That's pretty awesome to see foreign actors on Korean dramas. Especially with Hwang Chan-bin in a prominent role. Most of the time, foreign actors show up as villains or extras. It's nice to see some progress in breaking down barriers and stereotypes.

i'm very happy about that ...I wish, they will not only feature westerners in their movies (i'm not a westerner so i wish more representation).. i guess they do little by little. I hope foreigners will be seen in a better light now, given everything i hear

BTW i want to watch the segment if 1N2D do u know where i can watch it ?

they're still horrible actors. everything they do just cringe worthy.

but Hwang Chan-bin the French guy who plays William is a step above many white actors who just seem and act awkward *remembers the first 20 minutes of Tamra, the Island*

There's hope for me yet! Wahoooo!

Things to do today:
1. Master the Korean language
2. Learn how to act

I remember seeing the first foreigner in a Korean drama through "Stairway to Heaven." A caucasian man(don't know his name) played Kwon Sangwoo's bodyguard. I think everyone is familiar with that drama, and I think everyone will remember the kindhearted bodyguard.

Everytime I buy food from the korean stores arounds my city, I always say "thank you" in Korean. I sometimes hesitate and feel weird saying it so I mumble it when I finish checking out. LOL

I didn't know that homogeneity is so revered in Korea until I started watching Korean dramas. I am glad that the Korean society is gradually more receptive of foreigners. How about the mixed race korean actors? aren't they still very severly judged? just to name a few,...Lee Yoo Jin who denied that she was bi-racial until just a few years ago. Don't they get unequal treatment in the business industry, worse than say..pure westerners?
Frankly, Korea is still a long waste from being a multi cultural country that can operate like its western counterparts albeit that you can never eliminate prejudice and racism.

The ironic thing is that the Korean society may frown upon inter-racial marriage or give unequal treatment to mixed raced kids but you see that a lot of the Korean stars are making themselves to look more and more like a westerner.

I don't know how Lee Yoo Jin was able to hide her bi-racial identity (she's half latino half Korean) for so long when you can obviously tell that she looks very different than a typical pure breed Korean. eh.....I dyed my hair and..wear color contacts?? haha

^I was just about to mention him! I don't think he was a bodyguard though, more of a personal assistant. But he was also the first time I saw a foreigner in a Korean drama.

The thing is, I'm so use to Korea being a homogeneous society, that seeing more and more foreigners on tv all of a sudden is really strange. Not in a bad way, but I'm not use to seeing them on tv/dramas often.

Perhaps it's like a black board and having a single white dot on it. Something that was always completely black now has a white dot.. it's different and it sticks out completely. Again, it's not bad.. that white dot is certainly get larger. and it's something to really get use to.

--

oh. and one problem that happened in the past was that every time they had foreigners featured in dramas (like the American women at the beginning of Fantasy Couple), they can't act -_- And it's really strange.. their acting -_-
I heard from one person that sometimes they get college students to do roles.
Maybe that's why it was always weird seeing foreigners in dramas, since they always picked the people who couldn't act >.>

I think Caucasian foreigners and non-Caucasian foreigners are probably viewed, and treated pretty differently in Korea.

Just my humble opinion, but I think it's going to take a loooong time for Korea to truly think "multiculturally," and integrate non-ethnic looking actors into media in a natural way. I mean, America is only just settling into its seat comfortably enough to consider Asian actors as mainstream, i.e. Sandra Oh, Lucy Liu....Korea is still very internally single-minded and exclusive while externally campaigning diversity. The first steps with Misuda and other variety shows are very encouraging though, and I'm sure the genuine intention is there.

I think the adding of foreigners out of Asia (I know Eva is Asian bu she was also brought up in England) became most famous with SUJU Full House and Eva.. she was/is on Misuda =]

@Keepsake

In the way that I see it, it's not about wanting to look like a westerner/etc, it's merely that the features they want just happens to be considered "western".
idk, double eye-lid? I know people who want it, not because they want to look Caucasian, but because of that belief that it makes your eyes look bigger..

On the other hand, about "Koreans not liking Westerners, but wanting to look like Westerners", from listening to all the old ajummas talking - the part about Westerners they don't appreciate has more to do with culture. I mean, it has nothing to do with appearance. The ajummas can't even stand the girls who are ethnically Korean, but act all Americanish since they always complain about it whenever they come back from grocery shopping at the LA Korean Galleria :/

My dad, a non-Korean (my mom is Korean, making me mixed) told me this (He was in Korea during the army) told me that theres a difference when you truly try to learn the culture and respect it, than not caring at all and giving disrespect. Like speaking. Theres a difference between having an accent yet truly trying hard to pronounce it, than compared to a person who doesn't even put effort into pronouncing it correctly.

That's why he always tells me that even though I don't speak full Korean, always make sure that I try my best to give respect to the language and pronounce it the correct way. Even if I have an obvious accent, the Koreans will always appreciate the effort. (My sister speaks it in a sloppy matter... like saying Hal-meo-ni as HARRRmony.. and claims she's speaking Korean and boasts her Korean speaking abilities that she's multi-lanugual -she only knows a few word here and there-, yet she speaks with such a sloppy way without truly caring if it's actually correct, it ticks off the Koreans.)

Korea still has a long way to go...

I really appreciated the last point made in the article, about Korea having to move past curiosity to an understanding of foreigners. When I lived in Korea (I came back to the States a year ago), people were very friendly and encouraging, even when I made mistakes. But I realized that it was nearly impossible to ever truly be accepted in that country. I could be 85, having lived in Korea all my life, be married to a Korean, and speak Korean fluently, but I would always be "the other".

I love that country, so I'm happy to read thoughtful articles like this about how things are changing and what still needs to be done. I also agree strongly with the point made by Biscuit - to gain respect and appreciation from any group of people, you need to make an effort to show respect to them

I'm hoping that with more caucasian actors becoming more visible in dramas, more caucasian actresses will also become visible as well.

I like the change. I would say the roles that are given has to be picked carefully. I mean I watch american TV and would not want to see some of the same roles portrayed in america on Korean TV. One thing I would like to see is more roles given to actors and actresses of different asian countries.

I would too like to see maybe a person of any type of black decent rather they be from an asian country , USA , england or wherever given a role and not one of a thief or potential rapist. I haven't seen many mixed with black or blacks in K dramas and when I do they are usually robbing or causing a problems. I wonder if this is the image that Korea (or the world has of those with black decent )have of those who are of black decent ? I love korea and K - dramas and movies and hope to visit one day , but am afraid of the reception I might get being that I am bi-racial.

Interesting article, I was just discussing this the other day after watching Tamra that I hope western actors would be given more prominence on korean dramas, not just small side roles but leading roles.

After watching Episode 2 of Tamra, it really made me think that Pierre deserves to carry on getting major character roles because his acting was a lot better than I expected...there was the one scene when he comforted the girl and I thought he had the most expressive eyes. His english scenes may be awkward but I thought his acting was a lot more natural when speaking korean. Funny that.
Yet Im still doubtful that he will because considering kdramas there's not much that would suit him being a westerner because most are so heavily focused around korean culture that it would make it difficult to go beyond the stereotypical 'foreign' character they always have to play.

I want denis o'neil back
Miss him in sweet Spy

Re: Korean language

It's very hard to learn (for me at least). My SIL who is fluent in both Korean and Japanese said it herself. Though my brother learned it quickly...hmm. I guess it's case by case basis. I envy polyglots!