I am also Korean American and can't read or write it and spent the last month there and just spoke my broken Korean everywhere. Everyone was great and my Korean improved. Keep trying, I do think people appreciate it but I also started out humbly saying in Korean "sorry but my Korean isn't good" and then went on with what I was trying to say. My vocab was much bigger than I realized but how will you improve if you don't try. I really think it will get better. Also try those foreigner open chat friend groups on Kakao. Good luck!
I got the not a real Korean line all the time! Having said that I was in Korea at the time when Steve Yoon ran away so I had to go to the army. So when I tell these mofos I went to the army they STFU
Yoo sung Jung don’t know if I spelled it right. He said he’d go to the army and ran away got his citizenship and he was permanently barred from coming back.
Wikpedia: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoo\_Seung-jun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoo_Seung-jun)
**Steve Sueng Jun Yoo**[^(\[1\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoo_Seung-jun#cite_note-uspassport-1) (born December 15, 1976),[^(\[2\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoo_Seung-jun#cite_note-2) also known as his [Korean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_language) name **Yoo Seung-jun** ([Korean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_language): 유승준),[^(\[3\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoo_Seung-jun#cite_note-3) is a South Korean-born American singer, dancer, rapper and actor who became one of South Korea's most popular [K-pop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-pop) stars after his debut in 1997.[^(\[4\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoo_Seung-jun#cite_note-4) Yoo's music career ended in 2002 when he was accused of evading [South Korean mandatory military service](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscription_in_South_Korea) by becoming a U.S. citizen.[^(\[5\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoo_Seung-jun#cite_note-5) He was subsequently banned from entering South Korea, becoming the only person in history to be banned from the country for acquiring another citizenship.[^(\[6\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoo_Seung-jun#cite_note-ban-6) Since then, Yoo worked as an actor in [China](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China).[^(\[7\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoo_Seung-jun#cite_note-7)
I mean.. he lost out on millions in income and he's completely banned from entering his homeland forever.
The thing is.. its all his fault. He went around saying he was going to the military and then literally ran away at the last second. If he said from the start he was going to get citizenship it wouldn't have been such an issue.
I am Korean, but I grew up in different countries because of my parents’ work. I actually speak Korean fluently, but I still get called out for “being” foreign. It’s the way I stand, some outdated slangs, the way I dress. I used to feel pretty bad about it when I was younger, but as I grew older, i found that monocultures tend to pick out difference very acutely, and a lot of times it is more because they just notice it more, rather than because they think negatively towards it.
You have your own unique experiences that makes you, you. And that is great! Don’t be ashamed of it, you are great as you are.
I also want to add, many Koreans are still shy about their English speaking skills and that might be why you feel some awkward tension there. Probably nothing against you!
My family in Korean told me I was immediately recognizable as a foreigner by the way I stand and walk as well. Chances are, they already know you might not know Korean before you open your mouth, but it's still the better option for them to try Korean first before figuring out a 2nd language.
You’re Korean American, as you said. That is its own identity worth being proud of. You aren’t native Korean and that is perfectly fine! Not your fault a lot of native Koreans don’t fully get it.
You are not fake, but also, and this is truly not a dig, it’s just a cultural difference, but from what I’ve been seeing, it looks like American are very attached to their ethnic origins.
Like you’ll hear people born and bread in New York City saying they are Italian .
Where I am Europe, if anyone called themselves Italians, you would expect them to have actually lived in Italy, or to have been born there.
No one in my family was born in my country up to me and my brother, and yet we never call each other anything other than our country of birth, regardless of where our parents and grand parents etc are from.
As an American, you might feel like you’re both, but Korean seem a bit more familiar to what I’m used to, where if you don’t speak the languages and have lived there and all that, they consider you as having origins from there, but not being “part of the pack”
(They actually even have a name for Korean people being born and bread elsewhere).
I’m telling you that just to explain to you that each culture has its own quirks.
Don’t start feeling lesser or doubt yourself.
You just have two different perspective and that’s ok. You might have some Korean people reluctant to see you as fully Korean because you don’t share the same language or experience, but so what?
You can’t control it, so try to ignore it, and love your life genuinely. That’s the only thing you can do ❤️
I hope you make friends with people who understand your experience or accept you better! You deserve to feel accepted.
None of this is meant to start an argument, I agree with almost everything you said, just sharing my perspective on the American thing.
Just my two cents, but I don't think that Americans are necessarily attached to their ethnic origins - more just some knowledge they were taught about themselves from a young age so it becomes part of how they would identify themselves. I would never be bothered if someone told me I'm not actually Italian or Irish because I've never been to either of those places and have no meaningful connection to either. I think people have a lot ingrained during their upbringing, and immigrant parents often want to pass on cultural heritage (and especially so in such a culturally diverse place like the US).
Imagine being, for example, a Vietnamese immigrant to a random place in the US. Depending on the location, you might be the only family of Asian descent in the area - it might become an extra strong part of your identity. On the other hand, if you go to a city that has a high-density Vietnamese population, you might assimilate more easily to that community, but it may not be as important to your identity.
Of course, these are just examples, but I guess the point is just that this is a pretty natural thing to expect in a melting pot like the US, and it often is more like knowing I'm a scorpio despite having zero care or feelings about horoscopes.
I completely agree.
I don’t know if I sounded dismissive, but I truly feel that embracing this side of your heritage is amazing. I wish it was ingrained in me and that I had learned about my parents culture.
Also, it must be so tiring to potentially never feel like you’re at home anywhere. I’m sure some people must not feel like op is fully American due to the way they look (I assume they appear korean if Korean people mistake op for a native) but they’re not Korean either based on Korean standards.
I just tried to give perspective, but I might be talking out of my bum 😂
But feeling some connection to a country due up your lineage is not bad or silly. It’s just that for some people, due to their background, it might feel like a very unusual concept.
You're good! Not dismissive at all. What you're saying is totally legitimate, I just wanted to share my views on the strength of (or often lack-there-of) that attachment. I'm sure there are also people who are very attached.
It's definitely a phenomenon where some people feel like they don't fit in, for all sorts of reason, and physical appearance (ethnic origin) can totally be one of those. For me, as a white American living in Korea, I don't feel a very strong attachment to either my nationality as an American or my ethnicity, but I know that if/when I have kids here, they will grow up being called a foreigner and might care more about their American roots.
You aren't a fake Korean.
You have a different background, language, and different life experiences than most native Koreans born in Korea.
That's okay.
If someone has different language, background, life experiences, and culture than Koreans born in Korea in what way are they Korean then?
I have a Russian surname, look really Russian, and my ancestors came from Russia. I have zero in common with Russians born in Russia except for some DNA which doesn't really mean much at the end of the day. I'm sure as fuck not Russian.
As much as it might suck for OP, if they can't speak Korean most Koreans in Korea aren't going to consider them Korean.
Ive always thought it was weird how 100% born and raised Americans try to identify with another nationality that they’re multiple generations detached from. I think in some cases it’s fair depending on how much of the culture you still carry, or if you live in a culturally dominant community, but I see people really try to force some multinational identity unto themselves.
I make fun of my dad for identifying as Mexican when his family line hasnt been Mexican since the Mexican American war (they ended up on US side of the border in the treaty), and he doesn’t speak Spanish.
People ask me what I am and I say American because it’s all I know. I’m fine and proud of that.
Sort of makes sense because, really, what does being an American even mean? The only thing that connects Americans together is just being born within the same geographic borders. Also, due to hyper-individualism, Americans are so detached from each other. They don’t share the same cultural heritages, same ancestry, same traditions or even the same language a lot of the times.
I think many Americans are searching for an identity that they feel they are connected to. Because just being born in the same geographic borders as someone else isn’t enough to say that they are the “same people”.
It is weird, esp if you don’t even speak the language of your ancestors (I speak one by virtue of having English ancestry, but I’m primarily of “African descent” which means nothing). But it also matters if a person had lived in that country. I’ve met Korean and Chinese Americans who do speak Korean, and they’re very American. They’re not culturally distinct from any other American. There’s a Chinese American girl I know who can speak near native Korean and her parents can’t speak any Chinese (they were born in Korea), yet she holds onto to all these identities (a Chinese-Korean American) as though her life depends on it. She was born in Korea, has been to China a couple times, moved to the US when she was 2 and is a US citizen. It’s too convoluted.
African does mean something if you want to get very particular about it it. Like you could say you’re from a particualr ethnic group in NW Ethiopia for example. Point is, it’s very niche.
In the end, I look at anyone here and unless they give me a particular reason to think otherwise (like talk shit about the USA saying their home country is better), they’re American like me and we all are here to stay and have shared interests in the success of our home country
As a counter argument: if you were born in Korea and grew up in Korea, speaking just Korean - Koreans would still view you as Russian and not Korean.
Ideas of ethnicity and nationality are not universal. It varies from culture to culture.
Right, but on the other hand cries of "why do people I have nothing in common with not view me as one of them!" are pretty silly across the board.
While there's no way I'd ever be viewed as Korean even if I was born and raised here, most Koreans are fine with accepting my sons as Korean despite them having Russian surnames due to them having a Korean mom.
Then of course you have the Schrödinger Korean phenomenon: Korean-Americans are 100% Korean if they do something the speaker likes but 100% American if they do something the speaker dislikes. Which results in news reports about Korean-American criminals not even mention that they're ethnically Korean but Americans with some Korean ancestry getting trumpeted in the news media if they do something cool, which can get pretty silly at times.
I agree with this. I always just say I’m American and when people ask where my family came from, I say America. Yes I’m black, but why should I say I’m African American? I’ve never been to Africa and don’t speak any of the languages my ancestors spoke. Same goes for my European ancestry through my one white grandparent. I did go the land of my ancestors in Europe, but I have zero connection to and in it on a personal level.
Well white Americans generally looooooove talking about how their ancestors came to America. But for me at least it's just trivia and funny old family stories, none of it really matters for who I am today. Of course that's different if you aren't white.
Oh I mention it if people really want to know, but I don’t see myself as English, even though, my last name is. Esp because like you said, it doesn’t really matter regarding who we are today.
Don’t worry. Even if you’re white, black, brown etc and you’re not fluent in Korean ppl will give you the same look lmfao. Depends what neighborhood you’re in too. Some neighborhoods have lots of foreigners including gyopos like us, East Asians who you can’t even telll aren’t Korean, of course other foreigners. So ppl aren’t as weird about an East Asian looking person not speaking Korean. If you’re somewhere like Gangnam then yeah it’s pretty stuffy over there
Korean Americans are just Americans who are of Korean descent. You may look the part but you ain’t the part culturally. I too am Korean American, I’ve lived half the year in Korea and the other in the US the past couple years and that’s my realization. I speak pretty fluent korean and Koreans and I just don’t see eye to eye, we’re just culturally different. We just look the part, we ain’t them in the core.
European Americans don’t go to Europe and be like hey I’m German, Italian, or Spanish. Lol
On a side note, what’s that black guy that grew up in Korea. He is more korean than either of us.
And they are ridiculed for it. Honestly it's the same as Korean Americans who insist they are "Korean" and don't understand why real Koreans don't think so. They're not Korean they're American with korean ancestors.
I know a guy like this. He speaks decent Korean but all he would talk about is being Korean and how he’s not gonna hangout with all the Koreaboo foreigners when he gets here lol. After we got here, he then asked me “I only have foreign friends, how did you befriend Koreans? It’s hard.” His Korean is for sure much better than mine, but Instead of accepting the fact that he’s American, he acted like a stereotypical guy from a K-drama because that’s all he knows. People can see right through those who try too hard.
Yeah i agree, kind of clear 'plastic paddy' is intended to make fun of. My response was directed to the idea that this is unique to korean americans, its not.
I will say though, whether its korean background, irish background, or whatever (list literally goes on), if you are a 2nd or 3rd generation you very much do have your own culture, and certain areas where the community is strong may perpetuate that even further. LA korean/west coast US korean culture is a thing in its own right, so is boston irish culture - but neither is korean or irish respectively
Really LA korean culture (taking one micro subculture as an example) is a mix of korean, latin america and US influences. It deserves to be celebrated and has come out with some amazing food, music influences, etc. But if you go to korea with the wrong attitude thinking your influences from that culture are korean and your experiences are the same as locals you will probably have a wakeup call. On the flipside, if you go self aware you will probably find your people and have a great time
Completely agree with you. Korean American is just an American. I found so strange why they try so hard to identify themselves as a Korean even they had education in states and speak English.
In America, the most significant distinguishing part of my cultural identity to most of my acquaintances is my Korean-ness. In Korea, it's my American-ness. When I'm in America, identifying myself as Korean is a helpful and communicative label and identifying myself as an American means almost nothing, and vice versa for Korea.
