Creating jobs, changing perceptions: A Chinese professional's insights on Korea’s social sector

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Creating jobs, changing perceptions: A Chinese professional's insights on Korea’s social sector

Published: 28 Nov. 2025, 09:04 Updated: 02 Dec. 2025, 10:52

YOON SEUNG-JIN
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Yuhan Sun, front, poses for a photo with Cheongdo University’s Korean language students after she delivered a special lecture. [HEARTYWORKS]

[Hired in Korea]

As more internationals look to build careers in Korea, many find themselves facing practical hurdles — from limited guidance to a lack of firsthand experience. To bridge that gap, the Korea JoongAng Daily talks with professionals who have carved out their paths in diverse fields, offering readers real-world insights on how to start their careers in the country in this series “Hired in Korea.”

Yuhan Sun, who majored in Japanese at Chonnam National University in South Jeolla Province, initially planned to move to Japan to start her career after receiving several job offers. However, her plans fell through during the spread of Covid-19.

Undeterred by this unexpected change in plans, Sun chose to stay in Korea and pursue her dream of making a meaningful contribution to socially underprivileged groups, including people with disabilities.

Today, although not in the country she originally envisioned, she is fulfilling her dream in Korea, working on Heartyworks’ China business team. There, she helps provide Korean-language classes to Chinese students while promoting the company’s mission of creating diverse job opportunities for people with disabilities, thereby expanding the company’s overseas business.

Yuhan Sun poses for a photo during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on Nov. 19, 2025. [HEARTYWORKS]

Heartyworks, a social venture, trains visually impaired individuals as Korean instructors, foreign language assistant teachers, emotional support companions and more, connecting them with partner businesses and clients while also managing their employment.

“About 90 percent of people with visual impairments became disabled later in life due to accidents or illnesses. They used to work just like anyone else until sudden misfortune changed their lives,” Sun said. “Each person has different interests and strengths, so I’d say it is absurd that their roles are limited to massage therapy.”

“Our goal is to keep every possibility open and create as many job opportunities as we can for people with disabilities. I believe that I and we as a company are making meaningful change and witnessing real progress,” Sun added.

The Korea JoongAng Daily sat down with Sun to hear more about her journey, the challenges of being a foreign worker in Korea and her advice for those hoping to build a career here.

Q. What does Heartyworks do? And what is your current role there?

A. Heartyworks basically trains visually impaired people in Korea to become Korean language instructors and then provides a platform where they can offer and “sell” their Korean language skills.

Besides Korean teachers, we’re experimenting with various other roles, such as emotional support companions and developers, to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

In Korea, many large corporations are required by law to hire people with disabilities and also employ many foreign workers. To support both needs, Heartyworks trains and manages visually impaired instructors who teach Korean to these foreign employees, and we connect these instructors with major companies.

We are also expanding this service to China, and I’m currently in charge of the China business.

What exactly do you handle in the China business?

A large portion of our students are Chinese. Many Chinese learners take our Korean classes, and many students in China who dream of studying abroad in Korea are our potential customers. Our main business is selling online classes to these groups.

In addition, we’re planning to grow our platform to include a full China-specific version. To do that, I communicate with local organizations for the visually impaired, and we work toward signing memorandums of understanding to expand our business.

Just as visually impaired Koreans can become Korean teachers, visually impaired people in China can also become Chinese teachers. By sharing our experience, we hope to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities in various countries.

Recently, we also held an offline special lecture for Chinese students majoring in Korean.

Yuhan Sun talks with Chinese students majoring in Korean during her trip to Cheongdo University. [HEARTYWORKS]

Did you originally want to do this kind of work, or did you end up here by chance?

I’ve always liked helping people and wanted to do something meaningful.

When people have this interest, they often think of volunteering or nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), but I didn’t really know what exact job I wanted to do.

At first, I wanted to work for an NGO. I actually tried to get a job in that field, but I ended up joining Heartyworks, a social venture, which is slightly different. And I’ve become very satisfied with what I’m doing now.

What differentiates a social venture from an NGO is that social ventures generate economic value directly, making the work sustainable.

So, for anyone who wants to do meaningful work continuously, I recommend social enterprises.

What specifically makes you recommend social ventures?

Well, I wouldn’t say I strongly recommend it since there are numerous challenges that come in the way. But I’m sure of these two advantages of working at a social venture.

First, you get to experience what it feels like to do socially meaningful work while still being under an entity that has the structure of a company. Second, you get to do work that requires a good heart and a positive mission.

If you work in a social enterprise for one or two years, you naturally start to understand whether you want to make more money or focus more on meaningful work.

From my experience, I felt that even if I earned a lot, life wouldn’t necessarily feel fulfilling. But if I can help others, my heart feels rewarded in a way that money can’t buy.

So, for people who have this interest, I highly recommend social enterprises. You get to experience both sides, and within a year or two, you’ll learn whether you prioritize income or meaning.

Yuhan Sun, center, and Heartyworks' CEO Kim Hyeon-jin, second from right, pose for a group photo at Cheongdo University. [HEARTYWORKS]

Do you need any special education or certification to do this type of work?

