“Koreans complain a lot. But I don’t think that’s a bad thing. It’s what gave me the Seoul I love, with its clean subways and trash cans everywhere. It’s the power of complaints.”

Introducing himself as an outsider, Colin Marshall, an American who has lived in Seoul for a decade, has been deeply interested in South Korea since his time in the U.S. He has consistently contributed articles about South Korea to The New Yorker, Los Angeles Review of Books, among others, and continues to learn about Korea. He recently published “No Summarizing Korea,” which discusses the changing Korean society.

Marshall noted that South Koreans might complain about Korea being “Hell Joseon(the last dynasty of Korea)” but still love the country, and despite wanting to leave Seoul, people flock to it. It seems that South Koreans always have a positive outlook on the future, he observed. “Koreans are particularly willing to criticize themselves, which I believe shows a faith in their ability to fix problems,” he said. “Americans might think the golden age of the U.S. was the 1950s and wish to return to that era, but I don’t think a single Korean would want to go back to the 1950s.”

Writer Colin Marshall. /Min Seo-yeon

Marshall mentioned that everything changes very rapidly in South Korea. He has seen many of his favorite restaurants in Seoul close and new ones open countless times. Interestingly, the cafe where the interview was initially scheduled had also closed down, prompting a last-minute change of venue. “Since coming here, I’ve seen many Koreans say they want to try running a cafe or restaurant at least once, but it seems in Korea, it’s easier to start and then close down,” he said. “In the U.S., starting a restaurant is often a lifelong dream or goal, so unless it fails terribly, it tends to continue.”

He also expressed difficulty understanding the Korean craze for large apartment complexes. From an economic standpoint, while large complexes might command higher prices, it’s hard to understand why apartments need to be so expensive when considering the living environment. “Large apartment complexes are too wide and too many people live together. Especially Americans might find the identical-looking apartments dystopian,” he said. “There’s a term ‘human scale,’ which means interacting with the environment based on the physical size, capabilities, and limits of humans, implying there’s an appropriate size for living. Large apartment complexes seem to exceed this human scale.”

The conversation also touched on how South Korea still views foreigners as somewhat alien. “When I meet with foreign friends, I often hear how sad it is. No matter how long they’ve lived here or how well they speak Korean, it’s hard to be accepted into Korean society as if they were Korean,” Marshall shared, highlighting how foreigners remain ‘foreigners’ in the end in Korea. He mentioned that in the US, the term ‘Foreign’ is seldom used in everyday life. In Korea, he was often referred to as a foreigner or outsider, even with fluent Korean. “In the US, we’d say ‘he’s Japanese, she’s Korean’ instead of ‘he’s a foreigner, she’s a foreigner.’ It’s not that I dislike being seen as an outsider. But there seems to be an invisible bond among Koreans.”

Writer Colin Marshall. /Courtesy of Across book

Marshall, who has received many interview requests and offers to appear on shows, notes that he is consistently asked to share his view on Korea’s challenges and strategies for Internationalization.

Marshall recommends that Korea delve deeper into the concept of Internationalization. “Many Koreans are obsessed with Internationalization. But what is Internationalization? Korea generally views Internationalization as a good thing, but it comes with pros and cons,” the American writer said. He suggested that Korea take a different approach to Internationalization.

“To be honest, I do not think Korea can internationalize or even has the need to do it,” said Marshall, highlighting that internalization is all about accepting and showing Korea as it truly is.

His favorite building in Korea is Sewoon Plaza. Marshall’s affinity for the nation’s first modern building, built in 1967, runs deep. Not only has he been there many times, but he also boasts a personal acquaintance with the late architect Kim Swoo-geun. Whenever his foreign friends visit, Marshall ensures a visit to this historic site.

According to Marshall, Sewoon Plaza, where modern and contemporary history exists together, is captivating for foreigners. “A new restaurant opens next to a cafe over 50 years old, and a craftsman fixing computers for decades is in the storefront. It’s like stepping into a time machine. I’ve never seen anything like it outside of Korea,” he added.

Captured image from Hyundai Canada ad. /YouTube

Additionally, he expressed concern about why Koreans perceive the social issues in Korea as unique to their nation. He said the tendency to compare oneself unfavorably to others, a trait viewed negatively in Korea, is prevalent worldwide. Marshall cited the Kim Kardashian family as an example, whose numerous fans mimic their ostentatious lifestyle.

Marshall, who has traveled to nearly 20 countries, also underscored that not a single nation he visited did not compare one another. “Humans are social beings, and we instinctively compare ourselves to others.”

He further pointed out that the low birth rate and high suicide rates are not exclusive to Korea. “Only Koreans don’t admit it, but Korea is already one of the advanced nations, and most of the social problems Korea is experiencing are universally found in other countries,” he said.

Expanding on his point, Marshall suggested that instead of adopting policies from other countries to address social problems, Korea should strive to devise its own solutions.

Marshall openly admitted to his limitations in comprehensively understanding Korea’s hierarchy and diverse cultures. Having never worked or attended school in Korea, he wants to connect with more Korean individuals from various professions and backgrounds to better understand the country. “I’ve encountered Koreans who appeared discontented, feeling pressured to constantly be productive,” he remarked.

“I wish Korean society did not impose uniform expectations on every one. A happier society could be fostered if all individuals were encouraged to pursue their genuine passions.”