I’m soooo glad you mentioned about those foreign youtubers that complain about foreigners complaining but will use those complaint talking points for video content.
Thanks for putting this out there. I just would like to share a little of my experience here. I've been living in Korea continuously since 1991. It was a very different place then. The foreign community was much smaller and it was centered on Itaewon. Whenever I wandered around other areas of Seoul, people would stare at me as I passed by. Seems hard to believe now, but it was like that into the early 2000s. It was common for people to tell me I was the first foreigner they'd ever spoken to in person. Now I'm aware that most Koreans couldn't travel abroad until the late 80s, and all those 20-somethings backpacking around Europe and such through the 90s were doing things that had been impossible for their parents. On top of that, more foreigners and foreign businesses were starting to come in. That combined for a rapid social and cultural transformation that was hard to keep up with. I married a Korean woman in 1998. She had expected her family would reject me. They didn't. They made an effort with me from the beginning, awkward and often humorous as it was for both them and me. 26 years later, I'm not only close with her immediate family, I also have strong bonds with several of her more distant relatives. I can't point to any one spot on the timeline as the definitive moment when everything changed. It was a gradual acceptance. Two of my closest friends are a couple of guys I worked with in 2002/3. One is Australian. He's been here continuously like me and eventually married. The other is Canadian. He's been in and out over the years but settled after his last return. All three of us have said goodbye to close friends and acquaintances who returned to their homelands, but a fourth member of our close-knit group is a Korean guy we've known for the same time period. We're all older now with work and family commitments that we didn't have way back when, but we try to meet up at least once a month. Aside from them, I have a handful of close Korean friends that I meet up with when possible, some younger, some older. And yes, these are genuine friends. I can't pretend to imagine what it's like coming to Korea from another country today. I just know that whatever problems and annoyances people face now, they're undoubtedly different from the ones we faced back then. Thirty years from now, they'll be different from what you and others face now, though I suspect that drama in the foreign community will be a constant for as long as there's a foreign community. But whatever the problems look like, they'll always be there. Some people just aren't cut out for dealing with them, and that's fine. In my experience, the people who aren't able to end up leaving at the first opportunity. At the other end of the spectrum are those who are interested in staying as long as possible, but even they'll usually end up going through a "should-I-stay-or-should-I-go" crisis eventually. It hit me after 7 years. I went from ignoring all the little annoyances to suddenly being angered by them. I was very close to leaving. Then I met my wife and eventually that feeling went away. I'm sharing this just to let you know that there's another side of things that you might not have witnessed. I have several acquaintances who have been here 20+ years. I can tell you that I feel accepted, and I know my closest friends do. I'm pretty sure my wider network of old-timer acquaintances do as well. I say all this knowing full well that it's coming from the perspective of a white American male, and that it's not a one-size fits all proposition--everyone's experience is going to be different, especially those with darker skin or from certain countries. Some will have a hard time accepting, and some will have a hard time being accepted. In the end, it's not something that can be done alone. Until getting to that point where you feel accepted by Koreans, it very much depends on the kinds of connections that you make in the foreign community. Before I met my wife, I was very fortunate to be part of a very supportive expat community. It was easy to ignore the toxic people and find the good ones--we all hung out in the same spots in the same narrow areas. There was always a place to crash, always someone with a lead on a new gig, always someone around in the hard times to provide financial or emotional support. Almost everyone I knew back then is either gone from Korea or dead, but without them I'm certain I wouldn't be here now. I hope you're able to work through your frustrations, find the right people, and have the opportunity to enjoy your time here, however long it may be.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I decided to share this because so many people who are exhausted by the foreigner/expat community. They weren’t able to build connections with anyone and it’s leading them into a dark place. Many expats are lonely, depressed (multiple reasons), and feel isolated. I know two people who are going home for sure within the next 6 months because of mild depression and many others who are really in a dark place but aren’t leaving for a while due to their contract. Me myself, I am perfectly content. I have a partner who is lend a substantial amount of time with, my English Academy is great, and I have a small group of friends I am comfortable to be around. As a RUclipsr who shares travel vlogs and my life experiences outside of the U.S, I felt it was important to share this for 3 reason. 1) it’s important for others to know what they “might” deal with is they are considering moving here in the future 2) to share my opinion and experiences with my audience as I vowed to do in my page and 3) I feel like this has never been talked about before. Some RUclipsrs hint at it in their vlogs, but I’ve never come across a video that focuses on the issues within Korea’s foreign community. I am HIGHLY considering staying in Korea and building a life here. Your story is very inspiring to me. Someone who I’m sure faced some hardships and adversities living in Korea in the 90. Wow! I know you have some amazing stories. Thank you again for sharing your experience and advice. If you can please subscribe to my channel. I thank you so much for your support.
I am Korean and even I have trouble making Korean friends. Also self care is important there and you should self care for youself too... before obsessing over friends. Hope this helps
I have been here 9 years and everything you say is so spot on. There is a lot of judgement in the foreigner community and cliques. The people who know korean well vs dont, the ones who got non teaching jobs vs those who teach, people with many korean friends vs none. Many of my foreign friends who have come and gone have said the foreigners in Korea are weird. As time goes on, I have found it easier to discern good people who are authentic and sincere from the rest. I thinks its important to say theres good people out there but yes theres definitely a lot of ???. My theory is that we all on some level are reminded daily we are foreign, and I think many of these people are reacting to those feelings by trying hard to fit in more, and somehow feel on a level above the foreigners who supposedly dont do this well or who outwardly express their frustrations. I have found many people who “make it” so to speak into a dream job and lifestyle in Korea, who claim they love their life arent actually happy either. I think a lot of foreigners generally hide their frustrations in an effort to fit in more.
I’ve contemplated trying to create a community or organizing meetups, but I honestly don’t have the time. The ones I’ve been to, seem to always be infiltrated with toxic behavior. Foreigners in Mexico were much nicer.
@@derringtravel I have found theres some smaller clubs people set up among friends and then invite friends of friends to. Meetup has some events like theres some book clubs, coding clubs, writing clubs etc. I also would love to start an event but I can’t be trusted with consistency haha.
There are several reasons that they want to sugarcoat things. One is because they want to be popular, and they think that people only want to hear good news. A second reason is South Korea's weird anti-defamation law. This protects corrupt politicians and crooked bosses from public scrutiny.
