--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think my father would have become a…" description: "\"I think my father would have become a millionaire if he had grown up in South Korea or the United States... Almost anywhere else, business would have b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11e/park-yeon-mi-5169_business_i-think-my-father-would-have-become-a-mi_1234563.jpg" --- # I think my father would have become a millionaire if he… ![“I think my father would have become a millionaire if he had grown up in South Korea or the United States... Almost anywhere else, business would have been my father's vocation. But in North Korea, it was simply a means to survive.” quote by Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11e/park-yeon-mi-5169_business_i-think-my-father-would-have-become-a-mi_1234563.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11e/park-yeon-mi-5169_business_i-think-my-father-would-have-become-a-mi_1234563.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11e/park-yeon-mi-5169_business_i-think-my-father-would-have-become-a-mi_1234563.jpg) > “I think my father would have become a millionaire if he had grown up in South Korea or the United States... Almost anywhere else, business would have been my father's vocation. But in North Korea, it was simply a means to survive.” [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Economic opportunity depends heavily on a country's political and economic system. **In simple terms:** System determines wealth chances. Key Takeaway Consider how environment shapes success. Themes economics geopolitics opportunity migration inequality Mood reflective thoughtful Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - investment decisions - education choices - family expectations Key Concepts capitalism social mobility national policy Questions to Reflect On - What systemic factors most affect your prospects? - How can you mitigate environmental constraints? A Different Perspective Individual effort alone may not overcome systemic barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Millionaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millionaire/) [North korea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/north-korea/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [South korea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/south-korea/) ## Related quotes > [I think a lot of people see, obviously, the business side of my father. But, I mean, he's just a great guy. We enjoyed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump-jr/i-think-a-lot-of-people-see-obviously-the-business-side-of-my-father/) [Donald Trump, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump-jr/) > [This caste system had grown by the practice of the son always following the business of the father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/this-caste-system-had-grown-by-the-practice-of-the-son-always/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I knew real show business from my father, who had been an actor since he left the world of boxing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-earl-jones/i-knew-real-show-business-from-my-father-who-had-been-an-actor-since/) [James Earl Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-earl-jones/) > [I always thought, 'Will I go into the business, or will I not go into the business?' But when my father got arrested, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-kushner/i-always-thought-will-i-go-into-the-business-or-will-i-not-go-into/) [Jared Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-kushner/) > [I was never really brought into the show business side of my father's life. I guess that's been a blessing and a downfall. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-zimbalist/i-was-never-really-brought-into-the-show-business-side-of-my-father-s/) [Stephanie Zimbalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-zimbalist/) > [My parents were both in show business. My father was an actor, my mom an actress, and both singers, dancers and actors. They met…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micky-dolenz/my-parents-were-both-in-show-business-my-father-was-an-actor-my-mom/) [Micky Dolenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micky-dolenz/) > [I worked in the family business, which was my father's shoe making company that he had inherited from his father, and that led me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-della-valle/i-worked-in-the-family-business-which-was-my-father-s-shoe-making/) [Diego Della Valle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-della-valle/) > [I came to South Korea with a feeling of deep kinship, but people here perceive me only as a talbukja, someone of a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/i-came-to-south-korea-with-a-feeling-of-deep-kinship-but-people-here/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [When I was in South Korea, the books that I read about Americans were actually Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama. If this country actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/when-i-was-in-south-korea-the-books-that-i-read-about-americans-were/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [I think you have to be a father to understand those feelings... that happiness of being a father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/badshah/i-think-you-have-to-be-a-father-to-understand-those-feelings-that/) [Badshah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/badshah/) > [“It's idiotic, it's crazy. If you die and then you're just nothing, there isn't any point to anything. Why do we live at all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/it-s-idiotic-it-s-crazy-if-you-die-and-then-you-re-just-nothing-there/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [Think of the Father as a spring of life begetting the Son like a river and the Holy Ghost like a sea, for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-damascus/think-of-the-father-as-a-spring-of-life-begetting-the-son-like-a/) [John of Damascus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-damascus/) > [“I tried to think of what my father would tell me. 'Don't let any boy give you shit.' But he'd never said how we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-maynard/i-tried-to-think-of-what-my-father-would-tell-me-don-t-let-any-boy/) [Joyce Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-maynard/) > [“She tried not to think of her father, once a brief inmate of those twenty-foot-high, three-foot-thick crenellated walls. Now”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-t-ellison/she-tried-not-to-think-of-her-father-once-a-brief-inmate-of-those/) [J.T. Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-t-ellison/) > [With every year that passes, I get further away from my target audience, and while I've been happy to think of myself as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-horowitz/with-every-year-that-passes-i-get-further-away-from-my-target/) [Anthony Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-horowitz/) ## More by Park Yeon-mi > [Risking your life is not an easy thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/risking-your-life-is-not-an-easy-thing-to-do/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [Going to Columbia, the first thing I learned was 'safe space.' Every problem, they explained us, is because of white men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/going-to-columbia-the-first-thing-i-learned-was-safe-space-every/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [I was a slave. I was sold in China in 2007 as a child at 13 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/i-was-a-slave-i-was-sold-in-china-in-2007-as-a-child-at-13-years-old/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [My mum was sold for $65 and I was sold for $260 - at the age of 13.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/my-mum-was-sold-for-65-and-i-was-sold-for-260-at-the-age-of-13/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [If there is no word that means you don't have the concept. In North Korea they eliminate the words: depression, stress, dictatorship, human rights.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/if-there-is-no-word-that-means-you-don-t-have-the-concept-in-north/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [My favorite movies were 'Titanic,' 'James Bond' and 'Pretty Woman' - people smuggled in pirate copies from China.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/my-favorite-movies-were-titanic-james-bond-and-pretty-woman-people/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [Kim Jong-un and the regime don't just oppress - they play with human lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/kim-jong-un-and-the-regime-don-t-just-oppress-they-play-with-human/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [My father died without knowing even this kind of democracy exists in the world. He didn't even know this much food was available in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/my-father-died-without-knowing-even-this-kind-of-democracy-exists-in/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [That is what is happening in America. People see things, but still they've just completely lost the ability to think critically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/that-is-what-is-happening-in-america-people-see-things-but-still-they/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [North Korea is a religion. We are told that Kim is a god and that he knows what you are thinking and how many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/north-korea-is-a-religion-we-are-told-that-kim-is-a-god-and-that-he/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [I had to be very unrealistic about my situation. If I was so realistic I would never have made it this far. So, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/i-had-to-be-very-unrealistic-about-my-situation-if-i-was-so-realistic/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [I thought North Koreans were the only people who hated Americans, but turns out there are a lot of people hating this country in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/i-thought-north-koreans-were-the-only-people-who-hated-americans-but/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [Back in 2014, at the One Young World Summit in Dublin, I shared my story of my escape from North Korea to China in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/back-in-2014-at-the-one-young-world-summit-in-dublin-i-shared-my/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [North Korea is a very Confucius country. We respect the elders, the hierarchy. It's not like America where anyone can step up and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/north-korea-is-a-very-confucius-country-we-respect-the-elders-the/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [Everything in North Korea was about the leader, all the books, music and TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/everything-in-north-korea-was-about-the-leader-all-the-books-music/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) [Explore all 103 Park Yeon-mi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) ## More Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. 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