Voices of Foreign Brides: The Roots and Development of Multiculturalism in Korea by Choong Soon Kim (review)

Choong Soon Kim’s work is a timely study on the development of a multicultural society in South Korea. It aims “to understand Korean attitudes toward foreigners and the changing nature of Korean culture” (p. xv) and to “analyze the way in which multiculturalism is being implemented in South Korea” (p. xv). Specifically, Kim investigates the ways in which multiculturalism is conceptualized, its future, and how multicultural policies reflect the needs and desires of foreigners, particularly foreign brides. Kim approaches the issue of multiculturalism through the lens of foreign brides due to their central role in the discourse of multiculturalism and the increasingly large proportion of the Korean population that they and their children compose. Throughout his book, Kim finds evidence that despite the benign intentions of the state and local bodies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) involved in supporting the multicultural project in Korea, the rhetoric of multiculturalism is conceptualized in relation to national origin and excludes the coexistence of multiple cultures.

This book provides substantial evidence that the history of Korea is far from one of racial and cultural isolation. Not only have both Caucasoid and Mongoloid remains been found on the peninsula, but there is linguistic and DNA evidence that the Korean people are related to both Southeast and North Asian peoples. Evidence abounds about the worldliness of the ancient Korean kingdoms, which viewed themselves as a heterogeneous group. Moreover, the coexistence of Koreans and foreigners is not a modern development; as evidenced by the large percentage of naturalized Korean surnames, the efforts of ancient Korean kingdoms to encourage migration to the peninsula, and the number of foreigners who have played an important role in shaping Korean history (of which Kim goes into great detail). Kim devotes a chapter to discussing the foreign origins of the first queen of the Kaya dynasty, Ho Hwang-ok, in order to show the inclusiveness of the ancient societies on the peninsula.

However, despite this very diverse and international history, there remains a myth of ethnic and cultural homogeneity and the existence of a single Korean bloodline. These beliefs have generated a form of xenophobia in Korea, which Kim terms xenouneasiness, in which foreigners are perceived as polluting the pure Korean bloodline and diluting Korean culture. Therefore, ideas of cultural homogeneity are one of the central reasons for the existence of cultural and linguistic assimilation policies in Korea that have discouraged migrants from retaining their original culture and language. Throughout the many life stories and interviews that Kim conducts with foreign brides, he consistently discovers that at the root of most problems in their marriages is an unawareness or intolerance of cultural differences in conjunction with language barriers. These factors are compounded by economic hardship, patriarchal and authoritative Korean family structures, and deceitful marriage brokering services, which propagate unrealistic expectations. Though many organizations are trying to assist foreign brides, Kim problematizes their focus on assimilation programs and economic intervention, which is self-defeating to programs of multiculturalism.

Despite these problems, Kim argues that there are reasons to be optimistic about the future of multiculturalism in Korea. He identifies the growing population and voice of foreign brides, their children, and migrants in general as a catalyst in creating change in Korean society. Though many migrants have been marginalized in Korean society, some have been able to raise awareness of the problems that they face. With continuing efforts by government agencies and NGOs as well as the growing voice and size of the migrant population, Kim believes that “Korea is destined to move forward to become a true multicultural society with a liberal model of Western multiculturalism” (p. 154).

Kim’s book as an ethnohistorical, ethnographic work greatly contributes to the existing work on multiculturalism in Korea. Through telling the stories of foreign brides and their experiences with international marriages, Kim is able to communicate the human condition...