A Case Study of Korean Diaspora in Austria

Yun, Sun Young (author)

The purpose of this study is to examine the Korean community in Austria, which began forming in the 1970s. Currently, there are about twenty known Korean organizations in Austria. This study specifically focuses on the Korean Literature-Friends-Club in Austria to gain a deeper understanding of the transnational experiences of people with Korean roots living in Austria. The findings are based on in-depth interviews, direct observation, published materials, social media, and previous research. Established in 2012, the Korean Literature-Friends-Club was formed by individuals interested in literature and writing, reflecting on their experiences in Korea as well as their immigration to and early years in Austria. Key members of the group are Koreans who emigrated to Europe in the 1960s and 1970s as nurses. Since publishing its first issue in 2013, the group has continued to release a collection of works every two years and organize literary events, serving as a cultural bridge between their host and home countries.

• Language: English
• Keywords: diaspora, Korean in Austria, transnational life, literature, senior writing
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 17.03.2025
• Number of pages: Str. 153-180
• Numbering: Vol. 13, no. suppl.
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-178237
• ISSN: 2232-5131
• eISSN: 2350-4226
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4312/as.2025.13.sup.153-180
• Publication date in RUL: 21.01.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Asian studies
• Publisher: Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete, Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 2232-5131
• COBISS.SI-ID: 265206272

Licences

• License: CC BY-SA 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
• Description: This Creative Commons license is very similar to the regular Attribution license, but requires the release of all derivative works under this same license.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Študija primera korejske diaspore v Avstriji

Abstract

Namen te študije je proučiti korejsko skupnost v Avstriji, ki se je začela oblikovati v sedemdesetih letih prejšnjega stoletja. Trenutno je v Avstriji znanih približno dvajset korejskih organizacij. Ta študija se posebej osredotoča na korejski literarno-prijateljski klub v Avstriji, s ciljem omogočiti globlje razumevanje transnacionalnih izkušenj ljudi s korejskimi koreninami, ki živijo v Avstriji. Ugotovitve temeljijo na poglobljenih intervjujih, neposrednem opazovanju, objavljenem gradivu, družbenih medijih in predhodnih raziskavah. Klub korejskih književnikov in prijateljev so leta 2012 ustanovile posameznice in posamezniki, ki se zanimajo za književnost in pisanje ter razmišljajo o svojih izkušnjah v Koreji ter o priselitvi v Avstrijo in prvih letih bivanja v njej. Ključne članice skupine so Korejke, ki so se v šestdesetih in sedemdesetih letih prejšnjega stoletja izselile v Evropo kot medicinske sestre. Od izida prve številke leta 2013 skupina nadaljuje z izdajanjem zbirke del vsaki dve leti, organizirajo pa tudi literarne dogodke, ki predstavljajo kulturni most med državo gostiteljico in matično državo.

• Keywords: diaspora, Korejke in Korejci v Avstriji, transnacionalno življenje, literatura, pisanje starejših