Is living in South Korea really that great? The real story from a professor with 17 years experience

Back in 2021, Study International interviewed David Tizzard, a British professor and writer based in South Korea, about understanding K-pop stans from an academic’s viewpoint.

For this second interview, we’re focusing on his life story and the wisdom he has to share about the less-than-sparkly reality of living in South Korea.

It’s been 17 years since Tizzard first moved to South Korea to be an English teacher job at Seoul Women’s University (SWU), a private women’s university in Nowon District in Seoul. 

“I love reading and philosophy. I would get into trouble for staying up all night reading books when I was younger,” says Tizzard. “Talking about ideas and concepts just fascinates me. That’s how my brain is wired, so I decided to become an English teacher.”

The question is, why South Korea, a country with only “moderate proficiency” in the 2024 Education First (EF) English Proficiency Index (EPI)?

Tizzard has been living in South Korea since 2008. Source: David Tizzard

Living in South Korea, from a foreigner’s POV

Upon graduating from his English programme, Tizzard spent a year in the UK working at a music venue alongside prominent artists such as James Blunt and The Pixies.

While he found this incredible, he didn’t plan to pursue it for long.

He realised that being in the live music scene led to a rather unhealthy lifestyle. He slept poorly and ate even worse. The biggest issue, however, is the drinking. Lots of it.

One study even reported that the local live music culture might not have been alive had it not been for alcohol sales.

And it wasn’t just consuming it too — the mention of alcohol is so prominent in music that 22.4% of songs from 2007 and 2016 on Billboard’s Hot 100 list had it, according to a Northwestern University study. 

It’s a different case in South Korea. Well, with drugs, at least.

K-pop star G-Dragon — arguably the most famous name in K-pop history — appeared for his first police questioning on November 6, 2023, over alleged drug use but denied any wrongdoing. Source: AFP

South Korea has some of the harshest drug laws in the world. The Korean government maintains a policy of zero tolerance for drug offences for both Koreans and foreigners.

Even melatonin, a sleeping aid, is only available by prescription.

So, there’s little wonder which country — the UK or South Korea — offered a better, healthier lifestyle.

With that decision made, Tizzard moved to Seoul and kickstarted his teaching career there.

Better yet, his potential and dedication to his job at SWU did not go unnoticed; he was soon offered an assistant professor position despite not having the qualifications.

But he didn’t remain unqualified for long. With this offered position, Tizzard sought to equip himself right, and in the end, he pursued a Master’s in Asian Studies at Sejong University.

An Asian Studies degree covers topics related to Asia, such as language, history, law, politics, and religion.

In Tizzard’s programme, he would sit in his supervising professor’s room, listening to Led Zeppelin while discussing Buddhism, Taoism, and everything related to the region.

It was the best time of his life. 

Today, Tizzard has a PhD in Korean Studies from Hanyang University and is a column writer for The Korea Times, a professor at Hanyang University and SWU, a world news contributor at Arirang TV, a podcaster for Korea Deconstructed, a women’s football team coach, and a musician.

So, what does someone with so many achievements in a foreign country have to share about living there?

Living in South Korea is nothing like what you see online

When Tizzard first moved abroad, it was before the existence of Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.

Social media had little effect on his decision to move out of the country.

However, nowadays, social media plays a significant role in people’s decisions. 

International students like Zeliha Akpinar and UnJaded Jade are now building a large following on social media through the content they’re creating about their time overseas, showcasing first-hand experiences for others to watch.

This content often amplifies extremes, from glamorous portrayals to struggles of studying abroad. It doesn’t necessarily mean that only content like those mentioned affect students; general content that depicts how a country plays a role, too.

Tizzard believes social media shows two extremes, especially when it comes to living in South Korea. 

It either presents a romanticised version of the country with K-pop stars everywhere or a contrasting narrative, a “Hell Joseon” version in which everyone is depressed — with an extra emphasis on everyone. 

Mark Mason, the author of “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck”, released a video titled “Why South Korea Became the Most Suicidal Country in the World.” The video received over two million views, 85,000 likes, and 8,000 comments. 

Most of the comments agreed with Mason’s perspective, and they were from individuals who have or are currently living in South Korea. 

For Tizzard, these videos only focus on the country’s dark sides, which can lead to a negative view of South Korea among people abroad.

And while depression should not be overlooked, it’s the constant negative depiction of the country that Tizzard is trying to get at. 

South Korea is one of the countries with the highest suicide rates, and it’s often posted on social media. But not everyone knows that Greenland is ranked first by the World Population Review as the country with the highest suicides — only because it’s barely talked about online.

“I have students who were frightened when they first moved to South Korea because they were gay, Muslim, or Black. They thought they’d be highly racially discriminated, like how it’s perceived online, but that wasn’t the case,” shares Tizzard. 

“I even wrote an article stating that Korean education is good, and I received a lot of backlash from people abroad. I try to provide a cognitive dissonance when discussing the reality of living in South Korea, but sometimes, people are drawn to the highly harmful content that creators create. It only brings us the future from reality.”

Here, Tizzard poses with his children as part of a Ministry of Justice campaign to raise awareness. Source: David Tizzard

The best parts about living in South Korea

As a father raising two children in South Korea, Tizzard isn’t too worried about his children’s welfare due to how safe the country is.

“Living in South Korea, you’ll never need to worry about looking over your shoulder,” he says. “Your train will always arrive on time, the coffee you ordered will arrive in seconds, and you can just leave your expensive things out in public, and no one will steal it.”

Those who have lived in South Korea often say they can leave their laptops in cafes without being stolen and have aunties in restaurants giving broke students free drinks or food.

A few days ago, Tizzard also got a free drink from a cafe.

“I was at a cafe and bumped into a Singaporean student, so I offered to pay for his coffee,” he shares. “I ordered a blueberry smoothie for myself, and the cashier told me I don’t need to pay for my drink.” 

Then, there was a time when he was grabbing dinner, and someone paid for his meal. It doesn’t happen daily, but he acknowledges that South Korean society is generous. 

South Korea is well on its way to welcoming 300,000 international students by 2027. Source: AFP

Studying and living in South Korea: Must-know advice who’s done just that

At the start of 2024, the country received over 200,000 international students, a 50.6% increase from the previous year. Now, it is well on its way to welcoming 300,000 international students by 2027.

If you plan on studying and living in South Korea, Tizzard has some advice.

It’s to acknowledge that your experience abroad might be good or negative, but that does not mean you should base your whole time there on that one negative experience.

Experience is deep and rich and often takes time.

“It’s the first flutters that you get once you’re abroad. And the first cut is always the deepest, but you’ll have to go with an open mind,” he shares.

“If your first experience is a negative one, it’s okay. But you’ll need to open your eyes and allow more positivity in. If your first experience is unbelievably positive, keep letting the positivity in, and still keep your eyes open for more.”