Acknowledgements

DaeMin Kim

      This web site(DaeMin Kim's personal website) could not have been created without the advice of Dr. YongJin Won(원용진) from the Department of EcoScience of the Ewha Womans University.  While working as a visitor with him in the Lab of Molecular Ecology at the University in 2007, I gained basic knowledge about the systemics-related experiments and successfully set a perfect example to be such a young open-minded scientist.  At that time I planned for studying abroad to the U of MN on the opposite side of the Earth. For those who are from South Korea so have their first language of Korean, the first step of preparation for studying in the U.S might be learning English.  I was not an exception and it was - it still is -, honestly speaking, very stressful, because I have never spoken or written in English since I was born.  Dr. Won who has over 7-year-long experience on studying and doing research in the U.S suggested to me write English in the fashion of personal online journal or personal web site. I thought a personal web site may work better for me, since I expect to share information and experiences of freshwater fishes in the world with potential "ramdon fishmen" through my personal web site.

      I am indebted to Dr. Andrew M. Simons in the University of Minnesota at St. Paul for his enormous help. Thanks to Dr. Simons, I study in a nice college, read better books, know fish and the science more and do research on my favorite fish species. I will never forget his help when I bought a car, created my Social Security Number and moved to a better place. This nice life I am currently having in Minnesota is only a small piece of what he has given. As impressed by his knowledge, I am trying to update my information base(=brain) with newer information about fish of the world, not limited to the East Asia as did I before. Also, probably I drank more than 10 six-bottle-packs of beer from his fridge. Everytime I think about this, I slowly realize I am truly indebted to Dr. Simons in many ways. I know I will study hard and work hard.

      I truly thank those who helped me in South Korea. 
 HyungBae Jeon(전형배), president of the Korean Fish Proteur Group "Asari", and HyungPyo Jeon(전형표) in the Hallim University donated more than 30 pictures of South Korean freshwater fishes they have taken.  HyungBae Jeon created a link to this web site on the main page of Asari's online community.  Mr. Byun, YoungHo(변영호), a leader for an elementary school student's amateur naturalist group, Haneulgang, allowed me to use all the pictures of fish that he uploads to the Asari's online community in any purpose. It is my pleasure to introduce these nice people more in detail at a seperated space of this web site, "Donation".

      I especially have to mention the following in the Ichthyology Lab of the U of MN: Brett Nagle, Ozge Goktepe, Peter Hundt, Tony Gamble and Vincent Hirt. From my life in the U.S, the research I am doing and postings on this web site to a seine and fishing equipments I used yesterday are greatly seasoned with these cool researchers' advice, suggestion, help, correction and jokes. With the only exception of Ozge Goktepe(the only lady on the list above) who is working in Canada, these gentlemen will be received good dinners sometime

     Lastly, I am grateful to JaeYoon Lee(이재윤) for the assistances of him in dealing with stuff associated with the internet.

  21 AUG, 2009