? Yeah, so I don't... I can't choose yet. So, I just come here Turkey first this year. I want to go other countries to like, maybe next month I will. I want to go Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Malaysia.
Then after I travel around the world, then maybe I can choose one country. And then when I lived there for a couple of times and then maybe I come back to Korea and I can do my work, like I can share my knowledge or something. Before Islam what did you believe in? I believed in God. I believed in God because I am a born Catholic and my parents are Catholic and my whole family is Catholic. So... You went to church when you were a child? Yes, yes, yes, of course. When I was young I go church with my parents and actually, I don't have that much like belief because I just like was naturally because everyone go church.
So, maybe I will go there and they give me the present and they give me the foods. So I really enjoyed. But actually I feel really happy with my family and my friends. But I think I don't feel that much belief in when I was young. Because maybe I... I don't have a chance to think deeply about this. Why did you start questioning your beliefs? You're sitting, checking internet? What made you start ''I should find a way''. Actually, this is really a long story. I told you I... study music in university, so I wanted to be a musician. Musician? Yeah, musician. Like I also realized to a like Jazz music, and I have a lot of musician friends, so I have chance to go..
small a concert in another country. And it was Indonesia, so I went there. You're playing battery, guitar, what? I play piano, guitar a little bit, and I sing. I sing a song. So I had concert in Indonesia, Jakarta. It was really interesting because I've never know about Islam at all. Because in Korea there's no knowledge about Islam. It's really hard to know about this. You didn't even hear a word about Muhammad, Islam? No, no, no, no. But, I only know about... I don't know. I can say this but I only know about terrorists because in Korea, when I was young, there was a 9/11. And it was really big news in Korea. Really big news.
So I was also very shocked and they talked about like Islam, blah, blah, blah. So I thought, like, Islam is kind of some dangerous things at a time, when I was young. But when I come to Indonesia, I saw many girls who wear a scarf and the guys who have the beard and pray, so I was really curious why they're different? So I asked them, what is that? And they replied me. This is about Islam and this is about their belief. And actually they were really kind. And really they have a lot of hospitality for me. They always, Oh, can I help you? I want to help you. I want to deserve you. I want to give you this. I want to give you a present.
So when I was young, I thought, like, Islam is a dangerous thing. But when I come to Indonesia, people were so different so different. They were so kind and so calm and always smile and always help other people. So I think this is different than I know. It's totally different. So I get interested in this religion at first. And I felt really good things in there. And I come back to Korea, actually, there were my situation was not good, like financially was not good, and my family stuff not good. So I have to find a job and a musician work don't make a lot of it was not... that stable, so I should work for my family. But it was very stressful, very stressful.
So because I really want like creative job, I want to make some something like this not it can be a music, it can be a video. I don't know but I want to make something, but when I was working the company was not very happy so I started YouTube. But my YouTube channel start with music. I upload my cover music videos like that kind of stuff. After that, I like suddenly I think like, how do I talk about the feelings in Indonesia? Like suddenly I don't know why I thought like think like that. So I just tell what I think about Muslim people because many Koreans think Islam is not it's little bit dangerous, but I felt so many good things about Islam. So I talked about that.
I shared my feelings in YouTube and like suddenly many people get interested about this. So many people, so many people advice me about Islam. Like, Oh, if you want to learn Islam, then maybe you can ask to him and I'll ask to Imam. You can find a mosque in Korea and maybe you can practice how to pray or you can join how to fast in Ramadan. So I just slowly practice like I don't know why, but I just I was like just coming to be naturally. I just go to I visit to mosque, pray in the mosque and I fast in Ramadan and through the process I get my belief have a little bit developed because when I pray with other Muslims, I get feels really amazing. Like I felt like I...
someone is helping me like someone is watching me and someone is like, want to give me the hope because I was really... Were you Muslim at that time? You're practicing? No, I was not Muslim. I was Catholic but I don't have that much belief. You just trying to practice, but you don't have the belief in Islam? Yeah, I don't have belief but I just start to practice. A kind of meditation or something? Yeah, like was just... at the time, I was like, oh, maybe I can join. Like, why not? Like, I want to learn other culture or another religion. And I told you I have, I have a little bit depression at that time. Really hard depression.
