Kelly Ye, country manager of ETS Korea / Courtesy of ETS Korea

ETS, the world's largest private educational testing and measurement organization has been delivering the TOEFL iBT® since 1964 to help students advance into a greater world of education. The TOEFL® test is designed to measure the English-language proficiency of people whose native language is not English. TOEFL stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language.

Over the past 60 years, the TOEFL® test has opened new pathways for leaders, artists, influencers, scholars and celebrities. It has left an imprint on almost every field, providing so many individuals with an opportunity to make their mark on the world.

The TOEFL Creating Leaders for 60 Years program marks the TOEFL program's 60 years of service and highlights individuals from around the world who have taken the TOEFL test and are making a distinct impact in their respective industry or field of specialty.

Kelly Ye, country manager of ETS Korea said, "We are more than proud to present the distinguished leaders who are encouraging young learners worldwide to follow their own passions through education."

She added, "We hope the stories of the leaders can be an inspiration for those who are following their dreams, and hoping the dreams become their reality."

Park Jeong-woon: Testament to the power of education

Park Jeong-woon, president of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) since February 2022, was born in a small town in South Chungcheong Province. His life took a pivotal turn at 12 when his family moved to Seoul, where he began his academic journey, attending middle and high school before earning a bachelor's degree in English Language and Literature from HUFS.

Park Jeong-woon, president of HUFS / Courtesy of HUFS

Engaging in linguistics courses in his junior year sparked a deep interest in the field, ultimately leading him to pursue a master's in English Linguistics from HUFS.

"I was fascinated by the scientific analysis of linguistic phenomena," Park recalls, a passion that led him to further his studies at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in linguistics. Transitioning from Korea to the United States presented challenges, with the language barrier proving particularly difficult.

As an international student, Park needed to take the TOEFL to apply to institutions in the United States. "I took it once and achieved the score I needed. I believe my TOEFL score helped me gain admission to the universities where I wanted to study," he said.

His experience underscores the importance of English proficiency for international students. "Advanced English proficiency is mandatory for successfully working with people who do not speak Korean," Park advises. However, he also acknowledges that in his personal life, he manages well without English.

As president of HUFS, Park oversees partnerships with over 600 institutions worldwide, with nearly 3,500 international students attending in 2023. He values their role, saying, "They are essential for fostering international cooperation, as they understand the cultures and business practices of the countries where they work."

To those international students preparing for the TOEFL and considering studying abroad, Park offers practical advice. "First, they should have a good command of the language of the country where they hope to study. Second, they need to be tolerant of cultural differences. It would be beneficial if they could adapt to local customs," he said.

Park's experience highlights the power of education, perseverance and adaptability. His journey from a small provincial town to the HUFS presidency underscores the importance of language skills, cultural openness and following one's passions — an inspiring story for aspiring international students.

Ryan Lee: Co-founder of The Pinkfong Company

In a world that seems to thrive on division and negativity at times, it's nice to highlight someone who has used his talent and passion to create something that brings joy — especially to children.

Ryan Lee, originally from Korea, initially had dreams of making movies in Hollywood. When that didn't materialize the way he thought, he didn't give up on his dream of providing entertainment.

Ryan Lee, co-founder of The Pinkfong Company

Through a series of business model trials and errors, Lee and his team came up with an "edutainment" idea for the pre-K audience. And so, the world was introduced to and became obsessed with "Baby Shark." Lee created the catchy, stuck-in-your-head-for-days song and adorable animated shark that captured the toddler world and their parents by storm.

Lee majored in philosophy during his undergraduate years. "Humanities majors are not very popular in South Korea, but since I wanted to become a movie director at the time, I thought that philosophy would teach good concepts like thinking logically, asking the right questions and the importance of creative concepts," Lee said.

Since military participation is mandatory in Korea, Lee had the opportunity to work in cooperation with the U.S. Army, which exposed him to learning English and the world of online gaming and entertainment. Realizing he could learn more about gaming in the U.S. and meet people in the entertainment industry, he started to chart his course.

Taking the TOEFL was one of the first steps. "TOEFL serves as a pivotal gateway, unlocking not only the doors to higher education in the United States but also fostering a broader platform for global engagement," he said.

Lee pursued his executive MBA from Kellogg -HKUST in 2020. With a newfound acumen for business and a philosophy background that enabled him to ask the right questions about what kind of entertainment business to pursue, Lee saw the growing potential of the "edutainment" industry and an unfulfilled gap in the toddler to pre-K demographic. And thus, "Baby Shark" was born.

"I wanted to provide something fun, something that made me different and also provided value," explains Lee. "People in the U.S. think sharks are bad and vicious. I took the scary out of the shark because everything ‘baby' is cute. This was an unexplored idea; not the usual puppies and butterflies."

Lee's business, The Pinkfong Company, has produced over 5,000 songs and stories including the viral "Baby Shark," which became YouTube's No. 1 most-watched video with over 10 billion views and spawned an empire including an original animated series, live world tours, interactive games and more.

From TOEFL to tunes for tots, Ryan Lee has made a fun and educational impact on the young, and the young at heart.