Seoul is a city of opportunity, but for some people it can feel like a jungle.
The lives of North Korean defector women should be read through the language of dignity, not pity.
For South Korean society, the gaze can become either protection or stigma.
This column asks again where human rights, identity, and hospitality begin and end.
In 2026, Seoul is still one of the fastest-changing cities in Asia.
However, speed does not mean everyone is moving in the same direction.
Some people see jobs and schools first.
Others first meet unfamiliar rules and unfamiliar looks.
For North Korean defector women, that gap is especially clear.
As the article suggests, Seoul is both a city of opportunity and a jungle.
There are many chances here, but not always much safety.
There are many choices, but not always much freedom.
At this point, the real question is not simply how someone adapts.
It is how others look at them, what names they are given, and how much distance is kept.