And like actually Korean society is very competitive, very competitive and do you see the ‘’squid game’’? Yeah, I know It's like totally same, like Korean society. It's totally the same. There's only one winner. And if you don't win, everyone is loser and you think you're fail... you're a loser. So I also thought like, oh, why my life is like that, why I'm not successful, but when I practice Islam at that time, I felt like really different. I felt like I find something I lost. I was lost because I was thought about that where I'm from, like the school teach me every knowledge about the science math. But they don't teach me why I'm from and who am I and where I'm going?
And after I die, where I go? They don't suggest me the way I have to go. In Islam, I think they give me the answer that where I have to go and why do I live? I think this is really important because I was really depressed, because I have no purpose of my life, no purpose like why do I leave, where I'm going? Like, what do I have to do? I really have no answer. But when I practice Islam and when I'm with Muslim friends, Muslim people and when I pray like Islam, guide me. Islam answered me about the question, like your purpose of life is to obey obey Allah because the God created us everything. In Ramadan I...
realized that about the gratitude, about the food, about the water, and about my life, about my friends, about my family, about the earth, everything. So after I felt that, I realized that I felt like gratitude to our Creator So at the first time I fasting Ramadan, it was like three years ago. You're not Muslim then? I was not Muslim. But I have belief, I have belief. I do believe in God. Because I am... in this world and the God only God teach me and guide me where I have to go. And they only God teach me like the purpose of the life and how to be make happy your life. So how did you give the Shahada? Yeah, it was like two years ago, I think. Actually, I have the belief after the Ramadan.
I do have belief. I do believe in God. But I.... I didn't think about the Shahada because I thought even if I have belief I can't be Muslim because I live in Korea, I'm Korean. The lifestyle is so different. I think it's not easy. You are the only Muslim in your culture? in your... Not only Muslim, there are few but not many. But at that time, like some Korean Muslim messaged me, his name is Karam. He studied in Madina he graduated in university in Medina study about the Koran, Dawat and everything. He is really knowledgeable Muslim guy so he messaged me ''I want to help you''. So I met him. I asked him about this question. Like I, I have belief, but I'm not, I'm not sure.
I'm not sure I can be Muslim or not? And he answered me, ''Do you understand about that''? Like, nobody is perfect. Nobody's perfect. And even if you be a Muslim, it's not easy to have a perfect Muslim life. But if you don't be a Muslim, then you can be any benefits from this and anything. But even if you do Shahada and if you be a Muslim and after that, you can change yourself slowly, step by step, and then God will reverse you more and more because Allah (swt), our God is merciful and forgiveness and He is our greatest. So He will help you. So if you be a Muslim at first because like you don't know, like you, I can, I can die right now.
Like, there's a heart attack or I will traffic accident. I don't know, I can die right today or nobody knows our future. Yeah, so I so I feel like that way. So, Oh, I think I should be Muslim then. So I went to do... You didn't tell your parents anything? Of course I didn't. Okay. so you went to Masjid? Yeah I went to Masjid in the Taiwan I yeah, I did Shahada in there. How was the feeling of the atmosphere, guys around you? Can you describe that movement for us? Was truly amazing. It was like when I find the Masjid and there was Imam in Korea is the most knowledgeable Imam in Korea. And when I found him, there was other Imams too. There was a meeting at that that day.
