Love leads to more Korean diversity

Josh Damon

As Korea continues its gradual shift toward the multicultural state that constitutes a modern, globalized country, there are those busy working from the inside to change the Korean paradigm of what constitutes a normal relationship.
An increasing number of foreigners are finding themselves, after coming to Korea for work, romantically entangled with the country.
Josh Damon, an English teacher by day and D.J. by night, met his fiancee, Kim Kyung-min, at the hagwon (or English academy) they both work for. The pair will wed this Saturday. They represent a growing population on the peninsula; between 2000 and 2005 alone, the percentage of Koreans marrying foreigners rose from 4 to 14 percent.
The arc of their relationship can be seen as a representation of the gradual, somewhat awkward shift taking place within Korean culture.
Damon said, “I was first introduced to her [Kim’s] family as a friend” even though the pair were already dating. “At first it was O.K. for us to be friends. They weren’t so excited for me to be the boyfriend.”
Over time, however, the family warmed up. Damon asked Kim’s father for permission to wed his daughter, and the father consented.
His connection with the family has endured despite mutually shaky language skills, a common hurdle. When asked how he communicates with Kim’s family, Damon replied, “Carefully,” adding, “I still need to master the language.”
(This is evidenced by the fact that he pronounces his future wife’s name with the ‘k’ that it is spelled with in English, though it is pronounced with a ‘g’ sound in Korean.)