I've never been outside of Texas, and as a Black American woman, I've never felt fully accepted here. I don't expect it to be different abroad. When visiting other countries, we should respect the locals and their way of life, but we shouldn't forget who we are. I've been learning about Korean culture and the language for about three years now. If people feel they can't integrate well within a culture or country, maybe they should consider leaving. I know it can be tough for Black Americans to connect with other Black foreigners, but I think it's because we both can be a bit too proud. This video has given me better insight into foreign relations in South Korea, and I appreciate that.
I lived in Korea before, your points resonate with me a lot. I think of out of Japan, China and Korea which I have all lived in, Korea was socially the most difficult and isolated place of the three to be in regarding my interactions with other foreigners(mostly white people) and native Koreans.
@@kozmickwe477 it’s (mostly white people) for me 😂😂 but it’s so strange how making friends in Korea is so hard. Check out this TikTok vt.tiktok.com/ZSY3XAuYA/
It's interesting and so awesome you've lived in all three countries! Actually, I am considering Japan and China as well as Korea for myself. I've already experienced life in Korea and know lots. I was wondering if it was possible for you to explain the difference between the three in your experience, especially when it comes to socialising and making friends and 'feeling accepted'? I am really curious and want to understand what it is like in each country / culture as I hope to make an informed decision as a college student planning (at least) a year abroad.
as a korean american, we usually just hung out with other korean americans in korea. theres some korean americans who speak very fluently who can integrate better. I would say the only ways to connect with South Koreans is when they want to connect with you: when they want to hang out with korean americans/Blacks/Europeans/foreigners or what-have-you because they're interested/fascinated in foreigners (which can be problematic because itll typically be like they are "fetishizing" foreigners, but that may have to be the first step in growing a relationship). it's probably like immigrants to America. The first gen rarely integrates and their children (2nd gen) even have issues integrating---it's maybe that 3rd generation that can feel more at home but that happens at almost complete assimilation.
I don’t know if I agree with that. We have people from everywhere so it’s easy for everyone to find someone. I remember in school we had Chinese, Spanish, etc who didn’t speak any English and had no problems even before they found other people that spoke their native language.
It could depend on where they’re at though, but if someone moves from Mexico they’ll always have a community, same with people from other places. I think by saying,”1st gen doesn’t integrate”, is pretty much disregarding that they’ve integrated with people of their ethnicity.
@@imeaniguess.6963 yeah. i think for america, its whole foundation was built on a multi-cultural society with immigrants from everywhere finding equal opportunity. korea and most countries in the world are different. korea is 99% ethnically and culturally the same/homogenous, so the people there just aren't geared to helping others integrate. They see foreigners as just temporary visitors. The only way a foreigner can find success in integrating is if they speak super fluent Korean.
I was in a black women only group chat a few years ago. I had to leave because they were xenophobic and Islamophobic. They thought my name was fake and kept bullying me for months about it. When I left and told the admins my side of the story, they didn’t care at ALL. Completely took the bullies side and said it was best to leave so I didn’t cause any more problems..
Not just in Korea, it's prevalent here in the States as well. I'll never be fully accepted in a Korean community. That's my experience. But I've come to learn Be Yourself. Great video.
About acceptance.. I’ve lived in 8 different countries in my life and never was fully accepted by locals. Even in the neighbouring country with the pretty similar culture… locals can be very respectful to you, maybe even friendly but on a serious matter, you remain “foreigner” no matter how hard you try to assimilate. Unless you live there since the childhood, don’t have any accent and look like them 🤷🏻♀️
This is going to be true, almost anywhere you go, but Korea is another level. I honestly thought all of Asia was like Korea until I spent substantial time in other Asian countries. Even China was more warm and inviting. I remember hearing Vietnamese people saying to me that "when you are here, you are one of us." Several years in Korea, and I have experienced and observed a large difference from here and other countries. You meet people who have been here over ten years, speak the language, try to get involved in the community, and they still get overtly treated as an outsider. I know people who have become citizens here and still get called foreigners. Its like they go out of their way to make sure you know "you are not from here".
I'm British born West Indian. A few years ago my cousin from New Jersey came to visit me here in London. We went out to a restaurant just outside London. A place called Kingston predominantly white middle class. We waited a long time to be served. My cousin thought the waitress was racist. I said it's just busy. To be honest it didn't even enter my mind. He was very acute to small nuances 🤔😶
people in the u.s have a skewed perspective of wanting to be accepted by other races and while blaming based on race also ignoring problems in their own community and say they don’t represent the majority
I have a friend from the USA who used to be a teacher in South Korea. She was a very scary person. Despite being from the USA, she hated Americans and assumed that Americans were sleeping around with Korean men. She talked badly about foreigners in South Korea and did not allow me to talk with any American friends who were teaching in South Korea at that time. I still don’t understand why.
I wouldn’t assume all Americans are sleeping around with Koreans. That’s a HUGE assumption. However, I think there is a problem when it comes to foreigners socializing and creating bonds between each other. I recognize everyone has their own reasons for coming, but some of the behaviors I’ve observed are appalling.
New sub, ty for the informative video. I love to visit Korea one day. I live in the US and its the same, it's really hard to make friends, especially as you get older.
Koreaboo id exactly what Olí London is! 😭😭 he is a full British man and got plastic surgery to look like Jimin the member of bts K-pop group. After he got his work done he said “ I consider myself Korean “ and that he’s trapped in the wrong body. Which to me it might also be a deeper issue but who knows
I'll be back in Korea soon for a few months and OMG everything you said was exactly how I felt in May when I was in Korea! Idk about everybody else but I want Black friends and community in Korea when I'm there lol (it made me sad when I would try to be in community with Black people I met and they wouldn't even return the nod 😭)
@@theroamingbookworm it’s sad. Now, I keep my circle small in Korea because for some reason foreigners just act funny. There is a guy who made a whole tik tok about foriengers
There are some great foreigners here. You gotta get outside of the Hagwon community. All my Foreign friends work for Universities, Korean companies and some work on Military bases. They usually have a more long-term mindset and are well-adjusted. However they still dont have many Korean friends, despite establishing themselves here.