They are a lot of coincidence for. So I do Shahada in there and everyone in that place congratulations and welcome to me and welcome to Islam and I felt like you know that like when I do Shahada every since every past since are gone and you become a new person new like a born baby. So I felt like, oh, this is really amazing. And like happiness, I can't describe my feelings at the time. It was, it was really amazing. What was your family's reaction when they found out that you converted to Islam? Actually, there. I filmed that. There's a video. Okay. So well I.. because I do YouTube so I can't hide it because my family also watch my YouTube. So when I talked to my Mom, she was so shocked.
She was so shocked, and she said, like, how can... you do that? And she even talk me, like, are you going to be a terrorist? Because I understand because in Korea adult... because of the image, like always the Western media showed the too negative things about Islam. It's because of media. So she was really worried a lot but I tried my best to explain well about this. Islam is not dangerous and this is my belief and I still love my family and nothing change is just about my belief. She was really worried about that. But she also watched my YouTube video. So she watched many good Muslim, kind Muslims who helped me and who explain about Islam.
So she also start to understand about this, like she have a lot of knowledge about Islam right now because she watch my video. She doesn't accept Islam not yet, Inshallah. Inshallah brothers can pray for this. Yeah, but she understand and respect and support me. So now... What about other members of your family? They are so surprised at first time and my one of my aunt still messaged me like ''Can you change your religion again?'' But they they're surprised but they support me. They they are nothing problem. No problem. Has anyone from your family or close circle accepted Islam because of you ? There is.
And also, my subscribers sometimes messaged me like ''I saw your video and I want to learn about Islam, I want to be a Muslim. How can I do that?'' So I message them like, ''Oh, I will give you the information, the website and the Imam's number. And where is the mosque in Korea?'' So some of my subscribers, Korean subscribers become a Muslim through my video so, Alhamdulillah I'm so glad I'm really happy about that. What are the 3 biggest challenges you faced after converting to Islam? At first when I convert to Islam, Some of my friends reject me because they don't understand. I'm being a Muslim like my kids are so once rejected from the kindergarten.
So I think in Korea, they're not very open minded to other religion. I think I'm not a good Muslim, but sometimes people judge about me a lot like ''You are Muslim. Then why you do that, why you do that, why you do that? This is haram. And this is haram.'' But I know and I know, I know I'm not perfect. I do mistakes, So I think I think I should try more to repent and try to more close to Allah and try to learn more. I think it's a long journey because I just coming to Islam and I hope to be more close to God. So I think if I have that attitude mind and Allah will have help me, I always believed Allah will help me.
You have a big advantage, brother, because for example, I get into adolescence, for example, 15 years when I was 15. So I may have so many sins until this age, but your exam started 3 years ago. So you have a lot of advantages compared to the guy who says ''This is haram, how can you do that ? Alhamdulillah! We aware of the great work you have done to defend Islam in Korea. Aren't you afraid of going to jail? It will be... I'm from South Korea. It's okay. It's not North Korea. You have freedom of religion and we can talk any anything we want. We can we can talk anything. I also defend a lot of things to defend Islam.
Because, like a few months ago in Pegu the city of Korea, there is a construction of mosque in there, but residents offended. So it was stopped. So like few months ago, I went there. I helped them protest and work with them to help their construction of the mosque. Yeah, it can be a problem for me. I don't care. I don't care them most. Like there's a freedom in Korea, freedom religion in Korea. So I can say what I want. So if there is a disadvantage about this. Yeah, I think I accept that. After becoming Muslim, did you ever eat pork by mistake? I think so, because in Korea, everything is pork based.
For example, when I go to restaurant, I always ask them, ''Is there a pork?'' Usually they say, ''Oh, there's a pork.'' Or when they sometimes they say ''There's no pork.'' So I when they say ''There's no pork.'' I eat, but I feel a little bit different. So I asked them, like, "Isn't this like pork based?" Like "The soup is pork based?" They say, "Yes." And I said, "You said there's no pork." And they said, "There's no pork it's just a soup." So, like, they they don't have that knowledge about, like, halal food. Exactly. So studies in Korea. Imagine that you are sitting in a park and Korean man comes to you and says that he knows you and asks you to tell him about your religion.
