The Korean Gen MZ in Malaysia

Between chasing specs and enjoying fringe benefits

Bibliographic Data

ID24138028
AuthorsGaik Cheng Khoo (0000-0001-9098-010X, Sunway University, corresponding author)
Year2026
Publication date2026-08-21
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAsian and Pacific migration journal (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0117-1968 • E-ISSN: 2057-049X
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/01171968261479638
OpenAlexW7203929170
LanguageEN
References cited26

Scant literature exists on Korean youth in Malaysia and whether they have escaped the systemic issues facing their peers in South Korea. How does migration to Malaysia shape their outlook for the future and their life-course plans, such as finding stable employment, getting married, having children, and purchasing a home? Focusing on the hopes and dreams of Korean Gen MZ international students and self-initiated expatriates in Malaysia, this paper argues that Korean youth face ambivalence between chasing specs and enjoying fringe benefits derived from slower temporalities and the less-developed nature of Malaysia.

Ambivalence · Face (sociological concept) · Purchasing · Temporalities · Asian Culture and Media Studies · China's Global Influence and Migration · Migration, Ethnicity, and Economy