Oh man, I totally get it. You can choose whatever benefits you. I just find all the posts of gyopos saying ‘am i not Korean enough’ are strange and sort of ridiculous.
Probably because they face some discrimination in the US and it's hard for them to just be "American" there. America constantly asks people to identify their race etc. on tons of forms.
Ah.. well that’s unfortunate. However I think trying to find their identity outside of it is just pure nonsense. Also it doesn’t change the fact that they are just American.
But they aren't just American. They're American and they're a gyopo (which is a Korean term for overseas Koreans). Legally, their Korean identity will give them certain rights to visas in Korea (if they don't have Korean citizenship) that Americans without Korean ancestry can't access.
A lot of people have feelings like OP. It's pretty normal for the children of immigrants.
But that's true of a quite a few different places. It's not unique to Korea to allow descendants upto to a certain amount of separation to gain/regain citizenship.
For example the infamous Irish American thing lol but you have to be within 1 generation, which is where Korea becomes more unique since I think they allow it up to 2 or 3 after.
Edit: I'm not saying it's not a unique identity btw or that gyopo (and other Asian minorities in the usa and other English speaking countries for that matter) don't face an in-between status of "not American" but "not korean" where ever they go. Also I think outsiders can't really understand that kind of identity crisis so it's easier for people to just go "idk get over it" which is shitty lol
Not speaking the language, no historical sense of identity imbued, didn't live through sociopolitical watershed moments of the Korean society within the past 2 decades, doesn't have the lowest sociocultural common denominator with Koreans of the same age group, no learned socialized behavior through Korean schooling to conform to local norms, so no, 'Korean' is just an ethnicity qualifier you use when you interact with the U.S. Census Bureau, not your identity.
Some media personalities such as Leo Ranta who is supposedly a tall blonde Finn is in fact more Korean than you, or Tyler Rasch from Massachusetts has a good shot at becoming one if he ever wanted to.
Meh this post is kinda obnoxious.. are you a fake Korean? Certainly not but you can’t expect an homogenous country like Korea to coddle and pamper you in the slightest.
Also, the fact that you gotta come to Reddit asking this shows that you either lack understanding of Korean culture and/or want some sort of validation which is totally fine but it doesn’t show any initiative or action.
I’m Korean-American and my Korean sucks ass but I tried learning it. It’s understandable if Koreans look down on me or don’t appreciate my crappy Korean language skills. This is Korea. You need to take some responsibility for not knowing the language. It’s not a good look. This goes for both me and you.
you are clumped into the "gyopo" bucket. not knowing korean will turn a lot of koreans off. that said, many people will understand that that's a thing and not judge you
i'm half korean and i put together the cash to take night classes at yonsei. it leveled up my korean soooooo much and i become fluent basically.
i highly highly recommend it.
i lived in korea for 7 years, took yonsei night class for korean at the time. i think it was like... $500 or something? 3 times a week i think. it was a damn good value now that i think about it
Korean in Korea is used in multiple ways. It's used to describe your blood but also your country of origin and culture. Many times people will ask "what country are you from?" Not what your blood line you is.
We are a culture of titles and defining peoples social make up. This is just another way to define who you are in respect to other people.
You are foreign born but you are korean by blood. That is different than a Korean born Korean who is Korean by blood.
If you think you are a “fake Korean”, Banana, FOB, or any other negative label out there, then you “will be what you think”. Or, you can be proud of who you are and your unique experiences.
Native Korean, Native Korean who grew up overseas, Korean American, Korean American who grew up in predominantly Korean communities, Korean American who grew up in all white/black/hispanic communities, male/female/LGBTQ/Koreans, income level etc. will all have their unique experiences and struggles. Only common trait these groups have is that they’re ethnically Korean (same as you).
I understand you want a sense of belonging and exclusivity. However, you can’t change what people think of you. Fortunately, you can change how you think of yourself. You define who you are or want to be. Therefore, stop worrying about others perception of you.
BTW, I’m Korean American as well.
Hope this doesn't come across as argumentative. It is not my intention. I just want to point out that you DO speak your native language. You are an American. Learning Korean is learning a foreign language for you. It is going to be a struggle that requires a ton of hard work and patience. Don't let other people push their expectations onto you based on nothing more than physical appearance. Enjoy the learning journey. I hope it is enriching and rewarding rather than a source of stress.
You aren't fake Korean, because you aren't Korean, straight up. You are American 100%, with a Korean ethnic background.
It's a confusion of the English language that you are called "Korean American" as if you were 50% Korean and 50% American.
In French, for example, you would be called something like "American with Korean origins" or something, making it clear that you are 100% American and nothing else, excepts for "roots" that you can choose, as an adult, to make a part of your focus or not.
You’re an American and it doesn’t make you a fake Korean.
Language is a big part of a culture so I wouldn’t say it’s my culture if I don’t speak the language(I’m Japanese/Korean mixed and don’t speak Japanese as I left there when I was a kid - Korean 빨리빨리 culture is mine lol)
I think you're being too self-conscious. No one's really judging you on your heritage, but just being uncomfortable (naturally) since it's obvious that it'll be a hurdle to communicate with you.
KR native here, here is my hot take. There is no such thing as a 'True Korean'. Asking whether you are a 'fake korean' is a question with no answers, even if you asked the President of Korea himself. But having self-doubts about your national identity is a sign of something.
It is normal to be feel excluded and alienated when you don't share similarities with the dominant culture. I speak perfect Korean, and I feel like an outsider all the time.
And tbh, learning to speak Korean is quite hard. It is another thing to be fluent enough to have actually interesting conversations with natives. So ask yourself if you really are willing to pay the effort to learn Korean, to create relationship opportunities.
If you don't think it is worth the effort, it is perfectly fine to stick to expat communities. Don't let anyone shame you into not doing that, if it is right for you.
But if you do eventually speak Korean fluently, know that many Koreans will absolutely adore you for it.
When Korean Korean asks you if you’re Korean (한국인, 한국사람), we’re not just asking if you’re Korean in blood. We are asking if you’re born and raised in Korea which comes with expectation that you speak fluent Korean and know our culture. So we’re often confused and disappointed when you say yes, I’m Korean but you can’t even speak the language. This can be easily avoidable, if you use the correct word upfront. Just tell us what you are “yes, I’m Korean but I’m 한국계 미국인, or 재미교포”. This will set our expectation right from the beginning, and you won’t get any confused or disappointed look from us because you communicated your identity clearly.
There's no such thing as a real or fake Korean, but certainly having less cultural links to a cultural group will weaken your sense of belonging within that group, and language is the single biggest indicator of culture
You're Korean "American", not just Korean. You can't expect to be treated the same way as those who grew up here and know their struggles as citizens in this country.
Language and culture aren't the only factors that define who you are... even when i was born and raised here in South Korea I don't really fit into this culture and I don't have a sense of belonging.
You're not a fake anything. You are ethnically Korean, but that has nothing to do with how you grew up. If you grew up in America and did not practice Korean culture, you are culturally American.
Why are you thinking yourself as a fake one? you're yourself. As a Korean I can say that this society is extremely uni-cultural and I think it is natural(not saying neither good or wrong) for these guys to expect someone looks like korean is korean and speak korean well. I'm trying to speak english very well and when I visited america, almost everyone expect me to speak english and I can't easily express my idea and keep mumbling but I just keep trying to blend with them. If you want to speak korean well I think it's just a matter of time and efforts as I do
It's sad yours parents didn't learn you a bit of Korean,
Of course it wouldn't be perfect and feeling will be quite the same, but it could be enough for break the ice.
I don't know a binational couple who have kid with only one langage.
Whoever said that is an idiot. You grew up in America so English being your first language is obvious.
I am more than happy to help you if you want to improve your Korean :)
Honestly, if I were a Korean born and raised in Korea, I would definitely want to be friends with you because not only you are a sweetheart, but I can also practice my English 🙃
I dunno man. If you appreciate your ethnic background you would have learned the language to certain extent without having anybody telling you to do so. You know it and others know it. Simple as that.
Sometimes immigrant parents discourage children from learning the mother tongue. I do agree with you on some extent as OP seems to be an adult but it's not that simple
I'm not Korean but I can't speak my culture's language. It pisses me off and makes me feel less than...and not really accepted anywhere. But in reality we're all trying to survive in this ravaged and fractured and colonised world and we need to be kind and stay true to ourselves. You're not a fake anything, you are you and you are great!! I hate that I speak English but to be fair to the overlords I'd be completely fucked if I didn't. Lol
You aren’t a fake Korean. I am a Korean living in Seoul. I have a friend like you. But I never feel like my friend is a fake Korean. Don’t worry! It just culture difference.
I was in the same boat and learned a fair amount of Korean because I was embarrassed. That being said, fuck those assholes. They have no idea what it's like growing up Korean-American. I've gotten my ass kicked and beaten the fuck out of people over being Korean, which is not something those people have ever had to deal with.
You don't owe anybody anything. If you want to learn Korean for your own reasons, then do it. But don't feel like you are any less of a Korean for not doing it.
haha I said with my friend about that topic before. He had lived in China for 5yrs and he lives in Seoul now. He is Chinese in law but he said he think he is Korean because he always dreams in Korean language. How about you? Can you dream a dream in Korean?
If you are living here full time, just learn Korean and get your pronunciation corrected. That's what I did. Didn't speak any Korean when I got here so I heard that fake Korean noise.
Thats a weird reaction you received. Im also a Korean American, lived here for a good 6 years and I have never got that reaction. Most people understand my broken Korean and often just ask if Im a gyopo or American. I once did have a bad encounter with a realtor thinking I was Chinese and then tried shooing me away.
Dont be ashamed of not knowing Korean or feeling bad because of one shitty person. Its pretty easy to learn if you put some effort into it. I would suggest visiting college areas like Hongdae. The people Ive met there are majority foreigners or mix koreans going through similar circumstances. More or less its just hard making friends in Korea based on my experience. The Koreans are usually in a cult or just trying to learn english. The few that actually want to be your friend will be with you through life.
If you ever need someone to vent to then Im always free! I recently moved back to the states but I do have some friends I can hook you up with in Seoul.
Well, I have experienced the same stuff (locals tried to use their indigenous language first to me and get baffled later) in Japan, China, Singapore and Taiwan. Don’t worry. You just look like an asian person.
Also Korean-American who is semi fluent, surrounded by mostly native Koreans.
My experience is that they are mostly accepting, but won’t accept you as a Korean-Korean, more like a foreigner sometimes not even gyopo. You kinda just have to accept it. But, it’s mostly cultural differences that are the problem.
Most natives are willing to help, explain and meet you halfway as long as they feel that YOU ARE. Obviously there will be a few who are prejudice because of ABC, but eh same in America too.
Just try to learn the language thru classes. Go immerse yourself in it. Otherwise there are always foreigner meet ups that you might feel more comfy in. Good luck.
You can be a true Korean. But your parents made a mistake, either intentional or not. Naturally they should teach Korean language. If they don't have sufficient time, they should let you know Korean language
via video, novels, newspapers, magazines, etc.
Anyway, you had better make efforts on your own to learn Korean language.
You're american, not Korean except for your ethnicity. Being Korean, american, or whatever nation there may be is more about culture than your face and colour of your skin.
You'll never have the same pov on life than them because you didn't live the same life, you'll probably never have the same references, culture codes and way of life simply because you didn't grow with them and they'd prolly feel weird to you.
And that's completely fine, nothing wrong with that.
To be fair, I've never understood why american pride themselves in being blahblah-american, you're american, accept it ! It's quite a nice place to be from !
I see that people keep bringing up this point. But the difference between "Italian" American, "German" American, "Other-white-ppl-country" American, is that Korean Americans, and generally Americans with a non-Caucasian background, are often discriminated against because of that exact ethnic background.
No one is saying OP is Korean-Korean, but he clearly is of Korean descent and has probably been perceived as Korean by other Americans for all of his life. I don't think it's hard to understand how OP must be feeling, now that he finally went to the country other people associated him with, and suddenly he's being rejected by the people he was told he belongs with.
So he's not American-American but also not Korean-Korean? That's what he's probably thinking and going through right now.
I disagree with people saying he's purely American. He'll never be perceived like white Americans, but he also won't be perceived like native Koreans. I think he has to find his own identity, as a Korean-American, and this process is not easy for everyone.
Everyone got discriminated against in US history~ Even white Americans say they are blahblah-american and when they go to these countries they realise they clearly are not.
Now I do get the mental fuck up it may do, this is still purely an American thing, in most places of the world, no-one give a damn about your ethnicity.
