Korean Folks Don't Like Black People

OK, I'm angry again. Well, more like peeved. I've been quiet to this point; as a person with Black and Korean parentage, I've been biting my tongue, even as the Korean media has been reproducing ages-old racist stereotypes by now starting to ogle and sexually fetishize "mixed-race" people, culminating in the recent drool-fest over Daniel Henny, the man with "the best of both worlds."

But now, I gotta say something, especially before the inevitable media madness begins over Hines Ward begins.

And I'm not trying to playa-hate; Mr. Denny, for example, is a handsome man, worthy of his model status. I'm not here to debate whether or not he's a delectable piece of man-meat.

What I am here to criticize is the way his race and its apparent "mixture" is being talked about. Considering the extent to which South Korean culture is still essentially in thrall to Americanness and whiteness – the expected rant about people surgically mutilating their faces and bodies to look more Caucasian and the amazing power and privilege that white skin brings in Korean society will be mercifully skipped here – this new caveat of "multiracial" beauty and its obvious sexualization is getting pretty vomitous. Here's a quote from the Marmot, who was himself quoting:

"A professor at SungKongHoe University warned that while interest in mixed-race stars was better than no interest at all, there was the danger that the minority of success stories might lead some to transfer responsibility for the failures from society onto the individuals."

Now, we have the cherry on the cake. Hines Ward, Super Bowl MVP and "the good son" extraordinaire, is coming to Korea. Now, let me make this clear: I don't have anything against Mr. Ward, and from what I see, he seems like a pretty nice guy. This isn't a beef with him – it's a beef with the hypocrisy I saw in the very absence of the conversation people should be having now that one of "the lowest of the low" is making his way back to the homeland.

I started reading about him – because I don't own a TV and I don't follow spectator sports – from the Marmot (here's a good post with many links), Nomad's and GI Korea's several posts about multiracial folks with Korean backgrounds and lately, Mr. Ward himself. And then I heard he's coming to Korea. So I did a bit of Googling.

Initially, all the Korean media reports seemed to be journalistically lazy quote lifts from a single CNN/Sports Illustrated interview with Mr. Ward, in which he talks lovingly about his mother and all her sacrifices. A great story, and it sounds like mom was an amazing woman. Korean moms and sacrifice – blood, sweat, and tears – who can quarrel with that?

What I did find suspicious was the way in which the everyday people interviewed and the writers themselves started the big feeding frenzy over claiming Mr. Hines as "Korean." He's even going to given an award for that fact. Even some of my mixed friends were doing the claiming. I don't know Hines, I never saw him comment on his "identity," nor do I feel there is any need to – it's his business. So I was surprised to see everybody talking about Hines Ward's identity – except Mr. Ward himself.

And whence this sudden motivation to claim a black/Korean mixed race person as Korea's own? And especially considering the problematic circumstances of being suddenly "claimed?" Well, considering the way that black people, those who marry black people, and the way the "offspring" are generally denigrated and looked upon with derision in this country, I was a little surprised to see the sudden public lovefest over him. And the more I thought about it, the more angry I became.

So – what do the people in the subway, whom I saw two years ago all ogle, stare, whisper, even point and snicker at a fly-ass Korean woman with a fine-ass Black man as they merely walked into the car as if they had just stepped in from a music video shoot – have to say to Hines Ward? I also wonder to myself if any of the people on antimigun.org (which means "Anti-American soldier" in Korean), who, during the 2002 protests over the death of the middle school girls, posted this picture of a woman (which I have mosaicked to protect identities, since this woman could still potentially receive "손해" for even being in this picture today) who had apparently been inside a military base standing next to an African-American soldier. She was castigated by netizens as a "slut who slept with nigger dogs" and other epithets, ad infinitum. I posted, in Korean, that such racism wasn't warranted, and that I was the product of such a "mongrel" union. I did, to some people's credit, receive a few heartfelt apologies from some reasonable netizens; but I also was invited to go back to my "mongrel" home and received further castigation for being a symbol of race-mixing and dilution of the Korean race. Apparently, I was embarrassing to a lot of people. Funny thing was, no matter what you might say about whether they were a crazy minority of posters or not, antimigun.org did not take down the offending post, even when I wrote an email to them. I didn't even receive a reply. Apparently, antimigun.org approves of such blatant racism; apparently, given the relative lack of any postings to cease in such racist harangue, so do most of the people who were on that site.

