Bella Jeong is a 17-year-old Korean student who has lived in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for the past 12 years. A close friend of Janice, Bella currently attends an international school and is preparing to return to Korea for college. Having spent most of her life abroad, she offers a valuable perspective on growing up between cultures, balancing Korean identity in a foreign setting, and maintaining connections to home. Her experience reflects the often unseen reality of Korean youth raised outside of Korea, navigating multiple cultural expectations.
Can you introduce yourself and tell me where you currently live? What do you do?
Bella: I’m Bella, Janice’s friend, and I’ve lived in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, for most of my life. I moved here with my family when I was really young because of my dad’s job, and I currently go to an international school here. I’m in my last year of high school and getting ready to apply to colleges in Korea, which is exciting but also a little scary since I haven’t lived there in so long. This photo was me on the first day of secondary school in Vietnam.
How would you describe your daily life in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, compared to your life in Korea?
Bella: My daily life in Vietnam feels really fast-paced and independent. Because it’s hot all year, people are out all the time, and the city has a very active rhythm. In school, I speak mostly in English, but outside, I hear Vietnamese everywhere. It feels very multicultural. Whenever I visit Korea, I notice how structured everything is…especially with school and social expectations. In Vietnam, I’ve gotten used to a bit more flexibility and freedom, which I know will be different when I go back.
How has your experience with education differed in Korea versus Vietnam in an international school?
Bella: When I was younger, I briefly attended school in Korea during one summer, and I remember how intense it was: lots of memorization, tests, and after-school academies. Here in Vietnam, my international school is much more project and discussion-based. We work in teams a lot and focus on applying ideas rather than just learning them. I think I’ve grown more confident in speaking and asking questions because of it, but I also worry about adjusting to the Korean college system, where things are more competitive and formal.
How do you maintain your cultural identity while living outside your home country?
Bella: That’s something I’ve thought about a lot. At home, we speak Korean and eat Korean food almost every day, and my parents have always reminded me of where I come from. But outside, I spend most of my time speaking English and interacting with friends from all over the world. Sometimes it feels like I’m caught between two worlds. I’ve tried to keep up with Korean news and music and even joined a Korean club at school. Still, there are moments when I feel a little distant from both cultures. I think I’m still figuring it out.
Bella’s interview reflects the complexities of growing up abroad while holding on to one’s cultural identity. She sheds light on what it means to be a Korean student raised in a multicultural environment, learning to balance family values with daily life in Vietnam. From school differences to personal routines, her story reveals both the freedom and challenges of living between two cultures. As she prepares to return to Korea for college, Bella’s experience shows that identity is not fixed but constantly evolving. Her journey reminds us that living abroad can shape not just how we learn, but how we understand who we are.
Humans of Korea 