AT HOME
S(e)oul Searching Koreans make up the largest expat community in Chennai, thanks to major industries being set up in the state. But, how have they managed to make Chennai their home? GM Mala asks around…
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hey aren’t an unfamiliar sight these days! Whether it’s shopping at the supermarket, haggling with the vegetable vendor or sipping coffee at one of the many outdoor cafés in the city, Koreans probably constitute one of the largest expat segments in Chennai. And, it all started when the Hyundai factory made inroads into the city more than a decade ago. Since then, several Korean companies have set up shop here, and are bringing in employees from their country, making Chennai a top destination for this Oriental race. But, how do they fit (if at all!) into our social milieu? What are their first impressions of India? Sang Min Park, who works in a Korean automobile company here says, “When I first came to India I was horrified at the bad roads, the unruly traffic and the fact that stray dogs and cows wandered the roads. I wondered where I’d landed myself and
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wanted to go running back. Gradually I got used to it, and so did my family.” His wife Su Jung was amused as well, but didn’t shy away from taking note of the nicer aspects, “We realised there were a lot of good things about this country. For instance, you have access to elite things like golf, getting domestic help and eating at star hotels, even if you don’t earn a fortune. Such a thing would be unheard of in Korea, where only the very, very rich have access to them. Even good standalone restaurants are expensive, and the average Korean can afford only a small, low-budget eatout.” Golf seems to be a favourite activity with the Koreans here. Most of the women usually head out to play at around 11am after packing their children off to school and settling the household chores. “Most of us don’t play tournaments; just for enjoyment,” giggles Su Jung. The men, on the other hand, play on weekends and they take their tournaments very seriously!
APRIL 2010 | WWW.RITZCHENNAI.COM
It’s the economics of this place that’s most attractive to most. For example, Ji Won, a homemaker, has been living in Chennai for three years now and loves the fact that she doesn’t have to go to work because her husband’s salary is enough to keep the house going… and more! “I take care of the house in a laidback way, and spend my free time shopping! My other Korean friends and I love Anokhi for its ‘Indian shirts’, which we team with trousers or jeans, jewellery, knickknacks like napkin holders and other stuff for the house. We also love the Rajasthani quilts here.” And, if you thought language would be an issue, you’d be surprised to know it’s not! Ji Won tells me that she’s able to communicate with the domestic help, the vegetable seller and even the auto drivers in a smattering of broken phrases and sign language—and gets her money’s worth as well. “Most of us do appoint English tutors though, for our children as well as ourselves. It feels nice to be able to speak an international language like