'Many Koreans have big misunderstandings about Islam': Invisible Asia Ep 9

Published: May 2, 2021, 4 p.m.

Invisible Asia Ep 9: 'Many Koreans have big misunderstandings about Islam' 14:06 min Synopsis: The Invisible Asia Podcast is a special edition 9-episode series in which The Straits Times casts the spotlight on people and communities living in the shadows of their societies where they exist largely unseen and unheard of.  The Straits Times' South Korea correspondent Chang May Choon closes our series as she casts the spotlight on the South Korean Muslim minority. As many as 3,000 South Koreans convert to Islam each year, according to the Korea Muslim Federation.  But a lack of understanding of Islam among the country’s general populace, contributes to the daily difficulties that they face for their belief.  In this podcast, listen to translated testimonies from South Korean Muslim converts Song Bo-ra, Lee Seul and Yu Hong-jong. Our series' narrator is Tan Jia Ning. How Bo-ra counters misconceptions about the way the hijab is viewed (2:01) Lee Seul still uneasy in public after her own conversion to Islam (4:33)  South Korean government working to change its people's mindsets about Islam as Muslim tourist numbers rose pre-Covid (5:51) Hong-jong on the difference between the way Christians and Muslims are viewed in South Korea (8:14) Booming demand for halal Korean food from Muslim students, workers and tourists (9:28) Lee Seul and Song Bo-ra helping to make South Korea a more Muslim-friendly country (11:20)  Read the full story by Chang May Choon: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/many-koreans-have-big-misunderstandings-about-islam Produced by: Magdalene Fung, Tan Jia Ning, Adam Azlee, Fa'izah Sani, Penelope Lee & Ernest Luis Edited by: Adam Azlee Discover Invisible Asia Podcast playlist: https://omny.fm/shows/st-bt/playlists/invisible-asia Discover Invisible Asia Video playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnK3VE4BKduNKeEL19yhXFVHxGB8X315b Discover ST & BT podcasts: Channel: https://str.sg/JWVR  Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2PwZCYU  Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2Lu4rPP  Google podcasts: http://str.sg/googlestbt  Websites: http://str.sg/stbtpodcasts  https://bt.sg/moneyhacks  Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg  --- Discover more niche podcast series by ST and BT below: Follow BT Money Hacks Podcast on: http://bt.sg/btmoneyhacks  Follow BT Mark To Market Podcast on: http://bt.sg/btmark2mkt  Follow Health Check Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWaN  Follow Green Pulse Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWaf  Follow Asian Insider Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWa7  Follow Lunch With Sumiko Podcast on: https://str.sg/J6hQ  Follow #PopVultures Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWad  Follow Life Weekend Picks Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWa2  Follow #GameOfTwoHalves Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWRE  Follow Bookmark This! Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWas  Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts! #InvisibleAsia  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.