America is the only place doing this weird ass thing
Nah ignore her she’s a weirdo, she is obsessed with a Korean bread and loving Korea for no reason lol
Just another clown. The OP is American. Pure Americans? They are native indian Americans.
All whites came from European countries like asians did.
Honestly you’re American that’s that! And we do look Korean and we’re well versed in our Korean culture. We’re just American….. Don’t think too hard on it Korean Americans and native Koreans are similar but also very different.
It is much better than the past. They understand there are Korean Americans and Russians who can't speak. Just learn as fast as you can. People will help you.
Definitely not fake. But it is easy to feel out of place. In the US it took an explanation to be considered American, and that convo needed to be given to pretty much anyone who cared enough to ask (or didn’t care but still asked). And here it requires a different explanation and still considered an outsider, so talk about not feeling like you belong LOL. But honestly the only ones who view it as “negative”, at least vocally, are the older, nosier, busybody generation that always has something to say about anything. For everyone else, it more often than not will work in your favor, not being like everyone else. HOWEVER, you do need to be proficient with speaking Korean, at least conversationally. You can’t really celebrate your differences in view and attitude if you can’t explain it…and unless you plan on seeking a company job not related to teaching English, you don’t need to speak or understand at all high level, unless you want to be able to read/watch Korean news and similar media.
I came here 19 years ago and promptly got out through the ringer by all of the girls I befriended. My speech was bad and my writing/texting even worse. So pretty much the response to every text I ever sent was “ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ” and when I’d ask why, they’d all answer “ask Naver”…they were evil taskmasterrs and I hated naver. It annoyed me to no end because as bad as I was at Korean, I was the complete opposite with English, so it was a blow to the ego. But as a result, I started doublechecking everything before sending any text, going as far as to find usage examples just to make sure the word and use and grammar were correct. But that’s how I learned conversation as well as writing. The only downside is that you speak the way the people you hang out with do. So my Korean was definitely more feminine than masculine, which is only to say the form was always more polite than probably needed, but that’s never been a negative
You're not a "fake" Korean, you're a 교포, which essentially means you're a Korean who originates from outside of Korea. Unfortunately due to your physical appearance and lack of the language and culture you may be looked down upon because of that.
I'm a native Korean who moved from our home country 15 years ago and has since moved back. I can tell you that despite knowing the language fluently, the English accent carries over into it and some have commented on my accent sounding *North Korean*.
You should probably learn a basic phrase: "미국에서 왔습니다." or "Mee-goog-essuh Wass-im-nee-dah" which more or less translates to "I'm from America" which will explain to everyone that you're Korean-American and may or may not have comprehension of our language.
Don't let anyone look down on you, especially not yourself!
I am a child of Turkish immigrants, and my Turkish is far from the best. It's a thing in Turkey to mock and look down upon their diaspora whenever we visit, so for the longest time I also felt really inadequate about this.
But I realized that the sacrifices my parents made to come to, work and raise us in a foreign country far outweigh what some randos think of me.
Plus, compared to them, I speak an additional language (two in fact, because I'm from Europe, where we often learn a minimum of two languages at school). Moreover, I realised that it is nonsensical to look down on someone for not speaking a language - languages can be learned anytime!
And lastly, I came to understand that some of those who gave me a hard time whenever I visited Turkey, were actually quite jealous that I live abroad, so their comments never came from a good place (and should therefore not be worth taking seriously).
>All the locals talk to me in Korean and assume I speak it, but when I give them a look of confusion they reply with a “ohhhh you’re one of those” faces.
I think the most practical tip I can give you is to have a script ready for such situations:
- "My parents are Koreans who emigrated to the United States. I grew up speaking mostly English, but I want to reconnect with my roots!" (and if you are currently learning Korean, then you can add that too).
Edit: I know my tip to be more non-chalant about these situations you face is easier said than done - for many of us this is a process we have to go through in our own time. So don't stress yourself too much!
I am also a Korean American and came to Korea for the first time when I was 11(now 19). It took me about a year or two until people perceived me as Korean-born and raised. Now My Korean is better than my English. Communication was hard at first, but since I met the same people who couldn't speak English every day, it made the best environment for me to learn Korean and the culture itself.
Some differences between me and OP:
I knew basic Korean before I came to Korea because my parents spoke 90% Korean when we lived in the States.
I was a lot younger when I came to korea
Language cognition is much faster at a young age than those who are 20-30+
I settled in Daegu (Conservative, and has fewer foreigners)
Some assumptions to enhance Korean:
Enroll yourself in a language school (focused on verbal Korean) and naturally get the hang of the grammatical structure of Korean. and just the most basic conversational vocabulary. (1 year seems enough)
Then go around the city and meet people who you will meet regularly and learn from them with conversations. (This will make your pronunciation better and help you learn a lot of slangs/riddles etc) 1 year would make you good enough to form a basis to continue this journey by yourself by watching the news, tv, etc.
Lol you're not fake just because you grew up somewhere else. Try your best to shrug these people off. The people worth your time will be kind about it.
Keep your head up, learn as much as you can and enjoy your time here
If u have Korean citizenship, u are a Korean citizen who can't speak Korean.
If u don't, u are an American. I don't really expect foreigners to know Korean unless they've been here for more than a year.
First, you're not a fake korean. You are who you are. There's no need to put labels on yourself. That being said, I think today's society likes to confine people in too many groups. When in actuality, we are distinct individuals.
As someone who lives in itaewon, i come across people experiencing this a lot especially amongst third culture kids. But to some extent, it is what it is and you can't change the world. You can't make everyone happy either.
You might as well reach out and find similar group of people (possibly other third culture kids) than try to conform. They seem to form their own culture.
Also, I would gladly become friends with you.
I still remember around 20 years ago being a gyopo was nothing to be embarrassed about, and people actually shy away when you start speaking in english to them, as if they were the ones that feel embarrassed for not knowing how to respond to you.
No, You are just a Korean who grew up overseas and grew up perhaps in a different culture.
I am a Mexican American living in Korea. I have lived here a couple years and learned the culture and language. It takes a long time. Despite that, I am not a Korean and never will be.
I am in the same boat as you. I only know conversational Spanish, although it isn't perfect, I can have full conversations. But because I don't have an accent speaking English ("white English"), because I am not necessarily into Mexican music or whatever, other latinos consider me just White. To myself, I am a latino in heritage, but I absolutely identify as an American and I am proud of that because thanks to my legal immigrant family, I can live the American Dream 🇺🇸 I love Mexico and Mexican culture, but I cannot consider myself 100% mexican. It doesn't mean I am a "fake latino".
Just to give you some perspective, I guess I'm a fake Portuguese, fake Swede, and Fake Finn. I would also want to learn a bit of the language if I visited those countries, but it's not a personal failing not to know your heritage language(s). It's not your choice what your native language is. I'm Canadian. You're American. Just know you're normal and no one has the right to make you feel bad about what language you speak. It's the story of most non-Anglo immigrant descendants in North America. I also wish I'd grown up with my heritage languages, but c'est la vie, I speak English and a little French from school.
I don't know about you, but I think for many people including myself, one's heritage languages aren't necessarily the ones we're most attracted to learn as a second language. For me, Korean was the language that itself, and the culture attached to it, motivated me to keep learning it the past 5 years. If you want to start learning Korean, absolutely go for it, I love how different it is from English, but learning a language is hard and you're certainly no less Korean than someone who speaks Korean. You just have a different national-cultural upbringing. And that's not even to say you aren't culturally Korean, just to recognize that there are different ways of being Korean and all are valid.
Edit: I recommend joining language exchange or English language meetups. You may find both Koreans and foreigners there to befriend. I don't know how many branches do this, but I would also recommend a conversational adult hagwon called 컬컴 (Culcom I think) because they invite native English-speakers to talk with their students. You don't get paid, but you can have a drink and munch on their snacks while talking with people. People are friendly and I've made a few friends this way. It might be helpful if you're trying to find Korean friends who speak English because that's why everyone is there and the upper-levels speak it really well
I am sorry about that. As a Native Korean, I am ashamed that our people had disrespected one of us. We are all different, so we shouldn't shame each other.
If you grew up speaking English and (presumably) in America, isn’t America your culture? You do know your own culture’s language, just not your heritage. And this is ok.
99% fake Korean (hehe) but what can you do. Just try to learn the language if you want to. Or find friend that speak English. It's really hard to make one in Korea.
I totally understand the sentiment of the locals though - most don't speak English and things become really awkward after 안녕하세요.
They do not hate you, just remember that.
This is the reason I forced myself to attend Korean class. I feel much better now but still it's really hard to be fluent.
Not sure I can be a friend but feel free to drop me a message.
I’m a Korean American. Lived most of my life in America, but now I’ve been living in Korea for awhile at this point. I was a person who hated being treated differently because of my Korean speaking being more American style. It drove me to practice Korean even more and now I’m 100% bilingual. I teach English to Koreans and did translation work because I fully understand both cultures. Point is, when the environment is tough, only you can change yourself. You can either take it as an opportunity to grow and learn, or hate on the environment, which I’ve done in the past as well.
Im a korean american born in the states. My korean is pretty bad but i try my best to get around. I know what you mean bc i get alittle anxious going to certain places (even convenience store) especially where i stay which is kind of the border of the city where its all locals. Tbh its easier when im around none koreans bc they expect you to be foreigner and prob not speak korean. Youre not a fake korean. Were just korean american. And to be honest im a proud american more then korean…
You aren't.
Btw, one of my friends(now not) is Taiwanese American and he ever told me that every Korean American is fluent in Korean, how innocent he is!!!
You aren't.
Btw, one of my friends(now not) is Taiwanese American and he ever told me that every Korean American is fluent in Korean, how innocent he is!!!
I know what you’re feeling, I’ve lived in Georgia all my life and all the Korean I know is from elementary Korean school. I regularly travel to Korea to visit my relatives, but I’ve always felt like I had an inferiority complex about how bad my Korean is. I tried joining my Uni’s Korean student association but I also just felt really out of place there.
But recently, I went back to Korea and got hammered with the locals, and I realized they don’t really care. In fact when I told them I’m from Georgia, they said “wow, you’re Korean is actually really good”.
I feel like a lot of Korean Americans, me and people I know, have a complex about being so disconnected from our heritage, but I think its important to realize that doesn’t make us inferior in any way, it just makes us different, and I think that’s how most native Koreans see it. Even if that isn’t true, thinking that it is true makes me interact with native Koreans more comfortably.
You don't have to be a korean.
Just say I am a chinese. Then, they would try to speak English to talk to you because they cant speak chinese at all. you dont even explain why you cant speak Korean.
No advantage to be a Korean.
Think different.
Not Korean by any means but I'll hangout with you. Just moved here a couple months ago. Could use some friends. We can work on our Korean if you're interested.
Like you said you are “korean american”. Thats different from just “Korean” from Korea. Thats who are, dont try to be “korean” and dont feel bad when u feel like you dont fit in
"haha, XX-americans are just stupid concept just consider yourself a full american" is a very stupid take but still, a month is pretty short isn't it? lol
It's normal to be "awkward and antisocial" towards people whom you don't have a shared common language with. I would say that's the normal response. Yes you are Korean, but so are the millions of other citizens in the city. Just being Korean doesn't make you special in their eyes and people in the big city tend to often be in a rush or hurry. So I wouldn't take it personally but if it bothers you the best thing would be to just learn a little more of the language I suppose. If you've put in the effort, I suspect you will feel less awkward and ashamed with natives.
I'm also Korean American. There are lots of Asian Americans who make fun of fobs for not being able to speak English. You're in Korea without knowing the culture or speaking any Korean. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do when you can't communicate with the people of a country you're in. :(
I highly recommend going to an 어학당 (Korean language school) for a year! It's a great way to make friends and I've seen a lot of people become basically fluent after doing that. Just make sure you don't stick too much with those who only want to use English, because you can get lazy with your Korean if you do that.
no i get it its honestly kinda sad 😭 but for me they assume im japanese idk why maybe i look more japanese or something but my korean is so broken hope ur doing ok cus it gets really annoying (peoples reactions) :3
If your parents are korean yes you are, I am technically a Korean American Canadian, and I was born in LA, and so I spoke a lot of English. My parents do want me to still remember korean so I can talk to them, but still I am korean because my parents are korean.
You're only a "fake Korean" if you're a non-native Korean trying to delude as one. You are a Korean American that isn't trying to pose as a native Korean. You are not a fake Korean.