Are they going to ask him at the inevitable press conference "whether your success came from your Korean side?" A friend of mine, who seems to be rooting for Mr. Ward defining himself as Korean, defended her position by making note of the fact that his African-American father left Hines and his mother, was basically a deadbeat dad. So that an identity makes? Because he loves his mom, who is Korean, he must therefore hate his father, and by extension, have a contentious relationship with blackness? Being seen as a Black man, treated as a Black man, welcomed into the Black community (the "one-drop rule" is still in effect for better or worse) while most likely not being seen as Asian, even and especially by other Asians – that doesn't play a part one's identity?

One dangerous tendency I noted, from not only conversations with my friend, but also with the way the Korean media talks about him, is the way Ward's mother's "good" seems played against the African-American father's "bad." This is what's responsible for my friend's easy assumption that Mr. Hines may have a contentious relationship with blackness, which resembles the somewhat "disciplinary" tone that I sense in the way blackness-as-deadbeat-father  is or may be played against sacrifice-as-Korean-mother.

Am I paranoid? Not when such thought patterns definitely exist amongst Korean relatives, friends, and general people I know. "You mother must have been the side that made you smart." Huh? Or, "you must have gone to an Ivy League school because of your mother." So my brother's success in life is despite the fact that he identifies as African-American? These loaded questions are just the tip of the iceberg compared to the established cultural trope of "model minority" that already exists in American society and that many Koreans actively buy into.

The myth, started in the media mainly by a U.S. News and World Report magazine article and propagated shortly after Asian immigration was re-opened in the United States in after 1965, was ideologically used primarily not to laud Asians but to discipline and punish African-Americans and Latinos by making unfair and unsociological comparisons. "Why can't Blacks perform" were questions that seemed to have easy answers, especially in the turbulent Civil Rights Movement days, when many Asian Americans were seen as preferable, quieter, "good" minorities. In any case, this aspect and set of assumptions makes me uncomfortable. This is just one of my many concerns.

Seems like there are a lot of assumptions swirling around out there, when the best idea is to just let Hines Ward be Hines Ward – not "the pride of Korea", which seems awfully selfish and arrogant, considering how generally Amerasian kids (especially those with a Black parent) and also Korean adoptess are considered the living embodiment of Korea's "shame." And I hate to be the one to bring it up, but when will we start being a bit more careful with throwing around the concept of "pride of Korea" already? Isn't there any irony in the Korean media? Where's the institutional memory, people?

For those who might not be getting what I'm saying – I think the raising of heroes and bandying about of Korea's "pride" is problematic because it is usually self-centered, self-serving, and often downright arrogant when it comes to making implicit comparisons with and assumptions about other cultures when we get down to the "why?" behind Korea's apparent success – "It's Koreans' hard work! Dedication! Independent, undying spirit!" What about when things go wrong? No more sweeping generalizations about "Korean" traits. Instead, we have silence.

With that, I don't feel it's right to be making all kinds of projections and predictions about "who" Hines is or even should be, especially if we truly respect the pre-emptive right of people to define themselves. I think it's awful suspicious if people start making Mr. Ward the poster-boy for interracial understanding in a country in which many people would disown their daughters for doing exactly what Korean folk and the Korean media seem to be lauding Mr. Ward's mom for having done. I know what other Koreans even married to American (white) servicemen said about my mom, who married a black man in the service. I once even walked into a clothing store that happened to be owned by a Korean, and when showing my ID for the check I was writing, looked at it, me, the ID, then back at me and said, "Oh – I know you." Well, he actually didn't know me, but he knew of my mom.

So I understand why my mom always seems to do what irritates the hell out of me, which is always mention to complete Korean strangers that I went to Brown University and then got a Fulbright, then went to grad school in Berkeley, on and on, while I just kind of roll my eyes and look embarrassed. But I don't say anything, not because I'm not humble, but because it's my mom's chance to make them eat humble pie. She got shit for her life choices and having given birth to me and my brother – who, happens, by the way to identify as African-American and thinks of Mom not as "Korean" but as most of us do, which is just as "Mom." So, no matter how embarrassed I am when she does it, I always bite my tongue when Mom talks me up, because she's earned the right, in a way that many other Korean moms – who,  despite their sacrifices and constant striving for their kids that Korean moms the world over are famous for – cannot.

From what I can see, Hines Ward's mom has more than earned her bragging rights. Working her fingers to the bone in another country, alone, cause Black father done took off, surely having to listen to incessant "I told you so's" from friends and family because of all this – Mr. Ward went on to become not only a football star but MV muthafucking P. So she's got the right to be all "me, my, son, the best, pride, tears, sweat, joy."

