Living in Korea as a Person of Color & College Student

The honest, unfiltered guide I wish I had before I landed at Incheon. 

Korea is incredible. The food, the energy, the convenience, the culture. I won't pretend otherwise. But if you're a person of color, especially one who doesn't fit the narrow beauty mold Korea often projects, you will have experiences that your non-POC classmates simply won't. This post is for you. Let's be real.

You Will Be Noticed. Constantly.

 Whether you're Black, Brown, Southeast Asian, Latine, or Middle Eastern, Korea is still a largely homogeneous society, and visibility is real. In smaller cities and neighborhoods outside of Hongdae and Itaewon, expect prolonged eye contact, whispers, and the occasional photo request. From my firsthand experience, this has rarely come from a place of malice — some might find it exhausting, but personally, I find it kind of cute, especially with the older generation. 

In my experience, Chinese tourists asked for photos more often than Korean locals did. Korean locals were more likely to ask about your hair — and ask to touch it.

Your People Are Here — You Just Have to Explore

About two weeks in, I started craving African food. Personally, Korean food does not always make my preference when it comes to palate. It is either sweet, bland, or sour. But I can say without a doubt, I haven't had bad food here. The food just gets better and better the more you explore.

I looked some places up — and to my surprise, there are South African, Nigerian, and Moroccan restaurants in Itaewon that are really good. Also, if you decide to visit any of the international churches here, you'll find a lot of people of color. Most of them are English teachers at Korean schools, but some are just regular college students like you.

Products for Your Hair and Skin Require Planning.

 If you have 3B curls and above, I'd strongly recommend packing your usual products, because you will not find them easily in Seoul — especially hair conditioners and deep conditioners. Note: the Itaewon Beauty Supply store that caters to textured hair is not actually in Itaewon; it's about 2 hours from Seoul by public transit in Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi-do.

 However, you can use Coupang to order hair products, and it will become your best friend when it comes to that. They can be on the pricier side, but it's worth it compared to the time you'd spend hunting for something that works for your hair. 

The same goes for your lotions and body oils —PACK THEM!! I brought three of everything, and I think that's a solid amount to start with. I'm on my second bottle of everything after 2.5 months, with 2 months left to go, so I think I'm doing pretty well.

 One more quick reminder: bring your deodorant. It's pretty hard to find good deodorant in Korea, especially as a foreigner. Since many Asians don't have the gene that causes body odor, the deodorant options here just aren't the same as what you're used to back home. Also, bring your own towels — Korean towels are small.

Being Plus-Size in Korea.

 Here's the honest breakdown: if you're below a US size 10, you'll have no trouble finding clothes in Korea. If you're above a US size 14, you'll also be able to find plus-size options. But if you're between a US size 10 and 14, you're going to struggle. That's the gap nobody warns you about, and I really wish I had packed more clothes before coming. I know this isn't just my experience — my roommate and I are both in that 10–14 range, and we've both had a hard time. It's either that the plus-size clothes are way too big or too long, or the regular Korean sizes are too tight. Your best bets are Zara (which has an extended size section) or shopping online. 

• Bring enough clothes to last you through different seasons.

• Shop online if that's a possibility.

• Remember — there are options, it just takes a little more planning.

Getting a Korean Number. 

Should you get a Korean number? Short answer: YES! It is extremely helpful for making reservations, ordering online, calling businesses, applying for your RC card, and using certain apps — all of which require a Korean number. That said, if you'd rather not get one, it's not impossible to get around Korea without it. Just make sure you have a working number of some kind.