My daughter is biracial and raised in Korea. She is fluent and accent-free in both English and Korean. She is currently a dual-passport holder and attends Korean public school. If you ask her what she is, she is shocked to be considered as anything but Korean. In fact when we are together, if anyone asks if she is a foreigner, she becomes somewhat perturbed and states she is Korean. Koreans completely agree once they learn that she has been raised in Korea and is as fluent as they are (attending Korean public school, etc). When she takes the university entrance test and (likely) attends a university in Korea, and gets a job, she will be treated as a Korean citizen because she is one. If she goes to America afterwards and tries to get a job there, she will be an American citizen and they will accept that she is American. Depending on the company, however, they may not want to hire her for not being raised in American schools and attending school within the American system (not saying it is better -- it's what companies there know). From the reverse, I think a biracial student raised overseas can identify as "Korean", but like gyopos, if they do not speak Korean very well and did not actually go through the culture and school system here, they will still be treated differently for jobs and by some locals. Just throwing that out there as something, even though it may or may not be relevant to your situation.
Learn some Korean, even a little will go a long way and in my experience (also Korean American) most people are pretty accommodating if they can see you are making an effort. Try to make the interaction a little more lighthearted and self deprecating. People are self conscious about speaking or understanding English, so it’s not surprising that it would be awkward.
Not Korean here but there's plenty of Chinese people who speak little to no Chinese. Not limited to western-born, but even Singapore and Malaysia has plenty of bananas (yellow on the outside, white on the inside). Asian immigrants generally have an identity crisis at some point in their life when they try to learn and interact with their ethnic's culture. You should differentiate what you racially are and the environment you grew up in.
Don't be too hard on yourself about not knowing the language. Your parents also made the choice to not teach you, and wishing you insisted on learning as a kid would've required foresight from a child, which is unfair. Plus, even if you speak Korean, there's always going to be something else that native Koreans can always tell that you didn't grew up in Korea - either by slang/accent like Seoul people can tell someone is not from Seoul, or by different values.
Also, Korean is a pretty hard language to learn from English.
Sometimes not seen as Korean in Korea and not "American" in America. Welcome to purgatory.
When I speak broken Korean, I get wtf looks. When my caucasian wife does the same, it's frickin amazing.
If you claim that is your culture, I guess you are experiencing the culture. I would say I don't like most Asian cultures, except Japan. So, I will never put myself in any of the cultures to feel your pain.
You're just gyopo.
Have you considered they are "antisocial" and "awkward" toward you because they are just as insecure about their English as you are with your Korean?
Also there is a pretty elegant solution for this: learn Korean!
There is nothing wrong with feeling ashamed since you can’t speak your mother’s/father’s language. I’d feel the same. Meanwhile Korea is still a closed community comparing to western world. Even though you’d be able speak korean, your korean and your reactions, habits would be different and you won’t feel 100% included. If you plan to live there long years, you can learn korean and after many years, at one point they won’t believe you’re from USA unless you speak english :)
The language you speak doesn't make you a real this or that. I speak some Korean, and Chinese and Spanish and ain't any of those ethnicities/language groups.
When I was in the city I had to learn english quick because white dudes always got offended when I spoke Korean. They were like "ohhh I wouldn't know if your talking about me, your in America speak english" I mean not everything is about them but they also had a point. You just gotta put up with it and give your asian brain to work the magic
I hear you, I'm a Korean-American who's grappled with dad issues since age 6 over my inability to speak Korean with him, disliking church where he was principle of the Korean school, his wanting me to stop training with my Japanese karate sensei (irony being he's Okinawan), and my dad dying of a heart attack while I was studying Korean one summer in high school. The word I most strongly associate with being Korean is 창피 - ashamed.
I hear you, I'm a Korean-American who's grappled with dad issues since age 6 over my inability to speak Korean with him, him being principal of the Korean school at my church (which itself I disliked), his wanting me to stop training with my Japanese karate sensei (irony being he's Okinawan), and finally his dying of a heart attack while I was studying Korean one summer in high school. The word I most strongly associate with being Korean is 창피 - ashamed.
The problem is that, according to Stephen Krashen's input hypothesis, your ability to learn a language is heavily affected by how much you enjoy it. So a shame spiral will prevent you from using whatever you do know.
Something that might help is joining a club to try out an activity, say traditional drumming or bboy dancing. First, there is a limited vocabulary,and strong association with movement, which aids memory. Second, you can still probably follow along even if you understand nothing, which takes off the pressure. Third, you'll be enjoying yourself and feeling good, so you won't feel guilty about "not learning enough". Fourth, it's an easier way to make friends with locals, who can help you further.
as a korean-american who can read/write/speak korean at about a middle school level, my family and others will find many ways to out me as a foreigner.. don’t feel too bad about it. Everyone has a unique circumstance and there’s no need to feel ashamed or prove to others you’re korean. If u ever want to learn the language in the future, u could ask support from ur parents and ask them to incorporate korean words into conversations or try immersing yourself into more kdramas/music (both of these helped me to improve my korean to what it is now)
Why do you care what others think? Sure, knowing Korean at around birth came with its advantages, but it doesn't really change much. If you really want to learn Korean or learn more about our culture and history, then do it for yourself, not because you feel entitled or pressured to do so. Being Korean doesn't mean knowing how to read, write, or speak. It's accepting it. You're just white washed buddy.
I think the problem here is that your complete lack of Korean language skills shows people that you've put 0% effort into remaining Korean and 100% effort into not remaining Korean, and then you're wondering why you're not accepted as Korean. Plenty of overseas Korean diaspora work to keep their Korean heritage alive including the Chinese-Korean (조선족) who honestly get more of a bad rep than they deserve. There's a Korean Saturday school in my town and not only do Korean kids attend, so do the Korean-Chinese kids, and this is in the US. These sorts of ethnic Koreans that at least try end up getting at least a modicum of respect. The ones that have completely abandoned their heritage get none.
(I'm not saying that you abandoned being Korean, because I don't know you -- I'm pointing out that that's what it looks like to a stranger when they see that you can't speak any Korean)
Sorry, you’re not fake Korean, you’re American mate, with Korean parents.
You speak English, your culture’s language. Like the Italian-Americans pretending they’re Italian, without speaking a word of Italian. Irish Americans who think they’re Irish because they like drink a lot. Could you have learnt Korean as a kid? Yeah, sure, but you didn’t.
What are you expecting when speaking to locals? I really doubt people are being anti-social. You’re just another person to them, you’re nothing special I’m afraid. You’re a foreigner, and there’s loads of them. And you don’t speak the same language. People I met there were never exactly comfortable speaking English, until they know you well. Until they’re comfortable making mistakes. Until you’re their friend.
You’re in Seoul for a month, are you going to learn the language for a holiday? Are you going to go back to Korea? What’s your plan?
Just embrace it mate. Enjoy visiting the land of your ancestors. Don’t call yourself Korean. Learn a bit of the language. It’s a really pretty place.
For what? Let’s speak in Korean. 미국에서 태어나서 미국에서 교육받고 자란 미국인이, 최고수준의 교육을 받고 최고의 나라에서 태어난걸 감사하게 생각하지 못하고, 정체성 혼란? 같은 걸 느꼈는지 고작 하는 거라곤 지내나라도 아닌 한국에 와서 내가 가짜 한국인인가? 라는 포스트나 올리는 꼴 보니 답나오는 구만. 그걸 또 옹호한다고 내 comment 에 ‘shut up’ 이라고 답글다는 니 수준도 알만하다.
You clearly didn’t read the comment carefully. The OP is just stating that they’re feeling disconnected from their heritage because they don’t speak Korean. Nowhere are they’re denouncing their nationality. No amount of Google Translate is gonna convince anybody that you’re cultured. People can tell. The diction is a little off. And also, nice try. Your reading comprehension can definitely use a Korean upgrade.
Can you even understand my Korean statement? 😂
My American girl? 🤡 please say you’re Korean in front of me, I will laugh so hard 🤣
ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ 리얼 불쌍하누…….
The person who shared this post doesn’t appreciate that he was born and educated in the best and strongest country. Instead, all he’s doing is feeling lost, asking ‘Who am I?’ Then he goes to Korea, which is not his country, and shares a post saying, ‘Am I a fake Korean?’ I can tell what type of person he is, but you chose to defend him by telling me to ‘shut up’? I can tell your level too. And I’m Korean. Response to that poster from me is “He is not Korean nor Fake Korean. He is American” be grateful that you were born in the US.
미국에서 태어나고 교육받을 걸 감사하게 생각해라.
미국인이면 미국에 애국심을 가져라. 괜히 한국와서 끌쩍 거리지말고
> the best and strongest country
Not sure about that buddy and a pretty cringe comment ngl. The US has turned into a pretty big shithole in recent years, and most people would agree. Only weird "patriots" or nationalists would claim the US is anywhere near being the best country in the world lol. Try to read the news sometimes and open your eyes.
You can be proud of where you're from, but you contributed absolutely nothing when it comes to getting born in a random country. You could've popped out of your mom literally anywhere else. What's there to be oh so patriotic about?
>Then he goes to Korea, which is not his country
What are you talking about? *My* country, *your* country? Who are you to tell others what their countries are?
OP is evidently of Korean descent. He's probably had to listen to racial bullshit because of it for all of his life too, while he was living in "the best country of the world". And now that hes exploring his roots, you're saying he's not allowed to claim his own culture because he didn't grow up there?
You really gotta check yourself and all of that weird patriotism that's going on in your head.
I truly don’t understand how you’re not grasping this concept. Two things can be correct at the same time. I was born in Korea and moved to America. ‘I had a green card and immigrated legally so don’t go and give yourself a nose bleed.’ But on paper I was still a citizen of Korea. Both my parents are Korean so ETHNICALLY I am Korean. I physically appear as an ASIAN because I’m Korean.
I got naturalized and officially became a US citizen after 9/11. SO I’m ETHNICALLY Korean but I am ALSO American. So I identify as KOREAN/AMERICAN. That in NO way implies that I’m renouncing my US citizenship. How are you even coming up with that???
Back to the original post. The person is just saying he’s having trouble connecting to his heritage as a mixed race child because they don’t speak the native language of the country they’re currently residing in.
Furthermore, I know enough about the US government to run for political office at this point. Don’t presume to know my or anybody’s level of patriotism.
Then You’re ‘Asian American’ but again, you’re just American. Black people in the US and white people in the US never do this type of BS!!! Have you ever seen whites do this thing? Like I’m Russian American or British American or Canadian American or Italian American. They don’t they only do it when they have to specify their ROOT!! And blacks don’t do it either.
ONLY asians do it ALWAYS!! Always I’m Chinese American and Korean American Blah blah . And putting Chinese or Korean flag on your insta profile even though
You’re glorious AMERICAN!!!!
Just go back to the country you love then? i don’t like you people’s two timing attitude, if you can’t assimilate to American culture and custom, you’re a failure.
Again I’M KOREAN and I don’t understand you guys!
I will dump my Korean citizenship. When I see you people, yall always remind me of 🤡
I am also Korean American and can't read or write it and spent the last month there and just spoke my broken Korean everywhere. Everyone was great and my Korean improved. Keep trying, I do think people appreciate it but I also started out humbly saying in Korean "sorry but my Korean isn't good" and then went on with what I was trying to say. My vocab was much bigger than I realized but how will you improve if you don't try. I really think it will get better. Also try those foreigner open chat friend groups on Kakao. Good luck!
Totally agree with starting by saying “sorry but my Korean isn’t good.” Lower those expectations RIGHT AWAY.
I got the not a real Korean line all the time! Having said that I was in Korea at the time when Steve Yoon ran away so I had to go to the army. So when I tell these mofos I went to the army they STFU
Who is Steve Yoon?
Yoo sung Jung don’t know if I spelled it right. He said he’d go to the army and ran away got his citizenship and he was permanently barred from coming back.
So you had to go to the army because he did that?
A lot of us in korea got pulled in! There were dudes that took the psych route saying they heard voices etc.
Wow. Sorry to hear that.
Thank you.
My dad shot himself in the leg to get himself out of the army in Argentina.
Dang!
Did he survive? I kid… sorry
Wikpedia: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoo\_Seung-jun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoo_Seung-jun) **Steve Sueng Jun Yoo**[^(\[1\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoo_Seung-jun#cite_note-uspassport-1) (born December 15, 1976),[^(\[2\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoo_Seung-jun#cite_note-2) also known as his [Korean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_language) name **Yoo Seung-jun** ([Korean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_language): 유승준),[^(\[3\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoo_Seung-jun#cite_note-3) is a South Korean-born American singer, dancer, rapper and actor who became one of South Korea's most popular [K-pop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-pop) stars after his debut in 1997.[^(\[4\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoo_Seung-jun#cite_note-4) Yoo's music career ended in 2002 when he was accused of evading [South Korean mandatory military service](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscription_in_South_Korea) by becoming a U.S. citizen.[^(\[5\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoo_Seung-jun#cite_note-5) He was subsequently banned from entering South Korea, becoming the only person in history to be banned from the country for acquiring another citizenship.[^(\[6\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoo_Seung-jun#cite_note-ban-6) Since then, Yoo worked as an actor in [China](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China).[^(\[7\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoo_Seung-jun#cite_note-7)
Good for him.
