When Kunwoo and Miyeon Park moved to Broomall in June 2024, they arrived with two young children, excited for the next chapter of their lives. Fresh from Seoul, South Korea, where both had lived, worked and built the early years of their marriage, the Park family came to the Marple area for one purpose: Kunwoo’s new position as pastor of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church. What they didn’t expect was how deeply the community would feel like “home” in such a short time.
“We’re very glad to call Marple our first home in America,” said Kunwoo, a sentiment made even more meaningful because they arrived with no family members nearby. Their parents and siblings remain in Korea and Los Angeles, making the kindness of neighbors and the warmth of their new church community all the more treasured.
Although the Parks moved from Seoul, Kunwoo’s story actually began in California. He wanted everyone to know that it’s not ‘Cali’ but California. He spent his childhood and teen years in Millbrae, attending Mills High School and diving enthusiastically into activities like baseball, the robotics club and Boy Scouts. After graduating in 2009, he continued on to UC Berkeley, earning a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2013.
But even before graduation, Kunwoo felt the pull toward ministry. Inspired in part by his father, who was a Korean Methodist minister, Kunwoo pursued seminary studies in Korea after graduating from Berkeley. “I really wanted a career where I could make a long-term impact,” he explained. “In clergy circles, we refer to it as a calling.” That calling eventually led him across the globe to Korea’s Methodist Theological University, where he earned his Master of Divinity in 2018, and, as it turns out, met his future wife, Miyeon.
After completing his theological training, Kunwoo was led to St. Mark’s United Methodist (UMC) by contacting the Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference. St. Mark’s is a warm and inclusive worship community rooted in United Methodist tradition, and they recently celebrated their 75th Anniversary of service to Broomall.
For Kunwoo, serving as pastor of St. Mark’s is more than a job, it’s a calling rooted in community. He describes his work as “doing life together,” a phrase that reflects his heart felt philosophy of ministry. “I always considered pastoring a church to be nothing more special than doing the regular
part of life together,” he said.
“As a church, we share the happiest moments of our lives–like children/grandchildren being born or progressing through the chapters of life–and also the most difficult moments–like our loved ones passing. The best part of doing life together is that no one is ‘in it’ for any ulterior motive but simply to be together. Despite the ups and downs, the celebrations, mourning, or even frustrations, if we are doing it together as we worship God, that is a community of faith.”
Miyeon, who grew up in Cheongju, Korea, also studied at Methodist Theological University, earning both a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Theology. She was deeply involved in ministry work, serving as a director of children’s ministry and later young adult ministry. Outside of church, she worked as a freelance graphic designer and played piano in contemporary Christian worship bands—something she still enjoys.
Today, Miyeon is focusing on caring for her two children and adjusting to life in America while considering her next steps. “I hope to return to ministry or resume graphic design work someday, but for now I’m embracing this season of transition,” she said. A gifted cook and baker, Miyeon enjoys the novelty of having an American-style oven, a luxury not found in most Korean homes.
The Parks’ love story is one of those charming tales that becomes funnier with time. Both were assigned to help international students settle into life in Korea, but instead, they somehow ended up helping each other. One day, Kunwoo called Miyeon asking for help carrying boxes of food upstairs. When she arrived, she found that he easily could have carried them himself. The “help” was nothing more than a cleverly disguised setup.
They married in May 2019 at the church where Kunwoo served at the time. The sanctuary seated more than a thousand people. “Far more than we needed,” Kunwoo recalled. But to the couple, the venue held meaning, and that was enough. Their short honeymoon turned into an adventure: a whirlwind trip split between London and Paris, squeezed between ministry duties and powered mostly by jetlag and excitement.
They returned to their first home together, a small new studio apartment in Seoul. It was cozy, simple, and, because they were among the building’s first tenants, blissfully free of roaches and rodents. But as their first year of marriage wrapped up, the pandemic began. With work and ministry dramatically slowed, they spent long stretches of time together at home, watching movies and learning how to create joy in quiet, ordinary days. “We purchased a projector, which came in handy for Netflix and their Korean equivalents!” said Kunwoo.
The Parks are parents to two young daughters who fill their Broomall home with laughter, personality and constant motion. The couple’s oldest, Somi, age 3, was born in 2022 and now attends daycare. “She loves singing, dancing, running, jumping, and, perhaps surprisingly, cutting things with scissors,” said Kunwoo. Her parents describe her as cautious and introverted at first, but she becomes wonderfully talkative once she warms
up. Kunwoo and Miyeon love taking her to local playgrounds, and their latest discovery was the Smith Memorial Playground in Fairmount Park.
Yina was born in March 2024 and is the bold, fearless counterpart to her older sister. Also attending daycare, she loves copying Somi, smiling at everyone, and drawing, preferably on the floor, the wall or any surface except the one she’s supposed to use. “She knows about the survival of the fittest,” the Parks joked. “She’s competitive and determined!”
Both girls have adjusted beautifully to life in Broomall, thanks in part to the routines, parks and friendly environment that now shape their daily life. Living next to the church, right between Russell Elementary and the Marple Library, the Parks appreciate the peaceful, spacious feel of their neighborhood. After 1.5 years, they’re still excited to explore the area and meet more neighbors. And although they aren’t yet involved in local clubs or activities, they’re very open to it.
In the meantime, the family spends weekends exploring local playgrounds, walking around town and visiting the Shore near Neptune, New Jersey. “We’ve been five times already this year!” they laughed. With winter approaching, they’re on the lookout for indoor play spaces to keep the girls active and entertained.
The Parks have also become Eagles fans! Although not quite Phillies fans yet (Kunwoo is loyal to the Golden State Warriors and San Francisco Giants), since moving to the area, he’s even incorporated some Eagles chants into his weekly sermons. “I’ve realized how passionate the fans are around here!” he said.
Kunwoo is also eager to get involved in local basketball or baseball groups. “If anyone has recommendations,” he asked, “Please give me a holler! You can even call the church line and leave a message.”
Even though they are far from their relatives, the Parks feel deeply grateful for the warm welcomes, friendly faces and steady support they’ve received since arriving in Broomall. The community, they say, has become “the home away from home” they hoped to find. And to the community they now belong to, the Park family offers a simple but heartfelt message: “We are grateful for all those who have welcomed us—and for those we have yet to meet!”