Why You'll HATE Living in South Korea

Before watching the video, as a korean, I wholeheartedly agree with the title.

I like how honest you are about this topic.

I hope your video gets the views it deserves. I lived in KR for a year and after coming back to Europe I realized how superficial, status based and in general horrible is the society there. I'm not even talking about working culture, that's so disrespectful to employees considering this is a first world country.

Haha this is such a non-Asian expat point of view. Which is perfectly valid but it doesn't make sense to every Asian-American expat, like myself. I'm Japanese-American, and over the years I've lived in Korea for a total of around 2 years all told. And I didn't go through any of these "stages", at all. I'm here right now and I'd say I have pretty much exactly the same reaction to it I had the first time I visited. I love the country, I still find it fascinating and fun, and it has a ton of very dark sides which I am totally aware of. But the "cultural differences getting annoying"? Nah. Because the Japanese culture of my parents is similar enough to Korean culture that there's very little here that shocks me, both on the positive and negative side. It's all very familiar to me and in many ways makes more sense to me than American culture! Even the dark sides make sense to me. But the dark sides of the US are really hard for me to relate to, even though I was born and grew up in the US. I will never understand why people drive slowly in the fast lane, don't know to stand on one side of the escalator to go up, get up in arms about wearing masks during a pandemic, or who think Donald Trump is anything other than a clown narcissist rather than a serious politician. Not that Korea (or Japan) don't have lots of annoying things and stupid politicians but they're annoying and stupid in a way that's utterly recognizable and relatable to me. So yeah: not every expat goes through these stages. I never had an idealized picture of Korea before I lived here and to me, going back and forth between the US and Korea is no different than going back and forth between California and New York. Different, yes, but there's no idealization in my case. I suspect similar things happen to a lot of Asian-American expats here.

The people who enjoy the Korean experience are the ones who love the positives of Korean culture and actually learn Korean and engage the people. If your closed-minded and don't want any changes in your life, then you're better off staying in your own country.

This video is more informative and precises unlike other videos that goes on 20 minutes. You did a great job. However, it could have been even better if it showed the life experience can be varied depending on ones career in south korea, and teaching english isn't a respectable job in south korea (and japan too) any more.

This is pretty much everywhere overseas

There's pros and cons of living in Korea. There's gross superficiality and genuine kindness. The convenience is on another level. You have to have a balanced view. Whether you decide to stay or leave will be down to your subjective preferences.

1:15 This feeling, in my opinion, is what Koreans felt in the 1980s and what Americans feel now. Koreans enjoyed American movies and pop, even though most of them didn't know any English. Just Imagine the culture shock that Korean diplomats felt when they first visited the United States on July 15, 1883. We, as human beings, had a similar system and values, but it was a completely parallel world. It took us 100 years to reintegrate and modernize it. Now SK fully understand Western perspectives. This was made possible by the sacrifices of those who came before you. And the same kind of feelings you having since you staying in Korea.

Nice vid.

I live in South Korea and love the country and people, but I don't understand the hype. It's a beautiful and safe country, but it's not some magical place and it has its own problems just like any other country.

You like a country, everything of the country looks cool. You don't like a country, you see all bad things only.

that's the life of any expat in anywhere in the world. Do you think it's easy for Koreans to settle in the US??

Your comment may be right and may be wrong. Do you think you're truly open-minded to other societies? I don't know.

Well, a South Korean living surrounded by White America here. You complain Koreans ask too many private and personal questions to you, which annoy and frustrate you. Hard to believe, since no one is all that interested in others' lives in general, esp. in a non-celebrity, English teacher who looks extremely ordinary. It takes efforts to ask questions, efforts take energy, and most Koreans are too tired to move a finger after long work. (Btw, if someone asks your age, that has nothing to do with personal curiosity; it merely means that person is wondering if he/she should use deferential/honorific (존대말) or normal manner of speech when speaking to you.) After my long stay in the U.S., I realize the opposite of love is not hatred but indifference. No White Americans seem ever curious about the Asian country I am from, what I am thinking. White Americans treat me (and most colored people for that matter) with polite indifference, as if we are invisible or transparent, while they seem to have such great laughter and fun among themselves. Zone of interest, perhaps, but trust me, a silent treatment is far worse than nosy intrusion into your privacy. I would be so glad if only Americans here asked me something personal and private, for that would at least evidence my existence.

i used to be married to a s.korean. haven't been there for a long time, but it was terrible when i lived there for several reasons. they are very very rude ppl and often dont know how to even say a simple thankyou. maybe because i used to live in japan, by comparison, s.korea was abysmal

Everybody loves "Korea sucks' videos

So whiny! Duh? You're living in a different country. Just stay in the US and dont travel.