An Interview with Student Yunseo Jeon

Interview Audio (in English)

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In this episode, we are joined by Yunseo Jeon, who is a South Korean student, currently studying Journalism at Seoul Women's University. Tune in as Yunseo shares her experience of growing up as a typical South Korean, her views of modern Korean society, and her experience with Koryo Saram.

Q. Please tell me a little about your upbringing. What was your childhood like in general?

A. I would say I had a very typical Korean childhood. Growing up in Korea my whole life, I went to an ordinary elementary and middle school near my apartment building, an all-girls high school, and now I am attending Seoul Women's University.

Q. What inspired you to study Journalism?

A. When I was in elementary school, all I wanted to be was on TV. Then, I found out about news anchors and journalists and began to be interested in media.

Q. Are there any popular majors South Koreans desire to study today?

A. Many students try to go into medicine, and this is one of the reasons why private educational institutions are highly valued, creating a competitive academic environment for students. Besides medical degrees, law and business are also popular majors among Korean students.

"Education for competition"

Q. Are there some common societal issues you believe yourself or modern South Koreans in general face?

A. People are getting more aggressive towards the competitive society as many strive for educational attainment and recognition to get into a high-ranked university for their career. As I said, because of this, there are many heated debates about the effects of private educational institutions outside of school (known as Hagwons). This has created a perception in Korean society of "education for competition" rather than "education for education." I believe that this is an endless cycle that has no good, and students no longer enjoy their childhood suffering from too much academic stress.

Q. When was the first time you became aware of Koryo Saram?

A. As I believe, I remember briefly hearing about Koryo Saram in elementary school. There were multicultural lectures in my elementary school and they mentioned Koryo Saram. We were told that Koryo Saram are Korean-Russians who have Korean ancestors but live in Russia.

Q. What were your first impressions when you encountered Koryo Saram?

A. The first time I met a Koryo Saram was for a podcast I participated in (David Tizzard - Koryo Saram: Culture, Language, and Identity). My first impression of Koryo Saram was that they are the same as me. I didn't notice any big difference and their presence didn't feel unfamiliar or foreign.

Q. What has interested you to talk about Koryo Saram as a modern South Korean?

A. To be honest, my professor had first suggested that I participate in the interview. At the time, I was a little worried because I had no prior knowledge about Koryo Saram. But once I got to prepare for the interview, I learned that Koryo Saram is also part of our culture, and as a Korean, I should be more aware of our people.

Q. Generally, how aware are modern South Koreans of Korean diasporas such as Koryo Saram?

A. For Koreans, there isn't much information provided about Koryo Saram, so there isn't a lot of misinformation. But when teachers talk about Koryo Saram, they often compare them to Joseon Jok (ethnic Koreans who migrated to northeast China during the Japanese occupation of Korea beginning in 1910). Because of that, some Koreans confuse Koryo Saram with Joseon Jok, when they are totally different. From what I've heard, Joseon Jok people aren't that tied to Korean culture anymore, but with Koryo Saram, I have noticed that Korean culture is still a big part of their lives.

Q. Are there any differences you notice about the culture of Koryo Saram and modern South Koreans?

A. I would say language is the biggest difference. Language is also a big aspect of culture, so I think it has a big effect on differentiating Koryo Saram from modern South Koreans. Also, I heard from other Koryo Saram that there sometimes is a nuance or vibe that Koryo Saram and modern South Koreans each give off that some people can tell.

Q. Are there any cultural aspects of Koryo Saram that you might have heard of that are getting lost in their community?

A. I heard that there are some specific celebrations or festivals that Koryo Saram celebrates. However, these festivals are not as prominent in South Korea today. So, I believe that for modern South Koreans, it is more essential for people to become aware of who Koryo Saram are and their community, and only then, can they effectively work together to preserve the culture.

Q. What do you believe is the most effective way to preserve this culture?

A. Having a presence in media can be effective in attracting more people's attention and preserving the culture long-term. Cultural education is also very important in schools, especially for Koreans who grow up like me.

Reach Yunseo online: @y_jeon_s