But for "Korea" to go jumping the gun and laying claim to him, in the way I know they will, with the welcoming smiles ("Sign here"), talk show tours ("Endorse our product"), and probable offers of sex and marriage from giddy female fans ("You're OK now") – I think it's more than disingenuous. It's dishonest and downright immoral, considering the deafening silence about what many Koreans really think about perhaps not Mr. Hines himself, but people like him. And those people are not expecting fame and accolades, but basic respect and human dignity.

For what it's worth, I do hope that Mr. Hines is aware of at least some of these issues – I'm sure Koreans' attitude towards Moms is part of Mr. Hines acknowledgment of all the hardships she overcame, so I'm sure he's not in the dark – and I hope he can use his visit to help his many despised and denied kindred who probably are looking at Mr. Hines for any hint of a nod in their direction. What I am saying – and hoping – is that Mr. Hines won't get so caught up and swept away by the inevitable media feeding frenzy when he arrives that he forgets that he is a HUGE exception that can bring light to the sad fact of an ugly rule in society – the silence and denial of Amerasian people's very humanity that exists in direct relation to this so-called "Korean Pride."

And therein lies the irony.

So, since I am an ironic man – you can read that any way you want – I point to a piece of ingenious political commentary that lays irony atop of irony. Most Americans know about Kanye West's well-intentioned, but awkwardly delivered moment of political protest, when, during a televised Katrina fundraising benefit, he stammered out the words "George Bush doesn't care about black people."

Well, I feel his sentiments. I don't know if Bush is a hater of the brother man, but he sure is a friend of the "other Man," as legendary Public Enemy once put it. I can't disagree with Kanye West's assertion, there.

But a talented rap artist then took Mr. West's chart-topping single, "Golddigger," and made some smart adjustments to the lyrics that make the remix just as good, if not better than, the original. And the political commentary doesn't bite, like Kanye West's delivery, but is biting as all hell. In a way, he's channeled what Kanye was trying to say, and even did it – partially – in Kanye's own poetry.

Now, I've done something similar, although I don't possess the talent or lyrical creativity of either rapper. It just struck me that when I replaced "George Bush" with "Korean folks," the song really took on a different meaning, yet still really worked. (Like Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On," if you replace "heart" with "fart," that simple switch actually improves on the initial product.)

In any case, I just fiddled around with one verse, and found, by using another person's poetry through which to make the half-baked attempt at expressing my own, that it said just what I wanted to say, more concisely than any blathering on and on I do in prose.

But first, listen to the remixed song, which takes a skewer to Bush in saying what everyone, including Kanye West, wants to say. You can also do this while reading the lyrics. Then watch the video. And then read my little verse. It's the closest I'd dare to either 1) writing poetry, or 2) making rap lyrics. Just be thankful I don't actually perform it.

I'm just surprised at how well the refrain fits in with the message, especially when it comes to the selfishness of "gold digging".

Remix Artist: K-Otix (AKA The Legendary KO)
Album: www.k-otix.com
Original Song: "George Bush Don't Like Black People"

Korean Folks Don't Like Black People

( "George Bush doesn't care about black people" - Kanye West, 2005)
("George Bush Don't Like Black People" - K-Otix, AKA The Legendary KO)
( "Korean folks don't like black people" - Michael Hurt, 2006)

(They take my money...)
I ain't sayin they all gold diggers
(...when we in need)
But they ain't messin with no broke niggaz
(They take my money...)
I ain't sayin they all gold diggers
(...when we in need)
But they ain't messin with no broke niggaz
(I gotta leave)
Korean folks don't like black people
(I gotta leave)
Korean folks don't like black people
(I gotta leave)
Korean folks don't like black people
(I gotta leave)
Korean folks don't like black people

Big war came through, fucked us up round here
Government actin like it's bad luck down here
Unless a rich superstar bring some bucks round here
No wonder I got my middle finger up round here
People lives on the line, they declinin to help
Since they denying our lives we survivin ourself
Just some nuns, NGO's, with some kids, in a house
Shunned by the 나라 with no way out
Five full decades in the muthafuckin attic
Can't get respect, social death is automatic
They call half-breed niggas dirty like jambalaya
But now Daniel Henny's the mixed race Messiah?
사대주의's got Koreans wanting white folk things
Craving caucasians like they lord of the rings
See, such is the reason that this caged nerd sings
Mixed kids in Korean school can't get educated
catching holy hell 'cause they's "miscegenated"
Now Hines Ward, my brother, is super bowl MVP
So Koreans love ya now - Mr. king 깜둥이

