I Am A Korean Woman Who Loves Bollywood, Says Luna Yogini

Luna Yogini, a South Korean woman who moved to India when she was three years old, fell in love with Bollywood and loves to dance to the beats of Bollywood songs. She also learned two Indian dance forms as a result of her love for dance. However, her journey was not without its setbacks, and she even faced racism due to her appearance. Luna Yogini spoke to SheThePeople and shared about her hardships and how she overcame them all.

"I was three when I lost my father, and since my mother was extremely inspired by the Indian philosophies of spiritual living, we decided to move to Shantiniketan. In no time, the warmth and love of the people around me made me feel like I was one of them--until my mother said, "We’ve actually come from another country-South Korea." Now, that came as a surprise to me! Because, even though my mom spoke to me in Korean, I spoke to my peers in Bengali and thought that both were Indian languages!

However, actually, this cultural mix only worked best for me since I was able to discover my love for what Indians love the most—Bollywood and dance! I’m a trained Bharatnatyam and Manipuri dancer and can spend hours vibing to Bollywood beats.

---

Suggested Reading: I Left My Job To Become A Pastry Chef In Paris, Says Disha Ekal

---

But, there was one thing that I couldn’t really figure out while I was young-random people addressing me with weird nicknames! Even though I considered myself an Indian, I’d be called names like "chingli" or "ching-chang-choo".

Honestly, I still don’t know what those words mean, but the thought that always occurred to me was, "Why was I even teased as an outcast when I spoke Bengali way better than they?" This made me realise how people reflect on their insecurities by demeaning others purely based on their physical appearance.

So in 2020, I started filming and posting my videos that’d possibly spread love and positivity. Through my videos and reels, I’d express my love for Indian culture and dance, to show that one doesn’t need a certain appearance to be and feel Indian--all you need is love and respect for its rich culture! It's been more than 6 months since I moved back to South Korea, but living in India has been the best time of my life. Today, I’m a little South Korean girl with an Indian heart who just loves to spread happiness! "

Watch the video here.

Feature Image Credit: Luna Yogini/ Instagram