Radu Diaconu

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The Korean Muslims

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It was difficult at first for I... in South Korea," Lee says

1 of 15 © 2024 Radu Diaconu

It was difficult at first for Imam A. Rahman Lee Ju-Hwa, who was introduced to Islam in 1984, to tell his friends that he could not meet for barbecue and drinks. "Back in the day, my friends didn't understand my religion and forcibly asked me to drink," he said. "It took some time but today they understand me." Imam Lee looks back at the Korean hostage crisis and recalls a time when local police were stationed in front of the mosque to protect it from protests and bomb threats as a reaction to the kidnappings. "The Korean hostage crisis was one critical point in the history of Islam in South Korea," Lee says

Seoul's Central Masjid at...entral Masjid in October 2001.

2 of 15 © 2024 Radu Diaconu

Seoul's Central Masjid at night, Itaewon, South Korea, June 2017. Built in Seoulâ€™s Itaewon neighborhood, the Seoul Central Masjid opened on May 21st, 1976, thanks in part to donations from Malaysia and the cooperation of the Korean Government, which gave away the land that it was built upon. It was later enlarged to a three-story building in December 1991 with financial support from Islamic Development Bank, Jeddah. In October 2000, Late Prince Sultan ibn Abdul Aziz, the ex-Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia visited the Seoul Central Masjid and donated 300,000 dollars for the opening of a Madrasah, which was opened in the Islamic Centre of Seoul Central Masjid in October 2001.

Emir Kim, Itaewon, South Korea...y is very liberating to me.â€

3 of 15 © 2024 Radu Diaconu

Emir Kim, Itaewon, South Korea, June 2017. Emir Kim, a 28-year-old Korean from Incheon and advisor at the mosqueâ€™s Islamic Center, is one of those Koreans who believe in this strong attachment between the two nations. Introduced to Islam by his Turkish friends on a 2010 trip to China, he soon found more in the religion than a simple interest. â€œItâ€™s the life routine associated with Islam that first interested me,â€ he says. â€œBut itâ€™s really the equality and concept of brotherhood that I appreciate the most.â€

South Korea is a very conservative Confucian society ruled by age structure, where respect for the elders is paramount. This daily occurrence is reflected in the language grammar, which uses a complex system of honorifics to reflect age hierarchy and levels of familiarity among people.

For Emir, this social standard is often constricting. â€œI feel more comfortable with my fellow Muslim brothers, regardless of their age, culture, or background,â€ he says. â€œThis lack of hierarchy is very liberating to me.â€

A man walks up the Seoul Centra...he land that it was built upon.

4 of 15 © 2024 Radu Diaconu

A man walks up the Seoul Central Masjid in Itaewon, Seoul, South Korea - June 2017. Built in Seoulâ€™s Itaewon neighborhood, the Seoul Central Masjid opened on May 21st, 1976, thanks in part to donations from Malaysia and the cooperation of the Korean Government, which gave away the land that it was built upon.

Sandals - Itaewon, Seoul Centr...o donations from Saudi Arabia.

5 of 15 © 2024 Radu Diaconu

Sandals - Itaewon, Seoul Central Masjid, June 2017. Sandals left at the footstep of the entrance to the main prayer hall. The mosque, which gathers around 800 worshippers every Friday, was built in 1974 and opened its doors in 1976 thanks to donations from Saudi Arabia.

Ola Bora Song, Seoul, South Ko...le Korean and Muslim identity.

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Ola Bora Song, Seoul, South Korea, June 2017. Ola Bora is Korean Muslim who converted in 2007, the year of the Korean hostage crisis in Afghanistan, a turning point for Korean-Muslim relations. â€œSome people would yell at me and tell me to go back to my country, while others would say that I have a bomb in my jacket,â€ she says. â€œFor them, being a foreigner who is Muslim is acceptable, but not a Korean Muslim. Most Koreans have a stereotypical image of Islam that is wrongly portrayed in Korean media,â€ says Bora, who struggled to find accurate online information on Islam in Korean when she initially converted. She now works at the Seoul mosque and gives lectures every day to many South Korean Christians and others who want to know more about Islam. She tries to answer all their questions to avoid any misunderstanding. â€œI was once a non-Muslim and I understand their misconceptions, which is why I want to give them all the information they need to understand what Islam really is, that is, a religion of peace and respect.â€. Her lectures have proven quite successful.

