Interview with Youngeun Koo (ENG)

Last week I asked Mrs Koo, our Korean Studies department's expert on migration, for an interview on Korea, migration and her own story.

Domenic

There are many students who do not know you well because you do not teach any classes to them so please introduce yourself a bit.

I am doing my PhD here in Korean Studies. I moved to Germany in March but before that, for seven years, I lived in the UK where I worked as a researcher in NGOs that support migrants and refugees and did my master’s on migration studies. I’m currently writing my doctoral thesis on transnational adoption from South Korea and run BA courses on Korean migration.

Why is the field of migration studies especially interesting to you?

I was born in Daegu. I stayed there until I was five and then my parents decided to move to Seoul because they thought my brother and I would receive better education. You can see in the photo my parents, my brother and me. I had a very typical ‘Korean’ upbringing. When I was younger, I did not think moving abroad was a possibility and I believe many of my friends also thought like that.

But things changed a bit when I went to uni because learning English abroad became very important for securing good employment. I went to New Zealand to learn English and afterwards I travelled around South East Asia. I spent about eight months abroad and for the first time I felt a sense of liberation. So when I came back to Korea, I really wanted to move abroad again.

What did you do afterwards?

I finished my BA and moved to London. I worked as a researcher in NGOs. One of the organizations I worked for was called Reprezent. It is an educational NGO based in Peckham. Peckham is a rough area in South London with high crime rates and poverty. It also has many migrants, particularly ethnic minorities. I mainly worked with young people with BME (Black and Minority Ethnicity) background. Many of them felt that they were systematically discriminated against and had no future in British society even though they were born there. For example, there is a police practice called ‘Stop and Search’. Police officers can stop and search anyone on the streets if they deem ‘suspicious’. Although the police claim that they do not target any specific groups, many studies show that young Black and Asian men are many more times likely to experience this practice. Personally, I have never experienced it, but have seen some of the young people I worked with being searched on the streets in a humiliating way. At Reprezent, we offered education programs and ran a radio station for young people. I worked as a researcher to understand what they thought about issues that affected them, and the findings were used to influence policy makers.

Living and working in London really made me realize how much race and ethnicity shape your life: your opportunities and the way you look at the world. That was one of the main reasons why I got very interested in the issue of migration. I really liked working in the field but I had a growing desire to explore the issue in academia, so I pursued my master’s degree in migration studies at the University of Oxford.

What hardships did you face after moving to a completely different country?

The language. Especially at the beginning. But working really helped me both to become fluent in English and to better understand British society.

I must say I did not experience any severe racism or discrimination in London because London is so diverse. It also seemed that people in London (like in many other Western societies) had a perception that East Asians do not cause trouble. You might say that this was beneficial for me since I didn’t experience serious racism, but it’s important to recognize that I had that privilege precisely because East Asians met the standards imposed by the host society, which inevitably excluded and discriminated against other migrant groups.

What do you think is important when moving to another country?

I think empathy is very important. Try to understand where people come from and why people behave and express themselves in a particular way, rather than simply getting frustrated and annoyed. When you move to another country, there will always be things that you do not and will not understand. And it is very natural that you get frustrated. I would even say If you do not experience any hardships, that would be very strange. But instead of looking at things superficially and think “Oh people here are so strange or bad” try to look for and understand what have shaped those behaviors. Then you will have a much better understanding of the new society. When you guys move to Korea, things will obviously be very different. Even little things like being pushed in the tube can make you feel frustrated and disappointed with Korea, but try to look at the society more broadly.

Did your life habits change when you were abroad?

Yes, I started a lot of things from anew. I became much more opened to new ideas. I did not realize that I had tried to be like anyone else while in Korea. I was afraid of doing something that was different. But when I moved abroad I started trying things I never thought I would do. I also got more involved in social issues. The distance I have with Korea has also enabled me to look at Korea more objectively. Haha, I also exercise more.

Were there things you missed when you were abroad?

Yes, mostly my family and friends. But you know with technology like KakaoTalk, you can talk to them more easily and that helps.

Why did you move to Germany?

I knew that the Korean Studies department at Tübingen was growing fast and the department’s research focus matched my interest very well. Moving here was decided a lot by my PhD/job offer. I liked living in London but was also determined to do a PhD and pursue a career in academia.

Right now I am still adjusting in Germany. In London it took more than a year for me to feel comfortable. I guess it would take longer in Germany because I do not speak the language very well. I am taking courses but when I moved to the UK I could communicate in English but here I need to start from anew. But, so far I enjoy living in Stuttgart/Tübingen. People have been extremely friendly and welcoming!

Many people in our department think about moving abroad later. Do you think moving there permanently is a too easy thought?

First of all, I would say South Korea has already become a migrant receiving state.

Considering the scales of globalization and international migration today, I would say that it is now naïve to imagine yourself living anywhere ‘permanently’. Even in your own country. There are so many opportunities both in and out of your home country, so you can never know what might happen.

What do you think might be especially hard in the case of Korea?

The first thing that comes into my mind is the language. But since you guys speak Korean, this will make things much easier. and then everyday practices… I guess people in Korea have a tendency to do things quickly and are more competitive and that can be challenging at the beginning.

The attitudes towards migration are shifting gradually in Korea, so Koreans are more open towards new people. But still you will see that some migrants are treated better than others. So I want you guys to think about this. I believe most of you will have a great time, and Koreans would be very interested in you and treat you very well. However, that privilege might be conditioned by other migrants being treated less nicely.

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Last question: Is it your first time teaching?

Yes, I used to work as a teaching assistant before but the class you took last term was my first ‘independent’ teaching. You guys were very responsive and made me feel comfortable. I could imagine myself developing this area further in the future. I really enjoy the interactions with students: they ask and raise things I would have never thought of on my own.

Is there one tip for our students you would like to share?

When you go to Korea, be open-minded and do not be afraid of getting disappointed. Your time there will help you broaden your horizon and understand many things much better.

Thank you very much.

Mrs Koo will be in Korea next year for her fieldwork. If there are any concerns or difficulties during your stay in Korea feel free to contact her (of course you can contact here now too).

youngeun.koo@uni-tuebingen.de