Korean International Students (yuhaksaengs) in New York City: A phenomenological study on the US college experiences of Korean international students in relation to privilege, class, and race

This study examines the college experiences of Korean international (KI) students who are currently enrolled in U.S. colleges located in New York City (NYC); it attempts to understand and humanize their personal experiences and struggles in the educational sphere before and during college. Based on previous literature on globalization in education and transnational mobility of international students in the educational landscape, this study uncovers multiple phenomena such as globalization in education and a rise in study abroad in modern Korean society. The in-depth interviews with eight KI students in NYC present nuanced narratives of the participants that reveal both privileges and challenges of the US college experiences: an early exposure to global education before college, accumulation of social and cultural capital through western education, racialization and ethnic categorization in social spaces, and the legal complexities in employment. Through this study, I hope to provide a more comprehensive and balanced portraiture of the US college experiences of KI students.