â€œSome people who had preconceived ideas about the religion would come to me after my lectures and tell me how sorry they were for not knowing,â€ she says. Over the 1,000 to 2,000 people attending her lectures, Bora noticed that on average, about 10 percent wish to know more about Islam and consider converting.

With more than 140,000 followers on Instagram, Bora has become a bit of an online sensation and inspirational figure for many Muslims across Asia. In South Korea, where beauty plays an integral part of society, she likes to make a fashion statement with her headscarf, a colorful symbol of her double Korean and Muslim identity.

Seoul, South Korea, June 2017....ontact with foreign countries.

7 of 15 © 2024 Radu Diaconu

Seoul, South Korea, June 2017. Young women are posing for pictures in front of the Gyeongbokgung-Palace (built in 1395) wearing a Hanbok, Korea's traditional attire, which dates back to the Joseon era (from 1392-1910). In 1427, the Joseon dynasty issued a royal decree banning the performance of Islamic rituals and Muslim traditional attire, as part of an isolationist policy meant to limit contact with foreign countries.

Itaewon, South Korea, June 201...luding Koreans and foreigners.

8 of 15 © 2024 Radu Diaconu

Itaewon, South Korea, June 2017. The Seoul Central Mosque welcomes around 800 worshippers during its weekly Friday prayer. The number of Muslims in South Korea is estimated to be around 100,000, including Koreans and foreigners.

Ahmad Cho, Itaewon, Seoul, Jun...aaba, in Mecca," he says.

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Ahmad Cho, Itaewon, Seoul, June 2017. Ahmad Cho, 48 years old, marketing agent at Talent Cosmetic, a Malaysia-certified Halal Korean cosmetic store located almost right across the street from the Seoul Central Masjid. He converted to Islam in 1990 and was one of the 40 Korean Muslims who were invited to the 2000 Hajj pilgrimage. "I cried when I arrived at the Kaaba, in Mecca," he says.

Man - Itaewon, South Korea - J..., Senegal, Turkey, and others.

10 of 15 © 2024 Radu Diaconu

Man - Itaewon, South Korea - June 2017. A man walks down the street leading to the Seoul Mosque in Itaewon. The number of Muslims in South Korea is estimated to be around 100,000 and a large portion of foreign Muslims reside in Itaewon, from countries including Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Senegal, Turkey, and others.

Boy - Itaewon, South K...n, Senegal, Turkey, and others.

11 of 15 © 2024 Radu Diaconu

Boy - Itaewon, South Korea - June 2017. A young boy plays in the streets of the Itaewon neighborhood. The number of Muslims in South Korea is estimated to be around 100,000 and a large portion of foreign Muslims reside in Itaewon, from countries including Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Senegal, Turkey, and others.

Safiya Kang, Seoul, South Kore...ing and my feelings change.â€

12 of 15 © 2024 Radu Diaconu

Safiya Kang, Seoul, South Korea, June 2017. After working for ten years at the Seoul Central Mosque as an account manager and administrator, she decided to convert to Islam in 2015.

â€œInitially, like many of my friends, I knew nothing about Islam and associated it with 9/11 and terrorism,â€ she said. But I wanted to know more about Muhammad, Allah and what Islam really is. â€œI believe Islam to be true, thatâ€™s why I converted,â€ she said.

But despite having an understanding family and Christian husband who loves her halal Korean cuisine, she chooses to wear the hijab in the streets of Seoul only on rare occasions. â€œI donâ€™t like when people stare at me,â€ she says.

Although she found peace in Islam, she is continuously trying to find a balance between her identity as a human being, a woman, a Korean and a Muslim convert. â€œI find myself being freer as a Korean than as a Muslim,â€ she says. â€œBut Iâ€™m a human being and my feelings change.â€

Itaewon, Seoul, June 2017. The... and visit the Central Masjid.

