Ramadan in South Korea Given that South Korea has around 200,000 Muslims (around 0.4% of the population), you would not expect that there is much going on during Ramadan. You may even think performing your Eid Prayers may be difficult. However, (at least in our experience) it was much easier than expected.
Probably the hardest part of Ramadan in South Korea is finding food for Suhoor. Most places are closed during early mornings, so you’ll need to either cook food for yourself, or buy food ahead of time. Although, if you are really desperate, you might be able to quickly go to a convenience store to buy some food. Ideally however, it’s best to prepare well ahead of time, as the selection of food at a convenience store may not be so varied.
It’s also rather tough trying to get into the spirit of Ramadan, when you live in a country that is not familiar with the concept of Ramadan. You’ll most likely get confused questions about why you’re not eating during the day. But people are usually very understanding and the questions that they ask are as a result of their own curiosity. Perhaps it is the first time that they see something like this, and as a result often question about the difficulty, length, reason etc. It is also a nice way for you to test your own resolve and your faith.
However, at least for my own experience, I found Ramadan to be quite challenging, but very fruitful. I was lucky, as I lived in my own apartment, and I was able to cook for myself. It was also nice for us, as we were able to have an Iftar with the other Indonesian students in KIT. It was held on school grounds, specifically in the International Building. The event is usually organized by the students themselves, so you can expect most of the food to be of Indonesian cuisine. So, it was nice having a taste of home. Gets you in the mood of Ramadan quite nicely.
As for the Eid Prayer itself, we are lucky because we have a masjid near the station. While it is a bit far from campus (takes around 15-20 mins by bus), it is not too much of a hassle to go there. At the very least, it is in the same city! And while it is technically an Indonesian Masjid (that is, a masjid run by Indonesians), it often has people from all over the world, as it is the only masjid in town. As such, you see a wide variety of faces. Makes it feel very cosmopolitan.
To conclude, while being a practicing Muslim may be rather tough while living in Korea, it makes you appreciate all you have when you do go back home. As they say, the heart grows fonder with time. The sense of community that is built when you are a small group is quite strong, and that sense of community that is fostered as a result of environment is one that is very tight-knit, with every member of the community looking out for each other.