(I gotta leave)
Don't like black people
(I gotta leave)
Korean folks don't like black people
(I gotta leave)
Korean folks don't like black people
(I gotta leave)
Korean folks don't like black people
(I gotta leave)
Korean folks don't like

(They take my money...)
I ain't sayin he a gold digger
(...when we in need)
But they ain't lookin no broke niggaz
(They take my money...)
I ain't sayin he a gold digger
(...when we in need)
But they ain't checkin for no broke niggaz
(I gotta leave)
Korean folks don't like black people
(I gotta leave)
Korean folks don't like black people
(I gotta leave)
Korean folks don't like black people
(I gotta leave)
Korean folks don't like black people

Comments

[kangmi]

Looks like Hines Ward's mother has no illusions about what Koreans really think.

[Aaron]

Excellent post. Most of what I know about the Hines media frenzy, I gathered secondhand. (As in former students asking me, "Hey, did you hear about the Korean player in the Super Bowl?") But I could already see the Evil Black Father Walks Out On Poor Korean Mother Whose Son Overcomes His Polluted Blood And Achieves Success For Korea trope in the works. It's really disgusting. I also think it's worth noting that the Korean media never cared about American football before.

[wwidgirl]

wow. that's a good link by kangmi.

Good post today! And I'm of the opinion that any positive attention on mixed-raced people is good. Even if they are being used.

[The Metropolitician]

Thanks, all for your feedback, and Kangmi for that great link.

As to the overall impact of Mr. Ward's impending Korea visit, I too think that it will be a good th...hmm...at least...interesting. I am a pessimistic optimist, which is a lot better than being an optimistic pessimist, in my opinion. What that means is that I harbor sharp, historically grounded anger, but try to focus it positively and keep things in context. So although it may seem like I'm down on the visit, I am looking forward to seeing what comes of it. And even in my sharpest criticism of Korean society, even on my worst day, know that I always try to give this place the benefit of the doubt - look at the deep entrenchment of racism, sexism, or homophobia in the United States and how present the problems are, even recognizing the concrete progress that has been made on these fronts. Looking at Korean society, social conditions and attitudes seem to change every ten years - you have to give Korean folks credit for really putting through a lot of changes in their own society. I wonder which has changed more fundamentally - America over the last 40 years or Korea over the last 10. Of course, an A-B comparison is an exercise in silliness, but I hope you see my point. And in either case, I know - depending on what you look at, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

So I will continue to hold onto that anger and continue to apply it in ways that hopefully will bring some things out that need to be brought out. I'd love to finagle my way into the press conference and get a question through to Ward along the lines of what I said in the post. I did that when Alice Walker came to Korea - now that was fun. And the entire Korean press corps followed up on my question after Ms. Walker responded to it, giving one of the few reponses with any real feeling or bite in the whole shebang. I noticed that in every single follow-up interview, with the individual newspapers and television stations, the reporters followed up on the question, which was how the hell, in a country that essentially doesn't like black folk, can Koreans claim that her particular form of African-American feminism is compatible to the Korean case? Ms. Walker's answer, as can be expected, was eloquent and wise - so very "Walker." I think it was the best answer of the whole press conference, and I think the rest of the press corps did as well.

I'm not patting myself on the back to show how smart I am, but rather to point out that the press corps either didn't know to ask, or thought it too rude to bring up a touchy subject to such a luminary, especially since it was so self-critical of Korea. And given the reaction AS I was asking the question, I could see people asking themselves "How'd he get in here?" But as the only other African-American in the room, I felt like someone like me needed to be there. Somebody's gotta say something, and I guess I was the guy. And if nobody else is asking the burning question, I guess I feel a certain responsibility to do it. Shouldn't we all?

