Korea vs. The Diaspora: The Modern Korean Identity

This interview is with Lee Tae-Hoon, born May 18th, 1996 in Daegu, South Korea. Lee is currently a first-year college student at Korea University—one of the most prestigious universities in South Korea —located in Seoul, the capital of the country. He is currently majoring in Sinographic literature, the study of letters and their functions in East Asian culture, while considering potential directions for his future education and career, from electrical engineering to medicine. He grew up excelling academically, though he feels that his school environment was not the most supportive for his educational pursuits. He discusses the Korean education system, the career market, as well as the political and social opinions of Korean young adults. Lee Tae-Hoon is my oldest cousin on my mother’s side and a good number of my earliest memories include him, so I was interested in reconnecting with him and learning more about someone who has been so important to my own history. The interview was conducted via Zoom as we live on opposite sides of the globe, and have since 2007. This interview was conducted by myself, Emily Kwen, a third-year Education and Psychology major at Colby College. As a young immigrant from Korea, this course allows me to explore the contours of my heritage and culture and connect it to my personal experiences as a third culture student.