Kim Ung-yong

Kim Ung-Yong was born on March 8, 1962, in Seoul, South Korea.^[1] His father, Kim Soo-Sun, was a physics professor at Konkuk University, and his mother, Yoo Myung-Hyun, was a teacher.^[4] According to Yoo, by the time he was one year old, Kim had learned both the Korean alphabet and 1,000 Chinese characters by studying the Thousand Character Classic, a 6th-century Chinese poem.^[5]

At three years old, he was able to solve calculus problems, and also published a 247-page best-selling book of his essays in English and German, as well as his calligraphy and illustrations.^[4][1] By the age of two, Kim could speak Korean, English, French, German and Japanese.^[5]

At the age of five, Kim appeared on Fuji Television in Japan and shocked the audience by solving differential equations. Later he appeared on Japanese television again, where he solved complicated differential and integral calculus problems; he later recalled the experience:^[1]

I was really lonely. No one ever made friends with me. After work hours, I could exercise and enjoy my hobbies, but no one could accompany me. I came from another country and I was young, so there were no seats for children even though everyone was an adult.

 

Kim allegedly went to study nuclear physics at the University of Colorado when he was eight years old, according to popular sources.^[1] However, at the time of his college entrance exam's fitness section—where he gained much media attention—his father revealed to reporters that going to Japan to shoot the Fuji TV show was the "one and only time he went out of the country", and that the information of his Ph.D and master's degree progress in the States was "journalistic nonsense".^[6] His statement that Kim did not leave at all is slightly detracted by the statement of Kim's mother, who stated that while he did "leave for a short moment to audit classes at the University of Colorado", he was returned immediately due to their facilities being "inadequate for [Kim]'s genius", who was then homeschooled until his college entrance exam.^[7]

Upon returning to South Korea, Kim was required to formally complete South Korean schooling in order to get a job. He later enrolled in Chungbuk National University where he studied civil engineering and earned a Ph.D.^[1]

As of 2007^[update], he served as adjunct faculty at Chungbuk National University. On March 14, 2014, he became an associate professor at Shinhan University and vice president of the North Kyeong-gi Development Research Center.

In 2010, Kim criticized the idea that he is a "failed genius". Reflecting upon the label, he stated, "I'm trying to tell people that I am happy the way I am. But why do people have to call my happiness a failure?". Additionally, he added that "Some think people with a high IQ can be omnipotent, but that's not true. Look at me, I don't have musical talent, nor am I excelling in sports. [...] Society should not judge anyone with unilateral standards – everyone has different learning levels, hopes, talents, and dreams and we should respect that".^[8][9]

• K. Visalini, an Indian prodigy who is purported to have a tested 225 IQ