Students’ Experiences and Attitudes Toward Non-Native Korean Language Teachers at a U.S. University

Recent research documents the interest toward native and non-native Korean teachers. Although previous studies have explored non-native teachers’ identities, efficacy, and anxiety (Kim, 2019, Kim et al., 2023), not much research has been conducted on students’ attitudes and experiences about learning Korean with a non-native Korean teacher, especially within the United States. To this end, this qualitative study examines the experiences and perceptions of three university students who have taken Korean language courses with a non-Korean (racially), non-native speaking teacher of Korean. The findings show how both real and imagined communities were important in learners’ language learning journeys and how learners’ attitudes regarding non-native Korean teachers were generally positive. However, learners also acknowledged that there may be benefits and challenges to having non-native Korean teachers. This study addresses the lack of non-native Korean teachers in the Korean language classrooms and calls for a more diverse faculty profile (which includes non-native, non-Korean teachers).