[King Konglish]

Reading through this, I couldn't help but remember some of Chris Rock's old stand-up about race recognition in America, about how you never hear in the news about an 'African-American' winning a gold medal in the Olympics. If a black person steals a car, or guns down a convenient store, they're African American, but when they win a medal in the Olympics, they're 'American'. Racial divides still run deep in American society, and political correctness seems to make significant strides in improving the situation in only a minority of the population, and in my opinion, is only so much 'lipstick on a bulldog' for the majority.
Within my experience with racism in Korea, particularly against the African-American community, the Korean viewpoint seems to stem from a mostly ethnically homogeneous society being given the majority of its ethnic cultural input from American pop culture and crime statistics. With an American pop culture industry that projects the African-American identity as a combination of violence, drugs, growing up in poor and dangerous neighborhoods, and a willingness to kill and hate for petty trangressions, it's not surprising that an ethnically homogeneous society accepts these images as truth and make judgements accordingly.
I think the crux of what I'm trying to say is that our writing, speech and behavior while abroad is going to be taken as representative of our ethnic and cultural background, especially when in communities where our ethnicity and culture are not well represented. I'm not sure about your experience, but in mine, Korean-American mothers are extremely conscious of this 'representative' idea, and ingrain in their children a sense that their actions will many times be taken as representative of the Korean-American community at large. It's just another element that produces the 'model minority' behavior and stereotype that permeates American culture.
America has deep racist roots that will take time and effort to improve, but I don't see racism in Asia as significantly deeper or extreme than the American flavor. Definitely purer or more honest (political correctness and racial diversity haven't hit on a large scale yet) and more unfettered (due to low representation of minority groups) but take away all of the laws, cultural taboos, and niceties of American society, and I think we'll see the same beast on both sides of the Pacific. How many non-African-American families in America have you met in America that would be thrilled with the idea of their daughter bringing home an African-American boyfriend or husband? How much of the negative African-American stereotype is produced by the media and entertainment industry, and how much of it is perpetuated by the consumers of that product? It's a feedback loop that perpetuates stereotypes, and like many stereotypes, end up being self-fulfilling in a large number of cases.
As for the Hines Ward subject, I watched the recent SBS? documentary on Ward, where they interviewed him and his mother in her Atlanta home, and was interested in his bit on being ridiculed by African-American kids in his neighborhood for being 'Chinese' and enduring the normal taunting that Asian American kids encounter growing up. While included to add melodramatic background for the viewers, it was a stark reminder for me of the African-Korean-American experience where children can experience rejection from all three communities that they are members of.
My opinion on why Koreans are tripping over themselves to latch onto Hines Ward as a hero? In the aftermath of the Hwang cloning scandal, Korea is a nation in search of heroes and inspiration. Ward is a convenient new figurehead, and if he manages to improve Korean's perception of African-Americans (and non-American Africans as well) all the better. I for one, am willing to stick my politically-correct hat in my pocket for a little while to see where it all leads.

[The Metropolitician]

Thanks for the post and thoughts, King Konglish. And cool moniker, by the way! I'm working on a post – man, is my work suffering – that spins back positive on all this as well. I'm of several minds about the subject, which is what makes it interesting to work out in a public forum. It has even distracted me from the seemingly pointless conversation about what is obviously racism on a website I guess I don't need to mention again. My mammoth post on that has been put on hold to talk about stuff that's much more exciting to me. OK - I'm rambling. Point is, I'm also willing to holster my intellectual guns a bit while seeing how this plays out. But I'm keeping my hand on the butts, ready to draw!

Thanks for posting people – this is a great conversation – I'll try to reply to all comments as soon as humanly possible...

[Frederick]

Just wanted to say that I really enjoyed reading this post and this blog. Thanks!

[John Choi]

Mr. Hurt, I just wanted to say that I totally thought the exact same thing as you when I actually saw the preview article for the Super Bowl. It said that it was Steelers vs. Seahawks, and then cited some reports that said Steelers are much more likely to win, and a report that Mr. Ward was one of the contenders for the MVP spot. The article seemed so pro-Steelers that I imagined it being the other way around had Mr. Ward, a '한국계 미국인', been on the Seahawks. I totally agree with you that Korea tends to treat 혼혈s and Korean foreigners in a two-faced way. There was one article in the past about a Korean-American woman winning an eating contest.. -_-;

[Jiyae Hwang]

Just stepped by, and although it stings a little, I pretty much agree with your view. I too had thought ironic that Koreans, when criticizing white Americans for discriminating against Koreans, actually tend to look down upon Southeast foreign workers(Vietnamese, etc..) and African Americans themselves. I was very shocked to actually encounter a Korean man saying 반말 in a degrading tone to a Southeast foreign worker sitting in a subway. I too hope that Heins' success might call attention to some of the 'hidden evils' of Korean society that have been overlooked.

