BETWEEN ASSIMILATION AND DUAL IDENTITY: KOREAN ACADEMIC DISCOURSE ON CHILDREN OF MARRIAGE MIGRANTS

Abstract

This article examines Korean-language scholarship on the identity of children from marriage migrants and multicultural families in South Korea through a historiographical and thematic analysis of research published between 2008 and 2023. The study is based on dissertations and journal articles collected via the DBpia database at Seoul National University. By applying thematic analysis, the review identifies major areas of academic inquiry: school adaptation, experiences of discrimination and bullying, linguistic development and bilingualism, maternal and paternal roles in socialization, as well as the influence of state policy and counseling support. Comparative analysis of works focusing on children of Vietnamese, Chinese, Mongolian, Japanese, and Russian-speaking migrant mothers reveals both common patterns of identity formation and culturally specific features. The findings demonstrate that Korean academic discourse has evolved from an early emphasis on assimilation and the consolidation of a “Korean identity” towards more recent recognition of dual identity, bilingualism as a resource, and institutional forms of support. This historiographical review highlights how Korean scholarship reflects broader social concerns while also shaping perceptions of multiculturalism and identity in contemporary South Korea.