@@ashantilematthew6277 it would be awesome to converse with people from Universities, Korean companies, or the military base, but everyone runs in different circles. There aren’t many social gatherings to meet other people and when there are, the turn out is very dismal.
Great video bro. This was very relatable as a black guy living in korea rn. I have had many of the same struggles but i had no idea about the among foreigner beef part. The tea is HOT lmao. As always it be ya own 🥷’s
@@Macandcheese0427 thanks man. It really do be your own. Foreigners and the people who look like you. There are some foreigners who can be trust but most are questionable. Please subscribe if you can.
08:31 I’ve seen this and many other videos of him saying this bs. He only gets away with it because he’s “attractive.” To me he’s not. But you see everyone in the comments being thirsty agreeing with him. Let someone in America say that to a Korean. They’ll start screaming it’s Asian hate and file a police report.
Exactly. They are hypocrites who benefit and profit from negative comments about Korea. What’s crazy is, the people asking questions aren’t bashing Koreans. They are just sharing their experience because they were asked a question.
@@derringtravel Agreed. I used to think the K Explorer dude was chill until seeing him say this. How are you tired of hearing people share their truths but then make bank intentionally asking questions about Korean men on all your social media platforms? He’s probably number 1 on the search results of so called “negative” videos about Korea. He must be tired of seeing his own videos then. 😂 As you said, they want to fit in so bad but they’ll never be accepted. I can’t wait for part 2 of this topic. Turn it into a series if you want to. I’ll watch all of it. I hope this makes your channel pop off too!
@@katie9735 thank you so much. I did this video because there were so many people trashing Koreans (with good reason) but not saying anything about foreigners immature abysmal behavior. I love living in Korea. I’ve created a life and small friend group here. I just couldn’t not talk about this because I’m around it consistently. One of my friend said I should do a part two but have other foreigners talk about their experiences and vent their issues.
@@derringtravel I’ve watched Sean’s content (who was born and raised in Korea but attended international school) and that's not what he was implying. He was referring to non-Koreans who criticize Koreans or speak negatively about a country just to gain views. While it's fine to share personal experiences, generalizing and bashing an entire culture or race, like saying negative things about "Korean guys" based on individual experiences, is ignorant. Many viral "makeup" TikTok videos (e.g. “listen to me talk about gross Korean men while I do my make up”) do this because Korea is currently trending. Sean doesn't create his content by asking people questions; that's not even his niche. He was simply expressing his views on how some people exploit Korea's current popularity by bashing it to get views. The audacity to criticize the culture and people of a country while enjoying the benefits of living there is astounding. Those are the types of people he was referring to-not those sharing their genuine experiences, but rather those who unfairly criticize Koreans as a whole.
@@Aaaaa.101 when you ask someone a question about their experience, you can’t get mad at their answer. If you are going to get mad, don’t ask questions if you cant except a variety of responses. The people he is referring to are the people the street performers ask questions. K explorer is one of them who complains about the responses he gets, but is consistently out there asking controversial questions for views. In the same video I pulled the clip from, a few of them ranted about RUclipsrs and Tik Tokers making controversial videos because they are aware it will get them views. The hypocrisy of it all.
Thanks for sharing your mind... You know, most Africans treat you as one of them regarding history because in their eyes, you are indeed one of them. So I'm quite surprised that I'm learning so much from your speech, knowing that I've grown up in Europe as a black African. Cheer up !
Been teaching in Daegu for 3 years. I'm from New York and there's always a battle between the other English-speaking countries. Especially the Irish. Being American and from New York right away your labeled. Also, if you aren't extremely liberal, I'm talking extremely far left you're looked upon as a total A-hole. But regardless it's a great country to live in and I love my job!
I don’t listen to kpop but I watch a lot of dramas. I don’t get the problem of having an idol on her screen. That makes her a Koreaboo? People been posting celebrities on their desktop and taping pictures on their bedroom doors for years.
@@itzvjthomas looking up to someone or enjoying different aspects of another culture is fine, but appropriating Korean culture (food, entertainment, looks, music, clothes, style, etc) is what is defined as a Korea boo. Keep in mind, this is a term created by people who dislike the actions of others who they believe fit this “description.”. As I always say, “If it doesn’t apply, let it fly.”
@@ashantilematthew6277 as a black man, im BARELY accepted in my own country. In the U.S, I’m tolerated. The nuisances surrounding African Americans and our presences within any country is so layered, being around people who don’t like or don’t accepted me doesn’t bother me because teaching is not a career choice. It’s for me to have a place to lay my head and put food in my mouth until I become more established to go where I want when I want.
The root of the problem is that Korean history is revised on the West. That *allows* foreigners to manipulate narratives about Korea to cater to their insecurities.
@@purplerainbow1995 If you say so, but I’m sure you are aware of a word called Gapjil 갑질. You can play dumb. Something else I’ve noticed “some” Koreans love doing. “Narrative” 😂 I’m sharing my experience not some story in some story in a history book. I would like to point out, I’m talking about hagwons. Never did I say anything about any other company in Korea.
Yikes… def a lot of generalizations in this video. I’m offended by the eating kimchi everyday. As I look at my fridge ahaha! I will continue to eat my kimchi/dishes lol. But seriously, a Korea boo is more than that. It’s simply someone who fetishizes the people and culture. I think it’s died down in the recent years (in terms of long term expats) coming from someone who moved to Korea in 2017. Tourists would be another story. Also, moving on the the friend groups… seems pretty general. And not really true. As a blk woman…majority of the people that I know ….definitely not front my school. You meet at socials, night outs, church, networking. And sometimes those groups may know others within the other groups or sub groups. If you’re based in Seoul and out going you’ll make friends. Maintaining it is where the effort comes in. There are neighborhoods where expats live in if youre also looking for a diverse community, emphasis on community. Lastly, hagwons in general don’t exactly provide the best working environment/conditions. However doesn’t mean there aren’t decent ones and most foreign teachers (seasoned) just want to do their job and go home. It really seems like the ones you’ve been at haven’t worked out or the teachers were 1st/2nd year or simply immature.
