struggles of an African in South Korea
A coworker recently asked me about my impressions of Korea, after having spent two years there and honestly it wasn't quite easy for me to give him a straight answer. My whole Korean experience left me with mixed feelings and it was visible through my reservations. In the rush of coffee making and ringing up customers at Starbucks where we both worked, an answer to such a question seemed like a pretty tricky exercise of acrobatic gymnastics. I wished to give an honest answer without coming off as rude or insulting to the country or its people. I, therefore, decided to write about it. I thought writing would be a better medium for expressing exactly what my feelings were about living in Korea. These are the struggles of an African in South Korea.
I had moved from Ukraine to China and from there to Korea, excited and hopeful about a country that-I thought, was a virgin land for black people and therefore one immune to discriminations. But I was extremely wrong. If I had to compare Korea to my previous places of residence, it was psychologically the toughest I had experience. Discrimination although very present in Korea is, however, subtle. Take for instance the labour market. Although Korea provides legal residence permit to job seekers who have studied in local institutions, it is almost impossible for most foreign students to actually secure a job. All jobs applications require a resume with a picture, an addition that allows employers to discriminate. Most Africans in Seoul or at least the ones I knew were either a student or in manual labour with the exception of a very small number of fortunate ones who had decent jobs. Africans work in factories, farms, and in the construction industry independently of their level of education. It is almost as if black people can't do anything but low-level jobs. In addition, even in the teaching sector -the most common job for foreigners in Seoul, it is rather challenging for black people to find schools that are willing to hire them. The reasons provided to decline to hire an equally qualified black person although subtle are not less insulting. "it is the Korean culture", or "the parents think kids will be scared if the teacher if black" you will oftentimes hear.
It is however, important to understand the cultural context in Korea before jumping to any conclusions. Korea have always been a very homogeneous society closed to anything foreign. In fact, Korea is with Japan one of the most homogeneous societies in the world. And despite Seoul's skyscrapers, its very efficient public transit, the economic progress, and the rush for technology, things still pretty much function the old Confucian traditional way. People still bow to greet even if it really is just a greeting. Elderly people are still revered, modern Koreans still care very much about social doctrines and being shamed by their peers and, a foreigner is a foreigner. In the past, people with dark skin were peasants who spent their time out on the sun farming. They were considered to be of a lower class just as the blacks today, which probably explains the enthusiasm for skin lightning in modern Seoul. These cultural aspects have transcended the ages to coexist with the spectacular modernity forming what seemed like an odd combination. All those elements shape how Koreans view black people. Africans are perceived as poor, uneducated and low. White Americans are considered desirable, cool and smart. It is very normal to read job posts that stipulate "European looking only" because Korean customer for instance prefer a white cook or waitress. A year ago, someone even accosted a fellow African friend shockingly asking him how he knew how to use a cellphone and wondering if they had any in Africa. I personally had never had such low self-esteem anywhere like in Korea.
Another element of discrimination is the culture of the looks that prevails in Korea today. Korea is the first place I was told I was ugly because I was black sometimes explicitly and very often implicitly.
Some will blame my position to an unfortunate experience that need not be generalized. I agree. I don't know the stories of all Africans in Seoul. I did have my share of misfortune that could have played a role. My best friend of nearly eight years had simply disappeared in Seoul cutting all contacts and putting me in the center of a legal battle with his landlord over his three months of unpaid rent. I paid half the money to be able to recover some of my belongings I kept at his. In another situation, while living alone, I woke up a night in pain from a chronic joint condition I have. I directed myself to the neighbourhood clinic when the nurse called the police because she was afraid of a black man walking in the hospital's hall. She chased me away like a beggar before running into one of the rooms. I ended up in the middle of a police investigation even though I could barely walk. I Agree, all these unlucky events could have affected my opinion but I lived similar situations in Ukraine, and worse. However, my general view of Ukraine is quite positive. I received a lot of support in Ukrainian, made a lot of friends that helped me overcome my challenges and most people made me feel very welcome and entitled although I was black. My skin color was rarely mentioned. At least never seriously. In Odessa or Kiev as long as you spoke Russian or Ukrainian you were Ť Molodoy Tchelaviek ť which translates as "young man". So, not all Africans living in Seoul will have a similar story to mine but the many I know can testify of this truth the situation isn't very encouraging.
Do I have anything positive to say about Korea at all ? Many I will say. The opportunities Offered by the Korean government to outstanding African student to come study in Korea is one of those things. I am very grateful to the Korean government for these opportunities. I benefited from one of those knowledge sharing experiences and can tell you I was thrilled. It has really changed my life by shaping my worldview and equipping me with skills I needed to better confront the demands of the labor market. Africans have a lot to learn from Korea. Korea's struggle to achieve development and good governance are outstanding considering where it started. I also met the love of my life in Korea to whom I recently got married. None of my misfortune makes me regret having lived in Korea at all. It was a learning experience that awakened a yearning desire for equality in me that I never had before. I think I was pretty candid about most things prior to moving to Seoul and going through what I have been through helped me understand I had to stand up and try to make things better.