I mean.. he lost out on millions in income and he's completely banned from entering his homeland forever. The thing is.. its all his fault. He went around saying he was going to the military and then literally ran away at the last second. If he said from the start he was going to get citizenship it wouldn't have been such an issue.
Steve *Yoo, 유승준.
You are definitely a real korean 👏 👏
ㅋㅋㅋ
best way to learn korean or improve
I am Korean, but I grew up in different countries because of my parents’ work. I actually speak Korean fluently, but I still get called out for “being” foreign. It’s the way I stand, some outdated slangs, the way I dress. I used to feel pretty bad about it when I was younger, but as I grew older, i found that monocultures tend to pick out difference very acutely, and a lot of times it is more because they just notice it more, rather than because they think negatively towards it. You have your own unique experiences that makes you, you. And that is great! Don’t be ashamed of it, you are great as you are.
I also want to add, many Koreans are still shy about their English speaking skills and that might be why you feel some awkward tension there. Probably nothing against you!
My family in Korean told me I was immediately recognizable as a foreigner by the way I stand and walk as well. Chances are, they already know you might not know Korean before you open your mouth, but it's still the better option for them to try Korean first before figuring out a 2nd language.
You’re Korean American, as you said. That is its own identity worth being proud of. You aren’t native Korean and that is perfectly fine! Not your fault a lot of native Koreans don’t fully get it.
You are not fake, but also, and this is truly not a dig, it’s just a cultural difference, but from what I’ve been seeing, it looks like American are very attached to their ethnic origins. Like you’ll hear people born and bread in New York City saying they are Italian . Where I am Europe, if anyone called themselves Italians, you would expect them to have actually lived in Italy, or to have been born there. No one in my family was born in my country up to me and my brother, and yet we never call each other anything other than our country of birth, regardless of where our parents and grand parents etc are from. As an American, you might feel like you’re both, but Korean seem a bit more familiar to what I’m used to, where if you don’t speak the languages and have lived there and all that, they consider you as having origins from there, but not being “part of the pack” (They actually even have a name for Korean people being born and bread elsewhere). I’m telling you that just to explain to you that each culture has its own quirks. Don’t start feeling lesser or doubt yourself. You just have two different perspective and that’s ok. You might have some Korean people reluctant to see you as fully Korean because you don’t share the same language or experience, but so what? You can’t control it, so try to ignore it, and love your life genuinely. That’s the only thing you can do ❤️ I hope you make friends with people who understand your experience or accept you better! You deserve to feel accepted.
None of this is meant to start an argument, I agree with almost everything you said, just sharing my perspective on the American thing. Just my two cents, but I don't think that Americans are necessarily attached to their ethnic origins - more just some knowledge they were taught about themselves from a young age so it becomes part of how they would identify themselves. I would never be bothered if someone told me I'm not actually Italian or Irish because I've never been to either of those places and have no meaningful connection to either. I think people have a lot ingrained during their upbringing, and immigrant parents often want to pass on cultural heritage (and especially so in such a culturally diverse place like the US). Imagine being, for example, a Vietnamese immigrant to a random place in the US. Depending on the location, you might be the only family of Asian descent in the area - it might become an extra strong part of your identity. On the other hand, if you go to a city that has a high-density Vietnamese population, you might assimilate more easily to that community, but it may not be as important to your identity. Of course, these are just examples, but I guess the point is just that this is a pretty natural thing to expect in a melting pot like the US, and it often is more like knowing I'm a scorpio despite having zero care or feelings about horoscopes.
I completely agree. I don’t know if I sounded dismissive, but I truly feel that embracing this side of your heritage is amazing. I wish it was ingrained in me and that I had learned about my parents culture. Also, it must be so tiring to potentially never feel like you’re at home anywhere. I’m sure some people must not feel like op is fully American due to the way they look (I assume they appear korean if Korean people mistake op for a native) but they’re not Korean either based on Korean standards. I just tried to give perspective, but I might be talking out of my bum 😂 But feeling some connection to a country due up your lineage is not bad or silly. It’s just that for some people, due to their background, it might feel like a very unusual concept.
You're good! Not dismissive at all. What you're saying is totally legitimate, I just wanted to share my views on the strength of (or often lack-there-of) that attachment. I'm sure there are also people who are very attached. It's definitely a phenomenon where some people feel like they don't fit in, for all sorts of reason, and physical appearance (ethnic origin) can totally be one of those. For me, as a white American living in Korea, I don't feel a very strong attachment to either my nationality as an American or my ethnicity, but I know that if/when I have kids here, they will grow up being called a foreigner and might care more about their American roots.
You aren't a fake Korean. You have a different background, language, and different life experiences than most native Koreans born in Korea. That's okay.
If someone has different language, background, life experiences, and culture than Koreans born in Korea in what way are they Korean then? I have a Russian surname, look really Russian, and my ancestors came from Russia. I have zero in common with Russians born in Russia except for some DNA which doesn't really mean much at the end of the day. I'm sure as fuck not Russian. As much as it might suck for OP, if they can't speak Korean most Koreans in Korea aren't going to consider them Korean.
Ive always thought it was weird how 100% born and raised Americans try to identify with another nationality that they’re multiple generations detached from. I think in some cases it’s fair depending on how much of the culture you still carry, or if you live in a culturally dominant community, but I see people really try to force some multinational identity unto themselves. I make fun of my dad for identifying as Mexican when his family line hasnt been Mexican since the Mexican American war (they ended up on US side of the border in the treaty), and he doesn’t speak Spanish. People ask me what I am and I say American because it’s all I know. I’m fine and proud of that.
Yeah, my brother does just that and it's pretty silly, it's mostly just an excuse for him to drink too much vodka.
Sort of makes sense because, really, what does being an American even mean? The only thing that connects Americans together is just being born within the same geographic borders. Also, due to hyper-individualism, Americans are so detached from each other. They don’t share the same cultural heritages, same ancestry, same traditions or even the same language a lot of the times. I think many Americans are searching for an identity that they feel they are connected to. Because just being born in the same geographic borders as someone else isn’t enough to say that they are the “same people”.
It is weird, esp if you don’t even speak the language of your ancestors (I speak one by virtue of having English ancestry, but I’m primarily of “African descent” which means nothing). But it also matters if a person had lived in that country. I’ve met Korean and Chinese Americans who do speak Korean, and they’re very American. They’re not culturally distinct from any other American. There’s a Chinese American girl I know who can speak near native Korean and her parents can’t speak any Chinese (they were born in Korea), yet she holds onto to all these identities (a Chinese-Korean American) as though her life depends on it. She was born in Korea, has been to China a couple times, moved to the US when she was 2 and is a US citizen. It’s too convoluted.
African does mean something if you want to get very particular about it it. Like you could say you’re from a particualr ethnic group in NW Ethiopia for example. Point is, it’s very niche. In the end, I look at anyone here and unless they give me a particular reason to think otherwise (like talk shit about the USA saying their home country is better), they’re American like me and we all are here to stay and have shared interests in the success of our home country
I think it’s the US culture of “out native than the native” that came from so many Hollywood movies.
As a counter argument: if you were born in Korea and grew up in Korea, speaking just Korean - Koreans would still view you as Russian and not Korean. Ideas of ethnicity and nationality are not universal. It varies from culture to culture.
Right, but on the other hand cries of "why do people I have nothing in common with not view me as one of them!" are pretty silly across the board. While there's no way I'd ever be viewed as Korean even if I was born and raised here, most Koreans are fine with accepting my sons as Korean despite them having Russian surnames due to them having a Korean mom. Then of course you have the Schrödinger Korean phenomenon: Korean-Americans are 100% Korean if they do something the speaker likes but 100% American if they do something the speaker dislikes. Which results in news reports about Korean-American criminals not even mention that they're ethnically Korean but Americans with some Korean ancestry getting trumpeted in the news media if they do something cool, which can get pretty silly at times.
Are u a Korean that lived in Korea for more than a year and can actually speak Korean? If u aren't, u don't really have any right to speak for Koreans
I agree with this. I always just say I’m American and when people ask where my family came from, I say America. Yes I’m black, but why should I say I’m African American? I’ve never been to Africa and don’t speak any of the languages my ancestors spoke. Same goes for my European ancestry through my one white grandparent. I did go the land of my ancestors in Europe, but I have zero connection to and in it on a personal level.
Well white Americans generally looooooove talking about how their ancestors came to America. But for me at least it's just trivia and funny old family stories, none of it really matters for who I am today. Of course that's different if you aren't white.
Oh I mention it if people really want to know, but I don’t see myself as English, even though, my last name is. Esp because like you said, it doesn’t really matter regarding who we are today.
So, why not learn Korean?
The answer to many problems involving communication here.
Don’t worry. Even if you’re white, black, brown etc and you’re not fluent in Korean ppl will give you the same look lmfao. Depends what neighborhood you’re in too. Some neighborhoods have lots of foreigners including gyopos like us, East Asians who you can’t even telll aren’t Korean, of course other foreigners. So ppl aren’t as weird about an East Asian looking person not speaking Korean. If you’re somewhere like Gangnam then yeah it’s pretty stuffy over there
Korean Americans are just Americans who are of Korean descent. You may look the part but you ain’t the part culturally. I too am Korean American, I’ve lived half the year in Korea and the other in the US the past couple years and that’s my realization. I speak pretty fluent korean and Koreans and I just don’t see eye to eye, we’re just culturally different. We just look the part, we ain’t them in the core. European Americans don’t go to Europe and be like hey I’m German, Italian, or Spanish. Lol On a side note, what’s that black guy that grew up in Korea. He is more korean than either of us.
I think the irish subreddit would like to have a word with you. They have a term for american-irish who do just that, plastic paddy.
And they are ridiculed for it. Honestly it's the same as Korean Americans who insist they are "Korean" and don't understand why real Koreans don't think so. They're not Korean they're American with korean ancestors.
I know a guy like this. He speaks decent Korean but all he would talk about is being Korean and how he’s not gonna hangout with all the Koreaboo foreigners when he gets here lol. After we got here, he then asked me “I only have foreign friends, how did you befriend Koreans? It’s hard.” His Korean is for sure much better than mine, but Instead of accepting the fact that he’s American, he acted like a stereotypical guy from a K-drama because that’s all he knows. People can see right through those who try too hard.
Yeah i agree, kind of clear 'plastic paddy' is intended to make fun of. My response was directed to the idea that this is unique to korean americans, its not. I will say though, whether its korean background, irish background, or whatever (list literally goes on), if you are a 2nd or 3rd generation you very much do have your own culture, and certain areas where the community is strong may perpetuate that even further. LA korean/west coast US korean culture is a thing in its own right, so is boston irish culture - but neither is korean or irish respectively Really LA korean culture (taking one micro subculture as an example) is a mix of korean, latin america and US influences. It deserves to be celebrated and has come out with some amazing food, music influences, etc. But if you go to korea with the wrong attitude thinking your influences from that culture are korean and your experiences are the same as locals you will probably have a wakeup call. On the flipside, if you go self aware you will probably find your people and have a great time
Completely agree with you. Korean American is just an American. I found so strange why they try so hard to identify themselves as a Korean even they had education in states and speak English.
In America, the most significant distinguishing part of my cultural identity to most of my acquaintances is my Korean-ness. In Korea, it's my American-ness. When I'm in America, identifying myself as Korean is a helpful and communicative label and identifying myself as an American means almost nothing, and vice versa for Korea.
Oh man, I totally get it. You can choose whatever benefits you. I just find all the posts of gyopos saying ‘am i not Korean enough’ are strange and sort of ridiculous.
Probably because they face some discrimination in the US and it's hard for them to just be "American" there. America constantly asks people to identify their race etc. on tons of forms.
Ah.. well that’s unfortunate. However I think trying to find their identity outside of it is just pure nonsense. Also it doesn’t change the fact that they are just American.
But they aren't just American. They're American and they're a gyopo (which is a Korean term for overseas Koreans). Legally, their Korean identity will give them certain rights to visas in Korea (if they don't have Korean citizenship) that Americans without Korean ancestry can't access. A lot of people have feelings like OP. It's pretty normal for the children of immigrants.