4:58 Excuse me? What is the connection between her being a Koreaboo and her school wanting to fire her? (BTW half the foreign female English teachers in Korea are Koreaboos)
As an African-American woman, who has lived in S. Korea, I'll add that your view on Drama/Community is skewed. Just because you travel to another country to live and you're both technically "foreigners" doesn't mean that you leave your racist, colorist, agist, sexist.... behavior behind.
@@derringtravel I said your viewpoint is skewed. My opinion is that being a foreigner doesn't automatically make you the type of person who cares for community and stays out of mess at work. If you're a messy person your messy in S. Korea or the U.S. But I understand get your numbers up!
@@thaifanmeetusa Yeaaaah! you don’t understand the point of the video, but feel free to express your “opinion”. Thanks for watching. Subscribe if you can. 🫰🏾
If you don’t like Korea then leave! Stop complaining and. Making videos about it! Well,.. first of all, in like 99 percent of videos THEY DO. I think those videos are very important for some people to see because like you said koreaboos exist. Ppl go over there expecting one thing and get another. I honestly feel so bad aswell for Koreans who have to work to the bone and get bullied for Pennie’s and can’t even spend time with their family! It’s so sad!
@@TheOtherSideOfAlice the fact that you are this mad over my opinion means I’m telling the truth. I have over 100+ videos and maybe 3-4 talking about foreigners and Koreans. That’s less than 5% of my content. Additionally, I have over 30+ videos ABOUT South Korea showing a positive side and encourages people to come. Based on that, I think I give viewers a balanced prospective. If don’t like videos like this, then DON’T CLICK ON THEM. Click on something that shoots dopamine to your brain and allows you to feel inspired.
I’m very confused. I think you’re reading my comments wrong cause I’m agreeing with you. I’m confused about ppl not wanting others to talk about their experiences. Cause from what I’ve seen in videos where stories are shared they’re usually back at home by that time. Like you said they don’t usually stay
@ I’m confused on what you are saying. I had someone else read you comment to double check and that person thought you were being aggressive. I thought about your comment for a while before I responded. Apologies if I got it wrong, but I disagree with your wording. Leaving is not always an option for people. Everyone has different goals and possibly connections they just can’t leave behind.
"You will never be accepted" Dude, what are you on? You do realize there are Black Koreans, white Koreans, Chinese Koreans, mixed-race Koreans ...? What the hell is wrong with people wanting to be accepted in Korea despite not being a "typical" Korean? Do you want to be "accepted" in the U.S? How would the entire world be if everyone just gave up in the face of racism? It is ignorant attitudes like this that set society back.
You do realize I repeated what I saw FOREIGNERS say in videos (which I said IN THE VIDEO)? Also, read the other comments, this perspective isn’t far fetched or uncommon. There has to be something wrong if a bunch of people are saying they don’t feel accepted. No one (other than Korea boos) are looking for acceptance, but if you are treated like an outsider, an other, or the outlier within a society. The feeling of not being accepted is inevitable. And what are you talking about black Koreans, white Koreans, Chinese, Koreans etc. If YOU actually spoke with a darker skinned Korean, it would further prove my and other people’s perspective that Koreans have are bias towards certain people or groups. My video doesn’t even scratch the surface being biracial in Korea. Again, GO RESEARCH before writing a comment about something you clearly have no experience or educated about. Accepted in the U.S? Sir/ma’am whoever you are, I’m a black man from the U.S. I was born with a disadvantage. There are REAL communities, where friendship and support thrive. Not to bad mouth korea, but Korea lacks certain complexities the U.S has when you have a diverse group of people living in Korea. I don’t need to feel accepted but I’m also not being judged by my skin color everywhere I go or being gawked at because I grew up in a homogenous society. Not bashing Korea but stating a the obvious. Lastly, this video is about a SHARED experience. I’m not the only one who’s said this. Crawl out of under that rock you’re sleeping under and do some research before you accuse someone of being on something. What’s wrong with the society? Tuh. It’s people like you who refuse to take off their rose colored glasses and confront the truth about prejudice, racism, sexism, xenophobia, gender bias, and all the other problems going on in the WORLD. not just Korea.
@@derringtravel You clearly said there is something wrong with "foreigners" wanting to be accepted in Korean society and that this is "problematic" behavior. Yet the reason "foreigners" are not accepted in Korea is due to racism. The exact same reason Black Koreans who are born in the country are not "accepted" as Korean. So stop blaming "foreigners" and point the finger at the real culprit. Okay?
@@pmg2585 THIS we are so NICE so tired of people jumping the band wagon and being snakes, man is dating a KOREAN but talking shit about them. I feel so sorry for their s/o!
The only time I've ever heard of the term shuck and jive was from super punch out when I was a kid ruclips.net/video/dUegDulQWdA/видео.html , thanks for the history lesson~
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
I’m soooo glad you mentioned about those foreign youtubers that complain about foreigners complaining but will use those complaint talking points for video content.
Its so toxic. I see them outside and I avoid them.
Thanks for putting this out there. I just would like to share a little of my experience here. I've been living in Korea continuously since 1991. It was a very different place then. The foreign community was much smaller and it was centered on Itaewon. Whenever I wandered around other areas of Seoul, people would stare at me as I passed by. Seems hard to believe now, but it was like that into the early 2000s. It was common for people to tell me I was the first foreigner they'd ever spoken to in person. Now I'm aware that most Koreans couldn't travel abroad until the late 80s, and all those 20-somethings backpacking around Europe and such through the 90s were doing things that had been impossible for their parents. On top of that, more foreigners and foreign businesses were starting to come in. That combined for a rapid social and cultural transformation that was hard to keep up with.
I married a Korean woman in 1998. She had expected her family would reject me. They didn't. They made an effort with me from the beginning, awkward and often humorous as it was for both them and me. 26 years later, I'm not only close with her immediate family, I also have strong bonds with several of her more distant relatives. I can't point to any one spot on the timeline as the definitive moment when everything changed. It was a gradual acceptance.
Two of my closest friends are a couple of guys I worked with in 2002/3. One is Australian. He's been here continuously like me and eventually married. The other is Canadian. He's been in and out over the years but settled after his last return. All three of us have said goodbye to close friends and acquaintances who returned to their homelands, but a fourth member of our close-knit group is a Korean guy we've known for the same time period. We're all older now with work and family commitments that we didn't have way back when, but we try to meet up at least once a month. Aside from them, I have a handful of close Korean friends that I meet up with when possible, some younger, some older. And yes, these are genuine friends.
