Understanding the life of Chinese immigrants in Korea: Forgotten people in the land of multiculturalism

Abstract

In recent years, Korean society has claimed its multicultural identity in which diversity is celebrated. Numerous changes have been made at societal level, and policies and services promoting multiculturalism have been implemented. However, one particular ethnic group excluded from multiculturalism discourse is the Hwa‐Gyo, descendants of Chinese immigrants. This study aims to gain an understanding of the Hwa‐Gyo and their lives, as little is known about them. In‐depth interviews were conducted with third and fourth‐generation Hwa‐Gyo residents in Korea, and qualitative descriptive analyses were conducted. Two main themes were extracted from the narratives: “being the forgotten people,” and the “ambiguity of being Hwa‐Gyo.” Related subthemes were also identified. The Hwa‐Gyo perceives themselves as forgotten people abandoned by both their country of birth and their country of citizenship (Taiwan), and are marginalized from new immigrants. They define themselves as hopeless wanderers, and expressed ambiguity over their identity and their place in Korea. Their narratives also showed that they attempt to stay hidden from the rest of Korean society as a way to protect themselves from discrimination they have encountered for generations.