Korean in Malaysia attempts month-long Ramadan fast

2026-03-14 - 23:23

Korean Park Wonho juggles content creation alongside his day job in Malaysia. (Park Wonho pic) PETALING JAYA: How far would you go to truly understand someone else’s traditions? For most non-Muslims, Ramadan is simply a time to enjoy the bazaar food and festive cheer at each day end. But for Park Wonho, a Korean living in Malaysia, Ramadan turned into a month-long journey of discipline, and it’s not just for show. For 38-year-old Park, moving to Malaysia two years ago was just the beginning. While he initially came for work, he soon discovered that life here had far more to offer. “I found Malaysia to be very peaceful and it’s the first country where I’ve never felt like an outsider,” Park told FMT Lifestyle. After finishing his military service, Park left South Korea for study, spending two years in the Philippines before heading to Canada. He later returned home to work for several years, before relocating to Japan to pursue a career in banking. After the pandemic, he landed a job in Malaysia. Park enjoys immersing himself in Malaysian life and learning about local culture. (Park Wonho pic) “I wanted to learn more about the country and its culture. So I started a YouTube channel and I didn’t really expect much – but many people started watching,” he shared. Park has around 20,000 subscribers now and more than 50 videos on his channel. Almost all of his audience is from Malaysia. His first video documented an experiment – taking a taxi from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore to see how much the journey would cost. His first viral moment, however, was a video in which he tried surviving on just RM50 for a week. He has since created numerous videos, from catching live mud crabs in Pulau Ketam to working at a roadside bahulu stall, earning him many local fans. “I’ve always believed that if you never experience something, you never really learn. I don’t like just filming people and watching. I prefer spending time with them, and gaining better insight into the local culture,” he shared. Among his latest experiences was trying to fast for Ramadan. “Last year, I attempted it for the first time and lasted seven days. This year, I’m still fasting and trying to continue all the way until Hari Raya.” While Park fasted for seven days last year, this time he’s observing the full month of Ramadan. (WonHoHo Youtube pic) Contrary to popular belief, Park started fasting purely for himself, long before filming it for YouTube. “I have Muslim friends from other countries, and when I saw them fasting during Ramadan, I knew there must be a reason.” To gain a better understanding, Park even visits mosques during the holy month. He said he made the videos mostly to help bridge the gap between non-Muslims and Muslims. “Many Koreans and Japanese have little understanding of Muslim culture,” he explained. The first few days of the fast, he admitted, were very tough, and he felt extremely thirsty. But after a week, his body adjusted. Park also noticed many benefits, not just physical, such as losing weight. “In the beginning of fasting, I became easily annoyed and angry. From the second week, I started controlling my emotions better.” After spending two years here, Park says he plans to settle down in Malaysia. (Park Wonho pic) Park didn’t just fast – he also abstained from certain behaviours, and took part in encouraged activities, such as helping others. “It’s quite a nice experience,” he said. “I started giving food to many homeless and underprivileged people in Kuala Lumpur and even visited an orphanage for the first time in my life. “I didn’t have a very good childhood myself, so helping them felt like I was healing myself too.” While the majority of his subscribers have been overwhelmingly supportive of his journey, Park admitted that a few viewers were sceptical. “Some Muslims worry that outsiders might disrupt their culture. I understand that, so I try my best to follow their ways, not my own.” While he is now just a week away from completing his fast, Park said he’s happy to have settled down in Malaysia. “I’ve been to more than 15 or 20 countries already, but this is the best country, culture-wise,” he said. “Honestly, I had some stereotypical ideas about Muslims. But once I started living alongside them, I realised we are all the same.” Check out Park Wonho on YouTube and Instagram.