13 of 15 © 2024 Radu Diaconu

Itaewon, Seoul, June 2017. The neighborhood of Itaewon is home to Seoul's Muslim community. Itaewon is also the location of the Korean and US military bases. Itaewon is Seoul's most cosmopolitan neighbourhood and home to the headquarters of the US military forces stationed in South Korea. The culturally rich and diverse area gathers people from all over the world who come to enjoy Halal food (Korean and non-Korean), nightclubs and bars. This is often the place where Koreans will interact with Islam and visit the Central Masjid.

Mustafa, Lee Dong Cho, Seoul, ...y changed his name to Mustafa.

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Mustafa, Lee Dong Cho, Seoul, South Korea, June 2017. In May 1975, he worked on a construction site in Saudi Arabia, as part of the wave of Korean workers who were sent to build the Saudi Kingdom in the 1970s. He converted to Islam and came back to South Korea in 1981, where he officially changed his name to Mustafa.

Seoul, South Korea, June 2017. ...ldiers after the United States.

15 of 15 © 2024 Radu Diaconu

Seoul, South Korea, June 2017. Korea's War Memorial was established on June 10, 1994 by the War Memorial Service Korea Society to commemorate the lives lost in the Korean War, and to educate the public about Korea's armed forces. Turkey is one of the nations that fought alongside South Korean troops between 1950-53 and sent voluntarily the second largest contingent of soldiers after the United States.

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Thumbnail of It was difficult at first for Im_m in South Korea," Lee says

Thumbnail of Seoul's Central Masjid at _Central Masjid in October 2001.

Thumbnail of Emir Kim, Itaewon, South Korea,_hy is very liberating to me.â€

Thumbnail of A man walks up the Seoul Central_the land that it was built upon.

Thumbnail of Sandals - Itaewon, Seoul Centra_to donations from Saudi Arabia.

Thumbnail of Ola Bora Song, Seoul, South Kor_ble Korean and Muslim identity.

Thumbnail of Seoul, South Korea, June 2017. _contact with foreign countries.

Thumbnail of Itaewon, South Korea, June 2017_cluding Koreans and foreigners.

Thumbnail of Ahmad Cho, Itaewon, Seoul, June_Kaaba, in Mecca," he says.

Thumbnail of Man - Itaewon, South Korea - Ju_n, Senegal, Turkey, and others.

Thumbnail of Boy - Itaewon, South Ko_an, Senegal, Turkey, and others.

Thumbnail of Safiya Kang, Seoul, South Korea_eing and my feelings change.â€

Thumbnail of Itaewon, Seoul, June 2017. The _m and visit the Central Masjid.

Thumbnail of Mustafa, Lee Dong Cho, Seoul, S_ly changed his name to Mustafa.

Thumbnail of Seoul, South Korea, June 2017. K_oldiers after the United States.

Public Project

The Korean Muslims

Copyright Radu Diaconu 2024

Date of Work May 2017 - Jun 2017

Updated May 2018

Location Seoul

Topics Documentary, Editorial, Faith, Fine Art, Happiness, Landscape, Minority, Peace, Photography, Photojournalism, Portraiture, Religion, Reporting, Street, Terrorism, Travel, War

“Some people would yell at me and tell me to go back to my country, while others would say that I have a bomb in my jacket,” she says. “For them, being a foreigner who is Muslim is acceptable, but not a Korean Muslim.” Ola Bora Song, Korean Muslim Convert.

Islam and the Korean Peninsula share a history of mutual fascination and curiosity. From the era of the Silk Road in the 9th century to today's modern interconnected world, the bonds that were once forged through maritime travel have now been passed on to a new generation of young Muslim Koreans, who try to find a balance between their Korean culture and newfound religion.

Retracing the history of Islam in Korea and its reintroduction to the country by Turkish troops during the 1950-1953 Korean War, My colleague and I spoke with several generations of South Korean Muslims, who expressed the difficulties they face in the Confucian Korean society dominated by class, age hierarchy, a strong drinking culture, and a distrust of Islam.

https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2017/11/muslims-south-korea-171114104611451.html

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