[Dr. Doom]

This is true. The majority of Asians (and people in general) do not like Black people. In a way, (as a Black perosn) I cannot blame them, due to the animalistic behavior of many Black people. However, it is a sad fact that the negative behavior of many Blacks determines the perceptions of all. The even sadder thing is, is that there is absolutely no hope of change.

[The Metropolitician]

OK - Dr. Doom,

You're a Black person saying that most they are not well liked because of their "animalistic" behavior." Well, not to pointlessly debate a non-point, I've never seen a Black person talk about their own people as "animals." But since I like to give the benefit of the doubt, please tell me why I shouldn't delete your comment.

If you are someone who simply dislikes Black people, then say so – but don't try to impersonate in order to make your point. If you want to tell me something otherwise, or perhaps I missed your particular brand of sarcasm, please do so within the next day or so, when I will delete this comment if I don't hear from you.

[The Metropolitician]

And thanks, Jiyae, for the comment.

As one of my students, I hope you get the subtle feeling that although I am very critical of Korean society and use this blog to try and constructively channel both my intellectual and personal anger at some of the things I see here. I also hope you will see that I don't reserve that anger just for Korea, as you'll see in my several posts about the nature of American racism, the Katrina debacle, etc.

I know that reading such criticism stings, but I hope that you see that I do not try to merely put Korea down, but write to remind Korean folks that smart foreign folks out there who are part of the international community are watching, that we notice things, and that we're gonna talk about it publicly.

From what I've seen in history, that makes proud people and nations more careful.

Thanks for writing in!

[Brotha Jay]

As you and I know many Black Americans in the 1940s and such would flock to the TV whenever a black person was on, no matter how problematic the representation. They felt good not being erased from this new medium for once.
Recently, I learned that Harriet Tubman, the great freer of slaves, may have had relationships with women. (google the National Black Justice Coalition) I forwarded that info to everyone I know because as a gay, black man I'm pleased to learn of gay black ancestors, to know that ppl like me have a history.
So can't you understand why some mixed folk would want to claim this football player. In fact, I'm gonna make sure to add him to Wikipedia's list of multiracial persons. Folk just want to see their own reflection sometimes and know they have a tribe.
btw, I think I heard the singer Amerie is Korean and Black. She made that jam "One Thing".

[The Metropolitician]

Oh, I can understand that mixed folk want to claim him. I just think that we/they should stick to our own demands for the right to self-represent and stop placing expectations on him, in the way that I saw at the beginning of the Korean coverage of him. I, like many other foreign types here, found the Korean media's sudden desire to claim him as "Korean" (and continuing pattern of denying his blackness) problematic; so I also found it problematic that some mixed folks who otherwise would be equally critical of such sudden media attention would be so eager to want to agree that yes, Hines Ward is indeed "Korean," too. I say leave that Hines Ward to define.

And yes, let's problematize the way mixed people are treated in this country, in which the discourse of race is, to understate the matter, problematic.

I think this is a perfect moment to be critical of race and nationalist thinking in Korea, precisely because there is such a large desire to utilize Hines Ward as a symbol of racial and national pride, in only seeing him as part of the Korean "race" and as a part of the extended "nation." This is where smart people should know how to throw a wrench in the works and cause others to rethink simplistic notions.

[sabina ku]

Hi, Mich! I should tell you I really enjoyed reading this article and hearing from you! There are some good critical points, which we should urge, and consider seriously. Living in Aus for me is not easy as Korean. They dont like Asian either.. HaHa. I mean some has bit of racism. But. Y;know what? I dont CARE~~~~ whatever they think of me and how they treat me. Of course what you mentioned is even more serious as far as I know. It's NOT a personal Issue AT ALL. Also must be hard to be fixed. Let's take a small step now and we go forward!! Once again, It's great hearing from you, dude!!
best regards, HJ

[Kage Chu]

Well Micheal, I mostly agree and understand what you wrote and posted here..but I am somewhat worried and can't get rid of the feelings that this might miss-lead or give the reasons to dislike all the Koreans. ㅡㅡ; As you know, there are still a lot of Korean people who are relatively free from the Racism...don't you agree..?
Anyway, I think your blog and what you wrote is very refreshing and stimulating to a people like me.. ^^; Because it's like an inspiration and challenge .. So, I hope you keep Ur good work with your friends~!
By the way, I personally wonder how old you are.. ^^; (I would introduce myself as an ordinary Korean guy in his 30's and living in Frankfurt..)

