LetterFromSeoul

Being an 'alien' in South Korea

The world may love K-pop, kimchi and the like, but Koreans can do more to return the love

ST ILLUSTRATION -CEL GULAPA
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I am an alien, quite literally, in South Korea. I even have my own "Alien Registration Card".

Only in June last year did the South Korean government decide to drop the word "alien" in newly issued long-term residence cards for foreigners, but it doesn't make me feel any less alone in a largely homogeneous population where people have a tendency to stare if someone speaks a foreign language.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on February 21, 2021, with the headline Being an 'alien' in South Korea. Subscribe