Korea Deconstructed #009 TCKs: Identity, Skin Colour, and Acceptance with Chanmi Kim
Chan is an artist and a friend. She is 100% Korean in terms of nationality but has at times distanced herself from this identity. Her friends call her a 외국인 (foreigner) but she identifies as a TCK (third culture kid). She has often tried to look different from other people and loves standing out, avoiding clichés and stereotypes where possible. In Korea she has received lots of comments on her tanned skin and found it difficult to find cosmetics that suit her. Looking forward, she wants to be in a place where she is treated equally, regardless of social position.
She talks about the vibe and aura emitted by other TCKs, the mutual understanding and the open body language that results. She has found a great sense of community in touch rugby. She closes our chat with hopes that TCKs can be proud of who they are and seeks to challenge the negative portrayal of TCKs having privileges from studying abroad and receiving easier access to the country’s top universities. She wants to reduce alienation. And she hopes people will stop asking TCKs to speak English as a party trick. But, on top of all this, she has a positive outlook for the future.