International student entrepreneurs need more than just language skills

Being an international student in Korea has its range of difficulties, such as limited job prospects, language barriers and cultural differences. Despite the problems, international students are finding success in Korea's thriving business landscape.

Being an international student in Korea has its range of difficulties, such as limited job prospects after graduation, language barriers and cultural differences. Despite the problems, international students are finding success in Korea's thriving business landscape.

Korea has become a stronghold for manufacturing and technology with 4.81 percent of its entire GDP invested in research and development and infrastructure as of 2020, according to the World Bank. The figure has been growing, up 0.18 percentage points on year, creating a perfect environment to attract a growing international student population.

The increase of students also leads to a rise in the number of students who want to enter the workforce after graduating in Korea. But many companies prefer employees who can start work right away or fit a level of lookism, leaving fresh graduates with few job prospects.

Tanaya Clark was a former Yonsei University exchange student. Although she started her career in Los Angeles, she followed her heart and returned to Korea, founding tech start-up Shindaya in 2021.

Before establishing her own company, she faced difficulties finding work due to her appearance while on a Working Holiday Visa back in 2017. However, networking became her saving grace.

"I couldn't find a job for two months, and jobs would email me back asking for a photo, only to be ghosted after submitting it," Clark said. "I connected with old study abroad friends who got me my first jobs in Korea, and then I got my big breakthrough expat Facebook groups."

Information on expat blogs first introduced her to free business classes offered through Overall Assistance for Startup Immigration System (Oasis). Taking classes also allowed her to acquire a start-up visa, also known as the D-8-4.

The thumbnail for a video on Tanaya Clark's YouTube channel Brownbeautyabroad explaining how she started her own business in Korea. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

She says that blog article was what inspired her to develop her tech start-up, which services an application that helps Korean learners turn words directly into Flashcards. Another business area is offering consultations for other foreigners who also want to start businesses through her social media, Brown Beauty Abroad. Although Clark didn't return to Korea specifically to start her own business, her entrepreneurial spirit helped her find the opportunity to pursue her passion in a country she loved.

Like Clark, many former international students are taking matters into their own hands, creating their own brands.

Chris Hambarsoomian, better known by his stage name Chambo, found success in Korea by utilizing his abilities in content production and creation.

Chambo spent a year as an exchange student at Seoul National University, where he studied Korean studies in addition to finance, international business and Mandarin. Coming from Australia, Chambo had initially established CH Entertainment, an entertainment company in Australia, where he began promoting various Korean artists.

This business venture led Chambo to become aware of the power content had to engage a wider audience.

"When you have the power of content, you can achieve the world with very little input," said Chambo.

Chambo's love for Korea remained strong despite facing discrimination during his time as an international student, where he remembers once being “punched in the face three times by random people just walking by."

Embracing the rich language, food, and traditions, Chambo has immersed himself in the Korean lifestyle, showcasing his commitment to and appreciation for the nation through his content. Within three years, Chambo has built a platform from zero to 762,000 people on TikTok and 312,000 people on YouTube. With light and captivating food videos, Chambo has captured his audience by utilizing suggestions from his followers, who challenge him to eat different types of foods throughout various cities and neighborhoods in Korea.

Chambo's videos on TikTok [SCREEN CAPTURE]

"Listening to your audience is the key to building a successful platform because they are going to tell you what they want," says Chambo in describing his platform's impact in Korea.

Coining popular catchphrases such as Gum-Easy — referring to the Korean phrase Kkeomiji used to say something is as easy as chewing gum — Chambo has been dubbed the king of elementary students in Korea. Chambo's popularity eventually lead to appearances on popular TV shows such as MBC's "Welcome, First Time in Korea?"

However, building businesses and platforms is not easy, especially with the added layer of the Covid-19 pandemic and inflation.

Both Clark and Chambo found themselves pressured to generate income and maintain valid visas, forcing them to become resourceful, adaptive and resilient to keep their brands afloat during the beginning of Covid-19.

Visas tend to be tricky for foreigners who decide to stay in Korea for the long-term. Most visas are typically sponsored by a workplace, school or spousal entity, leaving the foreigner's activities entirely in the control of the sponsor. Any activity completed outside those visas without prior knowledge can land foreigners in challenging situations, even if it is at the hand of a sponsor.

Chambo, currently on an E-6 visa, said he is preparing for the F-2-7 visa, which will allow him more freedom to do activities outside the current limitations of the E-6 visa.

Clark predicts that visas will be ever-changing throughout the future, and it is crucial to act quickly and thoroughly.

"Currently, start-ups can launch without capital, but I predict that will change in the next year or two," said Clark.

Obtaining investments for businesses are another difficulty for foreign entrepreneurs.

"Getting funding is darn near impossible as a triple minority, especially being an immigrant, black and a woman," said Clark.

Despite these obstacles, Clark persisted in her entrepreneurial journey, finding support from her network and leveraging her skills in unique ways. She would later find investors through methods such as networking events and using language apps like HelloTalk.

Joining a solid network of other expat entrepreneur groups is a must to develop a clear understanding of the market, Clark said. Many of these groups tend to be exclusive and invite only, so Clark invites others to message her on Instagram, @BrownBeautyAbroad, to inquire about these groups.

Although the Modern Language Association has indicated there has been a 78 percent increase in Korean language learners in countries like the United States over the last ten years, the appeal of foreigners speaking Korean has waned over time, and so has the availability of jobs in the entertainment industry based solely on that basis.

"Getting famous just because they're foreigners speaking Korean had died long ago, and I first didn't know that," Chambo said.

For him, experimenting through trial and error was what helped. He tried switching from longer traditional YouTube videos to shorter content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram before the official introduction of YouTube Shorts in 2022. It took two years for Chambo to start seeing income from his efforts.

Chambo suggests that entrepreneurs closely examine their motivations for pursuing business in Korea and consider what they can uniquely achieve here. More than being a foreigner is needed to stand out; international students must understand the perspective of potential employers and identify the value they can bring to a company. Entrepreneurs should skillfully leverage their abilities and background to gain an advantage over local talent.

BY STUDENT REPORTER SHAKERRA BARTLEY [kjd.kcampus@joongang.co.kr]