Why some Koreans look beyond their culture to Islam
An estimated 45,000 ethnic Koreans born and raised in South Korea have changed their faith to Islam. Among them is Yusuf, an ethnic Korean in his 30s who converted to Islam in 2014. “Most of the men do it to find wives," Yusuf said. Disillusioned with Korea's competitive dating culture, especially in Seoul, many of the men seeking out Islam are also seeking a return to what Yusuf described as a…
In South Korea, approximately 45,000 ethnic Koreans born and raised in the country have converted to Islam, according to estimates. Among them is Yusuf, a man in his 30s who embraced Islam in 2014. Yusuf explained that many men convert to Islam primarily to find wives, seeking an escape from Korea's competitive dating scene, particularly in Seoul.
At Seoul Central Masjid in Itaewon, between five and 25 new converts attend a training course each month to learn the basic principles of Islam. They may recite the Shahada, the Muslim declaration of faith, and officially join the religion at the course's conclusion. The majority of these converts are men. Female converts, though not explicitly motivated by marriage, also pointed to the "simplicity" of Islam as a factor in their decision to convert.
Some, like Areum, a Korean woman in her 30s, found the belief in one God appealing. Additionally, Areum noted that Islam's respect for elders resonated with her native Korean culture.
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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- Why some Koreans look beyond their culture to Islam koreatimes.co.kr
