After he retired, Chan Jae Lee, who lives in Brazil, decided to spend his days taking care of his two young grandchildren, driving them back and forth to school and taking the opportunity to spend some quality time with them. But when Lee’s daughter moved her family to Korea, he was left with a gaping hole in his life. “All of a sudden, I had nothing to do and I missed them terribly,” Lee said.
In 2015, Lee’s third grandchild was born to his son Ji. He traveled to New York to meet the baby and it was there that Ji suggested his dad begin drawing pictures for his grandkids and posting them on Instagram as a way to keep in touch. “I liked the idea and found a purpose to draw and I learned how to stay in touch with my grandkids around the world,” Lee said.
Lee shares new pictures daily, which are watercolors of toys, vivid landscapes and imaginative animals — all of them are full of Lee’s imagination. And he draws birthday messages and his favorite places in Korea, and uses his paintings to teach the kids about important Korean traditions. Right now, Lee is able to use his art project to create a bond with the youngest members of his family.
Lee has no formal training in art and he teaches himself how to use different techniques to draw, but fans have fallen in love with his pictures. “The reaction was amazing. I couldn’t have imagined it in my wildest dreams.” Lee said. “What started as a small family project has drawn great attention.” He is called Grandpa Chan by his followers and achieves fame.
Lee has even been able to sell some drawings online to help fund more trips to see his grandchildren, but the biggest reward for this Instagram influencer has been the reaction he’s gotten from his followers. “Seeing what I’ve done, many people start to reconnect to their own passion for drawing and painting and many people share their stories about their grandparents and parents,” Lee said.
【小题1】What do we know about Grandpa Chan?| A．He moved to Korea after his retirement. |
| B．He was unable to go back to his hometown. |
| C．He came up with an idea to become famous. |
| D．He was lonely after his grandchildren left Brazil. |
| A．To teach art online. |
| B．To make new friends on Instagram. |
| C．To stay connected with his family. |
| D．To introduce important Korean traditions. |
| A．His art project becomes very popular. |
| B．His family supports him in achieving fame. |
| C．His painting styles have changed a lot over the years. |
| D．His fans admire him for his sticking to his dream. |
| A．People feel very inspired by Lee’s works. |
| B．Lee makes a fortune by selling his pictures. |
| C．Lee gives young people some advice about realizing their dreams. |
| D．People have improved their drawing skills after seeing Lee’s works. |
