Korean's view on Black people?

Question

I've been getting mixed answers. Some people have told me that they are seen as somewhat inferior and others says that alot of Koreans are actually really interested in black culture. I'm confused and kinda nervous because I really want to visit there. So, how are black people perceived in Korea?

Answer 1

My 10cents,

I am a teacher and I hinted on the subject with my high-school advanced english class. Firstly all the girls told me, they'd never marry a black skinned man as it would disrupt their blood line. They only want pure-blooded Koreans.

A good example would be Hines Ward. He visited Korea as a child with his mother and was spat on and generally abused in public, his mother was treated like a leper because she as Korean had a black/mixed race son. If your child is half white, that is very acceptable, but not black.

I showed a class of 11year olds random pictures, of black Hollywood celebrities and general Black world leaders. The answers I got back were "rapist" "car thief" etc. They even branded Koffi Anan as looking like a serial offender.

This comes from the media, the only blacks that they are exposed to are those in Hollywood movies, the news on CNN or the drunken GI's in Seoul. Obviously in a city like Seoul there are more people who are open minded, but for the most part Korea is very narrow minded when it comes to black colored people.

I attend church here, and we have an English service. The Head Pastors wife is fluent in English while the Head Pastor isn't. She attends the English Service. One day a guy named Vince attended, Vince is a factory worker from Laos, and he is black, infact, he is the blackest guy I have ever seen! The Pastors wife wouldn't even acknowledge his presense. He sat down next to her and she moved so fast, it was as if "someone had just defecated on her from a great height". THIS IS A PASTORS WIFE, WHERE IS THE RESPECT IN KOREAN SOCIETY WHEN THE PASTORS WIFE, HEAD OF THE FEMALE CHURCH SHOWS SUCH RACISM.

I have heard repeatedly about African-Americans being offered jobs teaching English, by way of a phone interview, Employer only having viewed resume and talked on phone. Arriving at the airport to meet the new teacher and walking away because the teacher isn't WHITE! BLATENT RACISM. African-American teachers also have been offered lower salaries because of their color. "Parents will complain", being the school manager/owner/head teachers arguement, and do you know something? IT IS TRUE.

My advice, come for a visit, but don't try and get a job, and stay clear of the rural backwaters or you will be treated like a leper.

Answer 2

African Americans get more attention in general in Korea. Not even in a bad way, they are just curious and haven't seen many people with darker skin tones. Korean MEN get negative attention dating any other race than Koreans! Korean girls can get along fine walking around with an American man, but a Korean Man is expected to date a korean girl! It's sad and unfair. I'm a girl, and dating a Korean man had to be hidden (at least from his family) the whole time. But that's two strikes on attention grabbing... but really, it doesn't matter what they think. Do what you want. It will be rare for someone to approach you about it, you'll just get more looks on the subway rides and walking around. Hope for good connection between families.

Answer 3

Korean Word For Black Person

Answer 4

Born and raised in the U.S., I am surrounded by many different people. & I was taught to respect people of all cultures.
Honestly, however, the last time I visited Korea back in 2000, some of my young Korean relatives had different views. When we saw a few Black people at a theme park we went to, my young cousin started referring to them with a very unpolite word in Korean and started telling me how she didn't like Black people. I personally was shocked, but I was young too, so I told my parents about it when I came back to the states. My father then spoke with other relatives about how those kind of words are unacceptable. Now that I think about it, my cousin didn't even have a good reason for not liking Black people. She probably never met or spoke to a Black person before, so she probably thought it was okay to think that way.
That happened 7 years ago and my cousin is older now, so I hope she doesn't think the same way. Korea is changing. People are more open to foreigners as well as people of mixed backgrounds.

anway, gl in Korea! [;

Answer 5

A lot of these answers... seem wrong to me.
I'd say that yes- korean people do see blacks as inferior, and they are racist. I don't mean EVERYone but a lot of people. They have a lot of bad words that they use to describe them, that basically mean the n-word. I'm talking about koreans that live in korea, or who have recently immigrated. Though hip hop and rap is very popular in Korea so those people are probably more accepting of black culture and people.

But in general, koreans probably hate the japanese the most lol.

Answer 6

One of the ways Korean kids insult each other is to call each other black. At my church, while everyone is friendly to my African friends during the service, afterwards on the street they shun them. Until recently, racism was protected by the Korean constitution. It will take a long time to undo years of the racial indoctrination the Korean people have endured.

There is a show in Korea that features foreign and Korean ladies that are not ethnically Korean nor Korean born, but can speak the language. One black Korean civil servant was on the show, and they made fun of her race several times, once even making fun of her by having one of the male hosts come out on stage in blackface. Racism in Korea is almost ubiquitously socially acceptable. I imagine if you visit, you won't be lynched or have to fear from being the victim of some violent crime, but the people here will see you as a strange outsider. Some will express the traditional Korean hospitality, but not as much as if you were white. Others will shun you completely because of your race.

I hope that helps to give you an idea of what you can expect.

Answer 7

For 30 years that I've been traveling to Korea,Japan and around Asia, the feeling towards black people has not been the best. Saying that, there is still nothing to fear to visit there and a smile and friendliness will translate in any language. The oriental culture is a very closed culture..they have their inner circle and then it goes from there. As a foreigner, even if you make friends, you'll never get to that inner circle but you will have friends for life.

Answer 8

African / Korean mixed children are scorned by Korean society. My wife is Korean and when Hines Ward won the Superbowl MVP and became an instant hero in Korea she was shocked. It was very hipocritical of the people as a whole. Most Koreans don't follow american football and black/korean children are generally looked down upon.
People will be friendly to you if you are a visitor.

Answer 9

I was station in the USAF at Osan AFB back in mid 80's and met a young lady who working in a near by bar. I was the first American she met and she spoke very little English. I guess you can say it what she leaned in school but never practice it. She was to this day the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. So I treated her differently, courted her,. dated her. One day she invited me to meet her family in a suburb of Soul. She didn't tell her family that I was black she only told them I was American and that was cool until I knock on the door. Her sister was kind but her mom had serious problem and call her son and told him to bring his friends over to rough me up. I don't speak the language but at that time I understood it and new that this was going to be bad so I left. I didn't see her for a few weeks and when she came back she told me what they was saying but she didn't care, she told me that she loved me. So I was thinking marriage but as time went on I never did cause marriage doesn't last but to lose the love of your family will hurt more so I left. I have to say not many days, two marriages, 4 kids don't go by when I don't think about her. I hope that she is well.

Answer 10

I have read all of your answers so far and agree with almost all of them.. I think there are different classes of people, with varying degrees of educational background so you will get all sides.. just like in the states.

Truthfully, I have lived here for awhile and I know people (Korean) who think the full gamut of things regarding black people OR other cultures.
One of the things that is really unfortuneate are the types of black movies that KOreans see on t.v. here. At home, in Detroit, I thought nothing about it. But you have to realize that many KOreans have no experince with black culture, but they do have cable and satellite t.v. that run 24 hour western movies dubbed in Korean.
In comprison to home, I have seen twice as many movies about gang-bangers, prostitution, strippers, etc. that are made under the guise of comedies with complete black casts. For some reason, I have never seen a thought-provoking black film here.. Spike Lee doesn't seem to get the audience here that the Wayan brother get.. (and the Wayans are the cleanest that I have seen here)
So the impression is that this represents black culture in America.
When our friends visited, (black males), people stopped them on the street to say they looked like the Wayan brothers. (they do not)