By Jane Han
DALLAS ― Americans woke up Wednesday morning to a country where Donald Trump, the billionaire reality show star, has become the president-elect in one of the biggest upsets in U.S. political history.
In disbelief and denial, people fear how their lives may or may not be impacted under a leader who has constantly been labeled a racist and sexist throughout a divisive and ugly campaign.
But for many Korean-Americans, the uncertainty runs even deeper.
''We're talking about a man who has been hating on immigrants, not to mention criticizing South Korea as 'free-riders,''' says Michael Kim, 26, one of many younger generation Korean-Americans who have teamed up to campaign for Trump's defeated Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton in California, a liberal stronghold. ''These two factors alone can't be good for all of us Koreans who live in the U.S.''
Korean-American political observers say never in recent history have so many Koreans been unified against one single candidate.
According to a recent poll, 63 percent of eligible Korean-American voters said they would vote for Clinton, while only 10 percent backed Trump.
''The reason is simple,'' says Lisa Kim, 42, a member of the Korean American Coalition in New York, a non-partisan community advocacy organization. ''People are feeling threatened by this new and emerging political force who has awaken a movement of white nationalists.''
Life in America under Trump's leadership, Kim says, is likely to be tougher for Asians and other minorities.
''Racism is one of the biggest concerns we're facing,'' she said, stressing that this election has exposed a surprising depth of underlying racism deeply planted in the American society.
In fact, this is exactly what Korean-American families with children are particularly worried about.
''Even during the campaign process, kids quickly seemed to pick up all that aggressive and angry language used by Trump,'' says Michelle Rhee, 44, a mother to two teenagers in Seattle.
''Children are naive. They think Trump as president means all the Hispanics will immediately get sent back to Mexico. Then they automatically think, 'What about us? We're not white. What's happening to us?''' she said.
Timothy Kim, 43, a Los Angeles-based immigration attorney with two children of his own, shared a similar feeling of anxiety.
''Hard-working older generations have done so much to improve the lives of Koreans here in America,'' he said. ''We can't go backwards now, and that means we cannot lose our grounds especially in the realm of politics.''
Korean-American politicians have made steep progress in recent years.
In Tuesday's state elections alone, nearly 10 Korean-Americans clinched legislative positions, adding to the growing number of second-generation Koreans taking public offices in the U.S.
''The result of this election is still hard to swallow. It is beyond shocking,'' says Park Jin-woong, 38, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Illinois. ''I have yet to see anyone who claimed they voted for Trump, but here he comes out winning so strong.''
Political experts and Trump's campaign itself largely credit ''undercover voters'' ― many who turned out to be uneducated, working class men ― as one of the key factors that unexpectedly carried the real estate mogul to victory.
Even within the Korean community, Trump voters, many of whom are considered conservative Christians, seemed to have kept quiet about their support.
''It's not because I'm ashamed,'' wrote one anonymous user on MissyUSA, the largest Korean-American women's online community in the U.S. ''I just didn't want to get involved in another pointless political debate. I can't change their view and they can't change my view. That's that.''
In line with the general voter sentiment of the American people in this year's election, however, Koreans, too, were largely unhappy with both candidates from both parties.
''America was in a lose-lose scenario with this election,'' said Sam Kwon, 37, a consultant who travels the country on a daily basis, ''but I honestly thought that the people will select the less embarrassing and irresponsible candidate. I was wrong.''
DALLAS ― Americans woke up Wednesday morning to a country where Donald Trump, the billionaire reality show star, has become the president-elect in one of the biggest upsets in U.S. political history.
In disbelief and denial, people fear how their lives may or may not be impacted under a leader who has constantly been labeled a racist and sexist throughout a divisive and ugly campaign.
But for many Korean-Americans, the uncertainty runs even deeper.
''We're talking about a man who has been hating on immigrants, not to mention criticizing South Korea as 'free-riders,''' says Michael Kim, 26, one of many younger generation Korean-Americans who have teamed up to campaign for Trump's defeated Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton in California, a liberal stronghold. ''These two factors alone can't be good for all of us Koreans who live in the U.S.''
Korean-American political observers say never in recent history have so many Koreans been unified against one single candidate.
According to a recent poll, 63 percent of eligible Korean-American voters said they would vote for Clinton, while only 10 percent backed Trump.
''The reason is simple,'' says Lisa Kim, 42, a member of the Korean American Coalition in New York, a non-partisan community advocacy organization. ''People are feeling threatened by this new and emerging political force who has awaken a movement of white nationalists.''
Life in America under Trump's leadership, Kim says, is likely to be tougher for Asians and other minorities.
''Racism is one of the biggest concerns we're facing,'' she said, stressing that this election has exposed a surprising depth of underlying racism deeply planted in the American society.
In fact, this is exactly what Korean-American families with children are particularly worried about.
''Even during the campaign process, kids quickly seemed to pick up all that aggressive and angry language used by Trump,'' says Michelle Rhee, 44, a mother to two teenagers in Seattle.
''Children are naive. They think Trump as president means all the Hispanics will immediately get sent back to Mexico. Then they automatically think, 'What about us? We're not white. What's happening to us?''' she said.
Timothy Kim, 43, a Los Angeles-based immigration attorney with two children of his own, shared a similar feeling of anxiety.
''Hard-working older generations have done so much to improve the lives of Koreans here in America,'' he said. ''We can't go backwards now, and that means we cannot lose our grounds especially in the realm of politics.''
Korean-American politicians have made steep progress in recent years.
In Tuesday's state elections alone, nearly 10 Korean-Americans clinched legislative positions, adding to the growing number of second-generation Koreans taking public offices in the U.S.
''The result of this election is still hard to swallow. It is beyond shocking,'' says Park Jin-woong, 38, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Illinois. ''I have yet to see anyone who claimed they voted for Trump, but here he comes out winning so strong.''
Political experts and Trump's campaign itself largely credit ''undercover voters'' ― many who turned out to be uneducated, working class men ― as one of the key factors that unexpectedly carried the real estate mogul to victory.
Even within the Korean community, Trump voters, many of whom are considered conservative Christians, seemed to have kept quiet about their support.
''It's not because I'm ashamed,'' wrote one anonymous user on MissyUSA, the largest Korean-American women's online community in the U.S. ''I just didn't want to get involved in another pointless political debate. I can't change their view and they can't change my view. That's that.''
In line with the general voter sentiment of the American people in this year's election, however, Koreans, too, were largely unhappy with both candidates from both parties.
''America was in a lose-lose scenario with this election,'' said Sam Kwon, 37, a consultant who travels the country on a daily basis, ''but I honestly thought that the people will select the less embarrassing and irresponsible candidate. I was wrong.''
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