Korean Canadians

Koreans-Canadians and Christianity
Foundations of Christianity
The foundations of the bilateral relationship between Canada and Korea, first began with Canadian Christian missionaries. They aided the Korean people both with medical, agricultural, and evangelical needs; kickstarting the modernization of Korea and bridging the gap for Korean immigrants. The earliest known contact between Korean and Canadian citizens can be traced back to the Canadian missionaries that settled in Korea in 1888. The first Canadian to arrive in Korea on missionary work was James Gale who arrived in Korea on December 15, 1888. Gale contributed massively to the fostering of Korean-Canadian relations as he immersed himself in the culture, adopting the Korean way of living, and ultimately published the first Korean-English dictionary in 1897. Gale was the first of many Canadian missionaries to immerse themselves in Korean culture, and the outward respect shown by the missionaries earned them trust from the Korean locals. This trust-based relationship was emphasized during the Japanese occupation of Korea from 1950-1953, when Korean people found refuge in Canada through their connections with the Canadian missionaries that had returned back to Canada, a majority of them being sent back under Japanese rule. The missionaries that resided in Canada aided Korean immigrants with their own immigration to Canada, fostering a strong sense of community and resilience.
Christianity and Immigration
The migration of Koreans to Canada began in significant numbers in the 1960s and 70s, following the changes in Canadian immigration policy. Notably, the established diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1963, had increased until the mid-1980s where the Canadian government doubled their immigrant targets. Many of these immigrants were Christians who sought to maintain their faith in their new country. Korean churches became central institutions for immigrant communities, offering spiritual guidance, social support and cultural preservation. These churches provided services in Korean, facilitated networking opportunities, and helped new immigrants adapt to Canadian society while maintaining and preserving their ethnic identity. The church also served as a hub for Korean language schools, cultural events, etc.
As immigrants faced challenges such as language barriers, employment struggles, and cultural assimilation, churches played a crucial role in providing a supportive environment and network. Many Korean-Canadian churches functioned as informal settlement agencies, assisting new immigrants with housing, jobs, and navigating government agencies. Additionally, Korean churches in Canada adapted to the changing needs of their congregations, by incorporating elements of both Korean and Canadian cultures in services. Many first generation immigrants maintained traditional Korean-style services, while second and third generation Korean-Canadians gravitated toward English services with Western sermon styles. These shifts highlighted the ever evolving role of the church as a mediator between cultural preservation and integration into Canadian society.
Modern Christianity
Today, Christianity remains a dominant religious affiliation among Korean-Canadians, with a significant number identifying as Protestant or Catholic. Korean churches have continued to evolve, addressing the needs of second and third generation Korean-Canadians who may be more assimilated into Canadian culture. Many churches offer bilingual services, youth ministries, and outreach programs that cater to a diverse population and congregation. The role of the church has expanded beyond religious worship, and serves as a bridge between generations and fostering a dual Korean-Canadian identity.
In response to generational shifts, many Korean churches have adapted by integrating contemporary worship styles, emphasizing youth engagement, and more. With younger Korean-Canadians often facing linguistic and cultural barriers with traditional congregations, many churches now incorporate English-speaking services and leadership opportunities for second and third generation individuals. This shift has allowed for a more inclusive and intergenerational approach to church.
Korean Canadians (French: Coréo-Canadiens) are Canadian citizens of full or partial Korean ancestry. As of 2016, Korean Canadians are the 8th largest group of Asian Canadians.
Korean immigration to Canada began with seminary students in the 1940s and accelerated during the 1990s. According to the 2021 Canadian Census, there were 218,140 Korean Canadians in Canada. According to South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, there were 241,750 ethnic Koreans or people of Korean descent living in Canada as of 2019, making them the fourth-largest Korean diaspora population (behind Koreans in China, Koreans in the United States, and Koreans in Japan, and ahead of Koreans in Russia, Koreans in Uzbekistan and Koreans in Australia).
The first Koreans to live in Canada were local Christians sent by Canadian missionaries as seminary students. Tae-yon Whang is largely regarded as the first recorded Korean immigrant to go to Canada. Tae-yon Whang visited Canada in 1948 as a mission-sponsored medical intern, and stayed in Toronto after his term was over. Unlike Korean Americans who have relatively much longer history settling in the United States, very few settled in Canada; as late as 1965, the total permanent Korean population of Canada was estimated at only 70. However, with the 1966 reform of Canadian immigration laws, South Korean immigration to Canada began to grow. By 1969, there were an estimated 2000 Koreans in Canada. Between 1970 and 1980, 18,148 Koreans immigrated to Canada, and another 17,583 arrived in the following decade. In the late 1990s, South Korea became the fifth-largest source of immigrants to Canada. Toronto has the country's largest absolute number of Koreans, but Vancouver is experiencing the highest rate of growth in its Korean population, with a 69% increase since 1996. Montreal was the third most popular destination for Korean migrants during this period. In 2001, the number of Korean emigrants headed for Canada exceeded the number headed for the United States. The number of temporary residents has also grown ever since the Canadian government granted a visa waiver to South Korea; South Korea was the largest supplier of international students to Canada in the late 1990s. Aside from South Korea, some immigrants are also drawn from among the population of Koreans in China.
The 1990s growth in South Korean migration to Canada occurred at a time when Canadian unemployment was high and income growth was low relative to the United States. One pair of researchers demonstrated that numbers of migrants were correlated with the exchange rate; the weakness of the Canadian dollar relative to the United States dollar meant that South Korean migrants bringing savings to Canada for investment would be relatively richer than those going to the United States. Other factors suggested as drivers behind the growth of South Korean immigration to Canada included domestic anti-Americanism and the large presence of Canadian English teachers in local hagwon.