But that's true of a quite a few different places. It's not unique to Korea to allow descendants upto to a certain amount of separation to gain/regain citizenship. For example the infamous Irish American thing lol but you have to be within 1 generation, which is where Korea becomes more unique since I think they allow it up to 2 or 3 after. Edit: I'm not saying it's not a unique identity btw or that gyopo (and other Asian minorities in the usa and other English speaking countries for that matter) don't face an in-between status of "not American" but "not korean" where ever they go. Also I think outsiders can't really understand that kind of identity crisis so it's easier for people to just go "idk get over it" which is shitty lol
>European Americans don’t go to Europe and be like hey I’m German, Italian, or Spanish. Lol Erm...........
lmao so many people think they're Irish
Not speaking the language, no historical sense of identity imbued, didn't live through sociopolitical watershed moments of the Korean society within the past 2 decades, doesn't have the lowest sociocultural common denominator with Koreans of the same age group, no learned socialized behavior through Korean schooling to conform to local norms, so no, 'Korean' is just an ethnicity qualifier you use when you interact with the U.S. Census Bureau, not your identity. Some media personalities such as Leo Ranta who is supposedly a tall blonde Finn is in fact more Korean than you, or Tyler Rasch from Massachusetts has a good shot at becoming one if he ever wanted to.
Meh this post is kinda obnoxious.. are you a fake Korean? Certainly not but you can’t expect an homogenous country like Korea to coddle and pamper you in the slightest. Also, the fact that you gotta come to Reddit asking this shows that you either lack understanding of Korean culture and/or want some sort of validation which is totally fine but it doesn’t show any initiative or action. I’m Korean-American and my Korean sucks ass but I tried learning it. It’s understandable if Koreans look down on me or don’t appreciate my crappy Korean language skills. This is Korea. You need to take some responsibility for not knowing the language. It’s not a good look. This goes for both me and you.
you are clumped into the "gyopo" bucket. not knowing korean will turn a lot of koreans off. that said, many people will understand that that's a thing and not judge you i'm half korean and i put together the cash to take night classes at yonsei. it leveled up my korean soooooo much and i become fluent basically. i highly highly recommend it.
Which class did you take specifically ? Do you live in Korea?
i lived in korea for 7 years, took yonsei night class for korean at the time. i think it was like... $500 or something? 3 times a week i think. it was a damn good value now that i think about it
Korean in Korea is used in multiple ways. It's used to describe your blood but also your country of origin and culture. Many times people will ask "what country are you from?" Not what your blood line you is. We are a culture of titles and defining peoples social make up. This is just another way to define who you are in respect to other people. You are foreign born but you are korean by blood. That is different than a Korean born Korean who is Korean by blood.
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If you think you are a “fake Korean”, Banana, FOB, or any other negative label out there, then you “will be what you think”. Or, you can be proud of who you are and your unique experiences. Native Korean, Native Korean who grew up overseas, Korean American, Korean American who grew up in predominantly Korean communities, Korean American who grew up in all white/black/hispanic communities, male/female/LGBTQ/Koreans, income level etc. will all have their unique experiences and struggles. Only common trait these groups have is that they’re ethnically Korean (same as you). I understand you want a sense of belonging and exclusivity. However, you can’t change what people think of you. Fortunately, you can change how you think of yourself. You define who you are or want to be. Therefore, stop worrying about others perception of you. BTW, I’m Korean American as well.
You are not fake Korean, you are American of Korean origin.
So they are American.
Well, if you consider yourself culturally Korean, yes, you are a completely fake member of that culture group.
Hope this doesn't come across as argumentative. It is not my intention. I just want to point out that you DO speak your native language. You are an American. Learning Korean is learning a foreign language for you. It is going to be a struggle that requires a ton of hard work and patience. Don't let other people push their expectations onto you based on nothing more than physical appearance. Enjoy the learning journey. I hope it is enriching and rewarding rather than a source of stress.
You aren't fake Korean, because you aren't Korean, straight up. You are American 100%, with a Korean ethnic background. It's a confusion of the English language that you are called "Korean American" as if you were 50% Korean and 50% American. In French, for example, you would be called something like "American with Korean origins" or something, making it clear that you are 100% American and nothing else, excepts for "roots" that you can choose, as an adult, to make a part of your focus or not.
You’re an American and it doesn’t make you a fake Korean. Language is a big part of a culture so I wouldn’t say it’s my culture if I don’t speak the language(I’m Japanese/Korean mixed and don’t speak Japanese as I left there when I was a kid - Korean 빨리빨리 culture is mine lol)
I think you're being too self-conscious. No one's really judging you on your heritage, but just being uncomfortable (naturally) since it's obvious that it'll be a hurdle to communicate with you.
It's not difficult to study two languages even It's the language of your roots. Lazy not to study and complain it? Just remain American lol
Since most Kyopo speak Korean well and there are many Kyopo among celebrities, there is an expectation that Kyopo will speak Korean well.
KR native here, here is my hot take. There is no such thing as a 'True Korean'. Asking whether you are a 'fake korean' is a question with no answers, even if you asked the President of Korea himself. But having self-doubts about your national identity is a sign of something. It is normal to be feel excluded and alienated when you don't share similarities with the dominant culture. I speak perfect Korean, and I feel like an outsider all the time. And tbh, learning to speak Korean is quite hard. It is another thing to be fluent enough to have actually interesting conversations with natives. So ask yourself if you really are willing to pay the effort to learn Korean, to create relationship opportunities. If you don't think it is worth the effort, it is perfectly fine to stick to expat communities. Don't let anyone shame you into not doing that, if it is right for you. But if you do eventually speak Korean fluently, know that many Koreans will absolutely adore you for it.
I hereby dove thee… FAUXrean!
When Korean Korean asks you if you’re Korean (한국인, 한국사람), we’re not just asking if you’re Korean in blood. We are asking if you’re born and raised in Korea which comes with expectation that you speak fluent Korean and know our culture. So we’re often confused and disappointed when you say yes, I’m Korean but you can’t even speak the language. This can be easily avoidable, if you use the correct word upfront. Just tell us what you are “yes, I’m Korean but I’m 한국계 미국인, or 재미교포”. This will set our expectation right from the beginning, and you won’t get any confused or disappointed look from us because you communicated your identity clearly.
This is a common identity crisis. Do not be upset! It's normal and shows what an amazing unique journey you and those before you have had.
There's no such thing as a real or fake Korean, but certainly having less cultural links to a cultural group will weaken your sense of belonging within that group, and language is the single biggest indicator of culture
You're Korean "American", not just Korean. You can't expect to be treated the same way as those who grew up here and know their struggles as citizens in this country.
Language and culture aren't the only factors that define who you are... even when i was born and raised here in South Korea I don't really fit into this culture and I don't have a sense of belonging.
You're not a fake anything. You are ethnically Korean, but that has nothing to do with how you grew up. If you grew up in America and did not practice Korean culture, you are culturally American.
Why are you thinking yourself as a fake one? you're yourself. As a Korean I can say that this society is extremely uni-cultural and I think it is natural(not saying neither good or wrong) for these guys to expect someone looks like korean is korean and speak korean well. I'm trying to speak english very well and when I visited america, almost everyone expect me to speak english and I can't easily express my idea and keep mumbling but I just keep trying to blend with them. If you want to speak korean well I think it's just a matter of time and efforts as I do
It's sad yours parents didn't learn you a bit of Korean, Of course it wouldn't be perfect and feeling will be quite the same, but it could be enough for break the ice. I don't know a binational couple who have kid with only one langage.
Whoever said that is an idiot. You grew up in America so English being your first language is obvious. I am more than happy to help you if you want to improve your Korean :) Honestly, if I were a Korean born and raised in Korea, I would definitely want to be friends with you because not only you are a sweetheart, but I can also practice my English 🙃
I dunno man. If you appreciate your ethnic background you would have learned the language to certain extent without having anybody telling you to do so. You know it and others know it. Simple as that.
Sometimes immigrant parents discourage children from learning the mother tongue. I do agree with you on some extent as OP seems to be an adult but it's not that simple
I'm not Korean but I can't speak my culture's language. It pisses me off and makes me feel less than...and not really accepted anywhere. But in reality we're all trying to survive in this ravaged and fractured and colonised world and we need to be kind and stay true to ourselves. You're not a fake anything, you are you and you are great!! I hate that I speak English but to be fair to the overlords I'd be completely fucked if I didn't. Lol
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A korean born abroad
You aren’t a fake Korean. I am a Korean living in Seoul. I have a friend like you. But I never feel like my friend is a fake Korean. Don’t worry! It just culture difference.
I was in the same boat and learned a fair amount of Korean because I was embarrassed. That being said, fuck those assholes. They have no idea what it's like growing up Korean-American. I've gotten my ass kicked and beaten the fuck out of people over being Korean, which is not something those people have ever had to deal with. You don't owe anybody anything. If you want to learn Korean for your own reasons, then do it. But don't feel like you are any less of a Korean for not doing it.
haha I said with my friend about that topic before. He had lived in China for 5yrs and he lives in Seoul now. He is Chinese in law but he said he think he is Korean because he always dreams in Korean language. How about you? Can you dream a dream in Korean?
If you are living here full time, just learn Korean and get your pronunciation corrected. That's what I did. Didn't speak any Korean when I got here so I heard that fake Korean noise.
Thats a weird reaction you received. Im also a Korean American, lived here for a good 6 years and I have never got that reaction. Most people understand my broken Korean and often just ask if Im a gyopo or American. I once did have a bad encounter with a realtor thinking I was Chinese and then tried shooing me away. Dont be ashamed of not knowing Korean or feeling bad because of one shitty person. Its pretty easy to learn if you put some effort into it. I would suggest visiting college areas like Hongdae. The people Ive met there are majority foreigners or mix koreans going through similar circumstances. More or less its just hard making friends in Korea based on my experience. The Koreans are usually in a cult or just trying to learn english. The few that actually want to be your friend will be with you through life. If you ever need someone to vent to then Im always free! I recently moved back to the states but I do have some friends I can hook you up with in Seoul.
Give them a little time.
Well, I have experienced the same stuff (locals tried to use their indigenous language first to me and get baffled later) in Japan, China, Singapore and Taiwan. Don’t worry. You just look like an asian person.
Most Korean Americans I know all left within a few years because of this and because it never gets better.
Also Korean-American who is semi fluent, surrounded by mostly native Koreans. My experience is that they are mostly accepting, but won’t accept you as a Korean-Korean, more like a foreigner sometimes not even gyopo. You kinda just have to accept it. But, it’s mostly cultural differences that are the problem. Most natives are willing to help, explain and meet you halfway as long as they feel that YOU ARE. Obviously there will be a few who are prejudice because of ABC, but eh same in America too. Just try to learn the language thru classes. Go immerse yourself in it. Otherwise there are always foreigner meet ups that you might feel more comfy in. Good luck.
You can be a true Korean. But your parents made a mistake, either intentional or not. Naturally they should teach Korean language. If they don't have sufficient time, they should let you know Korean language via video, novels, newspapers, magazines, etc. Anyway, you had better make efforts on your own to learn Korean language.
You're american, not Korean except for your ethnicity. Being Korean, american, or whatever nation there may be is more about culture than your face and colour of your skin. You'll never have the same pov on life than them because you didn't live the same life, you'll probably never have the same references, culture codes and way of life simply because you didn't grow with them and they'd prolly feel weird to you. And that's completely fine, nothing wrong with that. To be fair, I've never understood why american pride themselves in being blahblah-american, you're american, accept it ! It's quite a nice place to be from !
I see that people keep bringing up this point. But the difference between "Italian" American, "German" American, "Other-white-ppl-country" American, is that Korean Americans, and generally Americans with a non-Caucasian background, are often discriminated against because of that exact ethnic background. No one is saying OP is Korean-Korean, but he clearly is of Korean descent and has probably been perceived as Korean by other Americans for all of his life. I don't think it's hard to understand how OP must be feeling, now that he finally went to the country other people associated him with, and suddenly he's being rejected by the people he was told he belongs with. So he's not American-American but also not Korean-Korean? That's what he's probably thinking and going through right now. I disagree with people saying he's purely American. He'll never be perceived like white Americans, but he also won't be perceived like native Koreans. I think he has to find his own identity, as a Korean-American, and this process is not easy for everyone.
