Growing up far from her homeland, Kim Na Eun had every reason to struggle with her studies. Instead, the 17-year-old from Miri has quietly made history.
Na Eun has become the first South Korean student in Malaysia to score A+ in all 10 subjects she sat for in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2025, including Bahasa Melayu, according to The Borneo Post.
Her father, Kim Taeho, said the family was completely overwhelmed when they collected her results at SMK St Columba in Miri, Sarawak on 31 March.
“I cried the moment she told me her results.”
We did not expect her to get straight A+ in all subjects, including Bahasa Melayu, as she struggled with learning Bahasa Melayu during her primary school years,” he told the English daily.
A long way from Seoul
The family relocated from South Korea to Miri in 2013 when Na Eun was just five years old.
She began her schooling at SK St Columba before continuing her secondary education at SMK St Columba.
Her subjects spanned a demanding mix across the sciences and humanities including Bahasa Melayu, English, Moral, History, Mathematics, Additional Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Bible Knowledge.
No tuition, just discipline
What makes the achievement even more remarkable is how Na Eun got there.
Her father, a taekwondo master who teaches children with special needs, confirmed she did not attend any external tuition classes and spent her free time training taekwondo every day.
Na Eun herself is a fourth Dan black belt (Kukkiwon) who competes at both national and international levels, a demanding schedule that most students would consider incompatible with SPM revision.
She credited her martial arts training for giving her the mental fortitude to push through the pressure of exams.
Eyes on dentistry, but First, Jeju
With SPM behind her, Na Eun has her sights set firmly on the future.
She plans to pursue A Levels before studying dentistry, but her immediate priority is sport.
She is currently focusing on preparations for the 107th Korea National Sports Festival, set to take place on 17 October in Jeju Island, South Korea.