Several Korean communities have developed in Canada since the migration after 1966. The two most concentrated areas are the Koreatown in Toronto and burgeoning Korean communities in Coquitlam and Vancouver.
A portion of Seaton Village on Bloor St. from Bathurst St. to Christie St. was designated as Koreatown in 2004. According to the 2001 census Toronto had roughly 43,000 Koreans living in the city, and in 2011 the numbers have grown to 64,755. The Korean community in Toronto has developed Koreatown such that it offers a Korean grocery store, hairdressers, karaoke bars and a multitude of restaurants. The City of Toronto describes Koreatown as "Korea Town is primarily a business district offering a wide range of Korean restaurants, high-end-fashion Korean boutiques, herbalists, acupuncturist and many other unique services and shops which are filled with made-in-Korea merchandise." Koreatown Toronto is also known for its Spring Dano Festival which is run on the 5th day of 5th month of the Korean Lunar Calendar. The festival is run is the Christie Pits area and has been run for the past 21 years with the exception of 2013 when it was cancelled.
The Willowdale and Newtonbrook areas in North York have large numbers of Korean businesses running from Yonge St. between Sheppard Ave. and Steeles Ave. Dubbed Koreatown North, it has a growing number of Koreans residing in the area. This area first appeared in the 1990s and its growth accelerated from the late 1990s onwards. In the 2000s the community expanded into York Region with the area centered along Yonge Street in what is referred to as Thornhill (Vaughan and Markham).
Korean communities in Greater Vancouver are not officially designated as Koreatowns, although the name has been used by business districts with a high number of Korean businesses. British Columbia has the second largest Korean community in Canada with 53,770 residents, 49,880 of whom live in Greater Vancouver. The Korean community in Vancouver is located between Nicola and Denman Street and consists of numerous Korean restaurants and other businesses. Several residents have advocated the area be officially designated as Koreatown.
The city of Coquitlam also has a significant Korean community. As of 2011 the population of Koreans in Coquitlam was approximately 7,900. The business district at North Road and Lougheed Highway consists of many Korean restaurants, grocery chains, salons, and other businesses, most of which have Korean signage.
2007 figures from the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade showed 86,084 Canadian citizens, 72,077 permanent residents, 20,738 people on student visas, and 19,271 other temporary residents. The Canada 2001 Census recorded 101,715 Canadians of Korean descent, but Korean community leaders and media organisations suspected that it undercounted the population, especially mobile short-term residents such as English as a Foreign Language students. According to the Canada 1996 Census, 53.6% of Korean immigrants to Canada had attended a four-year tertiary institution, as compared to 23% of the general population. However, because their qualifications and technical certifications are often not recognised by Canadian employers, Korean immigrants often take jobs not commensurate with their education; 40% worked in family-owned businesses, and their average personal income is only 67% that of the average Canadian resident.
Education plays an important role in South Korean society and as such South Korean parents are always seeking the best for their children when it comes to their educational experience. English language acquisition has also emerged as an important value amongst many South Koreans in what is commonly referred to as English mania. In an article by Park and Abelman they reference the importance of English language acquisition when they say, ”This said, however, the practical mastery of English is an increasingly valuable commodity throughout the world. As David Crystal (2003:4, 6) and others have powerfully asserted, it is arguably the world's first "global language," a language used by more people than any other language and one with a "special role that is recognized in every country." With the value of both education and English language education in mind many families have merged these two values together and make the decision to migrate to English speaking countries such as Canada and the United States to pursue primary education for their children in English speaking environments.
In the case of Korean society this has also created the phenomenon of Kirogi Families. “Unlike studies on international students in higher education, scholars studying education migration for minors focus on a split family structure where the father works as a breadwinner in the source country and the mother is separated from her partner and living abroad with the children in the host country. This gendered ‘family project’ is premised on the belief that educating children in Western English-speaking countries will ensure social, economic, and cultural capital not only for the children’s but also for the family’s future in a globalized world (Kwak, 2008). This transnational family structure has been often referred to in media and scholarly literature as wild geese family or kirogi gajok in Korean.” This phenomenon has created a separation of families where both parents sacrifice aspects of their own lives for the betterment of their children.
This type of migration offers many benefits but also some difficulties. In a study by Soon Young Jang, data was collected from eight South Korean mothers who had relocated to Canada To pursue primary education for their children. The study examines the mothers' decision making process for early education programs and language acquisition in preparation for primary schooling within the Canadian system. “With respect to the Korean mothers’ language preference for their children, all the participants responded that they wanted their children to be fully bilingual in Korean and English. However, there was a shift found in their emphasis on each language.” In the mothers experience when selecting a program for their children they all opted for English monologuing only programs as it was a common opinion that their children were exposed to Korean language at home so they needed to be fully emerged in English language to get the most benefit, and all the mothers put a priority on English language acquisition. However as time went on with these programs the observed results were that as the children's English language proficiency increased their Korean language proficiency and frequency in which Korean was used decreased. This was a major concern for all the mothers as it was a common expression for all of them that keeping their children's Korean language proficiency was equally important to gaining English proficiency as the Korean language was a means to keep their Korean heritage and ethnic Identity. This dual priority has resulted in a need to both understand the importance of assimilating into a new environment and society but also maintaining the cultural heritage and connection to your home country.
Notable cultural depictions of Korean Canadian characters have included Ins Choi's theatrical play Kim's Convenience and its television adaptation, and the theatrical films Queen of the Morning Calm, Riceboy Sleeps and Mongrels.