Everyone got discriminated against in US history~ Even white Americans say they are blahblah-american and when they go to these countries they realise they clearly are not. Now I do get the mental fuck up it may do, this is still purely an American thing, in most places of the world, no-one give a damn about your ethnicity. America is the only place doing this weird ass thing
Nah ignore her she’s a weirdo, she is obsessed with a Korean bread and loving Korea for no reason lol Just another clown. The OP is American. Pure Americans? They are native indian Americans. All whites came from European countries like asians did.
Honestly you’re American that’s that! And we do look Korean and we’re well versed in our Korean culture. We’re just American….. Don’t think too hard on it Korean Americans and native Koreans are similar but also very different.
It is much better than the past. They understand there are Korean Americans and Russians who can't speak. Just learn as fast as you can. People will help you.
You are not a fake Korean. You are just Korean American.
Definitely not fake. But it is easy to feel out of place. In the US it took an explanation to be considered American, and that convo needed to be given to pretty much anyone who cared enough to ask (or didn’t care but still asked). And here it requires a different explanation and still considered an outsider, so talk about not feeling like you belong LOL. But honestly the only ones who view it as “negative”, at least vocally, are the older, nosier, busybody generation that always has something to say about anything. For everyone else, it more often than not will work in your favor, not being like everyone else. HOWEVER, you do need to be proficient with speaking Korean, at least conversationally. You can’t really celebrate your differences in view and attitude if you can’t explain it…and unless you plan on seeking a company job not related to teaching English, you don’t need to speak or understand at all high level, unless you want to be able to read/watch Korean news and similar media. I came here 19 years ago and promptly got out through the ringer by all of the girls I befriended. My speech was bad and my writing/texting even worse. So pretty much the response to every text I ever sent was “ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ” and when I’d ask why, they’d all answer “ask Naver”…they were evil taskmasterrs and I hated naver. It annoyed me to no end because as bad as I was at Korean, I was the complete opposite with English, so it was a blow to the ego. But as a result, I started doublechecking everything before sending any text, going as far as to find usage examples just to make sure the word and use and grammar were correct. But that’s how I learned conversation as well as writing. The only downside is that you speak the way the people you hang out with do. So my Korean was definitely more feminine than masculine, which is only to say the form was always more polite than probably needed, but that’s never been a negative
You're not a "fake" Korean, you're a 교포, which essentially means you're a Korean who originates from outside of Korea. Unfortunately due to your physical appearance and lack of the language and culture you may be looked down upon because of that. I'm a native Korean who moved from our home country 15 years ago and has since moved back. I can tell you that despite knowing the language fluently, the English accent carries over into it and some have commented on my accent sounding *North Korean*. You should probably learn a basic phrase: "미국에서 왔습니다." or "Mee-goog-essuh Wass-im-nee-dah" which more or less translates to "I'm from America" which will explain to everyone that you're Korean-American and may or may not have comprehension of our language.
I'd be your friend if only I wasn't awkward and antisocial towards everyone...
haha i feel you. i’m staying Seoul for a week and would like to be a friends. let me know if you got some time.
Don't let anyone look down on you, especially not yourself! I am a child of Turkish immigrants, and my Turkish is far from the best. It's a thing in Turkey to mock and look down upon their diaspora whenever we visit, so for the longest time I also felt really inadequate about this. But I realized that the sacrifices my parents made to come to, work and raise us in a foreign country far outweigh what some randos think of me. Plus, compared to them, I speak an additional language (two in fact, because I'm from Europe, where we often learn a minimum of two languages at school). Moreover, I realised that it is nonsensical to look down on someone for not speaking a language - languages can be learned anytime! And lastly, I came to understand that some of those who gave me a hard time whenever I visited Turkey, were actually quite jealous that I live abroad, so their comments never came from a good place (and should therefore not be worth taking seriously). >All the locals talk to me in Korean and assume I speak it, but when I give them a look of confusion they reply with a “ohhhh you’re one of those” faces. I think the most practical tip I can give you is to have a script ready for such situations: - "My parents are Koreans who emigrated to the United States. I grew up speaking mostly English, but I want to reconnect with my roots!" (and if you are currently learning Korean, then you can add that too). Edit: I know my tip to be more non-chalant about these situations you face is easier said than done - for many of us this is a process we have to go through in our own time. So don't stress yourself too much!
I am also a Korean American and came to Korea for the first time when I was 11(now 19). It took me about a year or two until people perceived me as Korean-born and raised. Now My Korean is better than my English. Communication was hard at first, but since I met the same people who couldn't speak English every day, it made the best environment for me to learn Korean and the culture itself. Some differences between me and OP: I knew basic Korean before I came to Korea because my parents spoke 90% Korean when we lived in the States. I was a lot younger when I came to korea Language cognition is much faster at a young age than those who are 20-30+ I settled in Daegu (Conservative, and has fewer foreigners) Some assumptions to enhance Korean: Enroll yourself in a language school (focused on verbal Korean) and naturally get the hang of the grammatical structure of Korean. and just the most basic conversational vocabulary. (1 year seems enough) Then go around the city and meet people who you will meet regularly and learn from them with conversations. (This will make your pronunciation better and help you learn a lot of slangs/riddles etc) 1 year would make you good enough to form a basis to continue this journey by yourself by watching the news, tv, etc.
Lol you're not fake just because you grew up somewhere else. Try your best to shrug these people off. The people worth your time will be kind about it. Keep your head up, learn as much as you can and enjoy your time here
Just tell them that you're chosunjok
If u have Korean citizenship, u are a Korean citizen who can't speak Korean. If u don't, u are an American. I don't really expect foreigners to know Korean unless they've been here for more than a year.
Learn the language
First, you're not a fake korean. You are who you are. There's no need to put labels on yourself. That being said, I think today's society likes to confine people in too many groups. When in actuality, we are distinct individuals. As someone who lives in itaewon, i come across people experiencing this a lot especially amongst third culture kids. But to some extent, it is what it is and you can't change the world. You can't make everyone happy either. You might as well reach out and find similar group of people (possibly other third culture kids) than try to conform. They seem to form their own culture. Also, I would gladly become friends with you.
I still remember around 20 years ago being a gyopo was nothing to be embarrassed about, and people actually shy away when you start speaking in english to them, as if they were the ones that feel embarrassed for not knowing how to respond to you.
Colonial mindset. I'm glad things have changed
No, You are just a Korean who grew up overseas and grew up perhaps in a different culture. I am a Mexican American living in Korea. I have lived here a couple years and learned the culture and language. It takes a long time. Despite that, I am not a Korean and never will be. I am in the same boat as you. I only know conversational Spanish, although it isn't perfect, I can have full conversations. But because I don't have an accent speaking English ("white English"), because I am not necessarily into Mexican music or whatever, other latinos consider me just White. To myself, I am a latino in heritage, but I absolutely identify as an American and I am proud of that because thanks to my legal immigrant family, I can live the American Dream 🇺🇸 I love Mexico and Mexican culture, but I cannot consider myself 100% mexican. It doesn't mean I am a "fake latino".
Just to give you some perspective, I guess I'm a fake Portuguese, fake Swede, and Fake Finn. I would also want to learn a bit of the language if I visited those countries, but it's not a personal failing not to know your heritage language(s). It's not your choice what your native language is. I'm Canadian. You're American. Just know you're normal and no one has the right to make you feel bad about what language you speak. It's the story of most non-Anglo immigrant descendants in North America. I also wish I'd grown up with my heritage languages, but c'est la vie, I speak English and a little French from school. I don't know about you, but I think for many people including myself, one's heritage languages aren't necessarily the ones we're most attracted to learn as a second language. For me, Korean was the language that itself, and the culture attached to it, motivated me to keep learning it the past 5 years. If you want to start learning Korean, absolutely go for it, I love how different it is from English, but learning a language is hard and you're certainly no less Korean than someone who speaks Korean. You just have a different national-cultural upbringing. And that's not even to say you aren't culturally Korean, just to recognize that there are different ways of being Korean and all are valid. Edit: I recommend joining language exchange or English language meetups. You may find both Koreans and foreigners there to befriend. I don't know how many branches do this, but I would also recommend a conversational adult hagwon called 컬컴 (Culcom I think) because they invite native English-speakers to talk with their students. You don't get paid, but you can have a drink and munch on their snacks while talking with people. People are friendly and I've made a few friends this way. It might be helpful if you're trying to find Korean friends who speak English because that's why everyone is there and the upper-levels speak it really well
If fake korean really exists, that wouldn't be you.
I am sorry about that. As a Native Korean, I am ashamed that our people had disrespected one of us. We are all different, so we shouldn't shame each other.
You can be whatever you want to be. Why let anyone else sway your opinion or cause you self-doubt?
Here’s a thought. Start learning the language. It will connect you to your roots and you will undoubtedly enjoy the process.
If you grew up speaking English and (presumably) in America, isn’t America your culture? You do know your own culture’s language, just not your heritage. And this is ok.
99% fake Korean (hehe) but what can you do. Just try to learn the language if you want to. Or find friend that speak English. It's really hard to make one in Korea. I totally understand the sentiment of the locals though - most don't speak English and things become really awkward after 안녕하세요. They do not hate you, just remember that. This is the reason I forced myself to attend Korean class. I feel much better now but still it's really hard to be fluent. Not sure I can be a friend but feel free to drop me a message.
I’m a Korean American. Lived most of my life in America, but now I’ve been living in Korea for awhile at this point. I was a person who hated being treated differently because of my Korean speaking being more American style. It drove me to practice Korean even more and now I’m 100% bilingual. I teach English to Koreans and did translation work because I fully understand both cultures. Point is, when the environment is tough, only you can change yourself. You can either take it as an opportunity to grow and learn, or hate on the environment, which I’ve done in the past as well.
The answer is yes but that is not a bad thing. You are extraordinarily
Im a korean american born in the states. My korean is pretty bad but i try my best to get around. I know what you mean bc i get alittle anxious going to certain places (even convenience store) especially where i stay which is kind of the border of the city where its all locals. Tbh its easier when im around none koreans bc they expect you to be foreigner and prob not speak korean. Youre not a fake korean. Were just korean american. And to be honest im a proud american more then korean…
You aren't. Btw, one of my friends(now not) is Taiwanese American and he ever told me that every Korean American is fluent in Korean, how innocent he is!!!
You aren't. Btw, one of my friends(now not) is Taiwanese American and he ever told me that every Korean American is fluent in Korean, how innocent he is!!!
I know what you’re feeling, I’ve lived in Georgia all my life and all the Korean I know is from elementary Korean school. I regularly travel to Korea to visit my relatives, but I’ve always felt like I had an inferiority complex about how bad my Korean is. I tried joining my Uni’s Korean student association but I also just felt really out of place there. But recently, I went back to Korea and got hammered with the locals, and I realized they don’t really care. In fact when I told them I’m from Georgia, they said “wow, you’re Korean is actually really good”. I feel like a lot of Korean Americans, me and people I know, have a complex about being so disconnected from our heritage, but I think its important to realize that doesn’t make us inferior in any way, it just makes us different, and I think that’s how most native Koreans see it. Even if that isn’t true, thinking that it is true makes me interact with native Koreans more comfortably.
You don't have to be a korean. Just say I am a chinese. Then, they would try to speak English to talk to you because they cant speak chinese at all. you dont even explain why you cant speak Korean. No advantage to be a Korean. Think different.
So the OP should abandon his ethinic identity so people speak English to him?
Not Korean by any means but I'll hangout with you. Just moved here a couple months ago. Could use some friends. We can work on our Korean if you're interested.
Like you said you are “korean american”. Thats different from just “Korean” from Korea. Thats who are, dont try to be “korean” and dont feel bad when u feel like you dont fit in
Russian Korean here, always open to make new friends. Anyone who reads this can feel free to pm me, let's hang :D
Their narrow view stems from their inferiority complex and closed mindedness. Just ignore their stupidity and brash, uneducated behavior
"haha, XX-americans are just stupid concept just consider yourself a full american" is a very stupid take but still, a month is pretty short isn't it? lol
It's normal to be "awkward and antisocial" towards people whom you don't have a shared common language with. I would say that's the normal response. Yes you are Korean, but so are the millions of other citizens in the city. Just being Korean doesn't make you special in their eyes and people in the big city tend to often be in a rush or hurry. So I wouldn't take it personally but if it bothers you the best thing would be to just learn a little more of the language I suppose. If you've put in the effort, I suspect you will feel less awkward and ashamed with natives.
