Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hagwonnewbie]

I've known a lot of Koreans and Korean American who lived abroad as adults and had no desire to return permanently. In fact I can't think of a single person I know who lived abroad and preferred Korea to another country. They sighted quality of life and less social pressure as their reasons.

Does anyone on this board know of any Korean citizen who lived in Europe or North America as an adult and wanted to return to live with their parents in Korea?

[jomiro]

i have a lot of korean friends whom ive met all while they were living abroad.

they dont want to come back - ever.
one of my good korean friends live in beijing and she just loves it that she never has to work over time.

my ex-bf told me he never wants to go back to korea as his input wouldnt be valued here as much as it is being valued anywhere else. he hates that he would have to wear a suit to work and that he would have to work overtime without being compensated for it.

another friend of mine comes back to korea every now and then. but she never stays here for long. the maximum of her staying in her home country is three months. then shes off back to china. where its so much easier to live and where she doesnt have to live with the pressure that she would have to deal with, if she lived and worked in korea.

but i also know one guy who lived and studied in europe for about 5 years. after he graduated from uni he wanted to find a job in europe, but couldnt. so he came back due to that. also, his parents demanded of him to return to korea.
hes the only one tho i know of who came back to korea permanently after having lived abroad.

[madoka]

I've met about a dozen Koreans that lived/studied in the U.S. and went back home permanently - mostly from working at a Korean corporation. Their U.S. education allows them more prestige in the Korean workplace.

You also have to bear in mind that the people who live outside their home country may be self-selecting in that they are the ones that may want to leave in the first place.

[ThingsComeAround]

I think its more the Koreans that can afford to get out, choose not to return no matter how "bad" it is in the new world- because opportunities in Korea are not as good. Even the Koreans that live in sheltered communities in the States prefer that to living in their motherland. If they live abroad for too long, it becomes a negative and they become an "outsider" when they return

[AsiaESLbound]

[dumpring]

I know quite a few who come back often, but only one who permanently returned (The guy she's engaged to owns the architecture firm that she's working for).

One high school friend tried to come back after uni but didn't stay long, just said he didn't feel like he could fit in here anymore and moved back to Auckland.

In all cases their immediate family lived with them in NZ though.
I think most who go to NZ by themselves for schooling would likely return to Korea.

[hellofaniceguy]

[jvalmer]

Don't know who you guys talk to but I've met a lot of Koreans abroad that wanted to return to Korea. Many of the ones struggling also have said it was a mistake leaving. Also, I've met a lot that didn't want to return. Nothing unusual.

Also virtually every senior citizen Korean I've met has said that ideally they'd like die and be buried in Korea, but many can't due to family or finances.

[Privateer]

I know of 3 Korean women who married foreigners and moved to France and England. One of them speaks fluent French and loves Paris but she still misses home a lot. Another one also speaks fluent French but finds life in the countryside boring and lonely sometimes and misses her Korean friends. The other one, as is usual for foreigners in England, complains about the weather and unfriendly people, and is disappointed that it isn't quite the luxurious lifestyle, with maids to help out, that she got used to in Hong Kong. She's not a very educated person compared to the other two, so really had no clue about Western society. For all of them, there are a lot of things they took for granted in Korea which don't exist over there, even though there are also compensating advantages.

At the same time, I've met plenty of people who've told me how much they loved England, France, Australia, Canada, etc, and want to emigrate so they can get a good life with free time, a big house, etc.

[jvalmer]

I've had a couple of CT's that had pretty unrealistic expectations imagining immigrating to North America. They imagine a big house, swimming pools, expensive imported cars. One even thought that she could walk into a school and get a job as an English teacher, in Canada, with her 10 years worth of experience.

[Kaypea]

I know somebody who's lived overseas but prefers Korea, and especially Seoul, because there's always something to do. She has a point! Seoul never shuts down.

[wishfullthinkng]

[The Happy Warrior]

[Italy37612]

I think some people just make the decision that they would like to be an ex-pat. Their decision to return/not return to their native country could be dependant on factors other than, "I think my country sucks, I don't want to live there anymore." Of course I do have some qualms about the good ol' USA, no country is perfect. But all in all, I think it is a good country to live in. However I spent the first 25 years of my life there and know there are so many countries left to travel to and/or work in.

I don't plan on staying in Korea for more than 5 years but that doesn't mean I am going back to the US after that for anything more than the, "once a year family visit." I don't plan on going back to the US for a very long time, if ever.

[nautilus]

Its a pity that more korean expats don't return to contribute new ideas to the country.