Women and girls today are no longer interested in spinning and weaving; instead all they wish to do is go shopping.
Ge Hung, Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD)

So Young’s family at Incheon Airport, February 2003. Back from left to right: So Young, Julian & Yasmin, Ji Yun, Mi Young, Su Young, Young Nam, Mi Souk, Im. Front from left to right: Ji Yung, Cheong Gu, Mang Young Gil, Yu Jin & Su Jin

So Young was born in Seoul, South Korea and is one of six sisters. She has had a pretty varied life over the last few years having lived in Ghana, Kenya, Russia, Singapore, Viet Nam, Thailand, England and Spain. She now has friends scattered all over the world (thank heavens for email) and is also able to speak smatterings of Russian, Swahili, Thai, Vietnamese as well as fluent Korean and English.

She has become a more than competent bridge player and has played at all the best clubs in Singapore and Sai Gon.

She is a stylish skiier - when she decides to stay upright - her most famous moment being a record descent of a black run at Les Deux Alpes in France. I guess her advantage over the rest of us is that she went in a straight line from top to bottom on her stomach ignoring the winding

piste, although quite how she didn’t hit a tree remains a mystery.

She has also logged more than 50 dives off the coasts of Indonesia, Malaysia, Kenya and Australia. Apparently, according to her dive instructor, she is the only person in the world who can giggle at a depth of 30 metres.

Favourite food: kimchi, kimchi and more kimchi.