Have you heard of the culture of wild goose fathers in Korea? 

This culture originated in Korea and is a phenomenon that is taking place in the nation.

Today, we will be learning more about the culture.

The Culture Of Wild Goose Fathers

Source: zum news

The culture of wild goose fathers in Korea (기러기 아빠) describes a father who lives in Korea alone to make money for his children and wife that are sent abroad for better education for their kids.

Like a goose living in the plains, lakes, wetlands, and fields, while the female hatches the eggs and takes care of them, the male will watch the surrounding area and protect them until summer.

Then, they will leave the nest in the fall and make further migration.

Source: hani

The wild goose fathers are quite lonely and they make a lot of sacrifices for their wives and kids.

The Beginning Of Wild Goose Fathers

Source: nocutnews

The culture of wild goose fathers began in the mid-1990s among middle-aged parents around 30-40 years old.

It was caused by the negative views around the strict education system in Korea which was a harsh environment for children to learn and grow at their own pace.

Solely for education purposes, many Korean families sent their children abroad to more developed countries for middle and high school.

They had hoped their children will be able to speak fluent English.

Source: SBS

However, sending an underage child abroad alone is a concern for most parents, so the mothers would go with them while the fathers stayed behind to support them financially.

According to statistics from 2007, 12,341 children went to study abroad the most in America and Canada.

The Downside Of Being A Wild Goose Father

Most wild goose father families come from middle-class families, and their only source of income is from the father working in Korea.

The cost of tuition, accommodation and daily expenses isn't easily covered by one income.

So Korean fathers who send their children and wives abroad often live a very difficult and sacrificial life.

They live in small rented one-bedrooms and eat cheap food, sending most of their money to their family overseas.

Escalating To Divorce

Source: MBC

Wild goose fathers in Korea often express that they feel lonely because they've been distant from their families for a long time.

Many families only meet once or twice a year which is why Korean fathers often want to get divorced.

They feel that they've lost their emotional connection with their families due to long separation and lack of contact.

In 2015, there was a case where a court accepted a divorce request from a 50-year-old father who was already separated from his children and wife overseas for a long time.

Depression And Other Mental Struggles

Living alone for a long time while working hard to send most of your money to your family overseas will make your life miserable.

Some fathers say that every day they wait in agony for the loneliness to be over.

With these stresses and burdens, it's no wonder that wild goose fathers have depression.

Many turn to alcohol to relieve the stress, which only worsens their mental and physical health.

In Korea, sadly there are also many reports of suicide cases among these fathers.

The Current Situation

Source: 대학저널

Today, the number of wild goose fathers in Korea has been steadily declining since the global financial crisis of 2008.

As the number of Korean university students has steadily increased, the number of foreign students has declined as well as the number of jobs abroad.

In addition, the number of foreign students taking part in international programs in universities has increased which has attracted many parents' attention.

Many parents now choose to send their children to international schools in other parts of Asia for three years then return to enroll them in universities in Korea.

In Korea, there are many international schools, which many parents choose to enroll their children in to help them learn English from an early age.

Other Types Of Fathers

Besides the wild goose fathers (기러기 아빠), there is also the eagle fathers (독수리 아빠), the penguin fathers (펭귄 아빠), and the sparrow fathers (참새 아빠).

Eagle father (독수리 아빠) refers to a father of a financially sound family that can fly overseas to meet his family as often as he pleases.

Penguin father (펭귄 아빠) refers to a father from a financially troubled family that makes it difficult to fly overseas, so he must stay in Korea.

Sparrow father (참새 아빠) refers to a father who lives abroad and sends his children to Seoul or Gangnam district to attend popular schools where they have to stay apart from their families to earn money.

Today we learned more about the wild goose father culture in Korea. 

Do you think that sacrificing your life for the betterment of your children's education is a good option?

Let us know down in the comments below.