You have just one minute. What would you say to him? I think I have to explain about the purpose of life. Korean society is to comparative. And there many people don't have the purpose of life, so they feel get depression easily. I have to explain them. "Your purpose of life is obeying God, to serve God and you can find the forever happiness in there. So.. You found a peace in Islam. Yeah, you can find a peace and happiness. What impressed you the most about our Prophet Aleyhissalâtü vesselâm? His characteristics, His way of living or a memory from our Prophet's life? What is the most impressive thing you think?
Okay, for me, when he was tried to spread Islam to the word, there was no Muslim. Right? He was the only Muslim who could get the message and who want to spread the Islam. The message of Islam. I feel a little bit similar because I'm in Korea and no one is Muslim and the only Muslim and I felt that feelings like how to still with that, like, how to... how to deal with that? But our Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) didn't give up. I think it's impossible thing but He did. He spread Islam to the world and now He started with it in the Mecca Medina.
But now see, like far from a place like in Indonesia, Malaysia in the like the West of Africa, everyone believes in Islam and even in South Korea, I believe in Islam. I think this is the amazing thing. And the Islam is the most fastest growing up religion in the world. So I'm really impressed that that His personality and His action is everything. But I really impressed that He did spread Islam when nobody believes Islam. What do you think is the biggest lie and the biggest truth in this world? I think the biggest lie is "You can't do it!" You can't do. You can't. I think this is lie. Because in Korea, I told you, Korea is very comparative society.
So if you're not successful in something many people say to you, "You can’t do it." But it's not like "I can do everything." I can do everything what I want. And it's depends on belief. And if I do believe in God and if I do believe the help of God and if I believe the plan of God, I can do it. I can try because I have strong motivation. Even if you can reach the goal, you can yeah, maybe. But if you do it with the strong motivation with your belief, then you can do something even if you can reach the goal. So I think that's it. That's what I think. And the biggest true is also "You can do it." Yes! Same there's what I want to say. You can do it.
I believe in the mercy of God, the help of God, the plan of God. So I can.. do it. What is your biggest dream in this life? I want to be a good person. Good Muslim, before I die. I think it's not easy thing. Purpose of life is obey our God Our journey is to go... to the Jannah I want to learn more, practice more, and... I want to do something for for Korean... Koreans too. Korean culture is a lot of anger and depression. And I think the one of the biggest reason is they don't have belief. They don't have belief because there's no hope when they are feel the depression No one help you. You can't... you can't find anyone rely on. The suicide rate is the highest.
Korea has the highest suicide levels. For example, I'm Muslim. If there's a good thing I agreed to "This is because of God". So I gratitude and if there is a bad thing, I also can think "This is just plan of God, this is a trier". I can overcome it. If you don't believe God, if you're atheist, if you don't believe anything then there is a good thing you think "Oh, I'm successful because of me. So they can be really arrogant. And if there is a hard thing, they think like, "Oh, why we're just like this? They blame themselves. And they get the depression and the depression is high then they suicide or something. I think in Korean society, really, they need... belief, I think.
Imagine that you're a contestant in squid game and you have to deceive or lie to someone to avoid getting killed. What would you do? I don't want to lie I don't know. You have the right to not answer this question. I don't know. I will not. I will not answer. Okay. Thanks for being with us. It was a great pleasure. Thanks for inviting me. Alhamdulillah!
And a few years ago, I converted to Islam and I'm still on my journey, I think. Is there a particular reason why the name Daud was chosen? Oh, so actually, I got many caution about this. When I converted to Islam and decided to convert Islam I asked people like, do I have to change Arabic name or something? But people said, "No, you don't have to change your name." I'm a born Catholic. I'm born Catholic. Because my parents... so my parents gave me the Catholic name. It was David. Just I changed the pronunciation David to Daud. David and Daud are the same person. Yeah, right, the prophet. Are you planning to move to a Muslim country in the future? Yeah, I think so. Because...