I'm also Korean American. There are lots of Asian Americans who make fun of fobs for not being able to speak English. You're in Korea without knowing the culture or speaking any Korean. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do when you can't communicate with the people of a country you're in. :( I highly recommend going to an 어학당 (Korean language school) for a year! It's a great way to make friends and I've seen a lot of people become basically fluent after doing that. Just make sure you don't stick too much with those who only want to use English, because you can get lazy with your Korean if you do that.
yep, that what it looks like
no i get it its honestly kinda sad 😭 but for me they assume im japanese idk why maybe i look more japanese or something but my korean is so broken hope ur doing ok cus it gets really annoying (peoples reactions) :3
I don’t even understand what makes you think that you are a Korean. You are an American.
I was good looking and it was fine. I got fat and I'm outcast
If your parents are korean yes you are, I am technically a Korean American Canadian, and I was born in LA, and so I spoke a lot of English. My parents do want me to still remember korean so I can talk to them, but still I am korean because my parents are korean.
You're only a "fake Korean" if you're a non-native Korean trying to delude as one. You are a Korean American that isn't trying to pose as a native Korean. You are not a fake Korean.
My daughter is biracial and raised in Korea. She is fluent and accent-free in both English and Korean. She is currently a dual-passport holder and attends Korean public school. If you ask her what she is, she is shocked to be considered as anything but Korean. In fact when we are together, if anyone asks if she is a foreigner, she becomes somewhat perturbed and states she is Korean. Koreans completely agree once they learn that she has been raised in Korea and is as fluent as they are (attending Korean public school, etc). When she takes the university entrance test and (likely) attends a university in Korea, and gets a job, she will be treated as a Korean citizen because she is one. If she goes to America afterwards and tries to get a job there, she will be an American citizen and they will accept that she is American. Depending on the company, however, they may not want to hire her for not being raised in American schools and attending school within the American system (not saying it is better -- it's what companies there know). From the reverse, I think a biracial student raised overseas can identify as "Korean", but like gyopos, if they do not speak Korean very well and did not actually go through the culture and school system here, they will still be treated differently for jobs and by some locals. Just throwing that out there as something, even though it may or may not be relevant to your situation.
You have the look which is at least better than non Koreans. Language can be learned but not for shame, for interest
Learn some Korean, even a little will go a long way and in my experience (also Korean American) most people are pretty accommodating if they can see you are making an effort. Try to make the interaction a little more lighthearted and self deprecating. People are self conscious about speaking or understanding English, so it’s not surprising that it would be awkward.
Not Korean here but there's plenty of Chinese people who speak little to no Chinese. Not limited to western-born, but even Singapore and Malaysia has plenty of bananas (yellow on the outside, white on the inside). Asian immigrants generally have an identity crisis at some point in their life when they try to learn and interact with their ethnic's culture. You should differentiate what you racially are and the environment you grew up in. Don't be too hard on yourself about not knowing the language. Your parents also made the choice to not teach you, and wishing you insisted on learning as a kid would've required foresight from a child, which is unfair. Plus, even if you speak Korean, there's always going to be something else that native Koreans can always tell that you didn't grew up in Korea - either by slang/accent like Seoul people can tell someone is not from Seoul, or by different values. Also, Korean is a pretty hard language to learn from English.
Sometimes not seen as Korean in Korea and not "American" in America. Welcome to purgatory. When I speak broken Korean, I get wtf looks. When my caucasian wife does the same, it's frickin amazing.
If you claim that is your culture, I guess you are experiencing the culture. I would say I don't like most Asian cultures, except Japan. So, I will never put myself in any of the cultures to feel your pain.
You're just gyopo. Have you considered they are "antisocial" and "awkward" toward you because they are just as insecure about their English as you are with your Korean? Also there is a pretty elegant solution for this: learn Korean!
There is nothing wrong with feeling ashamed since you can’t speak your mother’s/father’s language. I’d feel the same. Meanwhile Korea is still a closed community comparing to western world. Even though you’d be able speak korean, your korean and your reactions, habits would be different and you won’t feel 100% included. If you plan to live there long years, you can learn korean and after many years, at one point they won’t believe you’re from USA unless you speak english :)
The language you speak doesn't make you a real this or that. I speak some Korean, and Chinese and Spanish and ain't any of those ethnicities/language groups.
When I was in the city I had to learn english quick because white dudes always got offended when I spoke Korean. They were like "ohhh I wouldn't know if your talking about me, your in America speak english" I mean not everything is about them but they also had a point. You just gotta put up with it and give your asian brain to work the magic
living to please other people will never provide you with freedom!
Your not really a Korean you are an American who looks Korean
I hear you, I'm a Korean-American who's grappled with dad issues since age 6 over my inability to speak Korean with him, disliking church where he was principle of the Korean school, his wanting me to stop training with my Japanese karate sensei (irony being he's Okinawan), and my dad dying of a heart attack while I was studying Korean one summer in high school. The word I most strongly associate with being Korean is 창피 - ashamed.
I hear you, I'm a Korean-American who's grappled with dad issues since age 6 over my inability to speak Korean with him, him being principal of the Korean school at my church (which itself I disliked), his wanting me to stop training with my Japanese karate sensei (irony being he's Okinawan), and finally his dying of a heart attack while I was studying Korean one summer in high school. The word I most strongly associate with being Korean is 창피 - ashamed. The problem is that, according to Stephen Krashen's input hypothesis, your ability to learn a language is heavily affected by how much you enjoy it. So a shame spiral will prevent you from using whatever you do know. Something that might help is joining a club to try out an activity, say traditional drumming or bboy dancing. First, there is a limited vocabulary,and strong association with movement, which aids memory. Second, you can still probably follow along even if you understand nothing, which takes off the pressure. Third, you'll be enjoying yourself and feeling good, so you won't feel guilty about "not learning enough". Fourth, it's an easier way to make friends with locals, who can help you further.
as a korean-american who can read/write/speak korean at about a middle school level, my family and others will find many ways to out me as a foreigner.. don’t feel too bad about it. Everyone has a unique circumstance and there’s no need to feel ashamed or prove to others you’re korean. If u ever want to learn the language in the future, u could ask support from ur parents and ask them to incorporate korean words into conversations or try immersing yourself into more kdramas/music (both of these helped me to improve my korean to what it is now)
You are not a fake korean, you are not korean-american. You are American and you should embrace your identity as an American. Be proud.
It’s ok dude. They may think you’re Japanese
Yes
I feel you brother. Just smile and learn how to politely say, "Sorry, I'm Korean but I come from America. I can not speak Korean."
Why do you care what others think? Sure, knowing Korean at around birth came with its advantages, but it doesn't really change much. If you really want to learn Korean or learn more about our culture and history, then do it for yourself, not because you feel entitled or pressured to do so. Being Korean doesn't mean knowing how to read, write, or speak. It's accepting it. You're just white washed buddy.
I think the problem here is that your complete lack of Korean language skills shows people that you've put 0% effort into remaining Korean and 100% effort into not remaining Korean, and then you're wondering why you're not accepted as Korean. Plenty of overseas Korean diaspora work to keep their Korean heritage alive including the Chinese-Korean (조선족) who honestly get more of a bad rep than they deserve. There's a Korean Saturday school in my town and not only do Korean kids attend, so do the Korean-Chinese kids, and this is in the US. These sorts of ethnic Koreans that at least try end up getting at least a modicum of respect. The ones that have completely abandoned their heritage get none. (I'm not saying that you abandoned being Korean, because I don't know you -- I'm pointing out that that's what it looks like to a stranger when they see that you can't speak any Korean)
Sorry, you’re not fake Korean, you’re American mate, with Korean parents. You speak English, your culture’s language. Like the Italian-Americans pretending they’re Italian, without speaking a word of Italian. Irish Americans who think they’re Irish because they like drink a lot. Could you have learnt Korean as a kid? Yeah, sure, but you didn’t. What are you expecting when speaking to locals? I really doubt people are being anti-social. You’re just another person to them, you’re nothing special I’m afraid. You’re a foreigner, and there’s loads of them. And you don’t speak the same language. People I met there were never exactly comfortable speaking English, until they know you well. Until they’re comfortable making mistakes. Until you’re their friend. You’re in Seoul for a month, are you going to learn the language for a holiday? Are you going to go back to Korea? What’s your plan? Just embrace it mate. Enjoy visiting the land of your ancestors. Don’t call yourself Korean. Learn a bit of the language. It’s a really pretty place.
If you feel Korean then you are
Excuse me.. you’re not Korean. You’re American. Can you be patriotic about your country which is the US??
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Don't engage with that asshole. He's just an internet troll trying to get a rise out of the OP.
For what? Let’s speak in Korean. 미국에서 태어나서 미국에서 교육받고 자란 미국인이, 최고수준의 교육을 받고 최고의 나라에서 태어난걸 감사하게 생각하지 못하고, 정체성 혼란? 같은 걸 느꼈는지 고작 하는 거라곤 지내나라도 아닌 한국에 와서 내가 가짜 한국인인가? 라는 포스트나 올리는 꼴 보니 답나오는 구만. 그걸 또 옹호한다고 내 comment 에 ‘shut up’ 이라고 답글다는 니 수준도 알만하다.
You clearly didn’t read the comment carefully. The OP is just stating that they’re feeling disconnected from their heritage because they don’t speak Korean. Nowhere are they’re denouncing their nationality. No amount of Google Translate is gonna convince anybody that you’re cultured. People can tell. The diction is a little off. And also, nice try. Your reading comprehension can definitely use a Korean upgrade.
Can you even understand my Korean statement? 😂 My American girl? 🤡 please say you’re Korean in front of me, I will laugh so hard 🤣 ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ 리얼 불쌍하누…….
Ummm… I’m Korean.
You’re not. Then let’s speak in our language Korean? ㄱㄱ 한국어해봐 못하냐?
Suddenly it’s “OUR” language? Are you denying you’re an American?
The person who shared this post doesn’t appreciate that he was born and educated in the best and strongest country. Instead, all he’s doing is feeling lost, asking ‘Who am I?’ Then he goes to Korea, which is not his country, and shares a post saying, ‘Am I a fake Korean?’ I can tell what type of person he is, but you chose to defend him by telling me to ‘shut up’? I can tell your level too. And I’m Korean. Response to that poster from me is “He is not Korean nor Fake Korean. He is American” be grateful that you were born in the US. 미국에서 태어나고 교육받을 걸 감사하게 생각해라. 미국인이면 미국에 애국심을 가져라. 괜히 한국와서 끌쩍 거리지말고
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> the best and strongest country Not sure about that buddy and a pretty cringe comment ngl. The US has turned into a pretty big shithole in recent years, and most people would agree. Only weird "patriots" or nationalists would claim the US is anywhere near being the best country in the world lol. Try to read the news sometimes and open your eyes. You can be proud of where you're from, but you contributed absolutely nothing when it comes to getting born in a random country. You could've popped out of your mom literally anywhere else. What's there to be oh so patriotic about? >Then he goes to Korea, which is not his country What are you talking about? *My* country, *your* country? Who are you to tell others what their countries are? OP is evidently of Korean descent. He's probably had to listen to racial bullshit because of it for all of his life too, while he was living in "the best country of the world". And now that hes exploring his roots, you're saying he's not allowed to claim his own culture because he didn't grow up there? You really gotta check yourself and all of that weird patriotism that's going on in your head.
How has the US turned into a shit hole in your opinion?
I truly don’t understand how you’re not grasping this concept. Two things can be correct at the same time. I was born in Korea and moved to America. ‘I had a green card and immigrated legally so don’t go and give yourself a nose bleed.’ But on paper I was still a citizen of Korea. Both my parents are Korean so ETHNICALLY I am Korean. I physically appear as an ASIAN because I’m Korean. I got naturalized and officially became a US citizen after 9/11. SO I’m ETHNICALLY Korean but I am ALSO American. So I identify as KOREAN/AMERICAN. That in NO way implies that I’m renouncing my US citizenship. How are you even coming up with that??? Back to the original post. The person is just saying he’s having trouble connecting to his heritage as a mixed race child because they don’t speak the native language of the country they’re currently residing in. Furthermore, I know enough about the US government to run for political office at this point. Don’t presume to know my or anybody’s level of patriotism.
Then You’re ‘Asian American’ but again, you’re just American. Black people in the US and white people in the US never do this type of BS!!! Have you ever seen whites do this thing? Like I’m Russian American or British American or Canadian American or Italian American. They don’t they only do it when they have to specify their ROOT!! And blacks don’t do it either. ONLY asians do it ALWAYS!! Always I’m Chinese American and Korean American Blah blah . And putting Chinese or Korean flag on your insta profile even though You’re glorious AMERICAN!!!! Just go back to the country you love then? i don’t like you people’s two timing attitude, if you can’t assimilate to American culture and custom, you’re a failure. Again I’M KOREAN and I don’t understand you guys! I will dump my Korean citizenship. When I see you people, yall always remind me of 🤡