From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Koreans in the Philippines, largely consisting of expatriates from South Korea, form the largest community of overseas Koreans in Southeast Asia; as of February 2007, their latest count has been pegged at 92,608,[1] roughly doubling since 2005.[2][3] The first Korean immigrants came to the Philippines after World War II in search of better living conditions.[2] The Korean community in the Philippines had little influence on Philippine society until the late 1980s, when the Korean wave (the mass influx of Korean tourists and immigrants, as well as the increasing popularity of South Korean television and pop music) started.[3]
Aside from long-term residents, at least 370,000 South Korean visitors came to the Philippines in 2004 for business, education, and/or leisure purposes.[3] That number grew to 570,000 in 2006, meaning that South Korean tourists formed a larger group than American tourists for the first time.[4] The recent influx of Koreans has been so great that 65% of the 155,744 foreigners who visited Boracay, the Philippines's most popular tourist attraction, were South Koreans.[citation needed] The most well-known Koreatown in the Metro Manila area is located in Makati's Barangay Poblacion. Outside of Manila, many Koreans also reside in quieter provincial cities such as Subic, Davao, and Baguio. The Philippines is a popular destination for retired South Koreans on fixed pensions; some would even argue that the Filipino government actively promotes the settlement of South Korean retirees in the country because of the potential lucrative opportunities for the local economy.[5] Koreans who grew up in the Philippines also speak Tagalog and regional languages, particularly Ilokano, Kapampangan, Ilonggo (Iloilo and Bacolod), and Cebuano (Cebu, Dumaguete, and Davao), aside from English.[citation needed]
Because of an existing (although slowly disappearing) barrier in regards to language and even dietary preferences, the Korean community is usually seen as a closed group by many Filipinos. Interaction between the two groups is increasing, a good example of which is the rise in popularity of Sandara Park, a Korean singer and actress on Philippine television, and Koreanovelas (televised dramas, similar to Western miniseries, produced in the Korean language for Korean audiences). Korean Christian churches in Metro Manila and other large cities in the Philippines serve as centers of religious and social activity within the Korean community as well.[3] However, Koreans have been criticised for keeping to themselves and forming a closed community.[4]
Many South Koreans living in the Philippines are attracted to the low cost of English-language education and housing, both significantly cheaper than those offered in their native South Korea. The warmer climate is yet another motivating factor for the recent surge in migration.[6] Korean expatriates provide a significant stimulus to the local economy; they are estimated to spend between US$800 and $1000 per month, making an aggregate contribution of over $1 billion per year in consumer spending.[4] South Korean tourists often enroll in short-term courses in English language schools to cope with South Korea's growing demand for English proficiency. Their numbers include a large proportion of young people; according to Son Jung-Son of the Philippine-Korean Cultural Center in Seoul, over 1,500 Koreans under 20 years old arrive in the Philippines every month to study English.[3] Koreans in the Philippines do not have a Korean day school, but are served by seven weekend schools, the first being the ones in Cebu and Antipolo, both founded in 1994. Between 1997 and 2000, five more schools were founded in Davao City, Angeles City, Pasay City, Baguio City, and Cainta; they enroll a total of 383 students.[7][8][9][10][11][12][13]
[edit] Notable individuals
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b Smart launches text service in Korean, goodnewspilipinas.com, <http://www.goodnewspilipinas.com/docs/tech_milestones/archived/smart_korean.html>. Retrieved on 2008-04-27
- ^ a b Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, March 11, 2007 episode.
- ^ a b c d e Meinardus, Ronaldo. ""Korean Wave" in Philippines", The Korea Times, 2005-12-15. Retrieved on 2007-02-16.
- ^ a b c Damazo, Jet. "Korea Invades the Philippines", Asia Sentinel, 2007-07-12. Retrieved on 2007-07-12.
- ^ Garcia, Cathy Rose A.. "More Koreans Look to Retire in Philippines", The Korea Times, 2006-07-03. Retrieved on 2007-03-27.
- ^ Yoon, Won-sup. "Philippine Cultural Center Opens", The Korea Times, 2006-07-09. Retrieved on 2007-02-16.
- ^ Overseas Korean Educational Institutions: 한국쉐마학교. National Institute for International Education Development, Republic of Korea (2007). Retrieved on 2007-05-15.
- ^ Overseas Korean Educational Institutions: 필리핀남부학교. National Institute for International Education Development, Republic of Korea (2007). Retrieved on 2007-05-15.
- ^ Overseas Korean Educational Institutions: 엥켈레스한인학교. National Institute for International Education Development, Republic of Korea (2007). Retrieved on 2007-05-15.
- ^ Overseas Korean Educational Institutions: 시부한글학교. National Institute for International Education Development, Republic of Korea (2007). Retrieved on 2007-05-15.
- ^ Overseas Korean Educational Institutions: 바기오한인학교. National Institute for International Education Development, Republic of Korea (2007). Retrieved on 2007-05-15.
- ^ Overseas Korean Educational Institutions: 마닐라한국아카데미. National Institute for International Education Development, Republic of Korea (2007). Retrieved on 2007-05-15.
- ^ Overseas Korean Educational Institutions: 다바오한글학교. National Institute for International Education Development, Republic of Korea (2007). Retrieved on 2007-05-15.
- ^ Panaligan, Jojo P.. "Sandara Park goes daring", Manila Bulletin, 2006-07-29. Retrieved on 2007-09-19.
