A Welcome Unfreedom in South Korea

“When my mom and I arrived at Incheon Airport in November, after 20 uncomfortable hours in K94 masks, I was shocked by its emptiness. There seemed to be more workers and face shields and white Tyvek suits than travelers.” The opening lines of her personal essay, “A Welcome Unfreedom in South Korea” by Korean American writer Tammy Kim, sets the tone for the rest of the piece, establishing a stark contrast between the pandemic experiences in South Korea and the United States.

Her dual perspective allows Kim to compare the protocols in both countries while quarantining in South Korea with her mother in 2021. Koreans strictly adhere to COVID protocols, wearing masks even outdoors and following stringent rules for indoor admission, but must submit to constant surveillance to maintain pandemic infrastructure. This caution contrasts with the more laissez-faire response in the United States, where, even when controlled for population differences, COVID deaths are up to twenty-one times higher than in South Korea. Kim draws a parallel between her mother’s experience of 1970s Korea, marked by socio-political unrest and corruption under a military dictatorship, and the United States in the 2020s. She notes that her parents began to re-evaluate their impression of “the West,” analyzing the differences in quality of life between South Korea and the US. The mayor of Seoul reflects this change in opinion when, during a press conference, he questions the country’s long-standing admiration of the West, suggesting that it’s not quite as reasonable or logical as assumed. Kim’s gratitude for her family’s safety highlights her disappointment with the pandemic response in the US and leaves her questioning American ideals of unlimited freedom. She concludes that, since the pandemic began, many Americans have hoped for less freedom if it could mitigate COVID’s devastating impact.