What do Koreans Think About Muslims?
The article is about how most Koreans perceive Islam.
It is a sensitive topic, and we do a good job of giving an uncomfortable truth.
Which is that Koreans have negative perceptions of Muslims.
The article does not give any solutions or ideas for how to change this perception.
But it does offer some insight into how Koreans think about Muslims and Islam.
The Korean people are not a homogenous group. They are a diverse population with different ethnicities, religions, and backgrounds.
However in the past, many Koreans have been taught by their parents or teachers that Muslims are terrorists.
Korean media also wildly portray Islam inaccurately and so, they have a negative opinion of Islam.
This is not true, as only a very small percentage of Muslims are extremists.
Furthermore, in recent years there has been an increase in immigration from countries like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
These immigrants have brought different cultures into Korea.
Besides they have created new challenges for Koreans who are not used to living with Muslims around them.
As such, there is an increased interest in learning about Muslims and their culture within Korea.
This leads to more questions about what Koreans think about Muslims.
Following the tragedy in Afghanistan in 2007, some Koreans began to believe that Islam incites violence.
Recently, we found a video that shows the what Koreans think about Muslims.
Based on the video, Kyungpook National University’s Muslim international students faced fierce backlash from their Korean neighbors.
This happens after they were deciding to build a two-story mosque in a residential area near the campus in Daegu.
As their protest grew louder, they began to display banners accusing Muslims of being terrorists.
Based on our research, we found a Korean guy who shared the bitter truth of what really Koreans think about Muslims.
“I would like to tell you uncomfortable truths about how most Koreans perceive Islam. The image or the notion of Islam has been misled by the Americans and the major western media. Koreans have been also influenced by those media for a considerably long time,” he said.
Koreans have a skewed perception of Islam
“If you are a Muslim, you would get less attention from the opposite sex in Korea. I guess 20% of Korean females would not talk to Muslim guys because they are afraid,” he added.
“I think most young Koreans know that they must convert if they want a Muslim spouse. This makes Koreans uncomfortable and even look down Muslims,” he also mentioned.
However, there are also other Koreans who give their different opinions.
“South Koreans aren’t really prejudiced against Muslims. There aren’t any hate groups in South Korea, so if people stare at you, it isn’t because they hate you or consider a terrorist. It’s just because they’re curious of people of other races,” he said.
Another misconception is that Islam oppresses women, but this isn’t accurate either.
Women in Muslim countries do not face any more restrictions than they would in Western countries.
Citing a story about Soleha, we feel that her story is very inspiring!
Soleha is one of the Korean reverts in South Korea that receives Haengbok Box, which is a program under MyFundAction.
This box includes:
- Al Quran with Korean translation
- Prayer veil
- Travel prayer mat
- Scarf for women
- Kopiah for men
- Free online Islamic class
What touched us with her story is that she tries to learn Islam through Instagram and YouTube.
Even though there is no Muslim community where she lives, she is eager to learn.
CLICK HERE TO READ SOLEHA INSPIRING STORY
SUPPORT OUR DAKWAH IN SOUTH KOREA!
We planned to widen this effort and reach out to more Muslim in Korea.
But, we can’t make this dream alone without the support from Muslims all over the world.
We also collaborate with a few Islamic centers in South Korea to give out this gift to the beneficiaries.
Would you like to be part of this project?