What's the reason you don't feel comfortable in your country? I feel comfortable, but I think I should learn more. I think I'm still young I still... I'm not I don't think I'm good Muslim. Really? Because I have too many mistakes still, even after I become a Muslim, I still have a lot of mistakes. So, I think I should learn more in Islamic atmosphere and more knowledgeable Muslim people. What would be the country? Turkey, Egypt, Arabia? Yeah, so I don't... I can't choose yet. So, I just come here Turkey first this year. I want to go other countries to like, maybe next month I will. I want to go Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Malaysia.
Then after I travel around the world, then maybe I can choose one country. And then when I lived there for a couple of times and then maybe I come back to Korea and I can do my work, like I can share my knowledge or something. Before Islam what did you believe in? I believed in God. I believed in God because I am a born Catholic and my parents are Catholic and my whole family is Catholic. So... You went to church when you were a child? Yes, yes, yes, of course. When I was young I go church with my parents and actually, I don't have that much like belief because I just like was naturally because everyone go church.
So, maybe I will go there and they give me the present and they give me the foods. So I really enjoyed. But actually I feel really happy with my family and my friends. But I think I don't feel that much belief in when I was young. Because maybe I... I don't have a chance to think deeply about this. Why did you start questioning your beliefs? You're sitting, checking internet? What made you start ''I should find a way''. Actually, this is really a long story. I told you I... study music in university, so I wanted to be a musician. Musician? Yeah, musician. Like I also realized to a like Jazz music, and I have a lot of musician friends, so I have chance to go..
small a concert in another country. And it was Indonesia, so I went there. You're playing battery, guitar, what? I play piano, guitar a little bit, and I sing. I sing a song. So I had concert in Indonesia, Jakarta. It was really interesting because I've never know about Islam at all. Because in Korea there's no knowledge about Islam. It's really hard to know about this. You didn't even hear a word about Muhammad, Islam? No, no, no, no. But, I only know about... I don't know. I can say this but I only know about terrorists because in Korea, when I was young, there was a 9/11. And it was really big news in Korea. Really big news.
So I was also very shocked and they talked about like Islam, blah, blah, blah. So I thought, like, Islam is kind of some dangerous things at a time, when I was young. But when I come to Indonesia, I saw many girls who wear a scarf and the guys who have the beard and pray, so I was really curious why they're different? So I asked them, what is that? And they replied me. This is about Islam and this is about their belief. And actually they were really kind. And really they have a lot of hospitality for me. They always, Oh, can I help you? I want to help you. I want to deserve you. I want to give you this. I want to give you a present.
So when I was young, I thought, like, Islam is a dangerous thing. But when I come to Indonesia, people were so different so different. They were so kind and so calm and always smile and always help other people. So I think this is different than I know. It's totally different. So I get interested in this religion at first. And I felt really good things in there. And I come back to Korea, actually, there were my situation was not good, like financially was not good, and my family stuff not good. So I have to find a job and a musician work don't make a lot of it was not... that stable, so I should work for my family. But it was very stressful, very stressful.
So because I really want like creative job, I want to make some something like this not it can be a music, it can be a video. I don't know but I want to make something, but when I was working the company was not very happy so I started YouTube. But my YouTube channel start with music. I upload my cover music videos like that kind of stuff. After that, I like suddenly I think like, how do I talk about the feelings in Indonesia? Like suddenly I don't know why I thought like think like that. So I just tell what I think about Muslim people because many Koreans think Islam is not it's little bit dangerous, but I felt so many good things about Islam. So I talked about that.
