South Korean Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

South Korea is a dynamic nation on the Korean peninsula, known for its technology, cars, music and film. Its capital, Seoul, is one of the world's great cities. Koreans in Birmingham include students, academics, business professionals and families, many connected to the city's universities.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 457 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Korean; and 312 residents gave Korean as their main language. Main language figures leave out the many bilingual residents who use English day to day, so the number who speak the language at home is higher still. The census does not separate South and North Korea; almost all of Birmingham's Korean community has its roots in South Korea.

Working for Birmingham

Korean residents work in engineering, technology, healthcare, education and business, and South Korea's leading companies make many of the phones, cars and electronics Brummies use every day. Korean students study at the city's universities, and Korean restaurants and shops have opened in recent years.

Healthcare, education and the skilled trades are three of the pillars of the city's economy. The NHS is one of Birmingham's biggest employers, its universities teach tens of thousands of students, and there is steady demand for electricians, plumbers, carpenters, decorators and handymen in every neighbourhood, alongside business, transport, hospitality, retail and the city's growing digital and creative industries. People from every background keep these sectors running, and the South Korean community shares in that effort.

Culture and community life

The Korean wave of K-pop, K-dramas and films has made Korean culture hugely popular with young Brummies. Seollal, the lunar new year, and Chuseok, the harvest festival, are family occasions, and dishes such as bibimbap, kimchi and Korean fried chicken have found an eager following in the city.

The story of the South Korean community in Birmingham is still being written, by students, workers, parents and pensioners who call the city home. It is a story of hard work, friendship and quiet pride, and Birmingham is richer for it.