I can't pretend to imagine what it's like coming to Korea from another country today. I just know that whatever problems and annoyances people face now, they're undoubtedly different from the ones we faced back then. Thirty years from now, they'll be different from what you and others face now, though I suspect that drama in the foreign community will be a constant for as long as there's a foreign community. But whatever the problems look like, they'll always be there. Some people just aren't cut out for dealing with them, and that's fine. In my experience, the people who aren't able to end up leaving at the first opportunity. At the other end of the spectrum are those who are interested in staying as long as possible, but even they'll usually end up going through a "should-I-stay-or-should-I-go" crisis eventually. It hit me after 7 years. I went from ignoring all the little annoyances to suddenly being angered by them. I was very close to leaving. Then I met my wife and eventually that feeling went away.
I'm sharing this just to let you know that there's another side of things that you might not have witnessed. I have several acquaintances who have been here 20+ years. I can tell you that I feel accepted, and I know my closest friends do. I'm pretty sure my wider network of old-timer acquaintances do as well. I say all this knowing full well that it's coming from the perspective of a white American male, and that it's not a one-size fits all proposition--everyone's experience is going to be different, especially those with darker skin or from certain countries. Some will have a hard time accepting, and some will have a hard time being accepted. In the end, it's not something that can be done alone. Until getting to that point where you feel accepted by Koreans, it very much depends on the kinds of connections that you make in the foreign community.
Before I met my wife, I was very fortunate to be part of a very supportive expat community. It was easy to ignore the toxic people and find the good ones--we all hung out in the same spots in the same narrow areas. There was always a place to crash, always someone with a lead on a new gig, always someone around in the hard times to provide financial or emotional support. Almost everyone I knew back then is either gone from Korea or dead, but without them I'm certain I wouldn't be here now.
I hope you're able to work through your frustrations, find the right people, and have the opportunity to enjoy your time here, however long it may be.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I decided to share this because so many people who are exhausted by the foreigner/expat community. They weren’t able to build connections with anyone and it’s leading them into a dark place. Many expats are lonely, depressed (multiple reasons), and feel isolated. I know two people who are going home for sure within the next 6 months because of mild depression and many others who are really in a dark place but aren’t leaving for a while due to their contract.
Me myself, I am perfectly content. I have a partner who is lend a substantial amount of time with, my English Academy is great, and I have a small group of friends I am comfortable to be around.
As a RUclipsr who shares travel vlogs and my life experiences outside of the U.S, I felt it was important to share this for 3 reason. 1) it’s important for others to know what they “might” deal with is they are considering moving here in the future 2) to share my opinion and experiences with my audience as I vowed to do in my page and 3) I feel like this has never been talked about before. Some RUclipsrs hint at it in their vlogs, but I’ve never come across a video that focuses on the issues within Korea’s foreign community.
I am HIGHLY considering staying in Korea and building a life here. Your story is very inspiring to me. Someone who I’m sure faced some hardships and adversities living in Korea in the 90. Wow! I know you have some amazing stories. Thank you again for sharing your experience and advice. If you can please subscribe to my channel. I thank you so much for your support.
I subscribed as soon as I finished writing my comment 🙂
@@MikeFromKorea I subscribed to you as well.
I am Korean and even I have trouble making Korean friends. Also self care is important there and you should self care for youself too... before obsessing over friends. Hope this helps
When it comes to friends I’m good. I hope your comments help other people.
I have been here 9 years and everything you say is so spot on. There is a lot of judgement in the foreigner community and cliques. The people who know korean well vs dont, the ones who got non teaching jobs vs those who teach, people with many korean friends vs none. Many of my foreign friends who have come and gone have said the foreigners in Korea are weird. As time goes on, I have found it easier to discern good people who are authentic and sincere from the rest. I thinks its important to say theres good people out there but yes theres definitely a lot of ???. My theory is that we all on some level are reminded daily we are foreign, and I think many of these people are reacting to those feelings by trying hard to fit in more, and somehow feel on a level above the foreigners who supposedly dont do this well or who outwardly express their frustrations. I have found many people who “make it” so to speak into a dream job and lifestyle in Korea, who claim they love their life arent actually happy either. I think a lot of foreigners generally hide their frustrations in an effort to fit in more.
@@SaraFlara Well said!!
I’ve contemplated trying to create a community or organizing meetups, but I honestly don’t have the time. The ones I’ve been to, seem to always be infiltrated with toxic behavior. Foreigners in Mexico were much nicer.
oh my god SARA i was looking for you
@@derringtravel I have found theres some smaller clubs people set up among friends and then invite friends of friends to. Meetup has some events like theres some book clubs, coding clubs, writing clubs etc. I also would love to start an event but I can’t be trusted with consistency haha.
@@ot7stan207 you were looking for me? 👀
The most useful video on Korean side on RUclips
@@Alexcatchh aww man. Thank you so much for the compliment!!
I appreciate these videos so much. These topics are just ignored all the time. I hate the fact they always want to sugar coat everything over there.
There are several reasons that they want to sugarcoat things. One is because they want to be popular, and they think that people only want to hear good news. A second reason is South Korea's weird anti-defamation law. This protects corrupt politicians and crooked bosses from public scrutiny.
Also, some people who make these videos are actually Koreaboos.
The media and those rubbish street interviews are sooo bad. They market tourism to Korea falsely. Wasting our time money and mental health
I've never been outside of Texas, and as a Black American woman, I've never felt fully accepted here. I don't expect it to be different abroad. When visiting other countries, we should respect the locals and their way of life, but we shouldn't forget who we are. I've been learning about Korean culture and the language for about three years now. If people feel they can't integrate well within a culture or country, maybe they should consider leaving. I know it can be tough for Black Americans to connect with other Black foreigners, but I think it's because we both can be a bit too proud. This video has given me better insight into foreign relations in South Korea, and I appreciate that.
I lived in Korea before, your points resonate with me a lot. I think of out of Japan, China and Korea which I have all lived in, Korea was socially the most difficult and isolated place of the three to be in regarding my interactions with other foreigners(mostly white people) and native Koreans.