I shared my feelings in YouTube and like suddenly many people get interested about this. So many people, so many people advice me about Islam. Like, Oh, if you want to learn Islam, then maybe you can ask to him and I'll ask to Imam. You can find a mosque in Korea and maybe you can practice how to pray or you can join how to fast in Ramadan. So I just slowly practice like I don't know why, but I just I was like just coming to be naturally. I just go to I visit to mosque, pray in the mosque and I fast in Ramadan and through the process I get my belief have a little bit developed because when I pray with other Muslims, I get feels really amazing. Like I felt like I...
someone is helping me like someone is watching me and someone is like, want to give me the hope because I was really... Were you Muslim at that time? You're practicing? No, I was not Muslim. I was Catholic but I don't have that much belief. You just trying to practice, but you don't have the belief in Islam? Yeah, I don't have belief but I just start to practice. A kind of meditation or something? Yeah, like was just... at the time, I was like, oh, maybe I can join. Like, why not? Like, I want to learn other culture or another religion. And I told you I have, I have a little bit depression at that time. Really hard depression.
And like actually Korean society is very competitive, very competitive and do you see the ‘’squid game’’? Yeah, I know It's like totally same, like Korean society. It's totally the same. There's only one winner. And if you don't win, everyone is loser and you think you're fail... you're a loser. So I also thought like, oh, why my life is like that, why I'm not successful, but when I practice Islam at that time, I felt like really different. I felt like I find something I lost. I was lost because I was thought about that where I'm from, like the school teach me every knowledge about the science math. But they don't teach me why I'm from and who am I and where I'm going?
And after I die, where I go? They don't suggest me the way I have to go. In Islam, I think they give me the answer that where I have to go and why do I live? I think this is really important because I was really depressed, because I have no purpose of my life, no purpose like why do I leave, where I'm going? Like, what do I have to do? I really have no answer. But when I practice Islam and when I'm with Muslim friends, Muslim people and when I pray like Islam, guide me. Islam answered me about the question, like your purpose of life is to obey obey Allah because the God created us everything. In Ramadan I...
realized that about the gratitude, about the food, about the water, and about my life, about my friends, about my family, about the earth, everything. So after I felt that, I realized that I felt like gratitude to our Creator So at the first time I fasting Ramadan, it was like three years ago. You're not Muslim then? I was not Muslim. But I have belief, I have belief. I do believe in God. Because I am... in this world and the God only God teach me and guide me where I have to go. And they only God teach me like the purpose of the life and how to be make happy your life. So how did you give the Shahada? Yeah, it was like two years ago, I think. Actually, I have the belief after the Ramadan.
I do have belief. I do believe in God. But I.... I didn't think about the Shahada because I thought even if I have belief I can't be Muslim because I live in Korea, I'm Korean. The lifestyle is so different. I think it's not easy. You are the only Muslim in your culture? in your... Not only Muslim, there are few but not many. But at that time, like some Korean Muslim messaged me, his name is Karam. He studied in Madina he graduated in university in Medina study about the Koran, Dawat and everything. He is really knowledgeable Muslim guy so he messaged me ''I want to help you''. So I met him. I asked him about this question. Like I, I have belief, but I'm not, I'm not sure.
I'm not sure I can be Muslim or not? And he answered me, ''Do you understand about that''? Like, nobody is perfect. Nobody's perfect. And even if you be a Muslim, it's not easy to have a perfect Muslim life. But if you don't be a Muslim, then you can be any benefits from this and anything. But even if you do Shahada and if you be a Muslim and after that, you can change yourself slowly, step by step, and then God will reverse you more and more because Allah (swt), our God is merciful and forgiveness and He is our greatest. So He will help you. So if you be a Muslim at first because like you don't know, like you, I can, I can die right now.
Like, there's a heart attack or I will traffic accident. I don't know, I can die right today or nobody knows our future. Yeah, so I so I feel like that way. So, Oh, I think I should be Muslim then. So I went to do... You didn't tell your parents anything? Of course I didn't. Okay. so you went to Masjid? Yeah I went to Masjid in the Taiwan I yeah, I did Shahada in there. How was the feeling of the atmosphere, guys around you? Can you describe that movement for us? Was truly amazing. It was like when I find the Masjid and there was Imam in Korea is the most knowledgeable Imam in Korea. And when I found him, there was other Imams too. There was a meeting at that that day.
