Indian YouTuber Faces Racism In South Korea: 'We’ve Brown Skin, What Can We Do?'

A video shared by an Indian travel vlogger has sparked a heated discussion about the issue of racism in South Korea. Deepanshu Sangwan, who runs a widely-followed YouTube channel Nomadic Indian with more than 1.7 million subscribers, documented his journey in South Korea, only to face an unexpected challenge. In a clip from his vlog posted on X (formerly Twitter), Sangwan talks about the racial discrimination he allegedly faced during his trip.

In the video, Sangwan recounted the “uncomfortable stares" and feelings of “alienation" he faced due to his appearance. He discussed how his brown skin seemed to draw unwanted attention and remarked, “We’re Indians, we have brown skin—what can we do? We were born this way."

Sangwan went on to explain that racism is not limited to South Korea, noting that discrimination happens in India too. However, he feels that in India, it tends to be less direct or obvious. “Yes, people of African descent may face challenges in India, but it’s not as widespread. We don’t give dirty looks to others," he said.

He further added, “We could poke fun at Koreans too, since much of their culture is borrowed from Chinese traditions and other influences."

Sangwan advised his audience to be prepared for such incidents if they plan to visit South Korea, so they aren’t caught off guard. He also mentioned that it is not just people with brown skin who stand out in South Korea, mentioning, “If you’re white, for them you are an exotic thing."

Sangwan’s video shedding light on racism in South Korea quickly stirred a strong response online, with viewers sharing a mix of reactions.

One user shared, “A friend who worked at Samsung went to Seoul for 3 months. He told me that no Korean would sit next to him during the lunch break. Some clubs won’t even allow non-asian or white people in."

Another person commented, “Indians can realize how horrible casteism is only when they get discriminated against by other country people."

“The sad thing is that when foreigners visit India We treat them like royalty but when Indians go Abroad, they often face racism," a different user pointed out.

“Racism exists everywhere. To point out that one country is just being naive and unaware of ground realities! Still South Koreans are far better and nicer than many," someone else shared.

Another user, sharing a personal experience, wrote, “Sorry dude, I worked in Seoul and that was 11 years ago and didn’t face any racism. In fact they were very much sweeter than other countries. Yes, I have seen racism in Thailand. If you bargain there, some of them abuse you," one shared.

Sangwan’s video on his YouTuber channel has received over 1.5 lakh views so far.