Comedy takes root in Korea's Russian-speaking community
Lyazzat Khan, a proud resident of Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, has quietly been building an empire of laughter. Originally from Kazakhstan, she is the mastermind behind Event Max, a business that brings Russian-speaking comedians to Korea. For Korea’s Russian-speaking population of nearly 200,000, there is a growing market for entertainment services. Most of these residents are Koryo-saram, or…
In the South Korean city of Ansan, a thriving comedy scene is emerging within the Russian-speaking community. Lyazzat Khan, a native of Kazakhstan, has been the driving force behind Event Max, a company that brings Russian-speaking comedians to perform in Korea. With nearly 200,000 Russians living in the country, the market for entertainment services is expanding.
Many of these residents, known as Koryo-saram or ethnic Koreans from former Soviet Union nations, work long hours in heavy and light industry factories. Due to the language barrier, leisure services for this group remain scarce, primarily due to the inability to access Korean entertainment.
Over half of Korea's Russian-speaking population resides in Ansan and Incheon, where Russian is frequently spoken on the streets. Restaurants and lounges catering specifically to Russian speakers have emerged in these neighborhoods since the early 2000s. However, as businesses were forced to close during the pandemic, there is now a growing demand for community-centered entertainment.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- Comedy takes root in Korea's Russian-speaking community koreatimes.co.kr
