We spoke to Almost Skateboards owner and professional Daewon Song, recently named as one of the thirty most influential skateboarders of all time by Transworld Skateboard magazine. Enjoy -
You tweeted us recently “anything is skatable” when we mentioned you skating trees and rocks in your 5 Incher part, how did this idea come to you? How do you approach skating these obstacles? We imagine it could be time consuming and frustrating…
When I skate I always focus on fun first! I always get into something and just wanna juice it! Like a mini ramp video or table stacking or just a lot of manual tricks but it’s always what I’m feeling at the moment. The new part was skating spots that are overlooked or if we had no parks or just had little options, there’s so much out there to skate and we gotta always appreciate everything.

There’s been a great reception to Issey Yumiba’s part in 5 Incher, what’s he like to skate with? How do you find having him on the team?

Issey is a really good guy and is humble and a hard worker in every sense, he kills it on and off the board and I’m really happy to have him part of Almost.

 

 

 Do you pick your own music for your video parts? What are you listening to at the minute?

I do most of the time but usually let the editor feel it out and see what they think! I’ve been listening to a lot of old Souls of Mischief and De La Soul – and I like Little Hurricanes

In your recent Transworld interview you said as well as seeing your generation of skaters still killing it, seeing the new generation of insane skaters helps you progress. Who currently stands out in particular to you and why?

There’s so many guys! But Grant Taylor is an all-terrain killer and makes you wanna go hard! Shane O’ Neill really thinks about new tricks and Youness Amarani is just a machine and such a great person!

What’s the longest amount of time you have spent on one trick? You don’t seem to be the kind of guy to freak out and have a temper, are we wrong about that?

I’ve tried a trick for three hourrs to three days! Haha- I usually don’t freak out but once every blue moon I might get a little frustrated!

What occupies your time when you aren’t skating?

I skate so much that the days I don’t, I love hanging with my son and just doing things to relax! Fish every once in a while, editing is fun and just hanging with your homies and having a nice cold one! Shoot the the shit about this world and the industry haha!

What do you think you would have done if you hadn’t ever become a professional skateboarder?

When I was in elementary I won these dream house drawing contest three years in a row and was asked to do more drawings for a Frederick realty company , but that was short lived . Art was one of the things I thought was in store for my future as well as fixing up cars to race! Haha typical.

Can you tell us something about yourself that we will never hear from anywhere else?

Actually yes! I haven’t eaten meat or chicken in three years , thats pretty crazy for me! My diet used to consist of a T-bone steak and eggs every morning – and a dozen donuts through out the day!! I still eat fish but just chose to cut that out for the moment!

What does the future hold for Daewon Song?

I’m always gonna look for what excites me when I step on my skateboard and not worry about what people are gonna say! I’m working on a Thrasher part at the moment and have been back into concrete parks and backyard minis! Just gonna roll till my bearings explode and my wheels are squared out and the size of a quarter! Haha – skateboarding is my air .

 

Images via Almost Skateboards and Transworld Skateboarding

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