Due to sudden attention to the racial problems, Koreans seem to be more open now to multiculturalism. However, many experts warn that this nationwide awareness on people of different origins led mostly by media could subside shortly. The fact that no warm and careful attention was ever given to mixed-race Koreans until Hines Ward became a NFL star this year and shot to sudden stardom in Korea led us to self-reflection on this matter.
While the Korean mainstream media fixate on the mixed-race Koreans born of American or European parents, they pay less attention to the surging ethnic minorities such Koasians, born of a Korean parent and a parent from Southeast Asian nations and Chinese descendents living in the country. One could point out that the popular biracial celebrities are mostly half Americans or Europeans. And Koasians find their opportunities more limited even within the mixed-race community. Koasians or the mixed-race Koreans find it difficult to adjust to school, and hence find their educational opportunities limited. When they try to find jobs, they rank alongside the handicapped people whom companies would least likely hire. The problems faced by mixed-race Koreans won? go away just because a couple of mixed race entertainers grow popular or because people like Hines Ward garner attention. The government should step up to set the proper policies, and people should work harder to correct the mistaken perceptions of mixed-race Koreans.
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