A coworker recently asked me about my impressions of Korea, after having spent two years there and honestly it wasn't quite easy for me to give him a straight answer. My whole Korean experience left me with mixed feelings and it was visible through my reservations. In the rush of coffee making and ringing up customers at Starbucks where we both worked, an answer to such a question seemed like a pretty tricky exercise of acrobatic gymnastics. I wished to give an honest answer without coming off as rude or insulting to the country or its people. I, therefore, decided to write about it. I thought writing would be a better medium for expressing exactly what my feelings were about living in Korea. These are the struggles of an African in South Korea.
I had moved from Ukraine to China and from there to Korea, excited and hopeful about a country that-I thought, was a virgin land for black people and therefore one immune to discriminations. But I was extremely wrong. If I had to compare Korea to my previous places of residence, it was psychologically the toughest I had experience. Discrimination although very present in Korea is, however, subtle. Take for instance the labour market. Although Korea provides legal residence permit to job seekers who have studied in local institutions, it is almost impossible for most foreign students to actually secure a job. All jobs applications require a resume with a picture, an addition that allows employers to discriminate. Most Africans in Seoul or at least the ones I knew were either a student or in manual labour with the exception of a very small number of fortunate ones who had decent jobs. Africans work in factories, farms, and in the construction industry independently of their level of education. It is almost as if black people can't do anything but low-level jobs. In addition, even in the teaching sector -the most common job for foreigners in Seoul, it is rather challenging for black people to find schools that are willing to hire them. The reasons provided to decline to hire an equally qualified black person although subtle are not less insulting. "it is the Korean culture", or "the parents think kids will be scared if the teacher if black" you will oftentimes hear.
It is however, important to understand the cultural context in Korea before jumping to any conclusions. Korea have always been a very homogeneous society closed to anything foreign. In fact, Korea is with Japan one of the most homogeneous societies in the world. And despite Seoul's skyscrapers, its very efficient public transit, the economic progress, and the rush for technology, things still pretty much function the old Confucian traditional way. People still bow to greet even if it really is just a greeting. Elderly people are still revered, modern Koreans still care very much about social doctrines and being shamed by their peers and, a foreigner is a foreigner. In the past, people with dark skin were peasants who spent their time out on the sun farming. They were considered to be of a lower class just as the blacks today, which probably explains the enthusiasm for skin lightning in modern Seoul. These cultural aspects have transcended the ages to coexist with the spectacular modernity forming what seemed like an odd combination. All those elements shape how Koreans view black people. Africans are perceived as poor, uneducated and low. White Americans are considered desirable, cool and smart. It is very normal to read job posts that stipulate "European looking only" because Korean customer for instance prefer a white cook or waitress. A year ago, someone even accosted a fellow African friend shockingly asking him how he knew how to use a cellphone and wondering if they had any in Africa. I personally had never had such low self-esteem anywhere like in Korea.
Another element of discrimination is the culture of the looks that prevails in Korea today. Korea is the first place I was told I was ugly because I was black sometimes explicitly and very often implicitly.
Some will blame my position to an unfortunate experience that need not be generalized. I agree. I don't know the stories of all Africans in Seoul. I did have my share of misfortune that could have played a role. My best friend of nearly eight years had simply disappeared in Seoul cutting all contacts and putting me in the center of a legal battle with his landlord over his three months of unpaid rent. I paid half the money to be able to recover some of my belongings I kept at his. In another situation, while living alone, I woke up a night in pain from a chronic joint condition I have. I directed myself to the neighbourhood clinic when the nurse called the police because she was afraid of a black man walking in the hospital's hall. She chased me away like a beggar before running into one of the rooms. I ended up in the middle of a police investigation even though I could barely walk. I Agree, all these unlucky events could have affected my opinion but I lived similar situations in Ukraine, and worse. However, my general view of Ukraine is quite positive. I received a lot of support in Ukrainian, made a lot of friends that helped me overcome my challenges and most people made me feel very welcome and entitled although I was black. My skin color was rarely mentioned. At least never seriously. In Odessa or Kiev as long as you spoke Russian or Ukrainian you were Ť Molodoy Tchelaviek ť which translates as "young man". So, not all Africans living in Seoul will have a similar story to mine but the many I know can testify of this truth the situation isn't very encouraging.
Do I have anything positive to say about Korea at all ? Many I will say. The opportunities Offered by the Korean government to outstanding African student to come study in Korea is one of those things. I am very grateful to the Korean government for these opportunities. I benefited from one of those knowledge sharing experiences and can tell you I was thrilled. It has really changed my life by shaping my worldview and equipping me with skills I needed to better confront the demands of the labor market. Africans have a lot to learn from Korea. Korea's struggle to achieve development and good governance are outstanding considering where it started. I also met the love of my life in Korea to whom I recently got married. None of my misfortune makes me regret having lived in Korea at all. It was a learning experience that awakened a yearning desire for equality in me that I never had before. I think I was pretty candid about most things prior to moving to Seoul and going through what I have been through helped me understand I had to stand up and try to make things better.
