Have you ever wished that you were born in South Korea or lived there?

    I guess that when I was new to kpop and kdramas as a teen, I kinda had thoughts like this.

    And was also thinking stuff like "I wish I lived in South Korea".

    I think that I sometimes watched some videos that were like "South Korea has this cool thing." and then wishing that my country also had that stuff or something.

    And based on some stuff, it seemed like a "kpop and kdrama paradise"


    I think there might be people too, who think that Japan might be some cool country and "anime paradise".



    But well... no country is a paradise.



    And imagine having high expectations of a country and then feeling disappointed, when that country is not like how you imagined it.


    I have heard that some students from my country had been in Tokyo for a trip and complained about the city being too "village-like". (not sure what they meant by that...)

    I don't know if they maybe had some high expectations before going.

    No. I understand, and I guess most people do, that the image you get when watching dramas and stuff is not how it is to live in South Korean in real life, or at least it paint a bit too romantic image of it. I would guess it's pretty hard growing up in SK wiht the pressure from school and all that, even it it's hard to know how much is true about all the stories about how tough it is or if it's an exaggeration.


    At the end of the day it's probably similar growing up in Europe, North America or South Korea.


    But I sometimes can think it would be cool to live in Japan or South Korea for a period of time, but it also have a lot of pratical problems.

  • AllKill VIP

    no, their culture and the way they act towards women, not only from what I see in kpop but from my father a retired veteran experienced while stationed in Korea, makes me not ever want to live there. Visit sure, but I don't ever wish i was born or lived there. I think japan seems more of a place I'd like to live, but I don't know a lick of the language, and trying to learn it has proven to be much too complicated for me.

    No. As someone who has moved often and lived over 2 years in 4 countries in NA, Europe, and East Asia - there is no “perfect” country.


    Many people really do believe the grass is greener elsewhere and it’s because they see what they want to see and not the reality.


    South Korea is a lovely country and I will def visit again. It has issues just as in any country.


    What people also don’t consider enough is the language and cultural integration aspect of living in a new country. It’s not going to work well if you are in the Expat bubble or never learned the local language beyond basics.


    But another weird dynamic I see is “this wishing I was born in X country” instead comes from admiration but also some self hating or fetish or growing up phase of learning to love yourself etc.

    It's natural to idealize places like South Korea or Japan, especially when you're into K-pop, K-dramas, or anime. These cultures can make those countries seem like paradises. However, no place is perfect, and reality is often more complex than what media portrays. High expectations can lead to disappointment when you realize a country isn't exactly like you imagined. The students who found Tokyo "village-like" probably had unrealistic expectations shaped by media, highlighting the importance of keeping an open mind when experiencing new places.

    Quote from xx-jenn-xx

    no, their culture and the way they act towards women, not only from what I see in kpop but from my father a retired veteran experienced while stationed in Korea, makes me not ever want to live there. Visit sure, but I don't ever wish i was born or lived there. I think japan seems more of a place I'd like to live, but I don't know a lick of the language, and trying to learn it has proven to be much too complicated for me.

    Pay attention to Japan as much as you do Korea and you might have second thoughts. Asia as a whole ia nowhere near the West in those cultural aspects

  • AllKill VIP
  • AllKill VIP
    Quote from kazuyakamenashi

    You should take it, or else you wouldn't have suggested Japan was better than Korea on that issue

    I will never take anything that comes out of your mouth as advice.


    nor did i say Japan was better then Korea. I said if i had to make a choice, I would choose them over Korea.


    In case your brain forgot, I'm into J-Pop as much as K-Pop. I'm not oblivious to Asian countries lifestyles.


    so go away.

    It's natural to romanticize places like South Korea or Japan, especially when influenced by K-pop, K-dramas, or anime. Many people imagine these countries as paradises, but reality can be different, often leading to disappointment if expectations are too high. Every country has its pros and cons, and it's important to have a balanced perspective when thinking about living abroad.

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