@@kozmickwe477 it’s (mostly white people) for me 😂😂 but it’s so strange how making friends in Korea is so hard. Check out this TikTok vt.tiktok.com/ZSY3XAuYA/
It's interesting and so awesome you've lived in all three countries! Actually, I am considering Japan and China as well as Korea for myself. I've already experienced life in Korea and know lots.
I was wondering if it was possible for you to explain the difference between the three in your experience, especially when it comes to socialising and making friends and 'feeling accepted'? I am really curious and want to understand what it is like in each country / culture as I hope to make an informed decision as a college student planning (at least) a year abroad.
as a korean american, we usually just hung out with other korean americans in korea. theres some korean americans who speak very fluently who can integrate better. I would say the only ways to connect with South Koreans is when they want to connect with you: when they want to hang out with korean americans/Blacks/Europeans/foreigners or what-have-you because they're interested/fascinated in foreigners (which can be problematic because itll typically be like they are "fetishizing" foreigners, but that may have to be the first step in growing a relationship). it's probably like immigrants to America. The first gen rarely integrates and their children (2nd gen) even have issues integrating---it's maybe that 3rd generation that can feel more at home but that happens at almost complete assimilation.
I don’t know if I agree with that. We have people from everywhere so it’s easy for everyone to find someone. I remember in school we had Chinese, Spanish, etc who didn’t speak any English and had no problems even before they found other people that spoke their native language.
It could depend on where they’re at though, but if someone moves from Mexico they’ll always have a community, same with people from other places. I think by saying,”1st gen doesn’t integrate”, is pretty much disregarding that they’ve integrated with people of their ethnicity.
@@imeaniguess.6963 are you talking America or Korea?
@@Nchallah-u6z American, Korea doesn’t have as diverse as a population.
@@imeaniguess.6963 yeah. i think for america, its whole foundation was built on a multi-cultural society with immigrants from everywhere finding equal opportunity. korea and most countries in the world are different. korea is 99% ethnically and culturally the same/homogenous, so the people there just aren't geared to helping others integrate. They see foreigners as just temporary visitors. The only way a foreigner can find success in integrating is if they speak super fluent Korean.
I was in a black women only group chat a few years ago. I had to leave because they were xenophobic and Islamophobic. They thought my name was fake and kept bullying me for months about it. When I left and told the admins my side of the story, they didn’t care at ALL. Completely took the bullies side and said it was best to leave so I didn’t cause any more problems..
Not just in Korea, it's prevalent here in the States as well. I'll never be fully accepted in a Korean community. That's my experience. But I've come to learn Be Yourself. Great video.
About acceptance.. I’ve lived in 8 different countries in my life and never was fully accepted by locals. Even in the neighbouring country with the pretty similar culture… locals can be very respectful to you, maybe even friendly but on a serious matter, you remain “foreigner” no matter how hard you try to assimilate. Unless you live there since the childhood, don’t have any accent and look like them 🤷🏻♀️
This is going to be true, almost anywhere you go, but Korea is another level. I honestly thought all of Asia was like Korea until I spent substantial time in other Asian countries. Even China was more warm and inviting. I remember hearing Vietnamese people saying to me that "when you are here, you are one of us."
Several years in Korea, and I have experienced and observed a large difference from here and other countries. You meet people who have been here over ten years, speak the language, try to get involved in the community, and they still get overtly treated as an outsider.
I know people who have become citizens here and still get called foreigners. Its like they go out of their way to make sure you know "you are not from here".
@@ashantilematthew6277 so sad…
You sir, have earned yourself a sub. I love spilling tea.
@@tanklor thank you so much for the support 🫰🏾🫰🏾
I'm British born West Indian. A few years ago my cousin from New Jersey came to visit me here in London. We went out to a restaurant just outside London. A place called Kingston predominantly white middle class. We waited a long time to be served. My cousin thought the waitress was racist. I said it's just busy. To be honest it didn't even enter my mind. He was very acute to small nuances 🤔😶
he definitely knows the behaviors from experience
It’s called being a victim.
@@laymayroseylol, another victim mentality.
when it’s your own oh they’re just a bad person and can’t represent but it’s a different group it’s they’re racist denying us service based on looks
people in the u.s have a skewed perspective of wanting to be accepted by other races and while blaming based on race also ignoring problems in their own community and say they don’t represent the majority
You really really stated the situation so well 😭
I have a friend from the USA who used to be a teacher in South Korea. She was a very scary person. Despite being from the USA, she hated Americans and assumed that Americans were sleeping around with Korean men. She talked badly about foreigners in South Korea and did not allow me to talk with any American friends who were teaching in South Korea at that time. I still don’t understand why.
With some people there’s nothing to understand.
I wouldn’t assume all Americans are sleeping around with Koreans. That’s a HUGE assumption. However, I think there is a problem when it comes to foreigners socializing and creating bonds between each other. I recognize everyone has their own reasons for coming, but some of the behaviors I’ve observed are appalling.
New sub, ty for the informative video. I love to visit Korea one day. I live in the US and its the same, it's really hard to make friends, especially as you get older.
I know you will enjoy your visit to Korea as much as I did. Thank you so much for subscribing
Koreaboo id exactly what Olí London is! 😭😭 he is a full British man and got plastic surgery to look like Jimin the member of bts K-pop group. After he got his work done he said “ I consider myself Korean “ and that he’s trapped in the wrong body. Which to me it might also be a deeper issue but who knows
I'll be back in Korea soon for a few months and OMG everything you said was exactly how I felt in May when I was in Korea! Idk about everybody else but I want Black friends and community in Korea when I'm there lol (it made me sad when I would try to be in community with Black people I met and they wouldn't even return the nod 😭)
@@theroamingbookworm it’s sad. Now, I keep my circle small in Korea because for some reason foreigners just act funny. There is a guy who made a whole tik tok about foriengers
There are some great foreigners here. You gotta get outside of the Hagwon community. All my Foreign friends work for Universities, Korean companies and some work on Military bases. They usually have a more long-term mindset and are well-adjusted. However they still dont have many Korean friends, despite establishing themselves here.
@@ashantilematthew6277 it would be awesome to converse with people from Universities, Korean companies, or the military base, but everyone runs in different circles. There aren’t many social gatherings to meet other people and when there are, the turn out is very dismal.