They are a lot of coincidence for. So I do Shahada in there and everyone in that place congratulations and welcome to me and welcome to Islam and I felt like you know that like when I do Shahada every since every past since are gone and you become a new person new like a born baby. So I felt like, oh, this is really amazing. And like happiness, I can't describe my feelings at the time. It was, it was really amazing. What was your family's reaction when they found out that you converted to Islam? Actually, there. I filmed that. There's a video. Okay. So well I.. because I do YouTube so I can't hide it because my family also watch my YouTube. So when I talked to my Mom, she was so shocked.
She was so shocked, and she said, like, how can... you do that? And she even talk me, like, are you going to be a terrorist? Because I understand because in Korea adult... because of the image, like always the Western media showed the too negative things about Islam. It's because of media. So she was really worried a lot but I tried my best to explain well about this. Islam is not dangerous and this is my belief and I still love my family and nothing change is just about my belief. She was really worried about that. But she also watched my YouTube video. So she watched many good Muslim, kind Muslims who helped me and who explain about Islam.
So she also start to understand about this, like she have a lot of knowledge about Islam right now because she watch my video. She doesn't accept Islam not yet, Inshallah. Inshallah brothers can pray for this. Yeah, but she understand and respect and support me. So now... What about other members of your family? They are so surprised at first time and my one of my aunt still messaged me like ''Can you change your religion again?'' But they they're surprised but they support me. They they are nothing problem. No problem. Has anyone from your family or close circle accepted Islam because of you ? There is.
And also, my subscribers sometimes messaged me like ''I saw your video and I want to learn about Islam, I want to be a Muslim. How can I do that?'' So I message them like, ''Oh, I will give you the information, the website and the Imam's number. And where is the mosque in Korea?'' So some of my subscribers, Korean subscribers become a Muslim through my video so, Alhamdulillah I'm so glad I'm really happy about that. What are the 3 biggest challenges you faced after converting to Islam? At first when I convert to Islam, Some of my friends reject me because they don't understand. I'm being a Muslim like my kids are so once rejected from the kindergarten.
So I think in Korea, they're not very open minded to other religion. I think I'm not a good Muslim, but sometimes people judge about me a lot like ''You are Muslim. Then why you do that, why you do that, why you do that? This is haram. And this is haram.'' But I know and I know, I know I'm not perfect. I do mistakes, So I think I think I should try more to repent and try to more close to Allah and try to learn more. I think it's a long journey because I just coming to Islam and I hope to be more close to God. So I think if I have that attitude mind and Allah will have help me, I always believed Allah will help me.
You have a big advantage, brother, because for example, I get into adolescence, for example, 15 years when I was 15. So I may have so many sins until this age, but your exam started 3 years ago. So you have a lot of advantages compared to the guy who says ''This is haram, how can you do that ? Alhamdulillah! We aware of the great work you have done to defend Islam in Korea. Aren't you afraid of going to jail? It will be... I'm from South Korea. It's okay. It's not North Korea. You have freedom of religion and we can talk any anything we want. We can we can talk anything. I also defend a lot of things to defend Islam.
Because, like a few months ago in Pegu the city of Korea, there is a construction of mosque in there, but residents offended. So it was stopped. So like few months ago, I went there. I helped them protest and work with them to help their construction of the mosque. Yeah, it can be a problem for me. I don't care. I don't care them most. Like there's a freedom in Korea, freedom religion in Korea. So I can say what I want. So if there is a disadvantage about this. Yeah, I think I accept that. After becoming Muslim, did you ever eat pork by mistake? I think so, because in Korea, everything is pork based.