Social enterprises have diverse roles, so it’s hard to say there’s only one path or certification.

Like any company, the skills needed depend on your position. There’s no single universal training program. If you want to work in marketing for a social enterprise, then of course you need to study marketing. If you want to plan services, then leadership and planning-related skills are helpful.

Regardless of whether it’s an NGO or a social venture, you need the right mindset.

In social ventures, especially, you’ll face discomfort and challenges while working, so you need the willingness to overcome them and to value rewards beyond financial gains.

Any tips for CVs and interviews when applying for a job?

As a foreigner, you need to think carefully about how to highlight the strength of being a foreigner. Being a foreigner is not a weakness — it can be a major advantage.

You should express clearly why a company would benefit from hiring a foreigner for that position and integrate that into your story.

Also, I used to think having level six on the Test of Proficiency in Korean (widely known as Topik) was a big deal, but honestly, in Korea, being good at Korean is just the baseline. I recommend those who are planning to work here to find other strengths and hone their skills beyond just the language.

Also, use your school well. Visit your university’s career center often, participate actively in internships and engage in as many activities as you can.

Yuhan Sun, the first on the left in the second row, poses for a group photo with Heartyworks' staff members. [HEARTYWORKS]

Is it better for foreigners to start as fresh graduates in Korea, or gain experience abroad first?

That's not an easy question, but based on my personal experience, starting as a fresh graduate is better.

It’s very difficult to come to Korea as an experienced hire. The expected salary becomes higher, and companies expect much more from experienced workers.

Unless you have extremely strong experience, it’s better to start as a new hire.

Except for jobs like developers, which I believe are least affected by regional differences, most other fields depend heavily on local culture, language and circumstances.

So, starting as a fresh graduate in Korea is usually better.

What visa are you on now? Was it difficult to get?

Right now, I’m on an F-2 visa, and I plan to get an F-5.

To be honest, many foreigners feel like Korea welcomes foreign students and tourists, but it doesn’t really welcome foreign workers. This isn’t just from me or people of particular nationalities: it’s from numerous expats I’ve talked to about this so far.

Korea mainly issues E-7 or F-2 visas for foreign workers, and both are very difficult to obtain. But coming to Korea as a student was easy.

My main tip is this: call 1345, the multilingual immigration helpline. Not just once, but at least three times. Ask exactly what documents you need, prepare thoroughly and triple-check online.

For the immigration office based in Seoul, you need to make a reservation at least a month in advance.

The difficulty of your visa process can vary drastically depending on which officer you get that day. So go at a time when you’re less likely to encounter tired or overwhelmed staff.

Yuhan Sun, second from right, and Heartyworks' CEO Kim Hyeon-jin, right, pose for a photo with other staff. [HEARTYWORKS]

From your experience, what’s good and what needs improvement about how Korea treats foreign workers?

China and Korea are geographically close, so I generally understand and accept much of the cultural context. But the hierarchy based on age and the limited promotion opportunities for foreigners are still major issues. Promotion requires long-term commitment, but companies sometimes assume foreigners won’t stay long because Korea isn’t their home country. So, there’s often subtle discrimination.

I hope abilities become the basis for promotion. Other than that, as a Chinese national, I don’t see many major issues because both countries share a similar work culture.

A positive point is that Korea’s labor laws keep improving, and companies follow them. Annual leave is respected, and overtime usually means only about 30 minutes to an hour. A friend in China said their “a bit of overtime” means staying until 10:30 p.m.

Can you explain what social ventures are a bit more? And do you recommend working in one?

A social venture is a hybrid between a private company and an NGO. The challenge is doing some “good things” while still generating revenue.

This creates constant inner tension. You want to help purely out of goodwill, yet you also need to think about sustainable profit. Our field, disability employment, is especially difficult but also rewarding.

If you’re serious and passionate, joining a social venture that aligns with your values can make every day meaningful. I truly believe our work can change the world.

Social ventures aim to solve social problems. Even if we don’t solve everything, increasing society’s awareness is already a success. And the small improvements we make are visible, and it’s incredibly rewarding.

What is your ultimate goal while working in Korea?

I want to break stereotypes and create a meaningful impact. I want to raise awareness about disabilities and show people that individuals with disabilities can do far more than society assumes.

After spending five years helping visually impaired people in Korea, I hope that once the business grows, I can also bring inspiration or practical support to disabled communities in China.

I’m not thinking of starting my own business, but I hope that through Heartyworks’ work, cooperation with Chinese organizations can create real opportunities for visually impaired or disabled individuals in China.

I want our business to grow in China so that more institutions learn about us and collaborate with us to provide meaningful opportunities.

Any tips for foreigners who want to work in Korea?

Korea has many opportunities, with diverse companies and industries. Keep your options open while preparing.

As I mentioned earlier, understand your interests well, research the fields and companies related to them, and clearly identify the strengths you have as a foreigner and as an individual.

BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [[email protected]]

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Creating jobs, changing perceptions: A Chinese professional's insights on Korea’s social sector

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