“They’d Rather Stand”: SA Woman Shows the Harsh Reality of Living in South Korea

• A South African ESL teacher living in South Korea showed what it feels like to be the only black person on a bus
• The young woman said this is one of the realities of living in the country as a foreigner
• People shared their love and support, telling her she is beautiful, loved and deeply missed at home

A South African woman living and working in South Korea gave her followers an honest look at what daily life there can feel like as a black foreigner. Lourane, who works as an ESL teacher in South Korea, shared a video on 25 March 2026.

She was sitting on a public bus, the only black woman on board, and as more passengers climbed on and the rest of the seats filled up, nobody sat down next to her. People chose to stand rather than take the empty seat beside her.

She was not angry in the video, just honest, and that honesty is what got people talking.

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The reality for black expats in Asia

South Korea is a country where most people look the same, and seeing someone of a different race in everyday spaces like a bus or a train is still not that common in many areas.

For someone who grew up in South Africa, where you are surrounded by people of all different backgrounds every single day, that kind of treatment can feel very strange. Lourane pointed that out herself in the video, saying that back home, nobody would think twice about sitting next to someone who looks different from them.

What is an ESL teacher in South Korea?

ESL stands for English as a Second Language, and South Africa is one of only a handful of countries whose citizens qualify to teach English in South Korea on an E-2 teaching visa.

To get there, you need a bachelor's degree in any subject, a TEFL, TESOL or CELTA certificate of at least 120 hours, a clean criminal record and a medical check. Teachers work either at public schools through the EPIK programme or at private evening academies called hagwons.

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Most contracts run for one year and come with free housing and a flight reimbursement, making it an attractive option for young South Africans looking to work abroad. But as Lourane's video shows, the experience is not always smooth sailing once you get there.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

SA shows up for their woman in South Korea

People back home made sure that TikToker @nonate_lourane knew she was loved:

@loyiso_maduna said:

"We love you in South Africa."

@thulisile.shelly1 wrote:

"Be comfortable, baby 😘"

@given_kubjane wrote:

"If they knew that you are beautiful, loved and embraced ♥️😘💐"

@user7558766920949 said:

"I'll be waiting for you to come back home. We can fix whatever problems we have, but with patience and dedication to each other 🥰"

"You are deeply loved, darling, by us 🥰"

@africasimo_dbnnuz031 said:

"Stay strong, focused and mentally fit 🤘🏿✌️❤️"

More on South Africans abroad

• Briefly News recently reported on a South African woman studying in South Korea who visited a restaurant serving SA food.
• A South African mother in South Korea showed how she is raising her young daughter to be confident as a foreigner in a country where they look different.
• A South African woman in China entered a random dance competition and what happened next had the internet in complete stitches.

Source: Briefly News