Koreans in the United Kingdom facts for kids

Koreans in the United Kingdom are people who were born in Korea and moved to the United Kingdom. It also includes their children and grandchildren born in Britain. These families come from both North Korea and South Korea.

How Many Koreans Live in the UK?

Counting the Korean Population

It's a bit tricky to know exactly how many Koreans live in the United Kingdom. Different groups count them in different ways.

For example, in 2019, South Korea's government said about 40,770 Koreans lived in the UK. But the UK's own census counts people based on where they were born, not their family background.

In the 2011 UK Census:

• About 16,276 people born in South Korea lived in England.
• Smaller numbers lived in Wales (310), Scotland (716), and Northern Ireland (92).
• About 369 people born in North Korea lived in England.

Many more Koreans have moved to the UK over the years. Between 1999 and 2005, the number of Koreans in the UK grew a lot. It became the largest Korean community in Europe.

Where Do Koreans Live in the UK?

A Korean supermarket in New Malden, London

Many Koreans started settling in the UK in the 1980s. Most of them chose to live near London.

The biggest group of Koreans can be found in a town called New Malden. Some people think between 8,000 and 20,000 Koreans live there!

Why New Malden?

• Houses were affordable.
• There was already a Japanese community there.
• Some important Korean businesses started there, and others followed.

New Malden became a main spot for the Korean community in the 1990s. Many adult immigrants, especially women, might not speak much English, even after living in the UK for a long time. During the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Koreans from all over the UK came to New Malden to cheer for the Korea Republic national football team.

Other areas with Koreans include Golders Green. Here, Korean and Japanese families have moved into areas where the Jewish community used to be larger.

Most North Koreans who live in the UK also live in Greater London.

Korean Businesses in the UK

Shops and Restaurants

About 21% of all Korean-owned businesses in the UK are in the New Malden area. The first Korean restaurant in New Malden opened in 1991.

Other Korean businesses you might find there include:

• Hairdressers
• Stationery shops
• Travel agents
• Child care services in Korean

There used to be a bookstore selling Korean novels, but it closed. You can also find two Korean-language newspapers published in New Malden.

Korean grocery stores do very well. This is because it's hard to find Korean food products in regular supermarkets like Tesco. While Korean food wasn't as popular as Chinese food in the past, it's becoming more popular now, especially tasty street food.

Challenges for Businesses

Sometimes, Korean business owners in the UK have faced challenges. They might not know all the business rules in the UK, and language can be a barrier. This can sometimes lead to problems with government rules.

For example, some Korean barbecue restaurants brought in small gas cookers directly from South Korea. They didn't always hire a certified gas engineer to install them safely. This caused safety concerns.

Finding translators can also be hard. One Korean translator said there were only a few others in the whole country. However, today, many South Koreans speak English well. You can also find many high-quality Korean restaurants in London's West End.

Religion in the Korean Community

The UK census doesn't ask about people's specific Korean background or their religion. But we know that Protestant churches are very important to Korean immigrant communities in the UK.

Many Korean immigrants go to English-speaking churches. But some also attend churches where services are held in the Korean language. These Korean churches often have youth groups and activities in English language. This helps young Koreans born in the UK keep their Korean language skills.

Churches in New Malden that offer Korean-language services include the Church of England and the Methodist Church.

A smaller number of Koreans in the UK follow Buddhism.

Famous Koreans in the UK

Clara Lee	Shannon	Jill Vidal	Ha-Joon Chang

Here are some notable people of Korean background who have lived or worked in the UK:

• Park Ji-sung, a famous former football player for Manchester United F.C.
• Lee Chung-yong, a football player who played for Crystal Palace F.C.
• Ki Sung-yueng, a football player who played for Newcastle United
• Son Heung-min, a well-known football player for Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
• Ha-Joon Chang, an economist and professor at the University of Cambridge.
• Clara Lee, a South Korean actress with Korean and British family.
• Shannon, a South Korean singer with Korean and Welsh family.
• Jill Vidal, a Hong Kong singer with Korean and Filipino family.
• Sue Son, a classical violinist born in Seoul and raised in Colchester.
• Jack Aitken, a racing driver.
• Hwang Hee-chan, a football player for Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C..
• Kris Kim, a golfer.
• Yiruma, a South Korean pianist.
• Su-a Lee, a cellist born in South Korea and living in Scotland.
• Peggy Gou, a DJ and music producer.