초록 열기/닫기 버튼

Objectives: The study aims to develop an understanding of the experience of migrant husbands with their South Korean in-laws, specifically from the perspective of migrant husbands from developing countries who reside in South Korea. Method: In total, 13 semi-structured interviews were carried out. Results: The themes drawn from the interview data were “attempting to be accepted as sons-in-law by the in-laws,” “interacting closely with in-laws,” and “building a nest of their own.” When it comes to “struggling to be recognized as sons-in-law” by their Korean families, the migrant husbands in this study met with a high level of opposition from in-laws and sometimes their own family members, made considerable efforts to be accepted as sons-in-law, and then were finally accepted as sons-in-law (although not every migrant husband achieved this). Regarding “interacting closely with in-laws,” migrant husbands tried to be recognized as real family members, became hyoja (filial sons) for the sake of their wives and children, and felt a burden about mismatched expectations regarding family roles and obligations. Regarding the final theme, “building a nest of their own,” the men tried to be themselves, to attain an equal position to their in-laws, and to maintain a moderate distance between themselves and their in-laws. Conclusions: The study has significant implications for existing government programs designed for multicultural families and how they can be made more inclusive, as well as how new programs can help to improve the relationships between Korean in-laws and migrant husbands.