[다큐온] 65명의 꿈이 자라는 해발 3천 미터 오지마을 학교. 가난한 사진작가 '알렉스 김', 교장선생님이 되다 | "나의 친구 알렉스" (KBS 20220722 방송)

DocuON (Saturdays at 11:40 PM on KBS 1TV) “My Friend Alex” (Aired July 22, 2022) Surungo, a remote village nestled 3,000 meters above sea level in the distant Pakistani mountains, has been supporting the dreams of the village's children for 11 years. This is documentary photographer Alex Kim, who has sponsored the village's only school. Alex Kim, the children's principal, neighbor, and friend, embarks on another perilous journey to fulfill a long-held promise to the children. ◼︎ A School at 3,000 Meters, Where 65 Dreams Grow Surungo, nestled 3,200 meters above sea level, is a remote village nestled in the mountains, nestled 3,200 meters above sea level, facing the Karakoram Mountains, west of the Himalayas. This remote village, with few amenities, boasts its only pride: an elementary school. Although it's a small school without desks or chairs, 65 children sit on worn-out carpets on the cold floor, diligently reading and writing, nurturing their dreams for the future. Despite its short history of just 11 years, the school has become the only hope for the children and the villagers. The person who runs this school is none other than Alex Kim, a Korean. He has been providing teachers for the school, which was struggling due to lack of government support, and has been supporting their salaries for the past 11 years, enabling them to continue teaching the children. ◼︎ A Poor Documentary Photographer Becomes Headmaster of a Remote Village in Pakistan Alex Kim is a documentary photographer who has been traveling the world since he was 20. Just three years after starting his photography career as an amateur, he won the National Geographic Portrait Award for Excellence. In 2011, he participated as a photographer in the Latok expedition in the Himalayas led by mountaineer Kim Se-jun, where he met Yusup, a porter who was assisting the expedition. Alex Kim, who visited Surungo, the village where he lived, to express his gratitude for his dedicated help, was heartbroken to see the children sitting on the cold classroom floor, stumbling to write with their fingers. Seeing the children thirsting for learning in a school without proper books, let alone teachers, Alex made a promise to Yusup: "I'll send you the teacher's salary every month, so please protect the school." Alex, a freelance photographer who still lives in a rented apartment, has faithfully kept that promise for 11 years. ◼︎ Delivering desks and chairs to Alex Elementary School after 11 years This year marks the 11th anniversary of Alex Elementary School. Thanks to its establishment, every child in Surungo Village has access to a primary education and has overcome illiteracy. And that's not all. Over 50 of the graduates who pursued their dreams thanks to Alex Elementary School have gone on to attend university in nearby cities. Alex boards a plane to Pakistan again after three years to fulfill a long-held wish. He wants to install desks and chairs in classrooms for the children who still study face-to-face on the cold cement floor. With no direct flights from Korea, the journey to Pakistan takes a full two days. It's a 40-hour drive from the capital, Islamabad, to the northern city of Skardu, and then another seven hours to the mountain village of Surungo. However, Alex feels more excited than distressed as he thinks of the children who will sit at his desk and pursue their dreams. We follow his long yet beautiful journey, hoping to be remembered by the children and villagers not as "principal," but as a "friendly Korean friend." #OjimaeulSchool #Pakistan #AlexKim ※ [Documentary ON] Watch Popular Videos South Korea's Class: All 12 of the World's Largest Ships Fully Loaded During COVID-19! [다큐온] 코시국★에 세계 최대 크기 선박 12척 모두 만선 기록한 대한민국... The Collapse of the Korean Shipping Industry and the Harsh Reality Brought About by Hanjin Shipping's Bankruptcy [다큐온] 한진해운 파산이 가져온 한국 해운업의 몰락과 냉혹한 현실 | “코... South Korea's ★POWER★: Turning the Shipbuilding Crisis into an Opportunity for Wind Energy Generation [다큐온] 조선업 위기를 풍력 에너지 발전의 기회로 삼은 대한민국의 ★POW... Green Algae and the Gift of the Land: Renewable Energy Buildings [다큐온] 녹조류와 땅이 주는 선물, 신재생에너지 건물 | “다시 부는 녹색... The Future of Global Energy Led by the K-Hydrogen Energy Industry [다큐온] K-수소에너지 산업이 이끄는 세계 에너지의 미래 | “다시 부는 ...