As mentioned in a previous post about Alexandra Reid’s entrance into the K-Pop world, Korea is a very homogenous country, and it’s rare to see Westerners making it big in the entertainment industry here. However, there are three people who have managed to break into the business who are doing quite well for themselves.

Sam Hammington

Sam Hammington is from Australia and works as a television personality in Korea. He’s been featured on variety shows like the popular action show Running Man, and also on scripted dramas like Who Are You: School 2015. He is currently a cast member on the show Real Men, a show documenting celebrities’ reactions to living the military life. Watch more about him here:

Megan Bowen

Megan is a fellow Georgian who moved to Korea to work as a teacher, but quickly transitioned to the life of an entertainer. She currently runs her own business, co-hosts  a show called생활영어, or common English, with Hyunwoo Sun from Talk to Me in Korean, and recently started guesting on an EBS radio show. Learn more about her on her YouTube channel!

Sam Okyere

Sam Okyere is a Ghanian television personality, actor, and model. Like Hammington, he has also been featured on Real Men and and Running Man. He has recently gotten more into acting, though, and has had roles in Warm and Cozy, which he got an award for, and the new hit drama Moorim School. Watch a recent interview with him conducted by Jacque Amadi from Black in Korea!

There are, of course, more than these three foreign entertainers in Korea. But I think their being Westerners speaks to how Korea is becoming more open-minded as a society, and that it’s not impossible for Westerners to make it big here. Let me know in the comments if you think anyone else should be on this list!