Korean Immigrants from Latin America

Jin Suk Bae challenges assumptions of cultural homogeneity within immigrant groups, showing that layered migration histories produce hybrid identities that can reshape interethnic relations.Korean Immigrants from Latin America examines the unique experiences of Korean secondary migrants who moved from Latin America to the New York metropolitan area, revealing a lesser-known layer of the Korean diaspora. Drawing on interviews with 102 individuals, Jin Suk Bae explores how religion, family dynamics, economic activity, and education shape their resettlement in the United States. Bae highlights how these migrants navigate multiple cultural and linguistic worlds, often positioning themselves as informal bridges between Korean and Latino communities in diverse urban settings.Thematically organized, the chapters trace key dimensions of this transnational experience: diasporic religious networks and interracial interactions; participation in the garment industry as a pathway to economic survival; family and educational strategies for class mobility; and the role of Spanish language skills in shaping identities and opportunities in multiethnic New York. The book concludes by reflecting on how these migrants forge new connections while maintaining older ones, complicating conventional understandings of both Korean and Latino immigrant identities.