The Role of Korean Immigrant Churches in the Identity Development and Heritage Language Learning among Biracial Korean American University Students

Korean immigrant churches are not only a place of worship, but a central place that provides cultural and social services as well. With Korean language education not widely available in US public schools, many Korean immigrant churches operate heritage language schools. This paper examines the experiences of biracial Korean American university students at Korean immigrant churches and church-based Korean heritage language schools; their experiences learning Korean before entering and during university; and how those experiences relate to their identities. Most participants perceived Korean immigrant churches as highly racialized and exclusive, and reported church-based Korean heritage language schools to lack resources, effective curricula, and cultural inclusion. The findings also show that the university setting was a space where participants felt safe to explore their Korean identities and learn the Korean language.