South Korea tends to be a country that favours extroversion, and group activities such as clubbing and drinking are quite popular. So, things may be a little bit more difficult for introverts here. Fortunately, things are not all doom and gloom as being an introvert in South Korea has some advantages.
Here are some of the things I thought were pros and cons of being an introvert in South Korea.
What’s an introvert?
First of all, let’s look at what being an introvert actually means. Introversion is a personality trait that characterises people whose energy depletes after socialising too much. They tend to be reserved and quiet, but some introverts can be very sociable. These types of introverts will still need time on their own to recharge their batteries, unlike extroverts who get energised from social situations.
Many people seem to think that you’re either 100% an introvert or extrovert but introversion and extroversion are actually two ends of a spectrum. People tend to just lean towards one side. Some people are even ambiverts, as their levels of introversion and extroversion are almost equal.
According to the Myers-Briggs personality typification, there are eight different types of introverts, and they all react to their environments distinctly. So, it’s highly like that some may struggle more in Korea than others, so it’s best to find out what type you are, which can do here.
Pros
Low Cost Of Living
The cost of living in South Korea is a pro in many ways. It’ll help you save money and have a higher standard of living. However, it also makes solo trips, which introverts may be more inclined to go on, really affordable.
Group trips in South Korea are still cheaper, but tickets to attractions, the price of accommodation and eating out, as well as tours for solo travellers, are cheap compared to countries like the UK and the USA.
It Can Be Easy To Meet Other People
As I stated earlier, introverts can still be social and there are tons of groups and activities to join, which will help you meet new people and make friends. You can search sites like MeetUp and social media such as Facebook to find these groups.
There are even groups dedicated to the city each person is living in. For example, I joined a called ‘Suncheon, South Korea (The Foreigner Experience)’ when I moved to Suncheon. I often saw posts about get-togethers or certain clubs, which are excellent opportunities to make friends.
You can also meet people one-on-one for language exchanges by using apps like HelloTalk and others. This may be a controversial pro because many people living in Korea mention that it’s quite difficult to make friends in the country.
Homogeneity
Korea is one of the most homogenous countries in the world. This can lead to some uncomfortable experiences, such as being gawked at, but there are some advantages of this too.
For instance, introverts who hate small talk will be thrilled to find out that it doesn’t really happen in South Korea as many people don’t speak English. When you go shopping, the checkout operator just serves you and that’s it. Sometimes you can go a whole weekend without even talking to someone, even when going shopping.
The Nature
Mountains cover 70% of South Korea, and there are many gorgeous towns and villages you can visit in the countryside. So “nature-bathing” is pretty easy to do in South Korea, even in Seoul, which has many beautiful parks such as Haneul Park, 12 Han River Parks, Seoul Forest and more.
Cons
Work-Life Balance
Korea is known to be a workaholic country, and if you’re at a job that requires you to converse with lots of people, such as being a teacher, then you may get burnt out quickly.
Public school teachers may not have any issues, as they get to desk warm a lot, which can be done in solitude. However, hagwons teachers tend to have packed schedules, so this may make an introverted teacher may feel drained,
I know I was very tired as a hagwon teacher because I was quite entertaining to my students and talked to and hung out with my colleagues. I got burnt out in less than a year in that position because I was constantly chatting to and surrounded by people.
Moreover, if you work at a hagwon you get less vacation time, so that means more time spent being around people.
Hwesiks
If you work in Korea, then you’ll inevitably be invited to a hwesik, which is a company or school dinner. It involves lots of drinking. Superiors may force junior member of staff to drink tons of alcohol.
I was fortunate enough to only go to two during my time working in Korea, as the school I worked at wasn’t so keen on them. Even so, I mostly disliked these occasions as they involved a lot of broken glass, shoving and noise.
Eating alone
This is a minor con as eating alone has become increasingly common in Korea, whereas it used to be weird before, perhaps due to the country’s focus on group activities.
However, you still may have issues eating alone at some Korean BBQ restaurants or those that sell sets of food, as they may refuse to serve only one person. Fortunately, other restaurants of these types may let you order two portions. This may be too much food for some people (like me), but won’t be a problem if the restaurant allows you to take away your leftovers.
Homogeneity
I mentioned this as a pro but it’s also a con. Although you’ll be able to avoid a lot of small talk, living in a homogenous country will make you very hypervisible, especially if you’re black, so you may get stopped or stared at a lot.
When I lived in Korean, lots of people asked to take pictures of me and with me and many touched my hair without asking. This was draining as I hate being the centre of attention. Instead, I prefer to blend into the background and not have my personal space entered.
Conclusion
Korea can be draining for some in some senses for introverts, but it can also be very accommodating. There are also plenty of ways to minimise the cons. For example, you can make excuses to get out of hwesiks or you can try and choose a workplace that doesn’t have many. You could also choose a job that has a decent work-life balance.
Are you an introvert and have you lived in South Korea?