[The Metropolitician]

Thanks for the comment –

I understand what you mean and I know that a lot of Korean folks can get worried when people are critical of their country; I also know that this is something that makes a lot of Koreans very uncomfortable, even when done by other Koreans. I know it must be doubly uncomfortable when done by foreigners.

One of the most constant anecdotal proofs of this occurs when I show media highly critical of the US that is highly self-critical and even lampoons public figures, such as the president. Still, I think that if it is clear that there is a public debate going on, rather than some obvious and sloppy attempt to keep things under the rug, a lot of foreigners can respect that. This is on top of the fact that foreigners who live here already know about most of the things Koreans hope we dont.

So when the Hines Ward thing started happening, almost foreign bloggers almost unanimously picked up on the same, exact point – the irony of celebrating a man who would be shunned back home, were he without his fortune and fame. I would say that the more public dialogue there is about such subjects, the better Korea will look in the long run, especially in the international eye.

This, in my humble opinion, is one of those key things that many Koreans simply can't "get" about true globalization – that foreigners here know a lot about this society, feel frustrated from being able to really behave in dialogue with it, and feel constantly excluded by the somewhat conscending (but we know well-meaning) treatment as perpetual guests here.

I'm not directing this at you per se, but your comment reminds me that I wanted to raise that point. I think this is the kind of harsh-but-constructive criticism that Koreans would find quite useful and interesting – as well as surprising to know is a major undercurrent of many of the foriegner blogs here that (loosely) help define the expat community here.

Although feelings may be bruised in the short-term, I think it's good that Koreans know that the world is watching; this is a part of joining the international community, methinks – a TRUE globalization – not just the slogan.

[HS Lee]

I am often shamed of the attitude my countrymen have toward mixed race people. If it means anything, I am sorry for what you've gone through

[Sun Kim]

Hello, a link from ohmynews got me here... so many points I agree on, but on "My opinion on why Koreans are tripping over themselves ...In the aftermath of the Hwang cloning scandal, Korea is a nation in search of heroes and inspiration." I must disagree... K media would have gone gaga on Ward with or without the Hwang scandal! That's how they are, sadly...
Just for laughs... to paraphrase Chris Rock "Tiger Woods have made great strides for African-Americans, but we'll only claim 1/8th of them!"

[X-student]

Hi, I was your student once at Daewon.
Anyway your criticism about ironic Koreans is awesome.
In fact, as a person who has lived in the states and also in Korea I got something to say too. I must say that even when I was a young child, I simply did not like Black people. I don't know about others, but considering that I felt such animosity toward black people even at a young age, could it be some kind of collective conscious thing that passes down through Korean blood? Well, anyway, I never liked black people myself. But then you came into our school. And you changed my perception and hopefully other students' too about the perception of black people. I gotta say that as a person living in a hardly diverse society, it's relatively easy to gain a prejudiced view toward other race. But still, you as our teacher showed us how not all black people are scary, gun-carrying, hip-hop lovers. My point is that seeing someone like you in our school helped me alot in getting a better view towards society. Once again, I want to thank you for hitting the bulls eye of what most people should consider during this media-led frenzy of Mr. Ward.

[sk,YI]

I agree to your critical opinion.
Thanks for your some articles.

[Kim]

I really enjoyed reading your writing.
If I could, I would offer you an apology on behalf of some Korean people.
( I know this may sound odd, but I think so anyway.)

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

[nicole]

Hi, I wanted to thank you for keeping such a great journal about your experiences in Korea, I also really enjoy your podcasts.

I am a black woman living in NYC and I was had a long history with asian culture. Growing up in Chicago I took many years of Japanese language lessons as my school language requirement and have been a big fan of all asian cutlure.

When I got married, my husband and I traveled around Japan for a month on our honeymoon. For our 5 year anniversary, I thought it would be great to return to Japan and then make a stopover in Soeul, as I have become fascinated by Korean movies and would love to see the landscape first hand.

I have several Korean friends in NY that have encouraged me to pursue this plan. But I have to tell you, after doing more research on everyday Korean life and culture in Korea, I am not sure I want to go. My husband is Jewish and as a mixed foriegn couple, I do not want to ruin my trip by coming to a place where I won't feel welcome. I would like to ask your opinion on this?

We are the type of travellers that like to experience a culture first-hand and hang out with the locals, not from a tour bus. We have had some amazing trips and the only place we have ever felt unwelcome was in rural Virginia. Should I not waste my time and money in a place that doesn't want to see my type around? Maybe I would be happier with the Korea of the movie landscape in my imagination?

