SOUTH Korea. It’s the land of the famed BTS, K-dramas and kimchi.
I never once thought I would call the country home until my family broke the news that we were moving to its capital, Seoul, in 2022.
Having lived in Malaysia all my life up until then – getting used to traffic jams, local meals (think char kway teow!), and the unrelenting heat – I was, to say the least, surprised.
Moving to South Korea flipped everything I had known on its head.
Firstly, public transport plays a big role in many East Asian countries, and South Korea is no exception – with a clean, reliable and safe network that impressed me.
Out and about: Caleb trying out local treats in Seoul.
Seoul is incredibly walkable, and with the Naver app – which offers directions for pedestrians, drivers and public transport users alike – I managed to navigate with ease.
While Malaysia also has its fair share of options, in Seoul, I experienced a new kind of freedom – from getting to class on my own to exploring the more isolated parts of the city with friends.
This was a great experience for me, and I felt that I really improved my time management by making sure I left early enough to be on time.
South Korea is also famous for its “PC bangs” (gaming cafes) and “noraebangs” (karaoke rooms). I spent countless hours at both with my friends and made tons of memories.
However, the country, like others, isn’t perfect, and some locals can be quite rude towards foreigners. There were instances where people would give my family and me the cold shoulder upon realising we didn’t speak Korean.
From ignoring us to giving us looks of disappointment, they didn’t hide their displeasure at our presence.
One of the things I appreciate most about Malaysia is our diversity. It’s woven into every part of our lives – our language, food, clothing and culture.
My family deeply missed the beauty of “bahasa rojak” and the average Malaysian’s ability to adapt to and accept other cultures. We even visited Myeong-dong – a tourist hotspot – several times just to hear people speak Malay!
While I understand that South Korea is largely homogenous – one race, one language – it was still surprising to see the general stigma attached to English, especially considering South Korea’s strong ties to American pop culture.
That said, we discovered a fun little “trick” – saying “Sorry, English?” to street sellers would often scare them off immediately. It was like a secret superpower we used again and again!
All in all, it’s safe to say that I will always call Malaysia home. From the food to the people and my childhood friends, nothing can beat the familiarity of the place I proudly call my home country.
I’m immensely grateful to have moved back here with my family last year.
While South Korea may have the upper hand on paper in some areas, it’s hard to compete with the beauty of Malaysia’s diversity and culture. Malaysia Boleh!
Caleb, 16, a student in Kuala Lumpur, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team.
For updates on the BRATs programme, go to facebook.com/niebrats.
