Courtesy of Jules Eguilos

Modern life says we are allowed to define ourselves. We become the masters of our own identity, narrative, and existence. Previous forms of control (society, religion, and science) have all succumbed to the power of the individual. The lived experience takes precedence. And while acknowledging the liberation this has brought to countless millions, I’ve often perceived myself differently from many of my kind in Korea.

I see myself as an immigrant. A first-generation voyager to Korea: here to try and put down roots and settle. Start a family and integrate into society. Being cognizant of my position as a guest, a foreigner, a member of the lowest rung of acceptance. But at the same time, believing in the Korean dream. The idea that if you come to this country, work hard and push yourself, you can create a better life for the next generation.

An unfair comparison

In a certain sense, though it might sound questionable to some, I see myself comparable to first generation Korean and other immigrants to the United States. There you had people with qualifications and degrees forced to run corner shops and dry cleaners. Working ungodly hours, struggling with the language, and facing all sorts of race and cultural barriers. And yet doing so in the hope that their children and subsequent grandchildren will be more integrated into the society they have moved to. Planting trees under whose shade they will never sit.

As a white person in Korea, I receive far less discrimination. I even receive positive discrimination. I am cognizant of this and do not wish to demean or disrespect those who find life here far more difficult than me. I support them and hope that their experiences will become more positive. Sometimes, I am allowed to sit in the center of........

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