Ben Kang was born in Seoul, South Korea. In 2007, when Kang was in fourth grade, he moved to Columbus, Ohio, went back to South Korea, then moved to Meridian, Idaho for seventh grade. Kang did not have his family with him when he moved to Meridian. He lived with a host family and later lived with friends that he met in Idaho. Kang shared that this was a difficult experience for him, even though he had great families looking out for him. He had to overcome many obstacles, such as adjusting to five different families, and the unsettled feeling of frequently moving from elementary school through college.
In South Korea, 18 months of military service is mandatory. Kang knew that he would need to go back and serve in the Republic of Korea Army. While serving in the Korean Army from 2020-2022, Kang was a drill instructor and trained fellow soldiers.
“It made me more patient, helped me become a better leader and showed me how to understand people better,” he said. “It also taught me how to get things done and still have fun while doing it.”
In August 2022, he returned to the U.S. to continue his education.
Following his experience serving in the Korean military, Kang chose Boise State because he was excited about the opportunities and programs offered. He chose to become a Games, Interactive Media & Mobile Technology (GIMM) major because he saw it as an innovative field, with lots of career opportunities.
Kang is currently a junior pursuing a GIMM degree. In summer 2023, Kang will be an Implementation Consultant Intern for Fast Enterprises and he is interested in pursuing a career in web design programming after graduation.