I like how you put the appropriation there. Glad to know I’m not the only one that sees it.
Great video bro. This was very relatable as a black guy living in korea rn. I have had many of the same struggles but i had no idea about the among foreigner beef part. The tea is HOT lmao. As always it be ya own 🥷’s
@@Macandcheese0427 thanks man. It really do be your own. Foreigners and the people who look like you. There are some foreigners who can be trust but most are questionable. Please subscribe if you can.
Just got back from Korea all imma say is I hope Japan and Thailand is nicer 😬
ain’t nobody been as real as you dawg🫶🏻
Eating kimchi and kbbq everyday makes you a Koreaboo? LOL wth are you even saying, lots of generalizations in this vid 🦦
Hahaha I love how you completely ignored the photo that defines what a Koreaboo is. A term not created nor defined by me.
08:31 I’ve seen this and many other videos of him saying this bs. He only gets away with it because he’s “attractive.” To me he’s not. But you see everyone in the comments being thirsty agreeing with him. Let someone in America say that to a Korean. They’ll start screaming it’s Asian hate and file a police report.
Exactly. They are hypocrites who benefit and profit from negative comments about Korea. What’s crazy is, the people asking questions aren’t bashing Koreans. They are just sharing their experience because they were asked a question.
@@derringtravel Agreed. I used to think the K Explorer dude was chill until seeing him say this. How are you tired of hearing people share their truths but then make bank intentionally asking questions about Korean men on all your social media platforms? He’s probably number 1 on the search results of so called “negative” videos about Korea. He must be tired of seeing his own videos then. 😂 As you said, they want to fit in so bad but they’ll never be accepted. I can’t wait for part 2 of this topic. Turn it into a series if you want to. I’ll watch all of it. I hope this makes your channel pop off too!
@@katie9735 thank you so much. I did this video because there were so many people trashing Koreans (with good reason) but not saying anything about foreigners immature abysmal behavior. I love living in Korea. I’ve created a life and small friend group here. I just couldn’t not talk about this because I’m around it consistently. One of my friend said I should do a part two but have other foreigners talk about their experiences and vent their issues.
@@derringtravel I’ve watched Sean’s content (who was born and raised in Korea but attended international school) and that's not what he was implying. He was referring to non-Koreans who criticize Koreans or speak negatively about a country just to gain views. While it's fine to share personal experiences, generalizing and bashing an entire culture or race, like saying negative things about "Korean guys" based on individual experiences, is ignorant. Many viral "makeup" TikTok videos (e.g. “listen to me talk about gross Korean men while I do my make up”) do this because Korea is currently trending. Sean doesn't create his content by asking people questions; that's not even his niche. He was simply expressing his views on how some people exploit Korea's current popularity by bashing it to get views. The audacity to criticize the culture and people of a country while enjoying the benefits of living there is astounding. Those are the types of people he was referring to-not those sharing their genuine experiences, but rather those who unfairly criticize Koreans as a whole.
@@Aaaaa.101 when you ask someone a question about their experience, you can’t get mad at their answer. If you are going to get mad, don’t ask questions if you cant except a variety of responses.
The people he is referring to are the people the street performers ask questions. K explorer is one of them who complains about the responses he gets, but is consistently out there asking controversial questions for views. In the same video I pulled the clip from, a few of them ranted about RUclipsrs and Tik Tokers making controversial videos because they are aware it will get them views. The hypocrisy of it all.
Thanks for sharing your mind... You know, most Africans treat you as one of them regarding history because in their eyes, you are indeed one of them. So I'm quite surprised that I'm learning so much from your speech, knowing that I've grown up in Europe as a black African. Cheer up !
Been teaching in Daegu for 3 years. I'm from New York and there's always a battle between the other English-speaking countries. Especially the Irish. Being American and from New York right away your labeled. Also, if you aren't extremely liberal, I'm talking extremely far left you're looked upon as a total A-hole. But regardless it's a great country to live in and I love my job!
I don’t listen to kpop but I watch a lot of dramas. I don’t get the problem of having an idol on her screen. That makes her a Koreaboo? People been posting celebrities on their desktop and taping pictures on their bedroom doors for years.
@@itzvjthomas looking up to someone or enjoying different aspects of another culture is fine, but appropriating Korean culture (food, entertainment, looks, music, clothes, style, etc) is what is defined as a Korea boo.
Keep in mind, this is a term created by people who dislike the actions of others who they believe fit this “description.”.
As I always say, “If it doesn’t apply, let it fly.”
Facts. People seem anti social here.
It's human nature to want to feel accepted. The question should be "why would you want to live anywhere and not want to be accepted?"
@@ashantilematthew6277 as a black man, im BARELY accepted in my own country. In the U.S, I’m tolerated. The nuisances surrounding African Americans and our presences within any country is so layered, being around people who don’t like or don’t accepted me doesn’t bother me because teaching is not a career choice. It’s for me to have a place to lay my head and put food in my mouth until I become more established to go where I want when I want.
What is kirewnboo, boss boo? Can you tell me cos im not an English native speakers
so informative 😳
you'd do fine there, you're hot and fit
i understand you.
The root of the problem is that Korean history is revised on the West. That *allows* foreigners to manipulate narratives about Korea to cater to their insecurities.
@@purplerainbow1995 If you say so, but I’m sure you are aware of a word called Gapjil 갑질. You can play dumb. Something else I’ve noticed “some” Koreans love doing.
“Narrative” 😂 I’m sharing my experience not some story in some story in a history book.
I would like to point out, I’m talking about hagwons. Never did I say anything about any other company in Korea.
Yikes… def a lot of generalizations in this video. I’m offended by the eating kimchi everyday. As I look at my fridge ahaha! I will continue to eat my kimchi/dishes lol. But seriously, a Korea boo is more than that. It’s simply someone who fetishizes the people and culture. I think it’s died down in the recent years (in terms of long term expats) coming from someone who moved to Korea in 2017. Tourists would be another story. Also, moving on the the friend groups… seems pretty general. And not really true. As a blk woman…majority of the people that I know ….definitely not front my school. You meet at socials, night outs, church, networking. And sometimes those groups may know others within the other groups or sub groups. If you’re based in Seoul and out going you’ll make friends. Maintaining it is where the effort comes in. There are neighborhoods where expats live in if youre also looking for a diverse community, emphasis on community. Lastly, hagwons in general don’t exactly provide the best working environment/conditions. However doesn’t mean there aren’t decent ones and most foreign teachers (seasoned) just want to do their job and go home. It really seems like the ones you’ve been at haven’t worked out or the teachers were 1st/2nd year or simply immature.
