Travelling overseas can be a fun and rewarding experience, but sometimes it can be marred by unpleasant encounters such as racism.
A Singaporean man recently shared on social media how he faced not one, but two instances of being racially discriminated against during a solo trip to South Korea.
Korean lady refuses to sit beside him
In a video posted on his Threads account, Muhd Rifqi said the first incident occurred while he was taking the KTX high-speed train to Seoul, where a Korean woman apparently talked another man into switching seats with her as she didn’t want to be beside Rifqi.
As a result, it led to a rather awkward encounter when the ‘train conductor asked the man why he wasn’t sitting in his designated seat, only for the latter to look at the Korean woman in confusion, who then “negotiated” with him on the spot to sit beside Rifqi.
Rifqi said that he observed most Korean women would “move away” whenever he sits on the train, adding that he doesn’t remember experiencing this the first time he visited Korea when his skin tone was less tanned.
Had cigarette thrown at his feet
Rifqi then shared the second instance of racism, where it happened while he was walking to a cafe while waiting for his laundry to be done.
“While I was walking, I saw these two Korean guys. They looked quite fierce and honestly, quite intimidating too.
When I walked past them, they threw their cigarette on my feet. Thankfully nothing happened when I continued walking,” he recalled.
‘Don’t confront them unless you have to’
Speaking to WeirdKaya about the clip, Rifqi said the trip took place at the end of June and that he was there for work, adding this was his third time travelling to South Korea.
When asked what was his reaction towards the racial discrimination, Rifqi said he was “unfazed” by it as it wasn’t life-threatening situations.
He also gave some words of advice to those who may face racism while travelling overseas.
“Always analyse the situation, prioritise your safety and step away from any threatening situation. Remember that prejudice reflects the other person’s ignorance, not your worth, and try not to internalise it.
“Unless it’s life-threatening or directly disrupting your daily life, it’s often not worth confronting. However, if you believe your safety is at serious risk, discreetly record the incident or gather evidence so it can be reported to the authorities and used to hold the person accountable.”
Rifqi also said that if were to ever return to South Korea again, it would be either for work or to chill with friends as he doesn’t find it as “enticing” anymore.
READ ALSO:
