“bbc Dad” Robert E. Kelly Shares Family Update Nine Years After Viral Interview

The world first met nan Kelly family connected March 10, 2017. Robert E. Kelly, a professor based successful Busan, South Korea, was speaking to nan BBC astir a superior governmental crisis. Mid-sentence, his girl Marion entered nan room pinch a assured stride. She was followed by her brother, James, who rolled successful connected a babe walker. Their mother, Jung-a Kim, past performed a frantic, sliding rescue ngo that became an instant portion of net history.

Today, astir a decade later, nan man known globally arsenic “BBC Dad” is showing really overmuch life has changed since that day successful his location office.

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To people nan ninth day of nan video, Kelly shared caller photos connected X. The images show a family that has mostly moved connected from nan chaos of 2017, moreover if nan world hasn’t rather fto spell of nan memory. Marion, nan woman successful nan yellowish sweater who started it all, is now 13 years old. James is nine.

“Marion is almost arsenic gangly arsenic her mother now,” Kelly noted successful his post. He besides included a photograph from nan clip of nan original question and reply to show nan contrast. “Many group still show america really overmuch they enjoyed nan video. How nice. We proceed to beryllium grateful for your benignant words astir our family.”

The original clip remains a staple of integer culture. It has complete 62 cardinal views connected YouTube. While galore group subordinate nan video pinch nan era of pandemic-induced distant work, it really happened years earlier Zoom calls became a regular requirement.

Marion is almost arsenic gangly arsenic her mother now, and that past pic is from 9 years ago, astir nan clip of nan BBC video.

Many group still show america really overmuch they enjoyed nan video. How nice. We proceed to beryllium grateful for your benignant words astir our family.

Best, Bob K pic.twitter.com/R6dJfzkgAZ

— Robert E Kelly (@Robert_E_Kelly) March 10, 2026

A Career Beyond nan Blooper

At nan time, Kelly feared nan interruption mightiness harm his master reputation. He is an subordinate professor of world relations astatine Pusan National University. He often provides study connected inter-Korean affairs for world news outlets.

“For 2 weeks we were nan astir celebrated family connected earth,” he antecedently told nan BBC. He admitted he thought it could beryllium “the extremity of my profession arsenic a talking head.” Instead, nan infinitesimal humanized nan expert. It became a touchstone for parents everyplace who struggle to equilibrium master duties pinch nan unpredictable quality of raising children.

Twitter: @Robert_E_Kelly

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The family has made it a contented to stock updates connected nan day of nan event. In 2023 and 2024, Kelly posted akin notes of thanks. Each time, nan net reacts pinch a operation of nostalgia and astonishment astatine really quickly clip passes.

Followers often remark connected nan effectiveness of Jung-a Kim’s “evac operation.” Others statement that nan video represents nan astir relatable family infinitesimal ever captured connected unrecorded television. For Kelly, nan bequest of nan video is simple. It is simply a reminder of a circumstantial time erstwhile his 2 worlds collided successful beforehand of millions of people.