For example, when I go to restaurant, I always ask them, ''Is there a pork?'' Usually they say, ''Oh, there's a pork.'' Or when they sometimes they say ''There's no pork.'' So I when they say ''There's no pork.'' I eat, but I feel a little bit different. So I asked them, like, "Isn't this like pork based?" Like "The soup is pork based?" They say, "Yes." And I said, "You said there's no pork." And they said, "There's no pork it's just a soup." So, like, they they don't have that knowledge about, like, halal food. Exactly. So studies in Korea. Imagine that you are sitting in a park and Korean man comes to you and says that he knows you and asks you to tell him about your religion.
You have just one minute. What would you say to him? I think I have to explain about the purpose of life. Korean society is to comparative. And there many people don't have the purpose of life, so they feel get depression easily. I have to explain them. "Your purpose of life is obeying God, to serve God and you can find the forever happiness in there. So.. You found a peace in Islam. Yeah, you can find a peace and happiness. What impressed you the most about our Prophet Aleyhissalâtü vesselâm? His characteristics, His way of living or a memory from our Prophet's life? What is the most impressive thing you think?
Okay, for me, when he was tried to spread Islam to the word, there was no Muslim. Right? He was the only Muslim who could get the message and who want to spread the Islam. The message of Islam. I feel a little bit similar because I'm in Korea and no one is Muslim and the only Muslim and I felt that feelings like how to still with that, like, how to... how to deal with that? But our Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) didn't give up. I think it's impossible thing but He did. He spread Islam to the world and now He started with it in the Mecca Medina.
But now see, like far from a place like in Indonesia, Malaysia in the like the West of Africa, everyone believes in Islam and even in South Korea, I believe in Islam. I think this is the amazing thing. And the Islam is the most fastest growing up religion in the world. So I'm really impressed that that His personality and His action is everything. But I really impressed that He did spread Islam when nobody believes Islam. What do you think is the biggest lie and the biggest truth in this world? I think the biggest lie is "You can't do it!" You can't do. You can't. I think this is lie. Because in Korea, I told you, Korea is very comparative society.
So if you're not successful in something many people say to you, "You can’t do it." But it's not like "I can do everything." I can do everything what I want. And it's depends on belief. And if I do believe in God and if I do believe the help of God and if I believe the plan of God, I can do it. I can try because I have strong motivation. Even if you can reach the goal, you can yeah, maybe. But if you do it with the strong motivation with your belief, then you can do something even if you can reach the goal. So I think that's it. That's what I think. And the biggest true is also "You can do it." Yes! Same there's what I want to say. You can do it.
I believe in the mercy of God, the help of God, the plan of God. So I can.. do it. What is your biggest dream in this life? I want to be a good person. Good Muslim, before I die. I think it's not easy thing. Purpose of life is obey our God Our journey is to go... to the Jannah I want to learn more, practice more, and... I want to do something for for Korean... Koreans too. Korean culture is a lot of anger and depression. And I think the one of the biggest reason is they don't have belief. They don't have belief because there's no hope when they are feel the depression No one help you. You can't... you can't find anyone rely on. The suicide rate is the highest.
Korea has the highest suicide levels. For example, I'm Muslim. If there's a good thing I agreed to "This is because of God". So I gratitude and if there is a bad thing, I also can think "This is just plan of God, this is a trier". I can overcome it. If you don't believe God, if you're atheist, if you don't believe anything then there is a good thing you think "Oh, I'm successful because of me. So they can be really arrogant. And if there is a hard thing, they think like, "Oh, why we're just like this? They blame themselves. And they get the depression and the depression is high then they suicide or something. I think in Korean society, really, they need... belief, I think.
Imagine that you're a contestant in squid game and you have to deceive or lie to someone to avoid getting killed. What would you do? I don't want to lie I don't know. You have the right to not answer this question. I don't know. I will not. I will not answer. Okay. Thanks for being with us. It was a great pleasure. Thanks for inviting me. Alhamdulillah!