일단 한국말을 할줄 아나요? 설마 한국말을 못하면서..이런말은…
4:58 Excuse me? What is the connection between her being a Koreaboo and her school wanting to fire her?
(BTW half the foreign female English teachers in Korea are Koreaboos)
As an African-American woman, who has lived in S. Korea, I'll add that your view on Drama/Community is skewed. Just because you travel to another country to live and you're both technically "foreigners" doesn't mean that you leave your racist, colorist, agist, sexist.... behavior behind.
Where did I say anything close to this? I think you don’t understand the meaning of the video.
@@derringtravel I said your viewpoint is skewed. My opinion is that being a foreigner doesn't automatically make you the type of person who cares for community and stays out of mess at work. If you're a messy person your messy in S. Korea or the U.S. But I understand get your numbers up!
@@thaifanmeetusa Yeaaaah! you don’t understand the point of the video, but feel free to express your “opinion”. Thanks for watching. Subscribe if you can. 🫰🏾
If you don’t like Korea then leave! Stop complaining and. Making videos about it! Well,.. first of all, in like 99 percent of videos THEY DO. I think those videos are very important for some people to see because like you said koreaboos exist. Ppl go over there expecting one thing and get another. I honestly feel so bad aswell for Koreans who have to work to the bone and get bullied for Pennie’s and can’t even spend time with their family! It’s so sad!
@@TheOtherSideOfAlice the fact that you are this mad over my opinion means I’m telling the truth. I have over 100+ videos and maybe 3-4 talking about foreigners and Koreans. That’s less than 5% of my content. Additionally, I have over 30+ videos ABOUT South Korea showing a positive side and encourages people to come. Based on that, I think I give viewers a balanced prospective. If don’t like videos like this, then DON’T CLICK ON THEM. Click on something that shoots dopamine to your brain and allows you to feel inspired.
I’m very confused. I think you’re reading my comments wrong cause I’m agreeing with you. I’m confused about ppl not wanting others to talk about their experiences. Cause from what I’ve seen in videos where stories are shared they’re usually back at home by that time. Like you said they don’t usually stay
@ I’m confused on what you are saying. I had someone else read you comment to double check and that person thought you were being aggressive. I thought about your comment for a while before I responded. Apologies if I got it wrong, but I disagree with your wording. Leaving is not always an option for people. Everyone has different goals and possibly connections they just can’t leave behind.
🤣🤣🤣 I’m deceased
If you lived here it would be even more hilarious me lol. Thank for watching! Please subscribe if you can. 🤞🏾
@@derringtravel just subscribed. I’m thinking of moving to Jeju Island. Thoughts?
@@manimavuso I’ve honestly never lived in Jeju. I know it’s an island, but I heard it’s pretty isolated with small communities. I wouldn’t do it
at least as an african american you don't have to worry about police killing you or being arrested for fitting the profile of being black
Just move out.... lmao
"You will never be accepted"
Dude, what are you on? You do realize there are Black Koreans, white Koreans, Chinese Koreans, mixed-race Koreans ...?
What the hell is wrong with people wanting to be accepted in Korea despite not being a "typical" Korean? Do you want to be "accepted" in the U.S? How would the entire world be if everyone just gave up in the face of racism?
It is ignorant attitudes like this that set society back.
You do realize I repeated what I saw FOREIGNERS say in videos (which I said IN THE VIDEO)? Also, read the other comments, this perspective isn’t far fetched or uncommon. There has to be something wrong if a bunch of people are saying they don’t feel accepted.
No one (other than Korea boos) are looking for acceptance, but if you are treated like an outsider, an other, or the outlier within a society. The feeling of not being accepted is inevitable.
And what are you talking about black Koreans, white Koreans, Chinese, Koreans etc. If YOU actually spoke with a darker skinned Korean, it would further prove my and other people’s perspective that Koreans have are bias towards certain people or groups. My video doesn’t even scratch the surface being biracial in Korea. Again, GO RESEARCH before writing a comment about something you clearly have no experience or educated about.
Accepted in the U.S? Sir/ma’am whoever you are, I’m a black man from the U.S. I was born with a disadvantage. There are REAL communities, where friendship and support thrive. Not to bad mouth korea, but Korea lacks certain complexities the U.S has when you have a diverse group of people living in Korea. I don’t need to feel accepted but I’m also not being judged by my skin color everywhere I go or being gawked at because I grew up in a homogenous society. Not bashing Korea but stating a the obvious.
Lastly, this video is about a SHARED experience. I’m not the only one who’s said this. Crawl out of under that rock you’re sleeping under and do some research before you accuse someone of being on something. What’s wrong with the society? Tuh. It’s people like you who refuse to take off their rose colored glasses and confront the truth about prejudice, racism, sexism, xenophobia, gender bias, and all the other problems going on in the WORLD. not just Korea.
@@derringtravel You clearly said there is something wrong with "foreigners" wanting to be accepted in Korean society and that this is "problematic" behavior. Yet the reason "foreigners" are not accepted in Korea is due to racism. The exact same reason Black Koreans who are born in the country are not "accepted" as Korean.
So stop blaming "foreigners" and point the finger at the real culprit. Okay?
@@pmg2585 and you CLEARLY missed the point of that entire segment. Stop trying to be accepted because you won’t be”
@@pmg2585 THIS we are so NICE so tired of people jumping the band wagon and being snakes, man is dating a KOREAN but talking shit about them. I feel so sorry for their s/o!
Its crazy cuz white men are the most racist in but they do not want to address that, no balls huh?
The only time I've ever heard of the term shuck and jive was from super punch out when I was a kid ruclips.net/video/dUegDulQWdA/видео.html , thanks for the history lesson~
You’re welcome. I didn’t know what it meant until my African America history teacher told me. I was shocked. Thank you so much for subscribing
Text book definition of Koreaboo = Oli London
*googles oil london* find….😂😂😂😂