So much for my happy, short entry...

My initial short comment on an entry by Jungyeon turned into a full-blown entry somehow...

Speaking from my personal experience, I think if one speaks fluent English without an accent, one will not encounter much of a problem in the US. You are able to blend in, and of course, catch all the nuances in comments, jokes, etc. America idealizes individualism, but the ability to conform is extremely crucial. No one wants to hang out with a “sore-thumb,” unless your standout trait lies in your dad’s limitless gold bullion. Contrary to what people say about the South, most of my Asian friends there do agree that it is one of the most hospitable places in the US. I tend to concur. Think Paula Dean from the Food Network. But of course, everyone is different, which consequently spells difference experiences.

Another notion that is prevalent is "perceived discrimination." Individuals think people are viewing them within the confines of racial categorization and stereotypes when in actuality this is not true. Not many people walk around the streets labeling each person they see by their ethnicity – he’s Korean, she’s black, he’s Latino, so on and so forth. I believe most people just don’t care, unless she’s a hot chic, or he’s a hot dude. At least that is what my experience living in NYC has taught me. A good example would be a well-publicized brawl at Hollywood Grill in Itaewon last year (I’ve attached the link at the end of this article). Although the client claims racial discrimination, the owner offers a totally different account. I was not there when the brawl happened, so I cannot make a judgment. But I think it exemplifies society’s propensity to jump at racism as a convenient albeit explosive excuse for one’s misdoing. To be fair, there are of course blatant displays of racism at bars and clubs in Korea. The “No Foreigners Allowed” sign, similar to that in Japan, is an all too convenient excuse to mask outright discrimination. Most establishments assert that they want to avoid awkward situations as they do not have English speaking staff, but we know better. I can’t say this is that prevalent. In America, the crowd just makes you uncomfortable enough that you will leave on your own (Yes, we have “we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone” but that applies to everyone – American or not, white or black, etc.). I’ve never heard of such a thing in China or in England. Would this be unique to Korea and Japan? I am not too sure but I wouldn’t be surprised.

With regards to bi-racial discrimination, there is a pretty clear line between desirable and undesirable "biracialism." Not all biracials are considered exotic, not only in Korea, but in most places. Like it or not, white and asian biracials are heavily preferred over other kinds of biracials (black and asian being a prime example). Of course Koreans would welcome Daniel Henny! He is good looking, and "exotic" in a white-asian way. Imagine Ward entering a modeling agency in Seoul - without the fame of an American football star!

This issue of biracialism ties neatly into a current problem confronting the Korean education system – how do we accommodate biracial students in Korea? I believe that there is a recent rise in biracial children, eg. indian + koreans, and apparently, teachers are at a lost at what to do with "these" children. They speak Korean, think Korean, feel Korean - but don't look Korean. Why should there be an assumption that you have to look Korean to "be" Korean? This is not unique to Korea of course. Japan has been experiencing the same problem for years. But I think the opening of Japan and its subsequent internationalization helped disperse some of the initial shocks. So many foreigners speak fluent Japanese that it does not surprise them anymore, unless you visit some remote part of the country. But I believe many Koreans are still surprised when foreigners learn Korean, even those living in big cities.

The rise of Hein Ward’s well-deserved success will hopefully force Korean society to face and possibly embrace diversity as a tool towards great nation-building. You just cannot have a globalize economy and a respected international position without a sincere attitude for tolerance and diversity. It is like wanting to make Seoul a cosmopolitan city without the presence of foreigners. That will never happen.

I believe educational institutions have been at the forefront of the initiative for diversity. Korea University launched a huge campaign recently to revamp itself as an international university with a diverse student population to match. Also, there are other more subtle, local changes. Itaewon no longer holds the reputation as Korea’s whorehouse, but is now the new Meatpacking district (well, the current Meatpacking district at least – chic, eclectic, trendy). There is a growing number of ethnic restaurants outside the usual Italian and French fare. You have Middle Eastern cuisine, Indian cuisine, etc.

Holistically, I don’t think Korea is as hostile as some people might imagine. In fact, Japan is ranked as the most racist country by the UN (This was based on last year’s ranking, I believe). On the other hand, saying that Korea is not used to foreign presence is a very weak excuse for racial intolerance or racial sentiment. Korea has the highest number of college and high school graduates in the world. More Koreans are traveling abroad, be it for school, for leisure or for business. Education and international exposure have been weaved into the fabric of Korean society for sometime now. Additionally, American cultural exports are so widespread in Korea. So are the occasionally racial outburst or episodes of racial intolerance simply isolated incidences? Or do they reflect a fundamental prejudice within Korean society? Short of a comprehensive, year to year survey of Korean society’s thoughts on foreigners, one can never arrive on a satisfying conclusion. However, it is important to not view Korean society in isolation, but relative to other countries too. It is within this holistic context that we might arrive on some rather interesting perspectives.

ARC

(http://search.hankooki.com/times/times_view.php?term=itaewon+racism++&path=hankooki3/times/lpage/opinion/200509/kt2005092116172554070.htm&media=kt).