[elle]

I haven't had the chance to read your entire posting but your reversion of the "Korean Folks dont like black people" is pretty repulsive. You claim to be an intellectual and making critical analysis of your experience in Korea...really...is that what the song is about as well? I have to say I was quite distraught by its lyrics. Whatever your justification for writing it...it certainly does not fly right!!! Songs like that are reasons for continued perpetration of the hatred amongst Korean/Blacks. Is that what you are after? Peace would sound like a better solution.

[The Metropolitician]

Well, Elle, we tend to disagree about "negative" and "positive" expressions. Since you seem to bristle at any criticism of Korea, I'm not surprised you didn't like the post. Although I do suggest you read it in its entirety before launching into a critique.

And sorry, I don't buy your analysis that being critical - even when it's angry and sarcastic - is "perpetuating the hatred between Koreans and blacks". 1) I'm not saying that such a thing even exists, because 2) I'm just talking about the Korean case, in which Koreans are the dominant group with 100% of the power while these few mixed kids have lived in a state of near social-death, so 3) you're misrepresenting the issue by trying to say it's some 50/50 back-and-forth, and all we have to do is hold hands and foster understanding. There's no misunderstanding when it comes to mixed-race people in Korea: we/they have no rights, can't get educated in public schools, are taunted by their peers, and generally are socially undesirable on every level, similar to the ways adoptees and the physically handicapped are treated. It's because the group in the center marginalizes them into a complete social periphery.

Which makes your final statement actually shocking to me - what I'm "after" is Korean society owning up to its prejudices and contradictions and simply offering its mixed-race members the full rights of citizenship and humane treatment. That is not a choice about whether or not to have "peace" between 2 sides; that implies that both sides actually have some degree of power here. Listen to what you're saying and try to differentiate between your vulgar and personal Korean pride and the ability, as a human being, to identify basic moral wrongs.

And yes, intellectual people can use cusswords, Ebonics, and thrown their middle fingers in the air. I do. I use 4-star, academic words, speak in standard English, and wear a suit and tie at scholarly conferences, too. Whether you're an angry rapper like "The Legendary KO" or a wannabe respected academic, YEAH - they can both be intellectuals who make critical analysis.

Why don't you re-examine some of your OWN assumptions before flinging them around at others? I always respect people who read my blog, and I'm glad you stood up to express yourself, but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna fully engage with what you said.

I don't find my post "repulsive" at all. It might not make you feel good, or talk up Korea in a "good" light, but when are you going to come off your idealistic cloud and realize that some people in the world, in different societies, live at the bottom of the social ladder, who live and root in the shit of the people who oppress them? Frankly, an attitude of "let's just have peace" is not only unrealistic, but really insulting to people who simply want to be treated as humans.

Or will your Korean pride not allow criticism of the great Han race and its apparently perfect culture?

To me, one of the things that comes with asserting oneself as a "global" culture is accepting the responsibility for the bad as well as accepting the benefits of the good.

That sounds like something, Elle, you simply aren't quite ready to deal with yet. But frankly, I think letting Korea "off the hook" is condescending and counterproductive. There aren't many foreign social critics who even have any influence in Korean society - I'd say that there's exactly ONE person who plays that role (Pak No Ja) - why do you insist that there are all these people who mercilessly and unfairly attack Korea?

If anything, my job is to be angry and take advantage of this short window of opportunity that the brief popularity of HInes Ward and the Korean media's attention to the issue of mixed-race people and race itself. And as a person sharing the same background with Hines Ward, but with the advantage of American citizenship and the academic pedigree that gives me particular power in credential-obsessed Korea, I feel it's my duty to be critical, and more effective to say what I have to say loud and clear, for all to hear.

You might not think so. But at this place in time, I think my voice is anything but "repulsive," but hopefully might change a mind or two out there, or eventually result in something concrete and positive happening for mixed-race young people. Do you really think reducing this to a debate about wanting "peace" is going to really do anything to help these kids? Or standing up and showing this issue for the world to see at the only time when Korean society can be embarrassed into taking action to change its behavior and mistreatment of these people?

Call me a "repulsive" realist, but given the translation of my articles into the Korean OhMyNews and the responses, I'd say that my voice has had a much more positive effect than a negative one, especially as a person who has quite accidentally stumbled into being in the unique position of talking as a Black/Korean "insider."